(NOAH) Kenoh & Aoki: Generating positive expectations through exchange of blows. Seeds for "next".

Weekly Pro

22nd January 2025

Following the sudden flare-up of their rivalry at last November's Korakuen Hall event, a tag team match featuring Kenoh and Shinya Aoki took place at this event.

Kenoh relentlessly disparaged the DDT ring, provoking his opponents and the fans by hurling insults such as calling it a "filthy ring."

Both sides, with young wrestlers as their partners, clearly established the nature of their rivalry as inter-organizational competition, even though they are both part of the same Cyberfight Group, before facing off in Ryogoku. 

As expected, Kenoh and Aoki were locked in a mental battle even before the opening bell, and, driven by raw emotion, they faced off at the start. 

Aoki seized the initiative; even when Kenoh threw probing low kicks, Aoki paid them no mind, steadily closing the distance.

Exuding an air of tension through his menacing movements, Aoki continued to apply pressure on the ground as well.

Upon returning to a standing position, he evaded his opponent's elbow strike with a sway; when Kenoh challenged him with the words, "Try taking a hit!", he ignored the threat of further elbows and closed the distance rapidly. 

Aoki, who had created an atmosphere of tension with his menacing movements, continued to apply pressure on the ground as well.

Back on his feet, Aoki dodged an elbow strike with a sway; when Kenoh challenged him with the words, "Try taking a hit!", the exchange escalated into a fierce back-and-forth of elbow strikes.

Aoki then cornered Kenoh against the ropes and unleashed palm strikes on his opponent—who was positioned lower—marking the end of their initial clash. Even when not the legal men in the match, they continued to go at each other, engaging in a spectacular brawl outside the ring and facing off without backing down for a moment.

Aoki expressed satisfaction with the match, noting, "Kenoh seemed to be having fun. It was great that he didn't hold back out of courtesy." 

Meanwhile, although Kenoh maintained his long-standing disdain for DDT, he remarked on the early exchanges by saying, "So this is the world-class Aoki," and further described him as a "stimulating opponent."

Despite the vitriol, there was an underlying respect for one another. Precisely because of that, they were able to confront each other head-on; in the sense that it fuelled speculation about a one-on-one showdown, the clash generated a sense of positive anticipation.

Another notable highlight of the match was the spirited performance of Keigo Nakamura, who partnered with Aoki. He drew a massive roar from the crowd when he unleashed a barrage of kicks against Kenoh; although he ultimately lost, he left a lasting impression.

In a high-profile inter-promotional clash, the ability of a young wrestler to seize the opportunity can mark a pivotal turning point in their career. The crowd’s enthusiastic support was a direct response to Nakamura’s attitude—his willingness to throw himself into the fray with unbridled intensity. Here, too, lay a sense of optimism that could serve as a springboard for the future.

Even though this inter-promotional match came about unexpectedly, it planted the seeds for what comes next.

Picture captions

"We lost the match, but our presence dominated" (Aoki)

After taking an elbow from Aoki, Kenoh taunted him saying, "Come at me more!"

Kenoh said afterwards, "So, what am I trying to say? It's that I'm looking forward to seeing you all at the Nippon Budokan on January 1st"