(NOAH) Wrestling in Michinoku, a land unknown to many. The first emissary, Naomichi Marufuji!

Weekly Pro 24th October 2000

(Issue No. 1000)

From ground techniques to aerial manoeuvres, Marufuji's abilities exceed Sasuke's expectations. 

(Note: Thanks to Weekly Pro's layout, the first sentence cannot be made out) 

 The two-day Tokyo tournament was announced with the subtitle "The highlights to watch out for." When I explained the highlights beforehand, I can now say that Sasuke wasn't very confident. He seemed to be feeling the pressure of having to "exceed expectations," so it might be more accurate to say he was feeling fainthearted. 

 Sasuke seemed depressed because the initial idea kept changing, but with professional wrestling, you never know what's going to happen until you actually do it. Just recently, in the final match of the previous series, he experienced a pleasant surprise in the Japan-UK tag team match. Isn't it the ultimate reward for a wrestler to exceed the expectations of the audience with the match itself?

 The first match against Pro Wrestling Noah on the opening day could be the catalyst for creating a new landscape in Michinoku. Putting the NWA World Middleweight Championship belt on the line in his first match against Marufuji, even though it was his (Marufuji's) first title challenge since his debut, was a testament to his utmost respect for Noah. However, it must be emphasized that, more importantly, Marufuji himself is a wrestler worthy of wearing the prestigious belt. Marufuji brought a style that had never been seen before in Michinoku Pro.

 The matchmaking might have led to expectations of spectacular aerial battles, but in reality, there were numerous captivating scenes on the ground from the very beginning. His movements were incredibly smooth, and his timing was excellent. He seemed to have studied Sasuke's techniques quite a bit, dodging his attacks multiple times. And yet, he incorporated techniques unknown to Sasuke at key moments, putting the champion in a very difficult position.

 For Sasuke, who has made competing against foreign wrestler a central theme, Noah itself has appealed to him as "wrestling from an unfamiliar country". "I can't believe how different things are when your background is so different," Sasuke remarked. Although he achieved victory, it was also clear that Marufuji's abilities had exceeded Sasuke's expectations.

 At the same time, it was a great match that will deepen the exchange between Noah and Michinoku, which is likely to intensify from now on.  

Picture notes

"Is this the new technique that was teased? The Shiranui? It's a modified reverse DDT" ~ this may well be the first mention of Marufuji doing his ikonic move. 

Although he didn't win, Marufuji commented after the match, "I wasn't quite there yet, although I got pretty close, but I want to do it again, or rather more than winning or losing, I want to face more wrestlers like this".