Hiromu Takahashi discusses the second half of his BOSJ campaign
Winning four Best of the Super Jr. trophies, and three in a row is a hard task indeed; so difficult nobody has ever done it. Yet Hiromu Takahashi started BOSJ 29 with a career best opening run. With it almost a dead lock for him to be in the conversation as league matches reach their final stage, we spoke to the reigning tournament winner to get his thoughts on the rest of the field.
Watch ALL of Best of the Super Jr. 29 LIVE in English on NJPW World!
I always thought that these would be his true colours
–Let’s finish our look at your competition in Best of the Super Jr. on May 26, you face SHO. Last year’s tournament saw you come up short after SHO essentially cheated his way to victory.
Hiromu: I don’t do well with him in BOSJs. I lost to him in the tournament before, and that was before he joined HOUSE OF TORTURE. I got one over on him in the New Japan Cup though.
–On March 7 in Ota. You were able to counter the Shock Arrow and roll SHO up, but the match was full of HOUSE OF TORTURE interference.
Hiromu: You have to be ready for that with him. To be honest, I always thought there was a bad guy inside there. These were his true colours, just waiting to come out, I thought.
–You never agreed with the idea of him as the bright young blue chipper?
Hiromu: Nah, I felt when he was a Young Lion he just radiated that feeling of a kid gone off the rails, you know. I think that character within him is just coming out now, e doesn’t have to suppress it. I expect that stuff to come out, and I think I can take advantage of knowing it’s coming. He’s always got a tell.
I’m as excited as I am worried about Zayne
–On May 28 you face Alex Zayne, the 186cm high flier.
Hiromu: Last year, a friend of mine, who’s a wrestling fan, he asked ‘do you know this Alex Zayne guy?’ I had to say I didn’t, but I checked him out and he blew me away.
–He caught your fancy, so to speak?
Hiromu: I really thought he was pretty awesome and should be in Japan someday. So when I saw him in the lineup, I was hyped, and it’s really cool to be in the same block as him.
–he is one of, if not the biggest in the block.
Hiromu: Right. He’s bigger than Ospreay and Phantasmo I think, but he can fly like crazy. I’m excited, and I’m worried about facing him at the same time. I think a lot of Japanese fans are realising now what a talent this guy is.
He’s strong, and he’s got a ton of pride as well
–Next is the LA Dojo’s power fighter, Clark Connors.
Hiromu: This might be high pace, high impact. Watching Connors recently, it really seems like he’s come along. He’s gotten more polished, and that long hair look is great for him too.
–He’s really shed the Young Lion image.
Hiromu: He really carried himself well. There are a lot of strong junior heavyweight wrestlers overseas, but he has to be near the top in terms of power, and he wants to show the benefit of his experience so far. Throw in what he’s done on social media, and it’s clear he really wants this. You can’t overlook a guy like that.
The only area I beat Ishimori in is stubbornness
–And finally, you face Taiji Ishimori.
Hiromu: Kinda fitting, I guess.
–It’s really easy to see the two of you potentially fighting for a final spot here.
Hiromu: I’ll be honest, I hope that isn’t the case. I really want to be in the final before we get to this last league match. Ishimori is that hard of an opponent. He beat me in last year’s tournament, too.
–Of course Ishimori won the belt right before the BOSJ.
Hiromu: Right. He’s more than capable of winning the whole thing as champion.
–Of course, you faced off in the final of the 2018 tournament.
Hiromu: I watched that match back on World recently. I think we’ve really changed in the years since, but I think this is still one where neither of us will give an inch.
–Ishimori has incredible speed, power and technique; are there any areas where you particularly feel you need to be careful?
Hiromu: All of them (laughs). He’s a lot like Ospreay; there’s not an area that I win out in. I think the only area I have a chance is stubbornness.
–So you want to win through sheer will.
Hiromu: When you get down to the last league match, that tends to be the story. We’re all hurting, all tired, and it’s purely on your will to survive at this point.
–It is a very tough schedule this year.
Hiromu: Oh yeah. When I saw the schedule I knew I’ll have to wrestle with my head to get through this.
–Do you tend to just take each match as it comes, or do you think about the schedule at large?
Hiromu: I’d be lying if I said I don’t keep it in mind, but in the end when you get out there, it all goes out the window, heh. Your feelings get the better of you. Whether I win or lose, I still get to the back thinking it didn’t go to plan, or I went harder than I should have.
–So this match will be all the harder.
Hiromu: Well if all things go well, I’ll be on a high at this point.
–Like the ‘runner’s high’?
Hiromu: Yeah, like the ‘BOSJ’ high. A high Hiromu is a dangerous Hiromu (laughs). But I don’t want to peak too soon. Ideally, I want to get to that point around when I face Zayne. That way the dopamine doesn’t wear off by the finish.
We’ve been talking back and forth for a while. I’d love to actually wrestle TJP.
–So who from B Block catches your eye this year?
Hiromu: They’re all really strong characters, and they won’t want to lose out to us. But I’d have to say TJP most of all.
–A part of the United Empire since last autumn, but I’m a little surprised you chose someone who isn’t as active in NJPW in Japan.
Hiromu: I would really like to wrestle him though. The United Empire thing really caught me off guard.
–You’ve actually wrestled before, haven’t you?
Hiromu: Not in a singles match, but when I was a Young Lion we had a tag. That was right when he had his other BOSJ entry, in 2011.
–11 years ago.
Hiromu: He was really talented even then. When he was in WWE I kept tabs on him; I loved his entrance. Around that time we would talk back and forth on social media about wrestling one another. The prospect of it actually happening is definitely pretty cool.
–He’s had a long career, of course, starting in the original LA Dojo with Rocky Romero.
Hiromu: I’d love to experience all that skill he has for myself.
–You want to be on the receiving end of what TJP can do?
Hiromu: Hey, if I had to say, I’m more a sadist but I can be a masochist at times, heh. But I think it’s a tough prospect. A league like this, it benefits the people who are used to this environment.
–With all your history, is El Desperado someone you’d want to face again in the final?
Hiromu: He dropped the belt, but I think he really wants this now. I’m almost starting to like him again. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him in that final.
If I win, my place in history can’t be denied
–BUSHI is in B Block as well, any thoughts on an all LIJ final?
Hiromu: Hmm. We’ve had a couple of LIJ derbies in the last two BOSJs… I guess whether he makes the final is up to him.
–BUSHI is a former IWGP Junior champ, but has never made the finals. Naito has often talked about wanting him to shine on his own terms.
Hiromu: I think if he did, that would only prompt me to do better, and stand out more. We’re inspired by competition as a faction I think.
–Do you want that to be the final, potentially?
Hiromu: Not really. It’s not about what I want, but about who the best is. That’s what the final should be; even though i can hear the fans that don’t want me to win again from here, heh.
–You think so? It would be unprecedented for you to win four total and three in a row.
Hiromu: I definitely feel it. But I’m happy with that, that’s the masochism winning out. Indifferent fans or not I want to make history.
–There are certainly fans who want to see you make history as well.
Hiromu: Of course. There are Hiromu fans and the history buffs who want to see history made. But I have to be careful not to curse myself. I mean, all the times I’ve been like ‘I’m going to set the defence record with the title!’ and then dropped it right away.
–You don’t want to jinx yourself.
Hiromu: So I want to talk about making history and I don’t at the same time. But if I do achieve that, four overall, three in a row, nobody can deny me my place in the history books.
We have an amazing lineup to experience, see and hear
–You talked during the New Japan Cup about wanting to win it and challenge for the junior heavyweight rather than the World Heavyweight title. It makes sense the IWGP Junior Heavyweight belt is next in line should you win BOSJ 29.
Hiromu: Yeah, of course. But then I’m wrestling the champion in my block as well. So it’s all the more important I beat the champ in my last league match and then challenge.
–The grand final in Nippon Budokan awaits June 3.
Hiromu: And Tatsumi Fujinami will be there. He really is a first generation of junior wrestling, and pioneered the style in NJPW. I want to show him what today’s junior heavyweights are about, absolutely.
–Fujinami’s reign as WWWF Junior Heavyweight Champion really did break ground in NJPW. You were supposed to team with Tatsumi Fujinami May 12 at Dradition, but he had come down with COVID.
Hiromu: It wasn’t to be, but perhaps it created another opportunity down the road. I would love a Hiromu vs Fujinami singles match.
–That would certainly make for a fitting story in this 50th year. Any final thoughts?
Hiromu: I’m absolutely fixed on winning three in a row, four overall. I know that fans can’t shout and scream yet, and we’re on NJPW World, but there’s nothing like being there live. We have an incredible lineup you need to see, hear and experience first hand!
