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by Natsumi Kuroyama, November 15th, 1998 
NK: What is the biggest obstacle that G-Pro faces today?CF: I guess like any federation starting from scratch, G-Pro faces the hurdle of name recognition. It takes time to get to the point where people say "G-Pro.....that's a great fed, I think I might join". We've been in operation for a couple of months, and things are starting to gather speed now. The interest in G-Pro from the industry "big names", both on the wrestler and administrator side, is really noticeable now, which is great. My motto is "putting out a great product beats outrageous hype any day". NK: Has the absorption of Tijuana Lucha posed a great strain for G-Pro's financial resources? CF: I wouldn't say a "great" strain. It was always going to be a gamble financially, because the money in lucha libre is not as big as in the US and Japan. Tijuana Lucha was in trouble financially when I bought it, and bailing it out like that took a great deal of cash. However, in the long-run I think it's going to be a wise investment. The talent in Tijuana Lucha is top-notch, and by splitting our time between Japan and Mexico, we're offering something no other wrestling organization can. NK: Is the cost of switching locations from Japan to Mexico and back again worth it? CF: Again, it's meant more overheads and more expenditure, but it's going to be worth it in the end. We decided to spend six or so weeks in each country rather than switching back and forth more regularly, so that's kept the costs down a bit. NK: How have the old Tijuana Lucha fans responded to their federation being bought by a Japanese company? CF: You know what? It's hard to categorize Tijuana Lucha fans. You can go to Tijuana and the fans there will cheer for certain guys, but then those same guys will be booed in a place like Guadalajara or Mexico City. But overall the response from the Mexican fans has been positive. Sure, there was some hesitancy on the fans part in the start, but once they saw the top-notch wrestling we provide, they quickly accepted G-Pro and its wrestlers. NK: How have the Tijuana Lucha wrestlers reacted to being part of a larger roster? CF: Some of them have taken it hard. They were untouchable superstars, but now they face tougher opposition, and for some losing hasn't come easy. For the most part though, they've welcomed the added competition, and to be honest they're striving off it. NK: How have the original G-Pro wrestlers reacted to the influx of luchadors? CF: No problems. The guys who came into Mexico from Japan are used to be pitting against the best in the world week-in week-out, so they welcomed the chance to take on some of Mexico's best luchadors. NK: Did the disappearance of Frazer Fury hurt G-Pro financially or at the box office? CF: As much as I hate to admit it, Fury going AWOL was a big blow for G-Pro. He was a pain in the butt, and someone I've had frequent run-ins with myself, but at the end of the day he was the sort of flamboyant guy who gets bums on seats. I'm a businessman, and I realize the worth of a guy like Fury. Plus, he was our Heavyweight champion, and having him disappear into thin air had a big impact. In saying that though, our current champion Jason Storm has stepped up to the plate and is actually proving to be a bigger crowd-puller than Frazer ever was. Hopefully one day Frazer will come back, and we can get him and Jason in the ring. NK: What impact has the revival of SJPW had on G-Pro? CF: To be honest, not much. You would think having two top Japanese wrestling promotions would cause friction and fierce competition, but that hasn't really happened. A few of our wrestlers, guys like The Banshee and Kabuki Kid, wrestle in both leagues, and we've even talked about working together in the future. In my opinion there's room in Japan for both of our leagues. NK: Can we look forward to a G-Pro/SJPW combined card someday? What about other federations? CF: Like I said earlier, Gerry and I have talked about our two leagues working together, and that may well become a possibility. As for other leagues, we were supposed to work in with EMWC during their recent tour of the Orient, but one thing led to another and it didn't eventuate. I'm still keen to see that happen sometime though. NK: Many underestimate the amount of "behind-the-scenes" work that goes into running a wrestling organization. Has the amount of blood, sweat and tears you've had to shed been worth it? CF: Running a wrestling league has its ups and downs, like any job I guess. Sometimes, when the wrestlers are being too big for their boots, the takings are down, and it seems everything is going wrong, it's easy to say "is this all worth it?" But then you put on a wrestling card that goes off without too many hitches, the fans love it, and you get a great deal of satisfaction. The main thing is that I still love what I'm doing, and a big part of that can be put down to the staff I have supporting me. Without them I'd be a burnt-out wreck, and G-Pro wouldn't be able to continue. A successful league is a combination of good staff and talented wrestlers, and I'm proud to say G-Pro has both. NK: You have been involved in other wrestling organizations before including WCoW. In comparison to those, how does your experience with G-Pro rate? CF: I don't really like to compare them, to be honest. I started in this business running NECW, which had its ups and downs. I was raw, so I made a heap of mistakes, but I also had a damn good time and made a lot of friends. Then came the World Cup of Wrestling, which didn't reach the heights I had imagined, but gained a lot of public acclaim. The I-Crown tournament I ran is probably the highlight of my wrestling-promotion career, and it'll be returning for 1999, you can count on that. G-Pro is a new venture, and I can't say it's better or worse than either of those earlier projects. I like to think I'm having more fun and doing a better job than I did with either NECW or WCoW, but that's the way it should be. If we don't learn from our mistakes and successes, and improve with each thing we do, something's not right. NK: Are you still the fan of puroresuring that you once were? CF: Sure. Probably even more. When I was back in the US wrestling scene, I only got to see Japanese wrestling on video. I made a trip to Japan to sign guys for the I-Crown tournament and was blown away by the pure skill and athleticism of puroresu. In my opinion it is wrestling at its very purest. By starting G-Pro I now get to see Japan's best do battle week-in week-out, and I love it! NK: Is there any truth to the Zokugun Sangai claims that they're being discriminated against? CF: You've got to remember that guys like Kashan Akuma and TORA Wanizame go through life with huge chips on their shoulders. There's always someone out to get them, and in this case they claim it is G-Pro, or more directly me. If I was really discriminating against their group, why would I still be employing them? To be more correct, I think G-Pro has been very lenient on their activities. Some of the stuff they get away with in G-Pro they wouldn't in other leagues. NK: It seems that the roster of any wrestling organization is always in a constant state of flux. Does this pose difficulties for G-Pro in terms of planning? CF: Hmmmm......sure, it creates difficulties, but it's something you just learn to live with. G-Pro probably has this problem more than any other wrestling league to be honest. Wrestlers who have tasted success in the US come to us looking to add another chapter to their career, and they think that they'll adapt easily. The reality is most don't adapt, and they end up leaving as quickly as they came in, but with their tails between their legs. That means gaps in the roster, and a sort of revolving door, but it also means the fans get to see lots of new faces. NK: Of the G-Pro roster, who's the biggest prima donna that causes the most difficulties for you? CF: He he. Well, I just got rid of that person, who shall remain unnamed. Of our current roster, there are some guys who think they are owed the world, but they've quickly learned that if they want to get to the top in G-Pro, they'll have to do it in the ring. Simple as that. NK: In a related question, who's the most loyal "company man" that you can always rely on? CF: On the other side of the coin, there are guys who do their business without bitching and moaning, and always come up with the goods, so to speak. Guys like Jason Storm, who came into G-Pro as a brash punk but has become an honest worker-cum-superstar. The Banshee, Shoji Suzuki.....they're as reliable as grandma's cookies. And a guy who many love to hate, but he always gives it his all and wrestles even when injuries should keep him from the ring, is "Demon Boy" Ishrinku. Scary as hell, but a great worker. NK: Are there any gaijin wrestlers out there that you would love to sign to a G-Pro contract? CF: Sure, there are many. But just because a guy is big in the US doesn't automatically mean I'd want him in G-Pro. The guys I would want are those who could adapt to puroresu conditions, and the ones who aren't going to give me a hernia by demanding and bitching at every instance. By running the I-Crown I got to work with some of the "big guns" in our sport, and most of them I found to be great guys. Two guys I'd absolutely love to have join G-Pro, and who I've tried to get in the past, are the number one and number two from the I-Crown, Derek Mota and Glenn "Bullywug" Hudson. NK: Are there any Japanese wrestlers out there that you would love to sign to a G-Pro contract? CF: Not really, to be honest. I'm in the middle of signing a contract for a top Japanese guy to join G-Pro, a guy who is currently making headlines in SJPW, but apart from that I think we've got the pick of the crop in terms of Japanese wrestlers. NK: Are there any future plans for G-Pro that you can tell us about? CF: Well, we've got some great things planned for 1999. Look out for I-Crown '99 to be held as a G-Pro tournament, but with outside competitors, and also a huge Trios Tournament we're hoping to hold, with teams from all of the top leagues. NK: [smiling] Any future plans you can't tell us about but will anyway? CF: [grinning] How about buying out this magazine and turning it into a porno mag? 
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