The Square’s First Entrant:
In the debut edition of my Interview Square, I, BCube, bring you a wonderful conversation I had with ‘The Velvet Voice’, Walker Stewart (@VelvetVoiceWS), the newest member of the NJPW English Commentary team. If you don’t already know the man from the sound of his voice narrating a main event, or by his wholesome presence on Twitter, Walker Stewart is the man who has taken over the spot of the now departed Kevin Kelly in the commentary booth for New Japan Pro Wrestling, working alongside Chris Charlton to bring us English Commentary on all that goes on in the world of NJPW. You may also know him for his commentary on Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling.
I had a very lucky opportunity to talk to him recently about quite a few topics. Fresh off the news of ‘Ace’ Hiroshi Tanahashi becoming the new President for NJPW, we discussed that bit of news, what life is like sat in the commentary chair in New Japan, Wrestlekingdom 18 and the rest of 2024. I am honoured to have been able to get such time to talk with him, and as the first man to step into the Square, I hope he enjoyed it too! He was an absolute pleasure to speak to, and outside the questions I asked him, I was able to have a lovely conversation with him, he’s a real gem for NJPW, and I wish the absolute best for him for 2024.
So, for the first time here in 6to10, step into the Square with me, joined by Walker Stewart, and experience what he has to say about all the happenings of NJPW, King of Sports.
The Cubed Conversation w/ Walker Stewart
Q: This is an obvious first question to ask, but it’s such a big deal in my eyes. It’s WrestleKingdom 18 in just a few days, and you’re calling it! For you, what are you most looking forward to for Wrestle Kingdom? Not just for the wrestling and the card, but being there in person?
A: I’ve never been at a show of this magnitude before, whether it’s been as a fan or as a broadcaster. I’ve never been able to look into the stands of a wrestling show and see people endlessly here to enjoy what we’re doing, and that is going to be a really special moment for me. To sit down and hear the roar of a Tokyo Dome crowd is going to be incredibly special, and that’s what I’m most excited for. We do this for the fans, and having all of these people that we’ll have inside the Tokyo Dome after years of attempting to rebuild crowds amidst and post-pandemic, it’s going to be a very thrilling experience. For the card, I have my eyes set on Okada-Danielson 2, as well as the main event bout for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. I’ve never called a match for the big prize in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and this will be my first time, so that will be incredibly special to me as well.
Q: You only joined the English commentary team back in October, and now you’re going to be commentating on the one and only Wrestle Kingdom. You’ve been visiting Korakuen, but not just that, you’ll also be there for New Years Dash, Battle In the Valley and the each of the New Beginnings! How surreal has it been? You’ve been able to commentate on these huge stages, meet talent backstage and travel all across Japan, and you’ll be commentary on Okada Danielson 2! That must be pretty special right?
A: It’s incredibly special to me. I spent a relatively short period of time on the independent circuit honing my craft starting at 19 years old, and to be here at 21 years old is an absolute feather in the cap and truly validates the 16-hour-round-trip drives, the class sessions missed in college, and the birthdays/family events I missed. I get to point to “Wrestle Kingdom 18” and say “Hey, all of those were worth it.” That feeling encapsulates my perspective on the role I’ve taken on with New Japan as a whole, and I’m incredibly grateful for Kevin Kelly and indie wrestling talent scout Bob Evans to have taken notice of my work ethic, my natural ability, and my mind, and pushing me forward for this role. The plan for 2024 is to have live English coverage in 2024 for all events broadcasted on NJPW World, so not only will I continue to appear on NJPW STRONG events in the United States, but also events touring across Japan and even into the UK (assuming we see another Royal Quest event) and potentially other countries, as well. So, this role not only allows me to do what I’ve wanted to do my entire life at a full-time level, but it also allows me to travel and see parts of the world I never thought I would. I get to bring those experiences back to my friends and family, and it’s almost like they’re along for the ride with me. It’s insanely special to me.
Q: Another big bit of news that’s come out recently, and I saw your tweet about it, Tanahashi as president! That’s huge really, The ace who has carried so much of new Japan on his back and created fans like myself to watch the promotion is now the leader of it. you said many of the talent were excited but How do you feel about it? Have you spoken to him since? What are your thoughts?
A: I have not spoken to President Tanahashi since his appointment, but I found out about it the day which he told the locker room about it. I see this as an incredible positive. He’s surrounded by highly intelligent academics and business people who can help him in that aspect of his Presidency, and his natural knowledge of the wrestling industry as a whole and being an active member of the NJPW roster allows for a perspective in this high-ranking position which we haven’t come close to seeing since Tatsumi Fujinami was in this role. If there was a change which the powers that be felt needed to be made, I’m happy that the selection went to Hiroshi Tanahashi, one of the most well-respected and well-deserving people I’ve met in pro wrestling.
Q: With 2023 wrapping up, and it’s been a fun year in NJPW, Who do you think has been the best success in this year? For me I have my own ideas and thoughts, specifically about those damn War Dogs, but I want to hear what you’ve thought about 2023 for NJPW, who’s been the highlight for you?
A: I’ve only been around for the last half of the year, and I still even have some catching up to do with things that have happened this year, but I can easily tell you who has impressed me and blown my expectations out of the water since my first impressions. I think 2023 has been a fantastic year for Oskar Leube. His tag team with Yuto Nakashima has been a very interesting and fun thing to witness, but whether it’s as a tag team or a singles star, I think there’s something incredibly special about Leube that we need to keep our eye on. I’ll be keeping a keen watch on his and Yuto’s excursions when they are approved and finalized.
I think something needs to be said about HENARE, as well. A physical transformation, accompanied by a vicious in-ring transformation which I feel has allowed him to come into his own. As soon as HENARE began to embody his true Maori spirit and energy, he’s been elevated beyond belief. Did you see that last 10 minute stretch in United Empire’s challenge for the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship at Korakuen Hall? 2024 is going to be the year of HENARE, truly. Other people that I feel have had a notable 2023 include Shota Umino, Will Ospreay, Ren Narita, Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji, Gabe Kidd, and Master Wato. There’s so much to talk about with those guys as well, but what this tells me is that New Japan Pro-Wrestling has a blossoming crew of younger talent developing and becoming primed for main event competition, and I think it leaves us with some really fun match-up opportunities coming in 2024.
Q: Now, out with 2023, what about 2024? It’s going to be a big year for New Japan, as I’ve already said with Tanahashi at the top, so who do you think we will see the rise of? What predictions do you have for this next year under the presidency of Tanahashi and the reigns of either Naito or SANADA? I’m personally hoping for Soberano Jr in the G1 after Fantasticamania and his recent antics in the tag league, but what about you? I know you spoke about Mustafa Ali already, but what about any title changes you want to see happen, perhaps future IWGP Global champions? Who do you think could be a big runner in the G1, or is there any sort of rivalries you think will take place, or as always, what matches do you hope we will witness?
A: There are a lot of matches I would love to see. Some rematches, some first-time encounters, as well. Present on the mind is Shota Umino vs. Ren Narita. We’re seeing the tag team match at Wrestle Kingdom pitting them on opposite sides, and I think Narita should be thanking whatever God he believes in for that considering what his betrayal has unlocked in Shota Umino. There are a lot of Okada matches I really have interest in seeing. Okada vs. the Reiwa 3 Musketeers in singles action. Okada vs. Kosei Fujita (which we got a bit of a taste of in Korakuen Hall a week or two ago). Heck, we could talk about Kosei Fujita. Wanting to be the youngest IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion in history? If anyone can do so, it’s him at this point. A blossoming star in his own right, combining the styles of all other TMDK members (Eagles’ aerial ability, Haste & Nicholls’ aggression, Sabre’s strikes and technical stylings). I think Fujita is on his track to becoming the most well-rounded junior heavyweight in the world. Every other name I mentioned in my previous answer regarding most success is who I also would mention for this question.
Predictions under Hiroshi Tanahashi’s presidency? That’s an interesting one. He’s made a bold claim already of declaring he will sell out the Tokyo Dome for Wrestle Kingdom under his presidency, which I will gladly do my part in aiding to on the international side. I think locker room morale is very high with the announcement of President Tanahashi’s new role, and I believe we will be seeing that effect in some ways going in to the new year.
I am very intrigued at the premise for the newly announced IWGP Global Championship. It was Chris Charlton who I felt said it best: “The world comes to fight the World Heavyweight Champion, but the Global Champion goes to fight the world.” I hope to see this championship utilized to strengthen relationships with other companies in the wrestling sphere, even outside of Japan and into companies like All Elite Wrestling, Impact Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, and even various independent promotions on smaller scales in other countries. In my eyes, it’s only right for the IWGP Global Champion, whoever it may be by the end of Wrestle Kingdom 18, to challenge in countries which have never had any NJPW presence. Imagine Will Ospreay defending the IWGP Global Championship in Kazakhstan against Boltin Oleg? Imagine Jon Moxley defending the IWGP Global Championship in South Africa? David Finlay defending the IWGP Global Championship in all of the places where he feels he isn’t accepted (meaning “all over the world” if you ask him)? It would be an absolute treat. I see a need for a “boots on the ground” approach to promoting NJPW outside of Japan, and some may disagree with this, but it is my humble opinion. If Will Ospreay competes at an independent event in a country or town that has never heard of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, defends the championship, and people want to seek more of there new favorite wrestler? It leads them back to NJPW. There is substance to personal and inadvertent marketing in that style, and if there’s any direction the Global Championship is heading, I hope it is that one. Either way, whoever walks out with that title will go on to be a world beater in one way or another.
G1 Climax 34 is a toss up to me this year. Do we see the rise of someone who has never held the trophy or a singles championship in NJPW before? Does Naito lose at Wrestle Kingdom 18 and seek ONE MORE opportunity the subsequent year? We’re too far out to tell, but if I had to put my money anywhere, it’s never a bad idea to place it on Kazuchika Okada, no matter the season.
Q: One personal question from me here, how is it working with Chris Charlton? In my opinion, I think he’s one of the best commentators in the world, and I just like his voice a lot really! How has it been working alongside him?
A: Working with Chris has been fantastic. He’s a wealth of knowledge all-across the board in terms of Japan, Japanese wrestling, and pro wrestling itself. I feel his greatest strength is that encyclopedic mind of his, and it’s always helpful to have him in the booth. His translations as well are vital. It’s something I hope to be able to offer years down the line as I continue to hone my skills with the language. Chris is a good friend, and I’m happy I get to share the booth with him for the biggest show of the year and going forward in 2024.
Q: (Put forward by Kali) Which matches in the NJPW archive would you like to provide some English commentary for that hasn’t been covered?
A: With the way the NJPW World archive has been affected by the brand new service, it’s hard for me to know what does and does not have commentary added in post-production for English. There are certain wrestlers I’d love to call matches of if there are ones wanted in English. Antonio Inoki, obviously. Keiji Muto. Even some international talents that I heavily enjoy such as Kenny Omega, Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar. Shelton Benjamin. ANYTHING old-school junior heavyweight, that era of innovation is so crucial to the modern landscape and I’d love to have my name attached to something like that, and I truly feel I’d be able to do it justice.
Q: (Put forward by me and AZMSZN) I know that I’ve been in your comment section, and other people too, asking about you becoming a commentator elsewhere as a possibility. Would you be interested in calling Stardom / Joint Shows while working under Bushiroad? If so, who would you most like to call on the Joshi side?”
A: First off, it’s incredibly thrilling that people are interested enough in the work I do to want to hear my voice more than they already do on NJPW productions. I’d love to call Stardom, but the energy has been put out there enough and I don’t want to beat a dead horse. If they want me around, I’ll be there for it in an instant and I’d love to do that alongside my pal Chris Charlton, as well. In terms of joshi talent, I’ve gotten to call a Giulia match and a Mayu Iwatani match. I’d do that in a heart-beat again, those two women are top-tier. Other talents I’d love to call matches for include Tam Nakano, AZM, Megan Bayne, and Utami Hayashishita. I do not think you can go wrong with any of those names.
Q: (A 2 in 1 from Howdy) As the new lead English voice of NJPW, do you feel an added responsibility to give in depth angle/history explanations as the gatekeeper for westernized viewers?
-If so, how do you balance your duties as a storyteller/historian, with your responsibilities as a play-by-play commentator in matches?
A: I may get too technical about my broadcasting philosophy here, and I apologize if so. My mindset when going into a match that I call is simple, and it can change depending on the type of match, but the message is consistent. I ask myself the question “If I am a new viewer, what is going to catch my ear and attract me to be a wrestler’s new biggest fan?” In NJPW for singles competition, it’s easy to let the wrestlers do the talking inside of the ring and allow newer fans to gravitate to the style they like the most. I, of course, aid in that process by giving as much background as I deem fit. However, with the grand amount of multi-man tag team matches we see in NJPW (especially on Road To events), I walk into every single match with the question of “What is this person’s motivation? What has happened with this person recently that makes them unique and gives them an edge?” You’ll notice that I never call a match without mentioning what every single person in the match has been doing over the past month, what kind of year they’re having, or what they’re embroiled in even if they’re not the main focus of the match. I hate the term “throw-away matches”, because they were placed on the card for a reason, and some people use the term but I find it very disrespectful to our athletes. Do two wrestlers have unfinished business from a previous multi-man tag match 2 years ago? Great. We’re rehashing it tonight, and it’s another note in the story of those two wrestlers. Every match matters, every win and loss matters, and that is a big factor in the way which I call events. You can sense it in my work, I feel.
All of this being said, I do feel a responsibility to add as much depth to what’s happening in the ring as possible. I always assume that someone who is watching live tonight is new, no matter what event it is. The status of the event may change how deep I go, though. For Night 14 of World Tag League, I’m much more likely to talk about what makes El Desperado so loved by the fans despite him not being a stereotypical do-gooder and a bit about what he’s done on the tour. For a main event to Power Struggle, I’m going to recap the entire feud and explain what everyone has to lose going in. Within that description, it’s up to the new viewer to discover who they relate more to in the overall feud description and recap. It may sound similar, but it’s all about how much weight you put on different points during the broadcast, and the weight differs depending on the magnitude of the show. We’re telling stories out here. On Night 14 out of 30 on a tour, it requires more exposition and world-building. Meanwhile, at Wrestle Kingdom, it’s all of the action sequences in the story unfolding in one night. It’s really beautiful when you think about it. Long-winded, but the bottom line is that the storytelling is easy when you start to feel the eb and flow of wrestlers fighting styles, and it’s something I’ve been getting the hang of quickly!
Final Q: I would like to also ask about how you’ve been finding this personally, what has been the biggest change in your life and alteration to what you do normally, How has it been to become a key part in such a big fan base and the person that people rely on in shows and because this is so new to you (being the English commentator) you are the gateway to a whole new world of wrestling for certain fans. How has that impacted you as a person?
A: It’s been fantastic, personally. I always have a new story or something to talk about when I see friends, which is fun. It has allowed me to travel the world and will continue to even more in 2024. My parents and family and friends get to tune in and hear me do what I love on NJPW World. It’s really the coolest thing ever. It’s also given me the motivation to learn the language, which I’m progressing forward in and hope to pass the Japanese proficiency test by 2025. It’s been cool to receive all of the nice (and even the not nice) DMs on social media. To know people care about the work I’m doing and that what I do is impactful is second-to-none for me. I’m the same man I was when I started, just with a bunch of new colleagues and a world of opportunity at arms reach. The biggest change in my life overall would just be leaving home. I’ve only been on very short tours in 2023, but 2024 will see live English coverage for everything airing on NJPW World, and that means I will be on all of the tours. I’ll struggle with missing family the way that Kevin did, but it’s the sacrifice I’ll have to make to keep doing what I love. At the end of the day, my family push me to want to do it even more because they get to be a part of the journey with me, so it’s really all worthwhile. Even the “negatives” to the job are positives, in my eyes.
Post-Interview – My Thoughts and Thanks.
With that – we both exit the Square. I had a fantastic time spending my first interview with Walker. He is a kind man, and is always up to chat about wrestling no matter what. The first time I DM’d him was to do with his advice on learning Japanese, and now here we are! I implore you all to follow him on Twitter @VelvetVoiceWS. He tweets often about everything NJPW, general life and all in between. He was very accommodating to me, and as you can see, has truly put heart, soul and passion into each answer.
This interview was really surreal for me, because with Walker being my first interview, I wanted to show that this is something I care about, and something I can do. I’ve been wanting to do this for a couple months now, so I really want to thank him so much, and with all the gratitude in the world. I was really here, able to interview somebody who I have an active knowledge of, and literally listen to quite often. He is a real part of my wrestling life, and that itself has been very cool to me. I’m incredibly grateful for his time and how much effort he gave me in what he said, and also just for answering my questions, so I want to thank him again. I can’t state that enough, the way he has given such detail and depth to his answers is just amazing, and as a whole experience this was incredible.
Once again, thank you all for reading to the Inaugural Cubed Conversations, Walker Stewart Edition! This will hopefully be the start to something more, and on top of that I hope to see you all in my December Legacy Reviews, it’s looking to be completely packed this month! Also, Triple Tails Part 2 is officially underway in terms of production, and a new review series may be on the horizon too…
Stay tuned in the Cubemos (CubeCosmos, does that work?) and check out all that’s new on 6to10! Have an extravagant day, all of you, and see you soon! Goodbye!
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