Pro Wrestling NOAH (NOAH) has multiple matches and events for the month of February. The current tour is known as the Higher Ground Tour; next month will kick off the Step Forward Tour. The major event of the upcoming month is the Gain Control in Nagoya show on February 23rd. Let’s get into some of the major matches you will be seeing during this tour.
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🌍ノア初の後楽園ホール3DAYS は”NOAH the Cinematic Mode LIVE”で新・観戦体験を‼️‼️
＼2月9 日(水)10日(木)11日(金)後楽園3連戦では高画質カメラだけで試合を中継するなどの【 世界のプロレス界初の演出 】に挑戦！
こんな時だからこそ、ノアはやる！#noah_ghc #ABEMA #wrestleUNIVERSE pic.twitter.com/ExYcflcKXB
— プロレスリング・ノア ｜PROWRESTLING NOAH (@noah_ghc) January 28, 2022
Pro Wrestling NOAH Matches for February
The Go Shiozaki Series
Now, before we cover any of the title matches for February, let’s explain the Go Shiozaki series in NOAH. After Bumper Crop in Sendai, Go Shiozaki set out a challenge against Pro Wrestling NOAH’s best. His aim was to defeat some of the top stars of the company, ultimately gaining a #1 contender’s match for Katsuhiko Nakajima’s GHC Heavyweight Championship. Shiozaki was supposed to face multiple wrestlers, but he would not only lose matches but the challenge and, most importantly, the aforementioned opportunity.
The latter took place in his match with Takashi Sugiura on January 27th. Now, Go Shiozaki will be battling the likes of Masato Tanaka, Naomichi Marufuji, and Kenoh in special singles matches on February 9, 10, and 11, respectively. Shiozaki is one of the best that NOAH has to offer and these special matches could lead to some great bouts as he looks to find himself.
GHC Junio Heavy Championship Battle
At the very end of the N-Innovation Tour, Daisuke Harada would end the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship reign of HAYATA. After defeating HAYATA, Harada has become incredibly busy, bringing in Kongo’s Haoh into NOAH’s Main Unit. Tadasuke and Aleja would defeat Harada and Haoh in a tag match. This led to Tadasuke challenging Harada for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship. Both Tadasuke and Daisuke Harada were parts of the RATELS faction, including the early days of Tadasuke’s career in Osaka Pro Wrestling. Their last few bouts were won by Harada, but Tadasuke has defeated him before. This title match is scheduled for February 9.
GHC National Championship Battle
At the start of the Higher Ground Tour, Masakatsu Funaki would end the GHC National Championship reign of Kenoh in a match that lasted less than 4 minutes. After the match, Funaki joined KONGO and wrestled his first match since winning the championship. In this trios match, Funaki was pinned by Masaaki Mochizuki. Thus, Mochizuki challenged Funaki. Mochizuki was one of the recent GHC National Champions. Meanwhile, Funaki is looking to make his first title defense. This could be a major match to showcase Funaki’s potential role within Kongo. This match will happen on February 10.
GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Battle
At the start of the Higher Ground Tour, the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship was vacated by HAYATA and Yoshinari Ogawa. Yoshinari Ogawa tested positive COVID-19, thus leading to the titles being vacated. They were eventually won by Seiki Yoshioka and Yuya Susumu of the same faction. The new champions will make their first title defense against Nosawa Rongai and YO-HEY. This is emblematic of the feud between two of the warring factions, STINGER and Los Perros Del Mal De Japón. This championship match is scheduled to happen on February 23 and will be one of the two title bouts set for Gain Control in Nagoya.
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📢2.23名古屋【GHCヘビー級選手権】開催!!!!
＼「GAIN CONTROL 2022 in NAGOYA」
📅2月23日(祝・水) 15:00開始/13:30開場
🏢名古屋国際会議場 イベントホール👑GHCヘビー級選手権試合
中嶋勝彦（第36代王者）
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藤田和之（挑戦者）※王者の5度目の防衛戦#noah_ghc #wrestleUNIVERSE pic.twitter.com/vQs4TLKoSk
— プロレスリング・ノア ｜PROWRESTLING NOAH (@noah_ghc) January 28, 2022
GHC Heavyweight Championship Battle
Katsuhiko Nakajima is the reigning and defending GHC Heavyweight Champion. He’s had a very successful run as champion, racking up multiple title defenses. In his next title defense, he battles Kazuyuki Fujita of the Sugiura-Gun faction. This isn’t the first time Fujita has challenged for the GHC Heavyweight Championship. Two years ago, Fujita challenged Go Shiozaki for the title. This match was famous for the 30-minute staredown between the two wrestlers.
Fujita, however, represents one of the most crucial challenges for Nakajima’s reign as GHC Heavyweight Champion. Fujita defeated Kongo’s leader, Kenoh, last year. Fujita could be Nakajima’s biggest challenger and one of the two men responsible for KONGO’s downfall in this upcoming tour. When it counts, Katsuhiko Fujita is one of the most brutal wrestlers on the planet. The same could be said for the defending champion, Katsuhiko Nakajima. This first-time match takes place on February 23 at Gain Control in Nagoya.
Synopsis
One of the things that stand out for this upcoming tour is the lack of a GHC tag team title match. There are currently no scheduled challengers for Naomichi Marufuji and Keiji Muto. During this tour, we will also see Kaito Kiyomiya have a few singles matches, facing STINGER’s HAYATA and Yoshinari Ogawa throughout the upcoming month. Pro Wrestling NOAH is set to start February off in a major way.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can watch Pro Wrestling NOAH as well as DDT, TJPW, and more on Wrestle Universe and ABEMA.
