Bishamon Discuss Tokyo Sports Award, Okada and NJPW in 2024

Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI sat down with Tokyo Sports and discussed their award, Kazuchika Okada’s departure, and what’s next.

By: R. Faliani

Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI won Tokyo Sports’ award for Best Tag Team in the “2023 Pro Wrestling Awards”, and they sat with Tokyo Sports to discuss different topics, including Kazuchika Okada’s departure from New Japan Pro Wrestling and what comes now for the company.

The award-winning tag team lost their IWGP Heavyweight Tag Titles at Wrestle Kingdom 18 against El Phantasmo and Hikuleo, but despite their loss, they have won the crowd and have become a highlight of New Japan in recent years. This award from Tokyo Sports is the first for Goto in his 20-year career as a wrestler, and it means much more considering he won it with his tag partner.

【新日本】「毘沙門」去りゆくオカダに贈る言葉　最優秀タッグ・後藤洋央紀＆ＹＯＳＨＩ―ＨＡＳＨＩ　｜東スポWEB https://t.co/CeBeb64cmp

— 岡本佑介@東京スポーツ新聞社 (@okamotospo) January 30, 2024

Goto and YOSHI-HASHI were happy to win this award at this stage of their careers, with both having been rejuvenated as what some consider the best tag team in Japan today. When thinking about plans for the team, Goto said he wanted to win the World Tag League again this year and keep their streak going, but he also expressed interest for the team to go to America:

“Since we’ve won three in a row, we’d like to win four Tag Leagues in a row. I think it would also be interesting to go overseas as Bishamon.

There are many people overseas who call themselves the ‘strongest tag team’. I think it would be fun to compete with wresters like that.”

YOSHI-HASHI doubled down on Goto’s statement, and he revealed what their plans were going to be if they won both the IWGP Tag Titles and the STRONG Openweight Tag Titles at the Tokyo Dome:

“Originally, when we planned to win both Tag Titles at the Dome, we had projects to defend them overseas. Some of our opponents want to get the belts back and some of them have unfinished business with us.”

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When discussing Okada’s departure, both Goto and YOSHI-HASHI had interesting remarks, due to the time they spent wrestling together as part of CHAOS. Goto wished Okada nothing but the best, but YOSHI-HASHI reflected on how he received the news:

“We’ve been together since we were trainees, we went overseas at the same time, and even after we came back we were still CHAOS. This is my longest bond in wrestling. When I first heard about it, I was a little sad, but when I thought about it, I realized that I had come to CHAOS because I was invited by him. If it weren’t for that, we wouldn’t be here now.

It’s the same with Bishamon, and I have lots of fun memories. I’m grateful to Okada for leaving me with so many things. As a professional, I think it’s important that he goes where he wants to.”

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When asked about the future of CHAOS as a group, both men said this scenario is similar to Shinsuke Nakamura’s departure from New Japan. CHAOS was seemingly hit by that, but with Okada becoming the leader of the faction, CHAOS continued to grow in Nakamura’s absence. Now, Bishamon has to take that responsibility and keep CHAOS alive:

“The same thing happened with Nakamura. But even if he leaves, the bond with CHAOS will never disappear.

Both of them may come back in some form, and I think it’s a positive thing when thinking about the future.”

The interview finished with Bishamon reflecting on what comes next for New Japan in 2024, and both promised to take CHAOS to new heights, with YOSHI-HASHI carrying what he learned alongside both Okada and Nakamura as a flag for the group.