(BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS/NOAH/NEW JAPAN) "Instead of being drawn into Desperado's unique world, I would rather draw him into my own world and compete" - Interview with Noah's first-time entry in the "SUPER JUNIORS", "Silent Warrior" HAYATA!!

9th May 2024

Njpw.co.jp

The junior festival, "BEST OF THE SUPER Jr.31" is about to begin. This time, we have a direct interview with HAYATA, who is entering for the first time from Noah! What did the "Silent junior warrior" have to say?

"There is no overlap (with Kanemaru) at all, so I'm looking forward to fighting him as one of the current Noah juniors."

Q: HAYATA, first of all, how did you feel when you entered this year's "BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS?"

HAYATA: Well, I'm looking forward to it.

Q: What impression do you have of the "SUPER JUNIORS?"

HAYATA: It's like a gathering of juniors... 

Q: Well, it's a junior league... By the way, what did you think when you saw the members of the block you entered, Block A?

HAYATA: It's an unknown quantity.

Q: These are wrestlers who have almost had no contact with each other. Now, I would like to take a look at the competing members one by one. In the opening match on May 11th in Chiba, you will be competing against L.I.J's BUSHI. What kind of impression do you have of him?

HAYATA:...Samurai.

Q: Samurai! I see, exactly like that (laughs). The next will be on the 13th May, Korakuen against Clark Connors of Bullet Club WAR DOGS. He is a current IWGP Junior Tag Team Champion, what impression do you have of him?

HAYATA: I'm curious about the name Clark Connors.

Q: Oh, what part are you interested in? 

HAYATA: I'm curious about the sound...

Q: Simply the sound of the name. The third match will be in Jōetsu on May 15th, against the CMLL masked wrestler, Titán. How about this?

HAYATA: This also has the way the name sounds....

Q: As expected, you are curious about how the name sounds. By the way, I believe you have wrestled Mexican wrestlers in the past, but do you feel there is a difference between them and Japanese wrestlers?

HAYATA: There is a difference, that's why Titán is called "Lucha"... 

Q: Got it. Titán is Lucha. The next is in Hachioji on May 18th, and you will be against Yoshinobu Kanemaru of HOUSE OF TORTURE. Kanemaru used to be a member of Noah, and has been active as a GHC Junior Champion, but not in the same time period as you, right?

HAYATA: There is no overlap at all, that's why I'm looking forward to competing as one of the current Noah Juniors.

Q: I think the match will get a lot of attention because it's a match between former GHC Junior Champions. 

HAYATA: In that sense, I'm interested. He's currently a heel, right? I'm looking forward to seeing what form he will take.

Q: Got it. Right, next up is Nagoya on May 19th, the match is against TJP from UNITED EMPIRE.

HAYATA: This also has a nice sound. Also, the name looks cool with three alphabetic characters. 

Q: I see (laughs). After that is ROH's Blake Christian in Himeji on May 21st. 

HAYATA: I'm going to say this all the time, but all the foreign wrestlers have really cool names.

Q: It figures, that you were curious about how the names sound. Well, next up is another foreign wrester, Kevin Knight, who you will compete against in Osaka on May 22nd. 

HAYATA: Isn't that exactly what it sounds like?

Q: Well "Knight" is a cool name, isn't it? 

HAYATA: Well, my impression is that he's big and tall. 

Q: He's a big wrestler among the juniors. 

"My impression (of Kosei Fujita) is that he doesn't have any intention of dealing with me. I don't really care."  

Q: So, on May 26th in Yoyogi, your opponent will be TMDK's Kosei Fujita, what are your impressions? 

HAYATA: My impression is that he doesn't have any intention of dealing with me. I don't care. 

Q: But isn't he still someone you should be concerned about? Your last official match will be against El Desperado at Korakuen Hall on May 30th. You worked together at "ALL TOGETHER", the other day, right?

HAYATA: He is doing hardcore matches and competing all over the world, so I'm looking forward to competing. As for my impression of being involved...I don't really like it, for some reason. 

Q: What part do you not like? 

HAYATA: When I was working with him, I felt that he was a wrestler who had his own worldview, and I didn't want to be dragged into that. Rather than being drawn into his unique world, I would rather draw him into my own world and compete. 

Q: This is a battle of which worldview to choose, and Desperado is a wrestler who was fighting for New Japan's IWGP Junior until the other day, but this is a top showdown between a New Japan Junior and a Noah Junior. Do you have a strong feeling that you don't want to take a step back?

HAYATA: Naturally. 

"The wrestler who I want to fight in Block B is the former Noah wrestler!"

Q: Okay, if you finish in the top two of A Block, you will advance to the finals, and have a chance to fight wrestlers from B Block. Are there any wrestlers you would like to compete with or are interested in meeting in the semi-finals and finals?

HAYATA: In this block, Ishimori (Taiji)

Q: Ishimori! When Ishimori was a Noah Junior, you had many matches with him, right?

HAYATA: Yes, it's been a while since then, so I thought I'd fight him for the first time in a while. 

Q: Also in Block B there is Hiromu Takahashi, and he's always involved in all-star shows, including the recent "ALL TOGETHER", so aren't you interested? 

HAYATA: As for Hiromu Takahashi, he's at the AMAKUSA level. That's all I'm going to say. 

Q: I guess that's kind of meaningful. HAYATA, you have won the GHC Junior Championship many times, and just recently won the GHC National Championship. This time you will be participating in matches as the GHC National Champion, but do you have a strong sense of participating as a Noah Champion, carrying the promotion with you? 

HAYATA: Personally, I don't feel like I'm carrying that much of a burden. This is a personal thing, so it's for me. 

Q: By the way, if you win, I think there is a chance that you will be able to challenge for the IWGP Junior, are you interested?

HAYATA: That's true. Does a challenge come with winning? 

Q: That has been the case so far. 

HAYATA: Well, belts from any promotion can serve as a personal badge of honor, and that may be connected to the Noah ring in the future, so I'm definitely interested. 

Q: Understood. We look forward to your success in the SUPER Jr's! 

Translated from Njpw.co.jp

Picture credit: Njpw.co.jp