Following their joint show with New Japan Pro Wrestling in Yokohama Stadium, there are more eyes than usual on Pro Wrestling NOAH. This is not an issue, as they’ve maintained an amazing product recently. Now their recent Higher Ground 2022 even saw two titles change hands.
Kenou Drops The GHC National Championship To The Legendary Masakatsu Funaki
In the main event of this show, we’d see one of the biggest stars in NOAH take on a legend. Kenou has been renowned for his kicks and style in recent years – and his time as GHC National Champion has made the belt nearly as important as that of the GHC Heavyweight Championship. His knockout victory over Kaito Kiyomiya on January 1st seemed to show how his year would go – until a legend came knocking.
54 year old Masakatsu Funaki would challenge Kenou, and this MMA legend also had decades of experience in professional wrestling. Normally this is where we’d say it was a hard fought battle – but Funaki ended this reign in under four minutes, becoming the eight man to hold this title. Kenou will have a hard time bouncing back from a loss like this – but if anyone can do it, it’s him. There’s no shame in falling to a legend, but to fall that fast is something no one wants. Atleast he lasted longer than ten seconds, which is how long Masao Inoue recently lasted against Funaki.
Vacant GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships Claimed
This was not the only title change on this show. The GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships were left vacant as Yoshinari Ogawa would test positive for COVID-19. Missing a defence was enough to turn these belts vacant.
A Stinger duo of Seiki Yoshioka & Yuya Susumu would ensure the belts stayed in the faction that Ogawa leads – defeating Atsushi Kotoge & Hajime Ohara to claim gold. This is their second reign as GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions – with their last reign lasting 42 days.
Also on this show, Hao would go to a twenty minute time limit draw against his former KONGO brother, Nio. Hao left the faction at BUMPER CROP in Sendai, joining the NOAH Junior Army instead.
Do you think Funaki will be able to have a strong reign as GHC National Champion? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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