(NOAH) Sugiura: Unprecedented 50 year old's sixth championship plan

17th February 2020
Tokyo Sports

At the age of 50, the dream is to have a six championships*. Noah's GHC National champion, Takashi Sugiura (49), is aiming for a big record. He will make his third defence against the former GHC Heavyweight champion, Kaito Kiyomiya (23) at the Nagoya International Convention Centre on 24th February, and in April he will participate in All Japan's spring festival, "Champion Carnival" (CC) for the first time, which will open at Korakuen. From the achievement of his beginnings in Noah, he will now step into an area he has never been in before.

Sugiura, who will turn 50 on May 31st, revealed a surprising fact, "Ah, (CC) everyone says its their first appearance, but this will be my first time going to All Japan. I have not said this before, and no one has heard it."

In April 2000, he entered All Japan in April 2000, but in June of that year Mitsuharu Misawa (deceased) established Noah, and after just two months training in All Japan, he made his debut in Noah that same year. By the way, he is the only man in the long history of All Japan to have his first child while a trainee.

In CC this year, 18 wrestlers will participate. The Triple Crown champion, Kento Miyahara (30) is first, then other wrestlers such as the world tag champions "The Violent Giants" Suwama (43) and Shuji Ishikawa (44), and other powerful wrestlers who symbolize the mat of the Royal Road gather here. Sugiura looked at the list of members and smiling fearlessly said, "I don't fit in, well I will be the winner, and with all victories." Dreaming of a historic victory he added, "If you are the winner, you get a Triple Crown Challenge, right? I'll be filled with strength if so. When I was an innocent trainee, I had a longing for that very belt which I once polished. I will be fifty years old by the time I win and challenge? Four honors if so (CC winner, triple crown) from All Japan, and then I return to Noah and take the GHC Heavyweight. Six championships at the age of 50? I can't help it."

In 2018, Noah's Genius, Naomichi Marufuji failed to capture the belt after challenging for the Triple Crown after winning his first CC appearance. In 2001, Keiji Mutoh achieved the feat of six championships in All Japan and New Japan, but he was 28 at the time. If a fifty year old six champion is born in All Japan and Noah, it will be an unbeatable record that will not be beaten in the future.

At Korakuen Hall on the 16th, he teamed with Kazuyuki Fujita to defeat the team of Go Shiozaki (38) and Kiyomiya. "Kiyomiya couldn't look me in the eyes as he was scared. He shouldn't be overpowered by old men. There is no losing factor. Okay, wait for the Carnival, Tamon Honda!" he suddenly screamed for no reason the name of the senior member of the SDF who is not in the carnival, and disappeared into Suidobashi.

Link to original article from Tokyo Sports
Picture credit: Tokyo Sports

*Winning Champions Carnival, holding the triple crown, holding the GHC National and the GHC Heavyweight (the Triple Crown consists of three belts)