Still Shining: Will Kota Ibushi Be the One? (1/2) G130C
Last year was the toughest challenge of my career
–So now we’re over a year removed, and G1 Climax is upon us again.
Ibushi: Right. Last year I was coming off just coming short in 2018,
and I wasn’t sure that I could do it, but I won the whole thing last summer.
–You won on your fifth attempt last year. G1 CLIMAX 30 2020 09 19 Day 1 Free
Ibushi: That tag of the toughest league in wrestling, it really is justified.
It meant so much to me to finally get the win last year. And one thing I realised,
if I make the final this year, I’d be the first to do that three years in a row, right?
Winning for the second year running like Tenzan and Chono did,
and having that third final in a row under my belt as well, that’d be big.
–Of course, you’re not just looking for the final, you’re looking to win.
Ibushi: I mean, that’s the floor to me. I have to believe that, after I won last year.
I’m always looking up, so to think of anything less than victory would be ridiculous.
G1 CLIMAX 30 2020 09 19 Day 1 Free
–Last year you won out even with that ankle injury.
Ibushi: Yep. No doubt, it was the toughest thing I’ve ever had to go through in my career.
I’ve never cried out of pain and frustration like that in 16 years of doing this.
–It brought you to tears? G1 CLIMAX 30 2020 09 19 Day 1 Free
Ibushi: Right. After matches, I’d be overwhelmed with how difficult it was. It’s always tough,
but you throw an injury on top and it’s something else. It nearly broke me,
but I had to think ‘I can’t stop here’ and I had to keep picking myself up.
–It was touch and go for you, mentally and physically.
Ibushi: Oh yeah. I’ve won all these championships in my time, won New Japan Cup,
Best of the Super Jr., but last year was the toughest thing I’ve done by far.
G1 CLIMAX 30 2020
Coming up at the same time with different backgrounds, I’ve always had my eye on Okada.
–So it all starts on September 19 against Kazuchika Okada.
Ibushi: Straight into the main event. That’s a real case of ‘boom, the G1’s here’.
Ibushi: You know, obviously I lost to him at the Tokyo Dome this year, and however you look at it, champion or not,
he is still the face of New Japan Pro-Wrestling right now. I mean really, you could say that he’s the face of this entire business, certainly in Japan.
So of course, he’s an important guy and an important match. We both debuted at the same time in 2004 as well.
–Right, although you’re older, you both broke in at the same time. G1 CLIMAX 30 2020 09 19 Day 1
Ibushi: Yeah. And even though he might not want me saying this, we’re both not entirely products of New Japan.
G1 CLIMAX 30 2020 09 19 Day 1 Free
–you came up in different companies originally.
Ibushi: i think that’s interesting, that we got our starts outside of NJPW.
–Obviously this being the first match in, you’re both coming in without any damage, and you both want that hot start.
Ibushi: You know I always talk about going as hard as I can and putting in everything I have. G1 CLIMAX 30 2020 09 19 Day 1 Free
Recently I caught myself talking about pacing myself in other interviews. But then again as soon as these cards were announced it was like ‘woah,
the main event of the block right off the bat’. So yeah, I guess I’ll go hard and give it everything I have after all (laughs).
–That’s certainly not a match where you can afford to think about pacing for the tournament.
Ibushi: Right. You think that way and you’ve lost. So yeah, I want to win, and I want to get revenge,
and it’s also a case of if I can clear the toughest hurdle right off the bat or not. So in all sorts of ways this is a huge one.
