NJPW star Clark Connors recently appeared on the Shining Wizards podcast to discuss a wide range of topics, including his thoughts on the launch of the U.S. based NJPW STRONG brand, what his role has been for the brand, and him returning to Japan for the Best of the Super Juniors tournament. Highlights from the interview are below.
New Japan Strong’s start and his role:
“Honestly, it’s one of those things that we’ll never know. I don’t know what New Japan Strong would have been or if there would have been a New Japan Strong this quickly, because it’s that whole idea of the American expansion we were talking about. They weren’t ready for it. So I don’t think they were necessarily ready to put a product together, but it was just circumstance, and we’re paying guys who were in the states, so it came about. And I think that it gave myself, it gave Karl, a lot of the guys who were stuck in America a big platform to show what they can do and that they could carry a product. And in my opinion, it’s still the best hour of wrestling, solid wrestling. There’s not necessarily the whole drama/storyline as you would see in other companies, but in terms of the best wrestlers on the planet, it’s insane the cards we’re putting together. I can’t believe it, and I think it’s only going to get more and more popular, and I feel blessed to be a part of that start of it, and obviously I want to continue on with it, but I definitely need to get back over to Japan a lot more once this back heals up. And kind of make money over there, too.”
His return to Japan for the Best of the Super Juniors:
“So for me, that was the biggest thing. I didn’t know when, or if ever we were going to get back to Japan with Covid protocols, but I felt so blessed to be on that first wave back. It just happened to coincide with the Best of the Super Juniors. That was the most important thing for me; like, if I didn’t get back for Best of the Super Juniors, it would have been a whole year until I had my first Best of the Super Juniors, and that would have been much more of a struggle for me because that’s why I’m here. I’m here to run the Junior Division. I’m here to bring the next level. I’m here to take down Hiromu. I’m here to take down Despi [El Desperado]. I’m here to take down Sho & Yo, and all those old hats. It’s my division for the taking, and so I needed to have that first base platform to do so. I was really excited to get back there, and I had a great time, and it’s only going to get more opened up especially with the clapping crowds kind of going away, thank God, and people bringing their voices back. I cannot wait in Korakuen (Hall) when everyone’s cheering again, so I’m really excited for that next time.”
AEW All-Atlantic qualifying match:
“So the match was on Sunday, so I think I found out Friday. After the match with me & Ishii, then I “Tonya Harding’d his ass” After that, I didn’t hear anything, but then I got a call and they said “Ishii’s hurt, so you gotta get on this plane.” I’m like “ok, yeah sign me up.” So I found out like 20 minutes before they announced it. I’ve had a lot of cool opportunities, I think, but I think just to be on that big stage in front of that many people, and it’s a four-way, and there’s a lot of really big names in it, so once again, just like Ishii, I had to pick my spots of trying to make an impression with people. It was kind of cool because I was playing with house money a little bit because I was like, “you know what? They weren’t expecting me to come out anyway. Most people don’t know who I am anyway, who are watching this, so I’m just going to go out there and have fun.” It turned out well, I think. I didn’t win – that sucks – but other than that, I think it turned out well. It was definitely the biggest match of my career, but in terms of nervousness or anything, I never really get nervous before matches and this one was the same. I wasn’t even worried about the match at all. I was just worried about making sure I got there in time, you know what I mean? I get on a plane, and just hustle through a bunch of stuff and hope my baggage got through TSA, so I didn’t really have time to process it, until afterwards. I was like, that was pretty cool. That was a big match, so I’m glad I performed in it.”