Kazuchika Okada Says Wrestle Kingdom Match With Tetsuya Naito Was ‘Different’ This Time

In an interview with NJPW’s official website, Kazuchika Okada spoke about his match with Tetsuya Naito at Wrestle Kingdom this year, which he said was different than the other two times they fought at the event. Here are highlights:

On this year’s match with Naito: “This time was different. He really seemed to be at his peak this time. Like he was whole, in a way. But in a way I wonder whether that’s good for him? To be complete, as a wrestler in a faction like LIJ. I mean, how should I say this… His fragility in a sense, the dangerous edge is what people were attracted to in him. And I really felt in the ring with him that he’s dialed his game in. But now he has those two belts… So the question is, what does he show from here?”

On not caring about the double titles: “I am disappointed that I don’t have the belt, but the plan is to reset and refocus. There are things that I can do now because I’m not the champion, things that would be difficult or impossible to do if I was the champion. Even so, I have to say I’m not interested in the double championships. It’s like I said, like I thought, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship is what I’m interested in. Just that. I honestly don’t care about the double titles, what’ll happen to them, anything like that. If I won the New Japan Cup, I’m not even sure I’d need to go and challenge for both titles. I would have won the New Japan Cup because I’m the toughest there is. That should be enough, right?”

On Wrestle Dynasty in August at Madison Square Garden: “Just the sensation, the happiness of being in that building is awesome. Last year, just making my entrance was emotional. But then, last time was the first time, and a lot of people were in town for wrestling. If you wanted to put asterisks on that, then you could. This time, it’s on our own power. It’s a different set of circumstances, a different challenge. But I plan on us rising to that, showing everyone home in Japan just how much we can do in Madison Square Garden. Right. I might not be in full ‘let’s go’ mode yet, but it’s definitely in my mind. Once you’ve been on that stage once…I’d really like to see more Japanese fans sample that this time. It’d be a little bit of a different way of enjoying pro wrestling, to be part of an American crowd. It’s rare to get that chance, of feeling that different energy. If you want to know what a Mexican pro-wrestling crowd is like, you go to Arena Mexico. Japan, Korakuen Hall. In America, it’s The Garden. Nothing beats it. So you’ll have to get your tickets quick!”