The ongoing rivalry involving The Elite, Blackpool Combat Club, Don Callis and Konosuke Takeshita.
Since Don Callis opted to turn on Kenny Omega, he brought Konosuke Takeshita onboard as his client. Takeshita and Omega have history that dates back to their time together in DDT Pro-Wrestling.
Joining Chris Jericho for a recording of his Talk Is Jericho podcast were Don Callis and Takeshita. As the conversation rolled on, Takeshita touched on his relationship with Omega and said the two-time IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Champion was his mentor. Takeshita added that he felt Omega stopped growing as a wrestler.
Takeshita: 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.
Jericho would go on to ask Takeshita how he landed in DDT and not in another company or promotion in Japan. Takeshita explained that when he was 12, he sent applications to New Japan, All Japan, NOAH, DDT and more promotions. DDT was the only one that responded and told him he could start training at 15 years old.
Takeshita: 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.
Elsewhere during the chat, Don Callis commented on a potential singles match between Omega and Takeshita. He stated that when it comes time for that to happen, he might bring the drummer who welcomed Takeshita to Winnipeg, so he can play Takeshita to the ring.
When it comes to where it’ll take place, Don said he’d be open to it happening in Japan but prefers the matchup to happen in AEW.
Callis: He’s a big (Konosuke) Takeshita guy now where we may see him again (Callis said about the drummer who welcomed Takeshita to Winnipeg). I think perhaps that when Takeshita finally has a match with Kenny (Omega) and we’re gonna destroy Kenny, I think maybe we have the drummer again to drum him down the ring. I think it’s also a mind game because Kenny thinks because he’s bilingual in Japan that he’s something special in Japan. The reality is-is that in Japan, Takeshita is much more revered than Kenny Omega. So I would actually love to have that match in Japan. But I really wanna have it here in AEW so the fans here who have been sold a billion goods, the same fans who won’t let me tell the story that you’ve (Chris Jericho) allowed me to tell, that they can see first-hand. They won’t like it but they’re gonna say, Don Callis was right all along.
At AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, Callis constantly got involved in Omega and Will Ospreay’s title match and Ospreay went on to regain the IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Title.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit Talk Is Jericho with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
