By: J. Curbelo
Kaito Kiyomiya, the GHC Champion, successfully defended the GHC Heavyweight Championship against Kazuyuki Fujita at Ariake Arena on October 30th, and then again on November 10th against an undefeated Timothy Thatcher at Korakuen Hall. This interview was conducted on 10.30 after Kiyomiya’s first successful title defense at the Ariake Arena show. Pro Wrestling NOAH spoke with Mr. Kiyomiya about his thoughts as GHC champion heading into the future.
―It was the main title match in front of a packed audience at the 10.30 Ariake Arena show.
Kaito Kiyomiya: Ariake is a special place for me. Moreover, with the grand opening of professional wrestling at such a large venue, many of the regular fans have returned, and new fans have also come. I could feel the new NOAH.
―Were you able to feel the so-called “home feeling” at Ariake Arena?
Kaito Kiyomiya: I felt like I was back. Just coming to Ariake made me feel like I was back.
―In the midst of this, you fought Fujita and successfully defended your opponent.
Kaito Kiyomiya: Yes.
―Was the Frankensteiner finish what you were aiming for? Is that what you had in mind?
Kaito Kiyomiya: I had the idea, but whether or not I could bring it out depended on the game.
―In your post-match comments, you said, “I don’t think everyone is satisfied.” Does that mean that the result was somehow different from what you imagined?
Kaito Kiyomiya: The atmosphere of the venue during the match was different from what I had imagined. I was reminded of this again. During the match that I really thought I couldn’t stand up. Not because it was at the end of the match, but throughout the match, I was thinking, ‘This is not good.’ Even though there was no diagnosis of concussion on that day, my memories are also completely gone.
👑 NEW music and NEW ring gear for your GHC Heavyweight Champion @noah_kiyomiya! #noah_ghc #MutoFinal pic.twitter.com/arUoiXR8Mf
— Pro Wrestling NOAH Global (@noahglobal) October 30, 2022
―You changed your costume and theme song from this day, but what kind of feelings are included?
Kaito Kiyomiya: This year, I changed my costume quite a lot, but I had a strong feeling that I wanted to attack NOAH in this tournament, or to lead NOAH. I also changed my theme song. The previous theme I got really attached to it, whenever I’d wrap the GHC title around my waist. This time, though, the change was at a big event, and it was for a big championship match.
―After the championship match with Mr. Fujita, it seems that there were more arguments for and against than before.
Kaito Kiyomiya: It’s very important to hear such opinions, so I watched everything (social media, etc.). But there are so many pros and cons… well, I thought it would come. It’s what I felt when I was having the match, and above all, I said it myself in the comments, but that’s in a way, it’s a chance. I might be able to change people’s opinions because there are people who will share their own opinions on the change. It’s the same with the entrance song and costumes; if you’re going to change it, now [at a big event for a title] is the time.
👑 Timothy Thatcher, whose unbeaten in NOAH, wrestles for @noah_ghc’s top prize at Korakuen on Thursday.
👑 GHC Heavyweight Championship@noah_kiyomiya – 2nd defence
🆚
Timothy Thatcher📺 #wrestleUNIVERSE
🎙 English commentary
🛎 18.30 🇯🇵📸 https://t.co/hbDOchbtTf#noah_ghc pic.twitter.com/0piY2uVlkY
— Pro Wrestling NOAH Global (@noahglobal) November 4, 2022
―You won the title match despite the pros and cons, and Timothy Thatcher immediately appeared as the next challenger. How did you feel when the challenge was announced?
Kaito Kiyomiya: When I saw them coming [to the ring], I thought him or Hideki Suzuki had come to present me a challenge. I hadn’t wrestled with Timothy Thatcher that much. Just in a tag team match. I hadn’t been involved with him until now, so he was an unexpected challenger for me. Of course, this guy is crazy. I felt that, but I can handle it.
―At the Numazu event the other day, Thatcher submitted you with the Fujiwara armbar and had a smile on his face.
Kaito Kiyomiya: His power really hit me hard for the first time at the Numazu show. In that match, I felt like I was playing in Thatcher’s field, rather than being able to break down Timothy Thatcher’s stronghold approach. It’s not just one thing he has but his various strengths. It’s a scary thing to think about as the current NOAH champion, but I think it’s a strength for him as a tag team player. I beat those strong wrestlers and show my strength & skill. I have no choice but to prove it. In the end, what I want to do is to show everyone “NOAH’s ring is amazing.” I want to show that my NOAH matches are amazing and prove I’m the best. So, in that sense, I’m happy to be able to fight against a strong player at NOAH in this match against Timothy Thatcher (laughs).
―What kind of match are you expecting with Thatcher?
Kaito Kiyomiya: There are a lot of grappling techniques that I haven’t pulled out yet. I want to show it off and make it into something during the match. But in reality, I’ve never had a match with such a tall wrestler with such long limbs. His body type and structure is so unique compared with other foreign wrestlers. It’s a type that I’ve never seen before, and there’s a momentary fear about it. Just a little bit. I was so aware of it during our recent match (Numazu event 11.3) that I couldn’t avoid it anymore. He looks thin, doesn’t he? But he’s insanely heavy! The weight of his strikes are unreal. It’s nice to be able to feel that in the preliminary match, which can’t see from outside the ring, but if you have the GHC championship, you can’t avoid strong people. Besides, Thatcher has been fighting all over the world. He has a great reputation, so it’s inevitable that I’m going to have to fight someone like that.
―In Kiyomiya’s mind, he is always fighting for the championship.
Kaito Kiyomiya: Yeah. It’s true that it’s a just match. Just a match every time. I had a match against Fujita last time, so I had to change my strategy, but I spent every day thinking that it’s a match, just what should I change? But yeah, I don’t think it’s something I can say in words. I want people to feel what I’m going to be like in the future. I’ll let people know that I’ve changed in my matches, my appearance, and my remarks.
—Finally, please give us a word about the championship match with Fujita.
Kaito Kiyomiya: I’m not looking backwards. I’m really only looking to the future rather than thinking about the Fujita match. Everyone, please, come and see the title match on the 10th, Kaito Kiyomiya. Kaito Kiyomiya, the champion, fought against strong fighters in NOAH, and said clearly that the fight made him think, “NOAH’s ring is amazing.” It may be the unconscious awareness of the young champion who is trying to transform from the position of a young hope to an ace that leads Pro Wrestling NOAH, from “Supernova” to” Galaxy View.” Kaito Kiyomiya evolves so that NOAH’s professional wrestling can be felt throughout the world and across the universe.
👑 OFFICIAL – 1 January Nippon Budokan GHC Heavyweight Championship Match!
🎍ABEMA presents NOAH THE NEW YEAR 2023!
👑GHC Heavyweight Championship@noah_kiyomiya – 3rd defence
🆚@kenoh_prowres📺 LIVE on #wrestleUNIVERSE
🎙 English commentary #noah_ghc pic.twitter.com/zJQBgeKodG— Pro Wrestling NOAH Global (@noahglobal) November 10, 2022
Date:
November 10, 2022
Category:
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