(NOAH) The long-awaited and fateful match between Naomichi Marufuji and Kota Ibushi will finally take place at the 2nd January Ariake Arena show.

22nd December 2023

Noah.co.jp

Producing many original moves and famous matches, the reason why the first singles showdown between Marufuji and Ibushi, two wrestlers who have had an impact on the professional wrestling scene around the world in terms of match content in recent years, is said to be "long-awaited", is due to a strange accumulation of time.

It was eighteen years ago that Marufuji and Ibushi first met. They faced off for the first time in May 2005, in the first round of the Differ Cup, Marufuji & KENTA vs Ibushi & KUDO. Although Ibushi had debuted less than a year ago, he fought hard against MaruKen, who at the time had an unparalleled power*. This led to him attracting attention as the "indie supernova." Marufuji and Ibushi also competed in a tag team match at Big Mouth Loud's Korakuen Hall show in 2006, and tagged again in 2007. Marufuji & Ibushi vs KENTA & Taiji Ishimori took part in Noah's "Nippon TV Cup Junior Tag League Match" which was held at the Nippon Budokan, and it was such a fierce battle that it was nominated for "Best Bout" at the Pro Wrestling Awards at the time. It was also the match where Ibushi's presence was instantly recognized on the major scene, and Marufuji was an indispensable presence in the matches that promoted Ibushi in the early stages of his career. 

After that, Ibushi rapidly raised his status, and expanded his range of activities throughout the professional wrestling world, and in 2009, he finally aspired to a one-on-one fight with Marufuji. Their first singles match was scheduled for DDT'S 2nd April Korakuen Hall, but just before that, Marufuji tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and was forced to cancel. In Marufuji's place, Taiji Ishimori entered DDT and faced off against Ibushi. 

The following year, in July 2010, it was decided that a match would take place at the DDT's Ryogoku Kokugikan show, but this time Ibushi had to withdraw due to worsening of his left shoulder injury. Instead, the match held in Ryogoku was Naomichi Marufuji vs. Kenny Omega, but Marufuji was also injured in this match when he injured his cervical vertebrae and was forced to miss a long period of time. Ironically, the singles match between Marufuji and Ibushi came and went twice due to the injuries that plagued both of them. After that, Marufuji continued to protect Noah as the leader, and Ibushi rose to the top in New Japan, but as the two rose in status, the distance between them also grew, and more than ten years passed. 

However, the distance between them rapidly narrowed again at the end of 2023, when Ibushi responded to Marufuji on social media, who was thinking about the card at the Ariake Arena show, where the card had not yet been decided. Ibushi, who came to Noah's 2nd December Yokohama Budokan event, said "Marufuji-san, January 2nd, I'll keep that day open". Marufuji responded, "Ibushi, I'll be waiting for you in the ring in Ariake", and the first singles match after fifteen years was suddenly decided. 

The exchange between the two in the ring, is the same as the Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada, that was held at the Tokyo Dome in the past. Co-incidentally, Misawa vs Kawada, was held in 2005, and 2005 was the year that Marufuji and Ibushi first met. The title of the Tokyo Dome show where Misawa vs Kawada was held was "DESTINY", and the title of the Marufuji vs Ibushi match is called "DESTINY 2024". When they first met, Marufuji was 26 and Ibushi was 23, and both overcame all kinds of injuries and turbulent lives as wrestlers, which were never smooth, leading to their destined singles match. What's more the stage is Ariake, the place where they first met. Marufuji 44 years old, and Ibushi 41, will finally have their first promised singles showdown. 

What will this fateful match, which will probably be the first and last, bring to the Ariake Arena in the new year?

Notes

Unparalleled power: Original Japanese phrase is a proverb, "The power to knock down flying birds". There is no equivalent in English.

Translated from Noah.co.jp

Picture credit Noah.co.jp