"The NOAH Five" headed to All Japan w/Ric Flair

[Warner2BruceTD]

Dave Meltzer @davemeltzerWON
Akiyama, Shiozaki, Aoki, Kanemaru and Kotaro Suzuki will show up Saturday at the All Japan show in Tokyo that Flair is on.


No word on if this is permanent, or if All Japan is just loading up this particular show. Flair will wrestle Tatsumi Fujinami, so that makes seven outsiders/freelancers booked for the show.

In case you haven't heard, Reid Flair is at the All Japan dojo, and Flair is working show(s) as a favor in exchange.

I kind of suspected the NOAH guys would land here. Akiyama had that great run last year as an outsider Triple Crown champ, and the roster could certainly use the injection of talent. New Japan was already stacked, and Dragon Gate was not a good fit in any way whatsoever as none of these men work the style (among other issues).

[Warner2BruceTD]

Here is the card as of yesterday

AJPW, 26.01.2013 (GAORA TV)
Ota Ward Gymnsium

1. KENSO & Kaz Hayashi vs. Jimmy Yang & Reid Flair
2. Masayuki Kono & Masanobu Fuchi vs. Tomoaki Honma & Kazushi Miyamoto
3. Shuji Kondo & MAZADA vs. SUSHI & Andy Wu
4. Special Six Man Tag Match: Takao Omori, Ryota Hama & Yasufumi Nakanoue vs. Masahiro Chono, Suwama & Joe Doering
5. All Asia Tag Team Title: Koji Kanemoto & Minoru Tanaka (c) vs. Hiroshi Yamato & Hikaru Sato
6. BJW World Strong Heavyweight Title: Manabu Soya (c) vs. Yoshihito Sasaki
7. Triple Crown: Masakatsu Funaki (c) vs. Akebono
8. Special Tag Match: Keiji Muto & Ric Flair vs. Tatsumu Fujinami & Seiya Sanada


NOAH guys aren't listed on the card, but I think this all came together today. Maybe they won't work, and will just show up like The Radicalz or some shit. Maybe an invasion deal or something, but that may not work because unlike here in Japan wrestling news is reported in real newspapers and everybody knows they don't work for NOAH anymore. Who know.

[Bigpapa42]

Interesting. Like you say, it seems the best fit.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Muto and Flair tag match is going to be good fun.

[BigBiss]

Just think there is a chance on day a Flair and Von Erich will be in the same locker room again ... all the drugs ...

[Warner2BruceTD]

The Noah Five have joined All Japan full time

We’re told the 1/26 show at Ota Ward Gym is already sold out which is the show with Ric Flair’s first match in Japan in years. The wrestlers who left NOAH, Jun Akiyama, Go Shiozaki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Kotaro Suzuki and Atsushi Aoki will be coming to the Ota Ward Gym that night and start as full-timers in All Japan from that point.

[Warner2BruceTD]

All Japan just got waaaay more interesting.

[Bigpapa42]

This might be a question best suited to a podcast, but how much will this really help All Japan, W2B? No doubt it helps some. But while Akiyama was really good in his AJ run last year, he hasn't really seemed that great in Noah. The other are all solid but were not really tearing it up in Noah from anything I've seen.

[Warner2BruceTD]

This might be a question best suited to a podcast, but how much will this really help All Japan, W2B? No doubt it helps some. But while Akiyama was really good in his AJ run last year, he hasn't really seemed that great in Noah. The other are all solid but were not really tearing it up in Noah from anything I've seen.

I thought Akiyama had a resurgent year last year, and he gives All Japan an instant top star for the main event mix. Same for Go Shiozaki, instant top star.

The three juniors will freshen up what was really the worst junior scene in Japan outside of when Kenny Omega was around. Omega finished his outsider run, BUSHI left for New Japan, so it was getting thin. With Low Ki on the outs with New Japan, and Kota Ibushi's run probably finished, I think All Japan might have the deepest (but not the best) junior roster now. Kanemaru, Aoki, Suzuki, join Shuji Kondo, Hiroshi Yamato, Kaz Hayashi, etc.

So I think there is no question it gives them a deeper roster and will lead to better quality shows. All Japan needed fresh matchups badly, and now has a bunch of them.

Business wise? I dont know. With New Japan hot, maybe they pick up some of the wake. The reason they kept such a tidy roster was because they weren't making any money. Muto was secretly trying to find new backers or sell all last year. How they can afford five relatively high priced vets is a question mark.

I will say this, I haven't been this excited about All Japan in a long time. Cant wait to see how these guys are integrated.

[Warner2BruceTD]

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Odds on Muto picking up the bar tab tonight is currently at -1200.

[dave]

I respect Ric Flair as a wrestling legend, but why do the Japanese think a 60-something guy is credible in the ring? Seeing Flair now is kinda sad. As a manager, great. He can talk until he's 90. But as a wrestler, it's just sad.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I respect Ric Flair as a wrestling legend, but why do the Japanese think a 60-something guy is credible in the ring? Seeing Flair now is kinda sad. As a manager, great. He can talk until he's 90. But as a wrestler, it's just sad.

Who says anybody thinks he's credible in the ring?

They are booking Flair for the same reason TNA was booking him. They think he can draw money.

Also, not sure if you read the entire thread, but Flair agreed to work the show as a favor/thank you for his son Reid being taken care of and trained in the All Japan dojo.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Also interesting that Reid is involved in a match with three guys who are either American or who have worked long term in America and likely know very good english.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

And Flair can still go in the ring when required...his style isn't something he can't do until he's 90 and his body is in much better shape than someone like Hogan.