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“The Rebel” StarBuck is excited to share the ring with Tajiri one more time.
StarBuck (Michael Majalahti) spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard to promote his match with Tajiri at his 30th Anniversary Show on September 28.
StarBuck runs his own promotion, Slam Wrestling, in Finland, and the pair struck up a friendship in 2010. The two have shared the ring more than a dozen times since then, as opponents and partners. They’ll be opponents once more on September 28 at Tajiri’s milestone celebration under the Kyushu Pro Wrestling banner.
Rebel Starbuck on what Tajiri stand out
StarBuck shared what first made him a fan of Tajiri, a decorated champion in ECW, WWE and All-Japan Pro-Wrestling. He was aware of Tajiri’s early work but got a chance to watch him more in WWE, like many other fans have. What stood out was how Tajiri moved in the ring, and the fact that there was no one else like him.
“The thing that stood out to me about Tajiri — I discovered him more or less as a character and as a wrestler in WWE. I was aware of the fact that he was in ECW, etc. But I really only caught on to him and started following his work when he went to WWE,” StarBuck explained. “And what stood out to me was the fact that he was different than everybody else. The way that he moved.”
Nobody moves like Tajiri
StarBuck cited Tajiri’s book, What Pro Wrestlers are Showing the Audience, for sharing the grappler’s philosophy on movement in the ring. Tajiri believes all wrestlers should almost be animal-like in their movements, and he practiced this himself, which caught StarBuck’s eye.
“Tajiri, he’s almost like a snake in the way that he moves and slithers and comes out after you,” he continued. “I think it was Tony St. Clair, one of the British legends, [who said] that all wrestlers are like cats. The lightweight wrestlers are like house cats. The middleweights or whatever have you are like pumas or lynxes, and then the big heavyweights are like lions. And that’s how you should approach. You are always moving forward. You’re always on the defensive, offense, defense together. Hands up and you are attacking. You are always with your eyes on the prize.
“So, in a way for me, Tajiri caught my eye because he was animal-like in his movements. The way he would react after doing key moves and flash moves and whatever else, his Tarantula, the spewing of the Mist, even though that is an old thing with The Great Muta and Great Kabuki,” StarBuck continued. “Nonetheless, as a package, Tajiri stood out. And also his kicks. Because of the fact that they were so loud due to his pants. He wears those shiny pants that give the snap sound also. Nobody [moves like him].”
