Australia’s Andrew Villalobos trained at the Fale Dojo as part of the June 2018 intake. Following the three-month pro wrestling training course, Villalobos was accepted to the New Japan Dojo in Tokyo for further training. Since the completion of the Young Lion’s programme in Tokyo, Villalobos has been wrestling in his hometown Sydney under the name ‘Darius Vega’. Villalobos also competed at the second ‘Fale Dojo Exhibition’ event against his fellow Dojo graduate Michael Richards. The NJPW Southern Showdown will be Villalobos’ first time wrestling in a significant capacity.
“It feels great to be part of Southern Showdown,” said Villalobos, who shared his hopes of returning to Japan following the tour.
“I feel like this tour will be my chance to finally go back to the New Japan Dojo.”
“When I perform in Sydney and Melbourne I am certain I will attain this goal because I am 100% committed to this opportunity.”
“This will definitely be the biggest show I’ve been a part of so I am taking the opportunity extremely seriously.”
Villalobos reflected upon his training at the Fale Dojo, and NJPW Dojo, citing that his time with these two training facilities have equipped him with the experience and confidence to compete at new heights.
“I have learned so much from the Fale Dojo and the New Japan Dojo,” he stated.
“The discipline, the work ethic, the physicality, the mental toughness and the application for New Japan’s strong style, plus being able to apply emotion and technique has given me the confidence to perform at the next level.”
Villalobos is among the notable Australians to become a fan of New Japan Pro Wrestling and pursue the Fale Dojo to help fulfil his goal of wrestling for NJPW. For Villalobos, his decision to seek the Dojo was one that came without hesitation.
“I first heard about the Kenny Omega vs. Okada-San match from Wrestle Kingdom 11,” Villalobos recalled. “I heard it was an amazing match, and I had to see the match for myself. When I did see the match and the entire event, it got me hooked.”
“I continued to follow New Japan and learned more about the talent, the style, and the different attractions they had like the G1 Climax and the Best of the Super Juniors.”
“Then I found out about Fale Dojo through social media,” he revealed. “I realised that if I wanted to commit to the dream of becoming a full-time pro wrestler, I would need to put my dream into action, so I applied to train at Fale Dojo.”
It has been twelve months since Andrew Villalobos first arrived at Fale Dojo. He now finds himself about to fulfil his dream, all because he chose to invest in himself.
“I will be making my New Japan debut in front of my home crowd,” said Villalobos in closing. “It’s a very humbling experience.”