Tetsuya Naito Will Undergo Third Right Eye Surgery

We’re just mere months away from Wrestle Kingdom 18, and Tetsuya Naito will undergo a third right eye surgery.

by: R. Faliani

The number one contender for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, Tetsuya Naito, will go through a third right eye surgery, before his big match at the Tokyo Dome on January 4 against SANADA. As Tokyo Sports reported, Naito has been suffering from muscle paralysis in his right eye since 2019, and he’s now on his third surgery. His doctor said that this is a surgery that must be done three times only, so this is his last.

Naito won the G1 Climax 33 earlier this year, and despite suffering this condition, the leader of Los Ingobernables de Japon decided to wrestle anyway. In Naito’s words: “It’s muscle paralysis. Even if you have this surgery again, you’re still going to wrestle, and you’re going to go back to this exact same condition.”

【新日本】内藤哲也 １・４決戦前に３度目の右目手術へ　主治医「手術ができるのは３回まで」｜東スポWEB#njpw
https://t.co/s1o0JIbS5r

— 東スポ　プロレス格闘技担当 (@tospo_battle) November 5, 2023

Despite the risks that this surgery could have for Naito, his Fighting Spirit doesn’t allow him to give up this last chance his own Destino has brought. As we said in our Naito’s G1 retrospective: “Naito needs to bring 100% of his current self to Wrestle Kingdom. After nine long years of dancing with his fate, the curtain will fall on Naito’s career, and the “Danza del Destino” must end with him taking home all the gold.”

Tetsuya Naito: La Danza del Destino

Reality is cruel for Naito and every wrestler who goes through major injuries that have repercussions on their lives beyond the squared circle. These are the risks pro-wrestlers endure. Naito himself said that he wanted to save this third eye surgery for his retirement, but the Tokyo Dome scenario can’t be denied. “I want to cherish the present, which will never come back, so I decided to do this surgery. My goal is to join the big chorus that was stripped away from me in 2020.” Naito declared in Yusuke Okamoto’s report.

The Ingobernable moves at the pace of his beat, and despite the real consequences this decision may have in his life after January 4, Naito wants to write his name in the history books once again and wants us to be a part of his last dance as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.