(W-1\NOAH) "Pro Wrestling is great. It's the best competition." Kaz Hayashi reclaims the WRESTLE-1 belt from Katsuhiko Nakajima before the end of business!

16th March 2020
Yahoo.co.jp\Pro Wrestling & Kakutougi News Site

On the 15th March, WRESTLE-1 held "WRESTLE WARS 2020" at the Ota Ward Gymnasium in Tokyo where Kaz Hayashi reclaimed the WRESTLE-1 championship from Katsuhiko Nakajima.

WRESTLE-1 (W-1) is a promotion which was launched in 2013 by Keiji Mutoh when a large number of both wrestlers and staff left All Japan. At one time it prospered as there were collaborations with overseas promotions such as TNA, and a training school called a "Pro Wrestling College". However, since around 2016, core wrestlers left the promotion one after the other, and left it struggling to attract customers due to factors such as the sudden decrease in the number of appearances due to the accumulation of damage to Mutoh's knees.
It was announced on the 29th February that the Korakuen Hall event on April 1st would be the last after which the promotion would suspend activities indefinitely. The wrestlers will become free on March 31st, and the event on April 1st will be the last grand event of W-1.

At the main event, Kaz Hayashi challenged the W-1 champion, Katsuhiko Nakajima.
Nakajima had won the belt in January, and immediately showed an arrogant attitude, kicking the belt and excessive provoking of W-1 fans. Last month at Korakuen Hall, he made his first defence to Shotaro Ashino who is regarded as "a symbol of strength of W-1", to whom he demonstrated an overwhelming difference in ability. When Nakajima was handed the belt, he threw it aside. Kaz, who was furious at this, knocked Nakajima out with a trance kick, and expressed his challenge. However, after this Kaz suffered a injury due to the rupture of his left leg bicep and had to miss time. Nakajima said, "Are you going to face me in that state? Well, honestly I think that is stupid. Are you going to beat me in that state and get the belt back?"

The last match between them was the finals of the junior heavyweight league in All Japan in 2006. Ironically, the match took place at the Ota Ward Gymnasium, where Kaz won.

Due to the condition of the times*, Nakajima entered wearing a surgical mask and refused to take it off, even when the match started. Kaz, furious, tore it off. Nakajima then concentrated various kicks on Kaz's injured left leg, and he fell heavily.
However, Kaz gained power from the support of the fans and the calls of "WRESTLE-1", which caused him to regain his strength and fight back. Fearlessly facing down Nakajima's strong kicks, he attacked with a Reverse Gore Special Bomb, and enduring Nakajima's vertical spike, he won the match with the Power Plant.

Kaz emotionally addressed the audience saying, "Thank you very much for your support. Really, thank you very very much for supporting W-1!" He bowed deeply to the audience as the younger wrestlers who had been seconding came to the ring, and closed the event with "W-1 will keep going all the way until April 1st, so please follow us! Thank you for today!".

Returning backstage, Nakajima said, "How was this W-1 with Katsuhiko Nakajima? Was it exciting? As usual, Kaz Hayashi is a man amongst men, no matter how much time has passed. Anyway, my work here is done for today. W-1, I am glad that I could interact with fans, wrestlers and staff. It has been fun. A salty group in that sense, but I have reaped a lot. Thank you. I'm going home now." Laughing fearlessly, he left.

Kaz said earnestly, "I have done what I can do now to the best of my ability. Katsuhiko Nakajima doesn't care whether he is a heel or a babyface. I don't care, it doesn't matter anyway, I don't need that kind of fight where we pulled everything out of each other. Even in my present condition I had to work very hard because Katsuhiko Nakajima was my opponent. Nakajima is not simply doing bad things, he has a real struggle in him. He did various rude things, but as I wrestler, I thank Nakajima for it."
When asked about the W-1 call from the audience he said, "I think the cheering of the fans really encouraged me. This is live power boiling. To hear this support live and raw, I mean I've been a pro wrestler for 28 or 29 years, and I feel blessed. I think its the best competition.".

Link to original article from Yahoo Japan
Picture credit: Yahoo.co.jp\Pro Wrestling & Kakutougi News Site

*Coronavirus