(NOAH) Outside Brawl - Interview with Kenoh

SKY TV Interview

Late August 2020 

(Note, this was done before the events in Kawasaki on the 30th)

Q: Last year you entered in the N-1 Victory (the upgraded Global League single leagues) and was the winner. 

KENOH: Did you know that during the era of Global League, no one has won the championship for two years in a row? It's not a bad thing to leave your name in history as the person who did it first, but to aim for that, I have to do it properly. I was able to win last year with a lot at stake, without being able to leave achievements while making various promises when facing the N-1. 

Q: It was a victory when the achievements that should accompany the remarks weren't left. 

KENOH: Part of the reason why I couldn't do well was because the parent company at the time, LIDET ENTERTAINMENT, didn't give me or Kongoh a chance. Although I declared that I would overcome such adversity and make Noah shine like a diamond, I was not able to do it. I thought that if there was nothing else to do, I would have to show my ability in the league matches. 

Q: Kenoh is the type to say that actions equals words

KENOH: Basically, being bullish is the nature I want to go with, otherwise those fuckers wouldn't be interested. However, I knew that without results it wouldn't be convincing and no one would show any interest. The fact was that when the single league was put together meant that if you can't get good results here, there is no one to blame, and that's how I prepared. 

Q: I haven't heard any negative words such as "tough", "I'm not confident" or "I don't want to do this". 

KENOH: To be honest, the moment I say such words, you know that this isn't Kenoh. The words I speak always provoke those fuckers. I can be positive in saying what I say, and I don't mean to exaggerate the things that aren't there. I say what I say because I think I can do it. Also, regarding the GHC Heavyweight Champion in last year's N-1, Kaito Kiyomiya decided not to participate, which further inspired me. 

Q: As the current champion, the stance was that the winner would challenge the champion and he would meet them at Sumo Hall on November 2nd. 

KENOH: At that years Global Tag League, Kiyomiya and I formed a tag but we fell apart before the final match. Well, it was like a quick divorce, from that point on when had been fighting with my emotions for three or four months, I suddenly got away from him. I didn't like what I had been fighting for then, and the absence of the champion meant that the league matches would not be deciding Noah's strongest. In hindsight I was very angry, but I think it helped. 

Q: Your block had Katsuhiko Nakajima and Masaaki Mochizuki, and you fought with each other. 

KENOH: I remember losing to Mochizuki in the official match last year. I still have regrets. 

Q: You claimed that it was the conspiracy of the company that in March last year you had to fight a series of single matches, although no single matches were ever made. 

KENOH: That's right. However, I was only worried about the first match against Taniguchi (Shuhei), but after that I had a strong will, so it was not a problem. You could say that it is similar to this year as except for the singles match against Haoh at the Kongoh box office in July, and the GHC National Championship match with Katsuhiko Nakajima, I have only had two singles matches since Sumo Hall last year as far as I can remember. Do you know who they were against? 

Q: There was NOSAWA Rongai in an empty arena match (3rd May, Kongoh vs Sugiura Army) and the other one...sorry, I don't remember his name. 

KENOH: Chikara Momota!!!

Q: Oh! I didn't remember as it was last year (December 27th) 

KENOH: That is not an opponent who can be used as a reference when going out to the N-1. The number of single matches are practically the same as last year, but since I have experienced it, it has never become an element of anxiety. The difference from last time is that the definite destination is not seen as certain. 

Q: You where able to set a goal for the future as there was the clear cut GHC challenge at Sumo Hall when you won last year. 

KENOH: On the other hand, I am the only wrestler who has the goal of winning the league twice, and I am the one who can have the goal to say "N-1 speaks of Kenoh". 

Q: Well, when it comes to being called "Mr N-1", Masahiro Chono is said to be a "summer man" because he won the first and second G1 climax in a row and Hirooki Goto says "The G in the G1 is the G for Goto".

KENOH: I'm not going to say anything about that parable, because that is your sense. Anyway, no one else has such an image because N1=Kenoh, even if they win once, twice or at intervals. I think its the equivalent to winning consecutive titles. 

Q: I think it is good to be able to hold the N-1 in front of an audience in the current situation. For four months from March, empty arena matches continued, but how did you feel? 

KENOH: There are pros and cons of continuing to hold empty area matches, but there was a sound voice saying that pro wrestling should be done at this time, even if there is not the form of an audience. However, Noah was at the forefront of the industry when holding empty area matches. Even during the declaration of an emergency for pro wrestling fans having pro wrestling should have given them something to live for. It wouldn't have been a problem for the company to decide to refrain from doing anything, and it is certain that there are promotions that did not hold empty arena matches on that basis, but Noah did. Regarding that it was a plus for me to continue pro wrestling in an environment that I had never experienced before, and I think it was a plus for the company. I think it was a big deal for Pro Wrestling Noah to face the problem, and continue to take the lead in the industry.

Q: I think they made the decision for themselves, rather than go along with the others. 

KENOH: That's right. That's how it started, and because it's now moving I think this is victory or defeat for Noah, including the N-1. Noah's position in the industry will change as it progresses with that attitude, and in terms of single league matches the same project is being carried out by other promotions, so it will become a point of comparative discussion there. There are a lot of leagues in wrestling, but I recognise that this is also an event to make the N-1 look the most interesting. 

Q: You are looking at the whole world of wrestling. 

KENOH: Of course. The other wrestlers can only see defeating the opponent in front of them. I can only see winning the league. I'm different. What can Noah do in wrestling during this era, what can they do again? If you think about that when you climb into the ring, you will discover that the enemy is not the only one standing in the opposite corner. Because of corona, pro wrestlers have to go to the ring thinking of both the genre of wrestling and society, but that cannot be shaped by the wrestlers thoughts alone. In that sense as well...OK, I will praise the current company for the first time. I think it must have been difficult to make the decision to continue matches but as empty arena at that point. 

Q: Live shows have resumed from Korakuen Hall on July 18th & 19th, but how do you feel about the audience having to social distance and not being able to cheer? 

KENOH: Even without cheering, I thought it was completely different even with or without glancing at an audience. Of course, that way is easier and I think there is a warm buzz if not a loud buzz at the time of entrance. I think perhaps that is because I experienced matches without an audience. 

Q: It feels special when something that was taken for granted returns, there is nothing like it. 

KENOH: That's just it. In a sense, speaking out at wrestlers in the ring in a sense is part of what is done to release daily stress. However, now that the awareness of the viewers must have changed now that that has become impossible, if all you can do is applause then build it up with the pro wrestlers who are fighting for that. Emotions come from the applause of that day. 

Q: Is there more intentional applause? 

KENOH: I think there is a difference in the quality of applause before Corona. On the 18th July which was the first time for the live shows to be resumed, I didn't really know what to think. However, at the 3rd Kongoh produce, they where accustomed to it and the feelings that they used to convey by voice, were conveyed by way of clapping. At this rate, the form it takes should be more solid by the time the N-1 arrives and I think it will be a better atmosphere if the assholes look for a new way to watch, they think for themselves and and create something. I think the venue will have a better atmosphere. 

Q: Isn't it difficult for the performer to react without the reaction of voices? 

KENOH: When asked, it's hard to do. However, since I have experienced an empty arena it doesn't affect anything in the match. As far as I am concerned at the moment, the fact that there is no cheering does not change. 

Q: Speaking of the Kongoh produce, after the match you gave a speech about your gratitude to the former owners. A year ago you said that there was a conspiracy and that Kongoh was hated. What happened to that? 

KENOH: It's the same as those fuckers, it means that you realise the value when its gone. What I said in the ring was not a mistake. 

Q: I understand that, but if you had said it a year ago, you could have united with LIDET 

KENOH: I was completely anti-thinking at that time. No, I think what people say can change, and both can be their true feelings. 

Q: President Hiroyuki Suzuki, who was was in the audience, also cried. I wanted you to cry. 

KENOH: No, there was no such thing. It is not like I was calculated to say I am going to make you cry. You should look at things more honestly, and it's no wonder that the perspective of things get rough over the long term in this industry. Until I said my heartfelt thanks, I hadn't even thought about how President Suzuki would take it. 

Q: Is it that kind of thing? 

KENOH: If you think about it, there would have been some kind of feud created when the parent company changed. It was a very clean farewell, and LIDET still supports Noah as a sponsor, and I think that alone is a great achievement. As that should have been acknowledged by fuckers, I represented that in the ring. If LIDET is going to do its own business in the future, I will gladly participate in it in the future. 

Q: Noah at the Nippon Budokan was something which you had set as your personal agenda, but the arrangement fell through due to the effects of coronavirus.

KENOH: President Suzuki said he would apply for the Nippon Budokan after the conditions of Kongoh selling out the produce in December were met. So, I think it was passing through, but as it is hard to hold now it may have passed. I haven't given up of course. 

Q: You will have to press it with CyberFight or CyberAgent. 

KENOH: It won't happen. It will be the same as LIDET shaking their heads, so we will have to make it happen by our own power. It's important to keep saying that. But, using your common sense, it would be difficult to hold pro wrestling at the Nippon Budokan currently, but if you keep saying it then it will become a common goal for the people involved if it continues. It's a reason for Noah and those assholes to travel this together. But saying "this is the situation now", what should I aim for when that is no longer said? No matter how difficult the world may be, I will never dream of the distant future without realizing it. I will say it again, in 2021 I will set up Noah to return to the Nippon Budokan again.  

Q: I am looking forward to it. By the way, what do you think about Keiji Mutoh, who is currently regularly participating in Noah? You haven't been involved with him yet. 

KENOH: As long as he comes to Noah, the day when Kongoh is involved with The M'S Alliance will come, it is not too far away. Well, I think that having Keiji Mutoh there will increase Noah's rank a notch. He is such a legend, and I was watching him when he was in BATT with Jinsei Shinzaki. People who know Jinsei Shinzaki, can understand this when fighting against each other. Even though Kazushi Sakuraba came to the Sugiura Army, I didn't think there would ever be a day when I got to fight him, and it was fun to try. It was exciting to be able to do non wrestling moves in a wrestling ring, and it was refreshing to respond to his actions that came out of me spontaneously. In a way I could have bought something out, but when I looked at what I had, I realised what it was. Nowadays, Noah has a lot of cards that you can enjoy freshness if you can take the initiative. 

Q: I also want to see a match with Kendo Kashin, Keiji Mutoh, Kazushi Sakuraba and Hideki Suzuki. 

KENOH: Of course, if I can achieve such a match by actively doing it, I will...right now, it is the feeling of being angry at AXIZ that moves me. 

Q: What makes you so angry? 

KENOH: As you can see from Shiozaki saying, "I am NOAH", those two are only thinking of themselves, not Noah as a whole. He says to his fans not something special like "I will do my best for you guys", he says "I am Noah". 

Q: You don't have to translate the weight of that (rough, does not translate well) 

KENOH: No matter how you translate "I am Noah", it is up to the recipient to interpret it. Assume there are 100 Noah fans, and 30 of them are AXIZ fans, the two of them will only think of those 30 people. Kongoh will think of all 100, and if there were 100 people other than Noah fans, then we will think about the 200 people in total. Otherwise, Noah's fans will not increase. To Shiozaki's "I am Noah", Naomichi Marufuji said, "I am REAL NOAH". I reviewed that. He is persuasive because for 20 years since the company was founded, he came only to Noah and has never left to go anywhere. I can't say too much as I didn't know Noah in that era, but there is something that you can do in Noah now, and it is not Noah that is mainly consisting of yourself. 

Q: Understood. Then...

KENOH: Wait a moment, is The Sugiura Army good? 

Q: Well, if you have any questions 

KENOH: I have something to say to The Sugiura Army. Recently, they have been saying "The LIDET Army".

Q: Kashin said it and forced the other members into it. 

KENOH: Are you going to take away what I am promoting? It seems that Takashi Sugiura sold goods by saying "Company Dog". In the first place, I was the one to say "Company Dog". I kept saying to Kiyomiya, "You are a Company Dog", and before I knew it Sugiura had taken it over. The failure was that I didn't file a patent for "Company Dog" at that time, if I did then every time Sugiura makes that remark, I would get a usage fee...  

Q: Why didn't you take it immediately? 

KENOH: Oh...I will next time! LIDET'S name was also the one I kept saying last year and all year, but The Sugiura Army started using it again. They took two important things from me...I won't forgive anymore. The words they recall, nothing resounds when they say it, and I will denounce you at the right time. If you don't like it then give me 30% of the sales of the "Company Dog" t-shirts that blew up last year. If I didn't say it, when your hit product wouldn't have been born. Before Sugiura ever said anything, I was thinking of putting out a dog t-shirt for the company...

Q: Well, the fact that Sugiura's remark went straight to the heart of the fans, made the company make the t-shirts without delay

KENOH: What does this mean, that I wasn't stabbed in the back by it? Well, that is what I said to denounce Kiyomiya, so the company was not going to move on it. Anyway, I will bring all that anger to The Sugiura Army. 

Q: Okay...then please give us your plan for the future, including the N-1 and beyond. 

KENOH: Last year I used words to improve my achievements, but from now on I would like to make achievements as Kongoh. Out of all the units in Noah, Kongoh has the most integrated and comprehensive strength. The N-1 is me, and Kongoh's counterattack will begin when Kennoh wins, so all you fuckers, come and follow Kongoh.

Translated from Samurai-TV.com 

Picture credit: Samurai-TV.com