(NOAH) Pro Wrestling Noah's 4th January & 5th January two Korakuen events sold out on the "back" of New Japan's two Tokyo Domes. President Takeda announces plans, "It's time to spread Noah across the industry".

Sports Hochi
2nd November 2020

All advance tickets for Pro Wrestling Noah's 4th & 5th January Korakuen Hall events have been sold out.

The events will be held on the same days as New Japan Pro-Wrestling at the Tokyo Dome, on social media criticisms such as "madness" were levelled, but despite the criticism, the fact that they were "right behind" New Japan became a hot topic. Stimulating the fans, may have led to the two sold out shows.

Noah's president, Akihiro Takeda, described the two events as "If there is no provocation, then I think it is no good. I think it is better to be talked about, than not to be talked about, so I thought in that sense it would be more exciting to hold events on the same day as New Japan at The Tokyo Dome."

In New Japan, as well as the retirement match of Beast God, Jushin Thunder Lyger in the second of a series of battles, Kazuchika Okada and Kota Ibushi will fight for the IWGP Heavyweight championship, and in the semi main events, Jay White and Tetsuya Naito will compete for the Intercontinental title, and on the 5th January, the two title winners (for the first time in history), will offer the best cards for challenge match for the unification of the IWGP and Intercontinental.
Meanwhile, on 4th January Noah has prepared a major title match with Go Shiozaki challenging Kaito Kiyomiya in the main.
On the 5th January, Noah will announce all card by surprise by using only admission songs.

It is true that you cannot compare the size if the event and the number of spectators, but President Takeda says, "I think we can win by not only the subject, the match content and the enthusiasm of the venue."
Looking back on history, the same day box office between rival groups has been producing drama in an organization called, "back". (Note - no literal translation or equivalent in English).

On December 11th 1975, the Nippon Budokan held the "13th Anniversary of Rikidozan" in a special match led by All Japan pro wrestling. The main event was a match between the team of Giant Baba and The Destroyer, and the team of Dory Funk Jnr and Jumbo Tsuruta.
On the same day, New Japan at Kuramae Kokugikan* featured a battle between Antonio Inoki and Bill Robinson for 60 minutes.

On November 29th 1989, UWF held its first Tokyo Dome show "U-COSMOS". In the "back" All Japan at the Sapporo Nakajima sports centre, held "The Worlds Strongest Tag League Match", with Baba, Rusher Kimura, Genichiro Tenryu and Stan Hansen fighting against each other, and Tenyru pinning Baba for the first time. He left a memorable quote, "Today's win is heavier than the Tokyo Dome".

On April 2nd 1995, "Weekly Pro" hosted "All Star Fight" and "Bridge of Dreams" with the conflict between Tenryu and Riki Choshu, who were opposed to the editorial policy of "Weekly Pro". On the same day at Korakuen Hall, there were special cards realised such as Tenryu, Choshu, Animal Hamaguchi, Shiro Koshinaka, Tatsutoshi Goto and Michiyoshi Ohara. After the realization of this special card, the fans enthusiasm filled Korakuen.

In topic of the same day box office, the promotion, which was whispered to be grossly disadvantaged both at the box office and in matches before this, has overturned its reputation and built a legend.

The more Inoki, Tenryu and Choshu stood in adversity, the more you can "look back". Handing down the fighting spirit in the ring, is probably the name of the game.

President Takeda said, "I want you to look forward to the content of the matches. This will be a tournament that will remain in history."
In addition, he says about Noah in 2020, "last year, we locked ourselves in a closed country where no wrestlers appeared in other promotions* as we solidified ourselves. As a result, I think this was the basis for Noah. This year, I think it is time to spread Noah across the industry. Not only at the box office, but in the media. I want to spread everything widely for Noah."

From isolation to opening, in 2020 the entire industry will know the value of Noah's existence, and for that reason the two matches at Korakuen will be an important event.
Are Noah's wrestlers really prepared for the humiliation called "back" by Inoki, Tenryu and Choshu, are you ready and prepared with encouragement to rock the fans?

If you build a legend like the pioneers who turned "back" to "front", then Noah could rush to the centre of the mat world in 2020. The two Korakuen events will continue to influence the 20th anniversary, and the future of the promotion.

Link to original article from Hochi News
Picture credit: Hochi News

*Due to damage from WW2 to Sumo Hall, this new venue had been built to hold Sumo in. Building was torn down in the mid eighties.
*Not strictly true