Takashi Ishiguro becomes All Japanese at 97kg, moves on to World Championships with Meiji win
Sunday May 30 saw Takashi Ishiguro, who represents NJPW’s amateur team Team New Japan, clinch the 2021 Meiji All Japan Championships. Ishiguro was part of the transition from the original Team Bushiroad into Team New Japan in 2020, and came third in All Asia Championships this April. This was his first attempt at All Japanese competition at 97kg, and Ishiguro could not have asked for a better result.
With perfect composure, Ishiguro squared off with impressive rising star Hibiki Ito in the final, and asserted himself with an impressive tackle, scoring a perfect 7-0 victory. The win allows Ishiguro to move onto the World Championships, which take place in Oslo, Norway this October.
Ishiguro credited his win with the confidence earned on an international stage in the All Asia Championships. ‘I was a little worried about whether having to take a fortnight to quarantine would affect my preparation, but thanks to help from Katsuhiko (Nagata, Olympian and Yuji Nagata’s brother), I was able to really power up and come in with more confidence than usual. And, (former teammate Takeshi) Yamaguchi was there for me as well, so even though coach Nagata was a little concerned, I was able to put that concern at rest.’
Recently returned from competing for the IWGP US Heavyweight Championship in the US, Team New Japan coach Yuji Nagata was not able to assist directly in Ishiguro’s preparation. In his stead as second was brother and 2000 Sydney silver medalist Katsuhiko. With the additional aid of Takeshi Yamaguchi, and Ishiguro’s father and accomplished wrestler in his own right Tetsuya, Takashi was left in good hands.
Katsuhiko Nagata, who regularly oversees Ishiguro’s physical training stated ‘he has a solid physical foundation, and that paid off with good explosivity, and it was great to see him win. To be able to second someone in the All Japan finals was a great experience for me as well, and I’m planning to stick by him until Paris 2024’.
Yuji Nagata was similarly full of praise for Ishiguro. ‘He made full use of his third place in the All Asias to really come through and assert himself to win. Now he’s competing in the World Championships, the plan is to work on his technique to the point he can be just as effective on the world stage’.
This month also saw the graduation of Takeshi Yamaguchi, who was the first entrant into Team Bushiroad in 2012, and has represented both Bushiroad and Team New Japan on the world stage for the last nine years. On his departure, Yamaguchi stated ‘I’m grateful for these nine years of experience, and although I was unable to make it to the Olympics as I’d hoped, reaching the quarter finals of the Asian preliminaries proved to myself that I was capable of competing with the best in the world, and that’s something I’m proud of. I’ll be embarking on a new life from here on out, but I want to keep up with everything that happens in the amateur wrestling scene, and help Team New Japan in any way I can. I’m so happy for Ishiguro in his win, and although the pressure picks up from here, I know he’s tough enough to take it. Thanks for an incredible nine years! Ze-a!’
Japan Wrestling Federation English website
