Kazuchika Okada is happy to see New Japan Pro Wrestling being proactive about resuming regular activity.
On Monday, June 15, New Japan Pro-Wrestling resumed live shows for the first time in 110 days with the Together Project Special show. Now, they will move forward to the New Japan Cup.
The first nine events of that tournament will be without any audience members in attendance before allowed attendance capacity will shift over to 30%.
For Kazuchika Okada, arguably the top star in all of the promotion, this represents a step in the right direction and he is hopeful that these will be the only shows in the entire history of the company that will ever have to be without an audience and attendance.
“We’re only able to do this now that the state of emergency has been lifted and we’ve all been antibody tested,” Okada tells the official website of NJPW in a recent interview. “Well, we’re being proactive at last, and that’s the main thing. Like, if you’re thirsty, you don’t go outside with a cup and wait for the rain to fall, you go and get water yourself.”
He continued, “Of course there’ll be people who say it’s all better with fans in attendance. But look at it another way; it might well be that these are the only nine events in NJPW history without fans in attendance.
“That’s a really rare chance, and it’s really cool that the fans get to see that. I think it’s up to us to create that sold out atmosphere through NJPW World and I hope the fans can join us in that. Watch the matches live and just share this experience with us.”
For a full breakdown of the return schedule for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, click here.
