(NOAH) One minute snatched from The Beast

Weekly Pro

8th & 15th January 2025 (Issue no 2335)

Daiki Odajima faced off against Kazuyuki Fujita and snatched a time-out draw at the Nippon Budokan on January 1st.

Just three months after his debut, Daiki Odajima has accomplished a great feat. 

Manabu Soya and Masa Kitamiya will clash for the GHC National Championship at the Nippon Budokan on January 1st, with Odajima included in the pre match, teaming up with Kitamiya to take on Soya and Kazuyuki Fujita in a tag team match. The key here is Fujita's presence. For Odajima, he is a senior member of the Nihon University wrestling team. Recently, backstage, he appealed, "Fujita-senpai, please fight me."

However, the Beast himself has been completely ignoring him. 

The match began with Soya and Kitamiya, and the two determined rivals clashed with force.

 Next, Fujita entered the ring, and Odajima, as if waiting for the moment, launched a preemptive attack with a missile kick. He followed up with a drop kick, but Fujita remained unfazed. Fujita easily brushed off Odajima's tackle, then pushed him against the ropes, spreading his arms out and with a relaxed expression as if to say, "Come on!"

Odajima then slapped The Beast in the face.

Fujita was enraged and retaliated with a painful blow, but his fearless attack succeeded in firing up his opponent.   

Odajima continued to fight bravely after that, but it was after the match that his characteristic strong heart was most clearly displayed. The match was decided when Kitamiya pinned Soya, and immediately after the bell rang, Odajima attacked Fujita from behind as he returned to the ring to check on his partner. This behavior, unusual for a rookie, is likely due to the strong feelings he has about a match against Fujita. Naturally, Fujita, having been defeated, turned pale and hit Odajima with a powerful slap and then beat him up with a stomp. 

Fujita, still angry, declared backstage, "What's wrong with you? If you want to do it that badly, I'll do it at the Budokan. One minute? No, 30 seconds? No, 10 seconds is fine. I'll do it anytime" 

Afterwards, it was officially announced that a one-minute match between Fujita and Odajima would take place on January 1st at Budokan. One minute could be seen as a reflection of Odajima's current state.

It's clear that there's a significant difference in skill between them, but this one minute is one that Odajima has won with his own hands.  

Will he be killed in an instant, as the Beast declared?

In the first match of the new year, the Ark rookie will take on his biggest opportunity and biggest challenge since his debut. 

   

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