(NOAH) "He is the number one I really want to join" Masakatsu Funaki, who joined Kongoh, sends out an urgent appeal to Katsuyori Shibata
26th January 2022
Noah's GHC National Champion, Masakatsu Funaki (52) revealed his true intentions of his shock joining of Kongoh.
The veteran, who took the belt at the Osaka event on the 22nd declared he would fight alongside the single minded group*, led by the former champion, Kenoh. After pointing out the current matter of the unit, he is eager to transmit to the battle as much as possible in order to become the best martial arts group in the industry. He also sent an appeal to that man.
The presence of Kenoh and Katsuhiko Nakajima was a major factor into Funaki's entry into Kongoh, which shook the industry. The two fought at the GHC Heavyweight vs GHC National double championship match last November in Yoyogi, which came to a sixty minute time out draw. Funaki explained, "Seeing that, these two are in the top five of the pro wrestling world currently. I don't know if I can do this from ten or twenty years from now, so I want to do what I can nearby. I also want to change my environment. There are other people who I want to fight, so I think its best to join Kongoh."
The first candidate listed for the opponents he wants to fight are the M's alliance. At the Tokyo Korakuen event on the 27th, which will be the first time he teams with Kongoh, a match against Naomichi Marufuji, Masato Tanaka and Masaaki Mochizuki has been booked. As Funaki says, "Who is the next challenger? Anyone is good. I know it's going to be rewarding, so I am looking forward to fighting those three for the first time in a while."
In addition to all of this, The Man of 100 Battles, is likely to bring about change in Kongoh. "My greatest strength is "Wrestling as war". I want to tell them that part. They are fighting thoroughly, but that part is a little more severe. I want to make it a unit with no gaps. I mean this is a martial arts group". He has an intention to pass on what he has cultivated in his career so far.
Kongoh was defeated by Los Ingobernables de Japon in the match against New Japan on the 8th January. Funaki says he hasn't watched the match, but says "Isn't that the difference between people who have experienced many battles, and people who have not? That kind of thing comes out very much in a rivalry, and so I think it is a place where the weak are prey for the strong. Maybe that is not in Noah yet".
As a martial arts group, what remains strong as an image for Funaki is the "Makai Club*", a unit which was once dominant in New Japan. "The form is different, but it was filled with powerful people. In that sense I want to do something together with Katsuyori Shibata. He is the number one I really want to join Kongoh. It's good to have another man like that, right?" These where the thoughts he revealed on his former pupil.
"Pro Wrestling is a war. It's not that I want to lead, and I don't mean to go to far, but I have something that I want to leave behind in this world. I would like both Kenoh and Nakajima to accept it. There are various styles, and I want to convey that".
He will wear the red costume with passion and unwavering determination.
*Original word is "Buraiha", which refers to a group of dissident writers after WW11, but here it means more single minded.
*From 2002 to 2004 first time, and then 2006 when they had a reunion. Katsuyori Shibata was once a member, as was Mitsuya Nagai. They also had as members a folk duo and a baseball player. Ken Shamrock and Bob Sapp were also members.
Out of curiosity, why does Buraiha mean "single minded" here? I couldn't see anything in the context of the sentence to indicate that meaning as opposed to dissident/rebellious, but I would love to know if there's something I've missed.
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