Tokyo Sports conducted an interview with top NJPW superstar and former multi-time world champion and I.C. champion Tetsuya Naito, who revealed to the publication a recent conversation he had with an Uber Driver in England about the death of the great Antonio Inoki. Check out the full highlights of the story below.
How the driver knew of Antonio Inoki because of his lasting legacy:
‘Where did you come from? Where you from?’ I answered, ‘Japan.’ He said, ‘You know Antonio Inoki is dead?’ I was honestly surprised that his name had reached such a distant land in England.
Says the driver didn’t know the NJPW wrestlers of today:
The driver asked again, ‘By the way, what did you come from Japan to do? He was surprised when I told him that I was a professional wrestler for New Japan, the company founded by Mr. Inoki. In short, he knew about Antonio Inoki, but he did not know about the wrestlers in New Japan today. I was frustrated by that, but at the same time I was reminded that he was a great man.