The Pro Wrestling annual tournament NOAH N-1 VICTORY is set to kick off this year on August 6th at the Yokohama Budokan. One of the participants in this year’s N-1 VICTORY is NOAH star Yoshiki Inamura who has been on the NOAH roster since 2017. This will be Inamura’s 2nd N-1 VICTORY in 3 years.
In a new interview with wanibooks-newscrunch.com, Inamura discussed a number of topics including the upcoming N-1 VICTORY.
During the interview, Inamura was asked about why he maintains a larger physique when many of the younger wrestlers have chiseled bodies:
“Simply put, I have the idea that “big people are strong.” Ever since I was a child, I have had a fascination with big and powerful characters, not just in professional wrestling, but also in anime and live-action, rather than cool and fast. In terms of professional wrestlers, WWE’s Brock Lesnar, and the legendary tag team, Road Warriors. In terms of anime, I liked the gorilla robot Convoy from “Beast Wars”. Ever since I started judo and sumo in Junior High and High School, I have grown taller, and so I aimed for a big body to do martial arts. Ever since I started professional wrestling, I have been doing “strongman training”, but the big guys who are doing the same training say, “A strongman doesn’t need to have a six-pack, it’s good to have one big belly (laughs).”
Inamura was asked about this years N-1 VICTORY and he commented on being obsessed with winning and wanting to demonstrate his strengths:
“I wasn’t able to participate last year or the year before, and I was very frustrated watching the matches as a second. For that reason, I saved a lot if energy during the period when I couldn’t participate, and said, “I’m definitely going to the N-1 this year. As that’s how I felt, I would like to erupt with the frustration from that time, and the joy of being able to participate in the league. Only a limited number of wrestlers participate in the N-1 every year, so I want to demonstrate my strengths. I’ve heard some fans say, that I am failing to seize chances, but I feel that strongly myself, so I want to get a big win here and make it the best summer ever.” He concluded enthusiastically, “Watch Yoshiki Inamura, who is obsessed with winning!”
Yoshiki Inamura also discussed daily training in intense heat:
“There is no air conditioning in the dojo, so when I was a trainee, I was unfamiliar with the tough practice, and I collapsed due to heat stroke once. But, if you practice in such a harsh environment, your body will get used to it, and you won’t get so tired during matches. I think it’s more efficient to practice in a gym or somewhere air conditioned, but I like doing dojo practice which is mostly open air.” He also taught me how to get in shape for summer. “It’s precisely because I’m pushing myself so hard that I can stay strong even in the hottest days. Basically, I take a lot of showers, but I go to the public baths once or twice a week. When I get out of the bath, it’s hot inside and outside the public bath, and I hate it, but when I take a hot bath, I’m definitely in good condition.”
Yoshiki Inamura, who is in the A Block of N-1 VICTORY 2023 is set to take on Jack Morris in the opening night of the tournament on August 6th.
(H/T goes to NOAH’S ARKIVE for the transcription and translation)
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