Pro Wrestling NOAH hosted a Tokyo Gurentai Produced event today, billed as the final event together for the legendary heel faction that has spread across Japanese wrestling for parts of 3 decades as leader NOSAWA Rongai will be retiring in February. The card was a showcase for independent wrestlers and also brought back past Gurentai members including New Japan’s Dick Togo.
Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE.
The announced paid attendance was 750, a legit advance sellout. Vocal cheering was allowed.
Match 1: Hideki Monma, Daisuke Nakamura, Taison Maeguchi & Kai Takuya beat Ikuto Hidaka, 2, SUSHI & Takatoshi Matsumoto. Momna pinned 2. Hidaka was a replacement for Hikaru Sato (injury).
Match 2: Maya Yukihi & Miyuki Watase beat Rina Yamashita & Sumire Natsu. Yukihi pinned Natsu after TSULALA.
Match 3: Eita beat Kotaro Suzuki.
Match 4: Ninja Mack beat The Reeve Mask & Dante Leon in a 3-way by pinning Mask. Unknown who Mask really was but the colors on the profile picture had me thinking maybe Atsushi Kotoge.
Match 5: Naomichi Marufuji, Masaaki Mochizuki & Akito beat BxB Hulk, Hokuto Omori & Yoshitomo Shimohigashi. Akito beat Shimohigashi with a Figure 4.
Main Event: Kenoh, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Manabu Soya, Tadasuke, Hajime Ohara & Hi69 beat NOSAWA Rongai, MAZADA, FUJITA, TAKEMURA, KIKUZAWA & Dick Togo. Kenoh pinned NOSAWA after PFS. Afterwards, NOSAWA’s retirement match was announced-NOSAWA & MAZADA vs. Gedo & Taiji Ishimori. That will happen at the Keiji Muto Retirement Event on 2/21 at Tokyo Dome.
The next event is the promotion’s final event of the year, which is also the last N INNOVATION event of the year, on Friday at Shinjuku Face. Live streaming on WRESTLE UNIVERSE will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET.
