Episode 89: YOH Check

June 15, 2026

The Osaka-jo Hall event has come to a close. Every wrestler entered the ring with their own personal themes, and through their matches, I could truly feel their shared mindset: "I have to win my own position with my own two hands." If I were to dig deep and write about every single match, this entry would easily turn into about 100 million words, so please let me say—or rather, let me write about—just three specific things.

First is Wolf. What I was watching wasn't his technique or anything like that; it was his facial expression. That’s because a wrestler's mindset always shows in their face. I’m not talking about basic emotions like joy, anger, pathos, or humor, but rather whether they are desperate. Whether they are giving it everything they’ve got. If you approach anything with a cynical, sarcastic attitude, zero raw emotion will ride along with it. I'm certain that his raw energy was successfully conveyed to everyone watching.

Next, the main event. Midway through, I noticed Callum's injury. However, situations like this are bound to happen at some point in a wrestler's career. That is exactly when your grit is tested—or perhaps you could call it a sense of responsibility. This time, Tsuji successfully exacted his revenge, but Callum is still young. I want him to focus on healing up properly and then make his return.

Also! Tsuji’s final move! What on earth was that?! He upgraded his own finishing hold into something even more devastating: the 【Fire Blaster】. Man, that naming style just hits differently for our generation. Words like "Fire" or "Thunder"... it completely triggers the Mini 4WD generation. More than that, I was incredibly fascinated by the move itself, because at first glance, you couldn't even tell exactly what was happening.

And another thing! His entrance theme! A custom, newly written track by May J.-san?! Is that even possible?! On top of that, it fits Tsuji’s image to absolute perfection ((((；ﾟДﾟ))))))). From where I'm sitting, that’s just a completely different dimension.

The final match I have to mention is YOH. He has a solid amateur wrestling background, he’s versatile, his athletic ability is off the charts, and he has a bright personality. Yet, despite all of that, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship belt had somehow eluded him until now. It was honestly surprising to me.

However, having arrived at this exact point in time, it feels like the fans have finally figured out how to enjoy YOH. It’s like they've finally begun to understand his "My Revolution" (laughs). He may be a late bloomer, but right now, I feel a sense of absolute invincibility radiating from YOH. I have massive expectations for his future success.

Alright, New Japan Pro-Wrestling will continue to charge straight ahead. Please keep your expectations high for our upcoming series!