(NOAH) CARD PREVIEW: ABEMA presents N-1 VICTORY 2023 - FINAL NIGHT (Sunday August 27th, Culttz Kawasaki, Kawasaki)

About the event

Culttz Kawasaki signifies two things in Noah; the final night of the N-1 VICTORY, and the closing of summer. It always feels like the final fireworks festival before we start the journey towards the end of the year. As Culttz Kawasaki has been Hajime Ohara's baby since Noah first started coming here a few years ago, he has worked tirelessly to promote it. As ever his concern is the local people, especially children, the disabled and the elderly, and this year he has arranged (once again) that the partially sighted/blind can enjoy the show by use of special earphones which means they can listen to commentary and use braille programs. What is also ironic about this venue and the association with Hajime Ohara, is that Ohara hates smoking and bans it from his practice sessions, and this venue is completely non smoking everywhere. 

N-1 update

While there are N-1 VICTORY cards for people who have been eliminated now from winning, this is mainly just to finish with as high points as possible. For those who are in line to go to the championship in Osaka, this is between Kenoh and Jake Lee in A Block, and the complicated situation in B Block which has Katsuhiko Nakajima ahead of everyone on a win/loss ratio with eight points, El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Jnr also with eight points, and Go Shiozaki and Manabu Soya with seven. Nakajima is the only one whose winning depends solely on his winning or losing, the others are tied up with their own wins and how everyone else does. For Kenoh, he needs to win, a draw will mean that he isn't going to the championships. 

Broadcast details

You can watch the event on WrestleUniverse (subscribers only, Japanese and English commentary), ABEMA (free, Japanese commentary only, but you can only watch live, no replays) or the first two and three matches on Noah's official YouTube. I would not recommend that overseas fans subscribe to ABEMA, WrestleUniverse is a far better investment. First bell sounds at 16:00 JST (ABEMA broadcast begins at 15:50).

Card

MATCH ONE

Shuji Kondo, Hajime Ohara & Seiki Yoshioka vs Good Looking Guys (Anthony Green, YO-HEY & Tadasuke)

Due to Shuji Kondo being ill, Hajime Ohara and Seiki Yoshioka became and impromptu tag team. I think they kind of enjoyed teaming up, and with Yoshioka teaming with (or rather pestering "Kon-chan" into forming a tag), it seems natural that Hajime Ohara (who probably wouldn't dare call him "Kon-chan") joins in. Nothing has been announced by the three of them concerning a group, but we could well see that happen this evening. 

MATCH TWO

N-1 VICTORY 2023

B Block

Saxon Huxley & Yuma Anzai

Both are on 4 points with 2 losses behind them. Yuma Anzai has been lucky with his points, two came from an unexpected victory and the other two were given in forfeit due to Daiki Inaba's injury. He's going to have a tough fight if he wants to go to six.

MATCH THREE

N-1 VICTORY 2023

A BLOCK

Yoshiki Inamura vs Yuki Yoshioka

Yoshiki Inamura has had a lousy N-1. Fans are hoping that he won't have to have the humiliation of finishing 0 points and will get at least one win and two points with that. Yuki Yoshioka was eliminated by Jack Morris yesterday, who seems to be the destroyer of dreams this year. 

MATCH FOUR

N-1 VICTORY 2023

A BLOCK

Masa Kitamiya vs Timothy Thatcher

Timothy Thatcher can rise up to eight points tonight, not that it will get him to the championship as this is dominated in A Block by Kenoh and Jake Lee, but there is always the chance. Masa Kitamiya looks to go to nine should he win. I think for Kitamiya this is both a N-1 match and a chance to square with Thatcher, whom he lost to in the GHC Heavyweight tag title challenge. 

MATCH FIVE

N-1 VICTORY 2023

A BLOCK

Jack Morris vs Adam Brooks

As said above, Jack Morris seems to be the one who destroys dreams in the N-1 this year. Neither of these two can go to the finals, but I can imagine Morris would take a certain satisfaction on finishing on 9 and keeping Adam Brooks down at 4. 

MATCH SIX

STINGER (Chris Ridgeway, Daga & Yoshinari Ogawa) vs Atsushi Kotoge, HI69 & Kai Fujimura

Over the past few weeks with Chris Ridgeway and Daga being absent, Yoshinari Ogawa has had to team with LEONA. There has been no one else. I don't expect his mood to have improved though, even if STINGER are reunited. As for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Champions (Ridgeway and Daga), tonight they start their pre match against the challengers (Atsushi Kotoge and HI69). 

MATCH SEVEN

Naomichi Marufuji, Masato Tanaka, Stallion Rogers, Alejandro & Junta Miyawaki vs Kaito Kiyomiya, Kazuyuki Fujita, Lance Anoa'i, HAYATA & Eita

This match is going to get wild considering the personalities involved. Eita will probably see a chance to make some new friends, especially as Kazuyuki Fujita will be handing out his Red Viper Tonic. 

These final three matches on the card will determine who from B Block will be facing either Kenoh or Jake Lee from A Block in Osaka for the N-1 VICTORY 2023 Championship and subsequent GHC Heavyweight title challenge. 

MATCH EIGHT

N-1 VICTORY 2023

B BLOCK

El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Jnr vs Manabu Soya

The fate of El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Jnr and Manabu Soya is tied up in the next match, as is the championship dream of Go Shiozaki and Katsuhiko Nakajima, as how they do will effect the others, especially as El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Jnr rivals Katsuhiko Nakajima with 8 points (4 wins & 2 losses). 

MATCH NINE

N-1 VICTORY 2023

B BLOCK

Go Shiozaki vs Katsuhiko Nakajima

Katsuhiko Nakajima goes to the championship on points alone, should he defeat his partner, Go Shiozaki. For Shiozaki a win means nine points, but this depends on how Manabu Soya does as he needs him to lose in order to advance with not only in points but also win/lose score. 

By this point we will know who from B Block is going to the finals. 

MATCH TEN

N-1 VICTORY 2023

A BLOCK

Kenoh vs Jake Lee

Kenoh enters this match on 8 points, while Jake Lee has 10. If Kenoh wins tonight, he wins on number of wins, not points, which is why he cannot afford a time out draw. For Jake, all he needs to do is win whether it is by pinfall or time out draw, he will win on points either way.