(NOAH) Post match interviews: LIMIT BREAK - GO SHIOZAKI'S 2OTH ANNIVERSARY (Korakuen Hall, 19th June 2024)

BURNING (YUYA TAKASHITA, TETSUYA ENDO & YUJI IINO)

ENDO: Kotoge, have you gotten fired up? I can't feel your intent, you're letting Shiozaki do all the talking. If you continue like this, then our title defense is all but assured. And Yuto Kikuchi, you're entertaining. I'm always up for Dotonbori Pro Wrestling, and you can even come to DDT. Let's do it again.

IINO: Did you see that, Kotoge? We are the tag champions. We will win the next DDT match at Ryogoku. And did it hurt to get chopped by Shiozaki? It didn't.

ENDO: It didn't hurt.

IINO: I'm stronger 

ENDO (hitting Iino's chest repeatedly): How many kilograms do you think you can bench press? 

IINO: Yeah, 200. And hey that was a pretty good one, it may be better than my BURNING, but I'm better than BURNING. I am BURNING! YEAH! 

TAKASHITA: Thank you for my first LIMIT BREAK. I am tired of hearing about people telling me about my experience compared to major promotions or Noah. There are still many wrestlers I want to fight at LIMIT BREAK, so will there be another one? If there is, I'd like to appear again. Thank you very much. 

ENDO: Okay, let's get back in the ring with BURNING. 

IINO: Okay, I am BURNING! We are BURNING! 

ATSUSHI KOTOGE

"It's okay, today is the 20th anniversary show, which includes the KO-D tag pre match, and yes, today the results were a little off, but it's okay. I don't know what's going to happen now, but I'm excited, confident, and pumped up to show the strength of TEAM NOAH. I'm looking forward to it. Anyway, today is Go Shiozaki's 20th anniversary, and I'll support him so that the event will be exciting until the end."

YUTO KIKUCHI

"LIMIT BREAK is so entertaining, every time. Today I was able to wrestle with Atsushi Kotoge, who taught me wrestling when I was a kid, and it was awesome, but I want to face him next time, and I want to do more and more. I'm not in too much of a rush right now, so perhaps I can say something cocky. I won't mention any names, but there are a lot of people who I want to wrestle, not just in LIMIT BREAK, but (pointing to the Noah logo on the curtain), here too. There are so many people who I want to wrestle, and some of them know my face, right? I'll get there"

KAZUYUKI FUJITA

FUJITA: Anything?

Q: How was it fighting Higuchi? 

FUJITA: Fighting? Well, there was no win or loss. I don't feel like I won, and I don't feel like I lost. I fought him with all my might, and he fought me with all of his. It's not about winning or losing, and I think he feels the same way. That's what today was like. Thank you. 

KAZUSADA HIGUCHI

"Kazuyuki Fujita is Kazuyuki Fujita. He was strong, and I was completely defeated. But, I just have to build up from here. Thank you for today. I will continue to take things one step at a time."

AKITOSHI SAITO

"I believe this is my third defense today. Today too, you were watching over me*. I won the belt thirty-three years and three months after my debut on March 31st, and I am the thirty-third holder of this belt. I have the "three*" on me". But, after all, today was about Chris Vice, myself and this belt. it wasn't about time or anything like that, but I was confronted with something amazing, with power. I think he's a great wrestler, and I will definitely adopt that ZERO1 spirit. And I think I'll nominate the next challenger. What about Go Shiozaki? Today is his 20th anniversary, and I think he will continue to move forward with something new engraved in his heart, so it will be a turning point. I've said I'd like to fight Shio again someday, but you have to strike when the iron is hot. But it's up to Shiozaki to decide how he responds. However, I have one condition. That condition is that he comes in as his best, both physically and mentally. Saying that, you might ask, "What about you?" But I'm the best in any environment, any situation, any condition! So there's no problem. Shiozaki, I'm waiting for your answer. LIMIT BREAK, let's break our limits and fight! OKAY!!

Notes

"Watching over me" - he means Mitsuharu Misawa. Probably the most eerie Misawa story comes from Kenta Kobashi, who a few years ago was out with his young child when she suddenly pointed next to him and said, "Misawa-san! Misawa-san!". Kobashi asked her what she meant, and she asked who he was. Kobashi explained he was his senior and his friend, and then added, "Was he next to me?".

Three: Three is a considered a lucky number in Japan as it represents a harmony of three things i.e. earth, sky and sea or three sacred treasures. Saito also compares it to Misawa, who had the kanji for three, "三" in his name.

GO SHIOZAKI

SHIOZAKI: 20th anniversary, a great match with the best members for me. I'm glad this day has come, and that the four of us, Jun Akiyama, Go Shiozaki, Takashi Sugiura and Naomichi Marufuji were able to fight together. For me, pro wrestling hasn't ended since it began, but those two are the ones who allow me to continue wrestling in Noah. It was great for the four of us to be able to fight today. Another twenty years, thirty, forty, fifty years. I don't know how long I can keep going, but I'll grit my teeth and keep standing in the ring, and fighting until the very end. But first, before my match, Akito Saito defended the World Heavyweight title. His deep passion and his attitude towards wrestling was a great source of strength to me. And I heard something. The world heavyweight title match between me and Saito Akitoshi isn't over yet, right? It's not over yet, right? Right? Hey! Akitoshi Saito!

*Saito comes in*

SAITO: HEY, SHIO! How about it? How about we do it next? Last time, it wasn't half finished, but we still couldn't come to a conclusion. It figures, you have to strike while the iron is hot. 

SHIOZAKI: The last time I challenged, there was no conclusion, and I'll be taking on the challenge again this time. I can't say no. Thank you very much. 

*They shake hands*

SAITO: I just want to say one thing: come in the best condition, both physically and mentally  

SHIOZAKI: We'll both be at our best. 

SAITO: I'm at my best now, I'm going to break through my limits.

SHIOZAKI: LIMIT BREAK. Let's do it.

SAITO: Okay, LIMIT BREAK 

*They both nod*

SAITO: It'll be even more exciting than last time. I'm looking forward to it!

*Saito leaves* 

SHIOZAKI: Akitoshi Saito, I'm strong after 20 years. I AM NOAH. 

JUN AKIYAMA

"We had a surprise photo-shoot together at the end of Shiozaki's 20th anniversary, which was quite moving. I also fought him in his debut match, so I hit every key point. I left Noah and a lot of things happened, but I was happy to be called like this. Thank you, see you again somewhere."

NAOMICHI MARUFUJI & TAKASHI SUGIURA 

SUGIURA: Go Shiozaki's 20th anniversary. I'm happy that he greeted it in Noah, and looking at his expression after the match, I think he was happy for it to welcomed in Noah, and the fans who came were happy too. I'm satisfied, and I think that's everything. 

MARUFUJI: I think he realized again today, that this is where he belongs*. He may have taken a lot of detours, and I think we all felt the same way after today's match, but we still need him to be the top of Noah. We need him to be the face of Noah. But, we just won the tag belts the other day, so we can't lose today. And then there was this guy called Jun Akiyama opposite us, and we can't lose to him either. We came here with pride, and that's why the match turned out like this. Anyway, congratulations on today. Let's keep working hard for Noah. 

(As they leave, Sugi can be heard telling Kotoge* that he should be a photographer!)

Notes

*Go Shiozaki left Noah in the walk out to All Japan. He returned to Noah to the boos of the fans, some of whom told him that he wasn't wanted or needed. His seniors haven't quite forgotten his defection, and do sometimes tease him about it. 

*Photographer Kotoge: Shiozaki said he wanted a picture of the group together, and told Kotoge to go and get his phone and take a picture! (Credit, Metal-Noah)

Translated from Pro Wrestling DX

Picture credit: Pro Wrestling DX

ADDED FROM NOAH.CO.JP (21.6.2024)

MAZADA

"He's probably the youngest in Noah, right? That kid cleared 1 of 1, so can we warp a little and do something like 3 of 4? He made me sweat a lot, but I think we can do a bit more. I'd like to start with 3 or 4 or 4 of 2. Thank you."

REAL ZERO 1(MASATO TANAKA, TAKUYA SUGAWARA & SATSUKI NAGAO)

TANAKA: I always come here alone and do various things with the Noah guys, but today is the first time I've done it with REAL ZERO1, because I wasn't there in Yokohama, so it feels really good. This is my second win in a row, right? 

SUGAWARA: 2 wins in a row. 

TANAKA: If we enter as REAL ZERO1, we'll win every single match, we won't lose. Right? 

NAGAO: Yes

SUGAWARA: Let's go for a three-match win with Chris winning the semi-final.

NAGAO: Chris will definitely get the belt back after three straight wins

TANAKA: Okay, let's bring it back to ZERO1. 

YOSHITATSU, HI69 & HARUTOKI

YOSHITATSU: Was it a normal match today or a hardcore match? If they'd suddenly bought something like that out and used it under normal rules, we would have won, right? 

HI69: But, if they're up for it, let's do a hardcore match with the same lineup. 

YOSHITATSU: Just make it hardcore from the start 

HI69: Let's do that. Let's have a proper hardcore match next time, with the same match card. Let's get revenge.

HARUTOKI: Yes, please! Shit. 

SHUJI ISHIKAWA

"Mohammed Yone was a tough opponent. I might not have been able to fight Yone if I was still affiliated with a promotion, and he was an opponent that made me think it was good to be a freelancer in that sense. I won today by chance, but I think that next time I fight him, I don't know who will win or lose. We're the same age, and I think that Yone has the determination not to lose to a younger guy, so lets go at it again and again. So, what is it today? Shiozaki's 20th anniversary? Hey! How long are you going to run away from me? Trying to look cool. Don't fuck around. Does being handsome mean you can get away with anything? You reporters here today are all about average looking, so you understand, right? I can't stand a world where being handsome means you can get away with anything. I'll turn it over. And Kazuyuki Fujita. What's with that guy? He pisses me off too. But LIMIT BREAK has a lot of strong guys, so it's worth it. One by one I'll climb those stairs, and lead LIMIT BREAK."