(NOAH) Breaking down Naomichi Marufuji vs. Hideo Itami, September 1 Ryogoku, Part 1

Translated by Purodino

"Dragon Spirit Commentary," in which Genichiro Tenryu takes apart topics in the world of the ring. He'll break down this week's topic of "the sudden announcement of Naomichi Marufji vs. Hideo Itami for September 1 at Ryogoku." Marufuji vs. Hideo Itami has been announced as the main event on Marufuji's 20th anniversary show, which is being held at Ryogoku on September 1. What did Tenryu — who also had some experience facing Hideo Itami, known in his NOAH days as KENTA — think about this big card?

It's been decided that WWE's Hideo Itami, who was active in NOAH and formerly known as KENTA, will participate in Naomichi Marufuji's 20th anniversary show at Ryogoku Kokugikan on September 1.

It's been a while since he's stepped into a Japanese ring, and though it's been decided that he'll face Marufuji one-on-one, like good news from long ago, I think this is an interesting card. It will also create great excitement in the Japanese pro wrestling world, won't it?

For Marufuji to be wrestling KENTA on his pivotal 20th anniversary, everything really worked out perfectly to make this matchup. Nearly every Japanese fan knows their backstory and relationship from their time shredding each other up in NOAH. Marufuji is a lucky man to be wrestling such an opponent for his anniversary show. For all wrestling fans, me included, have in mind the squaring the accounts of the storied past, all kinds of things, and we'll be looking forward to Marufuji vs. KENTA this time, won't we?

At the same time, when I heard the news about this KENTA fight, it also felt like it showed some leeway from WWE.

Up to now, it was almost unheard of for WWE to lend out its wrestlers. But even with KENTA coming and Chris Jericho appearing in New Japan, lately WWE has been making spot appearances in Japanese promotions. Though normally they don't want to assist outside promotions in other countries, to the extent that there is some leeway, WWE doesn't concern itself with things on this small scale, and it feels like it's making a show of that now.

KENTA coming to participate in Marufuji's show makes for some good material for Japanese wrestling fans to talk endlessly about over drinks. I think it's the ideal izakaya talk. But the conclusion of all this talk about them has to be that WWE has settled in a great place.

Though at one time WWF was on the same level as the NWA and Minneapolis, WWE made the clear decision to pursue wrestling as show business and didn't break from this stance, and as a result WWE came to dominate.

Precisely because it's that WWE, there must be some advantage to lending out wrestlers. By lending out KENTA now, WWE, which is focusing on the Japanese market, will probably raise its stock among Japanese fans. And, too, I think Marufuji's name probably exactly wasn't at the bottom (of WWE's list of Japanese wrestlers to acquire).

Though he's clearly been fighting for a similar amount of time and with similar standing as KENTA, Marufuji at that time had a lot of things cuffing and shackling him, and though the conditions were such that there was no hope of acquiring him, WWE management will likely be watching this match. Depending on how the match goes, I believe Marufuji's next place of employment could be in sight. Because if they wrestle a good match, these two are fantastic together again, the talent is outstanding, the chances of Marufuji being extracted aren't zero.

After KENTA joined WWE, his rival, who was living somewhat in obscurity, still had some tricks up his sleeve, and it would be interesting to see him go up against other middleweights. Marufuji still has his ways. Where Marufuji is concerned, he's been wrestling for almost 20 years in NOAH, and soon, even if it's unreasonable, I think it will be about time.

With this in mind, I want Marufuji to face the fight with KENTA at Ryogoku. Because the WWE top brass will be right before your eyes. They'll be sizing it up like "how would fans react if we did this match in New York?" WWE is tough like that.

It's unlikely that KENTA is simply being lent out one time and that's the end of it. From the perspective of WWE's bid to gradually invade and dominate Japan, it's not entirely a mistake.

That aside, though the principal character this time is Marufuji, who's hosting his 20th anniversary show, I'll be paying attention to KENTA, who hasn't had a match in a Japanese ring for some time. There was the grand announcement he was joining WWE, he went to America, then injuries and various other things started piling up, and four years have passed where he hasn't been active here. The frustrations have mounted incredibly, so with his former familiar opponent Marufuji, what kind of match will they put on together in front of the Japanese fans? In a way, I think he'll be paid more attention to than the principal character of Marufuji.