Naito On If NJPW Is Superior To WWE, Bullet Club Having No Energy, Beating Kenny Omega, Tanahashi
Tetsuya Naito spoke with Sports Illustrated's "Extra Mustard" after his big NJPW G1 Climax 27 win. Here are some of the highlights:
Beating Kenny Omega in the G1 Climax 27 Finals and the Bullet Club:
"There's no doubt that Kenny Omega is a phenomenal wrestler. Every time I'm in the ring with him, my heart beats out my chest. I can't wait to wrestle him again. He's world class. But Bullet Club? What happened to them? What happened to the energy they used to have? There are a lot of great individual wrestlers in there, but look at them as a unit, and I don't see any appeal whatsoever."
G1 being such a grueling tournament and if it makes NJPW superior to WWE or ROH:
"The G1 Climax is a huge springboard for a wrestler's career. Everyone who enters has a chance to launch themselves into the stratosphere. Right now, I've launched myself off that springboard. I'm on my way up. How far I'll go, what I'll be able to see at the peak, I don't know, but I'm really excited to find out. I don't know whether New Japan thinks the tournament makes them superior, but they're establishing the name worldwide and they're doing it with confidence. I think the words you used before, most elite in the world? They're an appropriate description."
Hiroshi Tanahashi:
"Of course Tanahashi was a great wrestler. He was someone I used to aspire to be. But that's all in the past now. The shining star that was Hiroshi Tanahashi is long gone. As far as the final block match is concerned, it was just another block match that led me to the finals. No secret tactics needed. The result was a matter of course."
You can read the full interview by clicking here.
Source: Sports Illustrated