(NOAH) The Green Guide to who is who and why they were chosen at "Flight" (Naomichi Marufuji's 20th Anniversary)

Naomichi Marufuji has arranged the fight card for "Flight" to involve everyone who has helped him (or as he has said "looked after me") during his twenty year career in wrestling.
While I am amazed that Mitsuo Momota will be getting in the ring (not that he is going to be taking any bumps or anything), I quite understand why Akira Taue, Kenta Kobashi and Toshiaki Kawada will not be, although naturally they will be at the event.
I have no idea whether or not Takeshi Morishima will be present.

Tragically, Mitsuharu Misawa, who trained Marufuji and who saw him as a son, cannot be there. He would have been so proud. But, Misawa, who has already worked so hard for Marufuji to bring this together with the getting of Sumo Hall and the negotiations with WWE over KENTA, will be there in spirit.

So why Sumo Hall?
"Although Marufuji wanted the venue in August, I guess you all know that Ryōgoku Kokugikan is holding renovation work for two months from July and in September it is the main venue for Grand Sumo. Because of these circumstances it was hard to organise it, and it was miraculously bought about by the real co-operation of various people. We felt that it
was the strength and will of Noah's founder, Misawa working too."
President Uchida

Noah don't have a personal history with Sumo Hall (i.e. its not the promised land of the Budokan or the house Noah grew up in like Differ Ariake), so its booking has been more to do with capacity. Tokyo Dome and Egg Dome are out of the question (and I don't think they allowed Noah to book there), the Budokan is for Kenoh to take Noah back to, and Korakuen too small for the numbers Noah are hoping to get. Therefore, Sumo Hall was the best bet.
Booking Sumo Hall was not easy; the venue is closed for rennovation throughout much of August to prepare for The Olympics, and then it will host Grand Sumo. Marufuji's debut was actually on the 28th August, but the venue was unavailable and Noah were able to book it for 1st September.

WHO IS WHO ON THE CARD 
I have omitted Noah wrestlers who are currently on the roster, so you won't find entries for Yone, Miyawaki, Kiyomiya, Kenoh et al.

Aside from the Noah wrestlers on the card etc, all the "outside" talent has a connection with either All Japan or Naomichi Marufuji in some way.

Mitsuo Momota
Now sixty-nine, Mitsuo Momota will be appearing on the card in the opening match.
In 1972, Momota helped establish All Japan where he held a position on the board. Siding with Mitsuharu Misawa in the struggle, he walked out with him to form Noah in June 2000. He stayed nine years with Noah, before resigning from the company completely in 2009 after Misawa's death.

Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
Ironically enough at a show to celebrate a debut, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi made his own against Mitsuo Momota in February 1988 in All Japan. He walked out with Misawa in 2000, and he was released from his contract in 2010.

Kishin Kawabata
Joined Noah in 2001 and left in December 2009 when his contract expired.
(Trivia: he was known as the "Group Crusher" as every promotion he seemed to belong to had to close down).

Takuma Sano
Not part of All Japan, he joined Noah in 2001. Left in 2012 to become a freelancer.

Tamon Honda
Joined All Japan in 1993, and walked out in 2000. He was responsible (along with Yoshinari Ogawa) for helping to teach the trainees in the dojo (he trained Takashi Sugiura). Left Noah in December 2009 when his contract expired.

Shiro Koshinaka
Was within All Japan from 1979 - 1985, and then did the forbidden by joining their rivals New Japan. He has been a Freelancer since 2003, and often appears in Noah shows.

Takao Omori
Part of All Japan, he and Yoshihiro Takayama walked out in 2000 as part of the exodus. They also dyed their hair blonde to signify their new start (interestingly this made Omori look like Kenoh). Omori's relationship with Noah wasn't always good as at Great Voyage 2000 he refused to keep on wrestling Shinya Hashimoto and called an end to their match. Omori went to Harley Race's WLW, and on his return Misawa refused to let him back into Noah. Currently he is with All Japan.

(Trivia: Takao Omori returned to Differ on the very day and very hour that the iconic photograph of the young Noah promotion was taken standing on the steps. He shut his eyes and remembered the scene).

Shuji Kondo
He and Naomichi Marufuji won Tokyo Sports "Match of the Year" in 2008

Kaz Hayashi
Defeated Naomichi Marufuji in February 2009 for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship in All Japan.

Mitsuharu Misawa and Kotaro Suzuki in 2001 ("The Best of Noah Christmas")

Kotaro Suzuki
Noah born and one of the generation who grew up at Differ Ariake with Marufuji, although he did not come from All Japan. He left Noah in protest in 2012 (along with five others) over Noah not renewing the contract of Kenta Kobashi.
Currently works as a freelancer.

Taiyō Kea
Made his debut in November 26th 1994 for All Japan and was trained by Giant Baba, Yoshinari Ogawa, Kenta Kobashi and Keiji Mutoh. Kea chose to remain with All Japan when Misawa quit.
Currently works as a Freelancer.

Sanshiro Takagi
President of DDT, where Naomichi Marufuji has been competing in the past.

HARASHIMA
Naomichi Marufuji's tag partner in DDT. They held the KO-D Tag Team Championship from August 2017 until March 2018.

Danshoku Dino
Comedy wrestler from DDT. The two promotions have appeared on cards together since 2007.

Jun Akiyama
"I entered this world at the age of 18, I learned from him every day, not just in the ring. Because there is a man named Jun Akiyama is partly the reason where I am today."
Naomichi Marufuji

The best resource for learning the story of Noah, All Japan, Marufuji and Akiyama is by reading another article I have written "Four Days in April: All Japan, Noah and their troubled history"

Atsushi Aoki
Noah born. He was with Noah from 2005 to 2013, during that time he and Naomichi Marufuji were the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Champions, unfortunately they were stripped of them in April 2011 after Marufuji suffered an injury. He walked out of Noah with his trainer in December 2012 and has been with All Japan since.

KENTA
"Your name may have changed, but you are still my eternal rival"
Naomichi Marufuji

Trained by Kenta Kobashi (in a paternal relationship which imitates that of Marufuj and Misawa), KENTA and Marufuji walked out of All Japan with their teachers in 2000, and found success together either as a much beloved tag team or as rivals, who put on stellar matches and had epic battles which where guaranteed to excited the crowd. They have known each other for about twenty years.
KENTA left Noah in 2014 to sign with WWE, and after seven months of long negiotations between the two companies, it has been announced that he will appear on 1st September 2018 for "Flight", but by his WWE name and persona. The appearance will be a one off and has been agreed on as this is a special circumstance for both himself, and for Noah.

Card and further information on "Flight" can be found here