The final full workout for the crew of Double Titles Champion Genji Yamato's FIGHTING LOVE! crew was held today, with some press allowed to attend and watch. This was made more of an event, by the fact there was a special guest at today's practice session. KJPW prodigal son, and EXODUS Pro Pacific Coast champion Shinji Uchikawa was present in Shinjuku today, at Yamato's request. The two respective champions have struck up a casual friendship on social media in the run-up to KING × KING, so this was the first formal meeting between the two.
"I'm really pleased that Uchikawa took me up on my offer," said Yamato. "It was a great thing that he came today, especially for the trainees. Uchikawa was able to give an insight into what being a Young Lion in KJPW, specifically, is like. He also was great for showing off some techniques to the boys."
"It was a great honor to be invited to this workout by Yamato-sama," said Uchikawa. "He was one of my heroes, and his return to puroresu can only mean great things. Not everyone gets opportunities like this, so I was all too happy to take it. Yamato is a legend, and his students are very advanced. This was an opportunity I couldn't say no to, and I will be a better wrestler for it. I can only hope I can be as great as him one day," causing Yamato to chuckle and blush somewhat.
Uchikawa will be defending his EXODUS Pro Pacific Coast title against "Mr. Hard Body" Tsutomu Nishioka tomorrow at the Osaka BODYMAKER Colosseum, and he feels he is more than ready to go toe to toe with his former fellow Young Lion.
"Nishioka is someone I will always be compared to. He and I started at the same time, so our success will be measured by the other person's. Facing him will always be one of my greatest challenge, because we will both fight harder to prove we have not been left behind by the other.
"This title shows how far I've come in what little time I've been here. Now I must take the difficult task of proving I've earned it.
"Nishioka's conduct towards me, and the disrepect of the belt I fought hard to win at Korakuen... I cannot stand for that. Attitudes like Nishioka's are common in wrestling, sure, but it doesn't make it right. I will work hard to defend this belt!"
The workout was punctuated with a special "6 Man Scrimmage," drawn at random, with Yamato captaining a team along with strongman Hajime Kon & junior prospect Yusuke Kishimoto, whereas Uchikawa lead the so-called "Prince of FIGHTING LOVE!" Kohei Obata, and Hawaiian prodigy Maleko Momoa. It was a brief but fun spectacle for the press, but barely lasted past fifteen minutes, when Obata submitted Kishimoto with his "Lock Kohei" STF variant. It was the cap to a long road of hard work, both for the rookies, and for Yamato, as he prepares to face "Mr. 300%" Kazuma Fujita tomorrow for the Double Titles he long owned, and has held, last defending in 2005 vs. Tetsuhisa NAKAI in Pro Wrestling FURY.
"I am ready. My trainees, they are ready. We have been waiting for KING × KING, and tomorrow, we are there," said Yamato.
With that, the press was dismissed, as everyone involved prepared for their commute to Osaka from Tokyo, for tomorrow's epochal event.
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