(NOAH) Jun Akiyama "I'll accept it from the first shot", Noah's rising star, Yoshiki Inamura is a "Cultural Heavyweight"

11th February 2021
Yahoo.co.jp\ABEMA Times

Pro Wrestling Noah's Yoshiki Inamura, who made his debut in 2018, is anticipated as a genuine heavyweight power fighter of 182cm and 115kg. Not only does he have the rugged appearance of a shaved head (Mohawk until a while ago), but in his intense style matches he has challenged Kazuyuki Fujita and Hideki Suzuki head on, and although he lost, was highly evaluated. When Fujita announced that he would participate in Noah, he was the first to face him in the ring. He revisited the slap that the opponent is known for. 
"I was completely unconscious. I have to face him, or I will be slaughtered". It was like that". 

The up and coming rookie, who picked a fight with even Fujita as an opponent, is also a "cultural wrestler". He is a movie lover, and loves the apparel of "Hardcore Chocolate", which is known as the "bad boy" of the T-shirt world. He also worked part-time at the bar, "Valentine", which is run by the store, which was quite rare for a pro wrestlers part time job history. His nickname at the store was "Love".
"I applied after seeing the advertisement on Twitter for a part time job, but on reflection they were only advertising for women (laughs). But, I used to go to Hardcore Chocolate and so they remembered me and I was able to work there."

Inamura at that time was a University student. He was enthusiastic about student wrestling, experienced in Judo and Sumo, and he wanted to do student wrestling at university.
"I wanted to go an university where I could do academic professional wrestling, so I searched for which one's did it. I wanted to choose a place that was as in the city center as much as possible, and where it was easy to go to see professional wrestling (laughs)".

After graduating, Inamura should have been able to join a promotion immediately. However, Inamura chose the path of being a "Pro Wrestling Ronin" (i.e. a masterless samurai). 

"The advice of MUNE-san (the representative of Hardcore Chocolate), was great. He said that if I was going to do it, then I should aim for a big promotion as my height and weight meet the introductory rules". 

Inamura, with a heavyweight body and a unique personality with cultural hobbies, went from student wrestling to prestigious Noah, and gained valuable experience by joining the unit "Kongoh", which is led by Kenoh. 
"Kongoh is a group of rebels, so everyone around you is an enemy. When I was there I was able to fight with Fujita and Suzuki. It was a good experience as the enemies around me would target me in the match, as I had the shortest career." However, last year Inamura left Kongoh. He thought it was time to get results as well as experience. In the match it wasn't "Inamura is going to be the final target" but more, "This match is likely to end with Inamura getting the win". 

In December of last year, he teamed up with Kaito Kiyomiya, who is also in his 20's, to challenge for the GHC Tag Team Championship. They will also team at the Nippon Budokan on the 12th February, their opponents being Naomichi Marufuji and Jun Akiyama, who are Noah's founding members.
"This is a battle between two people who have known Noah at the Budokan, and two who are making their first appearance without knowing it. This is a match in which we have to show our young power. I think the eyes of the customers will be on the opponents, because some people will be seeing Noah from long ago. Some people will be seeing me for the first time, and I have to show my presence in that situation. The moment I heard of the match card, I was able to really feel the Budokan event in an instant, and my feelings ignited. I have to do something big. I am thinking of taking everything from the first. There is no obvious strategy with this opponent, and I am not the type to be delicate. I will just bring what I have."

Inamura's current weight is actually the same as before his entry, but the quality is now different. As a new trainee, he lost weight until he reached 100kg, and from there he gained weight again. 
"To make your body bigger, simply eat a lot and weight train. What you are aiming for is your strength as a living thing. My sensation is that the strongest of the human species is the pro wrestler". 

Go Shiozaki's chop and lariat, Marufuji's chop, Takashi Sugiura's elbow and Katsuhiko Nakajima's kick. "Noah is a promotion that shows simple strength", Inamura says. To show off his simple strength as a living thing, the big stage called The Budokan and the veteran tag opponents, are perfect. 

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