(NOAH) CARD: N-1 VICTORY 2022 - SEMI FINALS NIGHT (Kultz Kawasaki, Sunday August 28th)

Kultz Kawasaki is Noah's traditional show which marks the end of summer. It always a feeling of a countryside firework and bonfire festival. While this year (unlike last year) there is none of that symbology, the event is not going to lack sparks, fire or an explosive feeling. The doors open at 15:00, the dark match at 15:40 and the N-1 opens at 16:00. Event can be viewed on WrestleUniverse, English commentary is available.

Scores going into the event

BLOCK A

Kenoh = 9 points (4 wins, 1 loss, 1 draw)

Hideki Suzuki = 9 points (4 wins, 1 loss, 1 draw)

Kazuyuki Fujita = 8 points (4 wins, 2 losses) 

Go Shiozaki = 8 points (4 wins, 2 losses)

Masato Tanaka = 6 points (3 wins, 3 losses)

El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Jnr = 4 points (2 wins, 4 losses)

Anthony Greene = 2 points (1 win, 5 losses)

Masaaki Mochizuki= 2 points (1 win, 5 losses)

BLOCK B

Takashi Sugiura = 8 points (4 wins, 2 losses)

Satoshi Kojima = 8 points (4 wins, 2 losses)

Kaito Kiyomiya = 8 points (4 wins, 2 losses)

Katsuhiko Nakajima = 8 points (4 wins, 2 losses)

Masa Kitamiya = 6 points (2 wins, 3 losses)

Masakatsu Funaki = 6 points (3 wins, 3 losses)

Jack Morris = 4 points (2 wins, 2 losses)

Kinya Okada = 0 points (6 losses) 

Card

DARK MATCH

Funky Express (Mohammed Yone & Akitoshi Saito) & Stallion Rogers vs Shuhei Taniguchi, Daiki Inaba & Yoshiki Inamura

99% Hoss Fight as the majority of Noah's ultra-heavyweights gather. 

MATCH ONE

N-1 VICTORY A BLOCK

Masaaki Mochizuki vs Anthony Greene

There is nothing left here but to pick up one or two points as the N-1 VICTORY ends here for both of them. 

MATCH TWO

N-1 VICTORY B BLOCK

Masa Kitamiya vs Jack Morris

Masa Kitamiya has the chance here to finish in the upper echelons if he wins tonight, for Jack Morris it's difference between finishing low down in the table or else mid league. 

MATCH THREE

N-1 VICTORY A BLOCK

Masato Tanaka vs El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Junior

Neither can win the league now, but this unusual and rare match up will be interesting as both will be fighting for their final position in this years tournament. 

MATCH FOUR

N-1 VICTORY B BLOCK

Masakatsu Funaki vs Takashi Sugiura

From here on the fireworks are lit as the summer starts drawing in. Masakatsu Funaki cannot win the league (putting an end to Kenoh's dream of a Kongoh final) but he can finish in a nice position on the card, and that is worth fighting for. For Takashi Sugiura, he cannot afford to be so laid back, tonight is the final line he needs to cross between going to the finals and dropping out at the final hurdle. 

MATCH FIVE

CAPTAIN FALL MATCH

STINGER (HAYATA, Yoshinari Ogawa, Yuya Susumu) & Kai Fujimura vs PERROS DEL MAL DE JAPON (NOSAWA Rongai, Eita, Kotaro Suzuki & Super Crazy)

A Captains Fall match is an elimination match which ends when one of the team captains, in this case Eita and Yoshinari Ogawa, are pinned. No one is going to pay attention to the rules no doubt, and NOSAWA says he will be aiming for HAYATA and HAYATA alone. If STINGER/Ogawa win, then Eita gives the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag belt back, if they don't he will take the title. 

MATCH SIX

N-1 VICTORY A BLOCK

Go Shiozaki vs Hideki Suzuki

"A FROG IN THE WELL, BUT I THINK NOAH IS GO SHIOZAKI"

(Hideki Suzuki 2019 - Full expression is "A frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean", it refers to someone who knows nothing of the wider world)

These two have a history of a rivalry. It fell by the wayside after Suzuki departed Noah to go overseas, and tonight once again it is back on. Tonight of all nights when so much is on the line for both of them. 

MATCH SEVEN

N-1 VICTORY B BLOCK

Katsuhiko Nakajima vs Kinya Okada

This match has the potential to be a massive upset. Katsuhiko Nakajima as we know, has a tendency to get cocky and Kinya Okada as we know, has come very close to getting a win by momentum. Okada may be on zero points and without wins, but Nakajima is in line for a very humiliating defeat if he doesn't concentrate. 

MATCH EIGHT

Dragon Bane, Alpha Wolf & Alejandro vs Kongoh Juniors (Tadasuke, Hajime Ohara & Hi69)

Tadasuke returns to Noah following a nasal bone injury. Expect this match to be typical Noah Juniors, especially as Kongoh Juniors hate anyone who seems to be having a good time.

MATCH NINE

N-1 VICTORY A BLOCK

Kenoh vs Kazuyuki Fujita

Grudge match. Kenoh has never forgiven Kazuyuki Fujita for taking the GHC National from him, and tonight as the GHC Heavyweight Champion and the block leader. What happens in terms of points and who goes to the finals, depends entirely on the rest of the card that has come before. 

MATCH TEN

N-1 VICTORY B BLOCK

Kaito Kiyomiya vs Satoshi Kojima

Depending on what happened with Takashi Sugiura, they may either tie or or else go to the finals. When this match finishes, we will know who is going where and whose dreams have been smashed for this year. Please also bear in mind that Keiji Mutoh is Satoshi Kojima's mentor, as well as Kiyomiya's, so Kiyomiya is going to have to work around those moves that Kojima knows so well. 

Picture credit: Noah.co.jp