(NOAH) Follow Me You Bastards - Kenoh's column
1st January 2025 (Issue no 2334)
Q: You have been scheduled to have a singles match with your "beloved" KENTA at the Nippon Budokan on January 1st. This match is the only one to discuss in this series for the last time this year.
KENOH: Of course I intend to do that. I'm glad my feelings reached him.
Q: What is your impression of KENTA now?
KENOH: He says, "If you want to put it in a positive way, my range has expanded," but I personally prefer the old KENTA. At the Nippon Budokan on January 1st, I want to bring back the KENTA of my youth, when he wanted to decapitate someone.
Q: You've hit the nail on the head right away.
KENOH: "Broadened his horizons" seems like a good way to put it, but to put it simply, he's become more mellow. I think the sharp, flashy KENTA was more appealing.
Q: Tell me more!!
KENOH: When I first faced KENTA in 2011, Noah was in a slump as a promotion. Amidst all that, KENTA was seriously revolutionizing Noah and putting it at the top of the pro wrestling world. He looked far cooler to me than the people-pleaser Marufuji-kun. After Jun Akiyama and Go Shiozaki left the company and moved to All Japan, KENTA became the GHC Heavyweight Champion, creating an upsurge in Noah.
Q: After winning the GHC Heavyweight Championship in January 2013, he was a powerful leader for Noah.
KENOH: Although their strength was greatly diminished, KENTA had an incredible drive to rebuild Noah. It was around that time that I moved from Michinoku Pro Wrestling to Noah. As if to switch places with me, in April of that year KENTA left Noah and went to WWE. It must have been a tough decision for him. Challenging WWE was his dream. No one could have stopped him. If KENTA had stayed then, we could have built a good rivalry and brought Noah to the top of the pro wrestling world.
Q: It's a "what if" scenario, but I would have liked to see that happen.
KENOH: When was it that KENTA had that fierce battle with Yoshiki Inamura in Noah?
Q: It was on January 1st, 2022 at the Nippon Budokan.
KENOH: At that time, KENTA had already "expanded his range" in New Japan, but in his first fight in Noah in a while, he showed the same fierce fighting style as before...it looked like he was having fun. It was a good match.
Q: You're right!
KENOH: KENTA didn't come to Japan until November's World Tag League after losing to Callum Newman in the semifinals of the G1 CLIMAX 34 Block A tournament in July of this year. He's been focusing on overseas matches lately. To be honest, I haven't seen KENTA recently...or rather, I can't see him. I see him on social media every now and then, but I don't really want to watch him that much, even though his battles with overweight people are entertaining.
Q: What do you mean?
KENOH: I wonder if he's satisfied with his current position. From my perspective, I want him to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, which is the pinnacle of New Japan, and I want him to always be someone who is in the running for it. But in the end, he only challenged Tetsuya Naito once, in February 2020. He has won many belts... NEVER Openweight, IWGP US Heavyweight, STRONG Openweight, IWGP Tag... I want my "beloved" to continue to be active at the top of New Japan's ranks, like Zack Sabre.
Q: Kenoh-san, you seem to have strong feelings for your "beloved".
KENOH: Of course. I came to Noah to take KENTA's head off. It was KENTA who led me to Noah.
Q: Do you remember our one-on-one match in Tokushima on March 2, 2014?
KENOH: Of course, I remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday. It was a triumphant return to my hometown on the sixth anniversary of my debut. Back then, I was a member of the Super Violent Army, using a bamboo cane as a weapon*, and often relying on the intervention of my teammates. But in my singles match with KENTA, I fought on my own merits. I was completely defeated. After the match, he humiliated me, saying, "This is your current level of ability." I used that frustration as fuel to become even stronger, determined to one day surpass KENTA, and that's how I got to where I am today. It seems I'll finally be able to erase the regret of eleven years ago.
Q: So the epic story of you two is finally resuming!
KENOH: The other day, when KENTA stepped into the ring at Satsumasendai on December 6th for New Japan Pro Wrestling, his response wasn't that bothersome. Those few minutes made it clear that he still has strong feelings for his hometown, Noah.
Q: !!
KENOH: Okay, it's decided. If KENTA loses to me, he'll have to join every show of Noah's 25th anniversary year.
Q: That's amazing!
KENOH: January 1st, 2025 at Nippon Budokan is my 40th birthday, so I'm going to beat KENTA and give myself the best birthday present, and give all those damn bastards a present for Noah's 25th anniversary year!
Notes
Bamboo cane: Kenoh used to also use it to hit Masa Kitamiya over the head.
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