(NOAH) CARD: Mitsuharu Misawa Memorial 2021 ~ Forever In Our Hearts (Monday May 31st, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo)

Noah were originally scheduled to hold today's event on the 30th May in Ota, but this was cancelled when the venue decided to shut their doors for the time being due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Noah managed to get the event (at very short notice) changed to Korakuen Hall, but there will be some changes. The first is the change in the card as Noah are three men down; Kotaro Suzuki has had a positive COVID test and has been pulled from active duty for now, and as YO-HEY and Yasutaka Yano where around him, they have had to isolate (as has freelancer Kai Fujimura), so none of them will be appearing at the event today. 
The second change is the scheduling of the event. The event will begin properly at 18:30 JST, but the first and second matches will take place from 18:00, this is because the card is longer than usual and there is a curfew in place currently in Tokyo. I suggest those who are able to watch any of the live streams tune in from 17:30 JST, when the doors open.  

The event will be streamed live on the following platforms.

ABEMA  
Noah\ABEMA are saying this is a free broadcast, but I am unable to say whether or not this means in Japan or worldwide. Please note you will not be able to watch any replays if you do not catch the show live, as ABEMA have changed their policy on this and you will need to be a subscriber. Something I do not advise anyone outside of Japan does. I would advise that you subscribe to WrestleUniverse to catch up on any replays. 
Commentary will be in Japanese. 

English commentary. 

You can buy the PPV for $19.99. English commentary. 

I am not sure that due to time and the pacing of the event, plus the issues with Coronavirus, having the whole roster around the ring, and the fans throwing tape etc, whether the tradition of welcoming Mitsuharu Misawa's spirit to the ring will still be held, or whether there will be another version. 

MATCH ONE
Seiki Yoshioka vs Haoh

This was originally meant to be Seiki Yoshioka vs YO-HEY, but due to YO-HEY having to self isolate, it has been changed. 

MATCH TWO
Kaito Kiyomiya, Yoshiki Inamura, Kinya Okada & Junta Miyawaki vs Kongoh (Kenoh, Manabu Soya, Nioh & Tadasuke)

Hopefully, Kenoh will kick the sulk out of Kaito Kiyomiya, who has been moping that he has lost his purpose since February. Takashi Sugiura's teasing has had no effect, and NOSAWA Rongai bloodying him had the effect of rousing him somewhat, but it may take eternal rival Kenoh to kickstart him (in both senses of the word)

MATCH THREE
GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Championship Match

In a short period of time, Daisuke Harada has challenged twice for the belts, before with Junta Miyawaki and now with Hajime Ohara. There are three stories going on here; the first is that should Daisuke Harada take the belts from STINGER then he will have the perfect revenge over Yoshinari Ogawa for all the issues between them, and HAYATA for betraying RATELS for STINGER; the second is between Hajime Ohara and HAYATA, as HAYATA took the singles belt from Ohara a few years ago and as Ohara sees it, has then stood in his way since; the third issue is that Ohara has to overcome not only HAYATA, but also Ogawa as it has been him that has fallen in the pre-matches so far. 

With YO-HEY absent (and Kotaro for that matter) what fans thought may happen may not happen tonight, but it will be interesting to see with HAYATA, Seiki Yoshioka and Yuya Susumu all on the card, what might happen between STINGER should they lose the belts. 

MATCH FOUR
GHC Heavyweight Tag Championship Match

The biggest person to watch in this match is the increasingly unhappy Akitoshi Saito, who has promised his Funky friends that he will be there to support them...

MATCH FIVE
GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship Match

Old rivals Atsushi Kotoge and Susumu (Yuya Susumu), bring their clash over the GHC Junior Heavyweight title to a head. I am expecting a match of the year nomination. 

MATCH SIX
GHC National Championship Match

Beer might have welcomed in the title match signing, but tonight the "two carefree old men" as Kenoh calls them, are all business as they fight over a title. 

MATCH SEVEN
Keiji Mutoh & Masato Tanaka vs Naomichi Marufuji & Masakatsu Funaki 

Naomichi Marufuji and Keiji Mutoh team with other M's alliance members as they face each other in their last pre-match before the GHC Heavyweight title match on the 6th June at the CyberFight Festival. This is their final chance to get the one and only direct pre-match win over each other. 

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