Tag: Pro Wrestling NOAH

Matches added to NJPW/AJPW/NOAH All Together Again card

Posted on by Bryan Rose

More matches have been added to next weekend’s All Together Again card.

A battle of the junior heavyweight wrestlers will take place on June 9 at Sumo Hall. NOAH’s Amasuka, AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Champion Atsuki Aoyagi, and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi will face Master Wato of NJPW, Rising Hayato of AJPW, and Hayata, the GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion. Amasuka and Takahashi battled at Keiji Muto’s retirement show in February, with Takahashi scoring the win.

NJPW’s United Empire (Francesco Akira, TJP, Aaron Henare, Great-O-Khan, and Jeff Cobb) will battle against members of the AJPW roster which include Jun Saito, Rei Saito, Hikaru Sato, and Dan Tamura. NJPW’s preview of the new matches noted that Akira, who was in AJPW before jumping to NJPW, had a history with Sato and Tamura in AJPW.

A singles match was also added, with NJPW’s Shota Umino taking off against Yoshitatsu, who graduated from the NJPW Dojo in 2002. After being released by WWE, Yoshitatsu rejoined NJPW in 2014 before eventually debuting for AJPW in November of 2017, where he’s remained since.

Some of NOAH’s most well-known wrestlers will also be in action. Go Shiozaki and Katsuhiko Nakajima will team to take on Hokuto Omori and Shuji Ishikawa, while Naomichi Marufuji will team with Takashi Sugiura and Junta Miyawaki to take on NJPW’s Ren Narita, Minoru Suzuki, and El Desperado.

Here is the updated card for All Together Again, which will air on NJPW World’s PPV service:

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kento Miyahara, and Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Kazuchika Okada, Yuma Aoyagi, and Kenoh
  • Tetsuya Natio, Shingo Takagi, and BUSHI vs. Yuji Nagata, Suwama, and Yuma Anzai
  • Tomohiro Isihi, Hirooki Goto, and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Masa Kitamiya, Daiki Inaba, and Yoshiki Inamura

  • Amasuka (NOAH), Atsuki Aoyagi (AJPW), and Hiromu Takahashi (NJPW) vs. Master Wato (NJPW), Rising Hayato (AJPW), and Hayata (NOAH)

  • NJPW’s Kosei Fujita and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. NOAH’s Chris Ridgeway and Sean Legacy

  • United Empire (NJPW’s Francesco Akira, TJP, Aaron Henare, Great-O-Khan, and Jeff Cobb) vs. AJPW’s Jun Saito, Rei Saito, Ryuki Honda, Hikaru Sato, and Dan Tamura

  • Shota Umino (NJPW) vs. Yoshitatsu (AJPW)

  • AJPW’s Hokuto Omori and Shuji Ishikawa vs. NOAH’s Go Shiozaki and Katsuhiko Nakajima

  • Ren Narita, El Desperado, and Minoru Suzuki vs. NOAH’s Naomichi Marufuji, Takashi Sugiura, and Junta Miyawaki

Josh Barnett to make Pro Wrestling NOAH debut at N-1 Victory finals

Posted on by Ian Carey

Pro Wrestling NOAH has announced a big match for its September 3 show. 

Josh Barnett will make his debut for the promotion when he faces co-founder of Pancrase and two-time King of Pancrase winner, Masakatsu Funaki in a martial arts match.  

The event is the final night of the promotion’s N-1 Victory tournament and will take place from the Edion Arena in Osaka. Barnett vs. Funaki is the only match announced for the show thus far. 

Barnett recently provided English commentary at NOAH Majestic on May 4. His last match took place on March 30 when he lost to Timothy Thatcher in the main event at Bloodsport 9. 

Barnett wrote on Twitter:

September 3rd in Osaka at the Edion Arena. Masakatsu Funaki (4th & 6th King of Pancrase, AJPW Triple Crown, GHC National Championship) vs Josh Barnett (10th King of Pancrase, UFC Heavyweight Champion, Metamoris Heavyweight Champion) Let’s ride.

Funaki holds wins in MMA over names such as Frank Shamrock, Ken Shamrock, Paul Lazenby, Minoru Suzuki, and Bas Rutten. He is also the first fighter to win the King of Pancrase twice.  

In wrestling, Funaki is a former Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion in AJPW, and a GHC National Champion in NOAH. He also won the AJPW tag titles with Keiji Mutoh in 2010. 

Funaki was voted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2006. 

Big Audio Nightmare: Golden Week, NJPW Best of the Super Juniors begins

Posted on by Adam Summers

The Big Audio Nightmare is back to talk about everything happening in the world of Japanese professional wrestling.

This week’s topics include:

  • A crazy Golden Week of major shows across Japan
  • The return of Yota Tsuji and a final word on Dontaku
  • NJPW Best of the Super Juniors opening night thoughts
  • Stardom in Fukuoka review and Flashing Champions preview
  • Thoughts on big matches in Dragon Gate, NOAH, All Japan, and Big Japan
  • All Together Again matches announced

Listen here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts by searching “Big Audio Nightmare.”

Click Here To Listen for free

First matches set for NJPW/AJPW/NOAH All Together Again

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The first three matches for the joint NJPW/AJPW/NOAH All Together Again event have been announced.

The matches announced on Tuesday morning are all interpromotional tag team matches, similar to the All Together cards that took place in the 2010s. The first match set to take place on June 9 will have NOAH’s Kaito Kiyomiya, AJPW’s Kento Miyahara, and NJPW’s Hiroshi Tanahashi teaming together to take on NJPW’s Kazuchika Okada, AJPW’s Yuma Aoyagi, and NOAH’s Kenoh. Earlier this year, Okada defeated Kiyomiya in a singles match at Keiji Muto’s retirement show at the Tokyo Dome.

A second bout will have members of Los Ingobernables de Japon take on All Japan stars. Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, and BUSHI will take on Yuji Nagata, Suwama, and Yuma Anzai. Although Nagata is still under contract to NJPW, he is currently wrestling in AJPW and is the current Triple Crown Champion.

The third match will pit members of NJPW’s CHAOS stable against Pro Wrestling NOAH. Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, and Tomohiro Ishii will take on NOAH’s Masa Kitamiya, Daiki Inaba, and Yoshiki Inamura.

Here is the current lineup for All Together Again, which will air on pay-per-view via NJPW World:

  •  Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kento Miyahara, Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Kazuchika Okada, Yuma Aoyagi, and Kenoh
  • Tetsuya Natio, Shingo Takagi, and BUSHI vs. Yuji Nagata, Suwama, and Yuma Anzai
  • Tomohiro Isihi, Hirooki Goto, and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Masa Kitamiya, Daiki Inaba, and Yoshiki Inamura

NJPW, AJPW, NOAH announce All Together Again joint event for June

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The return of All Together, a joint event between All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and New Japan Pro Wrestling, has been announced for June.

The three promotions on Wednesday morning announced All Together Again, which will take place June 9 at Ryogoku Sumo Hall. English and Japanese commentary will be available, and will air live on New Japan World as a pay-per-view event for 3,980 yen. A portion of the proceeds will go to charity, with details to follow. Tickets will go on sale April 23.

At the press conference, NJPW’s Hiroshi Tanahashi, AJPW’s Kento Miyahara, and NOAH’s Kaito Kiyomiya all made comments regarding the crossover event.

All Together was the name of a series of shows that took place in 2011 and 2012 that featured all three promotions. The proceeds from the 2011 show, which totaled over 58 million yen, went to those affected by the 9.1 earthquake that struck Japan earlier that year.

The 2011 show featured Go Shiozaki, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Suwama defeat Kenso, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Takashi Suigura in the main event. The following year Hiroshi Tanahashi, Suwama, and Takeshi Morishima defeated Go Shiozaki, Seiya Sanada (SANADA), and Tetsuya Naito in the main event.

Big Audio Nightmare: Stardom Cinderella tournament, NJPW Sakura Genesis preview

Posted on by Adam Summers

The Big Audio Nightmare is back to talk about everything happening in the world of Japanese professional wrestling.

This week’s topics include:

  • A full review of Stardom’s New Blood Premium and Cinderella Tournament PPVs
  • A final recap and analysis of the New Japan Cup
  • A preview of NJPW Sakura Genesis
  • Thoughts on recent AJPW and Pro Wrestling NOAH major shows…and much more.

Listen at the link below or wherever you get your favorite podcasts by searching ‘Big Audio Nightmare.’

Click Here To Listen (for free)

Pacific Rim: Explaining the symbolism from Keiji Muto’s Last Love final match

Posted on by Jim Valley

On this week’s Pacific Rim, we get an in-person review of Keiji Muto’s Grand Final Pro Wrestling Last Love card from the Tokyo Dome by our own Fumi Saito.

He was among the 30,000+ people on hand to witness a truly historic night of pro wrestling. In addition to the winners and losers, Fumi and I examine the themes of the night, the backstories, and the subtext that you may have missed or didn’t know about.

Fumi has covered Muto’s career from the beginning and he talks about what it was like to witness the poetic ending.

Click Here to Listen

Big Audio Nightmare: Naito vs. Umino thoughts, Stardom Supreme Fight

Posted on by Adam Summers

The Big Audio Nightmare is back to talk about everything happening in the world of Japanese professional wrestling, especially the news from a wild weekend of cheering crowds.

This week’s topics include:

  • Shota Umino’s disappointing performance against Tetsuya Naito and what it means
  • YOH’s breakout performance against Hiromu Takahashi
  • A preview of NJPW’s New Beginning in Osaka
  • A full review of Stardom Supreme Fight and a look at their upcoming shows
  • The Miyahara vs. Aoyagi classic for AJPW’s Triple Crown
  • Thoughts on recent NOAH, Dragon Gate, and DDT shows

Listen at the link below or wherever you get your favorite podcasts by searching for ‘Big Audio Nightmare.’

Click Here To Listen for free

Full lineup announced for NOAH’s Great Muta Final Bye-Bye event

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The full lineup for The Great Muta’s Final Bye-Bye card has been revealed.

The Yokohama Arena show on January 22 will have Great Muta team with AEW’s Sting and Darby Allin against Hakushi, AKIRA, and Naomichi Marufuji. This will be Keiji Mutoh’s final match as The Great Muta.

Elsewhere on the card, the co-main event will have the current GHC World, National, and Tag Team Champions team together, as Kaito Kiyomiya, Hijo de Doctor Wagner Jr., Takashi Sugiura, and Satoshi Kojima will team together to take on KONGO’s Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenoh, MAsakatsu Funaki, and Manabu Soya.

A Martial Arts Rules match will also take place, with Kazushi Sakuraba facing Hideki Suzuki. Jake Lee, who recently made his debut for the company after leaving All Japan Pro Wrestling, will team with Jack Morris and Anthony Green to take on Masa Kitamiya, Daiki Inaba, and Yoshiki Inamura.

This will not be Mutoh’s final match as a wrestler. That event will take place on February 21 at the Tokyo Dome.

Here is the full lineup for the NOAH event, which will air on ABEMA:

  • The Great Muta, Sting, and Darby Allin vs. Hakushi, AKIRA, and Naomichi Marufuji
  • Kaito Kiyomiya, Hijo de Doctor Wagner Jr., Takashi Sugiura, and Satoshi Kojima vs. Kenoh, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Masakatsu Funaki, and Manabu Soya
  • AMAKUSA, Ultimo Dragon, and Ninja Mack vs. YO-HEY, Kzy, and Dante Leon
  • GHC Martial Arts Rules match: Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Hideki Suzuki
  • Jake Lee, Jack Morris, and Anthony Greene vs. Masa Kitamiya, Daiki Inaba, and Yoshiki Inamura
  • Yoshinari Ogawa, Eita, and NOSAWA Rongai vs. Junta Miyawaki, Alejandro, and Yasutaka Yano
  • Timothy Thatcher vs. Masaaki Mochizuki
  • Jungle Kyona and Saori Anno vs. Sumire Natsume and Maya Yukihi
  • Atsushi Kotogi and Seiki Yoshioka vs. Hajime Ohara and Hi69 

Full card revealed for NJPW vs. NOAH Wrestle Kingdom 17

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The full card has been revealed for night two of Wrestle Kingdom 17.

NJPW will present a second night of Wrestle Kingdom on Saturday, January 21, with the show being held at the Yokohama Arena. The card will have an NJPW vs. Pro Wrestling NOAH theme. That was set up by an angle where NOAH’s KONGO stable confronted Los Ingobernables de Japon backstage at night one of Wrestle Kingdom.

Five Los Ingobernables de Japon vs. KONGO singles matches will be part of the card for Wrestle Kingdom 17 at Yokohama Arena. Those matches are: Tetsuya Naito vs. Kenoh, Shingo Takagi vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima, SANADA vs. Manabu Soya, Hiromu Takahashi vs. Hajime Ohara, and BUSHI vs. Tadasuke.

This will be the second straight year that an NJPW vs. NOAH Wrestle Kingdom show has taken place. The full card for this year’s event is listed below:

  • Tetsuya Naito vs. Kenoh
  • Shingo Takagi vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima
  • SANADA vs. Manabu Soya
  • Hiromu Takahashi vs. Hajime Ohara
  • BUSHI vs. Tadasuke
  • Kazuchika Okada & Togi Makabe vs. Kaito Kiyomiya & Yoshiki Inamura
  • Ryusuke Taguchi, Master Wato & Tiger Mask vs. AMAKUSA, Junta Miyawaki & Alejandro
  • El Desperado vs. YO-HEY
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Satoshi Kojima & Takashi Sugiura vs. Naomichi Marufuji, KENTA, El Phantasmo & Gedo
  • Tomohiro Ishii & Oskar Leube vs. Masa Kitamiya & Daiki Inaba
  • Kosei Fujita & Ryohei Oiwa vs. Yasutaka Yano & Taishi Ozawa

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 notes: Inoki film, Pro Wrestling NOAH angle

Posted on by Ian Carey

A film on Antonio Inoki is in development and an inter-promotional angle took place following Wrestle Kingdom 17.   

A short video played after the Inoki tribute match on Wednesday that announced a movie based on the NJPW founder is being developed. A potential release date or other details on the film have not been revealed, however. 

Inoki passed away on October 1, 2022, at the age of 79. 

An inter-promotional angle also took place at the post-event press conference following Wrestle Kingdom 17. 

Los Ingobernables De Japon’s Shingo Takagi, BUSHI, SANADA, and Tetsuya Naito were being interviewed backstage when Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Kongo faction interrupted. LIJ defeated Kongo in an eight-man tag match at the NJPW vs. NOAH show from Yokohama Arena on January 8, 2022. 

Kongo’s Kenoh, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Manabu Soya, Hi69, Tadasuke, and Hajime Ohara walked into the press area and Takagi expressed that perhaps the group had confused the Tokyo Dome with Korakuen Hall. 

Kenoh said:

‘I came here to give a new year’s greeting. Happy New Year- as if! Do you really think that things are settled between KONGO and LIJ?’

Naito responded:

‘Yep. I definitely remember seeing and hearing the three count. I think people there and watching on NJPW World saw it too.’

Kenoh would later say:

‘We came here to settle this, and we can either find a time and place or do it right now. We want closure on this.’ Shingo would reply that ‘You can have whatever you want, a ten man tag, 8 man, six man. Singles, it doesn’t matter’.

Kenoh would also say “let’s figure out who’s better one-on-one” directly to Naito, setting up a potential singles match between the two in the future. 

WWE’s Shinsuke Nakamura defeats The Great Muta at NOAH The New Year 2023

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Shinsuke Nakamura emerged victorious over The Great Muta at Sunday morning’s NOAH The New Year event at Budokan Hall.

The finish of the match had Nakamura kick out of Muta’s shining wizard. Nakamura, who had been misted by Muta during the match, retaliated with mist of his own. He then pinned Muta with the kinshasa.

After the match, Nakamura thanked Muta, calling him his idol. Nakamura celebrated in the ring briefly before running up the ramp and helped Muta walk to the stage entrance. Both posed on the stage as pyro went off, concluding the show.

This is Nakamura’s first match outside of WWE since signing with the promotion in 2017. While doing press for his match, Nakamura called the agreement between WWE and Pro Wrestling NOAH a “miracle”, noting it wouldn’t have happened under the previous Vince McMahon regime.

Keiji Mutoh will next appear at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4, teaming with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shota Umino to take on Tetsuya Natio, SANADA, and BUSHI. He will have two retirement shows: one as The Great Muta on January 22 where he will team with AEW’s Sting and Darby Allin, then another as Keiji Mutoh on February 21 at the Tokyo Dome.

Nakamura says Muta NOAH match wouldn’t have happened under old WWE regime

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE star Shinsuke Nakamura is heading home to Japan to face The Great Muta for Pro Wrestling NOAH this weekend — but it’s a match that wouldn’t be happening if Vince McMahon was still in charge of WWE.

In a Japanese-language interview with Encount ahead of facing Muta, Nakamura said the match only became possible after McMahon retired from WWE:

It was something that would never have happened under the previous structure of the WWE… Vince [McMahon] stepped down in the summer, and I was advised by people within the company that it might be possible now. Even so, I thought it would be difficult, but I spoke directly to Triple H. When the decision was actually made, I was shaken.

There was a big change in the WWE between when Mutoh announced his retirement and when the match was decided. Vince, who was the symbol of everything, was retiring, and that was something that no one could believe. Everything changes in America when the top changes. At that time, there was a feeling that many things would change in the future. One of the changes that occurred to me was this. The fact that ‘no’ became ‘yes’ gave me a boost.

Nakamura vs. Muta is happening at NOAH’s The New Year this Sunday (January 1, 2023). The show will air live on Wrestle Universe.

The match is part of Keiji Mutoh’s retirement tour. Mutoh have his final match as the Great Muta character on Sunday, January 22, teaming with Sting & Darby Allin in a six-man tag team bout. Mutoh will then have his final match at the Tokyo Dome on Tuesday, February 21.

Nakamura was part of a five-way ladder match for the Intercontinental title at WWE’s Madison Square Garden house show on Monday night. He most recently wrestled on television when he lost to Santos Escobar in the first round of the SmackDown World Cup tournament.

KENTA & Naomichi Marufuji to reunite in NOAH, challenge for GHC tag titles

Posted on by Ian Carey

KENTA & Naomichi Marufuji are set to challenge for the GHC Tag Team Championships. 

On Wednesday’s Pro Wrestling NOAH show from Tokyo, Marufuji issued a challenge to champions Takashi Sugiura & Satoshi Kojima. The match was then made official for NOAH The New Year 2023 on Sunday, January 1 from the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. 

It will be the first time Marufuji & KENTA have teamed together since May 2014. The pair are former GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions and were voted Tag Team of the Year in The Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards in 2003 and 2004. The two have also faced each other in singles competition on 13 occassions including Marufuji’s 20th Anniversary show in 2018. 

Three matches have been announced for NOAH The New Year 2023. The lineup thus far is as follows:

  • GHC Tag Team Champions Takashi Sugiura & Satoshi Kojima defend against KENTA & Naomichi Marufuji
  • GHC Heavyweight Champion Kaito Kiyomiya defends against Kenoh
  • The Great Muta vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Great Muta to team with Sting & Darby Allin in retirement match

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Darby Allin is heading to Japan in January to take part in The Great Muta’s retirement match.

Pro Wrestling NOAH has confirmed that Muta will team with Sting & Allin in his retirement match on Sunday, January 22, 2023. Their opponents have yet to be announced.

“Great Muta Final Bye Bye” is the name of Muta’s retirement show. It’s being held at the Yokohama Arena and will air live via Wrestle Universe and Fite TV.

The match will be Keiji Muto’s final bout as the Great Muta character. Muto will then retire with his last match taking place at the Tokyo Dome for Pro Wrestling NOAH on Tuesday, February 21, 2023.

Last month, Sting told Sports Illustrated that he was trying to get Allin to come with him for Muta’s final match. Muta appeared for AEW on an episode of Rampage this September, helping to save Sting & Allin during a tag team match against The House of Black’s Brody King & Buddy Matthews.

“I know my days are numbered, so I’m trying to make the most out of the time left and give the fans everything I have before this wave comes into shore for good. I’m grateful that Muta was able to be here with me in the United States. That’s a memory I’m going to hold onto, and it signifies the end of our era. I’m looking forward to having one last grand hoorah with The Great Muta, especially in Japan,” Sting said.

“I’m trying to get Darby Allin to come with me. It’s such an honor, especially since that will be his last night as The Great Muta character.”

Muta’s retirement tour will also see him face WWE star Shinsuke Nakamura at NOAH’s The New Year 2023 on Sunday, January 1, 2023.