Hayabusa & Osamu Nishimura conversation in a hot tub at a Florida hotel on February 14, 1995

Hayabusa: Nice to meet you, I'm Hayabusa.

Nishimura: I'm Nishimura, who boycotted the Tokyo Dome (bitter smile). Nice to meet you.

Hayabusa: I've just come to America, Nishimura, I heard you have been here for about two years?

Nishimura: I came here in August 1993. I was focused on getting in shape, and matches were secondary. By chance, I had an offer and did just one match in April 1994...it was my first match in about 10 months, and I'd gained 15kg. I wasn't particularly struggling, but I gradually started to feel anxious about not having a match.

Hayabusa: I just had my debut match in America (February 14th in Tampa), but I hadn't had a match since mid-December, and I'd only been doing Mexican style for about a year, so I was anxious. Originally, I wanted to train in America, but I ended up in Mexico. So in the end, I was selfish and came to America. Of course, my first priority is to get in shape for the heavyweight division, but I'd also like to get a feel for pro wrestling here, so I'd like to start wrestling in matches here and there from now on.

Nishimura: I'm also in a small independent company now... In a big company, the pay and schedule are tight and your name will rise, but if you're an independent, if you do 15 matches a month, you have to contact 15 companies, and if you do a bad match, they won't use you again, so it's a great learning experience. The level of wrestling is incomparable to Japan, and the style is different, but I learn a lot from other aspects besides the matches.

Hayabusa: If you're in Japan, you have to keep up with the schedule given to you by the company...There were times when I couldn't make a living in Mexico, so I think it doesn't hurt to do things like booking matches myself.

Nishimura: Liger is good at both glamour and strictness. "If it comes down to it, I will never lose."

Hayabusa: I had a match with Liger last year, and he's really strong.

Nishimura: Other than ECW, the promotions are really small, and in Tampa there are only 30-40 people in the audience, and they might be drunkards who don't know anything about wrestling, but even so, you fight in a way that makes them want to come and see you again... You should feel a sense of responsibility for taking the main event, and it should be a learning experience. That's why when I didn't come back to the Tokyo Dome on January 4th, people said to me, "You didn't come back because you didn't have confidence," but it wasn't because I didn't have confidence, I just wanted to gain experience and experience. You can't make fun of American wrestling after all.

Hayabusa: Being the main event and having to attract customers on your own responsibility allows you to do something you can't experience in Japan. It also leads to your income. If you can't convince 30 to 40 customers, I don't think you'll be able to make it back to Japan. When I was in Mexico, I sometimes watched American wrestling on TV, and I've been watching it since I came here, and there are many different types of wrestlers there. You have individuality. Even if it's something given to you by the company, it's up to you to make the most of it, and in that respect I feel you have a sense of professionalism.

Nishimura: I was watching the Royal Rumble the other day... Of course The Undertaker was great, but Bret Hart had the power to draw the crowd in.

Hayabusa: When I was in LA and watched WWF at the Sports Arena, I saw Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels... I felt that there was something different about people who had a solid foundation in the sport.

Nishimura: In that sense, I guess a Japanese person needs a character to be able to surpass America, but I'm not that particular about it. I still have a lot to work on, and I'm still just starting out. And since I'm from New Japan, it's difficult because I don't really want to be particular about a character. Even if you compete in wrestling, there are times when the audience doesn't want that.

Hayabusa: But in the end, what's needed to make the fans happy and come back is the foundation. On May 5th, Onita will retire, and FMW will have to run with Goto and the rest of us... To be honest, we're no different from other independents in Japan. But we want to survive and make our organization as good as Onita's. So right now, I want to absorb everything.

Nishimura: If you look at it from both the glamorous and strict sides, Liger is skilled. He has that "I will never lose if it comes down to it."

Hayabusa: I had a match with him last year, and Liger is truly a strong man.

Nishimura: I think it's because of his fiery temperament, but I think that's how a wrestler should be.

Hayabusa: Actually, I was once told that I have a similar style to Nishimura, and it always bothered me. I'm currently fighting as Hayabusa, but eventually I want to move up to the 115kg (253 pounds) heavyweight class and fight under the name Eiji Ezaki. I'll do my best with the desire to become the top. When that time comes, I want to face Nishimura in the ring, so I look forward to it.

Nishimura: I want to become a wrestler who is called a "Bali fighter" and look back at the origins of real fights and real wrestling, and that's the same in America. As a part of New Japan, I can't let the strength of Japanese wrestlers that my great predecessors have built up go down, and I think it's my duty to do a strong style. And if I get to the top... if I get the chance, I'd like to fight Ezaki and people from other organizations. When that time comes, I'll show you!

Hayabusa: If Nishimura has the pride of New Japan, I have the pride of an independent. If we ever have a match, I'll use my independent pride to win. If Nishimura has the pride of New Japan, I have the pride of an independent. If we ever have a match, I'll use my independent pride to win! (Recorded late at night on February 14th)