WWE has drawn comparisons to the Marvel universe, and that’s not lost on New Japan Pro-Wrestling star Karl Fredericks, either.
Karl Fredericks recently appeared in the Shining Wizards Podcast and compared the state of New Japan to his experience during his tryout for WWE in 2019. Fredericks says while Japanese wrestling tends to have a more ‘gritty’ vibe to it, WWE is more of a large-scale production than a professional wrestling promotion.
“I’d say night and day, strictly because my time in the dojo, it was the three of us and Shibata-san. It was three of us in their quiet dojo. They have an office in there and there’s some staff in and out, but just that massive gym to ourselves. It’s very quiet, and it’s in a warehouse district. You drive across LA and go into that warehouse, walking in there, and you have the key. It’s me and my two homies, and Shibata-san. We’re in here working here to take over the world. No one even knew the work we were doing in there. Me, especially at the time, at 28, I was much more full of piss and vinegar. I’m a lot more relaxed nowadays.
“I’d be telling the boys every day in there working, and these motherf*ckers don’t even know what we have here. These fans don’t know who we are yet. I knew Alex was going be everything that he’s become and going to become. I knew Clark (Connors) was amazing. He was the first guy in the dojo at my tryout. I imagine with NXT, because they have so many people, and you have the promo classes and things like that, they’re schedule probably seemed much different.
“I think one of the coolest comparisons I’ve heard, and what I would say the big difference is, when I tell people here, who might not be familiar with Japanese wrestling, is WWE is very much like Marvel & Disney. We’re (Quentin) Tarantino. We’re the same business, but ours is a little bit grittier. Even the way it’s cut. Our product looks different in Japan. We’re a little bit spicier, I would say.”
Related: JONAH, Jay White, Karl Fredericks & More Set For NJPW Strong Styles Evolved
