Text and photos exclusively by Tokio Tsukada / Copyright & Courtesy: PRO WRESTLING NOAH
On September 23, Pro Wrestling NOAH held its fall championship tournament, “N-1 VICTORY 2026,” at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
The main event featured an official N-1 Victory Block B match, in which “Mr. Troublesome” Kenoh scored a dramatic victory over “The Real Rebel” OZAWA. Kenoh took a barrage of attacks from OZAWA—including a standing shooting star press and a swan dive moonsault press—and was tormented by face-licking, but he landed a powerful Super Manji Kick to send OZAWA crashing to the mat. Immediately afterward, as he leaped from the corner aiming for a PFS (Foot Stamp), he collided with the referee. While the referee was down, OZAWA struck him with a crutch, and Kenoh was hit with the Real Rebel (a one-step Phoenix Splash).
However, the dazed referee couldn’t count, and Kenoh was saved. After that, Kenoh withstood OZAWA’s rule-breaking Foot Stamp, landed the Big Ben Edge, and immediately knocked OZAWA down again with a powerful high kick to the face. Furthermore, Kenoh got OZAWA back on his feet and connected with the KSD (Kenoh Special Destino) and the PFS, finally executing a flawless Enrin (moonsault-style double knee attack) to secure the three-count at 18 minutes and 57 seconds.
With this, Kenoh now stands at 3 wins, 2 losses, and 6 points.
With two official matches remaining, he is tied for first place in the highly competitive Block B alongside Tetsuya Endo, Titus Alexander, Masa Kitamiya, and OZAWA. Taking the microphone, Kenoh said,
“This is my third win—I’m still well within striking distance of the title.Until a few years ago, the championship belt was always by my side. But for the past nine months of this year, the belt hasn’t been there. There’s nothing lonelier than that. I’m going to win the N-1 tournament, and on October 25 at Ryogoku Kokugikan, I’m definitely going to take back the GHC Heavyweight belt held by Tetsuya Naito!”
He declared, vowing to win the N-1 tournament and reclaim the GHC Heavyweight title. He added,
“On October 25, I’ll win the belt, and then at the end of the year—at Yokohama BUNTAI on December 31—it’d be pretty interesting if I nominated OZAWA as my challenger again,”
Revealing that he was already envisioning a rematch with OZAWA.
In the semifinals, a GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship match was scheduled.
This is a long-awaited “brotherly showdown” between the 63rd champion, Kai Fujimura of TEAM 2000X, and challenger Alejandro.
At the Tokushima event two days prior, the champion—who had received a declaration of war from the challenger stating, “I’m going to become the Junior Double Champion”—bared his ruthless fangs on the sacred ring.
From the very start, Kai Fujimura engaged in a ruthless fight, grabbing his opponent’s mask, and a furious Alejandro responded with a fierce brawl outside the ring.
Midway through the match, Alejandro landed his finishing move, Zero Gravity, putting the champion in a life-or-death pinch. However, at that moment, Tadasuke, YO-HEY, and Jun Masaoka—members of “J2KX,” the junior division of the villainous faction TEAM 2000X—rushed the ring. They stopped the referee’s count and committed the outrageous act of ganging up on the challenger.
On the ring, now turned into a lawless zone, Kai Fujimura slammed the referee into Alejandro and, seizing the opportunity, delivered a groin strike.
He then inflicted the ultimate humiliation by ripping off his brother’s mask. With his brother’s true face exposed and forced to cover his face with both hands, Kai ultimately delivered a merciless Death Hanger at 18 minutes and 09 seconds, securing the three-count with a pin.
The battle between blood brothers came to a cruel end, with the champion successfully defending his title for the first time in a no-holds-barred match.
After the match, Kai Fujimura, having successfully defended his title, appeared backstage alongside his teammate, Tadasuke.
Holding the mask he had torn from Alejandro and the belt he had defended, he flashed an eerie smile, as if mocking his brother who had suffered a humiliating defeat.
He then named the current GHC Junior Tag Team Champion, Dragon Bane, as his next target, locking onto a new playmate with a tone brimming with madness.
Tadasuke: “Way to go, way to go.”
Kai: “This is fun. So much fun. Big bro, didn’t you need this? (Pointing at the belt and Alejandro’s mask) Big bro, we’re champions now. Next, we’re going to have some fun with that cool guy, Dragon.”
Tadasuke: “Listen up, remember this well. That’s right—we’re J2KX!”
While steadfastly defending the Junior division’s crown jewel, Kai Fujimura and J2KX have also set their sights on the tag team championship. This villainous faction, deepening its bond through madness and unity, is painting NOAH Junior black.
