Low Ki
Posted by Douglas Nunnally
on 08/18/2004
Interviewer's Note:
Welcome to another edition of "Wasting The Time Of..." and in this edition, I have one of the most popular Indy stars of the past decade, Low Ki!
You have all heard the name, but have you seen the skill? To anyone who has seen this athlete, you will see dedication, intensity, and passion...all things that you would expect of a legend. That is simply what people say about Low Ki. He is a living Indy legend. Instead of settling down to one promotion, Low Ki would rather branch out and even become part of a culture most ignore: the Japanese culture. For the fans out there who look shocked every time you see a Tajiri kick, Low Ki is the person to watch. For those whose jaws dropped when Dean Malenko tried a new submission hold, Low Ki is the person to watch.
You look at WWE and people think that is it. These are the best in the world. These people are wrong. Go out and look for Japanese tapes or random Indy tapes and you will find one of the best stars of today. From intensity to passion to dedication, he has it all, and you will witness the hype and experience sooner or later.
Preferably sooner.
Douglas Nunnally: First, thank you very much for joining me today, Low Ki.
Low Ki: No problem.
Douglas Nunnally: You're coming up on your 400th match. Do you hope to make it a special one because of the number?
Low Ki: I try to make all of my matches special. I'm blessed with abilities that help me wrestle and compete.
Douglas Nunnally: You say respect, honor, discipline, and dedication will carry you to your destiny. How has it worked for you so far?
Low Ki: They are 4 simple, yet powerful choices. I believe I chose a simple way to be a competitor which has enabled me to accomplish many things.
Douglas Nunnally: We all know you came about your name by a musical lyric of some sort, but do you ever look back on that and laugh at how you came about your name?
Low Ki: Yeah, especially when I hear others talk about it. It just sounds funny, especially if they don't even listen to that style of music.
Douglas Nunnally: What was it like to lose one of your closest friends in wrestling, Russ Haas?
Low Ki: It hurt badly. I was numb about it for a long time before it sunk in.
Douglas Nunnally: I understand you had a chance to wrestle with Crash Holly before he died. What was he like in your opinion?
Low Ki: I think he was a really good guy. I was able to speak with him as a person of less experience and as a man, and he was a very cool in both senses.
Douglas Nunnally: You say that two of the men you respect and admire the most are Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit. How did it feel to have them win the titles this year?
Low Ki: I believe it was a great accomplishment for both men. They proved the size factor isn't necessarily a burden.
Douglas Nunnally: Do their accomplishments at such small statues give you hope for the future of your career?
Low Ki: I don't think they will have much effect towards me. I have maintained a particular method in my career that works for me, which is size doesn't matter.
Douglas Nunnally: Many have said that your look is somewhat modeled off of Chris Benoit in a way of his earlier career. Is there any validity to this?
Low Ki: Maybe my intensity over time, but I did not study much about him until his time in WCW before it was closed.
Douglas Nunnally: Many people credit you for one of the best wrestling looks today with your facial expressions during matches. Any light you would like to shed on this?
Low Ki: I react to things naturally.
Douglas Nunnally: In 2001, you got to wrestle one of your idols, Dean Malenko. How did that feel?
Low Ki: It was cool to get a chance to wrestle him, but I was a little cautious because I know his abilities were way above mine.
Douglas Nunnally: Most of the wrestlers you admire the most are of the Japanese wrestling world. Do you have a bigger respect for them than some other workers?
Low Ki: No. I respect hard work and production. Everyone I listed was effective in both fields.
Douglas Nunnally: What is it like for you to finally be considered part of the Japanese wrestling culture?
Low Ki: I still don't think I am. I don't have the notoriety that I want to be considered being accepted.
Douglas Nunnally: On your goals list, it seems you have accomplished all but 3, 2 of which can already be argued as completed. How confident are you that you will achieve the other one, which is being the first wrestler with a sneaker contract?
Low Ki: I need to really work hard and effectively to achieve that. Time is what I need to carry that out.
Douglas Nunnally: By the looks of it, you seem to have done most of your work in Japan. Is there a personal preference between Japan and America, or was it just the way it happened to occur?
Low Ki: It was always a goal to wrestle in Japan. I took opportunities I earned and tried to produce what I could from them. Timing is everything.
Douglas Nunnally: Is there any chance we will see you in TNA any time soon?
Low Ki: I doubt it. I cannot commit to them fulltime.
Douglas Nunnally: What was it actually like to wrestle in the Ultimate X match?
Low Ki: Very difficult. Wrestling a match is difficult enough. Now combine that with trying to climb over 3 other people and gripping steel cables barehanded.
Douglas Nunnally: I heard you were skeptical about TNA at first, any reason?
Low Ki: I wasn't. I'm realist. I believe things when I see them.
Douglas Nunnally: Two of the wrestlers you admire both are Ric Flair and Mick Foley, who are involved in a heated fight as of now over comments from Flair's book. Who do you agree with in this matter?
Low Ki: I don't agree with either. Everyone has an opinion.
Douglas Nunnally: Even more, what do you have to say of the situation between Bret Hart and Ric Flair?
Low Ki: Nothing, I really don't know what is going on between them.
Douglas Nunnally: What kind of roots do you have in LIWF?
Low Ki: That is where I began my training and began as a pro wrestler.
Douglas Nunnally: In 2001, you got to the finals of the All Pro Wrestling King of the Indies Tournament. Would you say this is one of your highlights?
Low Ki: No. It was a tournament. It was a few years ago, I think I'm on another level of experience now.
Douglas Nunnally: How do you feel about the ECWA Super 8?
Low Ki: It was a great platform to fight and create a career for myself.
Douglas Nunnally: What was the atmosphere like in 2001?
Low Ki: It was new to me. I had never been involved in a tournament like that or surrounded by such a professional environment.
Douglas Nunnally: Even more, what was it like to pick up a win in such a huge tournament?
Low Ki: Unbelievable. I was completely exhausted at the end of the night.
Douglas Nunnally: Looking back, what is was it like to be the first champion of ROH, which by many people's views will be around for a long time?
Low Ki: It was another hard accomplishment. I wouldn't subject anyone to the same environment we had to fight in.
Douglas Nunnally: You have been a part of MANY different kinds of matches including One-on-One, Tag, Triple Threat, Four Way Dances, Ultimate X, and others. Which do you prefer?
Low Ki: Singles. I like to wrestle and compete to dominate.
Douglas Nunnally: Homicide was both your trainer and later opponent in the ring. Which do you prefer?
Low Ki: Opponent. We both like to learn more about pro wrestling so competing brings out more of what we have learned.
Douglas Nunnally: You say you grew up watching WWE (then WWF), NWA, and others, yet how did you come about getting tapes of the Great Muta, a man you credit for keeping you interested in wrestling?
Low Ki: I actually had matches recorded from television and borrowed from friends to watch matches.
Douglas Nunnally: You have been the one of the most decorated and most recognizable wrestlers on the Indy scene since your debut. Is there any wish to leave the Indy scene and settle down with a single promotion at this time, like TNA or WWE?
Low Ki: No. I don't feel I can become the best at what I do in one environment.
Douglas Nunnally: You have had many dark matches with WWF/E, what is the experience like?
Low Ki: Great. The national TV level is a lot different than independent. I was able to learn so much from that.
Douglas Nunnally: Do you wish to be called up there soon?
Low Ki: I will just go with the flow of things.
Douglas Nunnally: How are your thoughts on how the wrestling scene has changed since your debut with the addition of many promotions and the impact of the Internet Wrestling Community?
Low Ki: I don't like it. I loved what pro wrestling use to be.
Douglas Nunnally: Is there anything you haven't done yet in your career that you wish to do?
Low Ki: Fight for all of the top companies around the world, become a champion in every company, and probably open up a school when I retire.
Douglas Nunnally: How has 2004 faired for you thus far?
Low Ki: It has been slow but I think it is about to pick up.
Douglas Nunnally: What is next for the master of the deadly kick?
Low Ki: I don't know. Bruce Lee hasn't been with us for a long time.
Douglas Nunnally: Touche. It seems in a lot of interviews, you are asked about this match and that opponent. Does the redundancy kill you at times?
Low Ki: No. I know many people don't know about me, so it's just an honest question.
Douglas Nunnally: If I looked in your stereo or car stereo right now, what CD or tape would I find?
Low Ki: Linkin Park - "Meteora."
Douglas Nunnally: Would you say this is one of your favorites?
Low Ki: No. It's what I put in there yesterday. [Laughs]
Douglas Nunnally: Any chance to ditch the bald look?
Low Ki: Probably not.
Douglas Nunnally: Do chicks really dig it or are you being delusional?
Low Ki: I'm completely delusional. They dig the voice.
Douglas Nunnally: Finally, anything else you would like to say to the fans and viewers?
Low Ki: Thank you for any form of support you share.
Douglas Nunnally: Thanks again for joining me here today, Low Ki.
Low Ki: As I said before, no problem.
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