Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Welcome to a long-overdue edition of Puro Island. No time for corniness this week, let's get down to brass tacks, shall we?
Pro Wrestling NOAH
There’s tons of news both good and bad, so let’s start off with good news. KENTA is continuing to blog about his injury and what he’s up to in his rehab, and, well, other stuff. I have no idea what he’s saying even after the translation, because if you’ve ever seen the Japanese-to-English translation software online, it’s still borderline incomprehensible.
What I can tell you, however, is that he said that his workouts are “vigorous” and there are “increases” in the work being done. Having rehabbed a muscle or three in my time, I can tell you that it’s so mind-numbingly annoying at times, especially when you have to do it daily. I don’t envy KENTA right now, and I hope he’s back really soon, seeing as it will be six months in a few weeks.
Now, onto the ketchup section.
It was announced in December (and I admit to forgetting to include in my last Burning Hammer) that NOAH was making considerable cuts to their roster. The contract situation for 2010 is as follows.
Contracted: Atsushi Aoki, Jun Akiyama, Taiji Ishimori, Akihiko Ito, Masao Inoue, Yoshinari Ogawa, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, KENTA, Kenta Kobashi, Akitoshi Saito, Takuma Sano, Go Shiozaki, Takashi Sugiura, Kotaro Suzuki, Akira Taue, Shuhei Taniguchi, Genba Hirayanagi, Naomichi Marufuji, Mohammed Yone, Takeshi Morishima, Takeshi Rikio, Ricky Marvin.
Freelance: Kentaro Shiga
Expired Contracts/Free Agents: Jun Izumida, Kishin Kawabata, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, Makoto Hashi, Tamon Honda and referee Mighty Inoue
(Thanks to NOAH’s official website for the info and Ryan on DVDVR for the translation.)
Shiga, who was a high-level youngster early in the aughts before suffering a severe injury that caused him to miss over a year’s time (and then become a part-timer afterward) has already wrestled in both NOAH and New Japan since his release.
Of those who were not re-signed, I’m only sad to see Tsuyoshi Kikuchi go; at the same time, I’m not at all. Kikuchi, whose style in his glory days was influenced greatly by the Dynamite Kid, was a physical shell of his former self. He was carrying too much weight for his frame, and was still taking bumps that he had no business taking, especially seeing as he wasn’t someone in a major position with the company. He very well could have been a tragedy waiting to happen, so I hope that he will retire and take an office job with NOAH, as opposed to freelancing with companies such as Satoru Sayama (the original Tiger Mask)’s Real Japan Pro Wrestling, where so many old wrestlers seem to show up.
At first I was also disappointed to see Kawabata released. He is old; however, he can still go in the ring, and he is still quite athletic for someone his age and in his condition. That was until I watched the GHC Hardcore Title match from this summer between Kawabata and the Burning Hammer himself, Kenta Kobashi. Kobashi is easy to get a good match out of if you’re athletic. Kawabata is athletic. But instead, we got a crappy chopfest that left both men with destroyed chests, and my eyes burning from the boringness. Kawabata doesn’t have either the charisma or the name value to get away with something that only Tenryu, Sasaki, and Shiozaki can get away with versus Kobashi.
And finally, did they need to keep Yone? Really?
Moving to the NOAH vs New Japan feud, Naomichi Marufuji successfully defending the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title on 1/30, in an epic, early MOTYC versus Prince Devitt. It was easily the best Devitt match I’ve ever seen, which is saying something. And Maru…well the eight months off seemed to do him good, as he has come back looking like someone ready to challenge Chris Jericho for the Best in the World mantle.
Marufuji’s next challenger will be Koji Kanemoto. Don’t be surprised to see Kanemoto take the belt back home here, however, I am personally hoping for NJ to hold off until the summer, have Devitt win the BOSJ Tournament, and then defeat Marufuji in the trilogy match.
ACTUALLY…as I check Puroresu Representin’ for more NOAH news about injuries, I see the following result:
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Naomichi Marufuji beat Koji Kanemoto in 31:44 to retain the title. V2 for Marufuji.
In the immortal words of C. Montgomery Burns, “Excellent.”
One more Maru note: His seemingly annual March Marufuji Produce show, featuring both non-and NOAH contracted wrestlers will take place on Sunday, March 14th. The card is as follows:
“Viva Mexico Primera Lucha” match: Ricky Marvin vs. Satoshi Kajiwara
Kentaro Shiga vs. ?
Takeshi Rikio & Mohammed Yone vs. Kento Miyahara & Takashi Okita. (Miyahara & Okita win if they get a two count on a pinfall)
Makoto Hashi vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima
Yoshihiro Takayama & Takuma Sano vs. Kensuke Sasaki & Akitoshi Saito. (No pinfalls, can only win by KO or submission)
Takashi Sugiura vs. Taiji Ishimori
NOAH vs. Machine Troop Part 2: Jun Akiyama, Yoshinari Ogawa & Masao Inoue vs. Super Strong Machine, Strong Machine Jr. & Dynamic Machine
Naomichi Marufuji & Tiger Mask 1 (First Tiger Mask) vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Genba Hirayanagi
Some random thoughts on this card...
* Naja is going to decimate Fatty Hashi. Unless of course Hashi’s fat absorbs the blows and releases the force of the kicks back through Naja’s leg. Hmmm…
* I really, really hope that Takashi Okita gets a pin on Rikio in that match. He’s a smaller version of Rikio circa 2001-2004 (aka when Rikio gave a damn). He’s fantastic, and I greatly hope that he gets a push this year, as the kid could be money to some degree.
* GENBA in the main event? Yes. The guy could be this generation’s “Social Dance” Judo SUWA if he wants to be.
* The Big Boss Sugi vs. Bodybuilding Taiji match is being called “Mocchimochi Body vs. Bakibaki Body.” The aforementioned Ryan from DVDVR tried to figure out what “bakibaki” meant on Google, only to come across a lot of gay porn. Oh Japan. Basically what it means is soft body (or big body) vs. ripped body. I think…
* Who in the blue hell are the Jr & Dynamic Machines? Junji, a hint, please.
* Well what do you know, Sayama! Seriously, I’m winging this article, no idea he was on the show when I mentioned him earlier.
The NOAH DL Watch 2010
In what will be a regular segment here on Puro Island for as long as the NOAH Curse continues, welcome to the NOAH DL Watch 2010. Currently on the DL:
* KENTA: Torn ACL, indefinite
* Kenta Kobashi: Mad Chop Disease, indefinite
* Go Shiozaki: Broken Forearm, a few months
* Kotaro Suzuki, Torn ACL, indefinite
and coming out of Japan about 48 hours ago...
* Takashi Sugiura, Broken Forearm, indefinite
With NOAH's first-ever Global League (read: NOAH's version of All Japan's Champion's Carnival that the AJ-offshoot should have started running in 2002) being used to determine the number one contender for Sugiura's title, the injury couldn't have come at a better time.
Then again, knowing NOAH's booking is less-than-stellar booking the majority of the time, they could use the Global League to crown a new champion. I hope everyone's excited for another title reign by Takeshi Rikio!
The tournament will be under the same NOAH tourney format as always: Two blocks of wrestlers, and a points system (Two for a win, one for a 30 minute draw).
If you’ve made it this far into the column, I have a gift for you: The gift of a legendary karate and amateur wrestling practitioner making his way back into NOAH with some regularity.
I’ve wanted it for years, and if you’ve been watching along, you probably have too.
KAWADA IS BACK!!!!!!
Toshiaki Kawada made his return to NOAH in January, decimating former All Japan stable mate Masao Inoue in two minutes. He had a solid match with Morishima at the Budokan recently as well. The results of which are as follows, as I see if I can copy and paste this from Puro Rep’n without spoiling them for myself…
NOAH’s first major show of the year kicks off this Sunday, full results from Nippon Budokan
They claimed 9500 paid.
Masao Inoue & Yoshinari Ogawa d. Takashi Okita & Katsuhiko Nakajima in 15:21. (Inoue pinned Okita after Argentine Backbreaker.)
Buchanan & Akira Taue d. Genba Hirayanagi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru in 10:35. (Buchanan pinned Hirayanagi after Iron Bomb.)
Ricky Marvin, Taiji Ishimori & Tamon Honda d. Bobby Fish, Eddie Edwards & Akitoshi Saito in 13:54. (Ishimori pinned Edwards after a 450 splash.)
Kensuke Sasaki & Jun Akiyama d. NOSAWA Rongai & Naomichi Marufuji in 14:11. (Akiyama pinned NOSAWA after Exploder.)
Atsushi Aoki 10 Match Series 10: Minoru Suzuki d. Atsushi Aoki in 15:51 by submission. (Aoki was 1-9 in the series.)
Toshiaki Kawada d. Takeshi Morishima in 10:27.
GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Mohammed Yone & Takeshi Rikioh d.Takuma Sano & Yoshihiro Takayama in 19:36 to retain the titles. (Yone pinned Sano after a Double Kinniku Muscle Buster. First victory for the champs.)
GHC Heavyweight Champion Takashi Sugiura d. Makabe in 26:08 to retain the title. (Second victory for Sugiura.)
If I’m not mistaken, Meltzer stated that the 9,500 paid number was not even close to legit. I think it makes sense seeing as who was missing from the card, and that Makabe wasn’t seen as a legit challenger to the title. That being said, live reports said that the Sugi vs. Makabe bout was fantastic, which would of course be shocking.
The next Budokan event is on 5/2. Look for KENTA and maybe both Kobashi and Go to be back for it. If Kawada is on that card and a well build up to GHC Title bout is featured, it could well do 12,000 paid or more, which NOAH badly needs right now.
I almost forgot. During their most recently finished tour, NOAH held a GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title tournament. Phew, that’s a lot of words to put on a banner. The titles were vacated by the champions of just over a year and a half, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Kotaro Suzuki, after Suzuki blew his knee out a few months back. The finals were held on February 18th in Osaka, and saw Kanemaru and GENBA lose to the much-deserving team of Taiji Ishimori and Ricky Marvin. Of note: the much-rejuvenated Kanemaru has held the Jr. Tag belts three times, twice with Sugiura, and once with Suzuki. In that timespan, according to the ever-knowledgeable Wikipedia, Kanemaru has held the belts for a grand total of 973 days. And that’s a lot.
All Japan Pro Wrestling
The Champion’s Carnival tour doesn’t start until the upcoming tour ends; however, the lead-in is actually pretty intriguing.
The tour opens on March 7 at Korakuen Hall, with the following main event:
All Asia Tag Team Title: Akebono & Ryota Hama (c) vs. Satoshi Kojima & Osamu Nishimura
Why is that interesting? Because of how the tour closes…
AJPW “2010 PRO-WRESTLING LOVE IN RYOGOKU VOL. 9″, 21.03.2010
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
1. Suwama vs. Masayuki Kono
2. Cage Match: Masakatsu Funaki vs. Minoru Suzuki
3. AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship: Kaz Hayashi (c) vs. KAI
4. AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship: Satoshi Kojima (c) vs. Ryota Hama
(Thanks to the All Japan forum over at SSS for the details.)
Now, typical Japanese booking dictates that the challenger for the World Title at the end of a tour will beat the champion in a tag match leading up to the Title bout. This is fine here, as it would allow All Japan’s version of the Natural Disasters to retain their belts, and continue to establish Hama as a credible youngster.
So then the question that remains: Is Hama ready for the Triple Crown?
Short answer: *Laughs*
Long answer: For a rookie to even be main eventing Sumo Hall, the biggest stage that All Japan will perform on this year, is a huge deal. In terms of Japan, it’s big enough. Hama is still young, and still needs to improve on his workrate a great deal, not to mention drop about a hundred lbs. to allow him some longevity in his career.
Hopefully, the other bolded section that caught your eye there was Cage Match. The M. Suzuki vs M. Funaki bout will be the first-ever cage match in All Japan’s almost 38 years of existence. Whatever you do though, don’t expect a WWE or even Heyman era ECW-style bout here. These two are former Mixed Martial Artists, so putting the cage around them is (a gimmick to sell tickets) meant to play off of that history.
Now, unlike with North American wrestling where rumours are taboo (and yet, morons still run them), in Japan, rumours are generally things that are in the works. They only stay rumours if a deal cannot be finalized (see: the IGF invasion of New Japan leading to a Tokyo Dome bout).
For the Sumo Hall show on March 21st, the working plan was for Keiji Mutoh himself to face off against Pro Wrestling NOAH’s own Jun Akiyama. This is a dream match that has yet to ever happen. And according to the news out of Japan this week, it will continue to be just a dream.
Mutoh is going to be undergoing knee surgery, and is out indefinitely. The severity of the surgery is not known at this time, so really it ranges from 3 weeks to 9 months.
That’s it for this edition of Puro Island. I will be attending the Ring of Honor show in Mississauga, ON on March 20th, and if you’re in the Detroit or Toronto area that weekend, be sure to check out the RoH shows, as the cards are both excellent and with guys like Austin Aries, Chris Hero, Davey Richards, and Kenny Omega appearing, you won’t be disappointed.
Also, speaking as someone who did go to an RoH show on WrestleMania weekend in 2007 before attending WrestleMania XXIII, you’re crazy if you are in Phoenix and don’t go and see the pure wrestling spectacle that RoH will put on leading into WM XXVI. It will be a better in-ring product than you will see from the E, let me tell you. So do yourself a favour, and check out the Title Gauntlet deal that RoH is doing in Phoenix. After all, there's a reason that PWInsider.com follows the Ring of Honor product so closely.
