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Kushida seems to be a bit lost in his wrestling journey, juggling frequent flyer miles and a rotating cast of tag partners.
As he prepares for upcoming matches against Diego Hill at MLW Summer, the rising Japanese star spoke candidly about his contract status and shared some humorous observations about his ever-changing tag team lineup during a chat with Takedown on Sports Illustrated.
Kushida emphasized that, despite wrestling for various promotions, New Japan Pro-Wrestling will always feel like home.
“Yes, I have one contract with New Japan. But New Japan and MLW have a strong relationship, so they can send me to MLW now. This allows me to wrestle around the globe.”
As his career has taken him around the world, he’s had to confront the reality that his tag partners tend to leave for other promotions. He noted that he originally intended to team with TNA Wrestling’s Motor City Machine Guns.
“My tag partners always seem to depart, like Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. They signed with TNA, and that’s how it goes.”
(He chuckled)
This trend continued with his former partner Kevin Knight, who recently joined AEW but still maintains a contract with New Japan. Despite losing another teammate, Kushida expressed great pride in Knight’s achievements.
“Kevin Knight will come back to New Japan soon, and though he has contracts with both, I’m very proud of him. It’s an honor for me.”
Kushida also praised Knight’s current AEW partner, Speedball Mike Bailey, hinting at a potential teaming in the future.
“Currently, his partner is ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey. They form a solid tag team, and I would love to team with them one day.”
With a career that has seen him travel back and forth from MLW to TNA, CMLL, and New Japan, Kushida remains one of the most globally active wrestlers in the sport. His renewed contract with New Japan and the upcoming match against Diego Hill at Summer of the Beast reflect a busy schedule that shows no signs of slowing down.
Do you think Kushida should reunite with Kevin Knight and Mike Bailey, or focus more on New Japan and stay within familiar boundaries? Share your thoughts in the comments—we want to hear from you.
Fan Take: This news is vital for wrestling fans as it highlights Kushida’s dynamic career and the ever-evolving landscape of tag teams in wrestling. His ability to navigate multiple promotions not only keeps fans engaged but also opens the door for exciting cross-promotional matchups that could redefine the industry.
