(NOAH) WEEKLY NEWSLETTER VOL.12 ~ 30 NOVEMBER 2018

Hisame brings us another all in-depth review of the previous week in Pro Wrestling NOAH. Updates on Naomichi Marufuji, Global League Finals and much more!

NEWS

NAOMICHI MARUFUJI INJURED

Naomichi Marufuji was withdrawn from the finals of Global League 2018 under doctor’s orders, where he was due to face Kaito Kiyomiya, thanks to left shoulder contusion and left thigh muscle rupture (hamstring). As a result of his injury, the GHC Heavyweight tag titles have had to be vacated, and NOAH will hold a tournament to decide the new champions on the 7th December.

It is not known as of yet when he will return to NOAH, but the likelihood is given his condition (which he was scolded for when the test results came back for carrying on wrestling when he knew there was something wrong), but it will probably not be until Spring 2019.

Marufuji was not at the final night of Global League, but he has hinted that he will be present at Korakuen Hall on the 7th December for the first night of “Winter Navigation 2018” and for NOAH’s final show in Yokohama. I am not sure in what capacity, whether he will be backstage or whether he will be on commentary.

Sadly, he will not be any of the dates in-between as he apologetically explained to a fan that it is hard for him to undergo treatment in rural areas due to the commute. He’s also had to make some lifestyle changes and go to bed early, because he has to be at the clinic early, and much to his chagrin, he also not allowed alcohol.

He has had to cancel his appearance as one day manager of Yoneya as a result of his injuries, but is determined to at least make the MUSCLE GRILL Christmas Party.

However, despite the acupuncture and high-tech treatment (which includes a hyperbaric chamber and NASA designed machines to reduce inflammation), he himself has said that he will manage the condition, thanks everyone for their support, apologizes for the inconvenience (and to Kaito Kiyomiya and Akitoshi Saito in particular), and asks that people give him time.

Takashi Sugiura says that the boat will float without him with all hands on deck, and everyone (fans, wrestlers, office staff) will work hard for Noah so when he comes back, it is electric.

KIMIYA OKADA
Kimiya Okada, now given the all clear from his injury which delayed his debut in August 2018, will make his debut in a fifteen minute match on the 7th December at Korakuen Hall, against fellow trainee, Yoshiki Inamura.

The match will probably come to a draw.

“COME AT ME YOU BASTARDS” ~ KENOH’S COLUMN 
Kenoh’s column was quite emotional this week, as he ended up talking about Takeshi Morishima (Livedoor News are reporting that the charges have been dropped, but no one else is reporting this, so the report is probably false).

Kenoh says that he was horrified to hear what happened, but he was glad that Morishima had at least admitted his guilt and was honest about it. He says that he wishes he could have done more, made Morishima stay in Gifu, but there was nothing he could do, and Morishima wouldn’t listen. Kenoh had tried to tell him that he couldn’t give it his all in the ring and in his social life, (i.e. burning the candle in both ends), and that Morishima’s insistence on other people helping him was a very bad thing when Morishima could easily have helped himself. The whole thing was a mess, and Kenoh concludes that Morishima in the big city was chaotic. He says that Morishima needs to get better in an “isolated clinic” (same as a secure unit for mental health) would be best, and he will always support him.

ZERO ONE VS NOAH
HAYATA fell to SUGI (not Takashi Sugiura) in the finals of ZERO-ONE’S World Junior Tournament, and as HAYATA doesn’t speak much (or rather, can’t really get a word in), so YO-HEY made the challenge for ZERO-ONE to come to Noah and face them there.

SUGI, Shoki Kitamura and Tatsuhito Takaiwa will face off against YO-HEY, HAYATA & Tadasuke on the 7th December.

IPW
IPW have announced that some of the NOAH juniors will be coming back in January 2019. Names to be announced.

TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT
Due to Naomichi Marufuji’s injury, the GHC Heavyweight Tag Titles have been vacated.

NOAH will hold a tournament on the 7th December to decide the winner, competing teams are:

• 50 Funky Powers
• Maybach Taniguchi & Cody Hall
• Kenoh & Masa Kitamiya
• Katsuhiko Nakajima & Go Shiozaki

Kenoh and Kitamiya teamed a few years ago and held the GHC Heavyweight Tag championships for about a day, that was until Kenoh ditched him for Takashi Sugiura.

CURRENT TOUR RECAP
So, with Naomichi Marufuji injured, NOAH held a three way match between Kenoh, Katsuhiko Nakajima and Kohei Sato to decide the number one contender to go to the finals and face Kaito Kiyomiya. All three were from A Block, and had the highest points with a history of win or lose over Marufuji.

The match was won by Katsuhiko Nakajima (who as ever, smirked, wound the other two up, sat back outside the ring to watch them kick each other and basically acted like your annoying kid brother).

The Chinese wrestler, MA Zhu-Jiang, made his NOAH debut, and many people want to see more of him. He himself says he wants to be GHC Heavyweight Champion.

Mitsuya Nagai announced that there will be a new member of “The Hooligans”, who will be announced on the 7th December at Korakuen Hall, leading to fan speculation of who this could be.

Theories range from: Masa Kitamiya, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Jay Bradley or MA.

Kitamiya, however, seems to be the strongest contender.

Earlier in the day, Hajime Ohara was made the honorary chief of police of Kawasaki, (and he pretty much wore his sash everywhere), and he said the line of the evening when after Hi69 & Minoru Tanaka had beaten Koji Kanemoto and Hiroshi Yamamoto for the belts, that he would arrest Seiya Morohashi for “obstruction of public activities” if he got in the way of The Backbreakers making a title challenge.

The Backbreakers will challenge for the titles on the 16th December at “Great Voyage in Yokohama Vol.2”

Tadasuke faced off against Kotaro Suzuki for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship, and failed in his attempt (although massive fan support was for him and even Suzuki had kind words to say about him afterwards).

Daisuke Harada made the challenge afterwards, and Suzuki gave him a stipulation; he will give him the title match, but if Harada loses then RATELS disband, and he shaves his head in penance.

Harada accepted.

Match has been set for the 16th December in Yokohama.

Kaito Kiyomiya and Katsuhiko Nakajima faced off against each other in the finals in a highly intense match to a charged atmosphere. Kiyomiya showing how far he has come since the beginning of the year.

However, he is still a very polite boy, as when Sugiura got in the ring (he had been doing commentary), he asked him for a title match. Sugiura said he had no choice but to give him one. Kiyomiya then said he would be the new face of NOAH, and thanked everyone.

Kaito Kiyomiya has made history this year, he has been the youngest person to win Global Tag League and now the youngest person to win Global League, both of which are records and considering his age, is unlikely to be beaten unless a real prodigy comes along who is younger.

Full recap of Global League 2018 can be found here 

GHC BELT NEWS

• GHC Heavyweight Champion: Takashi Sugiura
• GHC Junior Champion: Kotaro Suzuki
• GHC Heavyweight Tag Champions: Vacant
• GHC Junior Tag Champions: Minoru Tanaka & Hi69

TOUR TIDBITS
“I did it! I took it from the champion! This is my entry to the final!! Aaah….what? I’m wrong? What a system! The end is 100 points, like a quiz show! Doesn’t it seem like it? Damn it!” ~ Atsushi Kotoge after beating Takashi Sugiura at Global League 2018.

Masao Inoue and Akitoshi Saito have to hide anything sweet they have from the locker room.

KING SHAMELESS CORNER
None this week as he’s managed to behave himself in Taiwan.

BROADCASTS
The final night of Global League, 25th November, will be broadcast at 6pm on Saturday 8th December
The event on the 12th December, will be broadcast on the 15th December
The event on the 16th December, will be broadcast on the 22nd December

HEIR TO THE ARK 
Farewell All Japan, Hello NOAH

English translation of Naomichi Marufuji’s biography has reached almost the end of Chapter 2, where he takes part in the walkout from All Japan.

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