Tag: NOAH

NOAH title to be defended at NJPW Destruction in Kobe

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Junior Heavyweight Championship will be on the line this weekend at an NJPW event.

NJPW star Hiromu Takahashi became the new GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion earlier this month. He’s now set to make his first defense at NJPW Destruction in Kobe this Sunday, where he will face off against Taiji Ishimori. The match was made after Ishimori scored the fall over Takahashi in a six-man tag on NJPW’s Road to Destruction tour.

“The bout represents the first time the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship has been defended in an NJPW ring since April 27, 2004, when then champion Jushin Thunder Liger defended against Kotaro Suzuki in Hiroshima,” NJPW wrote.

“Hiromu already had a first defense scheduled against NOAH’s Eita for the promotion’s October 11 Ryogoku card. Addressing the impromptu title bout, Hiromu said that the winner of himself and Ishimori would be the one to face Eita, yet Ishimori has accepted this title match on the condition that should he win, he will only defend the belt in New Japan. Hiromu’s capturing of the gold was already controversial, and his unilateral actions have drawn sharp criticism from the NOAH roster online.”

Ishimori, a star for NOAH before he joined NJPW, has held the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship three times. His most recent reign took place in 2017.

As far as NJPW’s Junior Heavyweight title is concerned, DOUKI has set his sights on a future match against champion El Desperado. They will meet in 10-man tag team action at Destruction in Kobe.

Destruction in Kobe will stream live on NJPW World starting at 3 a.m. Eastern time on Sunday. Here is the updated card

NJPW Destruction in Kobe (Sunday, September 28) —

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defends against Ren Narita
  • IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Gabe Kidd defends against Shingo Takagi
  • Yota Tsuji vs. David Finlay
  • GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi defends against Taiji Ishimori
  • IWGP Tag Team Champions Tomohiro Ishii & Taichi defend against OSKAR & Yuto-Ice
  • NEVER Openweight Champion Oleg Boltin defends against Don Fale
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Great-O-Khan
  • El Desperado, YOH, Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura & YOSHI-HASHI vs. DOUKI, SHO, EVIL, SANADA & Dick Togo

WOL: The sameness of SmackDown

Posted on by Jim Valley

Image: WWE

It’s the Saturday Wrestling Observer Live with Jim Valley.

This weekend has an international flavor with Friday’s TNA Emergence, Saturday’s TripleMania & the finals of the G1 Climax tournament, AEW Collision, NOAH, and the main event of CMLL’s 91st Anaversario card set.

Meanwhile, Friday’s WWE SmackDown felt like a lot of the same wrestlers doing the same things against the same opponents and the same outcomes. There’s a lot of top quality talent, but I feel like I’ve seen it again and again.

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NOAH wrestlers including The Great Muta encourage Yoshiki Inamura on WWE NXT

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Some familiar faces encouraged Yoshiki Inamura ahead of his NXT title match.

During NXT, a video package aired showing Inamura defeating Jasper Troy on last week’s show to become the number one contender for Oba Femi’s NXT Championship, with the two set to square off at Saturday’s Great American Bash. Pro Wrestling NOAH stars The Great Muta, Naomichi Marufuji, Ulka Sasaki, and Kaito Kiyomiya were then seen showing messages of encouragement, as well as current WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY. The video ended with Muta telling Inamura in English that he can become a champion.

Inamura has been part of NXT since November of last year, taking an excursion from NOAH to train at the WWE Performance Center. He quickly formed a tag team with Josh Briggs and has seen some success, though the two have yet to win the NXT Tag Team titles.

In storyline, there was a brief period where Inamura had to head back to Japan as Briggs feuded with The Culling. But Inamura made his return at Battleground, helping Briggs and Hank & Tank to defeat The Culling in a six-man tag match.

Big Audio Nightmare: Incredible BOSJ finals & tourney wrap-up, Stardom, NOAH

Posted on by Adam Summers

The Big Audio Nightmare is back as Adam Summers & Mike Sempervive talk about everything happening in the very busy world of Japanese wrestling.

This week’s topics include:

  • The incredible NJPW Best of the Super Juniors finals between YOH and Kosei Fujita
  • In-depth thoughts on the NJPW BOSJ as a whole
  • The latest major shows from Stardom and Marigold
  • OZAWA’s latest title defense and Team 2000X jumping the shark
  • A look at major shows from AJPW, Dragon Gate, and more

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Big Audio Nightmare: OZAWA’s impact, Champion Carnival, BOSJ ups & downs

Posted on by Adam Summers

The Big Audio Nightmare is back as Adam Summers & Mike Sempervive talk about everything happening in the very busy world of Japanese wrestling.

This week’s topics include:

  • The impact of OZAWA on Pro Wrestling NOAH’s business
  • Thoughts on the current state of Kaito Kiyomiya
  • AJPW Champion Carnival and looming Saito Brothers battle
  • Saya Kamitani vs Sayaka Kurara and what it meant for Stardom’s future
  • A detailed look at the first half of the BOSJ including what is working and what isn’t

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KENTA rejoins Pro Wrestling NOAH, removed from NJPW roster page

Posted on by Ethan Renner

KENTA has returned to Pro Wrestling NOAH, signing a contract with the promotion.

After a five-plus year run in NJPW, the Japanese legend is returning to the company where he made his name in the 2000s and 2010s. The company held a press conference to announce the contract signing with NOAH wrestler and EVP Naomichi Marufuji sitting alongside his former rival. The presser streamed live on YouTube.

KENTA wrestled primarily for NOAH from 2000 to 2014, first starring in the company’s junior heavyweight division and capturing the GHC Junior Heavyweight title on three occasions. He later moved to the heavyweight division and held the GHC Heavyweight title once.

He left the promotion in 2014 to join WWE NXT as Hideo Itami, but would return to NOAH for a one-off against Marufuji in 2018.

KENTA left WWE in 2019, and joined NJPW making a surprise debut at Dominion that June, joining Bullet Club. He also made four guest appearances for NOAH while with NJPW. He has been removed from NJPW’s roster page.

The press conference is embedded below.

Big Audio Nightmare: Stardom Korakuen recap, NJPW in Osaka, the Omos/NOAH era ends

Posted on by Adam Summers

Image: NOAH

The Big Audio Nightmare is back as Mike Sempervive and I talk about everything happening in the very busy world of Japanese wrestling.

This week’s topics include:

  • A good laugh at the NOAH/Omos/WWE situation
  • Stardom’s incredible Korakuen double main event
  • Saya Kamitani’s emergence as a major star
  • A Stardom rookie showing tremendous potential
  • In-depth preview of NJPW New Beginning in Osaka
  • Thoughts on Saito vs. Anzai in AJPW…and much more

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Pro Wrestling NOAH declares GHC Tag Team titles vacant

Posted on by Joseph Currier

With Omos heading back to WWE, Pro Wrestling NOAH’s GHC Tag Team titles have been declared vacant.

Omos and his tag team partner Jack Morris made a successful defense of the belts against Kaito Kiyomiya & Galeno over the weekend. Following the match, Omos — who had been on excursion in NOAH — announced that he is returning to WWE. He gave his title belt to Daga and said that Morris & Daga were the new champions, but NOAH has announced that the swap is not being recognized and the titles are now vacant.

“On January 25th, at the GHC Tag Championship match held at the Edion Arena Osaka 2nd Stadium, the champions Jack Morris and Omos successfully defended their titles,” the promotion wrote. “At that time, Omos handed over the GHC Tag Team Championship belts to Daga, but this transfer of the titles will not be recognized and the titles will once again be vacant.”

Omos had a 7-0 record for NOAH during this excursion, which began with him and Morris winning the GHC Tag Team titles from Naomichi Marufuji & Takashi Sugiura on January 1. Omos, Morris & Daga are all members of NOAH’s Team 2000X faction.

NOAH has not yet announced its plans for how new tag champs will be crowned.

News of Omos’ WWE return coincides with the Royal Rumble taking place this Saturday (February 1), leading to speculation that he’ll be a surprise entrant in the men’s Rumble match.

Wrestling Observer Live: WWE SmackDown, NJPW Battle in the Valley preview, Raw is SYNERGY

Posted on by Jim Valley

It’s time for a Saturday edition of Wrestling Observer Live.

We’ll talk Friday’s WWE SmackDown and ask if WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton is a heel that fans cheer or a “mean girl” babyface? Also, the talented Los Garzas finally won a match.

I will also preview tonight’s NJPW Battle in the Valley show.

The biggest star on WWE Raw Monday was Netflix. We’ll talk about “RAW Is SYNERGY!,” Vince McMahon being vague, and a title change in NOAH.

It’s another packed show so check it out.

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

Big Audio Nightmare: Tokyo Dome weekend preview, the latest in NOAH, Stardom & AJPW

Posted on by Adam Summers

The Big Audio Nightmare is back as myself and Mike Sempervive talk about everything happening in the very busy world of Japanese wrestling.

This week’s topics include:

  • OZAWA’s star making GHC Championship victory and performance
  • Shinsuke Nakamura’s return to NOAH
  • Stardom’s triumphant Dream Queendom show
  • Starlight Kid finally wins the big one
  • AJPW Year End show hits and misses
  • In-depth previews of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom and Wrestle Dynasty
  • Much more!

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Naomichi Marufuji says he received message from Shawn Michaels

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Pro Wrestling NOAH star Naomichi Marufuji recently received a correspondence from WWE NXT boss Shawn Michaels.

Marufuji — a veteran wrestler and behind-the-scenes figure in NOAH — posted a tweet last night revealing that he’s received a message from Michaels. Though he did not disclose what the message was about, Marufuji said he was happy with it.

“Through a certain person I received a message from Shawn Michaels,” he wrote. “The contents are…I’m happy.”

At NOAH The New Year 2025 on Wednesday, the 45-year-old Marufuji shared the ring with WWE wrestler Omos in a tag team match. Omos & Jack Morris defeated Marufuji & Takashi Sugiura to become the new GHC Tag Team Champions.

WWE’s Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles have also competed in matches for Pro Wrestling NOAH as part of the working relationship that exists between the two companies. Since November, NOAH talent Yoshiki Inamura has been in the United States as a member of the NXT roster.

Michaels oversees NXT and has the job title of Senior Vice President of Talent Development, Creative in that executive role.

Omos to challenge for Tag Team titles at NOAH The New Year 2025

Posted on by Ethan Renner

WWE wrestler Omos will indeed be in action at Pro Wrestling NOAH’s The New Year 2025 event.

As first teased earlier this week, the billed seven-footer will team with Jack Morris in challenging for the GHC Tag Team Championship on January 1 at Budokan Hall. The Omos and Morris due will take on GHC Tag Team Champions Naomichi Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura.

Omos was introduced at the press conference hyping the event with former WWE wrestler Yoshitatsu accompanying him:

Omos has not wrestled since April 2024 when he took part in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the SmackDown before WrestleMania 40. He remains under contract to the promotion.

WWE United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura will also be in action at NOAH The New Year as he takes on Ulka Sasaki in a non-title match, as WWE continues their practice of sending name talent with connections to Japan for NOAH shows. Examples include Nakamura for The New Year in 2023 and 2025, plus AJ Styles worked the Destination event for the promotion this past July.

Shawn Michaels welcomes NOAH talent Yoshiki Inamura to WWE NXT

Posted on by Ethan Renner

WWE’s vice president of talent development, creative Shawn Michaels has welcomed a Pro Wrestling NOAH talent to WWE NXT.

In a social media post Tuesday as WWE NXT aired on the CW, Michaels welcomed NOAH’s Yoshiki Inamura to the WWE Performance Center to train as part of WWE and NOAH’s business partnership.

Inamura is a well-traveled international talent who has spent time in Progress and WXW this year, gaining valuable experience.

Michaels posted:

“I’m excited to welcome @noah_ghc Wrestler @noah_yoshiki to #WWENXT. This hard-hitting young man is going to be a problem for anyone he steps in the ring with. I look forward to growing NXT’s partnership with @noahglobal in the future. #WWENXT”

WWE’s partnership with NOAH has included sending AJ Styles to Japan for a match against Naomichi Marufuji earlier this year, as well as Tavion Heights and Josh Briggs taking part in NOAH’s N-1 tournament. Shinsuke Nakamura also traveled to Japan in 2023 to face The Great Muta on a NOAH show.

Pro Wrestling NOAH introducing GHC Women’s Championship

Posted on by Joseph Currier

For the first time in its history, Pro Wrestling NOAH will have a women’s champion.

The promotion announced the creation of the GHC Women’s Championship today with the inaugural title holder set to be crowned next month. A 10-woman battle royal at NOAH’s Monday Magic Autumn Episode Three event on November 11 will determine the first champion. The participants for the match have not been revealed yet.

Women’s match have taken place in NOAH since January 2023. At today’s NOAH event, there was a tag team bout where Great Sakuya (the storyline daughter of Great Muta) & Hyan defeated Sadie Gibbs & Jessy Jackson.

This will be the seventh GHC (Global Honored Crown) title to exist in NOAH. There is also the GHC Heavyweight Championship, Junior Heavyweight Championship, Tag Team titles, Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles, National Championship, and Hardcore Championship.

Established in 2001 with Mitsuharu Misawa as the first champion, the men’s GHC Heavyweight title is currently held by Kaito Kiyomiya.

The November 11 NOAH event is being held at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo and will air live on streaming service Wrestle Universe.

Big Audio Nightmare: ZSJ’s reign begins, NJPW King of Pro Wrestling review, previews

Posted on by Mike Sempervive

Image: NJPW

The Big Audio Nightmare is back as myself (Mike Sempervive) and Adam Summers talk about everything happening in the very busy world of Japanese wrestling.

This week’s topics include:

  • A full recap and review of NJPW’s King of Pro Wrestling show
  • ZSJ wins the IWGP World Title
  • Ryohei Oiwa’s performance against Shingo Takagi
  • A preview of NJPW’s Royal Quest IV show this weekend
  • A review of Kiyomiya vs Kitamiya for the GHC Title and much more!

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