NOAH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER VOL.167 ~ 11TH APRIL 2022

Shinjiro Otani

The ZERO-1 World Heavyweight Title match between Takashi Sugiura and Shinjiro Otani ended tragically. Following a suplex from Sugiura to Otani onto the turnbuckles, Otani stopped moving and the referee stopped the match. Unable to move, but fortunately to speak, Otani was rushed to hospital where he remains undergoing further tests to ascertain the extent of his injury. Both Naomichi Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura in particular have been very quiet on social media. As well as deep concern over Otani, it must have reawakened memories of that night in Hiroshima in June 2009.

NOAH Juniors vs Z-Brats, Miyawaki scolded by Harada

Junta Miyawaki lost his singles match against H.Y.O at Korakuen Hall on the 8th April. Miyawaki did come close to winning however, but H.Y.O snuck the win with the Panther Clutch. He later awarded Miyawaki minus 300 points. Daisuke Harada was furious at Junta Miyawaki for commenting on social media about being inspired by Atsushi Kotoge’s courage and how he would cherish this time before Sumo Hall and make sure when the event came that it was a success. Harada replied that how was he going to do that? It wasn’t only him who felt frustrated at his loss to H.Y.O, both they and the fans did. Perhaps he needed more special training? If he was going to be responsible for the NOAH Juniors, then he needed to think and change.

“Kamaboko Funeral” 

Kazuyuki Fujita made a dignified entrance, and one fitting a GHC Heavyweight Champion, when he came to Korakuen Hall on the 8th April, handing out springtime confectionary to the staff who were setting up the lobby (strawberry mochi). Sadly, he did not quite act as champion when Kendo Kashin who was lurking at ringside during the pre match with Go Shiozaki, handed him a can of what he thought was beer, when he thought Fujita needed some refreshment. Like some kind of crazed Popeye, Fujita went mad, power bombing Shiozaki, breaking the pin and then finally getting the win with a kick to the face. Fujita’s rampage didn’t finish there however, as after knocking down the seconds (he had the most trouble with Yoshiki Inamura), Kendo Kashin, Takashi Sugiura and Masato Tanaka. Kashin offered him some more beer and his favorite snack, Kamaboko, to try and calm The Beast. His offering did not work as Fujita downed some of the drink, poured some of it on Shiozaki, spat some on Masato Tanaka and then shoved the Kamaboko into the mouths of Go Shiozaki and Takashi Sugiura. Leaving with the GHC Heavyweight and the ZERO-1 World Heavyweight (for some reason), Fujita screamed into the cameras backstage that “I’m NOAH! I’m champion! I’m CyberFight!! Hahahaha!”

It was then that Kendo Kashin realized his mistake. It was not beer he had given to Fujita. It was Highballs.

M’s alliance reunite 

After symbolically taking off their M’s alliance armbands just a few weeks ago, Naomichi Marufuji and Masaaki Mochizuki have reunited as M’s alliance. They haven’t said whether or not members will include Masato Tanaka, Jurina Matsui or Keiji Mutoh (although it is likely), but the two of them seem to be a united front against the upstart younger wrestlers.

Eita & HAYATA

HAYATA and Eita’s vicious rivalry over the GHC Junior Heavyweight involved the returning Seiki Yoshioka, who returned to NOAH on the 8th April. In the closing stages of the match, Eita knocked out HAYATA with a kick and then as he lay on the mat dazed, unable to do anything, he made Yoshioka submit. Eita then knelt down next to HAYATA, and shoved the belt in his face, smirking. As Eita will not be at NOAH’s next (and last event before Sumo Hall), this is the final pre-match between them.

Yoshinari Ogawa vs Atsushi Kotoge

With Chris Ridgeway not joining NOAH until Sumo Hall, it has been up to Yoshinari Ogawa to hold up the STINGER honor. By that I mean in usual STINGER style, sadistic attacks which wrench muscle from bone, ligament from knees and anything else Ogawa’s inborn radar detects a weakness from. His victim in all of this has been Atsushi Kotoge. Not YO-HEY. YO-HEY STINGER seem to want in mint condition, despite the fact he almost knocked Ogawa out on the 9th March, much to HAYATA’S concern, with one of his dropkicks, which he later pinned the hapless Seiki Yoshioka with. Fans are saying that YO-HEY’S dropkick finisher is comparable to HAYATA’S Headache. Ogawa had recovered enough to attack The NOAH Junior Regulars backstage, and aim for Atsushi Kotoge’s knee. Kotoge has since had treatment for it, but no doubt with the last pre match taking place in Niigata on Sunday the 17th, STINGER will undo all of the good it did. Chris Ridgeway, Yoshinari Ogawa’s partner (and I kind of get the impression that YO-HEY and Kotoge should be saying, “This is getting out of hand, now there are two of them!”), posted

“Ogawa and I will take the GHC junior tag belts at Ryogoku and we will do it the STINGER way 😏”

“It started with me, but it ends with you”  

The issues between Yuya Susumu and Kotaro Suzuki started when a mysterious masked wrestler named Sarubahe de Oriente in 2020 showed up to partner Kotaro against HAYATA and Yoshinari Ogawa. They even challenged for the tag belts. Perhaps Kotaro should have realized something was wrong with his new friend when he used exactly the same excuse that STINGER did, “traffic”, when none of them turned up at the title match signing. Kotaro should also have done some research into his partner’s background when he turned on him in the title match, and HAYATA unmasked him as his old friend Yuya Susumu. Embarrassingly for Kotaro, Susumu had actually called HAYATA and asked him that since he was in NOAH, what did he know of Kotaro? So, Susumu joined STINGER and there matters lay for the next year and a half or so, with issues between them flaring up in Gunma at Referee Fukuda’s retirement show. Kotaro says he will humiliate Susumu at Sumo Hall, as a big stage is the best place to do it, while Susumu admits that it started with him, but it ends with Kotaro.

Haoh & Nioh name change battle

Much to Nioh’s mortification, Haoh won the first battle before their name vs name match at Sumo Hall. He hasn’t been able to win against him since, but is adamantly saying that he will not have to change his name. Haoh has elaborated a little on why he kept his name when he left Kongoh. He gave up much to come to NOAH, which included casting aside his old self, and so this name is worth fighting for. He wants to be The NOAH Junior’s Haoh, not Kongoh’s.

Masakatsu Funaki has been very helpful to Nioh, by suggesting names he might like to call himself should he lose. These names include “Great Demon King” (as the name has to have “King” in it somewhere, as Nioh’s name has the same kanji as Kenoh’s) and “The Genie Family”, which is the name of the comedy anime which “Great Demon King” was taken from. Nioh remains unenthusiastic.

Kongoh vs The Sugiura Army

Katsuhiko Nakajima and Hideki Suzuki started the war between the two teams with a singles match at Korakuen Hall on the 8th, which went to a time limit 30 minute draw. Katsuhiko Nakajima made no comment, but Hideki Suzuki had plenty to say, and posted a picture the next day of the bruises that Nakajima had inflicted on him. The next day Korakuen hosted Kenoh vs Takashi Sugiura. A match as brutal as Hideki Suzuki vs Katsuhiko Nakajima (Nakajima refused to engage him on the 9th and Misawa flash tagged in one of his team), Kenoh was eventually worn down and caused to submit by Takashi Sugiura. Sugiura put him on blast on the microphone afterwards. Kenoh was screaming in pain after the ankle lock had twisted his foot into a way that feet were not designed to bend as Nakajima helped him remove his boot. Sugiura asked him if he thought he was messing around? Well, he was serious and the only person who messed around in The Sugiura Army was Kazushi Sakuraba. Hideki Suzuki will not be in Niigata for the last pre match between the two teams on the 17th in Niigata.

Match signings & announcements

On April 13th at 1pm JST, NOAH will hold a press conference/match signing live on their official YouTube. As well as the match signings, the full card for the heavyweight night at Sumo Hall (30th April) will be announced, NOAH will make some further announcements, and also Kenoh will be making one of his own.

EVENT RECAPS AND POST MATCH INTERVIEWS

REAL OVERTURE 2022

Friday April 8th, Korakuen Hall

Event recap

Post match interviews

Saturday April 9th, Korakuen Hall

Event recap

Post match interviews

ELSEWHERE IN NOAH

– Shuji Kondo turned out to be the friend that Tadasuke, who referred to Kondo (along with Hajime Ohara) as “that guy”, who he would be calling in. NOSAWA Rongai went into hysterics about the match, branding Kongoh basically as one yen wrestlers and likening Shuji Kondo to be a mom and pop store, who they had bought candy from.

– Eita has declared that since he is the greatest  GHC Junior Champion ever, Sumo Hall will be packed out, he will win and then he thinks he may have a parade.

– Naomichi Marufuji was seen returning some feathers that fell of Kaito Kiyomiya’s coat to him. It’s a running theme in NOAH that his jackets drop feathers.

CURRENT CHAMPIONS

• GHC Heavyweight Champion: Kazuyuki Fujita
  Challenger: Go Shiozaki, “MAJESTIC 2022”, Sumo Hall, Saturday 30th April
• GHC Junior Champion: Eita
  Challenger: HAYATA, “MAJESTIC 2022 – N-Innovation”, Sumo Hall, Friday 29th April
• GHC Heavyweight Tag Champions: The Sugiura Army (Takashi Sugiura & Hideki Suzuki)
  Challengers: Kongoh (Kenoh and Katsuhiko Nakajima), “MAJESTIC 2022”, Sumo Hall, Saturday 30th April
• GHC Junior Tag Champions: The NOAH Junior Regulars (Atsushi Kotoge & YO-HEY)
  Challengers: STINGER (Yoshinari Ogawa & Chris Ridgeway), “MAJESTIC 2022 – N-Innovation”, Sumo Hall, Friday 29th April
• GHC National Champion: Masakatsu Funaki
  No challenger as of yet

THIS WEEK IN NOAH

(April schedule)

Sunday, April 17th 2022

REAL OVERTURE 2022, Bandaijima Multipurpose Plaza Large Kama (Niigata)

Starts: 17:30 JST

Broadcast: WrestleUniverse

*This will not be live, but broadcast at a later date.

Friday, April 29th 2022

ABEMA presents MAJESTIC 2022 ~ N Innovation ~, Sumo Hall (Tokyo)

Starts: 17:00 JST

Broadcast: ABEMA & WrestleUniverse

*English commentary available on WrestleUniverse

*This will also be Tadasuke’s 15 year debut anniversary

Saturday, April 30th 2022

WRESTLE UNIVERSE presents MAJESTIC 2022, Sumo Hall (Tokyo)

Starts: 15:00 JST

Broadcast: WrestleUniverse

LINKS

All Japan – Weekly Flash: This guy, Mitsuharu Misawa, whose whereabouts were unknown suddenly appeared with his wife

GIF taken from WrestleUniverse.