(NOAH) "This will not be a long match. It will be a tense and brutal match that will end in one go" - Katsuhiko Nakajima puts Masakatsu Funaki on notice for the N-1 semi finals
BBM Sports/Yahoo Japan
On the 28th, Katsuhiko Nakajima, who will advance to the finals, has vowed that he will win against Masakatsu Funaki and in the league championship match. Nakajima was defeated in his first N-1 match against Masato Tanaka, and suddenly he was in a perilous situation, but he won his second match against Kotaro Suzuki. After defeating Kazushi Sakuraba on the 26th September at Korakuen Hall, and with Tanaka defeated by Kotaro he was ranked the first in C Block.
"There was a possibility that I could not go to the finals, even if I lost the first match and went on to win the remaining two. It means that luck was on my side, and if I have come this far, then it can only be me".
Nakajima will clash with Funaki in the semi finals of the final night of the N-1. When they wrestled in the six man tag at the 6th August Korakuen event, they developed a tense offense and defense. The long awaited singles match for pro wrestling fans is going to happen.
"In the case when I made my debut 17 years ago, I was the youngest and I broke Masakatsu Funaki's record*. His name has been in my head ever since then, but I never thought we would be fighting in the Noah ring. I wonder if this is also fate? Just thinking of that connotation makes me excited. I fought him in a six man tag once, and the pressure was great. It won't be easy. I saw his match against Kazuyuki Fujita, but this won't be a long match. This is going to be a tense and brutal match that will end in one go. It seems that he also thinks that too. I'm looking forward to having fun winning the match, this isn't the type of match that he is going to enjoy though. In this league...Tanaka, Kotaro, Sakuraba...I can make a tense match against opponents from the outside*, and I am sure my range is expanding. Funaki's strong point is in making his own rhythm. The tendency is really strong. What is important is how you get out of it, and how you can bring him to your own. He is saying, "Maybe this is my last league match", right? I am glad I am going to be his last opponent in a league. I will give him the full experience of Noah's wrestling and have him finish the last league with no regrets. I think this is the first and last match with Funaki. It appears that there are very little tickets for Korakuen on the 3rd October, so you have no choice but to watch ABEMA, it's the one you want to see"
"It would be exciting if the finals would be between myself and Kenoh of Kongoh"
Even if he wins the match against Funaki in the semi finals, later the winner of Kaito Kiyomiya vs Kenoh will be waiting. Nakajima intends to win in a Kongoh match versus Kenoh, and achieve the feat of winning the N-1 successively.
"For the past year I haven't been able to talk about Kongoh as there were many things where we were outdone by regular Noah, the M's alliance or The Sugiura Army. However, if the final with Kenoh can be done on the big stage of the N-1 championship, the frustrations so far will be cleared up. With a league with so many amazing members, it would be exciting that if in the end it is a finals between me and Kenoh of Kongoh".
This years N-1 champion will challenge for the GHC Heavyweight Championship, which is held by Naomichi Marufuji, on the 10th October in Osaka. From October 2016 to August 2017 when he was the champion himself, he repeatedly sought "Challenger Marufuji", but it never happened and he eventually lost the championship. For Nakajima a GHC Heavyweight Championship with Marufuji for the first time in 7 years and 3 months is a long awaited match for Nakajima.
"If I win this harsh N-1, I'm sure I will be bruised, but the champion will be in the best condition. It would be a good feeling to have a match in that situation and win because I have pictured this league".
With the N-1 consecutive championship at the 3rd October Korakuen Hall, and the GHC Heavyweight Championship with Marufuji on the 10th October in Osaka, Nakajima will be going to the top of Noah in an instance.
*Masakatsu Funaki was 15, Katsuhiko Nakajima was also 15 but two days and 19 years younger.
*"Opponents from the outside" - although Kazushi Sakuraba and Kotaro Suzuki appear a lot in Noah (and Suzuki is Noah's first born), they are freelancers.
Comments
Post a Comment
Spam will be deleted immediately