NJPW superstar Katsuyori Shibata recently spoke with Sports Illustrated to hype his in-ring return at WrestleKingdom 16 and discuss a number of different topics, including how he believes modern wrestling has shifted away from the basic fundamentals. Highlights from the interview are below.
How today’s wrestling is missing a lot of fundamentals:
“I think a lot of today’s wrestlers are very focused on big, flashy moves, and modern wrestling has gotten away from the fundamentals. Those fundamentals and that base are what is most important to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and that is what I am constantly looking to further.”
His thoughts on the LA Dojo:
“If I had not been injured, the L.A. Dojo would not have come about. I was not able to have a match, but I was wrestling in spirit with all the L.A. Dojo boys. That kept me strong, and it will bring new opportunities for so many who love New Japan Pro-Wrestling. So a lot of good has come from this.”