(JAPAN PRO WRESTLING FEDERATION): ALL TOGETHER 5 & 6 to be held at the Budokan for two years, six promotions participating, Tanahashi, Takagi & Marufuji form a cross promotion leader trio.

Pro Wrestling DX

26th March 2024

The article mentioned that the show will be held on May 6th at the Nippon Budokan. Organized by the ALL TOGETHER executive committee, this is the first time in thirteen years that the show will be held at the Nippon Budokan since the first was held in 2011. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the areas affected by the earthquake. The event will be called the "Noto Peninsular Recovery Support Charity Event." 

Six promotions will be participating: New Japan, Noah, DDT, Big Japan, DRAGONGATE and Stardom. The second show will be held in Sapporo on June 12th, featuring promotions who were not able to participate at this time. 

MARUFUJI: Hello. I'm Naomichi Marufuji, executive vice president of CyberFight Inc. and Pro Wrestling Noah. With the establishment of the Japan Pro Wrestling Federation, this project will support the reconstruction of the Noto Peninsula. We have worked together in the past, but I hope that we can once again show the power of professional wrestling. We are moving forward with the incorporation of the Japan Pro Wrestling Federation, and I hope that this will bring more recognition of pro wrestling among the public. This time, the match card is a very easy-to-understand team of three people: me, President Tanahashi and President Sanshiro Takagi, so I think we can't lose. I am the lowest position, but I will do my best as not to hold you back. Thank you. 

TAKAGI: This is Sanshiro Takagi, CEO of CyberFight and DDT Pro Wrestling. This is the first time that DDT is participating, but since the Japan Pro Wrestling Federation has been established, and we are supporting the reconstruction of the Noto Peninsula, we would like to use the power of professional wrestling to excite everyone and entertain the public. As a wrestler...honestly, between Tanahashi, Marufuji and myself, I think I am probably the one with the weakest fighting ability, but I am not going to give up, I am going to get my condition right and take on the challenge of the match. I will do my best on the day, not just as a manager, but also as a wrestler, so I look forward to your continued support. 

TANAHASHI: This is Hiroshi Tanahashi, the representative director and President of New Japan Pro Wrestling, who has been one of the greatest talents in 100 years of New Japan Pro Wrestling. The Japan Pro Wrestling Federation has worked together to do things like ALL TOGETHER when an emergency occurred, but from now on, after the Coronavirus pandemic, the pro wrestling world will enter a new stage. I want to move forward with a good image. Of course, we want people to have fun at the venue through the competition of professional wrestling, but we are also in the business of selling energy, and we want people to take that energy home with them from the venue, and use it in their daily lives. I envision that this will ultimately energize the whole of Japan. And, regarding the match card, EVIL has always said "New Japan Pro Wrestling is my company", so with the help of these two, I want to make him understand clearly, that this is my company.

Q: What are your impressions of forming a team? 

MARUFUJI: I've had matches with Hiroshi Tanahashi before, and of course he's talented, but I could feel his natural brightness even during the match. Is this President Sanshiro Takagi? He's truly in great spirits. He is someone I have great respect for as he is always by my side and always gives me energy, and he also fulfills his role as president. So I will try my best not to hold you back.

TAKAGI: I don't often see Marufuji that often at work, but we often meet up for drinks. He is truly reliable. There are many things that have happened with Tanahashi in the past, but now that we are together like this, we will work together to eliminate the bad guys, so thank you in advance. 

TANAHASHI (after sighing): I have had matches against Marufuji several times since I was in my 20s, including in the U-30 and the G1 tournaments, and as a wrestler he has amazing match execution, technique and speed. At that time, I had the impression that he was a genius. He had a catchphrase called "Prodigy of the Sun", and after wrestling Marufuji, I realized that, "I am not a genius", so I started calling myself a talented wrestler. For me, I have a lot of respect for his athletic ability, and the fact that he still maintains his condition. I have had many experiences with President Takagi in the past, but this is my first time being involved in a match, so I'm really looking forward to it. 

MARUFUJI: What happened? 

TAKAGI: Huh? No, no. 

TANAHASHI: Don't bring it up. 

Q: So what about your opponents, HOUSE OF TORTURE? 

MARUFUJI: Apparently, from what I heard earlier, there is a change in the president, so I think we can't lose (laugh). There is no way we can lose to those three bad guys. They can do whatever they want, we absolutely won't lose. 

TAKAGI: HOUSE OF TORTURE isn't it? I don't know much about them, but I don't think they really understand how tough and difficult it is to be a company manager, so I will try to drill into them what management is in the ring. 

MARUFUJI: As a wrestler.

TAKAGI: That is why, as both a wrestler and a president, I will try and instill in them what management is all about. It's not that sweet, and that is why President Tanahashi, we will help you. 

TANAHASHI: Please. I am going to explain to the two of you the details of a HOUSE OF TORTURE match in the New Japan ring. However, the frustration of New Japan Pro Wrestling fans due to the intrusions and the foul attacks, has been building up tremendously, and as the company president, I have heard many opinions that I should do something about it. The three of us will work together to destroy them once and for all, and let out everyone's pent up anger. 

MARUFUJI: Let's put Danshoku Dieno on as our second in order to prevent them from breaking in. 

TAKAGI: Whoa!

MARUFUJI: Is that okay? Is that true? Then they won't be able to break in. 

TANAHASHI: I've already got an idea. Danshoku Deino will be a second, and we have a strong young lion called Oleg Boltin, so he will be a second at ringside. 

Q: From Noah? 

MARUFUJI: My home? Who is interesting? 

TANAHASHI: No, not good (wry smile)

MARUFUJI: Well, who would be the most interesting person? Well, there is a possibility that Danshoku Deino will go and aim for New Japan's second. 

TANAHASHI: Is that so? 

MARUFUJI: I will think about it until the day. 

Q: There is a six person tag with the younger wrestlers, what are your expectations? 

MARUFUJI: Well, we talk about young wrestlers, we often think that they are being treated as if they are the future of each organization, but I think their true potential is now. I think these are the wrestlers who are leading each promotion at the moment, so I think it will be a match where each of them will see each other, even the members who are teaming together, as rivals. It might make me sound like an old man when I say it like this, but I think this is a fight card that shows what's going on in the world of professional wrestling right now. 

TAKAGI: I think it's a great attempt to bring together the wrestlers who are responsible for the future of their respective promotions and fight in this six man tag match, and when I think about it as a manager, I think it's a great card. Since it's a six man tag team match, each of them may have to play as a team, but I think that each person has a strong desire to be the threat, to win and to stand out, and therefore I would like them to fight for their futures without trying to get along with each other. 

TANAHASHI: If I were to enter that match, then I think my mindset would be to stand out from everyone else and become the top of the industry all at once. So, if I were in that age group, I would hope that among these six, there would be the next wrestler who shows energy and ambition to lead the entire professional wrestling industry.

Q: With six teams participating, there will be a huge number of wrestlers compared to prior shows, but what will happen about the number of matches and the number of participants? 

TANAHASHI: Well, I'd like to ask all the promotions that are noted in the federation to appear, as long as it doesn't overlap with their own shows. Anyway, the number of matches hasn't been officially decided yet...8, 10...8 to 10, anyway, I think it's going to be a beautiful tournament...so I am sorry if it is less than 8.

Q: Is STARDOM supplying a match, will it be mixed gender? 

TANAHASHI: Yes, but it hasn't been decided yet. 

Q: Is there any way for people in the disaster area to watch it live, such as a free PPV? 

TANAHASHI: At this point, that hasn't been decided yet, but after hearing what you just said, I think it's a really good idea, so let me take it away and consider it. 

Q: Will your expectations change after the federation becomes incorporated?

TAKAGI: Since the company will be incorporated, there is a question as to who will be the president (wry smile). I think it's important to keep it going by shaping it in this way, and institutions like this are essential in order to spread pro wrestling more and more to the world. Personally, I think it would be great if they could continue to develop and expand in this way. 

TANAHASHI: Pro Wrestling promotions, not just New Japan, tour all over Japan. And up until now, promotions have never discussed things like the annual show schedule and where and when the shows will be held etc, and how we can develop pro wrestling all over Japan, so I hope we can work on that aspect a little. 

Translated from Pro Wrestling DX

Picture credit: Pro Wrestling DX