The end of Pro Wrestling NOAH?

[andrew8798]

There is a major shakeup in Pro Wrestling NOAH. We don't have a lot in the way of details right now but should have more as the night goes on.

The gist is that Kenta Kobashi was fired, apparently because his salary was so high and the company is in such financial distress. Right now the rumor is Jun Akiyama, Go Shiozaki, Kotaro Suzuki and Yoshinobu Kanemaru and others may not sign their contracts for 2013 out of loyalty to Kobashi, who along with Mitsuharu Misawa, were the two people who really built the company.

-F4W

[notasmark]

I don't think it will die but it will lose a lot of steam I think.

[Steveweiser]

Hopefully this will force them to modernise, as they've been in severe stale decline ever since Misawa's death. To think it was only a few years ago that they were by far the hottest company in Japan.

[Johnny B. Decent]

Dec 4, 2012 2:20:58 GMT -5 notasmark said:

I don't think it will die but it will lose a lot of steam I think.

It doesn't really have much steam right now, though.

[YiHammer]

They can handle losing Kobashi tbh just because he's way too broken down right now.

Losing Go and Suzuki is going to be devastating.

Surprised Kenta isn't considering leaving

[dragonzombie]

Noah hasn't been seeing good times for a long while now. This latest news means a massive blow to their roster which would be roughly near Zero 1 levels now.

I don't know where they would all go or even if they would land jobs at all. Alot of the previous workers released didn't find any jobs with the other top companies.

Also, I'm very sure that Kenta and the rest who chose to stay are mostly Misawa/Ryu Nakata buddies. Nobody really seems to be interested in Kenta in joining their feds as well.

Noah looks to become a Junior style fed, which what I predicted on SSS awhile back. They may need to change their promotion to how Zero 1 has it. A federation that only exists to break even rather than try in the future to become big again.

[Digital Witness]

A lot of the guys released from NOAH the first time around weren't really key players that many promotions would be interested in. I bet you All Japan and New Japan would love to acquire Akiyama, Shiozaki, Suzuki and Kanemaru on a full time basis.

I think these 4 go to All Japan, though I think New Japan would definitely work with Akiyama and Shiozaki if they're both available.

I'm curious where Kobashi goes from here though. Permanent in ring retirement, and management for AJP?

[YiHammer]

New Japan will snap Go up in a second

[dragonzombie]

So it's Akiyama, Shiozaki, Suzuki, Kanemaru, Aoki and Kobashi leaving..or so the news in Japan say.

Ajp does seem to have an interest in Jun and has used Aoki and Go before. But I don't think all 6 would go to Mutoh's fed. Seems too costly. There may be a chance that Suzuki and Kanemaru don't land a full time job but freelance gigs

But they could open a small fed instead ala Diamond ring with Kobashi included. They wouldn't have G plus tv deal and all the old Noah footage but they would have no debt to worry about unlike Noah.

[Digital Witness]

I don't really see Kanemaru in New Japan, but I was thinking about it and I could dig Suzuki and Aoki in New Japan.

If NOAH closes its doors, I think Marufuji, Shiozaki, Suzuki, Aoki, and maybe another Jr like Ishimori goes to New Japan.

Everyone else goes freelance or to All Japan.

On the gaijin front, I wonder where Zach Sabre Jr goes should he continue to work in Japan. I'd like to see him get a gig in New Japan and add to an already stellar junior roster.

[Steveweiser]

I'd like Zack there. I've been pleading with Prince Devitt to try and get Noam Dar booked there.

[Jimmy]

I wish KENTA would come to America full time.

[YiHammer]

Kanemaru will end up in AJPW, I doubt NJPW wants him at this stage

[Digital Witness]

Dec 4, 2012 23:14:21 GMT -5 Jimmy said:

I wish KENTA would come to America full time.

If he did that, maybe TNA makes a play for him, but I doubt WWE does. Not because of KENTA's size, but because KENTA has a rep for stiffing the absolute crap out of people. I doubt too many people in WWE would want to take much of KENTA's offense.

[Mayonnaise]

Dec 5, 2012 0:37:17 GMT -5 Digital Witness said:

Dec 4, 2012 23:14:21 GMT -5 Jimmy said:

I wish KENTA would come to America full time.

If he did that, maybe TNA makes a play for him, but I doubt WWE does. Not because of KENTA's size, but because KENTA has a rep for stiffing the absolute crap out of people. I doubt too many people in WWE would want to take much of KENTA's offense.

Must not make obvious joke....

[Brainbustaaah!]

Dec 5, 2012 0:51:05 GMT -5 Mayonnaise said:

Dec 5, 2012 0:37:17 GMT -5 Digital Witness said:

If he did that, maybe TNA makes a play for him, but I doubt WWE does. Not because of KENTA's size, but because KENTA has a rep for stiffing the absolute crap out of people. I doubt too many people in WWE would want to take much of KENTA's offense.

Must not make obvious joke....

Well, smarks might finally get to see Punk use the Pepsi Plunge regularly...

[Steveweiser]

Latest reports say that Akiyama, Shiozaki, Kanemaru, Suzuki and Aoki will all move to All Japan. There's hope that Kobashi will join them.

[YiHammer]

How can Akiyama move to All Japan btw? He just held their title.

[Steveweiser]

He did it as a NOAH wrestler. Now he'll be joining AJPW.

[notasmark]

Dec 5, 2012 2:48:45 GMT -5 Steveweiser said:

Latest reports say that Akiyama, Shiozaki, Kanemaru, Suzuki and Aoki will all move to All Japan. There's hope that Kobashi will join them.

Massive for All Japan if they can get all of them. Kobashi would probably be worth it if they could get him for a good price.

Definitely good news for All Japan though.