Entrevista/Preguntas con Hip Hop Man (Versión en Español)

Como pueden ver por el título, tuve la oportunidad de hablar con Hip Hop Man. Es una leyenda del wrestling argentino y siento un inmenso respeto por todo lo que ha hecho en sus más de 20 años de carrera. Su trabajo fue sin duda mi introducción al wrestling argentino y sé que esta es otra entrevista breve, pero espero que alguien pueda aprender algo al leerla y tal vez se anime a buscar más información sobre él.

Me respondió muy rápido a esta idea y se mostró dispuesto a hacerlo tan pronto como yo quisiera, por lo que le estoy muy agradecido.

Mis palabras están en cursiva. Las palabras de Hip Hop Man están en negrita.

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Soy un gran admirador tuyo y estoy en Estados Unidos, pero no soy el único admirador que tienes aquí. Tienes muchos seguidores aquí y en todo el mundo. Hablando de eso, has estado luchando en Japón durante los últimos meses. Ya hiciste un viaje similar en 2023, pero ¿hay alguna diferencia con respecto a esta vez? ¿Cómo ha sido la experiencia y qué significa para ti luchar en Japón?

Si, bien fueron 70 días y la primera vez fueron 90 días, realicé más luchas esta vez, fueron 37, por momentos muy cansado pero feliz. 

Japón es mi lugar en el mundo, si bien aún me falta por luchar en Estados Unidos, por el momento viviría y lucharia sin problemas en Japón.

Es increíble ver lo bien que te has adaptado a un entorno de lucha libre completamente diferente al de México; de hecho, ¿dirías que hay mucha diferencia entre cómo luchas en México y cómo lo haces en Japón? ¿O incluso en comparación con Argentina?

El estilo argentino es más parecido al japonés, así que me adapte fácilmente, claro que los 12 años de luchar en los Rings mexicanos y la presión que te pone la gente acá, ayuda a qué en Japón todo sea más fácil. 

Hoy la gran diferencia es que en Japón soy feliz luchando, en México ya no, por eso lucho poco.

Además, se te atribuye el mérito de ser creativo para la IWRG y varios luchadores de la IWRG (Ajolotl, Luka, Luki) también han seguido tus pasos en Japón. Dado tu papel en la promoción, ¿participas en la decisión de qué luchadores viajan a Japón y cosas por el estilo?

Este año pude ayudar a Ajolotl, Luka, Yorvak, Radiactivo, Noisy boy, Spider Fly, Hijo de Dos Caras, anteriormente Alebrije, relámpago. Todo aquel que me pide ayuda, trato de ayudarlos a cumplir su sueño de luchar en Japón. 

Ya veo. Lamento que no te guste tanto la lucha libre en México como en Japón, pero me alegra que hayas encontrado un lugar en Japón donde puedas ser feliz con lo que haces. Y aún mejor es que estés ayudando a otros luchadores a alcanzar esa misma felicidad.

Esta es la última pregunta sobre tu estancia en Japón: ¿Hay alguien con quien te hubiera gustado enfrentarte en Japón?

No tengo un rival en Japón, si me gustaría en algún momento, poder luchar en New Japan Pro Wrestling.

También quería hablar contigo sobre tu carrera en general. Llevas más de 20 años dedicándote a la lucha libre y hay quien te considera el mejor luchador argentino de la historia. No sé qué opinas al respecto, pero ¿te sientes orgulloso de que te tengan en cuenta en ese debate? ¿Cómo te sientes al saber que la gente te considera un referente de la lucha libre argentina?

Yo hago mi carrera para ser feliz yo, si consideran que soy el mejor, siempre es bienvenido ese halago, pero no busco ser el mejor. Solo busco cumplir mis sueños y ser feliz con lo que hago.

Creo que es una forma estupenda de enfocar la lucha libre, y me alegro de que parezcas más feliz incluso después de 23 años de carrera.

Te he robado parte de tu tiempo, así que solo te haré unas cuantas preguntas más, si te parece bien.

Has luchado en más lugares que la mayoría de los luchadores: Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, México, Guatemala, Japón y Catar. Sé que ya hemos hablado un poco sobre Estados Unidos, pero ¿hay algún otro lugar en el que te gustaría luchar y aún no lo has hecho?

Sueño, solo Estados Unidos. Si se dan otros países sería más por un tema de viajar y conocer el país, pero que realmente sea un objetivo, Ee.uu

Tiene sentido, estoy seguro de que hay muchos fans aquí (incluido yo mismo) a los que también les encantaría verte en Estados Unidos.

Esta pregunta es un poco más divertida y desenfadada que las anteriores: te llaman «Hip Hop Man» y el hip hop siempre ha sido una parte importante de tu personalidad y tu imagen. ¿Tienes alguna canción o artista favorito en este momento? ¿El hip hop es realmente tu género musical favorito?

Eminem en su momento, y veo competencias de freestyle de Argentina. Pero solo fue un personaje que me dieron en un producto televisivo, en Argentina me hice muy famoso y entraba bailando. Ya cuando llegué a México en 2013 era difícil empezar enmascarado o con otro nombre, decidí seguir con el Hiphopman y hasta la fecha.

Es una historia muy interesante que probablemente la gente de aquí no conozca sobre ti y el personaje Hip Hop Man. Gracias por compartirla. Me alegra saber que hay artistas de hip hop que te gustan.

Por último, ¿hay algo más que quieras compartir sobre lo que estás haciendo? ¿Algún comentario final sobre el futuro de Hip Hop Man y lo que quieres que sepan tus fans?

Que me sigan en redes danyhiphopman en Instagram y TikTok, Hiphopman Wrestler en facebook y mi canal de Youtube "lucha libre argentina Hiphopman." (Nota del editor: su página de Twitter/X también es «@danyhiphopman», para quienes se lo pregunten.)

Espero visitar el próximo año estados unidos, sigo intentando el tema de la visa de trabajo, desde 2019 que lo intento pero no sé da, esperemos que pronto pueda ir y así comenzar ya mi retiro de la lucha libre.

Muchas gracias por tu tiempo, me lo he pasado muy bien. Espero que consigas el visado de trabajo y continúes con tu gran carrera durante todo el tiempo que desees. ¡Muchas gracias!

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¡Y eso es todo! Sé que ha sido bastante breve, pero me ha parecido increíble poder hablar con un luchador tan genial tanto dentro como fuera del ring como Hip Hop Man. 

¡Espero que hayas disfrutado leyendo esto! Si no es así, tampoco pasa nada. Si tienes alguna opinión, crítica, idea o lo que sea, déjame un comentario o ponte en contacto conmigo a través de mi página de Twitter/X.

Interview/Q&A with Hip Hop Man (English Version)

As you can see from the title, I got the chance to talk to Hip Hop Man. He's an Argentinian wrestling legend and I have an immense amount of respect for all that he's done in his 20+ years of wrestling. His work was definitely my introduction to Argentinian wrestling and I know this is another shorter one, but I hope someone can learn a thing or two from reading this and maybe consider seeking out more from him.

He was super quick to respond to me about this idea and was willing to do it as soon as I wanted, so I am very grateful for that.

My words are in italics. Hip Hop Man's words are in bold.

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I'm a huge fan of yours and I'm in America, but I'm not the only fan you have here. You have a bit of a following here and across the world. Speaking of which, you've been wrestling in Japan for the past few months. You took a similar trip back in 2023, but is there anything different about wrestling there this time? How has the experience been and what does wrestling in Japan mean to you?

Although it was 70 days [this time] and the first time it was 90 days, I fought more this time, 37 matches in total. At times I was very tired, but happy.

Japan is my place in the world. Although I still have to fight in the United States, for now I would live and fight without any problems in Japan.

It's amazing to see how well you've adjusted yourself to a completely different wrestling environment than Mexico; in fact, would you say there's much of a difference between how you wrestle in Mexico compared to Japan. Or even compared to Argentina as well?

The Argentine style is more similar to the Japanese style, so I adapted easily. Of course, the 12 years of fighting in Mexican rings and the pressure that people put on you here help make everything easier in Japan.

Today, the big difference is that in Japan I am happy fighting, but in Mexico I'm not anymore, which is why I fight less.

Also, you are credited with creative for IWRG and several IWRG wrestlers have followed your trip in Japan as well. Given your role in the promotion, do you have a part in deciding which wrestlers travel to Japan and such?

This year, I was able to help Ajolotl, Luka, Yorvak, Radiactivo, Noisy Boy, Spider Fly, Hijo de Dos Caras, and previously Alebrije and Relámpago. I try to help everyone who asks me for help to fulfill their dream of fighting in Japan. 

I see. I'm sorry to hear about your love for wrestling in Mexico compared to Japan, but I'm glad you've found a place in Japan where you can be happy with what you're doing. It's even made better by the fact that you're helping these other wrestlers achieve that same happiness.

This is the last thing I'll ask about your time in Japan: Is there anyone you wish to have faced in Japan?

I don't have a rival in Japan, but I would like to fight in New Japan Pro Wrestling at some point.

I also wanted to talk to you about your career as a whole. You've been wrestling for more than 20 years now, and some people have called you the greatest Argentinian wrestler ever. I'm not sure how you feel about that debate, but do you pride yourself on even being considered in such a conversation? How does it make you feel that people consider you a representation of Argentinian wrestling?

I pursue my career to make myself happy. If people consider me the best, I always welcome that compliment, but I'm not looking to be the best. I just want to fulfill my dreams and be happy with what I do.

I think that sounds like a great way to go about wrestling, and I'm glad you seem to be happier even 23 years into your career.

I've taken up some of your time, so I'll only ask a few more questions if that's alright.

You've wrestled in more places than most wrestlers ever will: Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Mexico, Guatamala, Japan, and Qatar. I know we spoke a little about America earlier, but is there any other places you'd want to wrestle that you haven't yet?

I dream of the United States alone. If there were to be any other countries were mentioned, it would be more for the sake of traveling and getting to know the country, but for it to really be a goal [for wrestling], the U.S.

That makes sense, I'm sure there are many fans here (including myself) that would love to see you in America too.

This one is a bit more fun and lighthearted rather than serious: You are called "Hip Hop Man" and Hip Hop has always been a big part of your character and presentation. Do you have a favorite song or artist right now? Is Hip Hop truly your favorite music?

Eminem at the moment, and I watch freestyle competitions in Argentina. But it was just a character they gave me on a television show. In Argentina, I became very famous and would come on stage dancing. When I arrived in Mexico in 2013, it was difficult to start over with a mask or a different name, so I decided to continue with Hip Hop Man, and I still do to this day.

That's a pretty interesting story that I think people over here probably might not know about you and the Hip Hop Man character. Thank you for sharing that. Glad to know there are hip hop artists you do enjoy though.

Lastly, is there anything else you want to share about what you're doing? Any closing thoughts about Hip Hop Man's future and what you want fans to know?

Follow me on social media: danyhiphopman on Instagram and TikTok, Hiphopman Wrestler on Facebook, and my YouTube channel “lucha libre argentina Hiphopman.” (Editor's Note: His twitter/X page is also "@danyhiphopman" for those wondering.)

I hope to visit the United States next year. I'm still trying to get a work visa. I've been trying since 2019, but I don't know if it will happen. Hopefully, I'll be able to go soon and start my retirement from wrestling.

Thank you for your time, I had a lot of fun with this. Hope you get the work visa and continue your great career for as long as you choose to. Thank you so much!

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And that's all! I know it was pretty brief but I thought it was awesome to talk to a wrestler that is as cool both in-and-out of the ring as Hip Hop Man. 

Hope you enjoyed reading this! If not, that's alright too. Let me know if you have any thoughts, criticisms, ideas, or whatever in the comments or get in touch with me on my Twitter page.

Interview/Q&A with Thanomsak Toba

Hey again y'all! If you've read the title of this post or I've discussed this with you beforehand, you know what this is: I got the very fortunate oppourtunity to ask Thanomsak Toba some questions about his career and wrestling in general.

I have so much respect for Toba, he's one of my all-time favorites, so I was kinda marking out the whole time and kept things light-hearted/fun. If you're wondering why I didn't ask more "hard-hitting" questions or whatever, yeah what can I say? This is a mark interview.

Lastly, Toba chose to accommodate me as much as possible, going as far as wanting to provide his answers in English and even answering more questions near the end despite suffering a concussion around the time this interview took place (about a month ago). Because of his kindness and my adoration for him, I didn't want to take up too much of his time. So, some of his answers may seem short and I didn't end up asking too many questions, but hopefully that gives some context as to why it turned out that way.

My words are in italics. Toba's words are in bold.

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You got your start in pro wrestling when you debuted for DDT in 1998. At that point, the organization was less than a year old. How different do you think DDT is now from the DDT that you debuted in 27 years ago? In what ways have things changed and are there wrestlers that are currently there that you would like to face?

When I debuted, the focus was on intense martial arts-style matches. But gradually, traditional American professional wrestling-style matches became popular, and now they are well established.

It has gone from being an organization based on intense fights to being a fun organization. I also like fun matches.

There is no one in the current DDT wrestlers that I want to fight. I'm already an old-fashioned guy.

Yes, it is fascinating how much wrestling around the world has moved towards that American entertainment style, whereas there's much less mainstream martial arts-style promotions. But the ones that do exist nowadays are very good still!

Speaking of martial arts, when watching your matches, I can most easily associate your wrestling style with that of Muay Thai. It has even been said that your name is a reference to the Thai boxer, Thanomsak Sithbaobay! On your Instagram page, you post many photos from the time you've spent in Thailand. What have you learned from Thailand and is there something you love most about the area?

My martial arts career began with Muay Thai. My ring name was inspired by the Thai boxer Thanomsak Sisbovee (Note: I believe this is a mistranslation of Sithbaobay, as I do not believe there’s Thai boxer with the name Sisbovee), without his permission.

I've been to Thailand many times. When I was younger, I rented an apartment in Bangkok and studied Muay Thai. Right now, Pattaya is my favorite place.

Thailand must be beautiful. Fascinating to learn how much it has tied into your career and life!

Is it true that you were trained by Koki Kitahara? He led the CAPTURE International organization that has become legendary among some overseas fans that like more niche groups due to multiple factors, including the mentality of how wrestling should be, realistic and gritty style, and how good the promotion was considering how small the venues and production were for a wrestling show.

Also, is there anything specific that you learned from being trained by Koki Kitahara (if that is true) that you feel you still use today?

I participated in Capture, but I hardly received any coaching from Kitahara-san. I was with another organization.

What do you think of wrestling in smaller organizations such as this one, which you had a number of matches in? Do you have a certain mentality when it comes to wrestling for a crowd that isn't as large, or do you feel that you wrestle the same way no matter the size of the crowd?

Whether the venue is small or big, what you do is the same.

Interesting! I apologize for the confusion then regarding Koki Kitahara. (Note: Multiple online sources seem to have always credited Kitahara with mentoring Toba because of his time in CAPTURE, but this does not seem to be accurate)

I'm sure the fans appreciate you giving your all in every match, no matter the size of the crowd.

In the near 1000 matches that you have wrestled, you've stood in the ring across from around 500 different wrestlers. Do you have an all-time favorite opponent? What about a favorite opponent of yours that you have faced in the past 5 years?

My best opponent is Ibushi Kota. In the last five years, it would be Machida Hikaru and Brother Yasshi.

Your matches with Kota Ibushi are highly acclaimed among overseas fans! Hikaru Machida is excellent and it's great that he's been in the ring with you so many times for how little matches he's had, and "brother" YASSHI is one of my personal favorites! For someone who seems as serious as you, it is cool that you enjoy wrestling with someone as laid-back as him.

As I mentioned earlier, you have shared the ring with many different opponents. Is there anyone that you have never faced before that you would like to have a match with?

There's no one I want to fight anymore.

Do you think you could beat your 25 year-old self in a fight? What would you say you've learned about yourself and your abilities since then?

When I was 25, I was training hard as a kickboxer, so there's no way I could win! In terms of strength, I've lost everything and gained nothing.

I think that despite the difference in physical strength, you can give yourself credit for the mental strength that must go into something like wrestling for over 25 years.

I am so very grateful for the time you’ve given to answer my questions. I’ll only ask a few (one or two more) more questions if that’s alright.

You've wrestled so many times across the years. Is there one specific match or moment that you’re most proud of?

The matches I'm most proud of are probably all of my matches with Ibushi. I'm also proud of competing in DDT's Nippon Budokan tournament.

I am also proud of my singles match against DJ Nira at the DDT Nagoya tournament.

All of those are excellent choices. I’m sure many fans would agree with those being highlights of your career!

Thank you once more for your time over these past conversations. I've gained a lot from your responses and I’m very excited to share them with others.

Lastly, is there anything you’d wish to say to fans overseas and across the world? Any updates on your career or just anything you’d like to share?

I had fun too, thank you. I'm so happy that overseas fans upload videos of matches I've never seen.

I'm not retiring yet, but I won't be active as much from now on. I'm looking forward to seeing videos of your past matches!

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And that's all! Again, I know this was a mark interview, but I had a lot fun with it and I'm glad Toba seemed to also enjoy answering these. It meant a lot to me lol.

Hope you enjoyed reading this! If not, that's alright too. Let me know if you have any thoughts, criticisms, ideas, or whatever in the comments or get in touch with me on my Twitter page.