NEWS

Kotaro Suzuki out with Corona, three other wrestlers to isolate

Following NOAH’s event in Yokohama on the 22nd May, Kotaro Suzuki complained of feeling unwell and did a PCR test which was found to be positive. He has been withdrawn from all shows for the foreseeable future. As a result of being Kotaro’s tag partner, YO-HEY has had to self-isolate, as do Yasutaka Yano and Kai Fujimura, who where their opponents. Kotaro says he hasn’t been having any symptoms aside from probably a temperature, so hopefully the test will be a false negative. It is not known at the time of writing as to whether the four will be at the Mitsuharu Misawa memorial night on the 31st May.

Kaito Kiyomiya unleashed

During a rare singles match with NOSAWA Rongai, Kaito Kiyomiya was busted open by a chairshot and bled like he was wearing a crimson mask. There was blood everywhere, on his chest and legs, on the referee, on NOSAWA, on the mat and outside the ring and even on the audience seating. This wasn’t the last chairshot that NOSAWA was going to deliver, as Kiyomiya was counted out under a barrage of chairs which NOSAWA had thrown.

NOSAWA managed to run off backstage, slipping just out of Kiyomiya’s grasp as he lunged for him, shoving the ref aside in the process. Yoshiki Inamura ran to prevent Kiyomiya from chasing NOSAWA, but ended up with some elbows to the side of the head which knocked him down and then being stomped on in anger. Kiyomiya then went to confront the ref about the decision, grabbing him by the front of the shirt. No one at all had ever seen Kiyomiya act in this way, certainly not towards an official. Still bleeding, Kiyomiya screamed in backstage interview that he didn’t know if this was wrestling or not. Usually a very polite person, who prides himself on being fan friendly, Kiyomiya showed an attitude that had not been seen before.

The match on the 23rd was against Naomichi Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura in what NOAH called a “NOAH-ism match”, which pit NOAH’s seniors against NOAH’s next generation. There seemed to be no ill feeling between Kiyomiya and Sugiura, but the veterans were not going to miss the chance of digging into the wound, and Kiyomiya was busted open. Takashi Sugiura’s sage advice to Kiyomiya after the match was that he needed to stop worrying (about finding that spark), as it was no good.

Katsuhiko Nakajima vs Funky Express

The original match on the 23rd would have pit The Aggression vs Funky Express in their one and only pre-match. The card was changed due to Kotaro Suzuki testing positive for COVID and three others having to self-isolate, and so it became a singles match between Katsuhiko Nakajima and Mohammed Yone. Yone lost in twelve minutes against Nakajima, who taunted him after the match saying that they were on different levels and the reality was that there was no fan support for them. Yone was not put off by this, if anything it made him more determined to take the titles.

Momo No Seishun, finally triumphant

After two humiliating defeats of Hajime Ohara by STINGER twice in a row, Momo No Seishun were finally able to get a victory over their hated opponents. Daisuke Harada unleashed a vicious flurry of elbows against Yoshinari Ogawa on the 23rd May in Niigata, which resulted in a referee stop as Ogawa was knocked out. As he and Ohara grabbed the tag belts, Harada bent over Ogawa and Ohara squared up to HAYATA, holding the belt up to his face.

June calendar announced

NOAH have partially announced the dates for their June 2021 schedule. I am expecting more dates to be added before the end of May.

CyberFight Festival: Sunday, June 6th

UP TO EMOTION 2021: Wednesday, June 30th

CYBERFIGHT FESTIVAL 2021 NEWS

Sasadango back again

DDT’S Super Sasadango Machine was not going to take “No” for an answer, and came prepared when he announced he was heading to Yokohama Radiant Halls to confront Takashi Sugiura about a match with The Sugiura Army at CyberFight Festival. So, rolling up at the venue, he bought himself a ticket and sat down in the same seat that Kendo Kashin had sat in when he was stalking Kenoh. NOAH’s Iron Lady who runs the reception desk was alerted to his presence, and told him that he had to take off his mask and wear a surgical mask. Sasadango apologized and said he could not do that, first of all he was a masked wrestler and they never removed their masks, and secondly he could not wear a surgical one too, he would suffocate. When he was told that Takashi Sugiura was not in the venue tonight as he was not on the card, Sasadango left, but not before he left a packet of Allegra anti-allergy tablets for Takashi Sugiura because he had heard that Sugi was “allergic to him”, and also probably because Kazushi Sakuraba had been in an advert for them. A giggling NOSAWA later presented the gifts to an un-amused Takashi Sugiura, who said he did not want the allergy tablets (although he probably took the noodles that Sasadango had also left), and told Sasadango to “don’t come again”. NOSAWA said he found the whole thing annoying, and wanted nothing to do with it. However, Sasadango has not taken the hint, and was photographed holding a surgical mask.

Takashi Sugiura seems to have found an ally in his refusal in Kenoh. Kenoh sad he read the interview with Takashi Sugiura about not wanting the match with Sasadango (or Dino), and said he nodded along with everything that he said.

GHC Heavyweight Match Signing 

Naomichi Marufuji and Keiji Mutoh had a very special GHC Heavyweight match signing on the 17th May as they attended a signing ceremony where not only the GHC Heavyweight was signed for, but alongside it the DDT Openweight and the TJPW Princess of Princesses. As the GHC Heavyweight is the oldest belt, Marufuji and Mutoh will take the main event on June 6th.

YouTube link to match signing 

EVENT RECAPS & POST MATCH PROMOS

Event recap: “All Out Attack” Night 2 (22nd May 2021, Yokohama Radiant Halls)

Event recap: “All Out Attack” Night 3 (23rd May 2021, Bandajima Multipurpose Plaza Daikama, Niigata) 

ELSEWHERE IN NOAH

~ Yoshiki Inamura did a YouTube video about his tire training. He managed to turn up about half an hour late (no doubt he had found a dog to pet, a cat to play with or a bug to rescue from the middle of the road). Later in another video, he lifted 420kg when the presenter of “Deluxe” sat on the biggest tire.

~ NOAH announced a sellout crowd of 151 at Yokohama Radiant Halls

~ Junta Miyawaki’s perennially ill-fitting knee-pads slid down to his ankles in Niigata

~ In other Yoshiki Inamura news, he is planning a new ring costume. He hasn’t said when he will debut it though.

CURRENT CHAMPIONS

• GHC Heavyweight Champion: Keiji Mutoh
  Challenger: Naomichi Marufuji (6th June 2021, “CyberFight Festival”)
• GHC Junior Champion: Atsushi Kotoge
  Challenger: Yuya Susumi (Monday May 31st, “Mitsuharu Misawa ~ Forever in Our Hearts 2021”)
• GHC Heavyweight Tag Champions: The AGGRESSION (Katsuhiko Nakajima & Masa  Kitamiya)
  Challengers: Funky Express (Mohammed Yone & Shuhei Taniguchi) (Monday May 31st, “Mitsuharu Misawa ~ Forever in Our Hearts 2021”)
• GHC Junior Tag Champions: STINGER (Yoshinari Ogawa & HAYATA)
  Challengers: Momo No Seishun (Daisuke Harada & Hajime Ohara) (Monday May 31st, “Mitsuharu Misawa ~ Forever in Our Hearts 2021”)
• GHC National Champion: Takashi Sugiura 
  Challenger: Kazushi Sakuraba (Monday May 31st, “Mitsuharu Misawa ~ Forever in Our Hearts 2021”)

THIS WEEK IN NOAH

Tuesday, May 25th: NOAH will hold the GHC Championship match signing ceremonies (National, Heavyweight Tag, GHC Junior and I wouldn’t hold your breath for the GHC Junior Tag taking place) at 10am JST on the official NOAH YouTube channel.

Tuesday, May 25th: You will be able to view the event on the 23rd May via WrestleUniverse. You must be a subscriber to view this show.

LINKS

“This is the turning point in my pro wrestling life”, Naomichi Marufuji on the battle with GHC Champion Mutoh

GHC Heavyweight Match signing, “I’m not aware of any other matches”, CyberFestival “Key Performer” GHC Champion Mutoh, while Marufuji emphasizes the pride of NOAH

GIF credit: WrestleUniverse

Picture credit: PKDX