Konosuke Takeshita Responds To Ric Flair's Criticism Of His Chops

Konosuke Takeshita responds to Ric Flair‘s criticism of his chops and says he’d like the legend to teach him.

In the clip of Flair’s podcast, To Be The Man, Flair shared his belief that Takeshita’s chops during his recent match against Bryan Danielson on the January 11 episode of AEW Dynamite were weak; he stated that they couldn’t break an egg. Flair then shifted to a more general criticism about how wrestlers today don’t hit each other hard, whereas they used to be very physical. Flair noted that wrestlers should hit harder, put a little Neosporin on it, and go get drunk.

“I’ll give you an example of what I thought was just literal bulls—-. I know it’s your favorite guy. The Japanese young man that was chopping Danielson on his knees the other night. Come on. Those chips couldn’t have broken an egg. If you’re gonna chop somebody, goddamn it, hit them hard. It’s not gonna hurt you. [Bryan] was on his knees, and the guy was going, ‘Yah.’ [Makes chopping motion.] Give me a break. It’s embarrassing. In Japan in the 80s, that Japanese kid would have got the shit slapped out of him, just walking back to the locker room door. If you’re gonna hit someone like that and you’re trying to make the crowd go, ‘Woo’ or react, you gotta hit them hard.

“I don’t even know him, I’m not knocking him. I’m just telling you that it just didn’t look good. If I’m sitting and watching at home, I’m going to my wife or my girlfriend, ‘That can’t possibly hurt.’ You know what? I’m right. It’d be like me sitting next to you in a bar and going ‘bop.’ [Makes hitting motion]. Only I hit you harder than he hit him. If you guys can drop each other on their heads and neck, which they do, not intentionally, but the stuff that Daniel Bryan can do off the top rope, that’s dangerous sh—. Hitting somebody in the chest, I’ve seen Jericho do it with another guy too where they go back and forth. They take these huge big bumps that have got to hurt, but they don’t hit each other hard. Hit yourself hard, it’s not gonna make any difference. Put a little Neosporin and go get drunk. Jesus.

In a tweet, Takeshita responded to an abbreviated version of Flair’s comments. He stated that he has the utmost respect for Flair, and he was amazed that the WWE Hall of Famer talked about him. Takeshita stated that he needed to practice his chops, and he said he’d like Flair to teach him.

“I have the utmost respect for Ric Flair,” Takeshita said. “It is incredible to me that he mentioned me. I need to practice a lot as I haven’t done as much chopping in Japan. Thanks for the advice. I would like you to actually teach me if possible. Watch my chops grow from now on.”

I have the utmost respect for Ric Flair. It is incredible to me that he mentioned me. I need to practice a lot as I haven't done much chopping in Japan. Thanks for the advice. I would like you to actually teach me if possible. Watch my chops grow from now on. https://t.co/0nq9pOZaqX

— Konosuke Takeshita 竹下幸之介 (@Takesoup) January 25, 2023

Takeshita is widely viewed as one of the best wrestlers in the world today; he has competed for DDT, PWG, and AEW, among other promotions. He signed with AEW in November 2022.