Tetsuya Naito Weighs In on Main Event Debate for NOAH’s SPRING MAYHEM RYOGOKU 2026

By: Ian McCord

With Pro Wrestling NOAH’s SPRING MAYHEM RYOGOKU 2026 rapidly approaching, and OZAWA and Yoshiki Inamura already sharing their opinions on who should be in the main event, it was time for the Tetsuya Naito to weigh in with his thoughts on the matter.

In an interview with Pro Wrestling NOAH, Tetsuya Naito was asked if he had any intention of overshadowing Yoshiki Inamura’s GHC Heavyweight Title defense against Shane Haste. Naito would respond stating that he’s happy about the buzz generated from his feud with OZAWA, but hopes for Inamura to deliver something that surpasses their hype.

From Tetsuya Naito:

“Of course, I’m happy that this is generating so much buzz, but for Pro Wrestling NOAH, title matches are ultimately what matter most. Naturally, I want to put on matches that go beyond just title matches—whether it’s my match against OZAWA or Inamura’s match—I want him to deliver something that exceeds the hype. I think he has to do that, and if he doesn’t, there’s no future for Pro Wrestling NOAH. So, I’m expecting him to deliver something even better than that. That’s why I want to put the pressure on him.”

Later in the interview, Naito would go on to say that he hopes the other members of Los Tranquilos de Japon enjoy themselves in their All-Out Battle matches. Naito would explain that in his eyes the match between himself and OZAWA is the ultimate decider in who wins the LTJ vs. TEAM 2000X All-Out Battle.

From Tetsuya Naito:

“As for our future as a unit, I want to show everyone that this is the kind of unit we are—the four of us are currently running LOS TRANQUILOS de JAPON, and these four are stepping into the Pro Wrestling NOAH ring right now. That said, we’ve got three matches scheduled, but since neither Angel nor RYUSEI has ever wrestled at a big venue like Ryogoku before, I really want them to go all out and enjoy themselves in the ring. The win-loss record is important, but I think the biggest factor hinges on my match against OZAWA. Even if Angel, RYUSEI, or BUSHI lose, if I win, that’s a win for us. The reverse is also true. Even if we win two matches, if OZAWA beats me in our match, that’s a loss for us. That’s how important I think this singles match between OZAWA and me is. As for the other matches, I just hope the other three wrestlers each enjoy themselves. As for my match with OZAWA, I want to enjoy it, but I’m also going to be focused on winning.”

(English Translations via DeepL)

The All-Out Battle between LTJ and TEAM 2000X is set for NOAH’s SPRING MAYHEM RYOGOKU 2026 event on May 2nd.