(NOAH) "He's too serious..." The three people who have carried Noah on their backs, reveal their true feelings! Strict yet kind words for the terrifying kicker, as he departs for a new world.
26th October 2023
Noah.co.jp
Regarding Katsuhiko Nakajima, who will have his final match in Pro Wrestling Noah at the "ABEMA PRESENTS DEMOLITION STAGE 2023 IN FUKUOKA" at the Fukuoka International Center event on Saturday 28th, we spoke to his opponents in that match who will be Naomichi Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura, and then to Go Shiozaki, who will be his final tag partner. What do the three of them, who have fought together for many years, think about Nakajima's decision to leave Noah?
Interview with Naomichi Marufuji
Q: When and how did you find out about Nakajima's departure?
MARUFUJI: I heard it from him personally just before he told everyone
Q: What did you think when you heard this?
MARUFUJI: Of course I was surprised about some things, but I also thought it was very like him.
Q: What do you think will happen to Nakajima in the future?
MARUFUJI: I wonder. Well, I think he has the potential to be successful no matter where he goes, and as he is strong willed, I think he will be able to survive even if he leaves Noah.
Q: From your perspective Marufuji-san, what do you think about Nakajima's good and bad points?
MARUFUJI: In my opinion, his good and bad points are the same; he's too serious. In terms of how being too serious can work in a negative direction, I think that if you look in one direction, you end up going too far in that direction, and that is one of the serious parts.
Q: In that sense, do you wish you had talked a little more about his departure in advance?
MARUFUJI: No, not at all, I think it is better to do something like that with all your might. I think he was probably going through what are called emotional stages, and I don't think it was necessary for him to let everyone around him know as soon as possible, and have them climb the stairs of your life with you, so I think it's perfectly fine.
Q: Please tell us if there are any episodes with Nakajima that have left a lasting impression you?
MARUFUJI: My memories are of his painful kicks. They hurt. As you can see, I always retaliated with a chop, which was a bit of a mistake, no matter how you look at it. Why arms and legs? I remember his weight and the pain when we were interacting with each other in those parts.
Interview with Takashi Sugiura
Q: From your perspective, what kind of wrestler is Katsuhiko Nakajima?
SUGIURA: Pure in a sense, I feel like an innocent child has become an adult. However, in a negative sense, there are times when I think that he is still a child, and there are times when I'm worried. He needs to be a little more honest. Instead, I started to think that it would be better to look at things from different angles, and things would go better that way. I started to think that as we talked about it.
Q: When and how did you find out about Nakajima's departure?
SUGIURA: It happened when the two of us were alone for a while in a hospital changing room. It was the same day as my health check up, and then he said, "I'd like to talk to you about something"...it was that time.
Q: Was there any specific discussion at that time?
SUGIURA: I've heard some specifics, but....
Q: How did you react when you heard?
SUGIURA: I was wondering if he had an idea like that, as I felt like he was going to continue with Noah, then he says "I still want to see the outside world", so I guess that's how he feels. Honestly, it was surprising.
Q: What do you expect from Nakajima in the future?
SUGIURA: I hope he can realize his dreams and the world he envisions.
Interview with Go Shiozaki
Q: From your point of view, what are Nakajima's good and bad points?
SHIOZAKI: I feel that the good thing about him is that he is willing to take on anything and take on any challenge, there are times when I feel jealous watching him from the sidelines and think "He has ideas like this." What Katsu-san said that he was (currently) thirty-five years old, and it had been twenty years since his debut, and so he wanted to take on a challenge at this turning point, so I think that spirit of challenge is something we should emulate. However, even though he tends to be relatively reckless, he doesn't show that he's injured too much. In the waiting room, I would joke and say things like, "Oh, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts". I'm not saying that it's bad to be reckless, but I'm the type of person who just keeps going even if I get injured on the next stage, so I'm a little worried about that.
Q: When and how did you find out about Nakajima's departure?
SHIOZAKI: I think it was about a week before he announced that he was leaving Noah, that he invited me to a bar and we had drinks together. I went with the intention of just meeting for dinner, then he said "I have something I want to talk about"....and I asked him what. It was complicated, and I think there was the case of AXIZ in the future. Well, it was a shock, but to be honest, I also felt like I wanted to see not only Noah but Katsuhiko Nakajima in a different ring, and oh! I was really looking forward to it. I guess I had a strong feeling that I was going to be interesting, wasn't it?
Q: Of all the matches you teamed up with or fought with Nakajima, which one was the most memorable?
SHIOZAKI: It was my first time wrestling him, and it left a lasting impression on me. It was when I teamed up with Kobashi-san, and Katsu-san teamed up with Kensuke Sasaki at the Budokan. His kicks were strong, and his techniques were accurate. There were so many precise techniques that I thought each one was "painful" and "tough." But, as people with the same career background, the both of us were competing together with our teachers. It was a match where I could not do better, I could not lose, and I had only one word, "Determination".
Q: By the way, today (the day of the interview), you are wearing a tie and looking formal...
SHIOZAKI: Well, when I made the AXIZ tie, there was a press conference recently, and we said we would wear them together, but I completely forgot about it. I came wearing an AXIZ shirt, and I was criticized a little at the venue (laughs).
Q: Will this be the last time we will see that AXIZ necktie?
SHIOZAKI: I don't know, do you? But Katsu-san said that AXIZ is immortal, and that feeling makes me happy, and I want to completely go with that. Since Katsu-san has completely left Noah, I don't know whether we will team up or compete when we meet in the ring next, but I want to face him or stand next to him with AXIZ in my heart.
MESSAGE TO KATSUHIKO NAKAJIMA
Naomichi Marufuji
"I want you to live as freely as you wish, but, before that, let's get into the ring and have a conversation through professional wrestling, although I don't know how it will end."
Takashi Sugiura
"He has his own dreams, and he said that given his age, he thought it would be the last time for him to do something on the outside. Please do your best to pursue your dreams in the world that you have imagined, without any regrets."
Go Shiozaki
"I don't have much to say, but Katsu-san, AXIZ is immortal."
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