One More Time Around: NOAH’s The Final Chronicle Preview
Just two weeks after wrapping its successful 20th Anniversary show, The Chronicle Vol. 4, Pro Wrestling NOAH returns to the FITE channel this Saturday with NOAH The Best: Final Chronicle. Two huge title defenses will headline, as Sugiura-gun, the current GHC Tag Team Champions, separately challenge for the company’s top two singles titles.
In the main event, Takashi Sugiura challenges Go Shiozaki for the GHC World Heavyweight Championship. Sugiura, a four-time GHC Champion, challenged Shiozaki in the closing moments of The Chronicle Vol. 4, minutes after the champ’s emotional victory over former best friend-turned-bitter-rival, Katsuhiko Nakajima. Shiozaki, in the midst of a career year, has a deep history with Sugiura.
They first clashed for the GHC crown in 2009. At the time, Shiozaki, coming off his first big push as NOAH-founder and legend Mitsuharu Misawa’s tag team partner. He even partnered with Misawa the night the iconic performer tragically passed away in the ring.
After Misawa’s death, the company struggled to find its next big star. A back injury to then-champion, Jun Akiyama, took him out, which . Shiozaki later defeated former champion Takeshi Rikio for the vacant GHC. However, Shiozaki lost the belt to Sugiura in his second defense.
Sugiura, in his 20th year in the sport, came to NOAH after an accomplished Greco-Roman career. His high-impact style became popular with NOAH fans, and eventually led the company after beating Shiozaki. Sugiura even defended the GHC title at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 5, defeating Hirooki Goto. After defending the GHC title 14 times, breaking the previous record set by Kenta Kobashi, Sugiura lost the belt in July 2010, back to Go Shiozaki. In 2018, Shiozaki again challenged Sugiura for the GHC title, but he fell short of the champion in an epic encounter.
For over a decade, these two have defined the Global Honored Crown, and Sunday’s match will assuredly be another chapter in their storied rivalry, both with four reigns a piece as NOAH’s champion. Recently, Shiozaki has been shouting “I AM NOAH” to crowds. At the end of Chronicle, Sugiura openly queSoned if Shiozaki truly was the spirit of the company that has come to define both of their careers. When Shiozaki proudly announced that he was, Sugiura seemed intrigued, if not a little annoyed.
Sugiura’s partner and famed “Gracie Killer,” Kazushi Sakuraba, will challenge KENOH for the GHC National Championship. If Sakuraba somehow defeats KENOH, it will be his first-ever pro wrestling singles championship.
The NOAH Junior Heavyweight Tag Titles are also on the line, as STINGER (HAYATA and the ageless Yoshinari Ogawa) defend against Kotaro Suzuki and his literal mystery partner, Salvaje de Oriente, who we know nothing about yet.
FITE.tv presents Pro Wrestling NOAH: The Final Chronicle live on pay-per-view this Saturday (10:00 p.m. PT/1:00 a.m. ET/6:00 a.m. GMT)
