Lio Rush: Coming To NJPW Has Awakened Something In Me That I’ve Been Looking For

Lio Rush and YOH discuss winning the NJPW Super Junior Tag League.

Lio Rush and YOH discuss winning the NJPW Super Junior Tag League.

YOH and Rush won the tournament by defeating Ace Austin and Chris Bey in the finals. With they win, they earned the right to challenge Catch 2/2 (TJP & Francesco Akira) for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17. The victory marked the fourth time YOH won the tournament; he and SHO previously won it in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

In an interview with NJPW’s website, Rush and YOH shared their thoughts on their victory. First, Rush made it clear that he felt emotional in the aftermath in the triumph, as he worked hard to overcome injuries and other obstacles. 

LR: I’m feeling a lot of emotions. I feel like this is a moment in my career that I’m very proud of. A real high point for me professionally. I worked so hard for this through injuries and surgeries, and I’m really overwhelmed by emotion. I’m trying to live in the moment, and soak it in because I know in a few weeks, we have the biggest match that the both of us have had in our careers together. So it’s enjoying the moment but also preparing for Wrestle Kingdom.

YOH then noted that it was a long tour, and while he had won the tournament three times in the past, he didn’t know how he and Rush would work together as a team. However, he stated that he found this aspect of their partnership exciting.

YOH: It was [a long tour. About a month ago I met Lio in New York, and then we were all of a sudden a team for this tag league. I’d won the trophies three times before already, been IWGP Junior Tag Champion, so I had that confidence, but I didn’t know how me and Lio were going to gel as a team, and that was exciting, actually. 

Rush was then asked about his comment that their victory was the biggest moment of their career. He explained that he had always wanted to come to NJPW, and now that he has, he feels fulfilled. Rush emphasized that he’s happy he has found a partner that can understand his experiences, and he stated that they have a strong bond.

LR: Yes. I’ve always felt like with other big milestones in my career, they’ve come with a bittersweet type of feeling. But coming here to New Japan was something I’d always wanted to do even before I signed with WWE. So I feel much more fulfilled, and I accomplished something that was my destiny. I’ve always felt I wanted a partner to go through the same things I do in the business, and I’m glad I’ve found that with YOH. I think we’ve gained a strong friendship and mutual respect, and these trophies are a testament to how strong our bond is. 

Looking back on his career, Rush noted that he has worked with other tag team partners in the past, but his pairing with YOH stands apart. He highlighted his own growth and understanding of himself as one aspect of his difference before he stated that coming to NJPW “awakened something” in him that he has been looking for.

LR: I have experience with different tag partners through my career, but I’ve never experienced a bond like I have with YOH. My other teams didn’t last very long, but I think that comes down to me not really knowing who I was fully. Coming into NJPW has awakened something in me that I’ve been looking for for a long time. 

Check out the card for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 here.

Catch up on our coverage of this week’s episode of NJPW STRONG here.

Kenny Omega recently stated that NJPW lacked charisma and magic without him; click here to see what he had to say.