(NOAH) Event recap: DIAMOND 4 - Kongoh vs Noah (28th July 2021, Club Citta)

Following on from the Noah Junior tournament held on the 27th July (aptly titled "Noah Junior Warring States Era" as a subtitle), Noah held a smaller show today which had been announced kind of last moment almost as it being another Kongoh produce, albeit on a smaller scale. In the event Kongoh (except Manabu Soya who had to miss today due to an eye infection) would take on what was termed "The Noah Dojo", which consisted of Masa Kitamiya, Atsushi Kotoge and Daisuke Harada (trainers) and the younger Noah born such as Junta Miyawaki and Kinya Okada. Sadly with Kongoh being a man down, Yasutaka Yano did not get to compete. Naomichi Marufuji commented that this box office was a serious one, and it shouldn't be seen as a "festival". It was an important produce to showcase Noah's future. 

Kendo Kashin managed to inject himself into the day as he somehow wound up on commentary much to Kenoh's annoyance and Takashi Sugiura's amusement. Kashin didn't get involved with anything going on in the ring though, but nevertheless he felt that he needed to bring his mace to ringside and as it was the commentators birthday, he presented him with a present. I personally would be wary of gifts given by Kashin thanks to his track record. 

The event was broadcast live on WrestleUniverse, but you must be a subscriber to view. ABEMA were also interviewing fans at the door, but I am unsure as to whether this is for a written article or it will be for footage somewhere along the line.  

MATCH ONE

Atsushi Kotoge vs NIOH

There was a period at the start of the match when Atsushi Kotoge and Nioh had a bit of a face off, which was ended by Kotoge waving Nioh away, as they needed to work each other out. They did this by working out that the best way to take each other down was by submissions. A singles match gave Kotoge the time to wrestle with his head (for once not headbutts) and using small simple techniques to outwit Nioh. Nioh struck back by working on Kotoge's knee, which he hung onto and all but sunk his teeth in.

WINNER: Atsushi Kotoge with a small package (9 minutes, 27 seconds)

Kotoge got the win again for the second time in forty-eight hours via sneak win, but it's not Nioh that Kotoge needs to be scared of repercussions from, it's Yoshinari Ogawa who Kotoge not only defeated but eliminated yesterday at the Noah Junior Unit elimination match. Nioh might not be out for too much revenge, but Kotoge's name has certainly made Ogawa's list. 

MATCH TWO

Junta Miyawaki vs Aleja

Junta Miyawaki (who is suddenly looking much older and more mature), I don't think is used to lucha wrestlers on Aleja's level and so he needed to find a way to bring him down to his level, however Aleja (older and more experienced), found a way out each time.  

WINNER: Aleja with the Sky Twister (5 minutes, 25 seconds)

Backstage Aleja said that he would make the era of the Kongoh Juniors. 

MATCH THREE

Haoh vs Daisuke Harada

Haoh might be smaller, but he was stronger than Daisuke Harada thought, and managed to take him down on the initial test of strength lock up. There would be more surprises for Harada when Haoh repeatedly kicked out, and Harada looked as if he was going to throw a tantrum, he was astounded when he did it again following the top turnbuckle elbow drop, but there was no come back from the Katayama German Suplex.

WINNER: Daisuke Harada with the Katayama German Suplex (6 minutes, 8 seconds)

MATCH FOUR

Tadasuke vs Kinya Okada

Tadasuke has been on a roll over the past two days with a win in the Noah Junior Unit war and a win to win the event therefore cementing Kongoh as the centre (much to the tag champions Momo No Seishun's disagreement and indifference from the GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion), and so today he came to the ring with a big grin that shone through his hair. Because he's on a roll, Wild Tadasuke was amplified, especially when things started to go very well. 

Kinya Okada and Tadasuke are well matched in strength, experience is another matter though. Okada has grown more confident in his kicks, with the added bonus that his expression is starting to take on a darker look when he does them, which contrasts to Kenoh's rage and Nakajima's smirk. Faced with the force of nature which is Tadasuke, Okada did generally well, but was unable to stop his momentum.

WINNER: Tadasuke with the Jidandada Lariat (8 minutes, 7 seconds)

MATCH FIVE

Kaito Kiyomiya vs Katsuhiko Nakajima

Kaito Kiyomiya came out in usual manner, belt hugging and looking serious. It probably didn't help that he was one half of the team who had taken the tag belts off Katsuhiko Nakajima. Nakajima wasn't bothered by that it seemed, and in the early stages of the match treated Kiyomiya like a rookie, which Kiyomiya didn't much appreciate. 

When the fight went out of the ring, Kashin seen gripping his mace when Nakajima came near him which the referee warned him to put down. Usually people wave crucifixes or holy beads at Nakajima, so it probably makes a change.

In order to get some kind of rise out of the ever polite but slow burning when it comes to him losing his temper Kaito Kiyomiya, Nakajima decided to wind him up, taking no notice of the ref when he was told to break his Shutter Chance hold and then taking pleasure in provoking Nakajima by throwing him outside of the ring repeatedly, Kiyomiya (using a Kenoh mannerism) slapped the mat and rolled back in. Nakajima's provocation worked to fire Kiyomiya up, and it worked so well that the ever polite and respectful Kiyomiya shoved the ref aside. Nakajima's grin grew even broader the more Kiyomiya fought back, even when Kiyomiya dodged his head kick. Kiyomiya was wrestling out of desperation as he wanted to prove he could win in a singles, Nakajima because he enjoyed getting a rise out of Kiyomiya and thwarting him, so if you look at it in that way then Nakajima won this one.

WINNER: Neither - time out draw (30 minutes)

Kiyomiya's response backstage was to scream "shit" repeatedly, and bury his face in his hands. Nakajima of course grinned. 

MATCH SIX

Kenoh vs Masa Kitamiya

Masa Kitamiya had hinted that he had a score to settle with an opponent that everyone assumed would be the hated Nakajima, but turned out that it was Kenoh. 

Kenoh has two weapons - his kicks and his jabs, and knowing him as he did, Kitamiya worked on his knees and his arms, but gave special attention to his knees. Kitamiya's response to Kenoh when he did attack him was to shake his head and go back to attacking his knees.  Kenoh can only take enough, and there reached a point where he couldn't take anymore, and bought out a few angry slaps to the face but Kitamiya had prepared for this moment and once again went for the knee. Kenoh had trouble kicking after this. His knee weakened did not stop Kenoh's counterattack, after this, Kitamiya's attack was ruthless - before he locked in the Prison Lock, he had thrown Kenoh down on both knees. Once in the PL Kenoh tried striking him to get him to let go, but Kitamiya responded by slapping the mat to make it hurt more. Kenoh would have his revenge by utilizing the one part that Kitamiya had neglected for his knees and so by locking in a choke, he made Kitamiya tap.

WINNER: Kenoh with the rear naked choke sleeper hold (23 minutes, 25 seconds)

The two teams came into the ring, the red Kongoh and the black clad Noah dojo, who took Kitamiya from the ring. Holding an icepack to his knee, Kenoh (who mistook the word "Dynamite" instead of "Diamond"), Kenoh asked the crowd whether they wanted to see this again and with Manabu Soya back. Then he started swearing and said, "whether you are here, or some fucking guy watching it on the screen", to follow Kongoh. Then Kongoh all lined up together, Kenoh managed to kneel painfully.

Unusually Nakajima joined them. When they posed on the ramp, he just stood at the back with his arms crossed. I did think that he might move forward and kick Kenoh, but nothing happened today. Afterwards, Kongoh held a autograph and photo session. Kenoh remaining sitting. 

Final score: Kongoh 3, Noah dojo 2

With thanks to: Abeshin, Metal Noah

GIF taken from WrestleUniverse

Noah's next event: CROSS OVER 2021 in HIROSHIMA, Sunday August 1st 2021 (16:00 JST, live on ABEMA, FITE & WRESTLEUNIVERSE)