DDT Katsumata Shunma will be holding a hardcore match! What message does he want to convey to his fans now? [5.9 DDT TV SHOW #2]
In the wake of the state of emergency declaration, DDT Pro-Wrestling began airing "DDT TV SHOW" every Saturday in May, without spectators, as no sports competitions were able to hold matches. A generous selection of exciting matches, including title matches, are scheduled to be shown every week. Katsumata Shunma will be competing in the hardcore match of "DDT TV SHOW" on May 9th. He edits his own videos and is also active as a YouTuber. Even among the many unique characters in DDT, he is one of the wrestlers who excels at self-production. We spoke to him ahead of the important match.
Satoshi Dairaku
|
2020/05/07
--Can you tell us what made you become interested in professional wrestling?
Katsumata:My father liked professional wrestling, and apparently when I was little he would take me to see All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling matches. I was too young to remember that though. (laughs) However, at that time, I read the "Kinnikuman" magazine that we had at home and watched professional wrestling on TV.
Then, when I was in the fifth grade, I went to watch "Hustle 1" at Saitama Super Arena on January 4, 2014. The participants were super impressive, including Naoya Ogawa, Shinya Hashimoto, Bill Goldberg, and Mil Mascaras. When I saw that match, I decided that my dream was to become a professional wrestler.
After that, I started watching matches of various organizations active both domestically and overseas.
――A while ago, photos of you and Aja Kong as young children, and then of you together 20 years later, became a hot topic. Were these also taken when you went to the venue with your father?
Katsumata:That's right. So when I told Aja about the photo, she said, "I'll hold it again anytime."
So, when I tweeted a picture of Aja holding me during the Saitama Super Arena event, it went viral (laughs).
--Photos of the past and present taken in the same situation are interesting.
--Katsumata, you use a lot of flying techniques, but did you have any previous experience in sports?
Katsumata:I don't have any experience in martial arts, but I was in the basketball club in junior high school. However, I was a ghost member, and because my father played basketball, I played basketball among the adults. I didn't play any other sports. I wasn't particularly good at sports or in terms of my physical fitness.
--Watching you move in the ring, I wonder if you had good athletic ability even as a child?
Katsumata:People often say that I was able to do backflips after I joined DDT. (laughs)
Actually, I did amateur wrestling when I was a teenager. This was organized by former student wrestlers who, after quitting student wrestling, rented a judo hall at a sports center to practice and hold free tournaments, and I started participating when I was 17.
To be honest, when I was a teenager, I thought, "I'm going to be a professional wrestler in the future, so my academic background doesn't matter," because I was young. (laughs)
After dropping out of high school, he discovered amateur professional wrestling and regularly took part in ring matches, but the following year, at the age of 18, he joined TAJIRI's SMASH.
I practiced here for about half a year,After that, I distanced myself from professional wrestling, and until I was 20 years old, I spent my days working night shifts.
One day, on my way to work, I was listening to Momoiro Clover Z's song "CONTRADICTION," and the lyrics included the word "dream."
I suddenly thought, "My dream was to become a professional wrestler..." I was 20 years old, so I thought I'd try again to see if I could become a professional wrestler, and if I couldn't, I'd give up, so I talked to my father about it.
At that time, my father told me that DDT was recruiting trainees, so I applied for the "trainees without entrance exam" position. That was in January 2013.
Some of the wrestlers I supported, such as Urano and Oishi, were members of DDT, so I decided to join the company.
-Did Katsumata join the team without taking a test?
Katsumata:That's right. February 2013At the Union's Shinkiba convention in May, we were told that there would be a "meeting" of the members who had applied for the project.
12-13 people gathered and greeted the company president, Sanshiro Takagi, in the waiting room, but on the first day of practice, the number of trainees had been reduced to half. (laughs)
The person who quit probably sent in their resume without telling their parents, and then after the meeting, they found out about the practice schedule and were opposed to it.
On the first day of practice, one trainee ran up to the coach and said, "I can't do this anymore due to family circumstances. Thank you for everything!" and then left. (laughs)
There were four members left, including Miyatake Suguru, who has now left the group, but I am the only one from that time who is still there.
--There were also performances mainly featuring young comedians, right?
Katsumata:"DNA". I debuted with DDT and transferred to DNA. At first, I thought it was just a young talent show, but as I worked with DNA, I started to feel like "I'm going to make this group bigger," and we all got together and became very united.
.Please tell us about any particular "GEAR" you have, such as costumes for use in the ring or shoes for training.
Katsumata:I don't really have any particular preferences. There are things I do before a match, but I don't usually make any preconceived notions about what I do. There's nothing that I "have to do." I guess "not being particular is my preference."
For example, I don't have any particular items or do anything consciously because I don't want to feel anxious if I don't do something by having a routine or something that I "have to do."
Before stepping into the ring, he might just put his hands together and say, "I hope today's match ends without any injuries."
."Having no particular preferences is actually a particular preference"? That's a great quote.
.You are also active as a YouTuber, aren't you? I saw your video "Interviewing people in Harajuku to see if they know me."
Katsumata:I've loved watching YouTube since I was a teenager. I don't just watch, I also like the process of creating, so I edit my own videos. I edit on my phone and finish on my computer. It's fun to see the reactions of people around me when I upload a video. I think I really love to entertain people.
For example, even if I go out drinking, I want to leave a mark, I want to entertain everyone. As a result, I often end up drinking too much (laughs).
.You're a wrestler who can "self-produce", aren't you? There are many wrestlers who use social media, but I think there are still few who edit their own videos and disseminate information.
Katsumata:DDT has a lot of wrestlers, and the number of talented juniors is increasing. With so many wrestlers with strong personalities, how can you make your presence known, and where and how can you do it?
Of course, it's most important to show your talent in the ring, but if you don't show your talent outside the ring as well, you might feel like you'll be forgotten or buried. That's the kind of feeling that leads you to take on hardcore or death matches.
.You will be competing in a hardcore match against Chris Brooks on May 9th. You have experience in this type of match before, right?
Katsumata:Last year, I did some hardcore a few times. The first time was when I challenged for the 2018 "Yuki Miyamoto Extreme Class Championship."
I used a thumbtack as a weapon. It was extremely painful and I lost the match, but the voices of the audience were so pleasant that I thought, "This is fun." I felt, "It hurts, but everyone is enjoying it," and it was a different kind of shock to me than usual matches.
.While there are few wrestlers in hardcore or death matches in DDT, Katsumata's presence is unique and eye-catching, isn't it?
Katsumata:I think that I have to try things differently from other wrestlers so that I don't get lost in the crowd. I don't have a strong character, and I'm not a wrestler who puts my strength on display.
When you think about it like that, doing things that other wrestlers don't do will increase your recognition. That was the case last year when I held the "New Year's Eve Pro Wrestling" in collaboration with Big Japan Pro Wrestling, and when I held the fluorescent light death match.
After the match, Big Japan Pro Wrestling fans came to the autograph session and said things like "Please come up to the Big Japan ring" and "I'm now a fan," so I felt that it was really good that I did the death match.
Actually, I was scheduled to take part in Big Japan's death match in April, but that was cancelled due to the coronavirus issue.
ーー Once this issue is resolved, I would love to see him back in the ring at Big Japan Pro Wrestling, as I'm sure there are many fans who would like to see him do so.
ーー Chris Brooks, who will be competing in the hardcore match this time, is 196cm tall and weighs 87kg. You may be at a disadvantage physically, but is there anything you can do to prepare for this?
.It feels like being hit by a large dump truck, right? In a previous interview, Takeshita said that when he fought against Shuji Ishikawa (height 195cm, weight 130kg), "I dislocated my shoulder while throwing a lariat."
Katsumata:Previously, I had the experience of doing a missile kick from the top of the corner post to Mr. Ishikawa, and it was deflected. After I did the move, it was deflected and I had to take a defensive fall on top of it. (laughs)
But if I think about being countered, I can't even use my technique, and I can't do any damage with a half-hearted technique. In fact, I end up taking damage myself, so when I use a technique, I try not to hesitate.
.Currently, with the state of emergency being declared and people being asked to exercise self-restraint, matches will be held without spectators. Is there anything you would like to communicate as a wrestler?
Katsumata:I think there are a lot of people feeling down, so I simply want them to have fun.
I believe that in wrestling, if we aren't having fun, the audience won't enjoy it either. So, I try to step into the ring with the mindset that I want to have fun, and then the audience will enjoy it too.
I like spending time at home, but with such a long period of self-restraint, the stress that builds up is also getting bigger. I will be releasing that stress in place of the others in the ring, so I really hope that the fans will be cheered up by seeing me.Look forward to the match on May 9th.
.Finally, please give a message to your fans.
Katsumata:It's a difficult time right now, but I hope that all the fans who always support me stay upbeat.
When you feel down, your immune system also weakens. DDT is broadcasting live, so please watch DDT UNIVERSE, or watch live broadcasts on my YouTube channel or MixChannel, so I hope you can cheer up.
"DDT TV SHOW" has started every Saturday since May, so please watch this broadcast, and once the coronavirus has subsided, we hope to see you at the venue in good health. Until then, please remember to gargle and wash your hands every day.
<Information>
Shunma Katsumata will face Chris Brooks in a hardcore match. The match will take place on "DDT TV SHOW! #2" on Saturday, May 9th at 7:00 PM.
You can watch the game on the video streaming service "DDT UNIVERSE" will broadcast the event.For more information,DDT Pro-Wrestling Official WebsitePlease refer to the.
Katsumata Shunma's YouTube "Katsumata Shunma's HAPPEACE ch"
Katsumata Shunma Twitter
Katsumata:My father liked professional wrestling, and apparently when I was little he would take me to see All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling matches. I was too young to remember that though. (laughs) However, at that time, I read the "Kinnikuman" magazine that we had at home and watched professional wrestling on TV.
Then, when I was in the fifth grade, I went to watch "Hustle 1" at Saitama Super Arena on January 4, 2014. The participants were super impressive, including Naoya Ogawa, Shinya Hashimoto, Bill Goldberg, and Mil Mascaras. When I saw that match, I decided that my dream was to become a professional wrestler.
After that, I started watching matches of various organizations active both domestically and overseas.
――A while ago, photos of you and Aja Kong as young children, and then of you together 20 years later, became a hot topic. Were these also taken when you went to the venue with your father?
Katsumata:That's right. So when I told Aja about the photo, she said, "I'll hold it again anytime."
So, when I tweeted a picture of Aja holding me during the Saitama Super Arena event, it went viral (laughs).
--Photos of the past and present taken in the same situation are interesting.
--Katsumata, you use a lot of flying techniques, but did you have any previous experience in sports?
Katsumata:I don't have any experience in martial arts, but I was in the basketball club in junior high school. However, I was a ghost member, and because my father played basketball, I played basketball among the adults. I didn't play any other sports. I wasn't particularly good at sports or in terms of my physical fitness.
--Watching you move in the ring, I wonder if you had good athletic ability even as a child?
Katsumata:People often say that I was able to do backflips after I joined DDT. (laughs)
Actually, I did amateur wrestling when I was a teenager. This was organized by former student wrestlers who, after quitting student wrestling, rented a judo hall at a sports center to practice and hold free tournaments, and I started participating when I was 17.
To be honest, when I was a teenager, I thought, "I'm going to be a professional wrestler in the future, so my academic background doesn't matter," because I was young. (laughs)
After dropping out of high school, he discovered amateur professional wrestling and regularly took part in ring matches, but the following year, at the age of 18, he joined TAJIRI's SMASH.
I practiced here for about half a year,After that, I distanced myself from professional wrestling, and until I was 20 years old, I spent my days working night shifts.
One day, on my way to work, I was listening to Momoiro Clover Z's song "CONTRADICTION," and the lyrics included the word "dream."
I suddenly thought, "My dream was to become a professional wrestler..." I was 20 years old, so I thought I'd try again to see if I could become a professional wrestler, and if I couldn't, I'd give up, so I talked to my father about it.
At that time, my father told me that DDT was recruiting trainees, so I applied for the "trainees without entrance exam" position. That was in January 2013.
Some of the wrestlers I supported, such as Urano and Oishi, were members of DDT, so I decided to join the company.
-Did Katsumata join the team without taking a test?
Katsumata:That's right. February 2013At the Union's Shinkiba convention in May, we were told that there would be a "meeting" of the members who had applied for the project.
12-13 people gathered and greeted the company president, Sanshiro Takagi, in the waiting room, but on the first day of practice, the number of trainees had been reduced to half. (laughs)
The person who quit probably sent in their resume without telling their parents, and then after the meeting, they found out about the practice schedule and were opposed to it.
On the first day of practice, one trainee ran up to the coach and said, "I can't do this anymore due to family circumstances. Thank you for everything!" and then left. (laughs)
There were four members left, including Miyatake Suguru, who has now left the group, but I am the only one from that time who is still there.
--There were also performances mainly featuring young comedians, right?
Katsumata:"DNA". I debuted with DDT and transferred to DNA. At first, I thought it was just a young talent show, but as I worked with DNA, I started to feel like "I'm going to make this group bigger," and we all got together and became very united.
.Please tell us about any particular "GEAR" you have, such as costumes for use in the ring or shoes for training.
Katsumata:I don't really have any particular preferences. There are things I do before a match, but I don't usually make any preconceived notions about what I do. There's nothing that I "have to do." I guess "not being particular is my preference."
For example, I don't have any particular items or do anything consciously because I don't want to feel anxious if I don't do something by having a routine or something that I "have to do."
Before stepping into the ring, he might just put his hands together and say, "I hope today's match ends without any injuries."
."Having no particular preferences is actually a particular preference"? That's a great quote.
.You are also active as a YouTuber, aren't you? I saw your video "Interviewing people in Harajuku to see if they know me."
Katsumata:I've loved watching YouTube since I was a teenager. I don't just watch, I also like the process of creating, so I edit my own videos. I edit on my phone and finish on my computer. It's fun to see the reactions of people around me when I upload a video. I think I really love to entertain people.
For example, even if I go out drinking, I want to leave a mark, I want to entertain everyone. As a result, I often end up drinking too much (laughs).
.You're a wrestler who can "self-produce", aren't you? There are many wrestlers who use social media, but I think there are still few who edit their own videos and disseminate information.
Katsumata:DDT has a lot of wrestlers, and the number of talented juniors is increasing. With so many wrestlers with strong personalities, how can you make your presence known, and where and how can you do it?
Of course, it's most important to show your talent in the ring, but if you don't show your talent outside the ring as well, you might feel like you'll be forgotten or buried. That's the kind of feeling that leads you to take on hardcore or death matches.
.You will be competing in a hardcore match against Chris Brooks on May 9th. You have experience in this type of match before, right?
Katsumata:Last year, I did some hardcore a few times. The first time was when I challenged for the 2018 "Yuki Miyamoto Extreme Class Championship."
I used a thumbtack as a weapon. It was extremely painful and I lost the match, but the voices of the audience were so pleasant that I thought, "This is fun." I felt, "It hurts, but everyone is enjoying it," and it was a different kind of shock to me than usual matches.
.While there are few wrestlers in hardcore or death matches in DDT, Katsumata's presence is unique and eye-catching, isn't it?
Katsumata:I think that I have to try things differently from other wrestlers so that I don't get lost in the crowd. I don't have a strong character, and I'm not a wrestler who puts my strength on display.
When you think about it like that, doing things that other wrestlers don't do will increase your recognition. That was the case last year when I held the "New Year's Eve Pro Wrestling" in collaboration with Big Japan Pro Wrestling, and when I held the fluorescent light death match.
After the match, Big Japan Pro Wrestling fans came to the autograph session and said things like "Please come up to the Big Japan ring" and "I'm now a fan," so I felt that it was really good that I did the death match.
Actually, I was scheduled to take part in Big Japan's death match in April, but that was cancelled due to the coronavirus issue.
ーー Once this issue is resolved, I would love to see him back in the ring at Big Japan Pro Wrestling, as I'm sure there are many fans who would like to see him do so.
ーー Chris Brooks, who will be competing in the hardcore match this time, is 196cm tall and weighs 87kg. You may be at a disadvantage physically, but is there anything you can do to prepare for this?
Katsumata:DDT wrestlers are generally bigger than me (Katsumata is 167cm tall and weighs 75kg).So most of the time I don't have to worry about my physique.
Of course, we will take countermeasures into consideration, but in the DNA era, Kazusada Higuchi (*I have played against this player (height 185cm, weight 105kg) many times.
I've fought Yukio Naya (height 201cm, weight 130kg) before, so I'm not afraid of him physically. Chris is slimmer than Naya, so I think it will be easier to come up with countermeasures.
Of course, we will take countermeasures into consideration, but in the DNA era, Kazusada Higuchi (*I have played against this player (height 185cm, weight 105kg) many times.
I've fought Yukio Naya (height 201cm, weight 130kg) before, so I'm not afraid of him physically. Chris is slimmer than Naya, so I think it will be easier to come up with countermeasures.
.It feels like being hit by a large dump truck, right? In a previous interview, Takeshita said that when he fought against Shuji Ishikawa (height 195cm, weight 130kg), "I dislocated my shoulder while throwing a lariat."
Katsumata:Previously, I had the experience of doing a missile kick from the top of the corner post to Mr. Ishikawa, and it was deflected. After I did the move, it was deflected and I had to take a defensive fall on top of it. (laughs)
But if I think about being countered, I can't even use my technique, and I can't do any damage with a half-hearted technique. In fact, I end up taking damage myself, so when I use a technique, I try not to hesitate.
.Currently, with the state of emergency being declared and people being asked to exercise self-restraint, matches will be held without spectators. Is there anything you would like to communicate as a wrestler?
Katsumata:I think there are a lot of people feeling down, so I simply want them to have fun.
I believe that in wrestling, if we aren't having fun, the audience won't enjoy it either. So, I try to step into the ring with the mindset that I want to have fun, and then the audience will enjoy it too.
I like spending time at home, but with such a long period of self-restraint, the stress that builds up is also getting bigger. I will be releasing that stress in place of the others in the ring, so I really hope that the fans will be cheered up by seeing me.Look forward to the match on May 9th.
.Finally, please give a message to your fans.
Katsumata:It's a difficult time right now, but I hope that all the fans who always support me stay upbeat.
When you feel down, your immune system also weakens. DDT is broadcasting live, so please watch DDT UNIVERSE, or watch live broadcasts on my YouTube channel or MixChannel, so I hope you can cheer up.
"DDT TV SHOW" has started every Saturday since May, so please watch this broadcast, and once the coronavirus has subsided, we hope to see you at the venue in good health. Until then, please remember to gargle and wash your hands every day.
<Information>
Shunma Katsumata will face Chris Brooks in a hardcore match. The match will take place on "DDT TV SHOW! #2" on Saturday, May 9th at 7:00 PM.
You can watch the game on the video streaming service "DDT UNIVERSE" will broadcast the event.For more information,DDT Pro-Wrestling Official WebsitePlease refer to the.
Katsumata Shunma's YouTube "Katsumata Shunma's HAPPEACE ch"
Katsumata Shunma Twitter
