Hi everyone! It's Michelle😄
I did my best to translate this Weekly Pro-Wrestling article into natural English! This article takes a look at Mizuki Watase and his rivalries with Koji Kanemoto and Minoru Tanaka. The last paragraph of this article was particularly difficult to translate well😅 But, I think I've done OK! Please take a look!
この記事の日本語版を読みたいなら、週刊プロレスno.1945を読んでくださいね！
Weekly Pro-Wrestling no.1945, 2018/3/7 issue, p.51
"On the verge of an enormous breakthrough"
"There are many wrestlers who have made significant progress because they fought Koji Kanemoto. Now, in DNA, Mizuki Watase is the one who has earned that chance.
As someone who is signed to both DNA and Yoshimoto Creative Agency, Watase works as both a wrestler and a member of the comedy duo, "Tenori Tiger". This attracted a lot of attention at the time of his debut, but his seriousness in his attitude to pro-wrestling gradually got over, and last July, he fought Kanemoto one-on-one at Korakuen Hall. Kanemoto withstood his fierce attacks and approved of Watase's display of fighting spirit and competitive spirit, and they shook hands with each other after the match.
On February 14th, Watase made a tag team with Shunma Katsumata, and they took on the Junior☆Stars, Kanemoto and Minoru Tanaka. During the match, Kanemoto and Watase sat cross-legged in the corner, and exchanged a series of open-handed slaps. From there, without warning, Kanemoto attacked with a closed fist, and Watase retaliated with his own closed fist attack without hesitation. They carried on like this for a short while until they knocked each other down. It
was an impressive scene.
"Making him fight me like that was something that I really wanted. To an extent, that was a success. Next time, I just want to win". (Watase)
After the match, he demanded a one-on-one match at DNA's March 7th show at Shin Kiba against Minoru Tanaka, who had focused on leg attacks and made Watase give up. "Minoru Tanaka, you destroyed my left leg! Have a singles match with me!" Tanaka checked his schedule right there and then, and accepted. The match was officially determined the next day. For Watase, New Japan junior wrestlers from the 90s to the 00s are his "favourites". Tanaka also acknowledged Watase's strong competitive spirit, saying, "He's a good wrestler, and above all, he demanded a match right after he lost because he wants to get his own back, which is a good feeling".
Not all young wrestlers have the opportunity to take on a generation building and still active veteran such as Tanaka. With that significance in mind, the important point is how Watase will capitalise on the experience he has gained in these fights, and how he will use it to break through in DNA."
Translated into English by Michelle @puroresueikaiwa