(NOAH) "This Weeks View" - Interview with President Uchida (November\December 2017) from "Weekly Pro"

Noah's Global League started in 2010; this year marks the beginning of the first appearance of Kenoh, who took the victory. Around the beginning of the year, Noah was bought by a new company, and became a new corporation. In the new structure, it is Kenoh who has taken the level of action into the New Year. Although Uchida, who is the chairman, has had to endure rebellion from Kenoh, he has a high evaluation of him.

President Uchida on watching Kenoh’s driving force
"Even though his partner was absent, he fought and increased his presence"

Noah's singles event, "Global League", which has been held for eight executive years, closed on 19th November at Korakuen Hall. It was at the beginning of the year that he changed from junior to heavyweight, and rose to fight at the forefront of Noah.
He defeated Shiozaki in the final, the image of The Ark (Naomichi Marufuji), and the former GHC Heavyweight champion, Katsuhiko Nakajima etc. Kenoh blew through the league and won his first heavyweight medal.
"This is a new organisation known as "NOAH the REBORN" by Kenoh's phenomenal results, and the starting line has been set"

Last year, the details of Noah’s business transfer became public, but this article will focus on Global League, rather than that, and speculation.  Outside of the ring, Global League has also become a topic.
The current GHC champion, who won Global League this year (2018), was a wrestler who had been with Michinoku Pro for fourteen years before coming to Noah. Kenoh, although he had fought with Takashi Sugiura in February, took the GHC Tag championship with him in March. The period of holding the belts was short, as they lost them in April to Naomichi Marufuji and Maybach Taniguchi. At this time there was a unity of feeling in this tag with Sugiura, as finally the Suzuki Army had parted ways with him. However, due to atrial fibrillation, Sugiura was missing from June and the young Kaito Kiyomiya, went overseas on excursion, and after that Kenoh, was single.

Kenoh and Takashi Sugiura winning back the belts which Uchida had confiscated from them after Kenoh ditched Masa Kitamiya for Sugiura (they were the GHC Heavyweight Tag Team champions at the time), and he and Sugiura set themselves up as the new champions.

Although Uchida is often spoken badly of by Kenoh, he knows that Kenoh is a valuable force in the support of the future of Noah. He recognizes his strength.

"When it is a single person, various people will make a tag. With Kenoh, it is unecessary. His attitude for going it alone was right. I resolved to find him a partner, but he refused to cave in." It is a big chance for the next generation wrestler, although he did lose his partner, he felt his absence, but he used it well in the future. He didn't change the way he spoke to fans or Uchida, but during Sugiura's absence he increased his support by singles matches.

President Uchida has a high evaluation of Kenoh's attitude towards opponents.

"If Sugiura did not have to be absent, he may have only have been seen as his partner. It is Kenoh's own strength who revealed his presence. Sadly, some wrestlers cannot grasp this opportunity, Kenoh did with both hands. Winning Global League, is not his goal, especially when he he shouted on the microphone after winning the victory, "Noah is not Marufujo or Sugiura". This is an indication of Kenoh's ambition. He has also promised to take Noah back to the Budokan, where they were during their heyday.

The first year of Uchida's regime, "The first year is the time of sowing the seeds for Noah"

Kenoh is proof that Noah is entering a transition period. It is one year since it became a new organisation. President Uchida says he looks back on this, to understand Noah.
"Impact, AAA, other Japanese promotions...a year when we built a road to such groups, we do not know if flowers will bloom, only that we can grow buds by sowing the seeds." (EDITORS NOTE: what Uchida-san says next does not translate well, I think he says something like Noah took off with a bang, but the rest seems to be about touring regionally, his quest to have a complete understanding of Noah and his vision of building back up Noah from there).
Even if I look at the history of the Japanese wrestling world, examples of Presidents going on the tour is extremely rare. Travelling on the bus with the wrestlers is awkward, but I enjoyed the unique sensation of the tours."
As a result, President Uchida grasped the current situation of Noah after a year.
"Even if we hold it on a Sunday (Global League events) and Korakuen does not sell out, these are still harsh conditions as a business."
Nonetheless, President Uchida felt a response to Noah.
"I feel I know what Noah is like".

Noah's founder, Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi, both reigned as champions, as did KENTA (now Hideo Itami in a faraway land), protected Noah with high level matches and fought with pride. However, this pride was torn to shreds for two years until the current day, with the invasion of the Suzuki Army. It has already been a year since the fight ended. It can be said that this was Kenoh's breakthrough when both the Suzuki Army and New Japan left the green mat.
"One by one, wrestlers grew suddenly. It was difficult for them during the time of the Suzuki Army, and weight is placed on the promotion. Each wrestler was able to burst open, and their ability followed. In addition, they have the track record of fighting the Suzuki Army. Even if a strong enemy comes again, they have the qualities that they can fight stalwart."
There is also the annual holding of Noah at Korakuen Hall, which last year was held at the New Japan pace. This year it will be Noah's again, and it will show the guidelines and the mobilation of the company, and its new content will be noticed. Incorporating these aspects, Noah's "Rebirth" should not end in the ring, "To be honest, I have never seen so much of a Global League...(then a reference is made to Mah Jong, and how another players tile is swiped which you win on)...but I am going to raise Noah's grade of Global League. In the past, wonderful wrestlers have won championships and have made history, but afterwards these efforts to be advertised and recognised, become problems for the front desk".

Seven years ago, Global League began with the victory of Yoshihiro Takayama (first winner at the inaugural contest), then Takeshi Morishima, KENTA, Yuji Nagata, Takashi Sugiura, Naomichi Marufuji, Minoru Suzuki and so on, all wrestlers who have made history, this year, Kenoh joined them.
The challenge to the current GHC Heavyweight Champion, Eddie Edwards, is scheduled to take place at the 22nd December at Korakuen Hall. Eddie has a strong love for Noah, but the company wants Kenoh to welcome in the New Year with the belt in Japan.
What will happen next year?
The key to the ark is held by Kenoh.

(Weekly Pro Wrestling, November or December 2017)

Big thanks goes to Metal-Noah for sending me this article (どうもありがとうございます!)