(NOAH) Follow Me You Bastards! Kenoh's Weekly Pro Column

27th September 2022

Weekly Pro

Q: What shall we talk about this week? 

KENOH: How about mixed martial arts combat? 

Q: Ooh! Sounds interesting

KENOH: Recently, I've been collaborating with fighters on the Kenoh YouTube channel, and I have been able to absorb a lot of things each time.

Q: The first was mixed martial artist Yūsuke Yachi. 

KENOH: Damn, I was able to put it to good use in pro wrestling. Even in the N-1 official match, I used it for things like a back choke, an arm criss-cross and surprise attack to the side of the head right after the start. 

Q: Recently, you have collaborated with Tak Sakaguchi, an assassin who is said to be a modern day ninja, 220kg former sumo Edmond Chan, and you collaborated with Kyokushin Karate World Champion, Takuma Sese.

KENOH: They are masters of many different martial arts, and they taught me many things that I could not have learned just by doing professional wrestling. Sakaguchi's "Wave Punch" was the most painful pain I have ever experienced. I think it's the same technique as Marufuji-kun's* chop, where you relax your body and then strike with it all.

Q: It's Naomichi Marufuji

KENOH: It seems that he lost the strength in his right arm after injuring his cervical vertebrae. He used that to his advantage and mastered the flexibility of chops as supple as a whip. It's probably because the power permeates through the body like waves due to the weakness, which is why he can produce that much power. If you do chops with force, your body gets battered like Go Shiozaki, whose right arm is battered and who hits chops with force. I have learned that loss of strength is also important. 

Q: That's a big discovery

KENOH: Assassination handshake, the mid kick of Kyokushin Karate, sumo trunk...these are all things I can use in the future from now on. 

Q: I'm looking forward to it

KENOH: That's what we're talking about today. Speaking of mixed martial arts battles in professional wrestling, it is after all, Antonio Inoki vs Mohammed Ali. Professional wrestling vs boxing. At the time, mixed martial arts didn't even exist as genre, but it is a legendary match that is still talked about today. The rules became a problem in the process of deciding the match, and basically, Inoki made a lot of concessions to Ali. 

Q: Most pro wrestling moves were fouls

KENOH: As with any fight, everyone has to follow the rules. For example, boxing has no kicks or throws, only punches. The rules of wrestling, judo, and the Olympics change, and while you fight your opponent, it's also a battle of how best to use the rules. Sumo, Karate, Judo, Kickboxing, Nippon Kempo...even if you fight a mixed martial arts match, it all depends on the rules. In the process of making mixed martial arts a competitive sport, the rules were developed, and as it became established as a sport with subdivided classes, it became difficult to understand, and I think the element of popular entertainment was fading.

Q: That's right

KENOH: Of all the martial arts I've learned, that one that's closest to professional wrestling is mixed martial arts. It's about whether there is a 3 count or not. That's why I don't think it's a good idea for a pro wrestling promotion to hold a mixed martial arts event, you end up thinking like you don't understand pro wrestling.

Q: ...

KENOH: However, the three count rule is extremely important and easy to understand. What's more, there's a gray area where foul play is okay within five counts, but there are also negative parts, palm slaps, weapon attacks, it may be the ultimate mixed martial arts match. It's easy to understand, so it's simply interesting and anyone can enjoy it.

Q: You are right

KENOH: However, what is different from mixed martial arts is that you receive the opponent's technique. That's why I think it's a sport that has an outstanding immune system compared to other athletes. Because the aesthetics of professional wrestling is to defeat the opponent after receiving everything, various stories are born and there is also an artistic side. Occasionally, there are guys like Katsuhiko Nakajima who KO their opponents, but even that is a genre with too much tolerance that can be criticized as individuality. By collaborating with various masters of other genres, once again the appeal of professional wrestling has been reconfirmed.

Q: This is also because you are actively collaborating on YouTube.

KENOH: Recently, the number of professional wrestlers on YouTube has increased from legends to young people, but I'm the only one who has collaborated with guys from other genres so far. Even in the comments, the number of fucking assholes has increased, saying that they want to come to Kenoh Channel and watch the match next time.

Q: Surely!

KENOH: By collaborating on YouTube, it would be nice if the charm of professional wrestling could reach the world even a little. I'll do anything for that! If anyone wants to collaborate with me, contact Kenoh channel!!!                   

Picture credits: Weekly Pro