(NOAH/LIMIT BREAK) Jun Akiyama "I'll leave behind my own "Noah fight", Kotoge also has the ball
Pro Wrestling DX
DDT'S Jun Akiyama has been chosen to participate in the new brand show "LIMIT BREAK" (February 15th, Korakuen Hall), which has been launched by Go Shiozaki and TEAM NOAH. He will revive his tag with New Japan's Yuji Nagata for the first time in a while, and will face off against Go Shiozaki and Atsushi Kotoge in the main event.
About ten years ago, Akiyama and Shiozaki both transferred to Noah from All Japan, but in 2015 Shiozaki left Akiyama there, and returned to Noah. Since then, the two have not interacted in the ring.
It has been about eight years since then.
Shiozaki, who has become "I AM NOAH", has launched a new brand of entertainment that "evokes the struggle of Noah", and the person he nominated as his opponent, was Akiyama.
A strange situation in which two people, who have parted ways, come face to face again under the theme of "The Battle of NOAH". We asked Akiyama about his thoughts on the reunion showdown with Shiozaki at Korakuen on February 15th.
Interview with Jun Akiyama
Q: First of all, what are your honest feelings about participating at "LIMIT BREAK" at Korakuen on February 15th?
AKIYAMA: Shiozaki is starting a new show, so it's been a while since I've worked with him. I'm looking forward to working with Nagata again.
Q: This will be your first confrontation with Shiozaki since he parted ways with All Japan, but is there an emotional rift?
AKIYAMA: I myself am a former member (of Noah) and there were others who left me (during the All Japan era), but for me personally there is nothing in particular. People around me are saying things like, "forbidden encounter", but I don't have anything to say about it. It's true I was at All Japan before, and Shiozaki did leave, but I don't think anything about it, or about the others who left. I said, "It can't be helped". It just means that the place I was working at didn't have any appeal. That can't be helped. I have no qualms about that at all.
Q: Have you seen Shiozaki's recent activities?
AKIYAMA: I haven't watched anything in detail, but I did get a glimpse of the GHC title match (January 13th, Korakuen Hall) with Kenoh on social media. He also had a standoff with Fujita, and his match with Mutoh ended up being the best bout.
Q: What are your thoughts on Shiozaki recently?
AKIYAMA: It looks like he's taking a bit of a backseat, or rather, I think he still has a lot more to offer.
Q: What do you feel when looking at Noah from the outside?
AKIYAMA: It's a different Noah from when I was there, but many years has passed since then, and the fans have probably changed as well. I think the current Noah is fine, and I don't have anything to say about that. Jake (Lee) and others are there too, I think they are having fun and good fights right now.
Q: However, it was Shiozaki himself who said, "Today's Noah lacks Noah's fight" and "I want to evoke Noah's fight", which became the basic philosophy behind the birth of TEAM NOAH.
AKIYAMA: If so, then how do we evoke that Noah? Do you want people to understand it through matches, or do you explain it in words? But in this day and age, I think it's more important how you express yourself in words, than just saying, "Watch me fight!". So, I think now it is necessary to express in words, "What is Noah?". I guess at the time of the launch (Noah), I was also saying brazen arrogant things like, "You can see Noah when you look at me" (laughs).
Q: I know it's difficult to talk about from an outsider's perspective, but what do you think "Noah's fight" is?
AKIYAMA: Noah's beginning was originally based on the professional wrestling of those known as "All Japan's Four Heavenly Kings"* I added various accents and tried to change it little by little, as I said "this doesn't work the way it is", so even for me, the question of "What is Noah?" is quite difficult. Originally, people in All Japan (before 2000) didn't say much, but I'm not like that, it figures that I thought that words were necessary, so after I started becoming Noah, I started using words and tricks. However, I think the basic basis of Noah, is to carry on the legacy of the Four Heavenly Kings.
Q: Shiozaki may want to revive the "Noah fight" derived from The Four Heavenly Kings pro wrestling with his fight with you.
AKIYAMA: But the person I was twenty years ago (when I was leading Noah) and the person I am now, are definitely different, and I think Shiozaki is probably different too, so I think it's a matter of how we show the us of now. Of course, I can't go back to what I was twenty years ago, and I have no intention of doing so. I am trying to bring out the best of the current me, and that's why I have Nagata by my side. However, Yuji Nagata can bring out the best in me, and I feel like "If he's next to me, then I'm better than him..." No matter how many years have passed, that's the way it is. That's why I'm thinking of doing what I can do at my current age in front of him (Nagata).
Q: What are your thoughts on teaming up with Nagata after such a long time?
AKIYAMA: There are times when Nagata has had matches in New Japan, and there are times when he doesn't, but I know that he fought with Bryan (Danielson) the other day (in AEW), so he's always been an inspiration. So, when he stands next to me, I am sure that he will think, "I can't lose to this guy", so for me right now, he might be the best person to have by my side.
Q: It's a fight that could be stimulating for you as well
AKIYAMA: Yes, Shiozaki is facing me, and Nagata is next to me. That is inspiring, but then there is Kotoge...isn't he the most distant of them all? There is nothing wrong with that, but he is the most little to do with, so I think Kotoge is the wrestler who will make people think the most, "I wonder what's going to happen?" Will he be successful or will he be a flop...
Q: In a sense the key man in this match will be Atsushi Kotoge?
AKIYAMA: Thinking about how the match will go, first Shiozaki and I will fight burn*, so what will Kotoge and Nagata do next? What will he do against me? That's completely unknown. But unknowns are interesting, because you don't know what will happen. So, how do you use that part more interesting by saying something or doing something? I guess that's up to him.
Q: What kind of results do you want to take home from appearing in this show?
AKIYAMA: Rather than take anything home, I think I have to leave it behind. I don't know if I'll leave it for Shiozaki or leave it for the audience, but I think I'm at that point in my career. That's why I feel like I need to leave my answer to "restoring the original Noah" here, not from the old me, but from the current me.
Q: Is that what you want people to feel in the match?
AKIYAMA: That might be the case, or I may come up with something else as it gets closer, but right now I'm in DDT, and they (Shiozaki & Kotoge) are the main ones in this match. If Kotoge says something interesting, then I may respond in kind.
Q: Now that the ball has been thrown, I understand. Lastly, please tell me of your enthusiasm for LIMIT BREAK
AKIYAMA: On February 15th at LIMIT BREAK, we will bring together the Noah that TEAM NOAH shows, and the Noah that I know, and make it a good match! Please look forward to it.
Note
Four Heavenly Kings (sometimes known as "The Four Heavenly Pillars", "The Four Pillars of Heaven" or else "The Four Pillars"): Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada. Kawada chose to stay in All Japan, but did eventually come to Noah and after competing in the GHC Global League, wrestled his second to last match in Noah (ironically his last match was in New Japan), therefore all of the four ended their careers in Noah in one way or another.
Burn: Probably he means "Burning" which was the All Japan stable they belonged to
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