Ikuro Kwon has had a great mentor in Minoru Suzuki.
Kwon made his MLW debut in 2019, introduced by CONTRA Unit as their fourth member. The group had a much different vibe back then, as it felt like an underground syndicate of sorts. Kwon left MLW in 2022, but returned in 2024 and rejoined a new look CONTRA. Kwon said he also grew in that time, including starting to speak more on screen.
He reflected on his time with the company and what he’s learned from working with Minoru Suzuki in a new interview with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard. Kwon says CONTRA’s new direction was more of an “unspoken agreement” between its members.
“Contra struck fear because of who was in it. It is still that way, but now it’s ‘We’re knocking on your front door.’ Now, we are not playing games. We will show up there and everybody is on notice,” Kwon explained. I don’t care if you’re a good guy or a bad guy. Fans know, management knows. And it’s one of those things, interchangeably, you look at one of the lineage of who wears that flag, all killers. Every single one of them.
“Being able to get that nod of approval and alliance with Minoru Suzuki, tagging with him. He doesn’t have to say yes to anything. And for our vision to align with his, that’s something that matters. Krule, same deal. So, the biggest difference that I will say is that we replaced some name value star power with legitimate backgrounds that are going to be the names that elevate. And I think that’s the big mindset, too. Every time I step into a ring now, I’m very present and I’m also thinking about 2045 and what that’s going to look like.”
Ikuro Kwon on working with Minoru Suzuki
Ikoru Kwon said the biggest thing Minoru Suzuki, a Japanese wrestling legend, taught him was to trust himself in the ring. Kwon says they share similar mindsets in that they fight and present themselves as being much larger than they are physically. Suzuki also showed him how a wrestler can carry themselves so that they could compete into their 50s like him.
“Yeah, [he taught me to] trust yourself. If you know how to fight, then you know what to do. Especially in a reactionary sense. Not that I wasn’t before, but being able to own your size and being able to compensate that with the skillset and discipline that not everybody has. I stand five-foot-nine on a good day. I understand that,” Kwon explained. “But I guarantee my foot still will come up to your face. And that’s kind of where he took a liking to me.
“Because I feel like he’s been in a similar position where people look at him like he’s Godzilla. Right? And he is not 6’5”, 250 [pounds], even in his heyday. But he doesn’t give up. He has that spirit that, the outside, the body will age, but the spirit doesn’t. And he’s a really great example for longevity with not only relevance, but respect throughout.”
Ikuro Kwon counts his blessings
Ikoru Kwon noted how it’s rare to hear of someone with a near-40-year career having a clean record. However, Suzuki has done that and carries himself with value, and he’s earned respect from his peers in doing so.
“I watch how people respect, I watch how people remove their bags out of the way that he walks. He doesn’t ask for that. He earned that. So, that’s what I look to follow, those types of actions. And then when he goes into the ring and I just see the light turn on, and then I’m being able to read his body language and be a part of that. Of course, I wish it was a longer period. But my four, five, six months of working with him is four, or five, or six months longer than so many people get. So, I always count my blessings when those things happen.”
MLW Summer of the Beasts will stream live on the MLW YouTube channel on Thursday, June 26 at 9 pm. Check out our full interview with Ikuro Kwon below:
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