“Jungle Boy” Jack Perry Responds To SANADA – As you well aware of, SANADA issued an open challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, and the challenge was accepted by “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry.

As noted, while speaking to Tokyo Sports, SANADA said that he was expecting a bigger challenger, and is unfamiliar with Perry.

During an interview with WrestleZone, Perry responded to SANADA and said he’s excited for the bout.

“Yeah, I saw [the story]. I’m going to be completely honest. I was a little bit relieved when I saw that because I have been feeling a little guilty, kind of secretly. I’ve never seen a SANADA match in my life,” he admitted. “I was feeling a little bit guilty about that, like, ‘Oh my God, that’s kind of rude’ or whatever. But then he said that, and I was like, ‘Okay, that’s great.’

“I haven’t watched anything other than Kenny and Will Ospreay in New Japan since Cody and Kenny and The Young Bucks left and started AEW, so I have not seen any of that. I don’t really keep up with that,” he added. “I don’t think he has any particular reason to know too much about me, but I think it’s gonna be fun because we’re gonna learn pretty much everything there is to know when we’re kicking each other in the face on pay-per-view.”

“I’m looking forward to the match, and getting in there with him and experiencing this is going to be equal to kind of top Japanese talent. For me, my goal that I said at the very beginning of the year,” Perry explained, “is that I’m going to become a world champion.

“And it doesn’t really matter to me, who ends up across the ring for me,” Perry added. “It’s about the championship that he has. And that’s what the deal is for me. So I’m gonna do it. I’m going to take the championship back to AEW; it’s gonna be a good night.”

Perry has only had one interaction with SANADA before and doesn’t believe the comments were ill-intended. On the other hand, Perry has had plenty of face time with Tony Khan in AEW. During his Forbidden Door media call on Thursday, Khan said Perry was his first choice for the match with SANADA. Asked how he felt about Khan holding him in such high regard, Perry said he plans on showing Khan he was right to believe in him.

“That’s sweet; I appreciate that. I think Tony has been very generous and given me a lot of opportunities. And I think you’re always going to have the people who kind of want to take away or try and diminish things,” he explained, “I feel like pretty much all the time, I’ve delivered on what I’ve been given.

“I think maybe people were a little bit surprised that my first introduction to the world of New Japan is going to be going for the Heavyweight Championship. But it is what it is. I’m not going to not take the opportunity, and I’m stoked to be able to do that on such a big stage especially. From what I have seen, New Japan has a lot of great guys that I would I love to go to Japan [to work with]. I’ve never been, and I think that’s on the bucket list for sure. It means a lot to me that Tony has that confidence in me, and I definitely going into it, want to deliver on that for him.”

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door takes place on Sunday, June 25 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Watch our full interview with ‘Jungle Boy’ Jack Perry below:

“Jungle Boy” Jack Perry Responds To SANADA