Hakata Starlane will go dark in late March 2019.
The old building was built using materials that have long been out use since its construction in the early seventies, and since repairs (due to damage caused by seismic activity) would be hideously astronomical, the building (plus the bowling alley) will sadly be demolished.
Noah have announced that they will return in March for one final time on the 17th. The venue itself has contributed to Noah's history; in June 2009 Jun Akiyama vacated the belt the day after Mitsuharu Misawa died, and it was here that Go Shiozaki and Takeshi Rikio had the subsequent championship match, with Shiozaki becoming GHC Heavyweight champion for the first time.
Kaito Kiyomiya was on autograph duty today.
MATCH ONE
Junji Tanaka vs Kinya Okada
Tanaka (from Kyushu Pro) was drafted in urgently to replace Yoshinari Ogawa, who has the flu.
Winner: Junji Tanaka with the Boston Crab (7 minutes and six seconds)
MATCH TWO
Maybach Taniguchi, Cody Hall & Mansao Inoue vs Mohammed Yone, Quiet Storm & Akitoshi Saito
After the match Akitoshi Saito looked on as 50 Funky Powers squared up to The Hooligans (Maybach Taniguchi carrying the Sasumata)
Winner: Mohammed Yone with the Funky Buster Bomb on Masao Inoue (11 minutes and 57 seconds)
MATCH THREE
Takashi Sugiura, Hajime Ohara & Hitoshi Kumano vs Kenoh, Hi69 & Minoru Tanaka
Kenoh and Takashi Sugiura (who is about number three on Kenoh's list of enemies) started the match, they laid into each other all the way through with Kenoh using the ankle lock, and Sugiura the top rope suplex. It was said to be an amazing match between Sugiura and Kenoh.
WINNER: Hitoshi Kumano with the Argentine Backbreaker on Hi69 (11 minutes and 25 seconds)
MATCH FOUR
Kaito Kiyomiya & Yoshiki Inamura vs Go Shiozaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima
"Nakajima's smile was creepy and frightening. I want you to return the you loss to Kiyomiya in the GL Championship match"
Go Shiozaki slammed Inamura outside the ring, Inamura had tried to attack him and Shiozaki had no sold it. Inamura later slammed Nakajima and showed prodigious strength by doing it as he lifted him right off the floor and held him up before doing so via what looked like some kind of backslide slam. It didn't last long however, and Nakajima bounced back with a smirk on his face.
After the match today, Katsuhiko Nakajima picked up the GHC Heavyweight belt and handed it to Kaito Kiyomiya. He also spoke and pointed at it - this probably means that after Kiyomiya is done with the first defense, he will be challenging for it.
WINNER: Katsuhiko Nakajima with the sleeper on Yoshiki Inamura (15 minutes and 15 seconds)
MATCH FIVE
Daisuke Harada vs Junta Miyawaki
Miyawaki deciding to surprise attack Harada (Harada hadn't even taken his RATELS jacket off), Harada (after a brainbuster to chairs outside the ring), got him a Boston crab, but Miyawaki refused to give up.
Fierce fight, and Miyawaki really took it to him.
WINNER: Daisuke Harada with the Katayama German (10 minutes and 1 second)
MATCH SIX
Tadasuke vs Kotaro Suzuki
Tadasuke (blonde hair flying) manic with the dragon screw across the rope, followed up by the knee crusher to the mat. Naturally, Kotaro Suzuki fought back with the knee attack and Endless Waltz, but Tadasuke endured and got the win with a huge lariat.
Tadasuke and Suzuki always put on good matches.
WINNER: Tadasuke with the Lariat (12 minutes and 12 seconds)
MATCH SEVEN
YO-HEY vs HAYATA
A grim looking Harada came out to second HAYATA, Tadasuke and Kotaro Suzuki also came out.
As expected in this match, as YO-HEY & HAYATA know each other very very well and neither could get an advantage over the other.
After the match Suzuki hugged HAYATA (YO-HEY looked on with a grin), and HAYATA shook off Harada's hand and walked off alone...
WINNER: YO-HEY with the Super Gamen G (15 minutes and 14 seconds)
MATCH EIGHT
*Number one contenders match*
Masa Kitamiya vs Atsushi Kotoge
Kaito Kiyomiya took a seat at ringside, sitting and watching with the belt over his shoulder (probably doesn't want to let it out of his sight since Nakajima picked it up).
Atsushi Kotoge was typically manic, and at one point attempted to win by locking Kitamiya in somewhere and racing back to the ring in the hopes that he would be counted out.
It didn't work, and Kitmiya came speeding back and obliterated him.
Afterwards when Kiyomiya got into the ring to face the challenger, Kitamiya told him to polish the belt for him.
Kitamiya: Until now you have had a wonderful path as champion, but I will end that on February 1st.
Kiyomiya: I will defend this belt!
He also promised to return to the venue for one final time before it closes in March, as champion.
WINNER: Masa Kitamiya with the Saito Suplex (17 minutes and 49 seconds)
ATTENDANCE: 416 (Full House)
WITH THANKS TO: Takeshi, Ito Hiroyuki, Druaga, Favorite Man, Matsubach, Tetorin, Phantom
Picture credit: Noah GHC, PKDX
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