(NOAH) MONTHLY NOAH! Wagner becomes the first Mexican champion in history! In addition, we look back at the fierce battles in February, including the opening of the VC Tag League!

7th March 2024

Noah.co.jp

He is the first Mexican to become a top champion in the three major Japanese promotions, New Japan, All Japan and Noah, and he is the second masked man in history to achieve this feat, after Vader. Wagner, who has steadily grown with Noah since his first participation in August 2019, expressed his determination, "From now on, I will fight as Noah's representative here in Japan, Mexico, The United States, and around the world." Jake Lee immediately challenged Wagner with, "If I take the helm here, it will be decisive. What is missing, is my win". As a result, it has been decided that he will compete at Korakuen Hall on March 31st. This very exciting first singles will take place on the big stage of the GHC Heavyweight Championship. 

Turning out attention to the tag team front, at the February 4th Sendai Sunplaza event, the GHC Tag Team champions, Jack Morris and Anthony Green, successfully defeated the challenge of the juniors Dragon Bane and Alpha Wolf in their third defense. After the match, it was announced that a tag league would be held to compete for the number one contendership, and the "Victory Challenge Tag Teague" with eight teams, would start at Yokohama Radiant Hall on February 24th. The tag league, which has been held for the first time in four years, has continued to be an intense battle from the start, with Ulka Sasalo, who has partnered with Takashi Sugiura, showing the power to win, and Yu Owada, who has been selected as Kenoh's partner, has also competed with Kaito Kiyomiya and Ryohei Oiwa. The emergence of a fresh energy is noticeable, as the match came to a draw when the time expired after twenty minutes. 

Which team will advance to the championship match of the 10th March in Kumamoto's Castle Hall/Civic Hall show? 

The GHC Tag Team Champions will take on the challenge of the VC Tag League winners at the Yokohama Budokan on March 17th. On the 23rd February at Korakuen Hall, Anthony challenged the GHC Champion Jack Morris. After an intense fight, in which both tested their strength, the champion successfully defended his title. After the match, they praised each other for their efforts. 

In the junior division, the GHC Junior Champion Daga, is showing overwhelming strength. On February 24th at Sendai Sunplaza, he made his third defense, and successfully defeated Hajime Ohara, and was completely rock solid in all aspects. 

The GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, YO-HEY and Tadasuke, made their third defense and overcame the challenge of HAYATA and Eita, who called themselves the "faces of the Noah Junior", at Korakuen Hall on February 23rd. As predicted, after the match, Tadasuke passionately sang "Tokyo" by Yashiki Takajin. Riding on the momentum, Tadasuke announced his challenge for Daga's GHC Junior Championship (2nd March, Nagoya International Conference Centre Event Hall), and Daga challenged YO-HEY and Tadasuke for the GHC Junior Tag Team Championship at Kumamoto Castle Civic Hall on March 10th with Yoshinari Ogawa as his partner. 

Along with the intense battles for each title, what has also attracted attention was the start of "LIMIT BREAK", spearheaded by TEAM NOAH, and organized by Go Shiozaki. In the main event of the 15th February Korakuen Hall event, Shiozaki teamed up with Atsushi Kotoge and faced Jun Akiyama (currently in DDT), who has colored the history of Noah, and Yuji Nagata of New Japan. The match ended in a heated battle, with Kotoge, who showed more effort than expected, chasing Akiyama and Nagata, which ended in a draw after 30 minutes ran out. The semi finals was a match that delved into the past of TEAM NOAH'S Akitoshi Saito, and the reunion between Kazuyuki Fujita and Togi Makabe, who were teammates in New Japan at the same time, and were reunited for the first time in 25 years. It was a wild match, typical of both sides, but it was a match that seemed to have some emotional undertones, and it can be said that we were able to reaffirm the fun of the long running drama, that is professional wrestling. 

In addition, Shuji Ishikawa, who left All Japan, participated in LIMIT BREAK for the first time, and it has been decided that he will team up with Ren Ayabe at Yokohama Radiant Hall on March 20th, and will clash with former GHC Tag Team Champions Akiyama and Akitoshi. Tetsuya Endo, Yuki Iino, Kazusada Higuchi, and Rukiya from DDT, will also participate at "LIMIT BREAK" on the 20th March at Yokohama Radiant Hall. 

  

Yuto Kikuchi from Dotonbori Pro Wrestling*, and Genta Yubari from JUST TAP OUT, and young promising stars in the industry will also participate. Noah itself is different from MONDAY MAGIC, which became a big topic from October to December last year, and season 2 will start from April. This looks like it will be a different brand full of excitement. 

February was a month of intense battles that blew the cold away. Wagner, the new GHC Heavyweight Champion, will join from the Yokohama Budokan on 17th March. 

Keep an eye on the exciting tag front in the VC Tag League. 

Who will break Daga's stronghold in the juniors? 

In March, Noah will continue to broadcast beautiful professional wrestling from the ring as well. 

Notes

Dotonbori Pro: Osaka based promotion which YO-HEY, Tadasuke and HAYATA have all appeared for during their days in the indies. I think it may have been where YO-HEY said he and HAYATA, "started dating!" 

Translated from Noah.co.jp

Picture credit: Noah.co.jp