NJPW star Zack Sabre Jr. spoke with the company on a number of topics, including his G1 Climax win.
Sabre Jr. said, “I’m still overwhelmed from the reaction from the fans not just from this weekend, but all through the G1. From people I met on the street to everyone I’ve met over the course of the series, everyone has the belief I was going to win the G1. I’ve spent most of my adult life in Japan, but I feel that this last month in particular was one where I made a connection with Japanese fans, and these two nights in Ryogoku was the best atmosphere I’ve ever had in my career.”
On Bryan Danielson’s comments about his G1 run:
“I’m really grateful for him saying he believed in me. He’s someone that’s inspired me from the beginning of my career, and when you have a rival and contemporary like that who believes in you, that gave me the boost I needed, as well as (Yoshinari) Ogawa san announcing his retirement. My whole career has been about me aspiring to personal goals, but this is bigger than me.”
On facing Yota Tsuji in the finals:
“There’s a reason why he was the first of his generation to win a New Japan Cup and come so close to the G1. He has achieved a lot in a short soace of time. There’s no shame in him losing, I think he overachieved, but it was always my G1 to win. I still represent a generational shift, with this being my first G1, so it’s my role and motivation to bring up the young generation with me. The future will be very strong.”
On winning the match via submission:
“It was a deliberate aim for me to win the G1 by submission I was very aware the last to do that was Tenzan in 2004. My motivation has always been grappling and submission wrestling. It’s what makes me unique, but I also hope to influence or set an example to younger wrestlers that submission wrestling has a part in modern wrestling.”
“My other advice to young wrestlers is to find a style that you’re genuinely passionate about and the rest will come somewhat easily. I wrestle in a way I believe in rather than feel the pressure of what fans or other wrestlers think. I feel I’ve evolved with that style, and my motivation has been to keep the British style alive in the modern context.”
On congratulations from other stars across the world:
“Obviously I knew how important the G1 was before, but winning it, you feel the gravity of it globally. The outreach of so many people I’ve met my career, exciting and showing support has been really inspiring, and it makes me feel I really am unstoppable right now. I have so many friends all over the world in pro-wrestling and it made me happy to realise that the separation of companies is irrelevant to wrestlers because we are all the same and we can all be happy for each other’s success.”
