(NOAH/ALL JAPAN) "Other than Suwama, it's an easy win" Soya is confident in breaking through the block, aiming for the Triple Crown after winning Champions Carnival

4th April 2023

Pro Wrestling DX

The press conference for Champion Carnival 2023 was held on the 4th at the BLACKBOX in Shinjuku, Tokyo. 

Manabu Soya, the World Tag Champion, showed his confidence in breaking through B block, saying, "Once I've suppressed Suwama, everything else should be an easy win". After winning the championship, he set his sights on winning his 5th championship by winning the Triple Crown.

The "X" in Block B is former All Japan Soya, now a member of Noah. At the 21st March at the Ota Ward Event, he won the World Tag Team Championship with Kenoh in a Kongoh tag, and announced that he would participate in the spring festival. The participation in the carnival will be his second time in eleven years since 2012 when he belonged to All Japan. 

In addition, there is a line up of familiar faces in the same block, such as the confrontation with former GET WILD Takao Omori. This will be the first rematch in four months since Soya won at Korakuen Hall on December 25th last year. Omori has entered as an emergency replacement for Naoya Nomura who is absent due to a left knee anterior cruciate ligament rupture. Omori said, "I have quite a lot of long standing grudges" against Soya. Swearing at revenge from last time he said, "There are about the same things that make me angry at the same time. It was a little better not to get angry so that we were able to form a tag, but when it comes to the match, I want to fight with all my might and win." Soya, however, questioned Omori's emergency participation and said, "The only thing I can say is that I am a little unconvincing to be able to enter the Champion Carnival so easily as a candidate." He added, "I'm only aiming for a win". 

The person that Soya is most aware of is Suwama, who was also his senior in his All Japan era. At the press conference they were seated next to each other, and Suwama complained, "What's going on? This guy here didn't even bring the World Tag belt". Soya countered with, "As for the World Tag Belt, we said we were going to defend with Noah instead of All Japan, so there is no need to bring it". Soya also declared, "I think that Suwama will be the climax of B Block, so I'm going to hold off Suwama and go to the finals". Showing confidence in breaking through the block he said, "If Suwama is held off, everything else will be an easy win". 

After winning the championship, Soya has his sights set on the Triple Crown.

In December 2012, when he belonged to All Japan, he challenged the 45th champion, Masakatsu Funaki. As the champion, Yuji Nagata declares, "The guy who wins the championship, bring it on!" If Soya wins the carnival, the road to the challenge will naturally open up. Should Soya, who holds the World Tag Team Championship, win the Triple Crown for the first time, he will achieve his fifth title. Soya said, "Of course, I entered Champion Carnival with the aim of winning The Triple Crown, so I think it's within range". 

Soya has decided to use his first Carnival victory as stepping stone to achieve this feat.

PRESS CONFERENCE

SOYA: Participating in Champions Carnival as a World Tag Team Champion. There is only one person who I can't forgive, and that is Satoshi Kojima. Last year he said that Noah was very important, but how is it this year? Let's come to All Japan? Flighty with no discipline. Well, I'm not saying that I am going to fight Kojima in the finals, so I definitely want the A block members to crush him. Well, leaving that aside, if I can get a grip on B Block and if Suwama is held off, other than that, it will be an easy win for this member. Anyway, if I win this Champion Carnival, I will be able to win the Triple Crown, so I'll just fight through as the representative of Kongoh, no, Noah. 

Shotaro Ashino said he would be facing his former colleague, Manabu Soya. He will fight as a member of All Japan, facing Noah, who he called an "outside enemy". 

Q: This will be your first time in 11 years, but what are your thoughts on winning the championship as a representative of Noah? 

SOYA: As the name "Champion Carnival" suggests, I'm the World Tag Team Champion, so I will do my best to be worthy of being the champion. 

Q: If you win, the Triple Crown is in your sights, right? 

SOYA: Naturally, I entered Champions Carnival with the aim of winning the Triple Crown, so I think it's within reach. 

Q: The match with Omori is attracting attention, but is there anything you are aware of? 

SOYA: Well, it's a league match, so I am only aiming to win. The only thing I can say is that I'm a little unconvinced that it's possible to enter the Champion Carnival so easily as a candidate.

Q: What are your thoughts on the match since the end of last year? 

OMORI: As you just said, the most recent match was the end of last year. I lost in singles, so I have to return that. I have a lot of long-standing grudges against him. I haven't said much about it, but there are a lot of things that annoy me. There was a time when we tagged, but at the same time there were times when I got angry. It was a bit better that I wasn't angry, so I was able to form a tag, but when it comes to the match, I want to fight him with all my strength and win.

Q: It's going to be a Champion Carnival that is greeted while All Japan's tag belt is almost leaked out? 

SUWAMA: I think it's a pity that All Japan doesn't have the belts, so, I don't think it's a good idea to have this huge trophy taken by somewhere else. 

Q: Appearing to be a match with Noah, so what about the long awaited single with Soya next to you? 

SUWAMA: Well, I had a match the other day, so in extension of that, I will do whatever I want. I'll get the win. What's going on? This guy here next to me, didn't even bring the World Tag belt. I just want to hear it. 

SOYA: Regarding the World Tag Team Belt, we said we would defend it in Noah, not all Japan, so there is no need to bring it. Anyway, it's a single with Suwama, and I think he is the climax of B Block. So, I will hold down Suwama, and go to the finals.

Translated from Pro Wrestling DX

Picture credit, Pro Wrestling DX