Hikaru Shida recently sat down with the folks over at Sports Illustrated, where she discussed an assortment of wrestling based topics. Shida spoke about the AEW Women’s division, and gave a look into one of her childhood dreams, telling SI:
“We’re proving our division has the power to carry the show. That drives me. And I always had a dream to work internationally since I was a child, so, I am living my dream right now.”
The current, and longest reigning AEW Woman’s Champion then moved into talking about her wrestling style, and wanting to be an inspiration to other Japanese stars. Hikaru explained:
“I’ve always felt that Japanese joshi are the best in the world. So introducing them to everyone is very meaningful for me. It’s kind of a way to brag about my home. I also want Japanese wrestlers to know they can reach the top of the world if they work hard. It’s not a fantasy. This is one of the biggest things I have done as champion, and I’m proud of it.”
Shida, who will defend her title at the upcoming AEW Revolution Pay Per View, compared the American style of wrestling to the Japanese Joshi style, give her opinion of the difference between the two. Shida mentioned:
“The thing that surprised me most when I wrestled in the U.S. for the first time is that American wrestlers know how to show their characters so well. They apply it naturally to their wrestling. On the other hand, I think Japanese joshi style has more martial arts taste. Hard hits and disciplined skills. But the differences have been decreasing gradually.”
Hikaru then took a moment to reflect on the way she began her wrestling journey, and spoke about how she got started in the ring. The former actor said:
"I was supposed to quit wrestling after I finished filming a movie based on wrestling. I had always been a sports player since I started judo when I was three years old but became sick of it as I grew older. After watching my movie and seeing myself as a pro wrestler, I became inspired. After that, I began to wrestle seriously, not just as an actor.”
Are you a fan of Hikaru Shida? Share your thoughts on the AEW Women’s Champion in the comments!
(H/T and transcribed by 411mania)
