(NOAH) EVENT RECAP: SUNNY VOYAGE 2022 (Wednesday December 14th, Aizuwakamatsu City Cultural Center)

"NOAH seen locally is exceptional"

Cold and snow (1 ℃) in Fukushima with everyone commenting on it, Katsuhiko Nakajima in particular, who seems to feel the cold more than anyone else on the roster. The venue was said to be warm though (it is a theatre and not a gymnasium) and Noah returned here for the first time in three years as the pandemic had kept them away. 

Today's show will be broadcast on WrestleUniverse on the 17th December from 6pm JST.

MATCH ONE

Hi69 vs Daishi Ozawa

Ozawa offering Hi69 a handshake, I think when HI69 responded, Ozawa grabbed his arm and put him in a headlock! 

WINNER: Hi69 with the Trance Rave (7 minutes, 24 seconds)

MATCH TWO

Masa Kitamiya & Daiki Inaba vs Funky Express (Mohammed Yone & Akitoshi Saito)

Mohammed Yone started clapping and challenged Masa Kitamiya (of all people) to a dance by saying, "Do it!" Usually Kitamiya will glare and refuse, but I guess he was feeling sporting today, as he did a small dance, but soon stopped. Then an elbow battle erupted.  

Winner: Daiki Inaba with the Octopus Hold on Akitoshi Saito (12 minutes, 34 seconds)

(Note: Saito did not tap, the referee stopped the match)

MATCH THREE

Naomichi Marufuji & Jack Morris vs Yoshiki Inamura & Yasutaka Yano

Naomichi Marufuji started winding Yoshiki Inamura up from outside the ring by imitating his pose (crossed arms) and glaring back at him. He also did this inside the ring as well. Young Yano was able to keep up with Marufuji to some extent, but the poor boy got chopped. When it was Inamura vs Marufuji, Marufuji had to fight back with kicks and lariats to prevent himself from being completely overwhelmed by Inamura's power.  As Jack Morris got the win, they were fighting on the outside.

WINNER: Jack Morris with The Tiger Driver on Yasutaka Yano (12 minutes, 53 seconds)

Backstage, Marufuji praised Morris for picking up the Japanese style so quickly and said that because of this, he was in a good position to win himself a belt. Then because the arena was hot and he himself needed to cool down, Marufuji took advantage to go and stand outside in the snow. 

MATCH FOUR

Yoshinari Ogawa vs NOSAWA Rongai

Because he is no longer Perros Del Mal De Japon, NOSAWA Rongai came out to a new theme. As expected the match between the two wasn't going to be without some cheating. NOSAWA was told off by the ref for his behavior, particularly the closed fist punches, he answered that as he was retiring, it didn't matter. Usual tricks from NOSAWA, pretending to go for a groin shot in front of the ref and then ending up by kicking Ogawa in the thigh. Naturally they fought outside the ring too, and I believe at some point Ogawa may have used an iron pole. NOSAWA endured what he could in the longest match of the evening, and then finally tapped.

WINNER: Yoshinari Ogawa with the Figure4 leglock (27 minutes, 11 seconds)

Fans were stunned to see NOSAWA offering a handshake and Ogawa taking it. NOSAWA then bowed and left the ring. Their feud was now finished and it now ends with Ogawa vs Eita. Regarding the handshake, NOSAWA said he was grateful to Ogawa (as it is notoriously difficult to even get one), but there was nothing coming next and no future regarding it. He thanked Ogawa for fighting "a second rate wrestler like me" and said he was really happy that he came to Noah, saying that it was the best feeling he had had in recent years. 

MATCH FIVE

Dante Leon & YO-HEY vs AMAKUSA & Alejandro

Wild match with four Noah Juniors flying all over the place

WINNER: Dante Leon with Inferno on Alejandro (11 minutes, 41 seconds)

MATCH SIX

Kaito Kiyomiya, Takashi Sugiura, Satoshi Kojima, Atsushi Kotoge & Seiki Yoshioka vs Kongoh (Kenoh, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Manabu Soya, Tadasuke & Hajime Ohara)

Although the match focused pretty much on Kenoh and Kaito Kiyomiya's feud, there was some comedy between Kenoh and Satoshi Kojima (who hit it off during their title match feud), when Kojima went to yell "Let's go..." and Kenoh clamped his hand over his mouth. As for the champion and his challenger, Kenoh and Kiyomiya later got into a fight outside the ring, while inside of it, Kenoh countered The Shining Wizard with a chokehold. 

Winner: Kaito Kiyomiya with the Shining Wizard on Hajime Ohara (17 minutes, 56 seconds)

After shoving the belt in Kenoh's face after the match, and unusually for him, speaking aggressively as Kenoh left the ring, with his seniors looking on (pretty much everyone in his team), Kiyomiya spoke on the mic saying;

"On January 1st, there will be the Nippon Budokan event. I want you to come to the venue, but even if you can't come, and it doesn't matter if it is on the screen or whatever, no matter what, come and see us fight. I will defeat Kenoh and create the beginning of "our wrestling". 

With thanks to: Jiji_ryu01, Kei, Flame286 and Lapislazuli2185

Pic credit: ShuproMobile & Katsuhiko Nakajima.

Attendance: 284

Noah's next event: NOAH "NEW HOPE" & Kongoh "Diamond 5" (Sunday December 18th, Shinkiba 1st Ring)