(NOAH CHRONOLOGY) DAISUKE HARADA ~ GHC JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP


Won: PREMIUM PRELUDE, 8th November 2020, Korakuen Hall
Number of title reigns: 4
Number of defenses: 3
Lost: "Destiny 2021", 12th February 2021, Nippon Budokan
Total number of days held: 97

At the time he won the championship, Harada was a double champion, holding the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag with Atsushi Kotoge. Atsushi Kotoge lost them the GHC Junior Tag titles on the 22nd November 2020 to STINGER.

Challengers
1. Tadasuke 
2. Hajime Ohara
3. Seiki Yoshioka


Vs Tadasuke
After defeating Kotaro Suzuki, Tadasuke had said he was thinking of chasing the single belt, and he would do it in his own time and in his own style.
Tadasuke's opportunity came when Daisuke Harada won the title from Kotaro Suzuki, and Tadasuke appeared in the ring, squared up with Harada and challenged for the title. A mass brawl then broke out as STINGER decided to appear in the ring and attack Daisuke Harada, Atsushi Kotoge and Kotaro Suzuki. Tadasuke watched with his manic grin, and then walked backstage, taking the belt with him, which he later left in the interview area. 

Harada had been a little more concerned with the upcoming junior tag title match against STINGER on the 22nd November to pay too much attention to the GHC Junior challenge. No date was set, and this didn't sit well with Tadasuke, who ambushed him in the interview area after the tag title match, demanding that he set a date. Tadasuke yelled down at Harada that this "immovable person from fourth place" was going to take the belt away from him, so "don't deny my challenge". Harada set it not for Noah's major event on the 6th December, but on 19th December at "THE GIFT 2020 in NAGOYA". 


To wind Tadasuke up, Harada knew he had to only mention one thing, and one thing only - that Tadasuke had and forever would be the "fourth wheel" in RATELS (even behind HAYATA), and if he was the fourth wheel there, then what number was he in Kongoh? Harada alluding to this in as many words or not, caused Tadasuke to jump him backstage. The two of them had a verbal war as they lunged at each other held back by Nioh (Tadasuke) and Junta Miyawaki (Harada), before being seperated, Harada made a few more comments and a few seconds later, Tadasuke was back. At NEW HOPE, Tadasuke commented that Harada was someone who needed to look down on others, and he could immense himself in his sense of superiority all he wanted, but he (Tadasuke) would go at his own pace. 

Tadasuke, despite his "don't care" attitude, was not going to let the matter drop so easily. In the pre-match at Korakuen Hall on the 1st December, he won the match (a tag with Haoh against Daisuke Harada and Atsushi Kotoge), by pinning Harada with momentum, but that is all it took. Harada, much to his credit, heard Tadasuke out without attacking him or throwing chairs (as Harada has been known to do), as Tadasuke bent over him, manic smile, wild eyed and said on the microphone to all for hear that if he (Tadasuke) was number "four", then Harada was "number eighteen". What Tadasuke means is that Harada ranks below all of the Noah juniors, even the new boy, Yasutaka Yano. 
Smiling crazily, Tadasuke left the ring. Harada later said that he didn't care that he was "number eighteen", as Tadasuke was misinformed. Harada said that "Number 18" was "the number of an Ace".


The final pre-match between them happened on December 6th at the Yoyogi Gymnasium No.2. Harada beat Tadasuke by using a Katayama German hold. Not the Katayama German suplex, but a modified version. Tadasuke, who had never seen this before, was stunned and victorious Harada kept his arm in the air long after the referee had let it go. As Tadasuke left the ring, Harada lent through the ropes, and held up four fingers to him. 


In the title match which took place at Noah's last event of 2012 in Nagoya, Tadasuke being Tadasuke, started being irritating and refusing to get in the ring once he was knocked outside of it. Harada eventually got so annoyed with Tadasuke's messing around, that he leapfrogged the ref and went out there himself.  The referee cautioned Harada for his behavior, not that Harada really cared though. It's rough being in the Noah Juniors, its even rough if you have to be the one who tries to control them. 

Tadasuke has a heavyweight strength, and this can be dangerous. He uses it to use moves that junior wrestlers generally don't, especially when he gave Harada a massive powerbomb to the ring apron, the effects of which Harada felt for a while. Tadasuke's heavyweight strength gets both better and worse when he becomes crazy; better for the opponent because he gets too caught up in things and doesn't pay the attention he should because he's gone even more mad, and worse because his strength is amplified. Harada took the better for the opponent option, and with a slight twist of his body, was able to reverse things. The through the ropes dive was spectacular.    

WINNER: Daisuke Harada with the Katayama German Hold (15 minutes, 8 seconds)

Tadasuke couldn't believe he had lost and complained to the referee, but no, Harada pinned him with three. The two of them had a stare off before Tadasuke left the ring, and Harada posed alone and then left. 


Vs Hajime Ohara

Hajime Ohara made his challenge to Daisuke Harada for the GHC Junior Heavyweight on the 29th December 2020 at the Sugiura Army\Takashi Sugiura 20th anniversary produce at Korakuen Hall. Ohara said (as Harada was leaving the ring), "Harada, please wait! Fight with me, lets fight for Noah Juniors. Accept my challenge!" 
Harada said that he had been waiting for Ohara to put his name forward, and that he wanted him to show him his strength, not the strength of his support. Accepting his challenge, Harada warned that he would defeat him and defend the title. 
This much anticipated title match between two wrestlers that Noah only ever bring out very rarely, will take place on the 10th January at Korakuen Hall. Harada has labelled Ohara his "rival" and has said there is no other Noah junior who can take as much out of him as Hajime Ohara can. 

Their first (and only) pre-match took place on the 4th January 2021 at Noah's very first show of the year. The card was a mystery (as is tradition), so seeing them face off gave the fans at Korakuen Hall the best New Year's gift they could have. The match was a technical master class, as no matter what they do in any pre-matches or in any title matches that have come beforehand, Harada and Ohara always improve on it. Neither got the win over the other, but they left almost butting heads. 

Hajime Ohara came to the ring first as the challenger, accompanied by YO-HEY and Seiki Yoshioka. YO-HEY started dancing, and Yoshioka gave him the same look that HAYATA used to. Daisuke Harada was accompanied by Atsushi Kotoge. 


There was a typically technical lock up to start, which ended with the applause of the crowd, and their staring at each other from across the ring. Harada had called Ohara his "rival" and made the statement that no one at all could drain your strength in a match like Ohara could. For good reason too, Harada had to find ways out of Ohara's complicated lock ups, at one time physically pulling his arms apart when he attempted to lock in either the Mui Bien or the Tres Fleur. Harada even repeated the spot where he leapfrogged the ref to dive on Ohara who was outside the ring. Harada had been told repeatedly not to do this, but you know, this is the Noah Juniors. 

As well as submission moves, there were other ways to wear each other down, Harada using those sudden quick attacks which can be so devastating, and Ohara being very good at concealing weakness and counterattacking. Combined what they did at times, seemed to defy description. The match with all these elements entered a phase of desperation, and then it all came down to momentum.

WINNER: Daisuke Harada with the Katayama German Suplex (18 minutes, 39 seconds) 


Vs Seiki Yoshioka

Seiki Yoshioka challenged Daisuke Harada for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship right after Harada had beaten Hajime Ohara. Yoshioka admitted he wanted to challenge as he was fired up by what he had just seen, Harada accepted his challenge admitting how strong "your leader" had been. 
While Daisuke Harada vs Hajime Ohara doesn't really need too many pre matches (it would be overkill in a way as everyone knows what to expect and anticipate and Noah like to tease it), Daisuke Harada vs Seiki Yoshioka does, as this is something new. Yoshioka has challenged for the GHC Junior before, but he challenged Kotaro Suzuki in August 2020. 
Match has been set for 12th February at The Nippon Budokan. 

Both of their pre-matches (the 23rd January and the 31st January), had nothing to change the outcome between them as although they fought in two pre-matches, neither got the win over the other. Their final pre-match ended in a main event at Korakuen Hall on the 31st in a six man tag, with Seiki Yoshioka crouched on the apron, as Daisuke Harada held the belt up to him.


Daisuke Harada was very complimentary about Seiki Yoshioka at the match signing, which took place in Tokyo on 5th. Harada said he was the "strongest challenger" and that he had potential that made him one of the best in the current Noah juniors. Yoshioka said that by taking the belt he would prove that he was a true Noah junior. 

In the ring, because they are Noah Juniors, they were like two magnets drawn to each other, and there was an immediate stare down between Harada and Seiki Yoshioka. Outside the ring, Atsushi Kotoge (now looking miserable), was seconding Harada. Yoshioka was more fortunate, as he had more warm support in Hajime Ohara and YO-HEY. 

As Noah Juniors they have their own pride to uphold, pride in their chaotic division, pride as Noah juniors individually, and pride in not being outdone by any of their division or by the hated heavyweights. It was a fast paced junior match with incredible technique from the pair, Harada used the ref to perform a technique (a flip), and Yoshioka did one of his famous flips...and it was probably best he didn't land on the commentary desk. Yoshioka using his lightning quick kicks to good effect, kicking Harada and managing to get him to his knees, Harada had his shark face on, and refused to go down to them, but he was worn down in the end, as was Yoshioka. It would be up to one of them to capitalize on this. 

WINNER: Seiki Yoshioka with the Crash Driver (10 minutes, 58 seconds)


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