Tama Tonga recently spoke with Chris Van Vliet and discussed the return of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. In the interview, Tonga also discusses the incident with Enzo Amore and Big Cass at G1 Supercard. Here are some highlights:
On the return of NJPW:
Tonga: “I’m excited man, this kind… 2020’s a little strange, but there’s definitely, it’s made some changes, made some progress, we’re here with New Japan, we’re still trying to push forward no matter the situation, and I think this New Japan Cup being out here in America is a nice start, a nice beginning for something, especially that new NJPW Strong. Really exciting times.”
On when he’ll be able to go back to Japan:
Tonga: “They sent us something a couple days ago for the Japan embassy, just this paperwork we got to fill out, and it’s information about quarantine, so you know, we haven’t heard anything probably in the last three months and to see that was, ‘Okay, there’s something here,’ So you know we’re just trying to, I think, prepare just in case, you know, the travel ban is lifted quick and we can just go back. But there’s a process so doing this, I just think we’re trying to get that cleared out so no, there’s no word. No official word. ”
On what new viewers can expect when they watch a New Japan show:
Tonga: “I think just our style is a different kind of style in wrestling. I feel, personally, it’s a more impactful style, different kind of storytelling, and it’s like a mixture of the old Japanese-style wrestling versus the new school. For those who don’t know about the old school, it’s more, it’s where the term “strong style” came from and we incorporated that, we evolved and put a little bit more of our new school style because of the new guys, the new foreigners that have mixed into the Japanese wrestling. So a little bit more, man, strong style. I’ll stick with strong style and new school, that’s what they can see. Hard-hitting, storytelling, fast-paced, I would feel.”
On whether he was really upset about about Big Cass and Enzo Amore showing up at G1 Supercard:
Tonga: “I was ——- pissed, I was very ——- pissed, yeah. I wasn’t mad at them, no I wasn’t mad at them. I was ——- pissed off at ROH for pulling a stunt like that and not letting New Japan know. This ain’t your ——- show, you don’t disrespect us like that. You don’t ——-, that’s just pure disrespect to come on somebody else’s show and not tell them what you’re gonna do. And you just pull it off like it’s your ——- show. So yeah, I was very ——- upset. It ain’t your ——- show. You think you sold out MSG? You think people came to watch ROH, you think people came to see y’all? Are you ——- kidding me? Get the —- out of here, bunch of ——- amateurs, coming out here and doing business like that.”
The full interview is available here:
