Vertical Bison | MP
By: Ian McCord
Kid Lykos and the masked Kid Lykos II, known to the wrestling world as Lykos Gym, began their tenure as a tag team in 2021 for PROGRESS Wrestling. Since then, they have been mixing it up with some of the best wrestlers the United Kingdom and the world has to offer. The duo has held tag team gold in four different promotions in the UK, including capturing the PROGRESS Tag Team Championships on two separate occasions.
PROGRESS Wrestling has been home to some of Pro Wrestling NOAH’s talent during their time on excursion, including OZAWA, Yoshiki Inamura, and most recently Kouga.
Lykos Gym recently spent about four months in Japan, getting the opportunity to take a stab at the best of the best in Pro Wrestling NOAH. They got to cut their teeth in both the Jr. heavy and heavyweight tag divisions, challenging for the GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Titles and getting to compete in NOAH’s NEO GLOBAL TAG LEAGUE 2026. Their fast-paced offense and high-flying style fit perfectly into both tag divisions, making for some very entertaining bouts during their time aboard the Ark.
Prior to returning to the UK to continue to hone their craft with the wisdom they received during their expedition to Japan, Monthly Puroresu caught up with Lykos Gym to discuss their recent experiences competing for Pro Wrestling NOAH.
Monthly Puroresu: How have you been enjoying your time in Japan?
Kid Lykos: Japan is the best. Every time I’ve been to this country I’ve fallen in love with it, and now is no different. The wrestling has been awesome, the NOAH fans have been wonderful, and I’ve not wasted a minute of my free time!
Kid Lykos II: It’s been the greatest time of my life so far. Truly a beautiful place that has really captured my heart.
Monthly Puroresu: As a team you had the opportunity to work the NOAH events the promotion held in the UK in 2024, challenging for the GHC Jr. Tag titles during that time. After that experience, was the goal to wrestle for NOAH in Japan?
Image Credit: Pro Wrestling NOAH
Kid Lykos: I would say that was the goal before the tour to be honest. We wanted to compete as best we could and show we could belong alongside their roster, and could become a part of it.
Kid Lykos II: Yeah definitely, it was hardly even much of a discussion really. We both wanted to be in NOAH.
Monthly Puroresu: Your first match in Japan for NOAH was for the GHC Jr. Tag titles against Alejandro and Dragon Bane. What were each of your thoughts going into that match?
Image Credit: Pro Wrestling NOAH
Kid Lykos: It was a lot of pressure. My only thoughts were that we have to deliver in the ring, for ourselves, for the audience, and to show the roster that we belong. That and we have to win! Winning the GHC Jr tag championships is my biggest goal right now.
Kid Lykos II: A decent bit of pressure for sure, our debut being on such a big stage with such high stakes meant we really had to show up as best as we could. I’m proud of that match and it only fueled us to want to get better.
Monthly Puroresu: How does the Japanese style of wrestling compare to the style in the United Kingdom? Are there any major differences?
Kid Lykos: I think there are differences, but it’s more specific technique based differences rather than complete stylistic differentials. Some physicality differs. It’s cool to learn. The in ring rules obviously differ here also, but they are actually slightly less strict in some areas, so it’s interesting to have to focus less on certain rules and lock in on others.
Kid Lykos II: There’s definitely a difference in both technique and pacing. I love the Japanese style and have only wanted to soak in as much and learn as much as possible on this tour. Comparing is difficult as modern day wrestling takes little bits of everything from all over the world, especially within an independent scene in the UK, so there are some similarities but the differences really do show for the better while being involved in it here in NOAH.
Monthly Puroresu: You competed in the NEO GLOBAL TAG LEAGUE, which included some Jr. Heavyweights but is primarily a Heavyweight Tournament. How did you prepare mentally for that experience? Were you excited to compete against some of NOAH’s top teams?
Kid Lykos: Mentally preparing for it was okay to be fair. We regularly face bigger heavyweight opponents in the UK, so it’s something we are used to. I referred to us as “Giant Killers” in Korakuen for a reason haha. We were super excited to compete against NOAH’s best. That’s been some of the most fun we have had during this tour. I think progression and development is most important as a wrestler, so getting to challenge ourselves every week was so helpful to our growth.
Kid Lykos II: The mental preparation was really the same as usual, we knew how big of a challenge it was and were ready for it as much as we could be. This whole tour has been a test mentally and physically, tag league was definitely our biggest test. It was very exciting to know we’d be facing some of the best teams in the whole company too, again a big test and something we were very welcoming of.
Monthly Puroresu: You defeated Kaito Kiyomiya and Harutoki in the main event of the NEO GLOBAL TAG LEAGUE event at Shinjuku FACE. What was it like getting to close out the show after such a big win?
Image Credit: Pro Wrestling NOAH
Kid Lykos: Terrifying! I was advised earlier in the tour that most of the audience wouldn’t understand if I spoke a lot of English, so I really tried to practice my Japanese often. It paid off though, and I think that really helped us form a bigger connection with the audience. Since then we’ve seen other UK wrestlers study hard and do the same thing, and that’s really cool to see. But getting to do it in Shinjuku FACE was very special, albeit scary. Perhaps my favourite memory from this tour.
Kid Lykos II: A very cool feeling to be closing the show, especially with the amount of support we were able to gain throughout the tour and that match specifically. After that match and closing the show really felt like we’d established ourselves pretty well in NOAH. It was cool to get that opportunity.
Image Credit: Pro Wrestling NOAH
Monthly Puroresu: You had the opportunity to team with legends like Naomichi Marufuji and Super Crazy, along with other members of the NOAH roster. Is there someone who stands out as a favorite to team with?
Kid Lykos: Teaming with Marufuji was incredibly special, entering to his music that I’ve heard since I first discovered NOAH, it’s a great memory. Teaming with Eita was also fun, as I’ve known him since 2017. We’ve teamed with AMAKUSA a lot also, and he’s just great to observe from the apron.
Image Credit: Pro Wrestling NOAH
Kid Lykos II: Yeah Marufuji is absolutely up there, as well as Eita and AMAKUSA. KENOH was also fantastic to tag with. I loved tagging with Inamura too, he became a very good friend throughout his time in the UK over the past few years so being able to tag with him in his home of NOAH was very special and see how much of a star he has become in that time.
Image Credit: Pro Wrestling NOAH
Monthly Puroresu: Your patented “Brainbuster” call before planting your opponent is a staple in your matches. Do you remember which crowd in Japan was the loudest in chanting it along with you?
Kid Lykos: Tokyo crowds have been most familiar with it, so maybe Korakuen Hall. That crowd always has insane energy.
Kid Lykos II: I’d say it’s split between Korakuen and Shinjuku Face. Both were very loud and receptive.
Monthly Puroresu: Is there someone in NOAH who taught you something important that has nothing to do with wrestling moves?
Kid Lykos: Machine Gun gave us a piece of advice that I won’t give away out of respect, but it is some of the most helpful advice to consider here. Endo also taught me something, although not intentionally, just through wrestling against him and observing other matches.
Kid Lykos II: Yeah the Good Brothers were fantastic to learn from in their time here.
Monthly Puroresu: If you could wrestle any team from Pro Wrestling NOAH past or present, who would it be and why?
Kid Lykos II: Yoshinari Ogawa and Zack Sabre Jr., that would be a dream. A more possible but still (I guess) past team now would be to get the rematch with Yo-Hey and HAYATA.
Kid Lykos II: My answer is the exact same.
Monthly Puroresu: You had the opportunity to wrestle Kouga in a tag team match, and Kid Lykos II, you had the chance to wrestle him one-on-one, both for PROGRESS Wrestling. What are your thoughts on him as a competitor?
Kid Lykos: I only have the tag experience to go off, but Kouga is a great wrestler. He’s put on a lot of size whilst in the UK, but his skills and strikes have remained fast and strong.
Kid Lykos II: He’s great! That was my final match in England before our tour of Japan so it was a great experience to wrestle him right before leaving. I think he has many strong points and will only continue to improve.
Monthly Puroresu: Do either of you have any goals you’re looking to accomplish while wrestling in Japan?
Kid Lykos: I want us to be GHC Jr Heavyweight tag team champions. I also want to challenge for the Jr Heavyweight title.
Kid Lykos II: I’m the exact same as Lykos here, I’d also love to main event a Korakuen Hall event one day.
Monthly Puroresu: Thank you both so much for your time, to wrap things up, what has been your favorite thing to do in your free time while in Japan?
Kid Lykos: We have been to both Disney parks with our friends, and that was incredibly fun. I would also say going to the beach, or just hanging out with our friends here at various local spots.
Kid Lykos II: Yeah Disney was great, I’ve loved exploring all the places we’ve been to when time has allowed us to. Finding shrines and so many incredible scenic places has been real fun. Hitting the beach up a good few times has also been a lot of fun, getting burnt was less fun however.
Monthly Puroresu would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Lykos Gym for this interview.
Date:
September 21, 2026
