(NOAH) EVENT RECAP ~ "NOAH IN THE SPOTLIGHT", 12TH JUNE 2020 (FINAL NIGHT)

The final night of "NOAH In The Spotlight" wrapped up at the Noah TV Arena tonight. The card is a mixed one, with an experimental first match which didn't really go down so well and I think can be done again when more time has passed, to the emotional main event which leaves many questions asked and unanswered.

The event was streamed on WRESTLE UNIVERSE, and remains (and will remain) available to watch. Please note you will need to be a subscriber to the service to view it. 

MATCH ONE

Seiki Yoshioka vs Kaz Hayashi

Kaz Hayashi came to the ring looking for revenge, he had branded Yoshioka "rude" in his post match promo, and he had come to sort him out with the look of an enraged veteran. If Yoshioka could kick, then so could he. 

Noah debuted a new ref (Tsukakoshi) in the match today. 

It was a good opener, but sadly as neither have been in Noah long and fans aren't really connected with them at the moment (Kaz Hayashi being associated with W-1 in particular), it sadly didn't mean much.

WINNER: Kaz Hayashi with the Power Plant (9 minutes, 27 seconds)

As Hayashi stood pointing to the ceiling after winning, Yoshioka was helped away by the trainee.

MATCH TWO

Kongoh (Hao & Nio) vs The Sugiura Army (Kendo Kashin & NOSAWA Rongai)

Kendo Kashin came out in a t-shirt that proudly announced that he had been fired, which NOSAWA Rongai pointed out. He hasn't been fired from The Sugiura Army, Noah or LIDET by the way. 

Kashin was, as ever, (much to NOSAWA'S despair at times), up to his usual tricks, although he scared the trainee off the apron today, and didn't knock him down and at the beginning of the match, he started creating trouble about starting off, getting on to the apron to take his t-shirt off, and protest to NOSAWA about starting until NOSAWA told him to get in the ring. Kashin then started messing around in the first lock up. He is clever like Ogawa, but less sneaky. What he does is more open, which is why the match between them is going to be interesting. 

WINNER: Kendo Kashin with an Avalanche arm type submission on Nio (10 minutes, 12 seconds)

Backstage Kashin said that he was interested in facing Yoshinari Ogawa, but not just Ogawa, that belt looked pretty good too...

MATCH THREE

Yoshinari Ogawa & Kinya Okada vs Tadasuke & YO-HEY

Yoshinari Ogawa came sauntering out, the strings he has been manipulating everyone with working well, and everyone dancing to his tune. 

Kinya Okada actually walked to the ring. 

YO-HEY is still looking subdued. 

Ignoring Okada, YO-HEY and Tadasuke attacked Ogawa almost straight away, the fight going outside of the ring. Okada was very much ignored, as YO-HEY threw him to the side to concentrate on beating up Ogawa, and then when in the ring he threw him outside of it. Eventually the ref restored order.

YO-HEY taunted Okada's attacks when he did get in the ring, with Tadasuke torturing his ribs. However, Okada got his revenge using kicks, submission moves (lets just say one was almost GinGin), throwing YO-HEY out of the ring, and working with Ogawa on Tadasuke's arm. Okakin looked like he was enjoying it, Ogawa certainly was

Fan consensus is that he has taken a great leap forward

WINNER: Tadasuke with Land Dump Lariat on Kinya Okada (18 minutes, 40 seconds)

Tadasuke appears to have named his lariat, but the name doesn't really translate well as the translation "Land Dump" means basically to stamp your feet in anger. One person who was slamming his fists (if not his feet) in anger, was Yoshinari Ogawa who slammed them against the ring apron at the loss. He stalked off and snatched his tag belt as he walked off to Tadasuke & YO-HEY waving at him sarcastically. 

MATCH FOUR

Kaito Kiyomiya & Kotaro Suzuki vs FULL THROTTLE (Atsushi Kotoge & Hajime Ohara)

On his Twitter Atsushi Kotoge announced that he had made up (what is left of) his mind, and would challenge Kotaro for the GHC Junior Heavyweight, so while Kiyomiya was glamming to the camera, Kotoge could be seen in the background marching up to Kotaro (who was sitting on one of the opposite turnbuckles) to challenge for the belt. Kotaro told him to go away. 

Then with hats and coats off, and feathers everywhere, with Kotoge throwing his cap to the second, the two teams huddled in their corners, and Kiyomiya said he would start against Hajime Ohara. The match was going to be divided up like this, Kiyomiya vs Ohara with Kotoge vs Kotaro. For Kiyomiya, fighting Ohara was very different style to what Kiyomiya has experienced so far. Speaking of experience (good or bad), Kiyomiya has been the only heavyweight who has witnessed firsthand over the past three days, the squabbles that go on in the juniors, who he got beaten up by in this match. 

Kotoge (despite the manic energy which made Kotaro fall over him at one point) made good use of this during the match, getting up great speed when he bounced off the ropes and into a low dropkick into one of the opponents face.  Kotaro using a nasty throat stamp on Ohara (which the ref had to check him out for). 

WINNER: Kaito Kiyomiya with a vertical drop type reverse DDT on Hajime Ohara (19 minutes, 52 seconds)

After the match, Kotaro and Kotoge had a spat over the belt with Kotoge trying to grab at it and Kotaro getting irritated. Kotoge then held on to the belt strap when Kotaro tried to leave the ring, Kotaro batted him away and then wiped the belt strap on his leg! Kotaro had just met crazy, and crazy was not going to give up. 

MATCH FIVE

HAYATA vs Daisuke Harada

Daisuke Harada came out looking tired and resigned to what he had to do, but with a steely determination in his eyes, which is different from his "shark smells blood" face, which is when he smiles evilly. HAYATA came out accompanied by STINGER. 

Harada was waiting in the ring for him like a tiger hiding in the grass ready to pounce. 

HAYATA has learned a lot from Ogawa (and not just the low blow kick which he used on Harada) using Ogawa like tactics of luring Harada to the outside of the ring, but despite this, Harada knows HAYATA well, and spiked him by putting his knees up during moonsault. Harada had several ways to torture HAYATA throughout the match. HAYATA, however, was not going to quit. Both are stubborn, and neither was going to yield to the other. 

Throughout the match, Yoshinari Ogawa remained an ominous presence at ringside, at times Harada would turn round and find him a little too close for comfort which usually ended with Harada giving a piercing look and Ogawa almost floating off. 

Ogawa was not the only one whose presence was felt at ringside, YO-HEY'S also was, but in a different way. Despite what HAYATA has done to RATELS, YO-HEY was seen (probably out of habit) watching HAYATA, and looking as if he wanted to check on him, especially when HAYATA hit the stairs. At one point, HAYATA kind of turned his head to look at him like he always did when YO-HEY seconded him, but I think this was out of habit. It's too soon for Noah to start hinting at any kind of reconciliation between the two. 

Ogawa knows that if he wants to keep HAYATA, then he needs to keep him away from YO-HEY, who out of all of the former RATELS, has the most influence over him, so when HAYATA and Harada lay fallen at ringside after a Harada through the ropes dive, and YO-HEY came over. Ogawa also appeared, shouted at YO-HEY, and made a huge show of clapping on HAYATA. 

WINNER: Daisuke Harada via match stoppage when STINGER stormed the ring and attacked him 

Harada went for the Katayama German Suplex, and STINGER stormed the ring and broke the pin. A melee fight broke out between the two teams, and in the midst of this Atsushi Kotoge ran in and gave Kotaro the Killswitch, and then, in true crazy person style asked for his title shot and left just as crazily after Ogawa basically told him to go away. Backstage Kotaro said he would give Kotoge his title match dismissively saying "Come at full throttle, I'll be in second gear". Match has been set for 14th June, and will be live and free to view on ABEMA. 

Afterwards, Ogawa helped everyone out of the ring, picking up HAYATA on the way. Harada got on the microphone and said that he wanted HAYATA to fight Tadasuke, YO-HEY and himself separately in singles. Harada then stormed backstage, fists clenched.

With thanks to: Miriam, Metal Noah, Abeshin 

GIF Credit: WRESTLE UNIVERSE