Kazuchika Okada recently spoke with NJPW and below are some interview highlights:
Wrestling against older wrestlers in the G1 Climax tournament:
“It’s boring. Dead boring. Well, is there anybody who really thinks a third generation guy in there with today’s guys can win? They’re still active, but it’s really just like them being in some veteran’s reunion card every night. Honestly, they just aren’t G1 caliber. To be honest, me personally? I want there to be stricter requirements to get into the G1 in the first place.”
Who he thinks is the future in NJPW:
“Juice [Robinson] is the future, and it’s rare for me to face people younger than me in the G1. He’s got a lot of ability. I’m really looking forward to facing him.”
Wrestling against Michael Elgin in the G1 two years ago compared to this year:
“Yeah, I think there was some feeling out there, I really wasn’t familiar with his style at all, but as the match went on, the fans got more and more into it. I think for him, it was his first New Japan singles match, so he was nervous, and I don’t think I quite got as much out of that match as I’d like. Now, Elgin’s already popular, so I think that’ll make for a much more interesting match.”