(NOAH) "Real Rebel" Pulls Off a Major Upset; Vows to "Play Around" with Kenoh at Korakuen on January 11th

Weekly Pro

22nd January 2025

OZAWA slowly makes his way to the ring, clad in a black costume and sunglasses, leaning on crutches with a look of brazen defiance. He exudes an eerie, sinister, and ominous aura—a total contrast in every respect to the GHC Heavyweight Champion, Kaito Kiyomiya, who appeared radiating a dazzling, pure-white brilliance.

Boos rained down from the stands when OZAWA was announced. While there were some cheers—perhaps out of a morbid curiosity or genuine anticipation—he himself wore a bold, fearless smile, seemingly relishing the jeers directed at him. He showed absolutely no signs of feeling the pressure.

He debuted in September 2022 as a homegrown Noah talent. Having managed to defeat his junior, Yu Owada, only seven times—across both singles and tag team matches—he embarked on a European excursion last January. Despite the strength gained during his overseas training, his homecoming match after 344 days sees him immediately challenging for the promotion's top title in what is effectively the main event at the Nippon Budokan.

It is fair to call this an absolutely extraordinary turn of events.

Upon returning to Japan last October, OZAWA immediately joined All Rebellion; he then suffered a fractured left foot while performing a move of his own, forcing a long hiatus that caused his homecoming match to be scrapped. Subsequently, he betrayed Kiyomiya and drove him to a mental breaking point through damaging revelations, ultimately securing a shot at the GHC Heavyweight Championship.

While the astonishing aerial manoeuvres he occasionally displayed—most notably the Phoenix Splash—hinted at extraordinary talent, his true ability remains, frankly, an unknown quantity.

OZAWA toyed with his opponent right from the start with an elusive, unpredictable style, yet he instantly captivated the audience with his impeccable sense of timing and sharp, crisp movements.

When an enraged Kiyomiya grabbed the challenger's hair during a rope break, the arena erupted in boos. Under normal circumstances, the GHC Heavyweight Champion, pent up from pre-match provocations, would have been met with thunderous applause for delivering a fitting tribute in the ring.

But it was different.

An extraordinary aura enveloped the Nippon Budokan. The fans' collective imagination had conjured up "OZAWA"—a one-of-a-kind, unprecedented professional wrestler. It was precisely because those fantasies and illusions aligned so perfectly with the actual match that he captured the public's heart in a single night. Even when OZAWA did something wrong, he was cheered. All Rebellion, who tried to fight fairly and squarely, was booed. There was also intervention from TEAM2000X, but the match progressed with Kiyomiya always feeling like he was on the losing side.

There was a demon at the Nippon Budokan.

Towards the end, the relationship between the confident OZAWA and the desperately charging Kiyomiya had reversed, as if the challenger had been turned against the champion.

Once a powerbomb landed, the arena was charged with an atmosphere of anticipation for a major upset.

The crowd even booed when the "Real Rebel"—a one-step Phoenix Splash—was evaded.

Furthermore, amidst the lawlessness caused by the absence of a referee, Kiyomiya caught a low blow from OZAWA and retaliated in kind, drawing thunderous boos from the crowd. He landed a "Shining Lancer," but naturally, no count could be made; that was when Omos finally made his entrance.

After taunting his opponent, OZAWA executed a rule-breaking reverse Shining Wizard, a wrist-clutch Fireball Bomb, and the Real Rebel to secure the three-count.

OZAWA’s GHC Heavyweight title victory defied the conventional wisdom of professional wrestling.

It looks like a new dark hero will take center stage in Noah this year.