(NOAH) A new era of freedom! Naomichi Marufuji interview


Weekly Pro 17th October 2000
(Issue No. 999)

On October 8th at Michi Pro Ariake, Naomichi Marufuji will face Sasuke in a title match. It's his first title match, and the main event of another promotion, so it's a high-pressure match, but he's not overly nervous. He's just looking forward to this new challenge. Marufuji, a potential star of the new era, is ready to take off into his own era.

Q: First of all, I'd like to ask you about when you decided to leave All Japan and join Noah?
MARUFUJI: The name All Japan was very important to me, but when I thought about what I could choose to do as a wrestler, I decided that this was the better option.
Q: It's about new possibilities? 
MARUFUJI: That's right. I think there's a decent chance at All Japan, but this is the direction I want to go in.
Q: Do you see a specific direction at this point?
MARUFUJI: I can say that I want to do this, but for me it's more about progressing through matches and discovering things along the way. I want to try out different things, eliminate what's unnecessary, and create the wrestler that is me.
Q: Now, Noah's young wrestlers are taking action one after another, what do you think about the other youngsters making such moves? 
MARUFUJI: That's a very good idea isn't it? But everyone is taking action.  
Q: Yes
MARUFUJI: While everyone else is doing that, it's also good to be the one who isn't (laugh) Basically, I don't really want to do the same things as everyone else, even if it's in the smallest of things. It's not like I couldn't take action. 
Q: It's not that you couldn't, it's that you didn't. 
MARUFUJI: Yes, I'm currently working under Misawa and Ogawa, but there's still a lot I can learn from them. Those who made the move did so because they felt they couldn't continue as they were. But I believe there's something I can absorb from the way things are now, so I didn't feel like I needed to force myself to action. 
Q: But in the end, opportunities come to those who take action. Are you not anxious about being overtaken in that regard?
MARUFUJI: That's not true (said firmly)
Q: Not at all?
MARUFUJI: From the perspective of the fans, they might think that someone working at a higher level is trying hard, but I think that even if they're working the first match, or at a lower level, there's still something to learn.
Q: Rikio and Morishima are at the top of their game and appear in magazines a lot. Does that have anything to do with it?
MARUFUJI: I'm a little jealous of that. (laughs) I'm jealous, but I also wonder how long it will last. Right now, you're getting attention, but it's difficult to say how long you can keep it up. 
Q: If you were to take action, would you do it only after you have gained the strength to continue?
MARUFUJI: That's right. I want to think for myself, act on my own, and motivate those around me. Like Akiyama-san now. He has the skills, so everyone follows him, but if I tried to do the same thing now, no one would follow me. I still have a lot to learn.
Q: Speaking of things to learn, you also got to have a match in AAA in July. How was it? 
MARUFUJI: It was a great experience. I'd like to do it again. I didn't feel comfortable at the time, I didn't perform to my full potential, and I didn't practice enough.
Q: If you have the chance, you want to do it again. 
MARUFUJI: Yes, but personally I want to make the juniors more significant. 
Q: When you think of junior wrestling, you think of New Japan, but Noah doesn't have that feel.
MARUFUJI: We are inevitably being overshadowed by the heavyweights. I think there is no one in the promotion who is interested in promoting the juniors.   
Q: When it comes to boosting junior wrestling, aren't foreign wrestlers also necessary?
MARUFUJI: Yes, that's true. Maybe a junior rival will emerge who isn't Japanese but is a foreigner, like Sayama (Tiger Mask) and Dynamite Kid in the past.
Q: When it comes to junior wrestlers, there are probably some good wrestlers out there who haven't come to Japan yet.
MARUFUJI: (Exclaims) I wonder when that will be? 
Q: This could be something new that wasn't present in the All Japan era.
MARUFUJI: Yeah. We have a great heavyweight team, so it might be a bit wishy-washy, but I think it's possible.
Q: Now, I'd like to ask you about your match against Sasuke in Ariake on October 8th. It will be your first title match, and you will be in the main event. How enthusiastic are you? 
MARUFUJI: For me, it's more meaningful to be able to compete with top junior wrestlers from other promotions than for the belt.
Q: Are you feeling more excited right now? 
MARUFUJI: I'm not one to feel anxious at all. I wasn't particularly nervous about my debut match either. Even if I'm in the main event or a title match for another promotion, I'm actually looking forward to it.
Q: If you have the opportunity, would you like to get involved with other promotions?
MARUFUJI: I want to keep going. This year's J-CUP was in the middle of a series, so I wasn't in a position to participate, but if I were invited to a tournament like that, I would go. I don't want any other wrestler to go, so I'll definitely go. So, for now, I'll beat Sasuke. 
Q: For now, is that right? 
MARUFUJI: That's it for now. After that, there are other people besides Sasuke who have established themselves in the junior division, so I'd like to work with them.
Q: For your own sake, you want to work with people who built the junior era.
MARUFUJI: Yes. It's not so much for the company's sake as it is for my own sake. If what I do for myself can ultimately contribute to the company, then it's even better that I do it for myself first. Also, there's a technique I haven't used yet, but I'll be using it in this match against Sasuke.   
Q: What kind of technique is it? 
MARUFUJI: It's like a flying press slam. If I can pull it off, then it's going to be big trouble. But if I am not careful,  then your head can split open (laugh)
Q: That's amazing. Finally, please tell us about your future goals. 
MARUFUJI: I had a dream recently. 
Q: About what you want?
MARUFUJI: Until now, I have never had a singles match with Misawa-san. So, someday when I reach the top of the junior division, I'd like to do a singles match with him. So, to put it another way, I don't want to do it at this point. 
Q: Is that your current dream? 
MARUFUJI: Yes. If I reach the top of the junior division, I'll fight Misawa-san. But if Misawa-san sees this, he might schedule a match for me at the next show (laughs). 

Notes

Comments

Post a Comment

Spam will be deleted immediately