“Half joy, half fear” Ichiro Furutachi, Keiji Muto read his own poem in the “retirement” game Determination and determination to play a big role since Antonio Inoki’s retirement game |

Another big surprise was announced at Keiji Mutoh’s retirement match “chocoZAP presents KEIJI MUTO GRAND FINAL PRO-WRESTLING LOVE ‘LAST’ Love ~Hold OUT~” to be held at Tokyo Dome on February 21st. It was decided that Ichiro Furudate, who was once a play-by-play announcer for “World Pro-Wrestling” and had played-by-plays of the fights of the young Muto, known as “Space Lone Wolf”, would be the narrator for Keiji Muto’s retirement ceremony.

This is the first time that Furudate has reported on the retirement of a professional wrestler since Antonio Inoki’s retirement match held at Tokyo Dome on April 4, 1998. Moreover, this time, he will read his own poem to Keiji Mutoh on the ring in rather than from a broadcasting seat on the edge of the circle. We asked Mr. Furudate why he undertook the task of reading poetry this time, and his enthusiasm for the day. (Interview and text/Gantz Horie)

――I think the fans will be very pleased to hear that Mr. Furudate reads a poem from the circle at Mr Mutoh’s retirement match on February 21st at the Dome in Tokyo.

Furutachi: No, not at all. Thanks for letting me do this.

–It’s been since Antonio Inoki’s retirement match at the Tokyo Dome on April 4, 1998, right?

Furudate: But he wasn’t in the ring then. I read it live in the broadcast seat. So this is my first time. Basically, I don’t think anyone other than wrestlers and core people can enter that holy ring. That’s why people like me and people from the burdock party shouldn’t go up (laughs).

――The last one is especially bad if you pick it up (laughs).

Furudate: If I’m too lazy, I’ll slam the bouquet I should give to Tetsuya Naito on the mat (laughs). That’s why I think I shouldn’t go up, but I’m half happy. I’m very happy that Muto-san’s side called Rotor’s commentary publisher. But I’m half scared. Half joy, half fear.

――What kind of thing trembles about “onoki”?

Furutachi After all, the thing that scares young people today is that they think, “Furudate?

――There must be several generations of customers who don’t know the “extreme publisher” Ichiro Furudate.

Furudate: The Tokyo Dome will not only be longtime Muto fans, but fans from all generations will come, so I think naturally there will be people in their teens and twenties who gibberish. Naito fans will probably come, and some people will come because it’s a pro-wrestling festival. When I step out into the middle of it, there’s something like, “What is it?”

――But I think many fans will love it.

Furudate I’m happy to hear that, but even when I was active as a live announcer for professional wrestling, I thought I shouldn’t be in the ring. I grew up watching Rikidozan pro wrestling from a young age, so in the early ’80s, I used to go up to the ring and say, “IWGP is about to start a new thing,” as if I was the emcee. .But steps into the ring fearfully.

–So that’s what you thought.

Furudate: So I always took my shoes off when I entered the ring on New Year’s Day. It is rude to enter the world of ring shoes with your shoes on. I think it’s fine for every person, but I took off my shoes and put on socks and passed between the third rope and the second rope. So one day I want to pass between the top rope and the second rope, but I’m too short to step over (laughs).

I always got a complex when I went in and shouted loudly, but in those days it was funny. Because I was doing live commentary on active duty. But time has passed, and that is no longer the case. In that sense, I was ready to be unacceptable. To be honest, I think I have to do my best to appeal to the world of professional wrestling.

――Mr. Furudate, who thinks that “outsiders should not enter the ring”, asked Mr Muto to “recite poetry in the ring” this time.

Furudate That’s big. But Mr. Mutou is so open that when I meet him and I say, “Thank you for inviting me, Mr. Mutoh. I will do my best. “Someone in Noah likes Mr. Furudate.” I myself haven’t spoken to Mr. Muto about this yet, so I’m quite nervous.

――But when I interviewed Muto about something completely different this time, he said, “I’m part of the circle with Mr. Inoki, who is still active when he was on the tour. It is different from the generation after that. .” He seemed proud of it.

Furutachi Wow, I’m so happy. Muto-san has come to talk to me several times on YouTube, but I’ve never heard a story that made me cry so much. I’m so glad you said that. The time I commented on Mr. Muto was during Space Lone Wolf.

――That’s why when Mr. Muto first in the world, Mr. Furudate was the commentator, and Mr. Furudate read the poem at the end of his retirement.

Furutachi: I’ll do my best for that. Because I can’t bring scripts or competitions with me when I go to the cylch. I will remember it well.

Photo by Satoshi Kurumatani

[Gwyliwch]Professional Wrestling Keiji Mutoh’s “Last” Retirement Game LOVE ~ HOLD OUT ~ | New Future TV | ABEMA

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