(NOAH) Event recap: NOAH FES 2022 (Saturday 23rd April, Tokyo)

There was a big queue from the Noah fan club members and the WrestleUniverse members, which was estimated to be about two hundred plus people. Whether fan club members, WrestleUniverse members or just casual wrestling fans, fans of all ages and from all backgrounds attended. There were old people, young people, people who had come from work, and even little kids and their parents (including one little boy who got a wave from Daisuke Harada and Junta Miyawaki, Harada had met him earlier and remembered him.). Attendees tonight had first choice in the merchandise, which where released prior to Sumo Hall, which they snapped up quickly. Fans wondered if there would be anything Z-Brats. 

As Funky Kaito's song was playing, fans took their seats as the four talk shows began. Noah commentator, Junji Shiono was the MC. 

The event also attracted new fans. One fan in particular said they had gotten into Noah from watching Noah vs New Japan, and because they didn't know too much about Noah they came along today to study. They are excited for Sumo Hall on the 29th April, which will be their very first Noah show.

King Tany's trouble consultation (i.e. he's going to give you advice on your worries) 

"An epoch making event"

Sadly this was not crashed by Kendo Kashin. 

Rather than King Tany sorting out the fans troubles, it became the fans sorting out his! Tany was seeking advice on;  

- Not being able to speak to anyone at the venue due to communication problems

- The situation of a frosty martial relationship (divorce may be on the cards)

- A hard time living & feeling the limitations of Funky Express

When prompted by Shiono, King Tany said that although he did feel the limitations of his new character, as of yet he has no plans to return to being Maybach. While fans had a hard time answering, they felt that Shiono was the biggest victim of Tany's consultation, he himself said he was relieved it was over, it was the one he was expecting to be the most difficult.

Kotaro Suzuki & Yuya Susumu

This was probably the most tense of the evening. This has a completely different vibe, which fans described as being awkward. 

Yuya Susumu talked about the thrill of Noah which he couldn't abandon, and which he gave up FREEDOMS for, and for that reason, he has to get results. Kotaro replied that maybe then he should have done what he did, freelance and go around various promotions and take their belts and then bring them to Noah. This suggests to me that Susumu is a full time Noah roster member now. Kotaro compared them to Dragon Quest characters, Susumu naturally said his would be better. In usual style, Kotaro said that if Susumu loses to him, he wants him to re-enter the dojo and like any good trainee, start at the bottom by saying he can make chanko.

Keiji Mutoh & Naomichi Marufuji

Keiji Mutoh was excited as he thought they were going to be having some kind of match. Naomichi Marufuji ("Maru-chan") had to tell him to calm down. There was no match today, this was a fan event, and it is Mutoh's first one in Noah like this. Mutoh did also think that Masa Kitamiya was Suwama when he took a look at the visual behind them. Mutoh was said to be very funny, and had Marufuji giggling. 

Mutoh joked he has lost weight and therefore could try for a run in the juniors, Marufuji asked him if he was interested in the junior tag, Mutoh reiterated that as he was turning sixty this year, he was more interested in the GHC National. Regarding his injury, he is not in as much pain as he was in, and he hopes to return soon, and the weight loss has been good for his hip joint. He's been watching NETFLIX, and doing very little social media. He has also been hanging out with Riki Choshu, and like Genichiro Tenryu, Mutoh can't understand a word of what Choshu (also a former sumo) is saying. Marufuji laughed and said only Mutoh could say "damn old man".

When they talked about the two main events (the junior and the heavyweight). Marufuji told Mutoh that HAYATA admires him. Mutoh joked if that was the case, then he would ask for royalties. Marufuji said that everything Mutoh did was with money in mind. Mutoh also said that since Ninja Mack has come to Noah, and his first gimmick was a ninja when he was overseas, he would be asking for royalties there too. On a more serious note, Marufuji also recognized that HAYATA had changed his style from aerial to ground based. During this Extreme Tiger and Ninja Mack crashed the party. They greeted Mutoh and Marufuji, and the fans. Extreme Tiger came to Japan twelve years ago, while this is Ninja Mack's first time. 

Once the invaders had left, Mutoh predicted that Fujita would win. Marufuji said that Shiozaki has to win, because he's young. Mutoh asked if Marufuji was discriminating against himself and Fujita, although they belonged to Noah (earlier Mutoh had said he loved the whole fight against an outsider theme). Marufuji said it was no discrimination, it was a distinction.

The Noah Junior Regulars (Daisuke Harada, Atsushi Kotoge, YO-HEY, Haoh, Alejandro & Junta Miyawaki). 

The Noah Juniors posed for pictures before the talk started, and once again after it. In true fashion, YO-HEY struck a pose and was the only one to do it at the end. 

Talking about the title match, YO-HEY said that Yoshinari Ogawa and Chris Ridgeway could be beaten if you can find a chance. Atsushi Kotoge and YO-HEY seem to be the new couple (YO-HEY'S third wife), YO-HEY says they will overcome Ogawa and Ridgeway with the power of love between them. Kotoge finds it hard to be negative when with YO-HEY. He's feeling in a better place mentally, although his knees are not 100% yet. 

Although he was smiling, there was a feeling of heaviness from Haoh. He acknowledged how long Nioh has been in Noah, and his resolution to lose both hair and name was frightening. Fans cannot imagine him with a shaved head.

Kotoge said he's been nine years with Noah now, things haven't always been easy, but now it's the first time that the juniors have come together as one. 

The Goods Lottery

Ring announcer Ally hosted this as one of a kind prizes such as autographed t-shirts and posters where handed out. One prize was apparently a free membership of both the fan club and WrestleUniverse.

Autograph & photo session

- Mutoh's was one of the most popular, big queues also for Kaito Kiyomiya and Yoshiki Inamura.

The Noah Junior booth was very popular with little children (I think they like the light colors, the friendliness, Junta Miyawaki's youth and gentleness, Daisuke Harada's smile, YO-HEY'S bounciness and are fascinated by Alejandro's mask). There where so many fans lining up for the Noah Junior Regulars that the official Noah account had to apologize, but Night 2 of the Noah Junior Regulars week was going to be delayed. 

- Fans want to see a rematch between Katsuhiko Nakajima and Daiki Inaba, and have actually told Inaba so.

- Kongoh (Kenoh and Hajime Ohara) where unusually soft, smiling and greeting fans, posing for pictures and signing autographs. Ohara in particular was the "Hajime-chan" that he had been prior to joining Noah's most angry unit.

The event was a lot of fun and a great success. 

With thanks to: Abeshin, Kei, Tahtaunwa, mohgitate_47, Niyamo, Yoshi_Suwa, Mami & Rembrandt_kbs

First picture is from Noah Official Twitter, the rest are screenshots taken by me.