(NOAH) HAYATA "My Turning Point" (Puroresu Weekly 2018)

HAYATA debuted in Wrestle Gate, and was active in Kansai's indie scene. As of December the year before last, with Noah as his primary battlefield, he has rapidly progressed to the level of any fighter in the business. His career has surely been made up of a series of turning points.

HAYATA is usually not one to talk much, but his quiet success in life speaks for itself.

TURNING POINT MATCH 1

vs. Kotoge Atsushi

(Osaka Pro⭐️ 2010/6/5, Osaka)

Now as a Noah wrestler, HAYATA has become an indispensable presence in RATEL'S war on the junior division, led by Daisuke Harada. But you could say that most of his career has been spent on the backroads. He debuted in 2006, in a wrestlers' training gym chaired by Michinoku's HANZO in Fukuyama called "Wrestle Gate." It wasn't a major promotion, but he chose a local indie because it was close to home.

Although his debut match and first winning streak are among the first in this series of turning points, in HAYATA's case, "I can't quite remember them. Just that we'd have matches at supermarkets and festivals, places like that." We also asked if he remembered Wrestle-1's Seiki Yoshioka, who tagged with HAYATA at RATEL'S produce show on June 30 at Shin Okiba [[n.b. and also debuted in Wrestle Gate]]. "Because I was gone around the time he debuted, we never really had matches in Wrestle Gate," he said, so there's not much to tell. And so the story jumps right ahead, to Osaka Pro Wrestling.

After HAYATA left Wrestle Gate, he began working with Osaka Pro Wrestling, along with Gunso (today of DOVE Pro Wrestling). At this time, although HAYATA was in contact with a lot of different people, from the start he was friends with Katoge Atsushi. Gunso got injured and, away from home and losing hope while competing,the Osaka Pro wrestler took a medical leave. That quickly opened up a vacancy, and an unexpected offer floated down on HAYATA.

Soon after his first fight in Osaka Pro Wrestling, they tested him out for a regular spot with a series of seven matches. He faced Tadasuke, Miracle Man, Hideyoshi, Daisuke Harada, Black Buffalo, and Asian Kuuga (all their ring names at the time.) The last of those battles was against Kotoge Atsushi. “Up to then I really hadn’t had many matches. Maybe once or twice in the course of one month. But when I came to Osaka Pro, I’d be fighting about four or five times a week. It was fun to be able to do so many matches.

"I was bound to lose those matches because up until then I hadn’t really had a tough opponent, but I was able to manage somehow. Harada defeated me, and in the seventh match Kotoge finished me off -- but afterward, he said 'He really did well though,' and I was able to become a regular. Thanks to Kotoge, I was able to establish myself in Osaka Pro Wrestling."

Although, at this point, his career had lasted close to four years, he hadn't had that many matches. Nevertheless, he reached the point of being installed in OPW, and from the beginning, he was picking up experience with incomparable speed.

TURNING POINT MATCH 2

vs. Billy Ken Kid & Zeus 

(Osaka Pro⭐️ January 15, 2011, Osaka)

HAYATA's big turning point arrived when he joined the heel faction "JOKER." The youthful impression he gave off still hadn't been wiped away, and he and the powerful Masamune committed a crime together outside the ring. One day, after the main event had finished, they lay into Miracle Man, of OPW's Seikigun, with thrust-kicks -- and so he advanced down an evil path.

JOKER was made up of Kuuga, the leader; masked man Worochi; and bodybuilder-turned-wrestler, the Bodyguard. Among this company, HAYATA took on the role of the fresh young man. Zeus was then in Seikigun, and he fought in a few tag matches against the Bodyguard.

"To start with, I didn't understand the timing of entering to the music the Bodyguard had back then. During the match, Bodyguard would put a nelson on Zeus, and I would hurl powder at him. Zeus would always manage to avoid it and  the Bodyguard would get hit with it. When he tagged with me, he'd be likely to catch friendly fire.

"This frequent friendly fire propelled Bodyguard to leave JOKER and start teaming with Zeus, and The Big Guns was born. After the two had started teaming, I was jerked around like a plaything... But The Big Guns exist today because of me (laughs). So I'm happy to see that the Bodyguard and Zeus seem to be flourishing in All Japan."

It's funny that HAYATA's friendly fire triggered the creation of one of the top tag teams in the pro wrestling world today. At the time when Zeus and the Body Guard's struggle was just beginning, you would never have known it.

TURNING POINT MATCH 3

vs. Kotoge & Harada

(Osaka Pro ⭐️ October 30, 2011, Osaka)

As he was rampaging around with JOKER, a big opportunity came along for HAYATA. At the time, the "Momo no Seishun" tag team of Kotoge and Harada was creating a sensation, and HAYATA and Kuuga challenged them. In a sudden upset, they took the Osaka Pro Wrestling tag titles.

"I was happy. It was a big match in Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium #2, and it was my first belt. I'd transformed into a champion. Or maybe I should say, I wasn't defeated.

"Afterward, we had defenses in all different styles, hardcore and such. Kuuga did like the hardcore circuit. But ladders hurt, and I don't ever want to do it again."

He'd reached five years since his debut and his first belt, and HAYATA, who barely lets his emotions show, really seemed to be happy.

And right after he became the tag champion, a singles match with the man who is now boss of RATEL'S was waiting for him.

TURNING POINT MATCH 4

vs. Daisuke Harada

(Osaka Pro⭐️ December 11, 2011, Osaka)

The singles match with Harada was a battle between Seikigun and the rising new generation of heels. Since joining JOKER, HAYATA kept on wrestling at every opportunity, and before he knew it he was being featured on one of Osaka Pro Wrestling's most memorable cards.

"I was always doing so much during the time with JOKER. Including having proper singles matches with Harada, regardless of whether it was a weekend or weekday. In terms of the balance of shows, it was probably just right, wasn't it? I was a heel at that time, but personally I had a lot of fun. There was also the Tennozan Singles Tournament, I also did quite a bit there."

In the Tennozan quarterfinal, HAYATA clashed with Harada. He dealt out his specialty speed attack, evaded the Katayama German suplex hold with a kick to the vitals, and otherwise put up a heel fight. Although in the end he lost the match, it can be said that he had, in one fight, clearly shown his true ability as a singles match contender. 

The year 2011, so full of turning points, was over, and as 2012 progressed, powerful tremors would course through Osaka Pro Wrestling. At the end of March, the Ace, Kotoge, left to join NOAH. A tough spot often presents an opportunity. Within JOKER, HAYATA continued to develop at a disturbing rate, and in June, he and Tadasuke dominated the Osaka Tag Festival. The tag title, which he had been holding with Kuuga, was vacated, and a signal flare went up heralding a revolution to "change Osaka Pro Wrestling." 

Now with the addition of Harada, these three present-day members of RATEL'S made up a new generation trio, named "Glare." Though they were fighting in order to bring about a revolution in the promotion, HAYATA says "capes weren't going to do it." And so, the next year, in March 2013, he also left Osaka Pro Wrestling. Strangely, Harada also left at the same time, and transferred to NOAH. 

TURNING POINT MATCH 5

vs. Rapid & Daisuke Masaoka

(Dotonbori Pro Wrestling ⭐️October 5, 2014, Osaka)

In September of that same year, HAYATA took part in planning the development of the Kuuga-led Dotonbori Pro Wrestling. While he was on his own and independent, he converged with someone. It was at this time that he and his current partner, YO-HEY, truly started doing things together. 

At first, HAYATA was in JOKER, which had been revived by Kuuga, but things within the faction became strained because Masamune kept catching frequent friendly fire. Amid all that, HAYATA accepted YO-HEY's invitation and joined the Seikigun-esque Sky Express. The two made their first foray as a team in the "First Dotonbori Tag King Decision League," in November and December of that year.

"I really started teaming with YO-HEY from that tournament onward. When I'd let off friendly fire, I was thinking I wanted to break up the team. It's already 4, 5 years since then? When I'd think of hitting someone on my team, the breakup just happened naturally (wry laugh). I wanted to congratulate Rapid on his mask, though."

In September 2014, Dotonbori formed a business partnership with DOVE, and a two-division system was announced for the wrestlers. HAYATA and YO-HEY now belonged to DOVE, and Sky Express broke up. According to the man himself, "Suddenly we got word from above, and we didn't understand the meaning of it at all."

Sky Express's last match showdown in Dotonbori brought the feelings of both generations head-to-head. If they quarreled even more, there was a feeling that whatever heights they might aim for, given the state of their company, they would have to pull the plug on it.

Jumping out of sequence in our story for a moment, at DOVE Pro's event in Dotonbori arena on February 21 that year, HAYATA served as Tadasuke's opponent in his farewell match before going on excursion to America -- a match that could perhaps also be counted among the  turning points. However...

"After Mother (Tadasuke) said he was going to America, I said, hopefully, 'I want to have a match.' Finally we had a singles match, drank until it was time to go to the airport, then promptly sent him off. I told him to make some good memories. Then 3, 4 months passed, I think. He came back a bit earlier than planned (laughs). But he went to America again, did a little bit and, in the end, came back to Osaka as a freelancer in the same kind of companies and promotions."

HAYATA had been with Tadasuke since the JOKER era; they were of the same generation, the same faction, and got along well in their public and personal lives. He was reluctant to say goodbye and became unusually emotional -- but they were reunited sooner than expected, and until now they've nearly always been together. For that reason, seeing him off could also be added to the list of turning points.

TURNING POINT MATCH 6

vs. YO-HEY & The Bodyguard

(Tsubasa's independent show⭐️November 24, 2014, Izumi)

If there's a match we still remember from HAYATA's DOVE era, it's the partner shuffle coin toss match from Tsubasa's independent show. HAYATA & YO-HEY and The Big Guns literally swapped partners for one match. "Simply put, we were toys for his highness and Zeus. YO-HEY was in there as a toy for the Big Guns. While we were lifted up at one point, his highness and Zeus were kicking us and such. This match turned out to be pretty interesting, and since we kept on doing it like that, we got to the point where we were wrestling in a lot of different rings in Osaka."

And so the one who gave birth to the Big Guns, HAYATA, was destined three years later to be used as their plaything along with YO-HEY. The fact that the four of them have now become key players in NOAH and All Japan shows again how you never know what's going to happen in the pro wrestling world.

TURNING POINT MATCH 7

vs. GENTARO & The Winger

(FREEDOMS ⭐️September 15, 2016, Korakuen)

Hayata, who had principally been active in Kansai's indies, started making regular appearances in FREEDOMS, and as of sometime around the summer of 2016, he'd reached the point where he wrestled about one match in Tokyo a month.

At Jun Kasai's produce show, he competed against Masaoka in the barbed wire board + α death match. In September, he took the tag title with fellow Wrestle Gate alum Yuya Susumu. "Since the number of matches increased, and Mr. Susumu was my direct senior -- I was happy we took the belts together. In Tokyo the crowds at shows are completely different, aren't they? In Osaka, it feels like everyone who goes to see the promotions there knows each other. It's because Tokyo has a bigger population of wrestling fans I guess."

FREEDOMS gave HAYATA the occasion to wrestle more and more matches in Tokyo. Though up to now he'd mainly been walking the backroads of the wrestling world, now all at once he was appearing front and center.

TURNING POINT MATCH 8

vs. Hajime Ohara

(NOAH⭐️May 27, 2017, Osaka)

In December of that year, Suzuki-gun pulled out of NOAH. At around the same time, HAYATA participated in matches there along with Tadasuke, YO-HEY, and Hi69. Although the ring was unfamiliar, because their old friends Kotoge and Harada were there, they were able to fit in smoothly.

"Soon after we started competing in NOAH, I wrestled a singles match with Harada in Osaka, and tagged with Mother at Shinjuku Face against the Momo no Seishun tag team. If those two hadn't been there, I think it would have been tough. Since those two were there, going to Noah was easy. Kotoge is the one I had various exchanges with before starting to wrestle in Osaka Pro, and I left Osaka Pro at the same time as Harada. I think there's some kind of fate binding me to Kotoge and Harada."

As of February 2017, HAYATA, Harada, Tadasuke and YO-HEY formed the junior faction "RATEL'S." Up to then, HAYATA had mostly had the image of a tag team wrestler; in May, HAYATA made his first challenge for Hajime Ohara's GHC junior tag belt and somehow managed to suddenly capture the belt. Even HAYATA himself was surprised by how it turned out.

"Challenging for a single's match is troublesome, isn't it? But becoming part of this strange group gave me the need to make a challenge. The air smelled of challenge. I was surprised to take the belt. Like, whoa, I got it! But because of that I can say now, before the first defense, at a time unrelated to the lead-up matches and such, I pulled a muscle in my hip joint... The day of the first defense, I taped up the injury before putting clothes on. 

"But before I was about to enter, my bandanna slipped out of place, and when I went to fix it, the bulging part of the belt whacked me in the face! Then I felt something warm, and there was a decent stream of blood flowing. Too joyful, spirits too high. I was completely agitated (wry laugh)."

On June 25 in Koriyama, HAYATA was defeated in his first defense against Taiji Ishimori. His cinderella story, from the backstreets to being crowned with the GHC junior heavyweight title, ended one month later with the belt being stolen away. But soon afterward, yet another turning point was waiting for him.

TURNING POINT MATCH 9

vs. Taiji Ishimori & Hi69

(NOAH⭐️August 26, 2017, Korakuen)

HAYATA and YO-HEY appeared together in the "11th Global Junior Heavyweight Tag League" tournament and won magnificently. They'd racked up some big accomplishments in NOAH, and with this momentum they challenged Ishimori and Hi69 for the junior heavyweight tag belts. 

"During the tournament, I was still carrying the muscle injury and was relying on YO-HEY. A while back, before an important match, YO-HEY had gotten a lot of injuries, and now he returned the favor... well, he did more than that though. We took the junior tag title and joined NOAH full-time; a little bit before that it felt like nothing was changing. Being freelance can let you do a lot of things. But I think being in RATEL'S is huge. It's nice being among friends. I don't know whether I'll shoot off some friendly fire sometime though (wry laugh)." 

HAYATA, who so magnificently became GHC junior tag champion, joined NOAH full time on September 1. After walking the industry's backstreets for so long, at last he emerged at center stage -- though he fundamentally hasn't changed. As a member of the self-described "strange group," from here on out, with his aloof and taciturn air, he'll continue to fight in the green ring.

(Big thanks to Purodino for translating the article)

Picture credit to Puroresu Weekly