(NOAH) "His appearance has changed, and so has his body" Fujinami reveals his feelings on meeting his former student Soya for the first time in sixteen years...

29th November 2023 

Proresu Today

Manabu Soya will challenge Kenoh for the GHC Heavyweight Championship at Pro Wrestling Noah's Ariake Arena show on Tuesday 2nd January 2024. As part of the pre-matches between the two, we spoke to Tatsumi Fujinami, who will be teaming with Manabu Soya to take on the team of Kenoh and Jinsei Shinzaki at the Yokohama Budokan on Saturday December 2nd. What kind of feelings does he have towards Manabu Soya, who debuted as a professional wrestler under him, but left him? Also, what does he think about Kenoh who is currently at the top of Noah? We asked him about his current feelings about participating in Noah for the first time in about six years.

Q: This will be your first participation in Noah in about six years 

FUJINAMI: People of my generation tend to be extremely aggressive towards Noah and other promotions, but rather, today's athletes tend to be neutral and naturally go into whatever promotion or ring they step into. We inevitably have prior thoughts, so a different kind of consciousness works. 

Q: Please tell us about your encounter with Manabu Soya

FUJINAMI: Everyone is like that first, but he's honest after all, or rather, straightforward. We had some contact when he entered professional wrestling, but since then I haven't taught him anything about professional wrestling at all. Just when I was thinking about things like this, his appearance has changed and his body has changed as well, so I'm really looking forward to seeing him after a long time. 

Q: Soya said that he had done something, "dishonorable"

FUJINAMI: Dishonorable? I personally don't have anything against him, but as for himself, he's still in the process of growing and developing, and I am sure he wants to get into the ring for even just one fight. I really care about Soya, because I remember what he looked like when he started wrestling. I'm impressed to see the growth of wrestlers and realize that they've come this far on their own. 

Q: You also once rebelled against your master

FUJINAMI: Well, when a wrestler reaches that stage of development, there are one or two things that they want to see in their own growth in relation to their master. Even back then when I slapped Inoki-san with my left hand, and he wobbled, that feeling burned inside of me*. I don't even know what to say about that time, the structure of New Japan, and many other things led to the 8th August 1988 in Yokohama. When I think about it now, that action is a page in my mind that I will never forget. 

Q: This will be your first confrontation with Kenoh, one of your opponents.

FUJINAMI: I haven't seen any footage yet, but I've seen him in the newspaper several times. I don't know what the actual win will be like, but I'm going to be fighting a new wrestler, so there is an interesting sense of tension. 

Q: Kenoh ridiculed you and Soya as a "flawed father and son"

FUJINAMI: "A flawed father and son?" (laughs) Perhaps we might show some good teamwork in the ring. 

Q: He also declared that he would win with the Dragon Suplex

FUJINAMI: Oh, isn't that interesting? After all, it has to be that way. You have to be that stubborn and bluff. Given the current state of my lower back, I wish someone could do the dragon suplex that I can't. 

Q: This will be a tag match between masters and students, what do you think about that part? 

FUJINAMI: Jinsei Shinzaki and I will stand between Kenoh and Soya. I don't know what kind of relationship that Kenoh and Soya have, but anyway, we will give what we have to the fullest. In the future, there will be big issues regarding who will be at the top, and we want to support them from the side. 

Q: Finally, please give a message to your fans. 

FUJINAMI: On December 2nd, I will be standing in the Noah ring for the first time for a while at the Yokohama Budokan. Also, I must be aware that my partner is Soya, and my opponents are Jinsei Shinzaki and Kenoh. This will be my first time to be face-to-face with Kenoh, so in that sense, I feel like I will be able to compete in a tense match again for the first time in a while. Please look forward to it.

Notes

Inoki: This was the Hiryu Revolution in 1988 in New Japan, which was started by Fujinami. The match in question happened in Naha.  

Translated from Proresu Today

Picture credit: Proresu Today