NJPW Superstar El Desperado Reveals He Has Always Looked Up To Death Match Legend Jun Kasai

By: Lewis Carlan

New Japan Pro-Wrestling superstar El Desperado has had quite a rivalry with Death Match legend Jun Kasai. Since 2019, the two have faced each other three times in singles bouts as well competed in tag team matches in which they were both allies and opponents.

The last time El Desperado & Jun Kasai were in the ring together was back on April 16th at the NJPW Death Vegas Invitational. Desperado teamed up with Kasai in the Love & Pieces Three Way Death Match against Matt Tremont & Nick Gage and Masashi Takeda & Rina Yamashita. Tremont & Gage were victorious in that wild encounter.

In a recent interview with Monthly Puroresu, El Desperado was asked what it was about Death Matches that appeal to him. Desperado revealed he has immense respect for anyone who competes in Death Matches.

From El Desperado:

For anyone who turns up their nose and says ‘oh those guys don’t really hurt each other’ when they watch wrestling, deathmatch is the genre that shuts anybody up. At the same time, it isn’t a stunt or a freak show. There’s an emotional hook that’s unique to deathmatch wrestling, and I have immense respect for anyone who does it.

El Desperado admitted that he is not a Death Match guy but is someone who has always looked to Pro Wrestling FREEDOMS star Jun Kasai and wanted to compete against him to the fullest of his ability.

From El Desperado:

“I’m not a deathmatch guy- I’m someone who always looked up to Jun Kasai, wanted to wrestle him to the fullest of my ability and got put into that world as a result. So I don’t do anything different particularly. Except I think I’m the first person to add roses to barbed wire boards maybe.”

It’s a safe bet that will see El Desperado and Jun Kasai in the ring together either as opponents or allies in the near future.

For the full Monthly Puroresu El Desperado interview, click here.