Tetsuya Naito, the former multi-time world champion and 2023 G1 Climax winner, recently opened up about the potential of retirement during a candid interview with the NJPW press. Naito compared his current physical condition to that of other wrestling legends at his age and expressed confidence in his superior state of fitness.
In the interview, Naito stated, “I said as much on the mic, but I hate the word ‘forever’. Time waits for no man, after all. I heard that talk when I watched the match back on World. But to give the flip side to that comment, I was at Ryogoku as a fan when Chono [Masahiro Chono] won his last (in 2005), and backstage when Tanahashi [Hiroshi Tanahashi] won his last (2018). I think if you put Chono at 41 against Tanahashi at 41 and me at 41, I’m better than them, and I have more in the tank.”
Despite his confidence in his abilities, Naito acknowledged that retirement may be on the horizon for him. While he believes there is still a lot left in the tank, he admitted that his lingering injuries are starting to take their toll.
“Well, if you watch those other matches back, they’re a lot less mobile at that point than I am now, I reckon. I definitely feel I have a lot further to go yet. At the same time, I know my time is limited. I have knee troubles, eye troubles. The end of the line, that image of retirement that was so far away for so long is now coming into focus a little. But I think that’s just another reason to enjoy where I am as a wrestler and to live in the now, right now. I need to make the most of every moment. That’s not just in the ring, either. Being in the gym, it’s a big motivator for me to push harder, knowing I can’t afford to delay anything,” Naito shared.
Despite the looming retirement talk, Naito is set to headline WrestleKingdom 18 and challenge for the IWGP World Championship. His opponent will be his former LIJ stablemate, SANADA.
For more details on Naito’s thoughts on retirement, you can read the complete article on Wrestling Headlines.
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