Pro Wrestling NOAH “The First Navigation 2017”, 01/21/17

The first thing to note is that this is the first show this year not from Korakuen Hall. And although it's another small crowd, for the building, its virtually full    

- Akitoshi Saito & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. YO-HEY (DOVE) & Hitoshi Kumano 

This was interesting because of YO-HEY who's this skinny little dude from the ultra sleazy Dove Pro promotion. I don't think I've ever seen a Dove Pro show but it's in line with promotions like 666 and Basara.  

Mostly feature YO-HEY and Saito, possibly to see what he's got going on. Too short to take much away, but not a bad match. Saito pins YO-HEY after the Sickle Death [OK]  

- Taiji Ishimori vs. HAYATA (DOVE) 

Second match, and we have another DOVE guy. They must have car shared or something. HAYATA (fan of their capital letters) has annoying ring gear in that he wears trousers, but he rolls one leg up. Silly boy.  Very, very surprised that they let HAYATA get a win over Ishimori. Ishimori does a 450 which is countered by HAYATA getting his knees up. Then they do some quick pin falls and reversals and in the confusion of it Ishimori gets pinned and he is pissed.  

I really don't like how he walks though. After the match he walks to the back and he looks like he is so immobile it hurts.   

~ HAYATA signalled that he shall claim the vacant GHC Junior Tag belts. Which might be why the two DOVE guys were there.  

- Naomichi Marufuji vs. Kaito Kiyomiya 

Oh yes, looking forward to this one. My new favorite rookie Kaito vs the grumpy bastard that is Marafuji. Last match Kaito was put to sleep and couldn't answer the three count and Marafuji knee'd his opponents chin off....    

First thing to note is that Kaito has ditched the green pants and is now wearing all black. Is this the start of something since being taken under the wing of Sugiura?  

Oh God, the chops. Marafuji should be arrested for those chops. The sound is incredible, and it leaves Kaitos chest a red mess. Welts and blisters forming after the first couple. And then he just keeps chopping away. Ouch.  

For the finish Marafuji hits a Ko-oh (knee to the face) and Kaito just hits the deck. His head bounces off the mat. He just about makes the ten count and Marafuji runs over and knees him again! Ref calls for the bell immediately and the match is over.    

Really good sub 10 min match. And I'm really loving Marafuji not even bothering to pin people anymore and just knocking them out. Still, really impressed with Kaito, he took a boat load of pain in this match. Worth a look [Excellent] 

- Muhammad Yone vs. Takashi Sugiura 

I'm always tempted to tune out of Yone matches, but the last one he showed a bit more of a mean streak. Hope to see his ridiculous leg drop too. Sugiura is just a grumpy bastard.  

Mostly strikes during this match, and little in the way of wrestling moves. Even Yone kicked like a mule in this one. Sugiura wins following an Olympic Qualifying Slam (more brutal angle slam where Yone gets dumped on his neck). [OK] 

They keep showing a guy in the audience who's has his arm in a cast. Don't know how significant it was because I've no idea who he is! 
 
- Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Atsushi Kotoge 

Kotoge continues his climb into the heavyweight division, this time in a non title match against the heavyweight GHC champ, nakajima.    

This was Nakajima kicking the shit out of Kotoge. Lots of kicking. Kotoges forehead bleeds, again. At this rate, I don't think it will ever heal. Nakajima wins following the vertical Spike with one of the cockiest pins I've seen in a while. [good]  

The angle is still Kotoge trying to prove himself at heavyweight level so expect him to lose a lot more matches, eventually lose some tags where he doesn't eat the pin, then win tags where he gets the pin but not on the star, lead to a singles match, lose some more, eventually get his pay off win. Usually goes something like that 

- GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship Match: Hajime Ohara vs. Daisuke Harada

Really, really solid match. Hard hitting without being unnecessary (no chop, elbow, kick exchange!) big dive to the outside and it ends with Ohara applying the Muy Bien for the win.  

The Muy Bien is a submission move which is fantastic for a few reasons. First, the set up is done really well. He does a back breaker variation and keeps hold of the hand. As he's holding he shouts to the crowd (who joins in) but then, as he's holding the hand he quickly steps over the opponent and as they roll over, he applies it. Secondly, it has a great tease, because of his body position, and his opponents, if they reach for the ropes he can grab their arm and add that to the submission so the only limb free is their leg. To submit they then have to shout that they submit, loudly. Absolutely love it. [excellent]  

~ 1st successful title defense.
~ Kumano stepped forward to make a challenge for the belt. 

- GHC Tag Championship Match: Go Shiozaki & Maybach Taniguchi vs. Kenoh & Masa Kitamiya 

I'd heard lots of hype for this match... And it definitely delivers. It felt like a 90s All Japan tag. Not massively crazy but all four guys in and around the ring for most of the match.  

Some absolutely brutal striking. Go does these straight hand chops to the neck which don't make a slap sound but do look like they bloody hurt. Kenoh kicks you in the chest but he also does this spinning kick which misses and then does a roundhouse kick to the head.  

There was one particular kick where Maybach was attempting to headbutt Kenoh who kicked him at the same time and it just makes this 'thud' sound. It went for nearly 30 mins and other than the first ten minutes, it just zips by. Kenoh gets the win (and new champs) with an absolute peach of a Diving Foot Stomp on Taniguchi which for once with that move, actually looked like it would hurt. [amazing]  

~ Champions fall on their 2nd title defense. Kenoh and Kitamiya become the 37th generation champions.
~ The new champions stated that they will lead the “Shinsei NOAH Era” with the belts by their side 
 

Noah is currently my favourite promotion to watch. Easily recommend the whole of the 7/1 and the 21/1 show.