KUSHIDA recalls looking for a TNA tryout in 2009.
KUSHIDA began his wrestling career in 2005, just as the X-Division in TNA Wrestling was starting to produce the likes of Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, and more. After competing for HUSTLE during his early years, KUSHIDA came to Canada in 2009 and visited Scott D'Amore.
"Yes, of course," KUSHIDA said when asked on In The Weeds with Jeremy Lambert & Joel Pearl if he was paying attention to TNA in the early years. "In 2009, I visited Scott D'Amore at the CanAm Dojo. At that time, I was always looking for opportunities and wanted to tryout for TNA. It never happened. I felt like it was the top runner (top school/program) of its time, and it was my dream. I think it attracted and interested many young people. At that time, my heroes were, of course, Motor City Machine Guns [Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley]."
KUSHIDA would eventually team with Alex Shelley in NJPW in 2012 as the Time Splitters. They would go on to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Titles on two occasions.
KUSHIDA will face Sabin for the X-Division Championship in a three-way match that also features El Hijo Del Vikingo at TNA Hard To Kill.
Fans can watch TNA Hard to Kill on Triller TV. Fans can check out the lineup for TNA Hard to Kill by clicking here.
Watch the full interview with KUSHIDA in the video above.
