Rising Son interview
by Joshua Shibata

JOSHUA: This is Joshua Shibata and I am here with 'no pun intended the 'rising' star of Revolution Pro, Rising Son. How ya doing, man?

RISING SON: I'm doing OK my back is killing (me) but I'm good.

JOSH: Sucks about your back.

RS: Yeah I know. Lol. I'll live.

JOSH: Did you hurt it at MPW?

RS: Uhm I dunno. lol. It was bugging me after rev pro, but who knows?

JOSH: Aw I see. Well hope your back gets better.

RS: Thanks.

JOSH: all right let's start things off by congratulating you on your impressive win at the Spirit of the Revolution tournament over Super Dragon.

RS: Thank you very much.

JOSH: Was that your first win over Dragon?

RS: Yeah, it was a long time coming.

JOSH: I'll say.

RS: Lol.

JOSH: What was your reaction when you were told you were going to win the tournament, especially over Dragon?

RS: ummm I dunno I didn't let it get to me cause I still had 6 matches before hand to worry about.

JOSH: So then how did you feel right before the final match? Did the reaction hit you then?

RS: I felt comfortable with the match but I was still nervous. I don't think I totally felt it till I heard the bell when the match was over

JOSH: Do you always feel nervous before your matches?

RS: Yeah for the most part.

JOSH: Must of felt great to win the tournament

RS: Yeah it did

JOSH: All right now typical starter question, how did you start in the wrestling biz?

RS: Well I have been a wrestling fan forever I would see it once in a while and I would watch it but I wasn't really a big fan. Then in 94 I really REALLY got into wrestling. At that time I met AWC who was one of my sisters friends and stuff. We talked off and on for the next 5 years until he told me he was opening up a gym and asked if Id like to train... and I jumped on the chance

JOSH: What made you become such a big wrestling fan in 94?

RS: Hmmmm *thinking* oh I remember one of my closest friends was mimicking the undertakers chokeslam thing and I had no idea what he was talking about. So he told me then I started watching and I was hooked

JOSH: When you watched wrestling who did you cheer for?

RS: I have always cheered for who I thought was best from the start Owen Hart was a fave of mine... cause I've always been more into "bad guys".

JOSH: Aw you were one of the rare few whom liked the heels back in the day.

RS: Yeah it's cause I'm an asshole in real life too hahah just kidding. I was also big into taker and crush but that's just cause they were getting pushed at the time so who knows.

JOSH: Crush? You mean Kona Hawaii Crush? Lol. Dude no offense but that's pretty sad.

RS: Yeah, but Mr. Fuji's crush, no coconut-crushing crush. Like I said I was just more into the heels.

JOSH: Oh well fine he had Fuji so he was moderately cool

RS: Yeah cause us Japs need to stick together

JOSH: Amen brother! lol

RS: Yeah

JOSH: Anyway so you trained with AWC at his gym, and this was about 99?

RS: Yeah we started the place going in April 99, and I've been with them ever since

JOSH: It's amazing that you've only been training for what 2 years and you are considered one of the BEST cruisers in California, major props man

RS: Yeah its all pretty crazy, but with a guy like Dragon in your ear helping you train .... It doesn't get much better

JOSH: So who trained you and who trained with you at the time?

RS: We all trained together. Everyone else had, had previous training so I had the whole crew helping me

JOSH: Was the whole roster of rev pro training with you? RS: Yeah, it was a big family cause everyone had something to add (Matt) Sinister had his "Hart Bros." stuff to add while AWC had the Lucha to add and so on...

JOSH: So what is Dragon like as a trainer compared to as a friend, any differences?

RS: Dragons the same either way

JOSH: And that would be?

RS: To me he is a great trainer and just as great a friend

JOSH: Very cool

RS: yeah

JOSH: So how did the Rising Son gimmick start out? I mean granted you are Japanese and everything but who came up with it?

RS: Well it's something that was used a long time ago by someone else. That person went on to be Blitzkrieg and I loved the name Rising Son so I had AWC talk to him and see if he minded me using it since he never really used it professionally. He didn't mind too, it was "given" to me

JOSH: Wow, now that is something. How is Blitzkrieg by the way?

RS: umm I don't know to be honest

JOSH: Is he Japanese?

RS: lol wouldn't you like to know. It's not my place to say

JOSH: Well you know how it works, if it's a masked guy in AMERICAN wrestling portraying a Japanese wrestler 9 out of 10 times he's white. You on the other hand are an exception.

RS: haha Yeah I know it

JOSH: And a great representative of Japanese wrestlers at that.

RS: Yeah that is something I really take pride in is my name and how I carry myself around people while I'm rising son.

JOSH: I'm pretty sure you study a lot of Japanese tapes as well as Lucha tapes to help influence your style. Any international stars you admire?

RS: umm there are a lot of guys I like Muta, Hayabusa, Saske, Lyger, I think those 4 compile all my moves hahah. And of course Ultimo Dragon.

JOSH: Yea Ultimo rules man, I am sure you're a big fan of his promotion Toryumon

RS: Yeah I'm more a fan of just good wrestlers not promotions in general

JOSH: Good point. And you do an impressive Dragon rana too

RS: awwwww thank you

JOSH: It looks really hard to it, that dragon rana

RS: it's just a lot of trust

JOSH: I bet. Does trust become a big issue in the ring. I mean of course you have to trust your opponent because a lot of times your health is in their hands. But is their any point where you just don't trust a guy in the ring?

RS: ummm I'm sure it could come to that

JOSH: So it hasn't yet?

RS: So far I've never not trusted someone .... I've not trusted there ability for a certain move but as a whole I really trust anyone cause at the same time I have to know how to protect myself as much as they need to know how to protect me

JOSH: So you've been training and wrestling with the Rev Pro family since the start of your career, what is the locker room atmosphere like?

RS: It's really good, we may have a lil disagreement now and again but we've never fought really

JOSH: So it's a big family?

RS: Yeah totally

JOSH: OK now of course I've seen you wrestle outside of Rev Pro like MPW where you just pulled a great follow up to your 2/3 match with Dragon by taking on Excalibur and B-boy in a three way dance.

RS: Thank you much

JOSH: As well as I've seen you wrestle in the controversial XPW promotion

RS: Yep yep.

JOSH: what are the atmospheres like in those two feds compared to REV Pro?

RS: All I've experienced is good things from everyone every where. In MPW I know most the guys there so it's more family .

JOSH: And in XPW?

RS: At XPW I'm getting to know people so while I'm still an outsider there .... I'm not an outsider to the point I don't feel welcome, cause they do make you feel very welcome there

JOSH: Really?

RS: I mean I've heard a lot of people talk about a lot of people being dicks about stuff but I've not seen it yet

JOSH: yea XPW does not have a good rep in the so-cal scene

RS: the XPW crew is just that they are a crew .... not many outsiders come in so they are kinda maybe not used to it or what not and they are mostly off doing there own stuff but they all make sure to make their hellos known and welcome us

JOSH: Any resentment for probably putting on the best matches of the card you were on

RS: No. I mean I came back to a lot of compliments

JOSH: I mean c'mon you guys are technically more sound then say....White trash or Rizzono

RS: So...? I mean you could bring in anyone you want to rev pro that is more sound than us and I am not going to resent them I'm going to compliment them on a great job

JOSH: Very good point. Anywhere else that you wrestled beside CA?

RS: Yeah I toured Aussi last summer on the psychoticslam tour

JOSH: cool

RS: Yeah it was really great out there

JOSH: How was the atmosphere like compared to wrestling in America?

RS: It's pretty much the same the people know what they like and don't like

JOSH: So wrestling is big down there too?

RS: Yeah it is the crowds were nice and hot

JOSH: Are they smart fans like in America and Japan?

RS: Yeah they are hot like ECW fans but not .... rowdy

JOSH: Amazing and here I thought Aussie love to drink their FOSTERS

RS: hahaha Fosters ... don't go to aussi and say that, they will hate you

JOSH: Are you saying this from personal experience?

RS: No but they told me

JOSH: Ah

RS: they complain about it. I think everyone told me "ya know fosters isn't really Australian"

JOSH: So TV lies?

RS: hahah, yeah pretty much. hey TV tells you the rock is a great wrestler

JOSH: I hate the rock What does your family think about your career?

RS: they support me a lot they may not be happy that I'm getting beaten up every week but they know how happy it makes m and they just want me to do my best

JOSH: very cool, that's really tight that you get that support. Are you going to school right now?

RS: yeah. I'm starting my second session of college in a few weeks

JOSH: Again big props for your match at MPW

RS: Thank you.

JOSH: Many people don't know that you actually pulled double duty that day, first in Rev Pro and then drove what two hours to get to MPW?

RS: Yeah that was nuts

JOSH: It must have been.

RS: lol but I love to wrestle but it wasn't 2 hrs it was only like an hr at the most, I think, but who knows' I was tired

JOSH: yea you must have been but seriously I didn't see it man it looked like you were fresh out of the locker room

RS: Yeah it hit me halfway though. My back started killing me

JOSH: Who came up with that insane spot where you were on the top rope, Excalibur pulled you off with a suplex but B-Boy pulled him off with a powerbomb I think?

RS: B-Boy did

JOSH: That was insane

RS: Yeah, you're telling me

JOSH: OK lets go to recent news events:

RS: OK .....

JOSH: UPW owner Rick Bassman has a policy where he wont let certain wrestlers wrestle on indy shows if they are going to make an appearance on a WWF taping thanks to his WWF territorial contract. Now this may not seem like a bad idea but it really hurts small indy feds like MPW's last show when a bunch of people were pulled from the show at the last minute

RS: Yeah but oh well cause MPW still put on a great show

JOSH: Very true but what are your thoughts on Bassman's action, do you feel it is justified or a power trip?

RS I don't have the right to say really ...... cause I'm not in that position

JOSH: OK

RS: I don't know if someone is in his ear or if it's just to keep his guys safe but hey it's his company he can do what he likes and ... he must be doing something right if the same guys are going back to him

JOSH: OK, now in the WWF as you probably know is now the place to be for wrestling what with the merging of WCW and ECW.

RS: uh huh

JOSH: How do you think this will affect the indy scene, now that there is only ONE major place to make it big?

RS: Well I think guys are going to have to work a lot harder. It should make the indy scene stronger cause you'll have more talent there and people will want to find more wrestling someplace other than just the wwf ... so where are they going to look ..... at indies.

JS: Now you're what, about 5'7?

RS: yep yep

JS: Do you think height is a major factor in wrestling today or do you think smaller guys like Benoit or Jericho will pave the way for smaller superstars to be accepted rather than the taller untalented Hogan like stars of yesterday?

RS: god I'm hoping so or else I'm f*****

JS: lol

RS: But I think that they are paving the way but more just for the smaller buff guys not for the smaller flyers

JOSH: Do you think smaller flyers will some day be accepted as legitimate main eventers like they do in Japan or simply cruiserweight mid carders?

RS: Who knows wrestling is crazy

JOSH: Where do you see yourself in five years?

RS: haha Probably in a wheelchair

JOSH: lol Feel like you'll beat Jeff Hardy to rehab?

RS: haha I'm going to beat him in rehab for the rehab cruiser title

JOSH: Make it a wheelchair, gurney and crutches match that would be insane

RS: Yep yep I still just hopefully see myself wrestling or doing something that has to do with it

JOSH: What do you do in your spare time? Away from the ring, away from the Rising Son gimmick?

RS: Let's see I hang out…play pool, hang with my nephews, listen to music.

JOSH: What music do you listen to mostly? Or what CDs are in your stereo right now?

RS: Uhm….. White Zombie is in my hand held…..rage…gorillaz. I mostly listen to heavy metal.

JOSH: Cool. So if you can go through the history of wrestling and name one wrestler dead or living that you would want to have a dream match with, who would it be?

RS: Wow that is a hard one.

JOSH: If you want you can pick three people, we gave Algood and B-Boy that option.

RS: That doesn't make it any easier. Hahahahaha. Uhm Hayabusa, Benoit and Muta.

JOSH: Good picks. I like the Muta choice, that guy was one of the tightest wrestlers back in the day.

RS: Yea he was one of the few Japanese wrestlers that I knew when I started watching wrestling.

JOSH: Yea his green myst was the tightest thing back then.

RS: I wish I could do the myst thing now, but I guarantee you the green myst will come back…some day.

JOSH: How do you guys do that myst thing anyway.

RS: Magic.

JOSH: Aw keeping the trade secrets eh?

RS: Sometimes you just have to.

JOSH: I've always wondered how people do that like Tajiri and Muta and Triple H does this thing with water which looks kind of similar.

RS: It is.

JOSH: But when my friends and I try it, it just gets all over ourselves.

RS: lol

JOSH: OK how about a dream opponent in the socal scene?

RS: Christopher Daniels either Curry man or the Fallen angel.

JOSH: Man, Curry man vs Rising Son would be the tightest thing to see.

RS: Yea.

JOSH: OK let's do a little word association because everyone loves to do that.

RS: OK

JOSH: Rev Pro

RS: Home

JOSH: Vince McMahon.

RS: A man I would like a meeting with

JOSH: UPW

RS: A lot of great upcoming talent

JOSH: Taro Jr

RS: The horniest man in wrestling.

JOSH: Excalibur

RS: A great guy making his name with skill and talent

JOSH: XPW

RS: A good product, wrong coast on the wrong time

JOSH: Christopher Daniels

RS: Spicey Drop. Hahahahaha. One of the best talent in the indy scene.

JOSH: Super Dragon

RS: A good worker and a good friend

JOSH: Rising Son

RS: Doing the best he can with what he has

JOSH: Thanks again for your time and good luck in the future.

RS: Thank you.