Hyo Ogawa interview translation
Weekly Pro-Wrestling, No.2429, 2026/9/23 issue, p.37
Taking part in the Royal Road Tournament nine months into his career... Who is this "Regent", Hyo Ogawa, that everyone's talking about?
"I'm gonna swing Miyahara around and set a Japanese record!"
In the first round of the "Royal Road Tournament", the match between the Triple Crown Champion and a newcomer is drawing lots of attention. Why is this getting so much interest? Because it is said that Hyo Ogawa is a wrestler with outstanding talent. From his regent hairstyle that makes a tremendous impact, to his outstanding physical abilities. He intends to make a new Japanese record by swinging Kento Miyahara around with his specialty, the "Hammer Throw!".
"I wanna become a new star that's more than "super""
☆Speaking frankly, how do you feel about taking part in the Royal Road Tournament?
Ogawa:
To be honest, it still hasn't sunk in yet, and I can't imagine how it's gonna go.
☆You are widely considered to be a rare talent.
Ogawa:
Absolutely not! I don't think of myself like that, but as long as I'm doing it, I want to aim for the top. Basically, my goal is to become a star. I'm really happy to be facing off against a superstar in the first round.
☆Your aim to to become just a star? Not a superstar?
Ogawa:
I want to become a kind of star that's more than "super", a new kind of star that's never been thought of before, a kind of star that only I can be.
☆Although you're "happy" (to be in the Royal Road Tournament), your opponent is the Triple Crown Champion.
Ogawa:
I saw the previous Triple Crown match in person at Ota-ku, so I could feel everything as a fan, but I've been chosen as one of the sixteen (in thd tournament), so I don't think it matters if you're a champion or if you've had a long career. I think the fans and the other wrestlers don't expect me to win, but I'm going to give it everything I've got.
☆It's a matchup that's gaining quite a lot of attention.
Ogawa:
Really?! I know Miyahara-san said (at the press conference) that he wondered if anyone was going to come and support me, but in the venue, I can hear people calling "Regent", and I can see some people wearing T-shirts with my face on them, and I want him to see that.
☆After the press confidence, you hit Miyahara with a "Hammer Throw!" (Giant Swing).
Ogawa:
Yeah, because he pissed me off.
☆He declared he'd beat you within one minute.
Ogawa:
Backstage at Ota-ku, too, he said he didn't know who I was, and I told him to stop joking around, so when he said he'd beat me in a minute, I told him again to lay off the jokes. I don't know why he looks down on me so much, but in our match, I'm going to make him remember my face, my name, and my hair.
☆How did it feel when you were swinging Miyahara around?
Ogawa:
I thought it went well. (On September 9th in Shinagawa), I'm confident that I can beat the Japanese record.
"Hearing a "Regent" cheer really gets me fired up!"
☆You've been doing the hammer throw for a long time.
Ogawa:
Yeah. In my third year of high school, I won the inter-scholastic athletics competition, but I want to win my first trophy since that time.
☆Do you feel like you're representing Uptown?
Ogawa:
As you can see from my clothes, I'm already absolutely representing us.
☆That's Uptown's uniform, isn't it?
Ogawa:
That's right. Actually, I'd decided to wear a suit, but King (Kuroshio TOKYO Japan) said I should wear my uniform. He told me to go in my tracksuit. Some of the other wrestlers were like, "You're wearing a tracksuit?", but I wore it with confidence.
☆What did Kuroshio say?
Ogawa:
"Have a good day!". I told him I was on my way.*
☆By the way, "Hyo" is your real name, isn't it. It's like a ring name, though.
Ogawa:
I thought it was a cool name, too, but when I asked my parents why they chose it, they said, "Because it's easy to call". My friends also call me "Hyo", but when I'm wrestling, it's "Regent". I was given a name that's easy to call, but I stopped being called "Hyo"... But when people are cheering for me, "Ogawa" or "Hyo" or "Regent" all give me strength. When they're all cheering me together, it just becomes "Regent", and it really gets me fired up!
*The Japanese phrases for when you're leaving and responding to someone leaving are 「いってきます」("I'm off"/"See you later", etc.) and 「いってらっしゃい」 ("Have a good day"/"Take care"/"See you", etc.). Ogawa and Kuroshio use them the opposite way around from usual, because of reasons.
Written by Kenji Takao for Weekly Pro-Wrestling magazine (Japanese).
Translated into English by Michelle @puroresueikaiwa
Please do not use without permission and credit.
