EXCLUSIVE: Interview with SHALLOW!

By Miho Murai



I found him in the lockerroom; hand massaging the back of his neck. As I've never been hit in the back of the head with a lead pipe before, I can't imagine what it could feel like. But the feeling is par for the course for the former SRW Champion, and current OJ-FWA competitor, SHALLOW.


Like many a youngster growing up in the northeastern United States, SHALLOW started his aspirations as a backyard wrestler. His tenacity caught the eye of some local trainers and before he knew it, he joined the then fledgling SRW in 1996. There, at least in the early days, object use was rampant. Regardless of this, and his relative small size, he went on to become that promotion's third World Champion, defeating then champ and current fellow OJ-FWA competitor Russ Morgan. However, it is not those days on which his attention is now.

"Aaahhhh," he moaned, gritting his teeth. "Goddamn that asshole hit me hard."

The "asshole" in question was Tiger Miyazawa, who on episode 44 of FIGHT TV, laid a beating on SHALLOW with the aforementioned steel pipe. This came after SHALLOW's defeat at the hands of KAZU.

"I had no idea it was coming. I never had a problem with Tiger. Even had a few beers with him last week."

What SHALLOW is describing is not at all uncommon with Tiger Miyazawa. He has been known to be pleasant company, then seemingly turn at the drop of a hat. Brad Harris experienced this side of Miyazawa quite vividly. After their World Tour match, Miyazawa gave no indication of any hard feelings after his defeat. Then, while backstage at Champion's Soul 2010, Miyazawa laid a beating to Harris that culminated in an encounter at Yuuki Matsuri 2011.

It is speculated that the true object of Miyazawa's rage was actually KAZU; that it was an attempt to get his attention. Miyazawa had been an ongoing thorn in KAZU's side for quite some time, as evidenced by my previous interview with him.

Despite all this, SHALLOW, the man who has only been defeated by submission twice in his career, remains upbeat. "I'm sure that he'll be just as nice to me tonight, as we're supposed to talk this over at Starmoon (a local snack pub in nearby Yamanashi City). I just hope that this idea doesn't get into his head again."