(NOAH) Shinsuke Nakamura to compete for the first time in two years, facing the newly selected Ulka Sasaki in a big fight...Keiji Mutoh, "I'm a bit jealous".

15th October 2024

Tokyo Sports

What is the reason for this surprising choice? 

It has been announced that Shinsuke Nakamura (44) of WWE, will be competing at Noah's Nippon Budokan event on January 1st next year, for the first time in two years, attracting much attention.

At the Korakuen Hall event on the 14th, Keiji Mutoh (61), who serves as scouting advisor, announced that Nakamura's opponent would be Ulka Sasaki (35), and the venue was filled with cheers. Sasaki, a former UFC Fighter, only made his pro wrestling debut in January this year. In July, he was crowned the GHC National Champion for the first time, but it is unusual for him to face a WWE superstar just one year after his debut. 

CyberFight director, Narihiro Takeda, who oversees Noah, explained, "He's had an incredible career so far, and he has the talent to get to the top as quickly as possible, and he's also popular. I don't think the audience will have any complaints about Nakamura vs Ulka. I'm looking forward to seeing how Nakamura will wrestle. Next year will be Noah's 25th anniversary, so the first thing to do in the New Year is to sell out the Nippon Budokan, and get off to a good start".

Mutoh also has high hopes for Sasaki. Coincidentally, Sasaki decided to become a wrestler after watching "the incarnation of Mutoh", the Great Muta vs Nakamura, which was held at the Nippon Budokan on New Year's Day 2023. Mutoh cheered Sasaki on saying, "I'm a little jealous that he's going to be able to face Nakamura, the top Japanese wrestler right now. So I hope he does his best since he's grabbed this chance. In this day and age, it's nonsense to "work your way up," so I want him to keep skipping grades, use the fight against Nakamura as a step up, and take the GHC (heavyweight) belt. Of course, I don't think he will be able to have a match like Muta vs Nakamura, where they clashed over aura, but if he brings everything that he's learned from mixed martial arts to the match, I think he'll be able to give the fans a dream come true". 

Will Sasaki, with such high expectations on his shoulders, be able to demonstrate his true potential?

Translated from Tokyo Sports

Picture credit: Tokyo Sports