(NOAH) Card ~ Sugiura vs Nakajima, GHC National Championship (9th May 2020, Noah TV Arena)

Unlike other Noah events, this one doesn't have a proper title, although it has two title matches and a full card. Go Shiozaki is missing due to undergoing an operation for acute appendicitis, although he is at home and recovering (and doing some light training), and due to the risk of infection from the Coronavirus with a weakened immune system, he isn't allowed to attend the event, even to second Katsuhiko Nakajima.

Event will be broadcast at 11pm JST on both Samurai TV and DDT Universe.
Please consider subscribing to DDT Universe to watch the event, you get the first month free and then after that it is 900 yen per month. With this subscription you get Noah, DDT, Tokyo Joshi, Basara and DDT President Shinshiro Takagi has hinted of more promotions to come, so much so, the channel may even be changing its name. It is worth a subscription.

MATCH ONE
Tadasuke vs Kinya Okada

A rookie who is fast becoming a heavyweight, and a junior with heavyweight strength.

MATCH TWO
Shuhei Taniguchi, Mohammed Yone & Daisuke Harada vs Kongoh (Masa Kitamiya, Yoshiki Inamura & Nio)

This is going to be a very heavyweight match in particular for Daisuke Harada, facing Kitamiya and Inamura. This is going to be especially poignant as Harada would have helped train Inamura. I would not be surprised if by the end of this match we saw Nio challenge for the IPW Junior.

MATCH THREE
The Sugiura Army (Kazushi Sakuraba, Rene Dupree & NOSAWA Rongai) vs Kongoh (Kenoh, Manabu Soya & Hao)

There is growing friction between Kenoh and NOSAWA Rongai, stemming from NOSAWA winding Kenoh up during their singles match at "STAY TOGETHER: Showdown - The Sugiura Army vs Kongoh", and it doesn't take much to set Kenoh off.

MATCH FOUR
Naomichi Marufuji & Masaaki Mochizuki vs The Sugiura Army Juniors (Hajime Ohara & Seiki Yoshioka)

Yoshioka vs Marufuji is going to be interesting, this is also going to be the last time MochiMaru team together before "Magical Immortality" on Sunday 9th May.

MATCH FIVE
Kaito Kiyomiya vs Atsushi Kotoge

Kaito Kiyomiya and Atsushi Kotoge have only had two singles matches so far, one in 2018 and one in 2017. Kiyomiya has never won either of them, will his luck change against one of his trainers tonight?

MATCH SIX
GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Championship Match
RATELS (HAYATA & YO-HEY) vs STINGER (Yoshinari Ogawa & Kotaro Suzuki)

RATELS take on their eternal rivals, the newly made up and gotten back together, STINGER. STINGER are going to make for a volatile team with Ogawa being beaten for the GHC Junior title by Kotaro Suzuki, and teaming with him for the belts at both a plea from Kotaro to help him become a double crown champion, and at YO-HEY'S urging to make up for the sake of the title match. Will they bury the past and work well together, or is this just Ogawa's way of getting inside Kotaro's head and screwing him over at the last minute? You never know with Ogawa.

MATCH SEVEN
GHC National Championship Match
Takashi Sugiura vs Katsuhiko Nakajima

No one, and I mean no one can wind up Takashi Sugiura like Katsuhiko Nakajima, so Sugi is probably relieved that there has been no pre-matches. Nakajima wants the belt as not only does he say that the passionate color of red will suit him, but the belt opens up possibilities for singles matches with others in Noah (including juniors) that have never had the chance to happen before. It also means that once again, he and Shiozaki will both have belts.

Picture credit: Noah.co.jp