(NOAH) On the anniversary of Misawa's death, Takashi Sugiura decides "I will fight with my own "freedom and conviction"

13th June 2023

Tokyo Sports

We mark the 14th anniversary of the death of Pro Wrestling Noah founder, Mitsuharu Misawa (age 46) who passed away in an accident during a match on June 13th 2009. The promotion, which will celebrate its anniversary in August, has been under CyberAgent since 2020 after many twists and turns, and the wrestlers who belong to it have changed dramatically. Do "genes" still exist in the ideal stage that Misawa created? Takashi Sugiura (53), promotion trueborn, gave his thoughts in response to interview.

Every year around this time, Noah is wrapped in a solemn atmosphere. It has been fourteen years since Misawa passed away on June 13th 2008 during a GHC Tag match in Hiroshima. Sugiura looked up at the sky and said quietly, "I wonder if Misawa-san will support me now. How does he see this?" In addition to Sugiura, Naomichi Marufuji and Yoshinari Ogawa are the only founding members who still belong to the promotion. "Nowadays, there are more wrestlers who didn't know the time when Misawa-san was there". But for all of that, Noah, founded by Misawa, continues to reign as a major group in the industry. In February, they successfully held the Tokyo Dome for the first time in eighteen years for Keiji Mutoh's retirement show. "I think people are happy that Noah is rising again".

Sugiura, who was 39 at the time, turned 53 in May. As he accumulated his career, he learned something, as he recalls "It reminds me again of what an amazing person he was, both in terms of matches and as a person. Certainly, he was thinking of pro wrestling and trying to make it better. Anyway, thinking about pro wrestling, I was trying to make it better, it wasn't about me being me". The first time he touched on Misawa's open-mindedness, was before his debut. Sugiura, who was active in (amateur) wrestling, quit the Self-Defense Forces at age 29, and entered All Japan. At that time he already was married with children, and he was embarking on this journey with anxiety. "When I greeted him at Korakuen, he said, "Don't worry about anything, just come in". He cared about my finances and the fact that I had a family", he reveals.

During his days as a trainee, there was the split with All Japan. Sugiura was told by Misawa, "Don't worry about anything, and come with me." Without hesitation, Sugiura joined Noah, which was launched in August 2000. When he was close to him, he always felt firsthand the "freedom and conviction" that Misawa upheld at the time of the launch. 

In 2009, he teamed up with Misawa and took part in New Japan at the 4th January event at the Tokyo Dome, facing Shinsuke Nakamura and Hirooki Goto. Misawa told him, "Don't worry about me, just do what you want", and by being told this, he was able to appeal on a huge stage. "In my case, I was allowed to do whatever I wanted, and I think Misawa-san understood that too. In my case, I especially felt the freedom part. It's no good if it's not freedom with conviction". Sugiura resolved, "I want to continue fighting with my own "freedom and conviction". 

On the 17th, he will challenge the GHC Heavyweight Champion, Jake Lee (34) at the Nagoya International Conference Centre Event Hall. Sugiura proudly said, "It's always been like that. I'll teach you that Noah has someone like me. Let's keep doing this until one of us crumbles." If Sugiura wins, he will regain the title for the first time in about four and a half years, for the fifth time. There is also something more he wants to accomplish by winning the belt that Misawa won as a first title (in Noah) 22 years ago. "I want to continue fighting with high spirited wrestlers and good wrestles, and on top of that I want to fight Marufuji for the belt. But if so, what about Misawa-san? That's important. Yeah, you'll be happy, if it's the two of us, it's a big place."

The veteran heads for the title match in Nagoya, with the goal of realizing a GHC match that is dedicated to his master.

Translated from Tokyo Sports

Picture credits: Tokyo Sports