https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/354322
>In the official A-block match of the New Japan Pro-Wrestling midsummer festival "G1 Climax" held in Takamatsu on the 1st, Yuya Uemura (30) won his fourth victory over Hiroshi Tanahashi (48). While Uemura is expected to be Tanahashi's "successor" when he retires at the Tokyo Dome on January 4th next year, his goal is to become a unique wrestler. What is the true intention behind him being the only person currently putting himself forward to be Tanahashi's opponent in his retirement match?

>After winning a fierce exchange of blows in the final stages, Uemura grabbed both of Tanahashi's arms and prepared for his deadly Kannuki Suplex. Tanahashi tried to escape with a series of headbutts, but Uemura tenaciously held on to his clutches and unleashed a powerful burst of power to get the three count. After the match, in the ring, he declared with confidence, "Now that I've beaten Hiroshi Tanahashi, I'm only going to keep rising. Yuya Uemura is the sun of New Japan Pro-Wrestling!"

>Uemura, who calls himself "Taiyo" among the new generation warriors and officially became a member of the main team in June, is often touted as the successor to Tanahashi, who is set to retire next year. However, Uemura himself says, "Ever since I was young, I've often been told, 'You look like Tanahashi when he was young,' but I don't like being told that. It's up to the people around me how they see me, but I want to create my own ideal of pro wrestling," and has no such awareness whatsoever.

>After losing a singles match against Tanahashi at the Korakuen Hall event in June 2021, someone called out to him in the ring, "You can become an ace." Even though he knew it was a sign of high expectations and the highest form of praise, he was unable to accept it. "I felt very frustrated. I didn't want to be confined to the mold of Hiroshi Tanahashi, or rather, I didn't want to fit into Tanahashi's image of an ace. I still feel that way," he recalls.