(NOAH) Yoshinari Ogawa declares dissolution of STINGER!? (Interview, part 2)

Pro Wrestling DX

17th March 2023

(You can read Part 1 of the interview here) 

Q: To begin with, I am concerned that STINGER is in a situation of breaking up by fighting with the team of HAYATA and Ridgeway

OGAWA: You could call it a split. I teamed up with Eita, and got that kind of response from Chris and HAYATA, so there is no more STINGER. That happened after the title match in Osaka (the challenge was made after being laid out), so when the title match was decided, Eita and I weren't STINGER. So when they broke up with me, there was no STINGER. So, that's the reason. 

Q:...Does that mean that STINGER is disbanding? 

OGAWA: Well, don't tell me the conclusion, you can write it in whatever words you like, because I'm not the one who said it. Well, I'm not obsessed with the name, it's just that we got together by chance, and if we separate then it will disappear, but if we were to stick together than new things will be born again. 

Q: Once again, what are your impressions of the HAYATA & Ridgeway team? 

OGAWA: Are they able to communicate as a team? Because I think that the team of me and Chris and me and HAYATA are different teams. Both of you are not in a team with me, so they don't have to worry about it at all, so why don't you fight easily? 

Q: They are also two people who have absorbed everything from you. 

OGAWA: It's a rip-off (laughs). Well, after all, it is a copy. But as a team, I think Eita and I are better, even though we don't have teamwork.

Q: With individual power

OGAWA: We have individual strengths, but I think we can communicate better than before. So, if too much is taken then it's no good, so I don't even feel like it's becoming that. That's why I am wondering if this sense is of distance is the best. 

Q: Speaking of Noah as a whole, a next generation wave is coming this year, and the scenery has changed considerably for the juniors. 

OGAWA: Yes. I feel like AMAKUSA, Alejandro and others who were at the top until now have been replaced, including foreigners like Ninja (Mac) and Dante (Leon). 

Q: The rise of the new power is to be acknowledged. 

OGAWA: Yes, it's new, but I mean, Eita and I still have the tag belts. Even if there are things I want to say do your best to change that too, but...

Q: By the way, it is Kiyomiya who is standing on the crest of the next generation, and there was the big match at the Tokyo Dome recently...

OGAWA: Well, that's what I thought when I was watching the match backstage. There are things in Okada (Kazuchika) that Kiyomiya doesn't have, but at The Dome he wasn't able to bring out something that Kiyomiya has that Okada doesn't at all. If he could have done that, even if he lost, I think my evaluation of Kiyomiya would have been completely different, or at least my opinion would have changed. It was a bit disappointing that he wasn't able to bring out the things that Kiyomiya has that Okada doesn't have at all. Well, it's not good, is it? Kiyomiya's story? 

Q: I see...and as a Noah Junior, there is also the topic of Harada's retirement. 

OGAWA: Hmmm...well, I'll talk about that another time.   

Translated from Pro Wrestling DX

Picture credit: Pro Wrestling DX