At the closing moments of his biggest match yet, the challenger named Ralph Imabayashi was struggling to get out of the entrapment set up by Bryan Leo. Ralph slowly but surely fought off the submission move with some well placed elbow strikes to the champion before he connected with his patented finishing move, the Sonic Crusher. He pinned Bryan Leo for 1-2-3…and then his dream came true. Ralph Imabayashi stood inside the PWR and was crowned the third PWR Champion in the company’s history. There was no doubt that Ralph ended 2015 with one of the biggest wins of his professional wrestling career.
Ralph Imabayashi, the current PWR Champion, made his debut last 2015 at PWR Vendetta against John Sebastian. He wowed the Revo-Nation with his lightning fast kicks and his sonic crusher that would send them to cheers. But the road to the pinnacle of the PWR was not an easy road for the young man to navigate. He has had his fair share of struggles such as his loss at the hands of Ken Warren during the PHX Title finals. However, regardless of how much he fell down, the young man continued to rise up from the ground and rise up he did.
Ralph grabbed a hold of one key victory, a win over John Sebastian during PWR Live 2, and it set the stage for his triumphant moment at PWR Terminus as the PWR Champion. We had an opportunity to chat with the PWR champion and here’s what we got for your wheninmanila.com exclusive with Ralph Imabayashi!
Q: When did the dream of being a professional wrestler start for Ralph Imabayashi ?
Ralph: I started dreaming at a very young age. The first time I got to know professional wrestling was through a video game named SmackDown!: Here Comes the Pain. When I played it, I was like “Whoa, this is cool! What sport is this?” I didn’t know then that it was wrestling. Before that, I never knew such a thing existed. So yeah, I was surprised when I turned on the TV to see wrestlers like JBL or Ric Flair and the others. It was so cool!
Q: In that video game, who were the wrestlers you would use most of the time?
Ralph: It was either Rey Mysterio or Ultimo Dragon.
Q: Did the two wrestlers, mostly known for high flying moves, influence your wrestling style in the ring?
Ralph: I can’t say yes, but the style or the way I carry myself can be a ‘yes’. Both Myterio and Ultimo Dragon have that ‘small guy, but big heart’ kind of look to them.
Q: Speaking of wrestling moves, one of the Revo-Nation’s favorite move is your Sonic Crusher. How long did it take for you to master that finisher?
Ralph: At first, I was reluctant to use it since it really did hurt my back. But now, I kept it since it’s very effective. You know, the pain is nothing compared to the love for the sport.
Ralph vs Peter Versoza: One of his toughest opponents
Q: A lot of the fans say that your match with Peter Versoza was one of the highlights of PWR last year. Now that you are the PWR champion, will we see a possible rematch between yourself and Peter Versoza? Do you have a battle plan against him?
Ralph: Peter gave me everything in that match. He threw me everywhere in that ring. I would say ‘yes’, I’d agree to a rematch but I feel like I need a game plan for him. Remember, I had to choke the life out of him the last match just so I can hit him with my Sonic Crusher…before kicking out at the count of 3. Alternatively, HE might have a game plan that might beat me if I’m not too careful. I believe it will be a good match.
Q: What can we expect in 2016 for Ralph Imabayashi?
Ralph: Expect the same ‘match of the night’ performances and all that. Expect me, this kid, to entertain you inside the squared circle. I mean that’s what wrestling is about, it’s all about the people..the fans. 2016 is gonna be about them, the PWR Revo-Nation!
Catch the PWR Champion, Ralph Imabayashi, and the rest of the PWR superstars this coming Sunday as PWR goes…LIVE! PWR Live, January 31st at the iACADEMY Auditorium. Get your tickets now!
PWR In-Ring Photos by: Hub Pacheco
