So much fun going through all these photos! They are pretty self explanatory I think so I didn't add captions if you don’t know who someone is shame on you!!! No just kidding ask and I'll fill you in!
Enjoy!
So much fun going through all these photos! They are pretty self explanatory I think so I didn't add captions if you don’t know who someone is shame on you!!! No just kidding ask and I'll fill you in!
Enjoy!
Oh wow, that Hotta kickpad picture is amazing. Is that the moment where you turned evil, it would explain a lot!
ReplyDeleteWhat's Aja Kong like? I didn't get to meet her either time I went to Japan, unfortunately.
That's a nifty looking moonsault... very pretty and great elevation.
ReplyDeleteAnd what kind of bear is that you look so excited-ish to be cuddling? It's cute but has some seriously impressive nails.
That might be the exact moment.
ReplyDeleteAja is really quiet or I was just in awe around her....she was really nice and thoughtful.
I have no idea what kind of bear it was but it was much cuter from a distance..it smelled and YES those are intimidating nails.
What was it like communicating and working in matches, how did your Japanese skill come along? Did refs or other wrestlers speak much english? Did you get any streamers, and if so, what were your colours?
ReplyDeleteAlso as above would love to know what Aja Kong was like, I'm assuming her in ring persona doesn't follow her outside the ring?
And, what was it like training with Antonio Inoki? Is the training in Japan harder/more diciplined than the states?
I asked a friend of mine who lived in Japan for a couple of years, and she says that it's Asiatic Black Bear, which is what Baloo in the Jungle Book is suppose to be. So that's kinda cool... you got to meet Baloo in his formative years :)
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty easy communicating wrestling. We don't need to speak the same language...we really didn't talk in the matches. I trained with them so I knew the basics and then you just went out and did what you wanted. It helps not being an idiot too.
ReplyDeleteIn general all the Japanese starts I meet we complete opposite of their characters. I will say the nicest most giggly star I met was Hokuto...
I trained at his gym not actually with him but it was awesome because I did get to train with LIger and Kendo Kashin there.
Oh sweet Baloo was so cute! They had tons of bears at that park and you bought a kart or apples and thew them at the bears and they would catch them and do tricks..it was a real cool place!
Sounds like! If I'm ever in Japan I'll try to look up a place like that... I'm a big fan of bears and monkeys, especially.
ReplyDeleteIt's also interesting to read in that last comment that communication in matches can be non-verbal. That is how my training partners and I worked during Greco practices; it let us transition between drills really smoothly without breaking up the flow of things.
Thats awesome, I really want to see Lieger but every time I go to Japan I seem to miss him. What did u think of the food over there?
ReplyDeleteYeah I prefer not talking a ton anyways I think it is better for the product.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Japanese food except they put wasabi on all their sushi..blah!
Liger has been in the states so much I am surprised you have never gotten to see him!
Not a fan of Wasabi eh, did u every try the fresh grated stuff? What was ur favorite food over there? I'm in Australia and unfortunately we don't get so many indie shows over here, when I saw Liger was gonna be at ROH earlier in the year I thought about flying over to catch some shows.
ReplyDeleteHey Johnny,
ReplyDeleteSorry I assumed you were int he states..That explains the trips to Japan..I suppose it is much easier to get there coming from Australia.
I didn't try the grates wasabi..I don't like hot or spicy so I just stayed away all together.
My favorite food was Shabu Shabu or chanco.
Yea, it's sooo cheap to go to Japan from here & used to live there for a while so lots of friends to visit.
ReplyDeleteIn the early stages of planning a trip to the states to see some wrestling though waiting for when one of the airlines has a sale.
The grated wasabi isn't really spicy, more like a radish but ive never seen it outside of japan. I love shabu shabu with sesame sauce.
Hi Sara:just watched a custom match you did for me by Amber O Neal's company. It is you vs Allison Danger. What a great match, both you and Allison are sensational.Became a fan of yours after seeing several "Shimmer" DVD's.Just wanted to say thank you for your effort in that match.You really are a huge talent.
ReplyDeletehey sara,
ReplyDeletedo you know if there has been any talk about shimmer trying some shows in a new location?(such as jersey) how about a japw or chickara meet the stars event, any possibility?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteDREAD719: was it hard to adapt to Japan ?
ReplyDeleteArthur,
ReplyDeleteNo sorry I have not heard of SHIMMER traveling to the Nj area. CHIKARA usually does a lot of fan events you should check out CHIKARAPRO.com!
DREAD719,
No it was not hard to adapt..I LOVE Japan and for the most part it was real easy
DREAD719: DO U PERFER TO WRESTLE IN JAPAN OR THE U.S.
ReplyDeleteOh, shabu shabu is excellent. Japanese food, in general, has such a light, subtle taste that cannot be beat. Are you a fan of Korean food at all? I've been into that lately, and have been trying to add that to my cooking repetoire, but it hasn't turned out as well as my Indian and Jamaican stuff, so far. Le sigh :(
ReplyDeleteMy dream would be to wrestle Japanese girls in the US all the time. I like the American style more but wish the American girls worked as hard as the Japanese.
ReplyDeleteYeah I like Korean BBQ...not sure I have experienced much more!
Ya, Korean BBQ is great... lots of great memories of moments spent around the table with the philosophy club (we were very big nerds) at a place called Dae Ji Bool Gogi, eating marinated pork or beef and talking about Thomas Aquinas, so it's a nice association, too, for me.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think are the biggest differences in the Japanese and US styles of wrestling?
The Japanese stuff is great they just go at it so hard with moves that even trump alot of male wrestlers.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that the Japanese girls just take things more seriously than the American girls?
Unfortunately WWE has been dishing up a product which now too many people now think of as woman's wrestling. But after seeing wrestlers like yourself in action I think it shows that woman's wrestling has a great future in the states.
SDR, I don't see any tattoo in that moonsault picture. When did you get it?
ReplyDeleteAmerican style is much slower and really gives time for the people to digest whats happening. Japanese is go go go, I like a mix :)
ReplyDeleteI think the Japaese girls do take it more serious because they have to ...up until a few years ago the girls had to tryout to be trained and then that got to live in the dojo and that is all they did ( they were paid to be there so they didn't have to worry about another job) American girls don't have that luxury. I think a lot of girls saw they can be not as good in the ring too if they sex it up so they took that rout because it is less painful.
I think too it is all in your intent..like what drove you to become a wrestler.
The tattoo is there I got it when I was 18!
I'm looking forward to the day when womens wrestlers are appreciated for their skill rather than how they look. Wendy Richter was drawing just as much as Hogan in the 80's so theres no reason why the girls cant do the same now with the right creative/booking.
ReplyDeleteIf you had the chance who would you really like to wrestle?
Agreed!
ReplyDeleteAja Kong is my Idol so wrestling her would be pretty neat
That would be great to see. No plans for a trip back to Japan any time in the future?
ReplyDelete