HENARE discusses his NJPW contract status.
HENARE has been with NJPW since 2016. He has been featured as a member of United Empire since 2021. During this run, he has fought alongside stars like Will Ospreay and Jeff Cobb. HENARE has received some noteworthy opportunities on NJPW, as he has competed in the New Japan Cup and the G1 Climax. However, he has yet to win a title in the company.
In an interview with Thom Fain for Monthly Puroresu, HENARE was asked about his contract status and his mindset about the situation.
"Well, to be honest, the whole pandemic era sort of put a cap on the amount of money that the people could make here. It’s the credit to New Japan, the Japanese company and Japanese style. If people are giving you their lives, you don’t fire them. It’s not like other companies where if the profit margins are down, you just release some of the guys at the bottom. Japan’s not about that. They’re all about servitude. So that’s one thing that I’m grateful for them. But in saying that, I’ve been outworking everybody, every single person, Japanese, all gaijin, I’ve been there, I’ve been hustling. I moved my whole life to Japan. [New Japan] is struggling with money, I’ll help you guys out. You don’t have to fly me every few weeks back to New Zealand. So I did that for them. Now it’s just like, 'Am I being appreciated? Am I being given the opportunities that I deserve or that I’ve fought for?' I’m not one to say like, 'Please, sir, can I have another?' Sort of thing. I’m a go-getter. But when you see guys like Tsuji coming in, he was technically below me, but then it gets thrown right into the match with SANADA. He lost, but he still got given that opportunity and not many people get that opportunity. I get it, he’s a Japanese guy. He’s the guy you wanna push, you need a evil gaijin and I’m happy to be that guy for you," HENARE said.
HENARE then detailed how he is connected with the fans in Tokyo and other cities in Japan, and these people have seen him grow into the performer he is today. He noted that foreign fans don't seem to understand this connection.
"I’m saying that trying to be the nemesis is sort of… the Japanese love an underdog, and if you were there at Korakuen Hall, lot of foreign fans don’t understand just how connected I am with those fans in Tokyo, with the fans in places like Osaka, Hiroshima, Hokkaido – places that we go very often. And it’s because the Japanese people have seen us grow. They’ve seen me grow from the young lion to the middle and then now, so it’s a bit different," he said.
HENARE went on to state that he has had interest from several other companies. He also pointed to potential opportunities in acting, as he noted that he got a call for a movie. HENARE stated that he has worked and hustled for so long that he wants to see it through before he explores other options. However, he also explained that going somewhere with a more global reach was appealing.
"But contract-wise, I have had interest from quite a few other companies. At the same time yesterday, I got a call for a movie, a Hollywood movie that’s being shot in New Zealand. I had a call from the producers yesterday. So I’m like, 'Wow, there’s so many different options.' But I’ve done so much work here, I’ve hustled for so long, I’ve grinded for so long that I just want to see the end of that, the end of that path before exploring other options. But at the same time, if I go to other places with more global outreach, that Maori kid in Northland that’s struggling, that has nothing, they might just turn on his Netflix and see another Maori kid, you know? Like, 'Hey, that guy looks like me,'" he said.
Fain noted that HENARE was seemingly fighting for more than just himself, as he was fighting for his people. He asked HENARE whether it would mean as much if he made it to the top of the mountain in NJPW, given that there are other opportunities elsewhere.
"For me, the selfish thing would be to stay here. My whole why for starting this journey was that I could inspire a lot of Maori and Pacific kids. I could inspire a lot of people back home. I’ll be the first male New Zealander signed to a major company apart from Jay White, but Jay does not care one bit about New Zealand. But that’s just different. All power to that guy. He’s accomplished so much. But if you go back to New Zealand, you and I go back to New Zealand right now. We walk down the biggest mall and you ask people at the mall, 'Do you know Jay White or do you know HENARE?' Most people that you talk to would know me before they know Jay White in New Zealand. That’s not a knock on Jay, man. I respect the s***t of that guy. He’s still my senpai. I wrestled him even before he was a star here," HENARE said.
HENARE last wrestled at NJPW New Beginning in Osaka on February 11, where the United Empire lost to Bullet Club War Dogs in a Steel Cage Match. Fightful will provide more information as it becomes available.
Catch up on past NJPW shows and other events from around the wrestling world with Fightful's results section.
