Various: Katsuyori Shibata on Ren Narita, Ace Austin on Bullet Club, Tales From The Territories Ratings

Nov 19, 2022

Katsuyori Shibata Comments on Ren Narita’s Comparisons & Reintroduction to NJPW

New Japan Pro Wrestling’s official website held a recent interview with Katsuyori Shibata. One of the topics discussed included Shibata’s thoughts on his training of Ren Narita and the comparisons between the them.

“He could be with me forever and I’d still not feel I’ve taught him enough, but I have to let that go, I think. Everybody always says how similar he is to me, but if he really wanted to be like me, he’d have to walk out the company, right?
That’s how hot headed I was. But he can’t surpass me doing the same things I did, and he would have no reason to take things in that direction. It’s a completely different environment, different set of circumstances now to what things were like then. Anyway, he shouldn’t be afraid of screwing up, and keep doing his own thing.”

Shibata also gave his thoughts about Narita’s return from excursion and reintroduction to NJPW this past October.

“Honestly, I think he was done dirty. He went on excursion for two years, came back and was right back where he started (in the first match). I think it’s a short list that were treated worse on their return. But that’s the hand he was dealt; it becomes a matter of moving up from there and changing those perceptions.
I do [want him to rebel against the system]. I went through a similar thing when I came back to NJPW, and it became, okay, I have to rail against all of New Japan. That’s the attitude I brought with me to the ring. What we’ll see now is just how far he can live out Narita’s vision for NJPW.”

Ace Austin Comments on Being in NJPW’s Bullet Club Group

Metro held a recent interview with Impact Wrestling’s Ace Austin. One of the topics discussed included Austin’s thoughts on being a member of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Bullet Club group.

“That’s definitely not something I ever saw coming. I’ve always been really particular about my unique personality. I’ve always wanted a special, unique side of things to show. I saw the impact that [Bullet Club] had on the industry, and I always thought to myself, how can I have an impact like that on the industry? So, just riding that line all these years, seeing how big it got. Then I thought – it just never occurred to me that was something I would get close to being a part of.
I was like, if I wanna know how to have that impact, what better way to learn than right from the inside? When they asked me that question, I was totally blown away by it. It just didn’t feel like where I was headed, but the fact of the matter is, they recruit the best of the best. The only way in is to really be one of the top guys, so it was a validation, that’s for sure.
Bullet Club has become one the very few things in wrestling with no limits. There are reaches everywhere. I am, through Bullet Club, getting to become everything I wanted to be. Unbound, limitless, I’m able to make impressions everywhere. I don’t have to be confined to one box, one place. Man, that’s really, really cool.”

Tales From The Territories Ratings – Nov. 15, 2022 – Down

This past Tuesday’s episode of Tales From The Territories drew 49,000 viewers on VICE TV, down from last week’s 74,000 viewers, according to Wrestlenomics.

It drew a 0.01 rating in the 18-49 demographic, down from last week’s 0.02 rating. It was not ranked in the Top 150 shows for the night.

This episode focused on the classic Portland Wrestling promotion.