(NOAH) Kiyomiya's second defense! Marufuji returns with the challenge, "that is the belt that I was supposed to win".

2nd February 2019
Daily Japan\Yahoo Sports

The youngest GHC Heavyweight champion, 22 year old Kaito Kiyomiya, overcame Masa Kitamiya's challenge and succeeded in defending for the second time.
Immediately after this he was challenged by Naomichi Marufuji, who was returning from shoulder and thigh injury for the first time in about two months*, and he accepted on the spot.

Kiyomiya had struggled with the concentrated attack on his left knee, that the senior Kitamiya, who had been the dormitory manager at the start of his training, had delivered. In the final stage he took the Saito Suplex, but kicked out at 2. In the end he went for the Tiger Suplex, the Emerald Flowsion, and again with a final Tiger Suplex, bought to the end the battle of over 29 minutes.
After the match when talking on the microphone, Marufuji appeared.
Because Kiyomiya had won the championship as a result of Marufuji missing the final round of Global League in November last year, when he was scheduled to wrestle Kiyomiya, he told him, "You won the belt that I was supposed to win, by winning Global League that I was meant to win. Even so, I do not fear your strength. Do you understand why you are champion? I know everything seems okay thanks to the cheers of the fans, but I have confidence that I will win, no matter how many fans are behind you. I did think about listening to your answer, but there is only one. Your answer is only "do it!" 
To this, Kiyomiya accepted politely and said, "to be honest, I thought you would come. I am now the face of Noah. Thank you for the defensive match".

The match on the 10th March in Yokohama has been set.

In the interview, Kiyomiya spoke of his victory, "I cannot turn back the era by losing the belt, I will definitely protect it. I was told by Kitamiya that I am "only a young student", but I have been dreaming of doing a title match with him since I entered the dojo, and so I think I have cracked one shell. I will not give this belt to anyone, again, I pledge that I will go as far as I can with it."

Link to original article from Daily Japan\Yahoo Sports
Picture credit ~ Daily Japan\Yahoo Sports

*Actually about three and a half to four.