(NOAH/ALL JAPAN) "My view of professional wrestling is 180 degrees different", Kento Miyahara talks about the "feud" with Katsuhiko Nakajima

Tokyo Sports

12th July 2023

The reason why I can't like him is.....

Kento Miyahara (34), the ace of All Japan Pro Wrestling, spoke up about the "feud" with Katsuhiko Nakajima (35), who he will face off against at Korakuen Hall on the 15th. 

For Miyahara, Nakajima is the senior whom he had ate together from the same pot* when he belonged to Kensuke Office and Diamond Ring. They met for the first time in about ten years in a six man tag match held at Keiji Mutoh's retirement event (Tokyo Dome) in February, which led to this match. The two have long been rumored to be on bad terms, and Miyahara expressed his disgust at the press conference in June, declaring, "As far as this match is concerned, I will not be answering questions outside of this press conference". In order to hear the details, I asked him directly after on the 11th. But he still refused with, "I won't talk!". Even so, he reluctantly responded to the interview, saying, "Well, just a little bit..." 

First of all, the reason why he "doesn't like" Nakajima, is "because the view of professional wrestling is 180 degrees different." A sense of discomfort was felt from the start of his career. "He was spotted as a karate champion and scouted. I, on the other hand, love pro wrestling, so I went to the try out. That's why ever since Kensuke Office, I thought that our sense of values might be different". 

Miyahara wanted to be a professional wrestler because he admired Hulk Hogan, and this has led to his current fighting style, saying, "I've been aiming for "bright, fun and intense", including what I do to attract people at the entrance". As for Nakajima on the other hand he stresses that, "He stands out for his intensity, or rather, I don't think he needs "bright and fun". In other words, they are incompatible". Based on this, he spit out, "That's why if you accept someone else's style, you're denying yourself. But right now, I am at the forefront, so I will show it to the world on the 15th". 

Years of feelings have become a complicated fight. 

Translated from Tokyo Sports

Picture credit: Tokyo Sports 

Notes

Ate together from the same pot: A phrase which indicates people who are together through circumstances (i.e. at work, in the military, shared dormitories etc) and eat together, are close enough to suffer hardships together.