(NOAH) NOAH NEWSLETTER VOL.188 ~ 13TH OCTOBER 2022

NEWS

Antonio Inoki passes away

Antonio Inoki passed away from heart failure on the 1st October aged 79. Coming from Baba’s All Japan, Inoki had nothing to do with Noah, but they marked his passing nonetheless with a memorial ceremony. New Japan wrestlers Keiji Mutoh (Inoki used to call The Three Musketeers “The Three Idiots”), Kazuyuki Fujita (who had been to pay his respects to Inoki following his passing and came away in years) and Masakatsu Funaki, stood in the ring as the bell rang and Mutoh held the picture of Inoki. The roster stood around the ring. Kendo Kashin it seemed had a lot to do with Inoki in his final few months of life, recalling an incident where he stubbed his toe and while this would have been minor if not trivial in a healthy person, for Inoki who had such frail skin, it was like a major injury. Noah Director Narihiro Takeda, who also came from New Japan, had his own tribute. When fans filed out of Korakuen that evening he played “Six Travelers”. A musical theme that was used at “World of Pro Wrestling” and was associated with Inoki. Takeda said that Noah will play this at every venue until the end of the month.

 Kenta Kobashi was the only Giant Baba student to visit Antonio Inoki’s wake. Inoki had met Kobashi about once or twice (they never met in the ring), and said that he could sense Baba’s genes in him. Kobashi said he went as Baba’s student and also because Inoki was a grand senior. With Inoki’s passing, the early generation of Puroresu comes to a close.

Kenoh and Katsuhiko Nakajima challenge for the GHC Heavyweight Tag Titles

Kenoh and Katsuhiko Nakajima challenged for the GHC Heavyweight Tag Titles at Korakuen Hall on October 7th. Nakajima delivered the challenge as Sugiura lay decimated on the mat. Draping both the belts over them, Nakajima told “Taka and Satoshi”, that they were just two old men playing at being actors, and the tag belts were going to grow old with them. There have been no titles matches as of yet, but the title match has been set for Ariake Stadium on the 30th October.

Masakatsu Funaki is challenged by Kazushi Sakuraba, stipulations made by Funaki

Masakatsu Funaki defended the GHC National against Masa Kitamiya on the 30th September, and was jumped by a very familiar looking masked man afterwards, who turned out to be Kazuyuki Sakuraba. Funaki had intended to do the match on the 30th October under normal wrestling rules, but a pre match with Sakuraba at Korakuen Hall convinced him otherwise and he decided to make a stipulation whereby the match could only be won by either knock out, total knock out or submission. Pinfalls did not apply.

 A taster is coming up involving Hideki Suzuki and Kenoh on the 16th October:

– Winning is by KO, TKO or submission only with no pinfall. No referee stops as long as you can stand.

– Match will be stopped by three strikes in leaving the ringside area, eye rakes, use of belt, biting & breaking opponents submissions.

 Kaito Kiyomiya vs The Beast

Kaito Kiyomiya and Kazuyuki Fujita had one pre-match, which was won by Kazuyuki Fujita power-bombing Yoshiki Inamura for the win. Kiyomiya had unwittingly sent Fujita into beast mode by slapping him when on the ropes, which caused a grin to spread over Fujita’s face. At the end of the match, he pulled Kiyomiya up by his hair and wildly embraced him again, nuzzling like a wild animal. This match which took place on the 7th October at Korakuen, so far remains their one and only pre match.

 Keiji Mutoh in Fukuoka

With fans demanding his appearance, Keiji Mutoh will appear in the ring rather than on commentary or doing autographs when Noah come to Fukuoka on the 16th October. Mutoh will team with Satoshi Kojima and Ninja Mack to take on Naomichi Marufuji, HAYATA and Jack Morris. Marufuji loves to work with Jack Morris, whether it be tag or against, and was even seen once to be gently pushing him towards the ring. For HAYATA, who has called Great Muta and himself “The Phantom Tag” (and “he doesn’t like to speak and neither do I”), Keiji Mutoh has been a big influence on him.

Kaito Kiyomiya makes a tag for DragonGate x Noah in November

On 6th October, Kaito Kiyomiya came to DragonGate to make a tag between himself and Yuki Yoshioka against Kenoh and Kota Minoura. Minoura tried to attack Kiyomiya and was given a taste of The Shining Wizard in return.

NOSAWA wants Shuji Kondo

NOSAWA has been on the usual frenetic course these past few weeks. First of all he declared he wanted a match against Kenoh and Katsuhiko Nakajima, but they both ignored him. Kenoh was busy with the GHC Heavyweight at the time and then the two of them became involved with the GHC Heavyweight Tag Belts. NOSAWA seeing he was getting nowhere as as Perros are a man down (I am afraid I do not know what has happened to Kotaro Suzuki except that he is not on any October cards), has decided to try and lure Shuji Kondo away from Kongoh. Kondo was not interested and threw the t-shirr that Perros had gifted him back at their feet. NOSAWA doesn’t look to be giving up any time soon, stating that Kondo is wasted in Kongoh.

M’s alliance is back…kind of

Speaking of frenetic activity, Kendo Kashin has restarted the M’s alliance. The fact that his names do not start with an M doesn’t bother him, and he has recruited Masato Tanaka and Masaaki Mochizuki into this new tag. Naomichi Marufuji complained, and after doing the M’s alliance pose with Kashin, got thrown into some metal ringside barriers. Kashin then challenged the GHC Heavyweight Tag Champions, Satoshi Kojima and Takashi Sugiura for the belts. Not realizing the belts had been challenged for. Sugiura intimated they may honor that challenge.

ELSEWHERE IN NOAH

– Very sadly it does not look as if Hitoshi Kumano will be returning to Noah. He stated in a recent appearance on Naomichi Marufuji’s drinking challenge, that he was now working for his wife’s fathers business. His profile has also been removed from the Noah roster page on the official site.

– Kaito Kiyomiya, a stubborn Noah Born, was not to be outdone by Yoshiki Inamura and carried the winners Niigata rice bale on his shoulders to the back himself.

– Kendo Kashin told Satoshi Kojima he was a cheapskate who took home grilled meat from Yakiniku restaurants. Kashin said that Suwama was even worse, as apparently he took home the raw meat.

– Mitsuharu Misawa wrote in “Donmai Donmai” that Takashi Sugiura’s blog (and “limited to Sugiura only”) was “sex stories”. Fortunately he did not elaborate.

– Katsuhiko Nakajima and Manabu Soya forgot to do the Kongoh pose, leaving Kenoh standing in the ring. Nakajima was on the apron and Soya had jumped off and had to roll back in when the two realized Kenoh was still in the ring.

– Kenoh had a grumble in a recent column about Kiyomiya going blonde and suggested that since he was copying Keiji Mutoh, he might like to copy him in other ways such as “As it’s Mutoh’s inheritance, an open waistcoat and mustache would be good. However, thin eyebrows are definitely not a good idea.”

– Nothing has been announced for a new name for Transformed Shining Wizard, I think Kiyomiya may just keep it as that.

– Kenta Kobashi did not get a free copy of KENTA’S autobiography from KENTA, it was sent to him by a fan. No doubt he will see Jun Akiyama’s influence in the pages when KENTA tells sarcastic stories.

– Yoshiki Inamura threw Hideki Suzuki out of the ring, over the top rope, by his hair.

EVENT RECAPS AND POST MATCH PROMOS

• STAR NAVIGATION 2022 (SEPTEMBER 30TH ANDAIJIMA MULTI-PURPOSE SQUARE OGAMA, NIIGATA)

Event recap

Post match interviews

• STAR NAVIGATION 2022 (OCTOBER 7TH, KORAKUEN HALL TOKYO)

Event recap

Post match interviews

• STAR NAVIGATION 2022 (OCTOBER 8TH, KORAKUEN HALL TOKYO)

Event recap

Post match interviews

CURRENT CHAMPIONS

• GHC Heavyweight Champion: Kaito Kiyomiya
  Challenger: Kazuyuki Fujita, [Muto Retirement Road] ABEMA presents Ariake Gaisen-THE RETURN-PRO-WRESTLING LOVE FOREVER . 3 ~TRIUMPH~ Sunday 30th October, Ariake Arena, Tokyo
•  GHC Junior Champion: HAYATA
  Challenger: Ninja Mack, [Muto Retirement Road] ABEMA presents Ariake Gaisen-THE RETURN-PRO-WRESTLING LOVE FOREVER . 3 ~TRIUMPH~ Sunday 30th October, Ariake Arena, Tokyo
• GHC Heavyweight Tag Champions: KojiSugi (Satoshi Kojima & Takashi Sugiura)
  Challengers: Kongoh (Kenoh and Katsuhiko Nakajima), [Muto Retirement Road] ABEMA presents Ariake Gaisen-THE RETURN-PRO-WRESTLING LOVE FOREVER . 3 ~TRIUMPH~ Sunday 30th October, Ariake Arena, Tokyo
• GHC Junior Tag Champions: The Noah Junior Regulars (Atsushi Kotoge & Seiki Yoshioka)
  Challengers: Kongoh Juniors (Tadasuke & Hi69), [Muto Retirement Road] ABEMA presents Ariake Gaisen-THE RETURN-PRO-WRESTLING LOVE FOREVER . 3 ~TRIUMPH~ Sunday 30th October, Ariake Arena, Tokyo
• GHC National Champion: Masakatsu Funaki
  Challenger: Kazushi Sakuraba, [Muto Retirement Road] ABEMA presents Ariake Gaisen-THE RETURN-PRO-WRESTLING LOVE FOREVER . 3 ~TRIUMPH~ Sunday 30th October, Ariake Arena, Tokyo

THIS WEEK IN NOAH

–  Friday, October 14th

SUNNY VOYAGE 2022 – Kumamoto Castle Hall Civic Hall

Time: 18:30 JST

Broadcast: WrestleUniverse (from 18:00 JST on 17th October)

 – Saturday, October 15th

SUNNY VOYAGE 2022 – Sun Arena Sendai

Time: 17:00 JST

Broadcast: WrestleUniverse (at a later date)

 – Sunday, October 16th

ABEMA presents DEMOLITION STAGE 2022 in FUKUOKA – Fukuoka International Centre

Time: 15:00 JST

Broadcast: ABEMA (Live)

 *Note about broadcasts

Unless you are living in Japan or have a VPN you know is compatible with ABEMA, please do not subscribe to the service. For fans living outside of Japan, a subscription to WrestleUniverse would be better as they show more Noah shows than ABEMA, and usually the events get uploaded very quickly. ABEMA broadcasts are only in Japanese, you can only watch them live, and this is the only Noah they show. They do not broadcast old shows as these belong to Samurai TV.

 LINKS

Akitoshi’s Tsurezuregusa

Daiki Inaba towards the Pro Wrestling Noah Kumamoto Event

Wrestling Showmaker: Narihiro Takeda

The Kyushu Tour Opens, October 14th is Hometown Kumamoto Event – Note by Seiki Yoshioka

“I wanted you to say “Idiot” Keiji Mutoh mourns Inoki at his retirement event in February next year

Moving towards the return to the holy land of Ariake on October 30th, introducing the highlights of the Korakuen Hall events on October 7th and 8th

Frog DX Series – Mighty Warrior! I asked a pro wrestler the secret to his strength!

 WEEKLY PRO ARTICLES

“Follow Me You Bastards” – Kenoh’s column (13th September 2022)

Mitsuharu Misawa Post Match Comments (13th January 2001, Noah vs ZERO-1)

Now or Never – interview with Kaito Kiyomiya

BOOK CORNER

“Donmai, Donmai” – Mitsuharu Misawa’s diary

 With thanks to: Metal-Noah

GIF credit: WrestleUniverse

Picture credit: Tokyo Sports (Kenta Kobashi), Weekly Pro (Kazushi Sakuraba and Masakatsu Funaki)