IMPACT star and former X-Division Champion “Speedball” Mike Bailey recently spoke with Wrestling Headlines for an exclusive interview about all things pro-wrestling, including his thoughts on getting to face NJPW legend Hiroshi Tanahashi at Multiverse United earlier this year. Highlights, including the full video interview, can be found below.
On working with Hiroshi Tanahashi at Multiverse United
Oh man, he’s the Ace. Like the Ace is the Ace. That sounds simplistic, but it’s absolutely mind blowing how that man is the Ace and he never ceases to be. I feel like he, no matter what he does, he is always, his posture is excellent. You will never catch him like, you know, scratching his ear doing something like slightly disgraceful. He’s the Ace and he never ceases to be and that is so incredibly impressive. It’s very, very hard to explain, but being in the ring with him is even more impressive than watching him. And just how perfect every single movement he does is, is truly, truly life changing.
Whether he thinks he could defeat Tanahashi in a rematch:
I think so. I think I was very close the first time and I think wrestling him gave me a very, very good preview of the New Japan Pro wrestling style. And I’ve since gone on to participate in the best of the Super Juniors tournament, the most prestigious junior heavyweight tournament in all of pro wrestling. And I learned a ton over there as well. Had some fantastic matches. And I think using the tools that I developed during that tournament, I could beat Hiroshi.
Elsewhere in our chat, Bailey gave his pitch for an IMPACT Wrestling video game and how it would be different than existing video games like WWE 2K. You can read about that by clicking here.
