To the stage of revenge. Can you get revenge at the end of last year? Tetsuya Endo challenges champion Masato Tanaka [6/7 WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020 DAY2]

 
Q: Finally, on June 7th, you will be challenging Masato Tanaka (ZERO1) for the KO-D Open Weight title. First, in the "D-King GP Championship" held six months ago,first timeWhat was your impression when you faced off against Tanaka in a singles match? 

Endo:As expected, when I was hit for the first time by Tanaka's signature move, the "Sliding D," my vision went completely blank...

It's not that I lost consciousness, but I lost track of what situation I was in.The impact was quite big. The elbow is one of the hardest parts of the human body, so the impact was bigger than I had imagined.




--At that time, Endo said about Tanaka, "He has an absolute finishing hold, so all you have to do is be careful of his sliding D, so it's easy to counter him." 

Endo:That's what I thought before I was hit by the move, but I didn't understand that Tanaka could use the "Sliding D" no matter what the situation.

Tanaka can perform that technique from any position, and it's a technique that can be aimed at whether the opponent is standing or sitting, depending on how you do it. So after the deciding match, I realized that it's not a matter of "it's okay if it doesn't hit."

--I think Endo's fans were picturing him beating Tanaka and taking the title from the current champion, HARASHIMA, but he ended up losing. It felt like Endo had hit rock bottom.

Endo:I didn't think I could beat Tanaka so easily, and I gave it my all at that point. But I still couldn't beat him. Rather than hitting rock bottom, I felt like I was getting further away from the belt.


 
-- Tanaka, who beat Endo, then defeated HARASHIMA at the Korakuen Hall event on January 26th this year, and won the KO-D Openweight belt. What did you think of that fight?

Endo:When those two fought at the D-Oh GP, it ended in a time-out draw. I was watching the league match at the venue and felt that Tanaka was one step ahead. So I thought that Tanaka was destined to win the title match at Korakuen.



Q: In the elimination match at Korakuen Hall on February 23rd, the "challenge sword" that allowed the wrestler to challenge for a KO-D was passed from Charisma Sasaki to Akito, and ultimately Endo was given the "challenge sword."

In New York last April, Endo used his "anytime, anywhere challenge right" against Sasaki, who had defeated Takeshita, and became the KO-D Openweight champion. I wondered if Endo would end up getting what Sasaki had gotten himself... I remembered the past (laughs).
 

Endo:That was not something I aimed for, it was just a coincidence (laughs). It just so happened that Akito won the "right to challenge" from Charisma, and I just "just happened" to win it.
It seems like "I got it from Charisma," but that's not the case. There's no tension between the two of us, so fans can rest assured (laughs).

 -- In February at Korakuen, Tanaka was challenged by MAO. Tanaka described it as "MAO's strange wrestling" and it was different from Tanaka's previous fights, but what did you think of the fight?

Endo:If he wanted to, I think he could have drawn more into MAO's match. Even though Tanaka was accompanying MAO, I felt that Tanaka was dominating the match itself.

-The Tanaka world unfolded in a ratio of about 6:4 or 7:3?

Endo:Well... at least it wasn't MAO's world. However, I think the impression will be different depending on the person watching. Tanaka has never played against a player like MAO, so that impression may have remained strong for him.

Q: At Korakuen in March, you teamed up with T-Hawk and faced Eruption in a six-man tag team match.

Endo:It was the first time Shimatani teamed up with T-Hawk. Although we lost, we fought without any discomfort. Shimatani also did her best.



-After this match, Royce Chambers used her "anytime, anywhere challenge right" to challenge Endo's "challenge sword."

Endo:I knew that the longer it went on, the more disadvantageous it would be for me, so I wanted to finish it as quickly as possible. So I was using my head to the fullest while fighting. I thought, "Even if I get hit by some of Royce's moves, I don't want to get hit by any moves that would be fatal."

I was also thinking, "I'll try to use my technique at the right time." I really used my head in that match. I'd like to fight Royce again when we're both at our maximum physical strength.



--The main event at that time was the KO-D Openweight Championship match between Takeshita and Tanaka.

Endo:At that time, I was watching from the commentary seat. Takeshita has talent, he works hard, and I think he is a wrestler who can reach the public. However, Takeshita Konosuke, who fought Tanaka, had the eyes of a wrestling fan. Unlike MAO, he ended up going along with Tanaka's wrestling...

It's not that wrestling fans are bad, but I think that's the reason why Takeshita couldn't win. It's not about winning or losing, but the title match with Tanaka Masato was Takeshita's goal.



-On "5.2 DDT TV SHOW #1", you competed in a challenge sword battle against Higuchi Kazusada and lost.

Endo:This was my second singles match against Higuchi. We last fought about two years ago, and I won. Last year, Higuchi was injured, so he slimmed down and lost weight.

I know it's not very convincing coming from me, who has toned up my body (laughs). I thought, "Higuchi has lost his charm since he toned up." To be honest, I don't think there's anything better for a wrestler than that.
 
However, after the self-restraint period due to the state of emergency declaration, Higuchi has regained the weight. If you watch the video, you can see that he has gotten bigger (laughs).

-Indeed, as Endo said, your upper body is more solid than before the self-restraint period.

Endo:That's right. I thought that the weight loss during his absence was just a milestone for Higuchi. I don't really want to say it, but I think he has reevaluated Higuchi and is thinking about a lot of things.
 


--In the match on May 2nd, I got the impression that Endo "challenged" Higuchi with force.

Endo:I thought I could beat Higuchi by using my power, since he had just come back from a break and was in good shape, but I was completely defeated (laughs).

-So does that mean Higuchi is returning to his own style that relies mainly on power?

Endo:I'm sure he is aware of this. I don't think he was satisfied with his body before the absence. He toned up during the absence, and now he is where he is. I don't think his body is in perfect shape now, but I see it as a part of evolution.

Q: In that match with Higuchi, you dodged his Shooting Star Press and received a lariat in the back of your head. It was quite a blow, but were you okay?

Endo:I didn't know what happened after he dodged the Shooting Star Press until I saw the video. I didn't see the attack from behind, so all I could think was, "Something's happened."

I guess the fact that he had previously defeated him with a lariat caused Higuchi to become frustrated (laughs).



--That resulted in a lariat to the back of the head. Higuchi's fellow wrestler, Eruption's Sakaguchi, challenged Tanaka the following week on May 9th. Did you see this match?

Endo:I watched the video. The fight between the two was clear even in the video.I felt it was different to watch it live. I think the atmosphere between the two of them is more realistic when you watch it live.



--Then, on May 16th at DDT TV SHOW #3, DAMNATION faced off against ALL OUT!, and you countered the Scorpion Hold and once again took the "Right to Challenge Anywhere, Anytime" from Akito.

Endo:I knew all of Akito's weaknesses, so I took them out (laughs). Even in a tournament two or three years ago, I countered his four-arm hold and won by rolling him up.

Q: After the match, you suddenly used your "challenge right whenever and wherever" to call out Higuchi. Since you had just finished the match, I thought it would be more advantageous to challenge the following week, as you would be less exhausted.

Endo:I wanted to quickly release the frustration that had built up during the self-isolation period, so I used it after the game.

Although I won the tag match by rolling up my opponent, I had a strong desire to win with a big move and felt a bit unsatisfied, so I immediately used my "challenge right anytime, anywhere."


 
―In this match, Higuchi's desire to avoid losing the "challenge sword" was apparent, making it a very exciting fight. Higuchi relentlessly attacked Endo's waist, which had been injured during the match. 

Endo:In the previous match, he was attacking my waist, and I thought to myself, "Higuchi is really paying attention" (laughs).

--Endo also countered a brainbuster on the apron and attacked Higuchi's neck.

Endo:I don't have many techniques to chop off my opponent's neck. If anything, because I'm lighter, I'm the one who gets knocked down more often. But if I don't get brutal at the crucial moment, I'll get taken out like I did last time...

Since I had used my "challenge right anytime, anywhere" after the match, I absolutely couldn't afford to lose.

-You ended up deciding it with a shooting star press.

Endo:It's been a while since I won with a shooting star press. The ceiling in that venue is low, so when I use a shooting star, I worry about the ceiling. However, when I used a shooting star in my match against Higuchi on May 2nd, I didn't hit the ceiling, so this time I was able to jump without worrying about it.



--And then May 23rd. How did it feel to stand in front of Tanaka Masato for the first time in six months?

Endo:There was a period of self-restraint, and I couldn't let out anything inside of me, so the six months felt even longer. And I guess I also feel nostalgic (laughs).

- In the match, Takao lost to Tanaka. After the match, Shinya Aoki used his "when and where challenge right" to challenge Masato Tanaka. What did you think of that match?

Endo:In terms of ground technique, Aoki is of course better, but Tanaka has the "Sliding D" that he can use from anywhere... If he had been closer, Aoki might have had a chance of winning, but when he separated for a second, the "Sliding D" worked, and Tanaka ended up winning.

--As Endo said, the finish was a sliding D that "can be done from anywhere."

Endo:That is the true essence of "Sliding D."



--And finally, on June 7th, you will be facing Masato Tanaka in a singles match for the first time in six months. How are you feeling right now?

Endo:Right now I'm not scared, but I do feel a bit uneasy.

--When I interviewed you six months ago, you said that you were "calm and not nervous." Is that because you've already fought once?

Endo:I don't know if this feeling comes from ease or impatience, but I just want to play against Tanaka Masato as soon as possible.

I may not be as particular about the "KO-D Openweight Belt" as other fighters, but I still have that feeling that I want it. And the person who will take the belt is important.

If I win the belt this time, I'll be able to say for the rest of my life, "This belt was won from Masato Tanaka." I want to pass this on to future generations (laughs).



-Finally, please give a message to your fans.

Endo:Although the KO-D Openweight Title Match with Tanaka Masato at Wrestle Peter Pan 2020 will not be available to watch at the venue, I will take the KO-D Openweight belt from Tanaka Masato in order to get closer to becoming the strongest human being.

<Information>

"WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020 [DAY 2]" will feature the match between Tetsuya Endo and the champion Masato Tanaka (ZERO1),Video distribution service "WRESTLE UNIVERSE」It will be broadcast on "ABEMA" from 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 7th.

For more information,DDT Pro-Wrestling Official WebsitePlease refer to the.

Tetsuya Endo Twitter