(NOAH) CARD: N Innovation (Thursday 23rd June, Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo)

Following a frenzy of activity from the Noah Junior Regular Army (and Satoshi Kojima who gave them encouragement), Daisuke Harada announced that the event was sold out. He says this is their "counterattack" (naturally against the Heavyweight division) and the first step into filling out a larger venue. The event (and it's going to be an emotional/wild night for the little tin shed) starts at 18:30 JST (for those who are the luckiest people to be able to go, the doors open at 17:45) and will be broadcast live on WrestleUniverse. 

Alejandro will be absent due to running a temperature, and has been replaced by Kaito Kiyomiya. Yasutaka Yano remains absent due to face and neck injuries. 

MATCH ONE

Kaito Kiyomiya & Xtreme Tiger vs Kongoh (Shuji Kondo & Hi69)

Kaito Kiyomiya (one of the few heavyweights that Daisuke Harada can stand) teams for the first time with Xtreme Tiger to take on Hi69 and Shuji Kondo. Out of everyone in this match, Hi69 is the only one he has been in the ring with, and that was back in 2019. This is going to be an interesting opener.

MATCH TWO

Yoshinari Ogawa vs Kai Fujimura

With Seiki Yoshioka and Yuya Susumu arguing and HAYATA concentrating on the GHC Junior tonight, Yoshinari Ogawa takes the opportunity to do some teaching. Singles matches against rookies are classed by fans as an "Ogawa classroom", but I wonder as the singles belt is on the line, Ogawa may seek to be a double champion. 

MATCH THREE

Seiki Yoshioka vs Yuya Susumu

Yuya Susumu and Seiki Yoshioka (alongside HAYATA) grew up together in WrestleGate, a Hiroshima based promotion. The three went their separate ways until reuniting together in Noah. Sadly, Yoshioka fell out with Susumu following Susumu accidentally hitting Yoshioka and losing them the Opening The TriangleGate Championship (and his comment that "Yoshioka may have won, but he would defend"). Yoshioka shoved him, shoved Ogawa and HAYATA before leaving the ring, and angrily announced backstage he was leaving STINGER. Susumu didn't believe him, and thought that once he had calmed down he would see sense. Yoshioka showed up to the next match in his old ring wear. Susumu attempted a couple of handshakes and it didn't go well. Susumu cannot believe that Yoshioka wants to leave STINGER, but more importantly, their tag. Susumu's claim that "you need to be next to me" has only made Yoshioka more angry. Tonight is going to be interesting to see just where this goes, or as the case may be, who goes where.

MATCH FOUR

OPEN THE TRIANGLEGATE CHAMPIONSHIP

The Noah Junior Regulars (Daisuke Harada, Atsushi Kotoge & YO-HEY) vs Perros Del Mal De Japon (NOSAWA Rongai, Eita & Kotaro Suzuki)

The Open The TriangleGate Championship has been playing Pass-the-Parcel recently with Noah tag teams. It was won by Perros Del Mal De Japon, they lost it to STINGER, who lost it the next night to The Noah Junior Regulars (a team Yoshinari Ogawa had nominated out of spite as he hates them) and who were challenged by Perros Del Mal De Japon. To YO-HEY winning the Open The TriangleGate has been emotional, and if they retain, and the old enemies of the Noah Junior Regulars, Z-BRATS come to challenge it may be even more so as he will be heading to a title match in a DragonGate ring.

MATCH FIVE

LOSER LEAVES NOAH

Haoh vs Tadasuke

If the last few matches haven't been emotional enough for you, this one turns the dial up to a whole new level. Haoh has managed to keep his hair and his name, but can he stay in Noah? Tadasuke, fed up of his besting Hi69, challenged him to this unusual (for Noah) stipulation match. Fans feel that this match may be a goodbye, but they feel it is Tadasuke who will be leaving and not Haoh. 

MATCH SIX

GHC JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

HAYATA vs Hajime Ohara

HAYATA has been dismissive of Hajime Ohara since he made his challenge saying that he is looking past him to the next challenger, who he has said pointedly is "champion class" or "Ninja Mack" even throwing in a "Whoever". Anyone but Ohara, who he managed to beat in four minutes and five seconds by reversing the Mui Bien. Even the press conference/match signing was treated as an inconvenience. However, underestimating Hajime Ohara who called his humiliating loss a "mock exam", is not a good idea. New champion who knows, new challenger who knows who?

Picture credit: WrestleUniverse & Weekly Pro