(NOAH) "I'm different from who I was last year" ~ Kaito Kiyomiya is fighting against Shinsuke Nakamura in the double main event on New Year's Day

Tokyo Sports

16th December 2024

Noah's GHC Heavyweight Champion Kaito Kiyomiya (28) is burning with a rivalry against the WWE superstar the "Wayward Samurai", Shinsuke Nakamura (44). 

At the Nippon Budokan event in Tokyo on January 1st next year, where Kaito Kiyomiya is scheduled to hold his eighth title defense against OZAWA (28), another match awaits: Nakamura vs Ulka Sasaki in the double main event. Kiyomiya firmly stated, "I think the audience will also be wondering, which main event was better? There are some parts I am aware of. No, I can't help but be aware of". 

Nakamura is a bitter memory. 

At the Nippon Budokan show on New Year's Day 2023, Kiyomiya, who was also the GHC Champion at the time, won a peak match against Kenoh. However, the otherworldly match between Nakamura and The Great Muta, which was also the double main event, stole the show, and was selected as the best match of the year at the Pro Wrestling Grand Prix. "I felt a lot of jealousy because I thought I gave it my all at that time, but I felt that the voices around me were louder about Nakamura's match. I also thought to myself, "There are such amazing wrestlers in the world." 

On the other hand, the show opened his eyes to the world, which had previously only been focused on Noah, having defeated former WWE wrestler, Brian Kendrick, in his seventh title defense in Shinjuku on November 25th. Kiyomiya said emphatically, "At the Nippon Budokan, I want to show something different to world, compared to who I was last year. I don't want to lose, even to the world famous Shinsuke Nakamura." 

Kiyomiya's challenger OZAWA continues to provoke him, such as by publishing a picture of him hugging a hostess. Kiyomiya said, "I'm going to take out all my frustration on him at the Nippon Budokan". 

With a victory over Nakamura and OZAWA, he will continue to lead the Ark in 2025. 

Translated from Tokyo Sports

Picture credit: Tokyo Sports