(NOAH CHRONOLOGY) GHC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: KENOH
Won: WRESTLE UNIVERSE presents DEMOLITION STAGE 2021 in YOKOHAMA - Saturday November 13th, Yokohama Budokan
Number of title reigns: 1
Number of defenses: 3
Lost: HIGHER GROUND 2022 (Saturday 22nd January, Edion Arena Osaka 2nd Stadium)
Total number of days held: 71
Challengers
1. Katsuhiko Nakajima
2. Kaito Kiyomiya
3. Daisuke Harada
4. Masakatsu Funaki
vs Katsuhiko Nakajima
Title match: LEC Cleanup! presents NOAH the BEST 2021, Yoyogi National Stadium Second Gymnasium, Sunday November 28th
WRESTLE UNIVERSE presents DEMOLITION STAGE 2021 in YOKOHAMA - Saturday November 13th, Yokohama Budokan
After yelling at the retreating Masaaki Mochizuki about the era of the old men being over, Kenoh turned his attention to Katsuhiko Nakajima, who had been sitting at commentary, and said;
"I want to wear the GHC Heavyweight and the GHC National belts at the Nippon Budokan. Katsuhiko Nakajima, let’s fight for my belt versus your belt!"
Nakajima said he had no objection and the kick fight from hell, not for a N-1 Victory or just a single title, but belt vs belt and the spot in the main event at the Nippon Budokan in January 2022, has been set.
PREMIUM PRELUDE 2021 - Niigata / Bandaijima Multipurpose Plaza Large Kama (Tuesday 23rd November)
The match was started off by Kenoh and his self appointed challenger, Katsuhiko Nakajima. They circled each other, throwing wary kicks. Kenoh wasn't so hesitant later as he attacked Nakajima when he was on the apron, Nakajima rose to the provocation and was knocked down. Kenoh just wanted the satisfaction of knocking him down in the ring.
The Noah Juniors may be in chaos, but if there is one thing they are all united on, it's that the heavyweights will not and never outdo them and Haoh and Nioh showed this in the match by tearing into each other with as much intensity as Nakajima and Kenoh were.
This is a fast paced match, with a nice little taster for the title match with a sweat spraying kick match (Kenoh was spared the soccer ball kicks, and these went to Haoh). Nakajima decided that he didn't want to pin anyone but Kenoh, and when he went for the pin over Haoh, he broke it and with a big grin and eerie expression stared at Kenoh and threw Haoh into the corner so Kenoh could tag in.
Then it was on.
Kenoh probably would have won if he hadn't gone to run the ropes, and despite everything they threw to each other, the match ended in a draw.
WINNER: Time out draw
As the ref handed them their belts, they squared up with Kenoh pointing between his belt and Nakajima's. Later Kenoh remarked that this would be continued in Yoyogi where he would take Nakajima's belt and go to the Nippon Budokan as the double champion.
Title match
LEC Cleanup! Presents Noah The Best 2021
Sunday November 28th, Yoyogi National Stadium Second Gymnasium
A handshake, a stand off and then the kicks came. Strikes and MMA style jabs. Katsuhiko Nakajima with that smirk on his face and glint in his eyes, a lick of the lips and then he worked on Kenoh's knee and feet after the second lock up. His movements were controlled, slow and deliberate. He could not afford just yet to let his ego gallop away with him. Kenoh was enraged when it did, but not because it had but because he was being humiliated by the Shutter Chance, and had one of his usual bouts of temper after Nakajima threw him into the corner for another one. At one point, Nakajima even dusted his hands.
Outside the ring the fans were going wild clapping and Kongoh (Tadasuke and Soya in particular) were pounding on the apron. At times during the match Kenoh was hanging on to his dreams with his teeth, even when it looked threadbare and there was nothing to cling on to. The hope that Nakajima's ego would carry him away and make him careless was a good thing to bide his time over, and he finally saw and opening when Nakajima went to kick him from the apron, and he almost wrenched his knee from its socket. Following Kenoh's traditional double title PFS to the outside of the ring, Nakajima sought respite, but Kenoh would have followed him into a pit of fire if it meant getting the belt. The PFS (he would take more than one) took a lot of Nakajima, and for a while he remained winded and clutching his ribs. Movement was hard, but he lived for moments like these. After that there would be no more posturing. He could do that later, although the cameras would remain a lure.
The match rolled on, the time rolling on. They were both spent but somehow summoned the courage for a slap war, a kick war to exhaustion and somehow they kicked out and dragged themselves up again and again again. Nakajima ended up taking four PFS in total, with one to his back. Kenoh was running out of options and so he went for the chokehold. Nakajima was caught, not even backing Kenoh and slamming him into the turnbuckle would work. Kenoh dragged him to the centre of the ring, where Nakajima watched the referees face blur into the lights as Kenoh held on fast. He struggled, attacking Kenoh's knees with his elbows to make him let go, it worked and Kenoh loosened his grip.
What more? Submissions hadn't worked, and they didn't come up again in the match. Nakajima seemed more interested in either a knock out or a pin as he followed Kenoh's choke out attempt up with sharp kicks to the face. Kenoh's dream vs Nakajima's anniversary was on the line, he went back to slaps but
Nakajima was in full demon mode and it had no effect for a while. They ran on adrenalin, hoping for a solution, but there wasn't one, Nakajima even using lariats which is something he never does. Then the time ran out with Kenoh's dream evaporating, but Nakajima's remaining intact.
Winner: Neither. Time out draw at 60 minutes.
vs Kaito Kiyomiya
ABEMA presents NOAH "THE NEW YEAR" 2022
Nippon Budokan
Saturday, January 1st 2022
THE WARROAD 2021 in NAGOYA (Aichi/Nagoya Congress Center Event Hall, Sunday December 5th)
Following a tag match in which he made Kenoh tap out using the Stretch Plum type face lock, Kaito Kiyomiya challenged Kenoh for the title;
"I will take next year from the start! On New Years Day, I will challenge you for the GHC National belt!"
Kenoh left furious at Kiyomiya's challenge. Kiyomiya challenging him seems to enrage Kenoh more than anyone else, and backstage he declared that he was going to "break" him.
MAN CRUSH 2021 (TUESDAY 7TH DECEMBER, KORAKUEN HALL)
Kongoh (Katsuhiko Nakajima & Kenoh) vs Go Shiozaki & Kaito Kiyomiya
With Kaito Kiyomiya challenging Kenoh for the GHC National, the balance of this match was changed. It went from being Go Shiozaki and Katsuhiko Nakajima fighting over the GHC with Kenoh and Kaito Kiyomiya and their history on the sidelines, to the GHC Heavyweight and the GHC National being united to fight against their challengers. Usually the two belts are at war with each other.
Kenoh wanted Kiyomiya, although he wasn't as furious as he usually is when he challenges him. Nakajima of course wanted Shiozaki. Both Kenoh and Nakajima kept their heads, no anger from Kenoh and no grin from Nakajima, it was now a double threat for them both. The match had a completely different atmosphere from Sunday in Nagoya.
Shiozaki, who was in a lot better condition than he had been in Nagoya and didn't seem so fragile as he had been, chopped the hell out of Nakajima the sound echoing around the hall. There were also some cheers and whistles heard from the crowd, who gasped at the force of Nakajima's kicks. Shiozaki ended the match by tearing his elbow pad off and took Nakajima's head off with the Gowan Lariat.
WINNER: Go Shiozaki with the Gowan Lariat (20 minutes, 52 seconds)
MAN CRUSH 2021 - SHIZUOKA / KIRA MESSE NUMAZU (SUNDAY DECEMBER 12TH 2021)
Kongoh (Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenoh & Manabu Soya) vs Go Shiozaki, Kaito Kiyomiya & Yoshiki Inamura
Everyone in this match had their own agenda; Katsuhiko Nakajima vs Go Shiozaki, Kaito Kiyomiya vs Kenoh, and Yoshiki Inamura vs Manabu Soya. Inamura and Soya are the only two who are not fighting for titles, but their rivalry (the Noah ultra heavyweights have their own fraternity almost), was no less intense. Kenoh's expression of disbelief was something to behold when he came up against Inamura.
As he knows Go Shiozaki so well, Katsuhiko Nakajima knows where his weak parts are. Instead of attacking Shiozaki's elbows and shoulders, Nakajima went for Shiozaki's knees, which he probably knows where an issue before his injury, but not so much of one to need rehab on. The same could be said of Kenoh and Kiyomiya, Kenoh knows how to sap that energy of Kiyomiya's and wear him down. The slap Kenoh gave Kiyomiya was said to be accompanied by Kiyomiya's scream as it travelled around the arena.
WINNER: Kenoh with the PFS on Yoshiki Inamura (19 minutes, 26 seconds)
Normally when the match ends, the heavyweights stop. If they get into arguments, it's normally verbal and at most finger pointing. Today they all became like Noah Juniors with the two champions and their challengers getting into melee fights. Kiyomiya was triumphant over Kenoh, and he stood over him with the belt as Shiozaki and Nakajima fought outside. Once things had calmed down, Nakajima held up the belt with an eerie smile that looked like he was about to rip Shiozaki to shreds. Kiyomiya left making belt motions and backstage he said it wasn't about anyone else in the match and what they wanted, as far as he was concerned, it was about the belt he wanted and was going to get.
MAN CRUSH 2021 (Saturday December 25th, Yokohama Radiant Halls)
Kaito Kiyomiya came out making belt motions, but then he did something that he has never done before which shows a new edge to his character. Normally it would be Kenoh swearing at him and them butting heads after Kenoh has done his pose. Kenoh is at least as touchy about it as Tadasuke. Kiyomiya kept interrupting him to square up. A stare off occurred with Kenoh muttering threats, and then neither waited for the bell as they went at it. Kenoh had Kiyomiya on the mat and kept punching him repeatedly. Referee Nishinaga looked as if he was breaking up a fight.
When it came to Go Shiozaki vs Katsuhiko Nakajima, I was reminded initially of when Atsushi Kotoge used to call Shiozaki "Papa" and say that Shiozaki and Kiyomiya were "father and son". Kiyomiya had been knocked about by Kenoh and had rolled out of the ring, Shiozaki had an eye on him for a few seconds. After being chopped in the corner, Katsuhiko Nakajima decided that he was going to show how unaffected he was by this and soon after challenged Shiozaki to chop him and then ducked and followed this up with kicks. He also went to attack Shiozaki's shoulder. Kiyomiya chose this moment to break the hold by attacking Kenoh, but was thrown from the ring.
No one could get a pin as the other three were always around to break it. Kenoh, however, found a solution and that was by knocking Kiyomiya out. The referee stopped the match when Kiyomiya was unresponsive.
Winner: Kenoh with a right high kick (16 minutes, 25 seconds)
Kenoh was very helpful, kicking Kiyomiya in the head, throwing the ref out of the ring and then shoving the belt in Kiyomiya's face as he held him up by his hair. When Kenoh had left, it was up to Shiozaki and Inamura to see to Kiyomiya. Shiozaki kind of bought Kiyomiya around by sitting him up and kneeing him in the back and Inamura helped him out.
Kiyomiya has made no comment, but Kenoh was backstage yelling about how he knew what Kiyomiya was up to, but, at The Budokan, just like today, he would be at his mercy and eating out the palm of his hand.
All Dogs Gather 3! The Sugiura Army produce (27th December 2021, Korakuen Hall)
- Final pre match
Kongoh (Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenoh, Manabu Soya, Haoh & Nioh) vs Go Shiozaki, Kaito Kiyomiya, Daiki Inaba & Momo No Seishun (Daisuke Harada & Atsushi Kotoge)
Kongoh came filing out, with Tadasuke accompanying them. After the pose, Kenoh and Kaito Kiyomiya squared up immediately. Go Shiozaki attempted to get Kiyomiya not to start first, but as Kiyomiya is an equally stubborn Noah Born, he was not successful. Kiyomiya flew across the ring at Kenoh with a flying punch making Kenoh fall back into the corner. He tagged in Nakajima, and grumpily, Kiyomiya tagged in Shiozaki. Nakajima and Shiozaki pretty much kept a low profile throughout the early stages and the middle of the match, leaving it to Kenoh and Kiyomiya (and the standard Noah Junior chaos), with Kiyomiya catching Kenoh off his guard and taking a kick to the head for his troubles.
WINNER: Katsuhiko Nakajima with the Vertical Spike on Go Shiozaki (17 minutes, 44 seconds)
Kenoh and Kiyomiya where fighting outside the ring (Kenoh had once again held Kiyomiya's head up to the cameras) and the others attempting to break it up, which resulted in Kiyomiya being dragged away by his teammates.
Title match
ABEMA presents NOAH "THE NEW YEAR" 2022
1st January 2022, Nippon Budokan
Kaito Kiyomiya made a surprise entry, not in his usual dark and angry manner, but in a red Hakama jacket and traditional Hakama pants. If you noticed the somewhat mocking look on his face, you saw it wasn't just for New Year. Kenoh too entered in new clothes, a sleeveless red robe.
The two tore into each other with a ferocity that seemed to transcend everything they had ever done before, there was a new feeling of viciousness. Kiyomiya was no longer that dreamy young boy who Kenoh had obsessively hated and alternatively loved and worried over in his own mercurial way. He had changed, he was grown, and in a way Kenoh was angry at him for that. Angry he had grown not as a rival, but into a stranger. Kiyomiya was wild eyed and almost elemental in attack and was willing to risk anything to win, as was Kenoh.
It was a grueling match and neither would quit, Kenoh dragging himself to the ropes when Kiyomiya locked in submission, Kiyomiya kicking out following a PFS to the ramp. Kenoh resorted to chokes as pins wouldn't work and you could see Kiyomiya's difficult months flashing before him. Then it came down to quick pins, punches and those devastating slaps that Kenoh can do. Kiyomiya endured for as long as he could but the referee stopped the match when Kiyomiya fell to a right high kick.
WINNER: Kenoh by referee stop following a right high kick (24 minutes, 42 seconds)
After the usual angry ranting, Kenoh bent over Kiyomiya and stuck the belt in his face. He might not have had his dream of entering last and leaving last as GHC Heavyweight at The Budokan, but at least he was still the GHC National Champion. Kenoh later stated that Noah running the Budokan in July and again next year in January gave him his dream again, and he still had an eye on the GHC Heavyweight.
vs Daisuke Harada
Title match: Reboot 2022, Korakuen Hall, Wednesday 5th January
Noah like to throw these shock challenges into the mystery cards at New Year, so no one of course had any idea that Harada had even challenged or wanted to challenge. Given his hatred of the heavyweights, it does fit that he would want the juniors to have a chance with the belt. Harada is only the second junior to have ever challenged, the last was in March 2020 when Minoru Tanaka challenged Takashi Sugiura.
Stemming from their days as Noah Juniors, Kenoh and Harada do not have a good relationship with each other. Kenoh describes it as "snake and scorpion". Harada went for the surprise pins, and he came very very close on a few occasions to winning. Kenoh worked on Harada's torso as he knew that is where his strength comes from, especially when it comes to the Katayama German Suplex and other power moves as Harada does tend to do a lot of throws. Despite his wearing him down, Kenoh knew that as short as this title match was going to be, Harada was still a threat.
WINNER: Kenoh with the PFS (10 minutes, 56 seconds)
vs Masakatsu Funaki
HIGHER GROUND 2022
EDION Arena Osaka 2nd Stadium (January 22nd)
Kenoh was about to leave the ring when his next challenger arrived. Masakatsu Funaki. Funaki came to the ring and silently waved his finger and pointed at the belt. He then left.
Title match
HIGHER GROUND 2022
EDION Arena Osaka 2nd Stadium (January 22nd)
Kenoh, who was usually in a towering rage and verbally abuses his opponents, was quiet for once, despite the scowl on his face. The last time he and Funaki had faced each other, he knew he had gotten lucky. This time, Masakatsu Funaki was back both wiser and stronger. Funaki demonstrated just how dangerous he could be by taking him out with a sleeper hold. Kenoh knew he was never going to escape, and remembering the last time Funaki had choked him with face turning blue, he tapped.
WINNER: Masakatsu Funaki with the sleeper hold (3 minutes, 58 seconds)
NEXT CHAMPION: Masakatsu Funaki
LINKS
Vs Kaito Kiyomiya
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