YOH speaks about comeback from dislocated shoulder & labrum damage

Photo Courtesy: New Japan Pro-Wrestling

YOH is back with NJPW.

It was in April 2024 when it was confirmed that YOH would not be participating in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament due to a dislocated left shoulder and damage done to his labrum.

He was sidelined up until his surprise return at NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling. YOH is currently tagging with Rocky Romero in the Super Junior Tag League tournament. 

Prior to the start of the tourney, he made the media rounds and one of the outlets he chatted with was Nikkan Niigata WEB Town. He opened up about his comeback from the aforementioned injuries:

I am looking forward to the (Super Junior Tag League). Even during the half-year absence, I was constantly updating myself. This is actually the second time I’ve had a major injury; four years ago, I was out of competition for about a year with a ruptured ACL, and that was the first time I felt the frustration of being sidelined for an extended period of time. However, since I had experienced it once before, I felt more relaxed this time. I was depressed on the day of my injury and in the morning of the following day. But in the afternoon, I thought, what am I going to do for the next six months until I heal? I think I have always had many hobbies, such as street culture fashion, skateboarding, and even making clothes and bags with a sewing machine. I also like music, so I even started playing the drums for rehabilitation (laughs). I also did things that seemed unrelated to music for reasons such as, ‘This is good for the inner muscles in my shoulders.’ Injuries can’t be rushed!

As of this writing, YOH and Romero have four points in the B block. They are tied with Taiji Ishimori and Robbie X along with the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Kevin Knight and KUSHIDA.

About Andrew Thompson 9727 Articles
A Washington D.C. native and graduate of Norfolk State University, Andrew Thompson has been covering wrestling since 2017.