Pro Wrestling NOAH “The First Navigation 2017”, 01/07/17

First trip to NOAH this year and guess what, show starts with everyone in the ring, polite bows to the audience and guys get a name check. We get a new canvas with the tag 'NOAH the REBORN'. One thing is obvious is that the attendance is pretty poor. It's in Korakuen but there's obvious gaps in the crowd.  

- Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Hitoshi Kumano 

Ogawa is this little skinny dude, but I remember the name from while back. Had a look around and in 2002 he beat Akiyama to be the GHC heavyweight champ. Whu? Here he is, wrestling the opener.  

Ogawa works the arm/shoulder during the match, and when he remembers Kumano sells it. When he doesn't, he does suplexes no problem. Some sloppy moves by Kumano (awful dragon screw attempt) and then it builds to a finish. The crowd get into it as Ogawa tries to put him away. It builds to a logical conclusion as Ogawa wins with an Arm Capture Camel Clutch. Looks like he's going to congratulate Kumano on the match, and instead just drives him, shoulder first into the ring post.  

Actually, a decent and logical match. Nothing spectacular, but the fundamentals were there. [OK]  

- Hi69 (FREE) vs. Alejandro Saez 

Hi69 looks like Cimas bigger, scummier uncle. Saez competed in the cruiserweight classic (not sure if he gave a good account of himself).  

Hi69 hits a suicide dive and kind of just squashes Saez into the barrier, which looked really painful. Hi69 does Mongolian chops nearly as good as Tenzen, you never see that as a move. Then we get into a chop/elbow exchange until Saez takes out Hi69s knee.   

There's a long submission attempt in a modified figure four. Hi69s leg looks damaged and he even sells it when he's being whipped into the ropes. He stops doing that after a few runs though, even manages to climb up and jump off the top rope. Saez wins following a Spiral Tap (fancy way of doing an elbow drop). This was a decent match tool [good] 

- Daisuke Harada vs. Kaito Kiyomiya 

Haradas finisher is a German suplex, so he's already my favourite. Kaito looks like a tall, skinny rookie, especially in his nondescript green tights.  

This ends up in the crowd with Kaito taking a nasty bump over the guardrail. Harada moves everyone's chair into a pile and gets suplexed onto them while people politely clap. This nearly ends in a count out with Kaito getting back into the ring on 19. Again, some good selling. After being thrown into the ropes, Kaito just falls into a heap clutching his back. For his trouble he gets put into a sharpshooter.  

We then get the inevitable elbow shootout. Gives Kaito a chance to show his fighting spirit. His neck is a big red mess though. There's a roaring elbow thrown in for good measure and it ends after Harada hits one of the highest German suplexes I've ever seen. Really good match, and impressed with Kaito who is dressed like a rookie. As soon as soon as Harada wins he rolls out of the ring and fucks off to the back, not even waiting to get his arm raised. His don't give a fuck attitude is awesome [good]  

- Muhammad Yone & Akitoshi Saito vs. Masa Kitamiya & Kenoh 

Saito is this miserable old vet, I thought he looked familiar because all his moves are named around death (death cloak, death collector etc) and he was the unfortunate guy in the wrong place at the wrong time who delivered the final move to Misawa which resulted in him passing away in the ring. With the state of Misawas neck it could have been at any time, during any match.  

Yone has this awesome afro, but on first appearances it's hard to take him for anything other than a comedy wrestler.  

Starts with a yakuza kick to Saito, but instead of falling down he just shrugs itself off and tells him to do it again. Saito sends kenoh into the guardrail chest first, instead of flipping over it he just crashes straight into it with a bang.  

Yone does an awesome leg drop, he runs the ropes twice and then jumps after he just touches the ropes halfway across the ring. It's really impressive the first time you see it as you're so used to guys running, stopping and then jumping straight up for the leg drop. 

At one point it has the now obligatory elbow duel. When it's in every match it really loses its shine. Ends with a foot stomp on Saito by Kenoh. It looked like he misjudged him though, instead of rolling off his stomach, he stomps Saito right in the dick! Another good match and perfectly watchable [good]  

- GHC Junior Heavyweight Decision Match: Taji Ishimori vs. Hajime Ohara 

Ishimori lived in the shadow of KENTA for so long, interested to see what he's up to these days. As he comes to the ring, it definitely looks like he's got a gimpy leg.  

Starts with a tentative handshake, and the crowd are getting more into the show.  Ohara has this amazing submission which starts with him kicking his leg over and after a few rolls, Ishimori is tied up screaming in pain.  

Ohara wins with the Muy Bien which looks like the painful submission from before but applied a different way. Really good match, with just enough held back from being an excellent match, especially during the middle. Ohara is really popular with the crowd. [good]  

~ Ohara becomes the 33rd champion for the vacant belt.
~ Ohara becomes the GHC Junior champion for the first time in his career.
~ Harada came out to challenge the new champion. Ohara’s first defense has been set for the Osaka show on 1/21. 

- GHC Tag Championship Match: Go Shiozaki & Maybach Taniguchi vs. Naomichi Marufuji & Atsushi Kotoge 

This match goes about half an hour and so far during this match Go looks amazing. He has the most ridiculous chops, I thought he killed Kotoge with them multiple times. They also do a spot where they're on the top rope and Go has Kotoge in a standing choke, Kotoge lets his legs dangle and he's just being held up by an arm round his throat. It looked really grim.  

After the Sekimoto headbutt where he bleeds hardway, I thought I'd be used to seeing it. Nope. In one of the sickest thuds you'll hear all year, Go and Kotoge crush their foreheads together and both just start bleeding. Not sure if it's worth the concussion. It's both disgusting, and the most amazing thing you'll see this week.  

This match was all about Go and Kotoge, and it was excellent. I'd love to see a singles match between these two. Shiozaki gets the win following a Short Range Gowan Lariat on Kotoge. Definitely watch this match [excellent]  

~ 1st successful title defense.
~ Kenoh and Kitamiya came forward to challenge the champions. The match has been set for the 1/21 show in Osaka. 

- GHC Heavyweight Championship Match: Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Takashi Sugiura 

This match features one of the best sells of a punch I've ever seen. Has the usual offense during the opening stretch and out of nowhere Sugiura punches Nakajima with a closed fist. The crowd take a massive audible intake of breath and instead of flopping about Nakajima just crumples to his knees like he is legit KO'd. I watched it a couple of times to appreciate it as it was beautiful. Sugiura even looks at his fist afterwards as if he's damaged his knuckles.  

Definitely a match of 'fighting spirit' with lots of elbows and kicks. For a 30 min match which just followed another long match, I thought the crowd would have been out of it but the energy was still there. The crowd even got behind the miserable Sugiura. He took seven thrust kicks before Nakajima gets the win after hitting the Vertical Spike. [excellent]  

~ 3rd title defense.
~ Nakajima declared that his will defend this new era of NOAH until his last breath. 

I really, really enjoyed this show. Not sure if it's just crazy enthusiasm because it's the first NOAH I've watched since probably Misawa passed away. Been reading that Noah was pretty bad last year, with some of the blame being put on Suzuki Gun. The feud in New Japan means they won't be around for a while.