N-1 VICTORY 2023: Determining the “Strongest” in NOAH’s Individual League Game
NOAH’s intense individual league game, “N-1 VICTORY 2023,” is nearing its climax with only the championship game remaining. The tournament, which began on August 6th in Yokohama, saw Kenoh from Block A and Go Shiozaki from Block B emerge as the winners, and they will face off in the main event of the Osaka tournament on September 3rd.
Kenoh started the tournament on a shaky note, losing to Adam Brooks in the opening game. However, he made a strong comeback with consecutive victories against Yoshiki Inamura and DRAGONGATE Yuki Yoshioka, only to be defeated by Jack Morris. But he didn’t lose hope and secured back-to-back wins against Timothy Thatcher and Masa Kitamiya. In his latest match against GHC Heavyweight Champion Jake Lee at the Kawasaki Tournament on August 27th, Kenoh managed to defeat the undefeated Jake, delivering his first black star in NOAH.
Shiozaki, on the other hand, narrowly defeated his AXIZ ally Katsuhiko Nakajima in the final official match of the Kawasaki Tournament, solidifying his position in Block B with 9 points. His match with Manabu Soya ended in a draw, leading to a final match to determine the B Block champion. Despite having one break less compared to Kenoh, the 41-year-old Shiozaki fought fiercely, eventually winning the match with a powerful arm lariat and securing his place in the championship match.
The upcoming match between Kenoh and Shiozaki has a lot at stake for both wrestlers. Kenoh aims to take down the popular Kongo corps and elevate his status even further, while Shiozaki, who has never defeated Kenoh in singles matches before, is determined to claim his first singles league victory. This match recalls their previous encounter in the 2017 “Global League Battle” championship match, in which Kenoh emerged as the winner. Another memorable clash between the two took place on August 10, 2020, when they fought for 60 minutes in a heated draw during the GHC Heavyweight and GHC National double crown match.
Kenoh has a favorable record against Shiozaki, with 4 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw. Their latest encounters took place in February 2022 and August 2022 during the N-1 official matches, as well as in June of this year. On the other hand, Shiozaki hasn’t been able to defeat Kenoh in a singles match for over six years since his victory in June 2017. This year’s “N-1 VICTORY 2023” was won by Naomichi Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura, the mainstays of NOAH.
In addition to the highly anticipated championship match “N-1 VICTORY 2023,” the Osaka 9/3 tournament offers a variety of exciting matches to look forward to. The semi-final will feature a special tag match between Kaito Kiyomiya and Ryohei Oiwa, facing off against Yoshinari Ogawa and Zack Saber Jr.
Other matches include the GHC Martial Arts rules match between Masakatsu Funaki and Josh Barnett, the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, and a thrilling 4-way survival game featuring Ninja Mac, Dragon Bane, Alpha Wolf, and Alejandro, which promises high-flying action. Former WRESTLE-1 fighters, including Manabu Soya, Shuji Kondo, and Seiki Yoshioka, will also be taking on Katsuhiko Nakajima, Hajime Ohara, and Junta Miyawaki.
A noteworthy addition to the tournament is the participation of Iho de Dr Wagner Jr., the GHC National champion, who will team up with Lance Anoa’i, the “Wild Samoan III,” as they take on Adam Brooks and Stallion Fight Rogers. Additionally, an exciting 6-man women’s tag team match featuring HAYATA, Eitavs YO-HEY, and Tadasuke will kick off the event.
With a lineup full of exhilarating matches, the 9/3 Osaka NOAH Tournament is not to be missed. The tournament, starting at 4 pm, will feature a dark match between Mohammed Yone & Yu Owada versus Kaui Fujimura & Daitsugu Ozawa at 3:40 pm. Don’t miss out on the scorching summer action at the Osaka NOAH Tournament on September 3rd!
Finally, the “strongest” is decided! Presenting all the highlights of the First Stadium 9.3 Edion Arena Osaka tournament you can’t miss!
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2023.08.30
Only the championship game remains in NOAH’s strongest individual league game “N-1 VICTORY 2023”, which started at the Yokohama tournament on August 6th. A Block’s Kenoh and B Block’s Go Shiozaki won, and the winners will be decided in the main event of the 9/3 Osaka tournament.
Kenoh in A block lost to Adam Brooks in the opening game and started as a black star. After that, he won consecutive victories against Yoshiki Inamura and DRAGONGATE Yuki Yoshioka, but was defeated by Jack Morris. From the brink, he won back-to-back wins against Timothy Thatcher and Masa Kitamiya, and at the Kawasaki Tournament on August 27, he faced GHC Heavyweight Champion Jake Lee.
If Kenoh wins, he will break through Block A, but his opponent, Jake, has been undefeated since moving to NOAH in January of this year. During the early stages of the fight, he accidentally hit the iron pole with his right foot, and was forced to fight hard, and the Kenoh Special, which was his trump card at N-1, was not decided. However, in the end, he pulled out the ring of fire, which was the trick, and gave Jake the first black star in NOAH.
Block B’s Shiozaki narrowly defeated AXIZ ally Katsuhiko Nakajima in the final official match of the Kawasaki Tournament on August 27 in the middle of a great battle. He increased his points to 9 and took the lead together with Manabu Soya, but the official match with Soya ended in a draw, so after the main event, the final match was decided to decide who went on to the B block championship.
This was the second match for both, but Shiozaki had one break less. The 41-year-old, the oldest player among the contestants, was in agony after being attacked by Soya, who also received tremendous support from the audience. It became a ferocious battle of attrition, chasing down Gamshala for a win while making full use of a rounding that isn’t usually shown, and finally taking a 3 count with a strong arm lariat. I broke through the B block.
Kenoh aims to reach even greater heights by taking down the popular Kongo corps, and Shiozaki, who has never been able to beat him before, tries to win his first singles league match. It’s the same card as the 2017 “Global League Battle” championship match, and Kenoh won that time. On August 10, 2020, it was the single supreme that developed in a 60-minute full-time heated draw in the GHC Heavyweight and GHC National double crown match.
In the past, Kenoh has won 4 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw, the latest being February 2022, N-1 official match in August 2022, and June this year. Since Shiozaki won in June 2017, he has not been able to defeat Kenoh in singles for more than six years. Naomichi Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura, the main pillars of NOAH, won “N-1 VICTORY 2023” this year.
In addition to the main victory match “N-1 VICTORY 2023”, the Osaka 9/3 tournament is full of attractive cards. The semi final is a special tag match between Kaito Kiyomiya and Ryohei Oiwa vs. Yoshinari Ogawa and Zack Saber Jr. for this fight
In the 9th match, Masakatsu Funaki’s GHC Martial Arts rules match was realized against Josh Barnett. Funaki, one of the pioneers of mixed martial arts, and Burnett, the 7th UFC Heavyweight Champion of the World, will meet for the first time in the NOAH ring.
Funaki is the 4th and 6th Pancracist Openweight King, and Barnett is the 10th champion. GHC martial arts rules are determined by KO, stoppage, or TKO only. Free knockdown, free escape, no fall 3 count. Escaping outside the venue, thumbs, metal, and biting will result in a yellow card, and 3 yellow cards will result in a dirty miss. A tense contest between the masters will unfold.
In the 8th game, Yoshiki Inamura decided to go on an indefinite overseas expedition in tears after finishing all 7 games in the “N-1 VICTORY 2023” A block despite the high expectations. Forming a cross-border new generation trio with Yoshioka & All Japan Pro Wrestling from DRAGONGATE Yuma Anzai, they will take on veterans Marufuji & Sugiura (first returning match in two months) and Kitamiya.
The seventh match is the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. Champions Chris Ridgeway & Daga will defend the throne for the first time since taking the throne with tremendous strength at the Korakuen Games on June 22nd. Atsushi Kotoge & Hi69, who won the tournament to determine the next challenger for the Korakuen Tournament on August 9th to 11th, have been together in NOAH for more than six years. The champion group won the preliminary match at the Kawasaki tournament on August 27, and he boasted, “I feel that the title match in Osaka is already over and I’m celebrating.”
The 6th match is a 6 man tag match between Good Looking Guys and REAL. The highlight is the first match between GHC Heavyweight Champion Jake Lee and Hideki Suzuki.
The 5th game, Ninja Mac, Dragon Bane, Alpha Wolf, and Alejandro’s 4-way survival game, is sure to be a big air battle where blinking is forbidden.
Manabu Soya, Shuji Kondo, and Seiki Yoshioka, former WRESTLE-1 fighters, faced Katsuhiko Nakajima, Hajime Ohara, and Junta Miyawaki in the fourth match. What kind of “dawn” will Soya, who has become a big monster in “N-1 VICTORY 2023”, show from now on?
In the third game, GHC National champion, Iho de Dr Wagner Jr. joined. with Lance Anoa’i, the “Wild Samoan III” who created a sensation in “N-1 VICTORY 2023”, and Adam Brooks & Stallion Fight Rogers. Brooks left an impact by winning a major upset from Kenoh in the first match of “N-1 VICTORY 2023”. Although he could not participate in “N-1 VICTORY 2023”, Rogers, who has been showing all his strength in fighting with the series, wants to show his will when surrounded by the entry players.
The second match was a 6 man women’s tag team match, and from the first match HAYATA & Eitavs YO-HEY & Tadasuke were on the front line in the junior competition.
Big numbers from all 11 games. The tournament starts at 4pm, but the dark match between Mohammed Yone & Yu Owada vs Kaui Fujimura & Daitsugu Ozawa will start at 3:40pm. A scorching summer isn’t complete without watching the Osaka NOAH Tournament 9/3!
(Text provided by Weekly Pro-Wrestling Hikaru Inoue)
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