El Desperado: “I Feel Like I’m Becoming an Object for Hiromu Takahashi.”

El Desperado reflected on his match against Hiromu Takahashi at the Tokyo Dome, and he had a lot to say about the champion.

by: R. Faliani

El Desperado sat down with Tokyo Sports and talked about his healing process for Wrestle Kingdom 18, and his match against the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Hiromu Takahashi. Desperado spoke about his thoughts on Hiromu, and this idea of both as “destined rivals”. Desperado opened up about his feelings towards his longtime rival and this strange yet fascinating rivalry they had since before the pandemic. Desperado also talked about his eye surgery, similar to Tetsuya Naito’s third eye surgery from yesterday.

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“According to the doctor, it’s only mild and I’m on the verge of not doing surgery. But it won’t get better if I just leave it, so I just want to make sure it doesn’t get worse because this is a big deal.” Desperado specified to Yusuke Okamoto, from Tokyo Sports.

When talking about Takahashi, Desperado couldn’t put into words the feelings he has for his eternal foe, yet he could use a keyword that can help us understand that the stakes will be high at the Tokyo Dome. According to Okamoto’s report, Desperado feels “a lot of jealousy for Takahashi”, and he even feels he’s becoming an object for the champion.

【新日本】デスペラードが〝宿命のライバル〟高橋ヒロム戦への思い激白「ジェラシーは大きいんだよ」｜東スポWEB #njpwhttps://t.co/BYfxNR1uao

— 東スポ　プロレス格闘技担当 (@tospo_battle) November 8, 2023

Desperado also reflected on the importance this match has for him: “A singles match at the Tokyo Dome is important, I want to do it. I’m just going to fight with all my heart.” Desperado also talked about this conception wrestling fans have of both wrestlers as “the sun and the moon”, in regards to their completely opposite approaches to Puroresu. The former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion finished saying that it took him a long time to realize there are a lot of mixed feelings in regard to Takahashi. He even talked about feeling some kind of love/hate for the IWGP Junior Champion.

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What we know is that this match will be fantastic. The different dynamics between Takahashi and Desperado have been shown, and both stand as “eternal rivals” of one mind. Both, despite being the sun and moon as Okamoto said, understand pro-wrestling the same way as the other. Wrestle Kingdom 18 will be the chance both men have to establish themselves as the superior Junior wrestler in the world. after their fantastic years.