KUSHIDA Wants To Produce An All Junior Card, Wouldn’t Rule Out Being Able To Use WWE Talent

KUSHIDA is back in NJPW with big ambitions. 

KUSHIDA is one of the greatest junior heavyweight performers of all-time, racking up accolades like winning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title, NXT Cruiserweight Title, Super J-Cup, Best of the Super Juniors, and more. 

At the age of 39, KUSHIDA is now thinking about making an impact beyond the ring. 

“I have an idea in my head for a kind of ‘bonus track’ for my career. I don’t know whether it would be 3, 5, 10 years from now, but I want to produce an all junior card. One thing that still sticks in my mind was Super J-Cup in 2016. I won, as the IWGP Junior Champion, but I don’t think that I was able to live up to my position at that point. It was a case where the tournament was put together by the company without the thought given to the place the (Super J-Cup) has in the hearts of wrestlers and fans. I really want another chance at doing something like that and doing it right before I retire,” KUSHIDA told NJPW. 

KUSHIDA continued, bringing up the Amazon Prime series “Documental” and how comedians are invited on the show. 

“They have this deal where the people receive an invitation card into the room to be on the show. I want to send those cards out and film these wrestlers from all sorts of places getting them. I’ll get Liger to help pick out guys… or Mrs. Liger (laughs),” referencing Liger’s wife being involved in scouting for the 1994 Super J-Cup. 

“I’m not saying I want ‘KUSHIDA Presents: Super J-Cup 2022’ or anything. It could be a different concept entirely. You know, I’ve held a lot of titles, and been in a lot of rings. Just this month I’m on STRONG and IMPACT. I’ve been meeting a lot of other wrestlers again over the last few weeks alone. It’s nice to reminisce, but having been in all of these places and having had all of these contacts, and then watching the old J-Cups really made me think that there’s still a few dreams and ambitions I want to achieve,” he said.

When the interviewer noted that KUSHIDA had a sense of purpose, he replied, “And HHH’s phone number (laughs). I wouldn’t completely rule out being able to get a few good guys on loan from over there- don’t ask, don’t get. And you know, that’s the attitude I’ve always had. I’ve never been anything but honest and straightforward all the way through my career, from Mexico to the US, to Hokkaido down to Okinawa in Japan. I’m 39, and I’ve been doing this 17 years.  I’ve survived in a big man’s world as a small guy, and it’s all because I’ve had dreams in mind and worked to achieve them. That’s what I want to show everyone. What I want to show kids who aren’t destined to be more than 170cm and are getting set to give up on pro-sports as their careers- that there is still room and still things to achieve in this incredible business. There’s still a lot I want to achieve, yet.”

KUSHIDA signed with WWE in 2019 and was part of NXT, which was led by Triple H, throughout his entire run. He left in April 2022 after his contract expired. 

Since returning to NJPW, KUSHIDA has competed for NJPW, NJPW STRONG, and IMPACT. 

He is set to team with Chris Sabin to face Violent By Design at IMPACT Emergence. Fans can find the current lineup for the show by clicking here.