Text and photos exclusively by Tokio Tsukada / Copyright & Courtesy: PRO WRESTLING NOAH
Pro Wrestling NOAH held LINE YAHOO Presents “WRESTLE ODYSSEY” at Ryogoku Sumo Hall on October 11.
The main event featured the GHC Heavyweight Championship match with champion KENTA defending against Team 2000X’s “The Chair Man” Masa Kitamiya.
As the match reached its midpoint, KENTA found himself in trouble due to interference from the villainous Team 2000X. Suddenly, Yoshiki Inamura, who was supposed to be training in WWE’s NXT, appeared out of nowhere and stepped into the ring.
Inamura eliminated Tadasuke and Yoshi Tatsu with lariats, restoring order to the match.
Having escaped danger from TEAM2000X’s interface, KENTA endured Kitamiya’s piledriver and diving senton. Finally, staggering but determined, KENTA hit two Go 2 Sleeps to pin challenger Masa Kitamiya for the three-count, successfully defending his title for the second time.
After the match, Inamura appeared into the ring.
“Congratulation! GHC Heavyweight Champion, Mr. KENTA! What’s up? Pro-Wrestling NOAH fans! Yoshiki Inamura has made his comeback to this Pro-Wrestling NOAH ring from America. Mr. KENTA! Please let me challenge you for that GHC Heavyweight Championship belt you hold!”
Inamura pleaded for a title shot in Japanese mixed with English.
Then KENTA responded:
“Let me speak for everyone here in the crowd. What’s up all of a sudden? What’s up? What’s up? You’ve only been gone a year, and you’re acting like you’ve been brainwashed by America!”
This had the fans roaring with laughter.
Still, Inamura didn’t back down:
“Mr. KENTA, I understand. I want to fully utilize the experience I gained in America and challenge you for that belt. I hate dirty fights. Let’s have a fair and square, honest match.”
KENTA accepted the challenge, replying, “I accept your challenge.”
Inamura said, “I am ready,” then lifted KENTA up, hugged him, and left the ring.
In the special tag match before the Semifinal, Hiroshi Tanahashi, President of New Japan Pro Wrestling, who is scheduled to retire at the Tokyo Dome event on January 4, 2026, made an appearance. Tanahashi teamed up with Kaito Kiyomiya to face Naomichi Marufuji & Kenoh.
After an elbow exchange, Kenoh landed a fierce right mid-kick. Immediately after, Tanahashi hit Kenoh with a flying body attack and promptly performed an air guitar. However, Kenoh delivered a kick from behind, smashing the air guitar in a move. Marufuji then gestured to toss it out of the ring. Despite their long-standing rivalry, Marufuji and Kenoh showed excellent teamwork during this match.
Tanahashi & Kiyomiya had the edge in teamwork that day. They simultaneously delivered dropkicks to the opposing team and performed a double air guitar routine. They also executed a double Dragon Screw, and late in the match, Kiyomiya unleashed Tanahashi’s signature Sling Blade on Kenoh. Then, Tanahashi slammed a Shining Wizard into Kenoh from his signature “Pro Wrestling LOVE Pose.”
Finally, with Kenoh down in the ring center, Tanahashi and Kiyomiya climbed to opposite corner posts. Tanahashi hit a High Fly Flow, Kiyomiya delivered a Skywalk Elbow, and Kiyomiya secured the 3-count victory.
The Wrestle Odyssey semifinal featured New Japan Pro-Wrestling GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi defending his title against challenger Eita.
As the match reached its climax, Hiromu unleashed his signature move, the Traumatizer. However, Eita countered with an Imperial Uno. Eita then attempted the original Traumatizer, but Hiromu caught it with his foot. Eita attempted a roll-up, but Hiromu reversed it and hit the TIME BOMB from the Hiromu-chan Bomber. Eita kicked out at the count of two.
Eita dodged Hiromu’s avalanche-style attack, slammed him down with a powerbomb, and attempted a second Trauma. He then unleashed Hidalgo (a modified reverse gory special bomb), but both were kicked out of. When Eita’s all-out Imperial Uno was also reversed, Hiromu countered Eita’s attempted Salamander (avalanche-style cassadora). Finally, Hiromu detonated an avalanche-style TIME BOMB, securing the three-count.
The packed Ryogoku Sumo Hall successfully closed with Pro Wrestling NOAH’s lineup delivering the main event, the main dish, to the audience. Then, in the semi-final special match, New Japan Pro-Wrestling captivated the crowd as the finest appetizer.
As we head into autumn, Yoshiki Inamura now stands in the path of the GHC Champion, and interest remains high in when the injured OZAWA will make his comeback.
