Hiroshi Tanahashi is set for a battle of ideologies against Kenny Omega at
Wrestle Kingdom 13 this Friday.
The Ace of NJPW recently spoke to New Japan for their website and had some pretty harsh words for the “Best Bout Machine” and his apparent need for the spotlight:
AT THE CORE OF KENNY’S FRUSTRATION IS A NEED FOR APPROVAL. I CAN SENSE HIS DESIRE FOR WANTING TO BE APPRECIATED. ‘WHY IS TANAHASHI STILL ADMIRED MORE THAN ME, EVEN THOUGH I’VE HAD SO MANY AMAZING MATCHES?’
BUT THAT IS BECAUSE KENNY ONLY SEES THINGS FROM ONE PERSPECTIVE. HE BELIEVES THAT HIS OPINION OF WHAT MAKES A GREAT MATCH IS ALL THAT MATTERS.
‘KENNY GETS IRRITATED THAT HE DOESN’T GET THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT HE WANTS, SO HE LASHES OUT. HE IS FUELED BY THE NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED’
HE HAS THIS CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER, ‘IF I TRY HARDER THAN TANAHASHI, I’M BETTER THAN TANAHASHI’. KENNY GETS IRRITATED THAT HE DOESN’T GET THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT HE WANTS, SO HE LASHES OUT. HE IS FUELED BY THE NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED.
OF COURSE, IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A THRILLING MATCH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT’S NOT ALL THAT PRO-WRESTLING IS ABOUT. IT’S NOT ONLY ABOUT HOW LONG YOU’VE BEEN DOING IT. IT’S NOT AN ‘IRON-MAN CONTEST’. IT ALL COMES DOWN TO A PIN-FALL OR A SUBMISSION. THAT IS WHY SOMETIMES YOU GO FOR A ROLL-UP OR A TAP-OUT, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION.