Unbreakable: An Exclusive 20th Anniversary Interview with Go Shiozaki

The match I revisit most from the pandemic era of wrestling is Go Shiozaki vs Katsuhiko Nakajima in 2020 at the NOAH 20th anniversary show. For those who are familiar with AXIZ lore, Nakajima had betrayed Shiozaki mere months before to join KONGO so the sting of his betrayal was still raw and, in this match, we felt all of it. What makes this match special is that the silence adds to the match rather than takes away from it. For two athletes of this caliber, Shiozaki with chops of steel and Nakajima with kicks of death, it’s no shocker that they were able to turn the limitations of claps crowds into a powerful storytelling device.

This match is just one in a run that cemented Shiozaki as an all-time great with a historic, record-breaking 405 days as GHC Heavyweight Champion during the first year of the global coronavirus pandemic. Under pressure he shined and carried NOAH on his shoulders, persevering through injuries, crowd restrictions, and so much more to prove that he was finally ready to claim his place as the leader he was always meant to be.

With a list of mentors that featured the who’s who of Japanese professional wrestling (Kenta Kobashi, Jun Akiyama, Mitsuharu Misawa), it was no surprise to anyone that Go Shiozaki became a superstar in his own right who would fittingly proclaim the words “I Am NOAH”. What was a surprise was the way he did it.

Throughout his career, Go Shiozaki has done a bit of everything in wrestling. He had a strong stint in ROH with memorable matches versus the likes of Bryan Danielson that still hold up nearly two decades later. He ended up in All Japan Pro Wrestling for a few years and won the Triple Crown Championship once. He’s had memorable tag teams with some of the best wrestlers to ever lace up a pair of boots including Jun Akiyama, Kento Miyahara, and of course, his immortal AXIZ partner Katushiko Nakajima.

In a world of wrestling that often revolves around those who feel larger than life, Go Shiozaki feels real in the best way. He’s not a superhero, he’s not considered a god-like many of his predecessors. Go Shiozaki is a man. A stubborn, passionate, strong man who is willing to risk his body time and time again for what he believes in, but he is a man, nonetheless. Whether it’s delivering the performances of a lifetime while his shoulders were covered in tape or signing autographs with lines wrapped around the building after the reunion of AXIZ, the humanity of Go Shiozaki has bonded with fans in such a unique and organic way.

Source: Weekly Pro Wrestling

Source: Weekly Pro Wrestling

Over the past 20 years, Go Shiozaki’s journey has told stories of loss, triumph, grief, redemption, friendship, betrayal, strength, perseverance, redirection, evolution, and so much more. That’s on top of being one of the greatest in-ring competitors to ever wrestle. His chops are the best of any active wrestler today. His lariats are downright thunderous. And at the age of 42, it’s impressive that he retained so much of his athleticism despite fighting several injuries in the past.

This Wednesday, Pro Wrestling NOAH officially celebrates 20 years of Go Shiozaki’s career with a Limit Break main event of Shiozaki & Akiyama vs. Naomichi Marufuji & Takashi Sugiura, four men who know each other very well and have each been integral in NOAH’s foundation. I was fortunate to have an interview with Go Shiozaki where he reflected on the last two decades of his career. Check it out!

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BGW: July 24, 2004, was your official in-ring wrestling debut. 20 years later and now you’re an accomplished living legend. What keeps you inspired & motivated as a competitor after all this time?

Shiozaki: I am surprised that I have been able to keep going for 20 years. I was worried about how long I would be able to continue because of the many injuries. One of my motivations is that I have senior wrestlers and wrestlers (goals) that I want to beat. Of course, I am motivated because of everyone who supports me, and I want to show them even greater fights.

BGW: 20 years in wrestling is a huge accomplishment. You’ve had so many great matches, championships won, and unforgettable highs & lows. Just last year, you won the N-1 Victory tournament for the first time in your career after returning from injury only months before. Looking back on the past two decades, is there anything you would have done differently?

Shiozaki: There are many things I wish I had done. I wish I had done that in every match that I won or lost. I think that, nowadays, wrestling outside of the ring is becoming the main focus of professional wrestling. I think that is very important. However, I would like to fight in a way that reaches the fans, even if it is only through the fights in a ring.

BGW: NOAH is formally celebrating your 20th anniversary on June 19 at Limit Break in Korakuen Hall and you will team up with Jun Akiyama to face Naomichi Marufuji & Takashi Sugiura. Obviously, you share a very rich history with each of these men over the course of your careers. What does it mean to you to share the ring with these men in commemoration of your 20th anniversary as a wrestler?

Shiozaki: Akiyama is my debut partner, and both [Takashi] Sugiura and [Naomichi] Marufuji have been a big part of my life in NOAH. I believe that by having matches with these three fighters, I will be able to show the fight of pro wrestling and the fight of NOAH, and I believe that I will be able to impress everyone. I will show NOAH's wrestling!

BGW: Your record-breaking run as GHC Heavyweight Champion during the pandemic is widely lauded as one of the best world title reigns in NOAH’s history. At a time of so much uncertainty, you carried the company on your shoulders and fans loved you for it, even when they could not cheer.

What was going through your mind during that time? Did you feel like all the experiences you had up to that moment prepared you to be in that role?

Shiozaki: It was really hard for me to fight against the COVID-19 disaster. On the one hand, it was hard, but on the other hand, it was a fight that could only be experienced at that time. The matches were wrestled without spectators. I was a spectator, unable to speak. I didn't know how the audience would react, so I had to fight by my body movements and facial expressions. I tried to bring NOAH's fights to the fans who were watching through the screen. I could hear the cheers and excitement of the fans as they watched our fights on our screen!

BGW: You had a strong run in Ring of Honor early on in your career. You were part of a group of wrestlers who ended up being world-renowned superstars like Bryan Danielson, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Roderick Strong, etc. As good as the matches were back then, each of you has grown immensely as pro wrestlers.

What was your experience in that locker room back then? Are there former opponents from that era that you’d like to wrestle again now that you’ve all evolved as performers?

Shiozaki: They are all superstars now! It was a great experience for me to be able to compete with them. We would have drinks after matches and talk about all kinds of things. I was very proud to see them playing so well. But to be honest, I also feel frustrated, so I will make an effort not to lose to them as well!

BGW: In addition to the young guys from NOAH, you’ve been able to see firsthand what young talents like AJPW’s Yuma Anzai & NJPW’s Ryohei Oiwa are made of over the past year. There’s been a lot of discussion about the younger generation of Japanese wrestling in 2024. Has anyone stood out to you specifically as a future leader & superstar?

Shiozaki: To be honest, I feel that none of the young wrestlers are ready yet. This is something that can't be helped. I think that all they have to do is keep up with their seniors and be eager to move up even more and more. I think that's all we can do for now.

Go Shiozaki & Akitoshi Saito at NOAH Limit Break 2

BGW: From “I Am NOAH” to being a founding member of Team NOAH, you’ve long been one of the faces of the Ark. With the success of Monday Magic & Limit Break, NOAH seems to be gaining some positive momentum in 2024.

As the promotion continues to evolve in its 24th year of existence, what are your hopes for NOAH’s future and what do you feel like your current role is on the roster? Could you see yourself getting involved on the administrative side like Marufuji?

Shiozaki: I think that people tend to be swayed by what is talked about, so I would like to see people who have something immovable, something that says, "NOAH will show this!" I think that NOAH will be more exciting if it has something that cannot be moved, something that says, "NOAH will show this!"

BGW: There have been so many outstanding mentors you’ve had in your career such as Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa, Jun Akiyama, etc. What’s the best piece of advice you learned and would pass down to future generations of wrestlers?

Shiozaki: I was impressed that I was able to fight with all of the top fighters. I think there are not many fighters now who have had the opportunity to fight with these people. I would like to carry this experience with me to the next level.

Thank you to Justin Knipper & Pro Wrestling NOAH for their assistance with facilitating and translating this interview.

Go Shiozaki Match Recommendations:

● w/ Kenta Kobashi vs Katsuhiko Nakajima & Kensuke Sasaki, NOAH 3th Great Voyage 2005

● vs. Bryan Danielson, ROH Live in Tokyo 2007

● vs. Suwama, AJPW Summer Action Series 2013 (Best 2 out of 3 Falls) ● vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima, NOAH The Chronicle Vol. 4 2020

● vs. Takashi Sugiura, NOAH Final Chronicle 2020