During the latest edition of his “Tama’s Island” podcast, IWGP Heavyweight Tag-Team Champion Tama Tonga commented on a report that there is “gaijin unrest” within NJPW after the way the company handled their recent COVID-19 outbreak. You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On not having any “unrest” with NJPW: “There is no ‘unrest’ here. If anybody is unrest, they are keeping it quiet and to themselves and talking sh*t to dirtsheets. Maybe one or two, but that’s anybody. There is unrest in WWE, unrest in AEW. Guys at McDonald’s are unrest. There are Japanese wrestlers that are unrest. That’s dumb sh*t. Gaijin mass exodus? What the hell. If anything, their contract might be up and now that wrestling is flourishing in America, there are better opportunities that people may want to leave. I say, to all the foreigners, I’m super happy where I’m at. As long as [money] keeps coming through, I’m fine. I think some foreigners, their contract is up, they might decide to move elsewhere to grow as a performer. AEW is hot. IMPACT is IMPACT. NXT, NXT UK, WWE. When it’s time and people want to leave, they can do. The situation in Japan is a little iffy because of COVID, but we’re dealing with it and I think we’re fine. We’re trying to maneuver and navigate ourselves throughout it. Unrest. When you say ‘gaijin’ it separates us from the Japanese wrestlers like we aren’t on the same boat. Everybody is unrest and trying to figure it out. Whoever is creating these rumors is not understanding the situation. We’re all on the same boat and dealing with this. How you handle it mentally is up to you. If the foreigners are not handling it well, then, f*ck you. We’re all dealing with it. Any foreigners b*tching, f*ck you.”
On being upset with being grouped together with others with the “gaijin unrest” term: “When you group the foreigners and the term ‘gaijin unrest’ is used, you’re grouping all of us that don’t want to be on that boat. For us that are happy and love what we’re doing, we’re here. To group us together, you’re being a coward.”
(h/t – Fightful)
