Zack Sabre Jr. Says NJPW Debut Was Surreal

In an interview with NJPW World (via Wrestlezone), Zack Sabre Jr recently spoke about his debut for New Japan Pro wrestling, his title match with Hirooki Goto and more. Here are highlights:

On what it was like making his debut with New Japan earlier this year: “It was slightly surreal. I remember playing imported VHS tapes of New Japan Pro Wrestling when I was in high school, fourteen years old. So to walk to the ring on New Japan’s anniversary show, I think was a very special moment. Even though I’ve spent fourteen or fifteen years traveling around the world, debuting with New Japan feels like the beginning of my career now.”

On what New Japan means to him: “When you talk about global wrestling companies, New Japan is the highly level professional wrestling company. Perhaps there might be companies that are larger, but I think NJPW personifies professional wrestling. They set the tone 40 years ago with professional wrestling, being the strongest, and I think they’re evolution is very symbolic of how pro wrestling evolves. For me as a fan of wrestling, NJPW set the example with submission wrestling and striking, and I think it’s kind of evolved into many forms of wrestling, which is should do. Wrestling should be a variety show, but the basic introduction of what New Japan brings is pro wrestling at its core.”

On who he wants to fight in New Japan: “Everyone. Everyone in the company. Maybe I’m like a lot of foreign wrestlers; I’m very aware of everyone on the New Japan roster. I’ve watched Japanese wrestling for a very long time. I’ve made my career wrestling junior heavyweights and heavyweights, and I don’t really see a weight class. I just see competition.”

On how it felt facing Shibata again in New Japan: “There’s not many wrestlers that I can showcase my technical ability as well as Shibata. A lot of technical wrestling, it really kind of involves a back and forth, like a relay. I thoroughly enjoy wrestling Shibata. There was a lot of pressure on the March bout, because obviously to lose to Shibata in my home country, when I’m perceived to be the best British wrestler going right now, is a tough pill to swallow. To debut in Japan, there was a huge amount of pressure for me to beat Shibata, so part of me enjoyed it but part of me was too focused to really think about it.”

On joining Suzuki-Gun: “Suzuki-san made me an offer that I couldn’t refuse. I don’t think we really need to focus on how it came. I think we should be very interested in what we’re going to do in the future. Suzuki-Gun came back to New Japan at the start of the year, and they said they wanted to take over New Japan. Well, that’s exactly what I want to do, and I couldn’t think of a better army to join, with Minoru Suzuki at the front. What appeals to me about Suzuki-Gun is that it’s exclusive, and you can look at other groups that have lots of foreign wrestlers like Bullet Club, but Suzuki-Gun is very exclusive and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

On facing Hirooki Goto for the NEVER Openweight Championship on 4/9: “I’ve never actually wrestled in Sumo Palace, in Ryugoku, so I’m very excited. There’s only one thing that you really need to concern yourself with, and that’s that I’m going to win my fourth championship in a row. And then I’ll continue to win every other championship in New Japan, and then I’ll travel around the rest of the world. I’ve been to South America recently, I might win some championships there. Go to the Amazon on a training excursion. It’s a big important match for me at Ryugoku, but I just see it as another championship to win. I think in my second appearance in New Japan, it will show everyone how serious I am about 2017, and how serious I am about New Japan Pro Wrestling.”