[News] "Kenji Tanamura is... the Next Ryo Inoue!!" -- The Ryo Inoue Interview

It took no time at all for “Shoot Terrorist” Ryo Inoue to start his media attack to call out Hybrid Corps ARMADA and their front man Kenji Tanamura. Following the last week's written challenge to the ARMADA faction, Inoue made his first appearance in 5 years of Riki Fudo's FIGHT! Radio program. Fudo broached some of the key topics the press and fans have been wondering and the T.A.P. Guru's responses were vintage Ryo Inoue.

Riki Fudo: "So after your last foray in the ring in 2008 you went back to Steel Wind and what? Trained more fighters?"

Ryo Inoue: "No not really. I already had some select pupils under my tutelage but I left training to other instructors. I'd do a seminar here and there but no Sempai/Kohai relationships until recently."

Riki Fudo: "So what then?"

Ryo Inoue: "I spent 4 years dedicated to training in Kenjutsu."

Riki Fudo: "Ken... you mean Kendo? That seems a little out of your usual interests."

Ryo Inoue: "Not really, it was something new for me to master. I mean I'm nowhere near where I 'd like to be as far as skill level goes, but this training teaches me more focus and discipline and I apply it all to my philosophy of 'The Perfect Strike'. "

Riki Fudo: "What besides Kendo have you been doing though? There has to be more than that."

Ryo Inoue: "Fudo-san, you've always known me to be a private man when not promoting my dojo or myself. You know very well some of the things I've done in my time away from the ring. Things that weren't publicized. Some of these things you even attended as a guest."

Riki Fudo: "Your private painting exhibitions and your wedding?"

Ryo Inoue: "Exactly! These were private things for very close family and friends. I am a private person, especially given my explosive personality and temper. It is best for me be that way. My wife understands my need for solitude, my need to be away from the crowds, away from the cameras."

Riki Fudo: "So why return now? Why single out ARMADA and Kenji Tanamura?"

Ryo Inoue: [pause] "I live for the fight. I strive for that pivotal essence, to clear moment of fighting perfection and grace. This is how it has been with me for most of my career. I have achieved that sense of “Perfection” in the ring 2 maybe 3 times. The last time I had that rush was when I conquered Kazuma Fujita in Osaka. There are those I can smell “The Fight” on. They play at fighting but I can tell by the look in their eyes that they want something more. I smell “The Fight” on Kenji Tanamura. He has spent so much time locking away the animal within himself that he forgets to let it go at the perfect time. "

Riki Fudo: "So you are saying you want to make Tanamura, what? Better?"

Ryo Inoue: "Better? No, I want him to stop pretending at fighting and actually FIGHT! Tanamura should be destroying everyone he faces in Kingdom of Japan but instead he engages in... What is the term I'm looking for here?

Riki Fudo: "I see where this is going and I ask you to choose your words carefully."

Ryo Inoue: "hmmmm... fine I'll put it this way, Tanamura could unleash the animal within and truly feel “The Fight” but instead he has... slap-fights with men beneath him in terms of ability and potential. I want to step in the ring with him in some form and make him feel my “Fighting Spirit” and then have him answer with his own. I want the REAL Kenji Tanamura to come out finally and show the world who he is."

Riki Fudo: "and what is that? What is Kenji Tanamura supposed to be in your eyes?"

Ryo Inoue: "The next Ryo Inoue."

Riki Fudo: "um... wow... that wasn't what I expected you to say. Let me ask you about other events in Kingdom of Japan."

Ryo Inoue: "No!"

Riki Fudo: "But I..."

Ryo Inoue: "NO! Because I know where your questions will lead to, to whom they will lead to!"

Riki Fudo: "But Inoue-san, with the announcement of KING × KING and who is involved..."

Ryo Inoue: "I always look forward to Fujita-san's matches. He lives up to his moniker every time. Even in losing he remains "Mr. 1000%". I still ache thinking of the one match we had. It is a sad thing to see him lower himself wrestling a fraud and a cheat."

Riki Fudo: "and who is that?"

Ryo Inoue: "You damn well know who I'm talking about! I won't say his name because to do so dirties my tongue and person as a whole. He is a fraud, a failure, a charlatan."

Riki Fudo: "So you still have hard feelings towards Genji Yamato?"

Ryo Inoue: "You try my patience Fudo, you are baiting me. Fine then. I will only say that I have nothing NEW to say about him."

Riki Fudo: "You have always been blunt about your relationship with him. Even after all this time you have not softened?"

Ryo Inoue: "There is nothing new to say. Nothing has changed. Nothing will change. He will wrestle Fujita-san. He will lose. Then, after he loses, he will make some ridiculous claim or challenge and then vanish again until some promoter sees it as a good idea to lure him back for “One Last Match”. Then he will do what he does always, take the money and run. I have said these things before and I have now said them again. So I have nothing NEW to say on the subject of that man!"

Riki Fudo: "Ok... let's try some word association..."

Ryo Inoue: [letting out a long sigh] "that is preferable..."

Riki Fudo: "Wrestling."

Ryo Inoue: "Livelihood."

Riki Fudo: "The Fight?"

Ryo Inoue: "My life's work."

Riki Fudo: Kazuma Fujita?

Ryo Inoue: "Legendary."

Riki Fudo: "Keiji Asamiya?"

Ryo Inoue: "Teacher, friend, legend!"

Riki Fudo: "Kenji Tanamura?"

Ryo Inoue: "Unknowing disciple."

Riki Fudo: "Total Attack Pro-Wrestling?"

Ryo Inoue: "Shall Rise!"

Riki Fudo: "Is that an announcement of some kind?"

Ryo Inoue: "You will got nothing more out of me on that."

Riki Fudo: "Finally, Ryo Inoue?"

Ryo Inoue: "The last true warrior in Puroresu!"