KUSHIDA is the latest talent to announce he’s leaving New Japan Pro-Wrestling, saying he’s going to try his hand at wrestling outside of Japan.
According to a translation by Chris Charlton, KUSHIDA made the announcement during a press conference and said:
As Sugabayashi said, I will leave NJPW on January 31. This was an extremely tough condition made with Meij, Sugabayashi and Kidani. It was a very big decision in my life and I’m thankful they understood. I will head overseas and to see the world of pro wrestling. I have been here in NJPW for 8 years. I was surprised at the scale of the business when I first came in and proud of being able to work here. The warm reception and words from the fans made me who I am and I am so grateful to them.
You meet so many people in this business from fans to rivals to allies and staff, and they all helped to grow me. When I won the BOSJ a few years ago I said I’d lead the division to a bright future. I was so happy to hear the BOSJ finals will be in Ryogoku. Some may say I put it there, but it’s due to the efforts of everybody in the division to make a change. I have no doubt- the junior division will be absolutely fine without me.
I am contracted with this company until the end of January so I won’t be talking much about beyond then. But it has been my dream for a long time to travel the world with professional wrestling. And that’s what I will be doing. I increasingly took on the role lately of working with younger talent, and while not teaching, learning together. Along with that, going back and forth between ROH and New Japan I realised I am now 36 and have much less in front of me career wise than behind. Being with Shibata in the Dojo I learned how difficult it was to teach the next generation. A lot of personal research has to go into that progress. For me, in order to best teach the next generation, what do I need to do?
When asked by Tanahashi what he loved, and what he found to be tough, KUSHIDA said:
‘I love wrestling and never want to be away from it. I put everything into these 8 years’. I loved this journey through life with everyone here. I don’t know why I’m crying. This is my decision and I’m not sad I made it. These are happy tears. If there was anything left for me to achieve and do, I wouldn’t be leaving. But I’ll put my all in this last month. There’s been a lot of people who have influenced me over these 8 years. Liger, Tana. Shibata, Makabe, Tiger Hattori. They all enjoy wrestling.
