Skip to main content
Inside The Ropes
  • News

    WWE News

    AEW logo for their Dynamite TV show

    AEW News

    Japan News

    Wrestling News

  • Features
    John Cena and Becky Lynch

    5 WWE Legends Who Almost Got Fired

    Scott Steiner and his 'pet' tiger

    10 Iconic Pro Wrestling “Super Pets”

    Triple H entrance

    5 Changes We Want To See Triple H Make To WWE

    Bray and the fiend

    5 Dramatic Gimmick Changes

  • Interviews
    20 Questions Killer Kelly

    20 Questions With Killer Kelly

    Rick Boogs

    Interview With Rick Boogs

    JONAH

    Interview With JONAH

    Rosemary Interview

    Interview With Rosemary

  • Podcasts
    What’s Going Down #86 – Omega & Punk Returns, Dexter Lumis & More

    Listen
    Wrestling Roast #72 – CM Punk Is Back!

    Listen
    Wrestling Roast #71 – Where Is MJF?

    Listen
    Power Slam Podcast #251 – Post SummerSlam RAW, Pat McAfee & More

    Listen
  • Quizzes
    Play Word Rumble

    Play Word Rumble

    WWE logo

    Can You Name Every WWE Pay-per-view?

    WWE Survivor Series sole survivors quiz

    Can You Name All The WWE Survivor Series Sole Survivors?

    WWE Smackdown logo

    Can You Name Every Wrestler That Competed On The First SmackDown?

  • Live Tours
  • Shop
    Magazine
    Clothing
    Accessories
    Collectibles
  • Trending
  • Follow us:
    • Facebook Facebook
    • Twitter Twitter
    • Instagram Instagram
  • Watch us:
    • YouTube YouTube
    • Twitch Twitch
  • Subscribe to the Magazine
  • Play Word Rumble
New Japan News

Tanahashi On How New Japan Changed Under Yuke’s Ownership

By Liam Wyatt. Published 11th March 2021.

The ‘Ace’ of New Japan, Hiroshi Tanahashi, recently recounted the 2005 company takeover by video game company Yuke’s and how it changed New Japan for the better.

Yuke’s may be a familiar name to wrestling fans, having developed video games for the WWE since the year 2000, and are currently developing AEW’s first console game.

However in 2005, the company elected to take a majority stake in New Japan Pro Wrestling, acquiring Antonio Inoki’s 51.5% share and thus, taking control.

When discussing the takeover, Tanahashi, who had his differences with Inoki, spoke of his frustrations of the NJPW founder’s penchant for card tinkering:

That stuff really frustrated me, but it taught me the patience you need to have as a pro. That to be a 100% professional you have to take every single thing that gets thrown at you. When he nixed the match I was supposed to have with Nakamura saying it wouldn’t draw, part of me wanted to scream that the fans had literally voted for it. But when you think about what Inoki would often say about the eight circles of fandom, it was something that only resonated with the core.

Related

Kazuchika Okada Wins G1 Climax 32

Yuke’s involvement appeared to foster an environment in which Tanahashi could evolve into ‘The Ace’.

It’s perhaps no coincidence that his first IWGP Heavyweight Title reign came less than a year into the Yuke’s administration.

When recollecting the changes felt under the new management, Tanahashi felt that Yuke’s were simply giving back to an industry that had been a consistent bread-winner for them:

Well, first of all, they never said a single thing about what happened in the ring. They left that stuff up to us, and we were able to wrestle just as before. What they did was reform everything behind the scenes, and put the management system back in order. They really helped out, and it was purely out of love and gratitude; here was a company that had gotten big largely because of videogames about pro-wrestling, and here they were giving back. You know, had Yuke’s not lent a hand, the history of professional wrestling would be very different indeed. And to look at it from the other side of things, I came along right at the perfect time for Yuke’s as well.

Having set the promotion on its path to past glories, Yuke’s would sell the company to current NJPW owners Bushiroad in 2012.

Check out the full Ace’s High blog over at njpw1972.com

  • Facebook
    Share
  • Twitter
    Tweet
  • WhatsApp
    Send
  • Share

Popular Stories

  1. CM Punk’s Shots At Adam Page On Dynamite Due To Real Life Heat
  2. The Gunn Club Is No More, Billy Gunn Reunites With Former Partners
  3. Bizarre Details Of Donald Trump’s WrestleMania 23 Contract Revealed
  4. Adam Page – “I Don’t Take Advice”
  5. Eric Bischoff Talked Former WWE Star Out Of Posing For Playboy
  6. Jim Ross Makes Bold Claim Regarding Upcoming AEW Clash
  7. AEW Star Recalls Swallowing A Thumbtack During Street Fight
  8. Injury Update On Kenny Omega Following AEW Return
  9. Jim Cornette Praises CM Punk’s AEW Return
  10. CJ Perry Issues Apology After Controversial Homeless Tweet
Inside The Ropes
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Podcasts
  • Magazine
  • Write For Us
  • Facebook Facebook
  • Twitter Twitter
  • Instagram Instagram
  • YouTube YouTube
  • Twitch Twitch
© 2022 ITR Digital Media Limited. Read about our privacy policy.