(NOAH) Marufuji surpassed! Kiyomiya is the youngest GHC Champion in history at 22 years old

Tokyo Sports
17th December 2018

Noah's next generation ace, has set a landmark achievement.
Kaito Kiyomiya (22), the challenger, defeated Takashi Sugiura (48) for the GHC Heavyweight Championship (16th December, Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium), and fulfilled his first (singles) championship. This is a great achievement following the fighting spirit award at the "2018 Wrestling Grand Prix" awards as he has broken the GHC record.
The young warrior may have finished the year in the highest form, but there was a frightening "incident" that caused an awakening.
It was a great change with a wishful achievement.
In the middle stage of the match, it was completely Sugiura's pace. Kiyomiya, who kept taking the ruthless attack was forced many times to repeated blows of the elbow and outside attacks to the iron fence.
Still, when he managed to struggle to his feet zombie-like, he managed to hit the champion's head into the mat from the top corner. With this, he regained the momentum by using the late Mitsuharu Misawa's finisher, the Emerald Flowsion, with a new technique, the Tiger Atomic Bomb.

His championship reign of 22, has greatly overtaken the 26 years and 11 months of Naomichi Marufuji (39), establishing him as the youngest title holder ever. After the match he accepted the challenge of Kenoh (33) and said, "this is the starting point. I don't know how far I can go, but with everyone's support, I think it will be possible. Noah's new face will be me!" he cried.
This year, he has taken some huge leaps. He captured his first title, the GHC Tag Championship, in the spring Global Tag League, and with momentum of commanding the Global League match in November, and taking the championship, he achieved the annual Grand Slam.

The incident that triggered the blooming of his talent was during excursion in Canada in July of last year.
"My view of life changed when I almost died in Canada."
There was a very harsh schedule of twenty-one matches, and he was travelling squeezed in a car with other local wrestlers.
"We were all exhausted of sleeping, and then suddenly there was a tremendous braking noise and the car was spinning around when I woke, because the driver, who was also exhausted had fallen asleep. I shouted "shit", but then thought strangely calmly, "Oh, I need to learn English better, because I do not wish to die like this!"
Fortunately, the car immediately stopped in a bush at the side of the road.
It was a narrow escape from death.
"After that brush with death, I resolved to become unbound by it".
A year ago he evolved into a different person, and came back to Japan with such experience.

The first defense will be with Kenoh at Korakuen Hall on January 6th next year. The young champion will pull the mat of Noah in 2019.

Link to original article from Tokyo Sports (in Japanese)
Picture credit ~ Tokyo Sports