(NOAH) Event recap: REAL OVERTURE 2022 (Gunma / G Messe Gunma, Sunday April 3rd)

All roads lead to Baba

After thirty-five years of being a referee in both Baba's All Japan and Misawa's Noah, Referee Fukuda officially retired in a moving ceremony which was held today in Gunma. As well as local fans, Noah fans travelled out to the event, making a total of 385 people. Not bad for a Sunday evening. The lobby was full of flowers, GLEAT/LIDET had sent a bouquet as had Hitoshi Kumano. Fans bought signs thanking Referee Fukuda for everything, and as this was a special occasion, Noah held a an autograph session both before and after the event with him. 

You can watch the event on WrestleUniverse, but you must be a subscriber. English commentary is not available, but Noah had a guest as the author of the Misawa book, Osano-san, was on commentary. 

MATCH ONE

Funky Express (King Tany & Mohammed Yone) vs Yoshiki Inamura & Kinya Okada

Referee Fukuda had the honor of the first match, and the honor of removing King Tany's chain for the last time. It was polite Noah Born Yoshiki Inamura of all people who told Tany to remove it!

Tany revenged himself by trying to slam Inamura, but was picked up and spun round. Inamura was particularly strong and powerful today. Kinya Okada was much the same, standing up to Mohammed Yone's kicks and no selling them. Funky Express soon realized that they were dealing with a couple of stubborn Noah Born. King Tany is also a Noah Born, and so he did manage to get his way in slamming Inamura later. 

The crowd where behind Okada to get a win. Tany bore down on him with a grin, but this was wiped off as Okada got him in a submission, which Yone managed to break. Okada would kick out of Tany's chokeslam, but sadly not his splash. 

WINNER: King Tany with the Funky Press on Kinya Okada (11 minutes, 59 seconds)

MATCH TWO

The Noah Junior Regulars (Daisuke Harada & Junta Miyawaki) vs Alejandro & Kai Fujimura

The Noah Junior Regulars seem to be having a lot of matches against each other coming up, particularly Daisuke Harada, Alejandro and Junta Miyawaki. I don't think this is any sign of conflict between them, more Daisuke Harada preparing everyone for the upcoming fight against Z-Brats. This is probably part of his training camp. The difference being with the Noah Junior Regulars is that to them this is sparring, to Harada's former group RATELS, it was a squabble. 

Very fast paced match with Kai Fujimura and Junta Miyawaki in particular on fire. I can imagine their seniors where watching this as the spotlight was very much on them. Fujimura in particular seemed to have suddenly stopped being like a rookie, and going for that win over Miyawaki, but Miyawaki wrestles along Yoshinari Ogawa lines and he knows the paths out. 

WINNER: Junta Miyawaki with the Falcon Arrow (12 minutes, 34 seconds)

MATCH THREE

Hideki Suzuki vs Manabu Soya

Manabu Soya set out to prove that he was more than just a big lug (or a "big useless tree") to Hideki Suzuki (and probably Keiji Mutoh) by concentrating on wearing Hideki Suzuki down by more than the utility of shoulder tackles, slams, punches etc and using submission moves. To someone with a background like Hideki Suzuki this was fine. Two could play at that game. Although Suzuki could not prevent Soya from getting to the ropes the first few times, the second he tied Soya up into a move there was no escape from and he tapped. 

WINNER: Hideki Suzuki with the Royal Stretch (10 minutes, 37 seconds)

This was not a pre-match, but a warning. At the end of the match, Suzuki shoved the belt in Soya's face briefly as if to say, "Go and take this message back to Kongoh". 

MATCH FOUR

Perros Del Mal De Japon (Eita, NOSAWA Rongai, Kotaro Suzuki & Super Crazy) vs STINGER (HAYATA, Yoshinari Ohawa, Yuya Susumu & Yasutaka Yano)

After the rain

Noah had a special referee for this match today. Kyohei Wada had come from All Japan. Wada's history, like much of Baba era All Japan, is tied up with Noah's although he was not part of the walkout. To explain briefly, if the Noah Born wrestlers trace their lineage back to Baba via Misawa, then the Noah referees trace theirs back to Baba through Joe Higuchi and Kyohei Wada. At the time of the walk out to All Japan, Wada told Misawa when he approached him about it that he knew what he was doing and not talk to him about it or anywhere near him. Wada stayed with All Japan when Misawa left with many others, at the request of Giant Baba. Knowing that his wife, Mokoto, was a difficult woman, perceptive Baba knew that with him gone nothing would hold Misawa and Mokoto back, and one of them (probably Misawa) would leave. He said to Wada that he didn't think that Mokoto had truly such a bad personality that no one would want to stay with her. Wada stayed, and he stayed until the end. There is a sad ending to their relationship. Desperate for a child (hence the reason why Noah took All Japan's paternalism too), the All Japan wrestlers had become like the Baba's children, but since they could not have any naturally of their own, they tried to adopt so that they would have both a son and a legal heir to inherit the business. Mitsuharu Misawa and Atsushi Onita where two of the people they tried to persuade, and even on her deathbed, Mokoto tried to adopt Wada. 

Eita did not look like he was here to play games today, and everyone somehow waited for the bell. Perhaps this was because Kyohei Wada exuded a certain presence, if so they were soon back up to their usual selves as melee brawls did break out. Yoshinari Ogawa, who Wada knows better than anyone having seen Ogawa grow up in All Japan, kept Kotaro Suzuki firmly in his eyes. As we will see, Kotaro had other people to worry about other than Ogawa today. 

NOSAWA dared complain about Wada's counting speed, even calling him "Baldy" at one point. Wada responded with a few choice words of his own. 

Aside from his issues with this old man from the Showa era and his old fashioned refereeing, NOSAWSA concentrated on getting revenge on Yasutaka Yano for humiliating him, even throwing the ring stairs at him. But again, Yano got the upper hand and threw him into a barrier.  So, in a panoramic scene which included a melee fight outside the ring, the trainees bringing the ring steps back, and Eita throwing water at HAYATA, everyone got counted out. 

RESULT: Double count out (9 minutes, 7 seconds)

Kotaro Suzuki and Yuya Susumu argued this with Wada as everyone got back in the ring. Eita holding the belt up to HAYATA. Things got so heated between Kotaro, Susumu and Wada, that it threatened to get physical and Wada even butted heads with Susumu. 

Eventually, everyone but Susumu and Kotaro was told to leave the ring, and the match restarted as a singles. A singles which almost got them both counted out as they got into a fight outside the ring. Inside it was a very technical match between them, Kotaro practically pulling Susumu's chin over his face. NOSAWA naturally could not stay out, and Wada kicked the ropes in classic All Japan style. The match came to another no result, which both competitors (and their relevant units) believing they had won. 

RESULT: Double fall (8 minutes, 31 seconds)

Wada was not going to be restarting anything, so while Eita wore the belt back to front, everyone stood around and argued for a while. Nothing could be resolved, so the two units left. Eita took the chance to hold the belt up to HAYATA again and saying he was going to get revenge for bloodying him. 

STINGER went back to the shadows. 

NOSAWA left arguing about Wada's decision and declaring that Perros had won. 

Wada probably left to get a stiff drink. 

Kotaro Suzuki and Yuya Susumu will get the chance to settle their differences in a singles match at Sumo Hall on the 29th April. 

MATCH FIVE

Kongoh (Kenoh, Katsuhiko Nakajima & Nioh) vs Masato Tanaka, Masaaki Mochizuki & Haoh

Daisuke Harada was on commentary for the last three matches. 

This match was a story of two grudges and a rivalry; Kenoh and Masato Tanaka, Nioh and Haoh and Katsuhiko Nakajima and Masaaki Mochizuki. Kenoh, who was more grumpy than ever, kept baiting Tanaka. Unlike Nioh, it didn't matter to him that Haoh had left Kongoh, he was just on the same team as Tanaka which made him a target. Nakajima baited Masaaki Mochizuki, mainly with his slow grin and when he was kicking Haoh around. Later, Tanaka and Nakajima had a vicious exchange. 

Haoh was determined not to lose out to his former teammate, and took everything that had been given to him. Kicking out even when he was driven skull first into the apron. Nioh got the win soon after with The Stuka Splash. 

WINNER: Nioh with the Stuka Splash on Haoh (14 minutes, 33 seconds)

Nioh asked for the microphone, which is rare and addressed Haoh;

"Hey! Haoh! How long have you been calling yourself "Haoh" since quitting Kongoh? Damn you! If you lose in a singles with me, then change your name. If I lose, I will give up "Nioh".

This unique name versus name match has been set for Sumo Hall on the 29th April. 

MATCH SIX

GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Championship

The Noah Junior Regulars (Atsushi Kotoge & YO-HEY) vs The Kongoh Juniors (Tadasuke & Hajime Ohara)

Tadasuke was dominant, even making the ref count his cocky pin on YO-HEY. Hajime Ohara was more controlled than Tadasuke with a dark air of anger and revenge. The tag champions where tortured by their opponents. In a double submission, Ohara even kicked Atsushi Kotoge to make the strain on his legs worse. YO-HEY, who was caught by Tadasuke, could only hope that either he let go or that Kotoge got to the ropes. Kotoge made a huge lunging effort after Ohara had grabbed his arm to stop him. 

Tadasuke is the kind of wrestler who likes it when his opponents kicks out, as it charges him up more and channeling Kodo Fuyuki, he almost took YO-HEY'S head off. Too strong for the first Gamen-G, he caught YO-HEY in mid-air, and almost flattened him with a slam to the canvas. Kotoge did all he could to break the pin and try and keep Ohara away, but YO-HEY fought back, hit the Gamen-G the second time and then caught Tadasuke square in the face with a drop-kick finisher for the win. 

WINNER: YO-HEY with the dropkick (17 minutes, 56 seconds)

STINGER have this ability to be kind of like shadows who rise from the floor, and Yoshinari Ogawa seemingly did just that when he appeared on the ring apron to challenge for the title. Ignoring Atsushi Kotoge, probably because it was YO-HEY who got the win, but then again this is Yoshinari Ogawa, so it could be for other reasons, Ogawa got in YO-HEY's face and challenged for the belt; 

"YO-HEY. Next is me! I'll take my belt back." 

It had not escaped YO-HEY'S notice, or any of the fans, that Ogawa had not a partner with him.

"Are you going to do it alone? Well okay. No matter what kind of opponent comes, myself, Kotoge and all of the fans will just defend together!"

Everyone knew who this partner would be. HAYATA was in the main event at Sumo Hall as he was chasing the GHC Junior singles, Seiki Yoshioka was injured (he will return on the 8th April, but no one knew that then), and Yuya Susumu had a match with Kotaro Suzuki. Yasutaka Yano is too young and inexperienced to challenge for titles. So there could only be one choice. 

Chris Ridgeway. 

Backstage, Yoshinari Ogawa confirmed this. He and Chris Ridgeway would challenge for the titles at Sumo Hall on the 29th April. Speaking of the challenger team, Ogawa gave them some praise remarking that he thought they were good but could be better, but "being popular with girls" was not enough to keep the belts. He also may have sowed the seeds for a possible fracture in STINGER, by commenting that he felt that Ridgeway and himself would get better results than himself and HAYATA.

MATCH SEVEN

Takashi Sugiura, Naomichi Marufuji & Go Shiozaki vs Kaito Kiyomiya, Masa Kitamiya & Daiki Inaba. 

Referee Fukuda came out to referee his last match which was a main event of heavyweights, not chaos juniors. It also featured four people he had watched grow up in both All Japan and Noah, and the shared history he had with almost all of them. 

The focus on this match for the three seniors was Daiki Inaba. Naomichi Marufuji watched him intently, but when he was tagged in against him, he told him to tag in one of the others. As Marufuji intended, this fired Inaba up. Go Shiozaki and Takashi Sugiura also took a leaf out of Marufuji's book when it came to Inaba. Masa Kitamiya and Kaito Kiyomiya where different matters; Kitamiya's foundations couldn't be broken and Kiyomiya wrestled like a fury, knocking his seniors off the apron and laying into Marufuji in a fury. The seniors certainly had their hands full. 

Then a chaos grenade was thrown and everybody was down after various signature moves, Inaba had a big chance here to bring true what Marufuji said about not losing out, going further and showing his former colleagues what he was capable of as a member of Noah. Shiozaki, however, was not going to let that happen, and although Inaba fought back, kicking out of the lariat the first time, the second time got Shiozaki the win. Fukuda's last count was a Shiozaki victory. 

WINNER: Go Shiozaki with the Gowan Lariat (25 minutes, 25 seconds)

Then it was time to say goodbye. 

It was an emotional moment as Fukuda raised Shiozaki's hand for the last time, and then presented Sugiura with all his belts. Shiozaki called his teammates over, and they raised Fukuda's arms. He had boarded the ark with Misawa and like the three of them, had ridden the rough seas, although Shiozaki had fallen overboard at one point. 

Fukuda was then presented with a bouquet of flowers by his fellow referees (Shu Nishinaga had been another All Japan walk out), and ring announcer/time keeper Ally joined them for pictures as a queue formed at ringside. As Noah's Vice President, Naomichi Marufuji presented flowers on behalf of the company, and then made a small speech congratulating him on thirty five years and thanking him on behalf of everyone. On behalf of the roster, Go Shiozaki as chairman of the Noah Wrestlers Association, presented Fukuda with a gift. 

Then Fukuda's teacher, Kyohei Wada, made a small speech, calling him "Fuka-chan". Toshiaki Kawada appeared by video link; 

 

"Thank you for your hard work for thirty-five years. We spent the same years in the same era." 

Kawada finished by asking Fukuda to be a presence backstage who gave support in many ways. 

Then Fukuda made a small speech of his own; 

"I worked as a referee for thirteen years at All Japan, and for twenty-two at Pro Wrestling Noah, which was created by Misawa-san. I have no regrets. Thank you for your continued support. Thank you."

Daisuke Harada organized the Noah Juniors into the group picture (Kongoh, STINGER and Perros Del Mal De Japon did not participate, although Kongoh where seen watching from afar), and Alejandro was seen hurriedly tying his mask up. Fukuda was then lifted up and given the traditional send off. The last person who got this was Akira Taue, who looked seasick afterwards. Fukuda made his last walk from the ring to backstage. At the top of the stairs he was met by Shiozaki, Marufuji and Sugiura who raised his arms, clapped one last time, and then symbolically opened the curtain for him to pass through after one final bow. Fukuda vanished into the secretive darkness of his new world.

With thanks to: Metal-Noah & Fujiwara-Armbar

GIF taken from WrestleUniverse

Noah's next event: REAL OVERTURE 2022, Friday 8th April - Korakuen Hall