Summary

Yota Tsuji addressed Callum Newman’s backstage claim that he is not going anywhere, and responded with skepticism about long-term loyalty statements in pro wrestling.

Tsuji said wrestlers, both international and Japanese, can change their minds over time. He also said that if someone leaves after making that kind of statement, he views it as part of growth rather than something to hold against them.

Tsuji is set to defend the IWGP Heavyweight Title against Newman in the Sakura Genesis main event on April 4.

Quote from Yota Tsuji

"Hahaha, how many foreign wrestlers have said, ‘This is my home’? I don’t think we can really trust that, and maybe you can say the same of our Japanese wrestlers as well. But, he’s free to speak his mind."

Tsuji later went on to say:

"I said the same thing about Gabe Kidd. If Callum (Newman) goes off somewhere else, all that means is he changed his mind. Change is a form of growth. I don’t want to be all sanctimonious and say, ‘But you said this about NJPW!’ Just for right now, he thinks NJPW is number one and that means we’re in agreement. I can see in his matches and in the way he wrestles that he means what he says, and that’s all good in my mind."

What Tsuji vs. Newman at Sakura Genesis could set up

Tsuji framing Newman’s comments this way keeps the focus on the title match itself, and it reinforces that the champion is judging Newman by his in-ring performance heading into April 4.

It also positions this main event as more than a standard defense, because Tsuji publicly tied Newman’s future and mindset to what happens in the ring at Sakura Genesis.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.