Hiroshi Tanahashi On His IWGP Title Win Over Satoshi Kojima at Wrestle Kingdom V

Hiroshi Tanahashi looked back at his IWGP Heavyweight Championship win over Satoshi Kojima at 2011’s Wrestle Kingdom V in his latest Ace’s High interview for NJPW. You can check out the full article here and a couple highlights below:

On beating Satoshi Kojima at Wrestle Kingdom V for the title: “To be honest, I don’t remember much of that match. I remember being incredibly nervous. Even though I’d been in the Tokyo Dome main a bunch of times, Kojima was much more relaxed than me that night.”

On feeling a different kind of pressure during that match: “I think there was a different kind of responsibility to the company, having lost to Kojima as an outsider in the G1. I think with Muto there was still this idea of pushing toward big celebrations with outside talent, but when we got into the 2010s it was about building within. Even with Kojima, although he was a freelancer, he would be effectively full time NJPW after that G1.”

On earning praise from Kojima for that match: “[My reaction was] just that he’s a real pro. You know, there was never much, or even any antagonism toward him when he came back in. I think really if you had to single out one thing that Kojima has always been great at, it’s people skills. I think in that sense, Hiroyoshi Tenzan was a big influence on him.”