(NOAH) OZAWA's unexpected change of heart. After suffering an injury, he deeply regrets his past words and actions, saying, "Honestly, it was like a wake-up call for me."


Tokyo Sports
18th September 2025

Noah's OZAWA (28), who is sidelined with a ruptured Lisfranc ligament in his left foot, gave an interview on the 17th, revealing a change of heart regarding the "N-1 VICTORY" tournament. 
During his first match (August 8th at Korakuen Hall), OZAWA sustained an injury while attempting a dive over the barricade onto Naomichi Marufuji. After undergoing ligament reconstruction surgery on the 15th and being discharged from the hospital the same day, OZAWA expressed deep remorse for his past actions. He even sent words of encouragement to Saya Kamitani (28) of STARDOM, seemingly transformed completely by this injury.   

Q: You had ligament reconstruction surgery on the 15th.
OZAWA: The torn ligament has been repaired, and there's a plate in my foot. I feel like the recovery time might be long.
Q: What were you thinking at the moment of injury?
OZAWA: I think I was a bit overconfident. The quebrada is a move that Marufuji-san had previously failed at, and I thought I could easily do it, but I messed up the landing... I felt like, "Oh no, I've messed up"
Q: You expressed regret on social media.
OZAWA: It's karma, isn't it? After all that boasting I did, this is the result, and I've caused trouble for my fans, so I'm just really regretting everything. Honestly, it was like a wake-up call for me. I'm so sorry. I had been talking so much trash about KENTA-san, Kiyomiya (Kaito)-san, and Kenoh-san. While they are fighting in the N-1, I'm just sitting here doing nothing...
Q: So you are done with saying mean things or making any kind of personal attacks?
OZAWA: I want to completely stop doing that. I want to rethink my past actions and cultivate respect for other wrestlers. Honestly, I think I'm no longer the same OZAWA I used to be. Regarding the Noah dojo, I felt like I was being mistreated as a young wrestler, but I think I learned so much there. Actually, I'm very grateful for it.
Q:...Can we truly believe that you have changed? 
OZAWA: From now on, I want to live my life doing things like picking up trash. I'm thinking about volunteering, or even becoming a Buddhist monk.  My biggest goal in life is to help others. I want to see people smile; that's what I want to focus on.
Q: Kenoh is skeptical, saying, "That's definitely a lie."
OZAWA: I understand that people might have such opinions, given my track record, but I want to show my commitment through my actions and regain their trust.
Q: The prospect of winning the Pro Wrestling Award MVP this year, which you mentioned before the N-1, seems uncertain now.
OZAWA: Certainly, I'm disappointed, but there are so many amazing professional wrestlers out there. Even if I didn't win, it's a good thing that other wrestlers are being recognized by the public.
Q: Kamitani refuted the statement, "I'm the only one who deserves the MVP award."
OZAWA: Of course I know. Kamitani-san is a truly wonderful professional wrestler. Previously, there were separate awards for women's wrestling, but her taking this step and making such a courageous statement as a woman—that's truly admirable and deserves respect.
Q: So you're supporting her?
OZAWA: Of course, I'm supporting her whole heartedly. She represents hope for women's professional wrestling. In terms of pioneering new things, she's also a symbol of hope for all professional wrestlers. I hope Kamitani-san continues to work hard without getting injured, carrying that hope with her.
Q: But right now, the most important thing is for you to recover from your injury.
OZAWA: Last year, I suffered a fracture of the cuboid bone in my left foot*, so I feel that I need to rethink my fighting style. My main focus right now is on recovering from this injury, and I want to apologize as soon as possible to all the fans and my fellow athletes. That's what I'm thinking about most.   

Notes
Cuboid bone injury: He hit himself with a hammer.

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