NJPW's Kevin Knight On Teaming With KUSHIDA: 'He Always Made Me Feel Comfortable'

Former New Japan Pro-Wrestling Young Lion Kevin Knight has been welcomed into the fold of NJPW's main unit, Hontai, especially by former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA. As their April 27 challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship nears, Knight spoke with NJPW's English language site about teaming with the "Junior Ace."

"Well, it caught me by surprise a little bit," Knight said. "At first Clark Connors and I were talking about teaming."

Knight went on to note that not only did Connors joining Bullet Club make those plans impossible, but also KUSHIDA's generosity.

"He's always made me feel comfortable, always good to me."

Knight says he doesn't speak Japanese and has to simplify his language when addressing his tag partner, but both competitors share the same goal. Knight also feels that after the punishing conformity of the Young Lion lifestyle, his tag team with KUSHIDA has allowed him to figure out who he is as an individual performer, calling himself "The Jet."

"I was wrestling the whole time thinking of (Katsuyori) Shibata's voice in my head going 'go, go, go,'" Knight explained. "There was no time to take a breath and express myself as a personality. Now I have a boost of confidence and take some time to show the people who I am. I can't wait to see how much it grows from here on out."

Knight is confident that he and KUSHIDA will be successful on April 27 in Hiroshima.

"Catch 2-2 is 'damned if you do, damned if you don't,'" he explained, "but I'll be damned if we aren't walking away with those tag team titles around our waists."