Taiji Ishimori Talks G1 Supercard In Madison Square Garden

Taiji Ishimori is scheduled to defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight championship at the G1 Supercard against Bandido and Dragon Lee in a triple threat match. He spoke to NJPW1972.com recently about the match and his reign as champion.

“I’ve been very public about my plans for the junior heavyweight division,” Ishimori said. “You’ve heard me say I want to tear the whole thing apart and build it up again in my image, make it reborn. I think little by little I’ve started to do that.”

Ishimori defeated KUSHIDA for the title at Wrestle Kingdom this year inside the Tokyo Dome. Since that time, Ishimori defeated Jushin Liger at the NJPW Anniversary show.

“He’s a legend,” Ishimori said of Liger. “Just the icon of junior heavyweight wrestling in the Heisei era. If you look at me size wise, I’m a small guy, even for a junior. But Liger opened the door for people like me to become wrestlers. His influence went worldwide and there are countless people who became wrestlers because of Jyushin Thunder Liger. He raised the bar. Considerably, no doubt.”

After losing to Ishimori, Liger announced he’ll retire after the Tokyo Dome show next year.

Ishimori also spoke about each of his opponents coming up at the G1 Supercard.

“Obviously his background is in lucha, but that’s not all he has going for him,” he said of Bandido. “He’s wrestled in Dragon Gate before, so has some Japanese experience. I think he can wrestle Japanese style, can wrestle American style. He could really wrestle for any promotion in the world.”

Ishimori also spoke about Dragon Lee, someone’s he’s yet to face in the ring.

“We were in opposite blocks during Best of the Super Junior last year. The first time we shared a ring was when he came out at the Anniversary event,” Ishimori said of Dragon Lee.

The full interview can be read here.

• Full Lineup For G1 Supercard In MSG Revealed