The Young Bucks talk return to Japan

[Chris]

Five thousand miles from home, The Young Bucks are breaking new ground in Japan

“Now that we’ve gotten to sort of make things right, I only look back at every memory from Japan fondly. It’s really like a second home.”

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The Young Bucks have returned home to Japan.

Well, it’s more like a second home. A long way gone from Rancho Cucamonga, California, this is where the Bucks’ Matt and Nick Jackson found themselves early in their careers.

Full of determination and gumption (and a hint of doubt), they came to Japan to establish themselves. Their maiden voyage took place in 2008, and the plan was to make it all the way to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the most prominent wrestling destination in the country. After finally debuting with NJPW in 2013, the path to stardom was clear: make it big in Japan, and the world would follow.

“I think back to winning the IWGP Junior tag team titles the first time in Osaka at Power Struggle in 2013,” said Matt Jackson. “I was so proud. It was the end of our second tour, and we were given a guarantee of at least 14 weeks a year in Japan. It felt like we’d made it.”

The Bucks return to Osaka in six days, defending their newly won IWGP tag team titles against Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi. This marks their first title defense since winning the belts on January 5 at the AEW/NJPW Wrestle Dynasty show at the Tokyo Dome.

Remarkably, up until Wrestle Dynasty, six years had passed since the Bucks worked a match in Japan. Following Wrestle Kingdom 13 in 2019, they parted ways with New Japan on complicated terms to launch All Elite Wrestling. At the time, there was genuine uncertainty over whether NJPW would ever work with AEW.

“Leaving NJPW in 2019 was definitely bittersweet,” said Matt. “We were so appreciative of what they did for us, providing us a place to make money and a platform to express ourselves for so many years. But we knew it was time for something new, and we were excited for this brand-new project called AEW. Personally, I was a bit hurt at the time because I had seen some of the other guys who were leaving get a moment to say a proper goodbye to the fans. We didn’t get that, and I was a little bummed, so it caused me to have some feelings for a couple of years.

“In retrospect, I look back and think they might’ve looked at our new project as a possible threat. And from a business standpoint, there was some hesitancy for them to jump right in with us like we hoped. Looking back now, I can’t blame them. We were this new, unproven thing, making a bunch of promises and it probably spooked them. Now, all these years later, I’ve learned never to take anything in this business personally again.”

Their return was a half-dozen years in the making, and it culminated with Matt Jackson pinning Great-O-Khan in the middle of the ring at the Tokyo Dome. Beside him was younger brother Nick, who flashed a wide grin as soon as the referee made the winning count.

“I honestly didn’t think it would ever happen again,” said Nick. “I also knew my family was smiling ear to ear. It was just a great moment for us.

“Our run in NJPW, as well as Ring of Honor, made us into the wrestlers we are, so going back for the first time felt like home. Felt great to be honest, a full circle moment for us. I’m grateful we got to go back and perform at the Dome quite possibly for the last time. Who knows? But it felt great.”

Matt’s reaction was altogether different. Full of passion and fire, his celebration began with a roar, an expression of pure joy, after countless sacrifices and setbacks, that the Bucks were back on top in New Japan.

“I personally never thought we’d ever hold any titles ever again in Japan, so the moment it happened, it all kind of just hit me all at once,” said Matt. “Knowing my wife Dana and our two kids, Kourtney and Zachary, were in the building to see it meant so much to me. I was happy to give them a core memory in Japan that they could think back at now that they’re no longer babies.

“And I know it can sometimes be tough to be a Young Bucks fan with all of the gossip, rumors, and negativity that surrounds us even when we simply breathe, so it felt good to give those loyal fans a win for once. A nice dose of nostalgic positivity. I see some of the abuse those fans take just for supporting us. Their love and support doesn’t go unnoticed.”

Despite performing in an industry known for its predetermined finishes, the most sublime moments in professional wrestling are steeped in reality. The opportunity to return to New Japan meant an extraordinary amount to the Bucks, to the point that it even resonated with Matt when he slept.

“I missed Japan so much these last six years, I would dream about visiting,” said Matt. “We’ve been touring Japan since 2008, and the country has made such a huge impact on us. We were taught the importance of respect from the culture, learned to play on a team traveling on the bus from town to town, and gained the experience of working inside big arenas.

More than a decade ago, Matt and Nick Jackson would walk the streets of Kobe and, without fail, end up near the harbor. Young, broke, relentlessly chasing a dream, they’d look out at the vast water, knowing their moment would eventually arrive.

That day is here.

The Bucks helped launch All Elite Wrestling, which quickly evolved into a power player in professional wrestling. The promotion airs on national television, just signed a new media rights deal, and has forced industry conglomerate WWE to improve on and off camera.

As wrestlers, the Bucks have also enjoyed tremendous success in AEW. Yet there was a yearning to return to Japan and settle a tumultuous situation that needed to be put to rest.

“Walking back into the Tokyo Dome last month was so surreal,” said Matt. “We weren’t the same men who had left all those years ago. Back then, I was on the hustle, always worried about what was next, and maybe a bit guarded. Now I’m plucking out a couple of grays in my beard, having more discipline for my physical self, and taking more time to enjoy the little things. I’m more at peace now. NJPW really rolled out the red carpet for us and made us feel like stars returning home. The boys all looked at us a little bit differently. Everyone wanted to take photos with us. There was a sense of pride. It was like a reunion.”

In the spring of 2018, the Bucks held the IWGP tag titles for 113 days. The reign itself isn’t what stands out; the true feat was winning the titles. After wrestling in Japan as junior heavyweights and winning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight titles on seven different occasions, the Bucks were grouped with an array of other spectacular wrestlers–yet there was a ceiling above them that prevented them from climbing any higher. As a junior heavyweight, Kenny Omega once fought the same battle–it is extremely difficult to make the transition to heavyweight, and most fail in their quest to do so.

Like Omega, the Bucks are outliers. They convinced Gedo, the NJPW booker, to wrestle as heavyweights, where they became even bigger stars in Japan.

“For whatever reason, it seemed like being labeled a junior was like limiting a performer,” said Nick. “Matt and I never liked that. We wanted to change that narrative. I remember we’d always be the opening match, and we took pride in that, and we also wanted to make the match so good they would have no choice but to move us higher up on the card. By the time our time was up with New Japan we were usually in one of the top-billed matches, so we took a lot of pride in that.”

That is what made their inaugural title reign as IWGP heavyweight champs so significant. The Bucks were able to receive new recognition, which immediately opened new avenues for them.

As IWGP tag champs, the possibility now exists for the Bucks to bring the titles to AEW, where they have been off camera since the end of October. It also could lead to a must-see tag bout against Kenny Omega and the legendary Hiroshi Tanahashi, who is beginning his farewell run before retiring.

“We’re up for anything and everything,” said Matt. “It would be an honor to wrestle Tanahashi one last time. He can pick whomever he wants to team with, even if it’s Kenny. We have a pretty good idea when we’ll report back to work at AEW and if we’re still having to pack those belts every time we travel, we’d be happy to bring them to AEW Dynamite.

“I’d love to do that match,” added Nick. “We have had many matches with Tana, but I’d love to get in there at least one more time before he calls it a career. Same goes with Kenny. That’s the thing I think wrestling fans take for granted. We have no clue how many more matches any of us have left in the tank. I try to enjoy every match like it’s my last these days.”

Now it is the Bucks’ chance to return to Osaka, another place where they have created enduring memories.

“I remember breaking my hand in three places in the middle of a match against Time Splitters, feeling mortified and scared,” said Matt. “I’m 39 years old and positively in the best shape of my life, the strongest I’ve ever been. I’ve really tuned it up during this time off, and so has Nick. We’re the smartest we’ve ever been in-ring, picking our spots a little more carefully. It’s like when Jordan started using the deadly fade away. Both of us still have that chip on our shoulders to prove that we belong. We want to run circles around everybody.”

The Bucks’ first defense of the EVP Era with IWGP gold takes place next week in Osaka at The New Beginning, where they will wrestle Naito–who has become synonymous with NJPW–and Takahashi, who remains perpetually underrated despite his place as one of the most exceptional junior heavyweights of all-time.

“Naito is a legend and commands respect from everyone in the room, no matter what year it is,” said Matt. “He’s got the people on his side every match. And I hear Osaka is especially a pro-Naito crowd, so that could be a little intimidating. It’s like playing a team with home field advantage. But we live for moments like that. Hiromu, we see a lot of ourselves in–the quick explosiveness, the bright neon colors, the theater. He’s got a big personality and comes across as a massive star. Just from the short moments we all touched at Tokyo Dome, I can tell that there is going to be some incredible chemistry. I’m excited to remind them that we’re in a league of our own though, and nobody outperforms us in big matches like this.”

“They should expect a super hungry Young Bucks, a team that’s had a few months off to heal from lingering injuries,” added Nick, who confirmed that both of his shoulders are healthy. “I couldn’t tell you the last time I actually felt 100 percent. I’m as close to 100 as I’ve ever been.

“And Naito is a living legend in Japan. We have nothing but respect for him and Hiromu is probably the most successful junior since [Jushin] Liger. I’d say they know how to adapt to anyone they wrestle, and that’s a very special talent to have.”

For all the success they have attained, the Bucks still have new goals to conquer. Crafting a lengthy reign as champs is atop that list, but the two ambitious brothers from California relish the chance to create new moments. Why not headline a major New Japan show? Why not redefine the entire tag division? For Matt and Nick, winning the belts in January was only the beginning.

“Something we said in a past interview about purposely doing fewer exciting moves in matches for part of last year and stripping away everything fans were familiar with about us, in order to shine a larger spotlight on our opponents, was taken out of context and cut into fodder for negative engagement-farmers,” said Matt. “This time around, much like how we performed at Tokyo Dome, make no mistake about it–expect to see the most motivated, greatest in-ring tandem of all time, dazzle you like we always have–and not hold anything back. Admittedly, we are at our best when we perform with our foot on the gas. No team in the industry has ever consistently performed at the level we have, for the length of time that we have. Love us. Hate us. You can’t deny the catalog of matches we’ve had, the accomplishments we’ve had throughout our 20-year career. We have had the first real break of our lives, so we’re rested, we’re healthy, and we’re ready to go for broke.”

The homecoming is also momentous for what is taking place outside the ring. Familiar spots that became distant memories are back within reach, including the chance to reconnect with old friends.

“We’re having dinner with Masa, who is our best friend in Japan,” said Nick. “We’re visiting all the old stomping grounds and having a blast.”

“We visited all of the old spots, laughing at so many past stories,” added Matt. “Several memories I thought I’d lost came rushing back. We drove past the area outside Tokyo Dome, where we flipped our phones and revealed the AEW logo for the first time. We shared dinner with an old friend who used to pay for all of our meals back when we were just getting by. Needless to say, this time dinner was on us. We showed our kids all of the familiar sites we’d roam on our days off. We walked the same steps we once took daily.

“It sounds silly, but it certainly feels like remarrying an old spouse that you had once divorced. Once we returned, I saw how easy it was to fall back in love. ‘Ah. This is why I used to spend six-eight months a year of my life here. That’s right!’ Now that we’ve gotten to sort of make things right, I only look back at every memory from Japan fondly. It’s really like a second home.”

 

[OMB]

Leaves the company to anarchist to go on vacation in Japan