The New Japan Pro Wrestling roster looks to be going through another transitional period as the company confirmed earlier today that former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi will be leaving NJPW in the coming days.
NJPW officials took to the company’s website to announce the news, stating that after careful consideration and discussions, Takahashi will be leaving the company at the end of his contract, while also apologizing for the sudden nature of the announcement and wishing Takahashi the best for the future.
The “Time Bomb” does have a few more scheduled dates with NJPW left in him as he currently with the rest of the roster on The Road To The New Beginning tour, which will conclude with The New Beginning In Osaka event on February 11 where Takahashi will wrestle his final match for the company. Takahashi will team up with his fellow Unbound Co. stablemate Taiji Ishimori to take on the United Empire’s Jakob Austin Young and Francesco Akira, with Takahashi becoming a free agent immediately after the show is over.
After the news broke, Takahashi did an exclusive interview with Tokyo Sports explaining his decision which he claims was well thought out, and while he still has dreams of achieving big things in NJPW, another dream that he wants to achieve has become his priority.
“It really hit me how much I was loved. I knew it, I was aware, but it made me realize just how much I was cherished. Honestly, it makes me happy. My dream hasn’t changed. As a junior, I want to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and compete in prime time. Plus, another huge dream has taken root inside me. Wanting to achieve that is huge. It’s a well-thought-out decision, but I thought that if I didn’t act now, if I didn’t move now, and ended up regretting it 10 or 20 years down the line, then acting now would let me finish my life without regrets. That’s why I made this decision.”
Takahashi leaves NJPW as a former five-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, a former IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, a former NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champion, and a four-time winner of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, which is more than anyone in NJPW history.
Please credit Tokyo Sports when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Fightful for the transcription.
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