(NOAH) "I AM NOAH Ring Announcer"

29th June 2022

Note.Noah.co.jp

What do you think when you hear the profession of ring announcer? 

If you are familiar with it, when you wear a suit and you call out the names of wrestlers loudly. If you are not familiar with it, then it's the person who pounds "One! Two! Three!" Haha! (It's the referee). It depends on the person, but most of the time they are told to call "Red Corner!!" on the microphone.

By the way, in the genre of pro wrestling in Japan, there are a little less than forty people (there are roughly 1000 or more wrestlers...), I have an acquaintance with about 90% of them, but what is interesting here is that the profession of ring announcers is the same, but only the part of announcing wrestlers is common, but other tasks are different. For example, you can announce but don't ring the bell, you can announce but don't write the match result, you can announce and then do nothing. 

But, what about the ring announcer duties at Pro Wrestling Noah? Let's look at a local show for an example.

The first task is to drive a truck. Noah has two trucks, a ring truck and the goods truck, which the referee and the ring announcer will drive separately. When we arrive at the venue, we then set up the ring. If the setup is not done properly, then the ring may be defective and the wrestlers injured. It is work in which you cannot be inattentive. By the way, the staff set up the ring in only three promotions: Noah, New Japan and All Japan*. The others seem to be done mainly by younger wrestlers and trainees. 

Now that the ring is complete, it's time to prepare the locker room. A table is made of the event and put up, which gives a run down of the evening. Recently, many overseas wrestlers have come to Japan, and so I try to explain the entrance and exits to them. After the first stage is complete, it is less than thirty minutes before the door opens, so I have a quick meal. Most of the time it's a simple filled bun. While eating, the final details of the course of the evening is confirmed with the ring staff and the trainees. By the time I have changed into a suit, the doors are open. There are the announcements of merchandise, event precautions, announcements of corona infection prevention measures etc. In rural areas, we are announcing things that are commonplace in a more polite and easy-to-understand manner. 

Finally, the event starts. 

At the opening, I announce the match card of the evening. 

From the first match, announce the wrestlers.

Ring the bell at the start of the match, and hold the stopwatch in one hand and the hammer in the other, so the bell can be rung the moment the match is concluded. A system has also been created so that the results of matches can be quickly communicated to the media (it's a trade secret, but it seems that it's a method that only Noah does according to them). Nowadays, the results of matches are released immediately on social media, so a sense of speed is important. 

Also, I try and look over the entire venue during the event. 

Are there any customers who are not feeling well? 

Are there any customers who are breaching etiquette? 

Is anyone injured after a fight outside the ring? 

Are people sitting properly? 

An important task that should not be overlooked is whether a wrestler wants a microphone. Occasionally, I will make eye contact with one of the seconds to proceed. 

In this way the event finishes in about two hours, and I confirm the results of the match to the media. Immediately, I change clothes and help take down the ring. When that is done, I will drive the truck again and go home. All in all, that is the work of a ring announcer for Pro Wrestling Noah. Like I wrote at the beginning, I think that the Noah, New Japan and All Japan ring announcers have a lot of work compared to other promotions. Of course, these days the pro wrestling industry has nearly 100 groups and promotions, large and small. I think there are all kinds of forms. 

But for myself

I have pride in carrying Noah's ring!

I have pride in assembling Noah's ring!

I have pride to announce at Noah's venues!

I have pride in announcing Noah's wrestlers!

I have pride as a ring announcer for Pro Wrestling Noah.

The profession is one in the spotlight, and I am grateful that I have been able to support the noble fight of the wrestlers with my voice, I do my best to prepare for the next event. 

Pro Wrestling Noah's ring announcer, Mikata Fuyuki*

NOTES

*Interestingly, all three come from Rikidozan via Giant Baba (All Japan and Noah) and Antonio Inoki (New Japan).

*Also known to fans as "Ally". 

Translated from & picture credit to Noah.Note.Co.Jp