(NOAH) "Follow Me You Bastards" - Kenoh's Weekly Pro Column

8th March 2022

Weekly Pro

Q: Today, March 2nd is the anniversary of your debut. Congratulations!

KENOH: Thank you. I had forgotten and wasn't aware until you told me.

Q: It will be your 14th anniversary

KENOH: It's halfway. 14 years and I arrived in Noah. Out of 14 years, has it been more than eight in Noah? 

Q: It's been more than half of your career, but currently there is no commemorative match. 

KENOH: The debut day is different because there is no emotional attachment. It's important to confront pro wrestling by separating the debut anniversary, but I wonder if each year it's going to be an anniversary show.

Q: That said, in 2014 you had a singles with KENTA for your 6th anniversary match

KENOH: That's also true

Q: In 2018, you had a singles match with Masa Kitamiya in his 10 year debut anniversary.

KENOH: For both debuts it was just a commemorative match because I made a triumphant return to my hometown in Tokushima near the anniversary. Speaking of which, the Tokushima City Gymnasium was highlighted in last week's issue of Weekly Pro, now it's nicknamed the "Tokugin Tomony Arena". It doesn't resonate with me at all, so isn't it celebrating according to my debut anniversary? 

Q: Is that the serialization on the page you are reading now? If so, that's a coincidence. 

KENOH (taking no notice): Not only that, recently even in the back numbers on the Weekly Pro Mobile Premium, the Tokushima City Gymnasium is getting a lot of attention, right? I guess that also matched my debut anniversary?  

Q: No, it's just the back issue after the new UWF Tokushima event on February 27th 1989 has been broadcast.

KENOH: Keep it in time for my debut anniversary. No matter, it's a great time to have a Weekly Pro special edition at a Tokushima event. Recently, the body politic of pro wrestling only comes to Tokushima only once or twice a year from even before Corona. I want to read the special issue of the "Tokushima Upheaval" as early as the distribution of March 5th.

Q: Premium mass consumer

KENOH: The past Weekly Pro's are also interesting. The Weekly Professional Mobile Premium, let's read it together. WrestleUniverse, let's watch it together.

Q: Shrewd, you included it in the promotion for Universe. Thank you for the promotion of our company.

KENOH: I guess. There is a Michinoku show in Tokushima on the 6th, are you going to cover it?    

Q: It will be published in the next issue. These days, the image of the Tokushima event = Jinsei Shinzaki of Michinoku. 

KENOH: That's right. Hmmm...well, it's Norihiko Fukuda, the general of "Fukuta Record". I read it in an old Weekly Pro, but I think he also served as the Chairman of the Supporters Association in February 1988 at the new UWF Tokushima event. Did Funaki-san appear at that show? 

Q: No, Masakatsu Funaki was in April 1989. Since he was a new UWF transfer he hasn't appeared, it's a near miss. 

KENOH: It seems that the UWF fever at that time was amazing. As many as 4,200 stowaways* gathered at the Tokushima City Gymnasium...you wrote that 1000 tickets were sold in one day, which is amazing. My 10th anniversary in March 2018 was about one tenth, 420 people. 

Q: The official announcement was 504 people.

KENOH: I want to do a Tokushima event again at Noah soon

Q: Rather than your debut anniversary, this is becoming a story about the Tokushima City Gymnasium

KENOH: I have more a fondness of having my debut in my hometown of Tokushima rather than on March 2nd. I am so happy that I was able to make my debut in my hometown, where I was born and raised. 

Q: After all, you don't really care much about dates and anniversaries

KENOH: Anniversaries in pro wrestling are often a feature, but for me who wants to be the strongest, it is just a number. Think about it. I was born on January 1st and since my birthday is the ultimate anniversary of New Year's Day and Noah holds the Nippon Budokan event from this year, I may not have much that thought about the debut anniversary.

Q: Certainly...What anniversary do you think it is? 

KENOH: Well, maybe every five years; debut as a newcomer, ten years to be fully fledged, 15 years is your mid career, twenty years to be a veteran, and thirty years a legend. There is such an image in pro wrestling.

Q: Your 10th anniversary was as the GHC Heavyweight Champion

KENOH: I want to celebrate my "Mid Level Anniversary" wearing the belt next year. 

Q: Do you want to do a 15th anniversary produce? 

KENOH: What anniversary did Marufuji-kun do a while ago? 

Q: Naomichi Marufuji held his 20th anniversary event at Ryoguku Kokugikan in September 2016.

KENOH: Veteran anniversary? I wish I could hold it on my veteran anniversary too.

Q: Sounds good. The location of course...

KENOH: Nippon Budokan!!!!

Q: But isn't it the Tokushima City Gymnasium?

KENOH: Well...I made a mistake. It's not an anniversary, but March 13th is Funaki's 58th birthday. We will celebrate as the GHC Tag Team Champions at the Yokohama Budokan!

*Kenoh means people who jumped on a ship and crossed from mainland Japan to Tokushima, Shikoku.

Translated from Weekly Pro

Picture credit: Weekly Pro

Thanks to JenJ for sending me the article