‘Dramatic Dream Column’ From the World to Osaka, and back to the World. May 19th Ref Matsui 30th Anniversary show by Sayoko Mita - English

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"Since arriving in America, if you were to ask me what I've found enjoyable, there's been nothing. In my heart, i’ve already thrown away the joys of wrestling.”

From his earliest days watching wrestling on TV as a child, through his time in wrestling classes under Osaka Pro Wrestling, to his debut at the prestigious Nippon Budokan after joining DDT as a high-schooler—it's been quite the journey. Its been two years since he relocated to America.
It was disconcerting to hear Takeshita, with a warm expression, admit to finding no joy in wrestling anymore. He poured his heart and soul into this sport, striving to become the best he could be. Konosuke Takeshita—the man who believed that if he wasn't enjoying himself, the fans wouldn't enjoy it either.

This Sunday, May 19th, Takeshita will face Minoru Suzuki at Referee Matsui's 30th anniversary produce show, a matchup that has eluded him until now. Matsui's produce shows have been pivotal in Takeshita's career, marking significant turning points such as his matches against Kota Ibushi in 2014 and ZERO (now HUB) in 2016. When Takeshita learned of Suzuki's scheduled appearance, he expressed his desire to face him if a match hadn't already been arranged.

“I’ve seen him wrestle in AEW in person, and I’ve learnt lots at the many indie shows we shared locker rooms together. Our styles and philosophies on wrestling differ but our way of life as a wrestler, and it might not be the right way to phrase it but his resilience in an unforgiving industry is amazing. And I've come to understand how amazing that skill is in my current environment seeing how often he is called over to shows whether in Japan or America.”

Two years since his first American excursion and 1.5 years since he joined AEW. Despite his own successes—defeating Kenny Omega, delivering standout performances against Will Ospreay, and showing interest for Jon Moxley's IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, practically putting his center of the wrestling world—Takeshita finds himself at a crossroads.

“I thought hard work could cover for everything else before getting there. If I showed how good I am I could get more airtime, but there are other aspects that come to play when competing here (in America). Discrimination is not the word here but unfortunately there’s a lack of space for an Asian person to be on a TV show watched by Americans. No matter how good my condition was nor the amount of matches I was put it, or how many times they said my match was good, it felt like I couldn’t make it in the starting lineup, to put it in Baseball terms.”

Takeshita took part in the May 6th Nippon Budokan ALL TOGETHER show in the Main Event 6-Man Tag Match. Amongst all the young Aces from each promotion in the match, Takeshita felt like a solitary and oppressive existence in itself.

“Everyone felt like they’re having fun Wrestling here (in Japan). I didn’t had any fun wrestling ever since I got to America. The effort was bearing fruit, but I didn’t feel the enjoyment. It was the most mentally exhausting period in all 12 years of my wrestling career. However when I stopped having fun, my matches were better received and I gained more recognition. And its not proportional.”

It was no surprise that Takeshita’s existence felt solitary and outstanding, but he was flying directly from Canada after a 3-hour AEW show. However, due to the timing constraints Takeshita’s match was cancelled minutes before he was supposed to go Live.

“Its been a few weeks since I got to be on air and due to (the nature of) the live broadcast my match was cut. I was already waiting at the entrance gate with my gown on when I was told so. I carried all those frustrating emotions of that moment into that one match in Budokan. There was that feeling that I didn’t want to lose to them either.”

From a kid who loved wrestling and then debuting, to become a recognised figure known to all in Japan, and then carrying his dreams to America where things don’t go as planned. His presence is lofty, and lonely. And what stands across him will be a match against Minoru Suzuki.

“I’m sure Suzuki has experienced all of this. More so as a freelancer I’m sure he’s felt times where things are difficult, and all of that encompasses who he is today. Minoru Suzuki the character is known across the world, and for the overseas fans who are unaware will immediately know he's a scary Japanese man if you make him angry just by his entrance. He’ll show off his technique he’s been using since his debut under NJPW. I know how amazing that is. And that’s why I want to absorb it all. Perhaps I can understand when I face him, perhaps I can blow away this fog within me, perhaps I can find a hint to the next step if I face him. So that's why I raised his name."

Even Ref Matsui, who knew of Takeshita ever since his childhood days knows that for Takeshita, there's many things you can only gain from Minoru Suzuki.

 “I always knew Takeshita would go somewhere far. Everyone knows he's already at that phase where he's one step away from being best in the world. Their styles are so different that I cannot predict how the match will turn out but whatever the result may be, it will surely be a good experience for him, and it will take him one step closer to the world.”

There are three main events to the show. The first will be Takeshita vs Suzuki, the second will be Yuki Ueno and Kazusada Higuchi vs MAO & Tetsuya Endo, a special tag match featuring some of the top talent of Takeshita's generation in DDT. And there is also the presence of Referee Matsui, a man who have watched Takeshita since he was a kid, and a man who watches over a DDT without Takeshita.

“I think that a DDT without Takeshita has evolved in a different tangent compared to “a DDT where Takeshita is ever-present.” As Ueno and MAO are close to Takeshita, I'm sure they've been constantly working hard aware of his presence. As a man once called his rival, there's no way Endo doesn't have feelings of jealousy seeing how well known Takeshita is now. Higuchi is a silent man who doesn't speak so I have no idea what's he's thinking but he's fought Takeshita in singles matches many times, so he surely has his own thoughts as well.”

That's why this tag match can also be seen as a battle between these four men versus Takeshita, a man who has distinguished himself from DDT now competing against the world. A battle between a man who’s gruelling phase is the answer to DDT being a comfortable and enjoyable environment and his former allies in arms who continue to fight in Japan to show the world the joys and uniqueness of DDT. Each of them expressing their love for wrestling and DDT in their own ways.

And in the triple main event, it is the yearly tradition of Kuishinbo Kamen vs Kikutaro. All of them are experiencing their 30th anniversary which adds to a grand 90 anniversary, almost akin to a cultural treasure. “Having this one match in Japan every few months is like a form of destress for him and because he has this (match in Japan) he gets to go all out over there.” And for a match he has seen many times as a child, this will surely whet his appetite.

Matsui knew he was something else ever since the beginning, but it has only been recently that he properly complemented him. Takeshita smiles while saying “I feel like Matsui has finally starting to acknowledge how good I am recently.”

“To Matsui, the best wrestlers in the world will always be Dick Togo and Kota Ibushi . But during this past year, it feels like I'm finally joining those ranks, perhaps even surpassing them. It was only recently that he would say “you're pretty good” after matches. Lately I'm always excited to hear and see his reaction to my matches. If he says I'm amazing, I’m doing something right. I honestly feel that I can finally repay his in kind after all these years when I can stand amongst those giants, or even surpass them.”

The lonely Konosuke Takeshita, who have been fighting in America will finally return home to Osaka where he will face Minoru Suzuki. What can he absorb from Minoru Suzuki, a man who has perhaps experienced it all? With his former comrade in arms wrestling a match that will perhaps reignite him and enjoying a good laugh from the bottom of his heart by way of Kuishinbo vs Kikutaro, to hearing Matsui's praises after a show. Surely this will give him lots of energy to bring back to America.

Happening on May 19th at the Osaka Sumiyoshi Community Center. Inside that ring, Konosuke Takeshita will surely not be alone.