Konosuke Takeshita may be currently feuding with Kenny Omega but he recalls when Omega was mentoring him back when they were both in DDT Pro-Wrestling.
Don Callis and Takeshita were recent guests on Chris Jericho’s podcast Talk Is Jericho. Takeshita discussed his early relationship with Kenny Omega and the advice Omega would give to him:
So Kenny Omega was in DDT Pro-Wrestling about 10 years ago. So, he was my mentor in DDT. Always after the match, many advice and yeah, he said, ‘You can be big star, big wrestler.’ So, I believed that his advice. So, I think I can become, now, a big step, big step… But, he was not DDT wrestler. He was New Japan then AEW. Little, I was sad. I thought always, he’s mentor, my mentor. So then, I was growing up always in DDT in 10 years but, I thought his growing up stopped so okay, DDT, New Japan, AEW, what are you doing now?… So I thought, now, I can beat him anytime.
Chris Jericho asked Takeshita how he ended up in DDT Pro-Wrestling. Takeshita explained that at 12 years of age he sent numerous applications to various promotions in Japan including NJPW, AJPW, DDT Pro and NOAH but DDT Pro was the only company that responded to him::
So, when I was child, I always want to become a pro wrestler… So Japanese style, have to send a profile for company. So when I was child, about 12 years old, many, many send, sending… New Japan, All Japan, NOAH, DDT, Osaka Pro Wrestling, many, many send. But, I was 12 years old. Not selected (Takeshita laughed). But, response, only DDT. ‘Okay, you become wrestler in DDT when you 15 years old. 15 years old, okay?’ ‘Okay, I trust you.’ Then, I passed the test in DDT. Then I become wrestler in DDT.
Konosuke Takeshita heads back to Japan on July 23rd as he faces Yuki Ueno at DDT Pro’s WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023 event.
(H/T goes to Post Wrestling for the transcription)
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