On April 12, New Japan Pro-Wrestling will present Windy City Riot in Chicago at the Wintrust Arena. The main event will see the current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito defending his title against former WWE & AEW World Champion Jon Moxley. Should Moxley win, he will be the first person ever to hold world championships in WWE, AEW & NJPW.
A post Sakura Genesis press conference was held on April 8th in which Naito took questions from the media. Naito was asked about his thoughts on Moxley being a former WWE & AEW champion and his opportunity to become a Global Grand Slam winner, should he win the IWGP World Title, which has never been done before.
I haven’t won titles in WWE or AEW, so that’s certainly impressive, but to be honest, my thoughts are ‘so what?’ They call this a Global Grand Slam, do they? So the question is, what’s most important for him? Doing that? Beating me? Or being IWGP World Heavyweight Champion? I’d like to hear his own thoughts on that, but for now it’s a big so what. I don’t care really- but I’d like for him to face me wanting to beat me more than anything else.
Tetsuya Naito
Naito was asked if he had any concerns defending his IWGP World Heavyweight Title only five days after a tough defense against Yota Tsuji on April 6th.
April 6 in Ryogoku, and then April 12 Chicago. Just about five days difference. That is two defences very close together, but I’ve always felt better conditioning wise having big matches one after the other instead of having breaks in between. If anything this situation suits me better, so I’m not worried at all.
Tetsuya Naito
As April 12th will be the first time Naito will face Jon Moxley in five years, Naito was asked about his thoughts on the style of Moxley.
The one time we wrestled, it really wasn’t a hardcore style of fight, although I know he’s the type to go in that direction. I’m not really sure about how I’d wrestle in that setting, but that’s exciting. To be outside my comfort zone, and be a bit unpredictable is a lot of fun, so if that’s the way he wants to do it, then he absolutely should. Still, I’ll wrestle my way all the same, and I plan on winning and coming back to Japan still the champion.
Tetsuya Naito
NJPW Windy City Riot will be available for $19.99 on NJPW World subscription service on April 12th.
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