(NOAH) The theme of return is "New Go Shiozaki", "Fight with five people", thrilled by the new Noah scenery

19th April 2023

Pro Wrestling DX

Go Shiozaki has decided to make his comeback after about eight months on the 4th May Ryogoku event, which will conclude the first half of Noah's results.

In September last year, Shiozaki left the ring due to an injury to his right arm, and during that time Keiji Mutoh and others retired, there was the rise of the new generation and the emergence of new foreign talent appearing one after another, and Jake Lee being crowned GHC Heavyweight Champion. The scenery of Noah has changed dramatically, such as increased competition with other promotions. The card for his return match is, "Go Shiozaki, Kaito Kiyomiya & Yoshiki Inamura vs Kenoh, Katsuhiko Nakajima & Manabu Soya". We asked "I AM NOAH" about his feelings during his absence, the significance of his return match, and his current state of mind as he returns to Noah's new scenery.

Interview with Go Shiozaki

Q: First of all, what are your honest thoughts when you decided to return? 

SHIOZAKI: As I said in the ring in Sendai, "I made you wait". Those few words. 

Q: Did you feel that you were kept waiting? 

SHIOZAKI: I haven't been able to fight in the ring for such a long time, and I felt a lot of frustration. I felt strongly that I had caused all the fans who expected to see me feel disappointed as I wasn't able to attend. 

Q: Did it last longer than you expected?

SHIOZAKI: That was the time to "make it perfect", and so my condition is perfect now.

Q: There was also a long-term absence of nine months in 2021

SHIOZAKI: I've been absent for nearly a year and a half in the past three years, and I am so sorry about that. However, during my period of absence, I was constantly following matches on WrestleUniverse and ABEMA. Keiji Mutoh and Daisuke Harada retired during my absence, and I was very disappointed that I couldn't be there. 

Q: What are your thoughts on wrestlers retiring? 

SHIOZAKI: I had a lot of thoughts, but I want to fight while savoring that "I can still compete" and "I can wrestle." That feeling got stronger.

Q: There was also a part where you compared that to your absence

SHIOZAKI: Yes. I'm worried about injuries, and I wondered what I would do if something like retirement happened. It figures that when I am absent, negative emotions naturally dominate my mind. 

Q: That's why you didn't tell yourself anything during your long absence last time (2021)...

SHIOZAKI: On the contrary, this time I knew a lot. Pro Wrestling Noah is so turbulent now, and I thought "I can't keep up if I don't watch it". During this period everything happened and changed, I felt a turbulence that I had never felt before. 

Q: Certainly, during your absence, not only Mutoh, NOSAWA and Harada retired, but there has been the rise of the new generation, the participation of new foreign wrestlers one after another, and all kinds of things happened, such as the activation of relations with other promotions.

SHIOZAKI: Even if you look at other promotions, I don't think there were many who changed so much during that period. New strengths and developments have come to Noah, and the younger wrestlers are growing steadily. I really had the feeling that Noah was about to be reborn, and I feel like it's become a completely different Noah from before I left. So many new things have been born. 

Q: The Corona restrictions have faded in earnest while you have been absent, and the original format of the show is returning.

SHIOZAKI: Yes. In that sense, I was also very interested in the rapid progress of the new foreign wrestlers, as El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Jnr and Jack Morris started to grow when I was absent. I think that the range of the heavyweight fight has increased at once, and even if you look at it objectively, I felt that the composition of the future fight fascinating.

Q: Naturally, you wondered "What will happen if I enter there?"

SHIOZAKI: I'm looking forward to it. I'm still anxious, but the mixture of anxiety and fun is really thrilling right now. I'm excited. 

Q: What was the point that powered you up during your absence? 

SHIOZAKI: I've done what I can. It's not at the stage for me to say, "I've tried so hard". I want you to look at the ring and judge it for yourself. Don't think! Feel! Anyway, I am confident that I can show you the new Go Shiozaki, who will enter Noah's new battle. 

Q: The new Go Shiozaki...like Shinkasei Taiju*

SHIOZAKI: No! If I had to say that, it would be "Shin Shiozaki Go" (i.e. New Go Shiozaki)

Q: I see, I'm sorry...the card for your comeback match has been decided as, "Go Shiozaki, Kaito Kiyomiya & Yoshiki Inamura vs Kenoh, Katsuhiko Nakajima & Manabu Soya"

SHIOZAKI: First of all, speaking about the opponents, during this time, Kenoh and Soya won the World Tag Team belts, and Kenoh also won the DragonGate tag. I am shocked that they won the World Tag, but that belt is not unknown to me (note, he held it last in 2015 with Kento Miyahara). They are a team with that kind of ability and I think that the fact that that team is an opponent in the Noah ring, is also the new Noah 

Q: And then there is Nakajima, who has a deep connection with you

SHIOZAKI: Yes. The other day he challenged Jake for the GHC Heavyweight in Sendai and lost, but that sharpness, strength and nastiness have all been polished. I've fought against him many times so far, but I'm looking forward to fighting an even more sophisticated and completely "exceptional" Katsuhiko Nakajima.

Q: Kiyomiya and Inamura, who you form a trio with, also made a new generational wind blow while you were absent.

SHIOZAKI: At the same time, I think that while Kiyomiya and Inamura also showed their incompleteness, I am looking forward to seeing their growth, but that is also a threat. I have to fight everyone, including my two partners I think...

Q: This is called a Go Shiozaki return match, but if you let your guard down even a little...

SHIOZAKI: I think it's easy to get buried, but on the flip side, there is no other card worth returning to. Not, "I am back in the Noah ring! How nostalgic", rather, I have to bring it to a place where people can think, "What's going to happen next?", including my own feelings. 

Q: Besides, the stage is Noah's first half of Noah in Ryogoku. The match order is the semi finals above the GHC National and the GHC Junior.

SHIOZAKI: I feel the weight and responsibility of teaming up in the semi in Ryogoku for the return match. But, I will show you a match that will make you say, "Isn't it obvious?" Make the new scenery, Go Shiozaki's scenery 

Q: The current GHC Heavyweight Champion is Jake Lee, who is in the situation of "steering Noah".

SHIOZAKI: "I AM NOAH" is me. What does it mean to be at the helm of Noah? You had better think about that properly.

Q: Do you want to return to the title race as soon as possible?

SHIOZAKI: Of course. In order to bring about that situation, Ryogoku's comeback match must show the new Go Shiozaki...Shin Go Shiozaki.

Q: "ALL TOGETHER" has also been decided for June

SHIOZAKI: This time again, I think it will be an event while thinking about what pro wrestling can do. I want to bring my feelings after the card and the summary are decided.

Q: You've stood in the main for the past two times at "ALL TOGETHER", to deliver energy...

SHIOZAKI: Well, the time before last, "ALL TOGETHER", where the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami was the theme, was exactly the "opposite" of that. People from the disaster areas rushed to us and cheered us on, and we were given power. This is what professional wrestling can do. I hope that this event will be a place where the people who come to watch, and of course the wrestlers, as well as the whole pro wrestling community, will be able to revitalize themselves again. 

Q: We have to recover what was lost in Corona, and we can't do that unless we create new things. At the time when the entire pro wrestling world is working on rebuilding, what do you think you yourself have to show now?

SHIOZAKI: Yeah, we have to create new things, but on the other hand, I think it's important to connect each one to the now instead of saying "the past doesn't matter". I think that's one of the great things about pro wrestling, once again learning from the past. And finally there is the joy and the gratitude of being able to do pro wrestling, "continuing" is not a given, and being able to make a comeback isn't the norm, so I'd like to keep fighting with every move I make from my return match.

Translated from Pro Wrestling DX

Picture credit: Pro Wrestling DX 

Notes

Shinkasei Taiju: Actor Issei Sakamoto tried to trademark the name "Shinkasei Taiju" i.e. new Kasei Taiju, which was the name of another actor.  

Shin: Japanese for "New", i.e. read in Japanese, New Japan is "Shin Nihon".