Yota Tsuji Talks Sakura Genesis, Tetsuya Naito, Reiwa Three Musketeers, More | Interview

An exclusive interview with NJPW’s Yota Tsuji ahead of his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match at Sakura Genesis.

New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) will hold Sakura Genesis this Saturday, live on NJPW World. The main event will see the New Japan Cup winner Yota Tsuji challenge Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

Ahead of the big title challenge, Fightful’s Scott Edwards had the chance to interview Yota Tsuji. “Gene Blast” discussed the big challenge against his fellow Los Ingobernables de Japon stablemate while also going into detail about his time in CMLL, Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay leaving, the Reiwa Three Musketeers, and so much more.

Here’s what Tsuji had to say.

Edwards: After winning the New Japan Cup, you have set yourself up for a matchup against your fellow Los Ingobernables de Japon stablemate Tetsuya Naito. What is the mindset heading into such a match as it’s rare we see two members of the same group face off with the IWGP World Championship on the line?

Tsuji: “The key thing in the New Japan Cup was to produce clear, visible results. That’s something I hadn’t been able to do since my return, so having the Cup under my belt is key momentum for me.”

Edwards: You joined LIJ almost immediately when you returned. In prior interviews, you’ve made it clear that it is Naito that you’re always wanted to face. Was it learning from Naito that brought you to the group? And how has being under his wing for nearly a year — watching him win the G1 and the main event of Wrestle Kingdom — helped you and your growth as a wrestler? Does it push you to be greater?

Tsuji: “Whenever I watch another wrestler, whether it’s a Tetsuya Naito, or a Young Lion, I watch them with an opponent’s mindset, and a rival’s mindset. For Naito I truly believe in my heart I’ll outdo everything that he’s done.”

Edwards: When you returned to NJPW from excursion, you instantly challenged SANADA for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Dominion. What did you learn from that match after coming up short?

Tsuji: “The one thing I learned most of all is that things don’t come easy in NJPW. With the state of NJPW right now, you can’t just walk in your first night and win the title. In hindsight, I feel that’s the way it should be.”

Edwards: You were on excursion in Mexico, competing in CMLL. What were some of the biggest differences for you when competing there compared to when you wrestle in Japan? You’ve noted prior that you made sure to learn from Ultimo Guerrero in your time there. How did his guidance prepare you for where you are now in your career? And beyond Fantastica Mania, would you like to help connect NJPW and CMLL even more in the future?

Tsuji: “There’s some common points there to the untrained eye, but I really feel like lucha libre and the kind of wrestling we have in NJPW are completely different. It’s like comparing rugby to American football, or baseball to cricket. The entire philosophy is different and so is the ruleset. Because of that I had to learn lucha libre really from square one under Ultimo Guerrero, with complete beginners. What I learned the most from that experience though is that build and body shape has nothing to do with it. Whatever shape you are, you just have to do it.”

Edwards: With all the changes that NJPW has experienced this year with Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay leaving, what was your reaction to them departing NJPW? How have those changes pushed you to be better? Do you look at their exits as opportunities? Or would you have preferred to create opportunities by facing them more and more in the future?

Tsuji: “I really do think that the pro-wrestling world at large should have a transfer fee system in place. Players switching teams is a regular part of any other pro sport, and at the end of the day athletes like getting paid. As much as the NJPW ring and the action in it is the best, there might not be enough to compete with the biggest money deals. That being said, what NJPW does have more than anywhere else in the world is the ability to produce the very best talent from the ground up, like me.”

Edwards: Football and pro wrestling are very different, however, both contain two important similarities — physicality and competition. How did playing football help you prepare yourself for pro wrestling? Do you believe there’s a benefit that maybe others don’t have who didn’t make the same transition that you did?

Tsuji: “My finish is an obvious influence, but more than that, my time playing
football has influenced my mindset and definitely my gameplanning for a match.”

Edwards: The Reiwa Three Musketeers have been heavily talked about since NJPW announced the formation. It’s apparent that neither you, Shota Umino, or Ren Narita have enjoyed being thrown into the group together. You have said before that you feel you’re a level above them and it’s been that way since before the G1 Climax. Between you three, you’re the one that has been able to defeat both of them since you’ve all returned from excursion. How do you see the two of them now?

Tsuji: “Comparing the two, I would position Narita higher. He was feeling pretty lost for a time, but managed to find his own way forward. He hasn’t produced much results-wise yet but I think that with the style he has he has a lot of upside. Umino I think there’s just so much going on. He doesn’t know what
direction he wants to take character-wise and he hasn’t settled on a direction.”

Edwards: What would it mean to you to not only win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship but also defeat Tetsuya Naito to do so?

Tsuji: “There’s a famous story about Hiroshi Tanahashi saying I should get into wrestling, but when I had a day job, it was Naito that put a word in for me. I have a debt to him, and beating him in this spot would be quite the way to repay it.”

Edwards: Whether you win or lose, you always have remained confident in your abilities. Where does that confidence come from?

Tsuji: “I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world, and I think that’s a big part of it. I’ve swum in the Dead Sea, been chased by wild dogs in Egypt, seen the sunrise from a sauna in Finland. I’ve been able to make the most of those kinds of life experiences when I wrestle.”

Edwards: Yuya Uemura was a thorn in your side since World Tag League. He was able to defeat you at Wrestle Kingdom but you got the last laugh when you defeated him in a hair vs. hair match at New Beginning. Do you view him as a rival moving forward? Or have you moved on from Uemura for good after beating him with both of your hair on the line?

Tsuji: “We’ll always be connected — even if I’m not consciously thinking of him, people will bring it up because we came in at the same time. But I plan to be so far ahead so fast that he has no hope of catching up.”

Edwards: Why is Yota Tsuji the right person to lead NJPW into this new era?

Tsuji: “Watch the match and you’ll find out.”

We’d like to thank Yota Tsuji and NJPW for helping put this interview together and translating the responses from Tsuji.

Sakura Genesis will be live this Saturday at 4 a.m. EST on NJPW World. Along with Tsuji’s title challenge in the main event, the show will also feature Jon Moxley’s return to NJPW and YOH challenging SHO for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title.

You can also catch Windy City Riot, which will be live at 8 p.m. EST on NJPW World as a special pay-per-view, which is available to purchase now.

Tetsuya Naito will go one-on-one with Jon Moxley for the first time since 2019. Plus the show will see IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Nic Nemeth face Tomohiro Ishii in a first-time-ever matchup.

Fans can check out news and results from NJPW events by visiting Fightful’s results and news sections.