Former eight-time IWGP Heavyweight champion Hiroshi Tanahashi spoke with the NJPW press to discuss all things pro-wrestling, including his thoughts on his feuds against current WWE competitor, Shinsuke Nakamura. Highlights are below.
On the age difference between him and Nakamura when their rivalry started:
“In terms of age, career experience, in every respect, Nakamura was my junior at that point, but he was so many steps ahead of me. There was this massive gulf between us; I just thought I needed to at least make my feelings heard.”
Says he didn’t feel rushed to reach his peak potential:
“I wouldn’t say I was rushed, no. I really strongly believed in my way of getting to the top of this mountain. … Right. Slow and steady. Not quite the hare and the tortoise, but I thought if I didn’t give up, if I didn’t stop, I would eventually get there. That was probably the calculating side of me as well; I figured that was the best way to get the fans on side with me as well.”
On getting to face Japanese wrestling legends Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa:
“That was huge. For a wrestling fan of so many years, to finally find out what a Misawa elbow really felt like… It was something else (laughs).”
On taking Misawa’s signature elbows:
“Man, it just rattled your brain, that sound echoing through the building. I got in that ring feeling like ‘no way you’re going to look past NJPW!’ and as soon as I took one of those I thought ‘ok, I think I’m good’ (laughs). I mean you look at all those wars Misawa, (Toshiaki) Kawada and (Kenta) Kobashi had through the ’90s, all those high impact moves, and then the last thing that led to the finish would be one elbow shot, right? I felt first hand just how powerful that elbow can be as a finish.”
Overall thoughts on Misawa:
“The career that guy had… I think the fans had so many memories that they shared with him, you know? That meant they had so much faith in him, so much conviction, unlike anyone ever. When I wrestled him, physically he was…”