NOAH - The Great Voyage 2017 in Fukushima (6/25/2017)

1. Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Kenou

These guys were fucking each other up; lots of hard slaps to the face. Incredible match to open the show.

****

6. Go Shiozaki & Masa Kitamiya vs. Maybach Taniguchi & Naomichi Marufuji

Amazing tag match filled with action. Taniguchi's been looking revaltized lately, he's a totally different performer.

****

8. GHC Heavyweight Championship: Katsuhiko Nakajima (c) vs. Atsushi Kotoge

This was Kotoge's first shot at the Heavyweight Championship and he put forth a tremendous effort. There were lots of hard hits, including a sickening headbutt spot. Nakajima batters Kotoge with kicks to the chest and back during the finish that looked nasty. Incredible match.

****1/2

NOAH - Navigation with Breeze 2017 (5/27/2017)

1. Rionne Fujiwara vs. Takashi Sugiura

49-second Sugiura squash. This is how you book Rionne Fujiwara.

***

2. Hi69, Hitoshi Kumano, Mohammed Yone & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. RATEL'S (Tadasuke & YO-HEY), Akitoshi Saito & Masa Kitamiya

**

3. Atsushi Kotoge vs. Kaito Kiyomiya

I'm not feeling Kotoge's new tights, the early 2000s CZW trainee gear was better. Decent showcase for both of these guys.

***

4. Kenou vs. Taiji Ishimori

Kenou does a crazy diving stomp off of the 'entrance gate' and wins via countout before things get going.

*

5. Daisuke Harada vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima

 Harada was a little prick here, getting the sucker punch as Nakajima is making his entrance and using the Heavyweight Champion's own signature turnbuckle punt against him. This was a great, fast-paced clash with some heat thrown in.

***1/2

6. Maybach Taniguchi vs. Randy Reign

This was an entertaining big man match, they did some stuff on the apron and had a chaotic brawl on the outside. This card has a lot of singles matches and this one did a good job standing out.

**1/2

7. Cody Hall vs. Naomichi Marufuji

It's hard to take Cody Hall seriously as threat when he was the recipient of a thousand Rainmakers during his New Japan run. There wasn't much to this, but Cody does an amazing sell job of Marufuji's kicks and jumping knee strikes, perhaps too amazing for a 6'9 monster.

**

8. Brian Cage vs. Go Shiozaki

This match did its job in establishing who the debuting Brian Cage is as a wrestler, and he showed a range of moves that set him apart from the other gaijin brutes on this card. Shiozaki put on a decent showing, but you could sense that his heart wasn't in it. Probably isn't happy doing the job to gaijin of the month.

***1/2

9. GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship: Hajime Ohara (c) vs. HAYATA

HAYATA was over in front of this Osaka crowd since he's an ex-Osaka Pro guy, and they were into his comebacks, but I couldn't help but feel that there was something missing. Ohara was playing the spoiler, aggressively working the back. This was fine; it never reached that next level.

***1/4

NOAH - Global Tag League 2017 (5/4/2017)

1. Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Takuya Nomura

Really awesome rookie opener. Bushiroad needs to get Takuya before he becomes another chest-chopping strong BJ zombie.

***3/4

2. Hajime Ohara & Rionne Fujiwara vs. RATEL'S (HAYATA & YO-HEY)

I thought Rionne Fujiwara fucked off for good when WRESTLE-1 got rid of him, but here he is in NOAH, ughh... Ohara was doing gnarly backwork, crushing these skinny pricks across his knee. HAYATA & YO-HEY are a pretty fun indie-riffic duo. 

***

5. Kenou & Takashi Sugiura vs. XX (Hi69 & Taiji Ishimori)

This was an awesome sprint, and these guys were hurling nukes. Kenou is supposed to be a big bad heavyweight bullying the crafty little guys alongside Sugiura, but he's still junior-sized himself. NOAH the Reborn, ya'll.

***1/2

6. Katsuhiko Nakajima & Masa Kitamiya vs. Akitoshi Saito & Mohammed Yone

Yone has this weird disco gimmick that he doesn't really commit to. He catches Katsuhiko with a big high kick and knocks him straight out! What an ending!

**1/4

7. Global Tag League 2017 Final: Atsushi Kotoge & Go Shiozaki vs. Maybach Taniguchi & Naomichi Marufuji

What a goddamn match! There was so much action I don't even know where to start. Maybach's new look is awesome and menacing, and he looks like a star. Marufuji and Shiozaki went back and forth with surly chop exchanges, Kotoge connected with his awesome kicks and counters -- everyone looked great and had their moment to shine, and the crowd was hot. This blew me away.

****1/2