TAKAYAMANIA EMPIRE IV Features Dream Match with Fun Twist

By: Thom Fain

Minoru Suzuki, Katsuyori Shibata, Naomichi Marufuji, and KENTA set for September 3rd main event with teams to be decided day-of by Takayama

TAKAYAMANIA EMPIRE IV on September 3rd will feature a blockbuster main event bringing together four of professional wrestling’s most respected veterans: Minoru Suzuki, Katsuyori Shibata, Naomichi Marufuji, and KENTA. However, in a twist that epitomizes the unpredictable nature of Yoshihiro Takayama’s annual event, the exact team configurations won’t be revealed until the day of the show.

Tokyo Sports reported the announcement today, confirming that Takayama himself will determine the match structure. Adding another layer of intrigue, Naomichi Marufuji noted on Twitter that the bout hasn’t been specified as a traditional 2-versus-2 tag match, leaving open the possibility of a 3-on-1 handicap scenario or other unconventional format.

Unresolved Rivalries

The most compelling storyline possibility involves the potential pairing of Katsuyori Shibata and KENTA on opposite sides. The two wrestlers, who have described themselves as “soulmates,” transformed into kayfabe enemies following KENTA’s 2019 defection to Bullet Club in New Japan Pro Wrestling, but their rivalry was never properly resolved in a singles encounter.

NJPW initiated the feud in 2019 but failed to capitalize on the dramatic potential, settling for sporadic post-match and mid-match confrontations. The last significant interaction between the two occurred in 2021 during KENTA’s United States Championship feud with Hiroshi Tanahashi, leaving their personal conflict unresolved and creating anticipation for any future meeting.

While most participants share extensive history, the combination presents some intriguing gaps. Marufuji and Shibata have the least shared experience, having wrestled together only once in a tag match that saw Shibata team with Kota Ibushi against Marufuji and Takeshi Morishima at a Battle of Los Angeles event.

The wealth of experience among all four wrestlers—spanning promotions including New Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and various independent circuits—ensures that regardless of team configuration, the match will showcase decades of accumulated wrestling expertise and personal rivalries.

TAKAYAMANIA’s Under-the-Radar Appeal

TAKAYAMANIA events often fly under the radar of mainstream wrestling coverage, despite consistently delivering high-quality matches featuring top-tier talent. The annual show, promoted by former pro wrestler Yoshihiro Takayama, has built a reputation for unique match stipulations and unexpected participant combinations that create must-see moments for dedicated wrestling fans.

The unpredictable nature of team selection adds an element of genuine surprise that has become increasingly rare in modern professional wrestling, where most major matches are extensively promoted and analyzed weeks in advance.

For wrestling fans here in Japan looking for unpredictability and the potential resolution of long-dormant storylines, TAKAYAMANIA EMPIRE IV represents an event worth seeking out.