By: Syn Fritz
For the 12th year in a row. the N-1 Victory tournament has kicked off, this time from the Yokohama Budokan in Kanagawa, and the best of the best from Pro-Wrestling NOAH’s heavyweight division are here to prove who is the best. For those new to Pro-Wrestling NOAH, the N-1 Victory (originally created by Akira Taue and called the Global League until 2018) is a round robin
style tournament with two blocks of wrestlers (an A Block and a B Block) and a point system where you earn 2 points if you win a match, 1 if the match goes to a draw, and no points if you lose.
The tournament is taking place over the 2 weeks, and while it may be similar to the G1 Climax and Champion Carnival, this might be more grueling then the other two.
🔴 NOW LIVE 🔴
🏆 NOAH N-1 VICTORY 2022 DAY ONE!
📺 https://t.co/dcWwDNXWkh #n12022
— Pro Wrestling NOAH Global (@noahglobal) August 11, 2022
The moment the bell rang, Masa Kitamiya almost picked up what could have been a very quick win as he attacked Katsuhiko Nakajima with a massive lariat, turning him inside out. Kitamiya knows Nakajima far too well as they were once in KONGO together as a team, until Kitamiya left the group. He knows not to give Nakajima a single inch, because he will take more than a mile. Nakajima found that Kitamiya was like a brick wall, and every time he came up against him, he slammed into him. Unwavering, Kitamiya prepared himself for those painful kicks and even dared Nakajima to kick him. The crowd loudly applauded him every time he roared and shook his head in defiance. Kitamiya then went after Nakajima’s leg and knees and put him the Prison Lock, but Nakajima got to the ropes after trying to fight off Kitamiya made him even more powerful.
Kitamiya’s attacks on Nakajima’s knee might have slowed him down, but the soccer ball kicks soon became as quick as ever, and as soon as Nakajima got the blood flowing back, they became even faster.
WINNER: Katsuhiko Nakajima (10 minutes, 36 seconds)
Noah fans and ZERO-1 fans combined have turned out for Masato Tanaka. Complete professionals, the two shook hands both before and after the match. If there is anyone for Anthony Greene to prove himself against, then it is the multi-time champion, Masato Tanaka, and he more than proved to both Noah and Noah fans as to why he belonged in both Noah and in the N-1 VICTORY. Greene returned everything to Tanaka as good as he got, and even took the fight outside of the ring. Both Stewart Fulton and Mark Pickering were screaming on commentary when Greene attacked Tanaka with kicks, But in the End, it was Masato Tanaka picking up the win, and his 2 points, with the Sliding D.
WINNER: Masato Tanaka (11 minutes, 21 seconds)
Kinya Okada’s challenge for the N-1Victory trophy started from here. He was wisely under no illusions just who and what he was up against in this first round match; mixed martial artist, Karl Gotch trained wrestler, Masakatsu Funaki who was already into a seven year career by the time Okada was born in 1992. Okada looked like he had no inexperienced in the lock up, as his sparring sessions at Sakuraba’s gym have served him well, although he did his best to not be drawn in too much to mat wrestling, but in the end he couldn’t avoid it. Funaki eventually did take him down (or perhaps as Akitoshi Saito would put it, he played chess with him). There was a loud applause for Okada when he got to the ropes. This was not a squash match, Okada utilized kicks and knees, which from the look of things took Funaki by surprise, but Okada could not avoid the inevitable. Funaki was able to put Okada away due to referee stoppage with the sleeper hold to gain his first 2 points.
WINNER: Funaki with (Referee stop, 7 minutes, 49 seconds)
This was a clash of styles, which came down to the common ground of kicks and submissions. Masaaki Mochizuki would relentlessly attack Hideki Suzuki’s knee braced knee, which was wise to do, but Suzuki was the one with the size and the power advantage, allowing him to pick up the win and 2 points with the Double Arm Suplex.
Daisuke Harada, Seiki Yoshioka & Kai Fujimura vs Atsushi Kotoge, YO-HEY & Alejandro
6-Man Tag Team Match
Its believed that Ninja Mack and Dante Leon may have lit a fire under the competition to see which team can outdo each other, and the fire really burnt on in this match as Alejandro, YO-HEY and Atsushi Kotoge all did a tandem Tope Con Hilo over the top rope. Other than that, and the usual friendly fight between the two teams, it was a typical Noah Junior Regular match which later disintegrated into fights, melee brawls and pin breaks. The referees have long since learned to only pay attention to what goes on in the ring and not on the outside. Atsushi Kotoge picks up the win the Killswitch on Kai Fujimura.
This was the NOAH debut of Jack Morris in what you could say was being fed to the wolves, as he was thrown into the N-1 VICTORY, this elite league of heavyweights. Kaito Kiyomiya also made a new debut, in that a new debut of a very Keiji Mutoh-esq kind of costume. The costume in question was very colorful, a 180 degree turn, complete opposite way from his former somber black look beforehand.
✨ The NEW Supernova @noah_kiyomiya!
📸 https://t.co/geSbxV0iAn #n12022 pic.twitter.com/rIxfKsbfJk
— Pro Wrestling NOAH Global (@noahglobal) August 12, 2022
WINNER: Jack Morris (11 minutes, 50 seconds)
As soon as his posing was over, it was time for Kenoh to scream abuse at El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Junior, while wearing his fixed look of outrage. While El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Junior had the advantage in size and power, Kenoh had the advantage in age and career, plus he is the current GHC Heavyweight Champion in Pro-Wrestling NOAH after all. This is what makes the N-1 in my eyes special, it places wrestlers in situation with no chance other than to work round the odds and sink or swim. Kenoh, who had been learning from Akira Maeda prior to the league starting (and said that he had learned an older style of wrestling), got the win in a manner for him when he has to bring a much larger opponent down, and brought him down he did with the Dojime Sleeper hold to earn his first two points.
WINNER: Kenoh (15 minutes, 3 seconds)
Perros Del Mal De Japon came out together as per usual, but were forced to wait as the seniors/veterans on the other team came out separately, which caused Perros to do typical Perros thing, like lurk in the darkness outside the ring. When it was time to get in the ring though, NOSAWA (who, first of all, roused the crowd to clap) after a period of stalling, took the lead into the ring and was beaten up as the opposition were waiting for him. Super Crazy and Kotaro Suzuki were swiftly ejected to the outside leading to a match which was somehow more chaotic than the Noah Juniors earlier, which I didn’t think would be possible. NOSAWA went to rip off El Hijo Del Santo’s mask, which given how sacred the mask is to the Luchadore, which NOSAWA should understand, is pretty despicable. Luckily, Ultimo Dragon saved him, but then Super Crazy went to do the same and almost succeeded. Luckly El Hijo Del Santos was able to put NOSAWA away with the Coverjo to pick up the victory.
WINNER: El Hijo Del Santo, Naomichi Marufuji & Ultimo Dragon (9 minutes, 29 seconds)
Takashi Sugiura vs Satoshi Kojima
B Block Official Match
When it came time for the “Killing Machine” Takashi Sugiura to fight, he came out to the ring focused; no SUGI belt or replica of the ZERO-1 Heavyweight draping his shoulders. Sugi and Satoshi Kojima may be well matched in terms of age and physique, although Kojima has had the longer career. Sugi did not join in with the Pec flexing, although I think had this not been a N-1 Victory match, things been different, he would have done it. Sadly, Sugi hasn’t been Sugi for a while though.
It was a brutal match as you would expect from these two who are so well suited and have so much to fight for, it was a match like you would have seen in a league during what is known as Noah’s “Golden Era”. Kojima seems like a child in his excitement of being in Noah and the N-1. I don’t think even Sugi’s elbow strikes in the corner, with the ref shoved away, could dampen his enthusiasm. In the end though, Takashi Sugiura was able to put away Satoshi Kojima and earn his 2 points by referee stoppage with the Front Neck Lock.
🏆 @noah_sugiura puts Kojima out with a front neck lock!
📺 https://t.co/dcWwDNXWkh#n12022 pic.twitter.com/nP7xcFTJF7
— Pro Wrestling NOAH Global (@noahglobal) August 11, 2022
WINNER: Takashi Sugiura (Referee stop, 16 minutes & 54 seconds)
Originally scheduled earlier this year for the GHC Heavyweight Championship, but this match was unable to happen as Fujita-San came down with Covid, and unable to compete was stripped of the title. Now here we are, months later and the two are finally facing each other again. Fortunately no stare off this time around. It’s been done to the death, and things have moved past that now.
Ironhead Kazuyuki Fujita went back to his amateur wrestling roots with his new gear today! 🤼♂️#n12022 #noah_ghc pic.twitter.com/HJXeljRBLt
— Pro Wrestling NOAH Global (@noahglobal) August 11, 2022
Fujita was (and still is) his biggest obstacle in NOAH. He is and was still “The Beast” that Shiozaki remembers the last time they fought; The Beast that kicked, chopped, slammed and who he could not overcome this time around. Fujita was able to put away Shiozaki with a powerbomb for his first 2 points of the N-1.
WINNER: Kazuyuki Fujita (20 minutes, 46 seconds)
The N-1 Victory is already looking to be a classic this year and really needs to seen. Do yourself a favor and give it a watch over on WrestleUniverse, this is a tournament that you don’t want to miss this year at all.
A Block
Masato Tanaka – 2
Hideki Suzuki – 2
Kenoh – 2
Kazuyuki Fujita – 2
Anthony Greene – 0
Masaaki Mochizuki – 0
Hijo Del Dr. Wagner Jr – 0
Go Shiozaki – 0
B Block
Katsuhiko Nakajima – 2
Jack Morris – 2
Takeshi Sugiura – 2
Masakatsu Funaki – 2
Masa Kitamiya – 0
Kinya Okada – 0
Kaito Kiyomiya – 0
Satoshi Kojima – 0
Date:
August 12, 2022
Category:
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