u/MrPuroresu42

A decade or so removed from their hard-hitting battles in AJPW, it’s been cool to see Suwama and Shiozaki go at it and still be able to do their thing.

You can see that Go is more mobile (he’s younger and despite the knee surgery, he’s got less weight on him than Suwama and therefore can move around better) but Suwama can still hit really damn hard, not to mention still has that bullying nature that’s been a trademark.

I’m hoping their 8.29 match delivers (especially would be cool to see a shout-out to the late Joe Doering) and hopefully Suwama appears in AJPW for as long as he’s able.

Article translation:

Osaka Pro-Wrestling, led by Zeus, is finally expanding into Tokyo. On September 5, they will hold their annual tournament “Tennozan 2026” at Shinkiba 1st Ring to determine Osaka Pro-Wrestling’s strongest wrestler.

“I looked it up, and it’s been 14 years since 2012,” said Zeus. This will be the first time the revamped Osaka Pro-Wrestling has held an event in Tokyo. Until now, the promotion had focused exclusively on activities in Osaka and the Kansai region, aiming to become a new Osaka icon on par with the famous “Yoshimoto” comedy troupe. But why did President Zeus decide to expand into Tokyo in his fifth year in office?

“I’ve actually wanted to hold events in Tokyo all along—about twice a year. We were doing that before I became president, after all. Our sponsors had been encouraging us to go, but there were cost issues and other factors… So, I’ve finally been able to make up my mind.”

This Tokyo event will be self-funded. Osaka Pro-Wrestling will cover all expenses. Nevertheless, the confidence that “we can do this” has been built up over the past five years under Zeus’s leadership.

“I want to show Tokyo pro wrestling fans just how entertaining Osaka Pro Wrestling is,” Zeus says enthusiastically. The first round of the Tennozan tournament will feature four intense matches from the “Strongest” tournament, including Tigers Mask vs. Kazuaki Mihara and VanVert Jack vs. Goliath. Added to these will be matches sprinkled with the comedic flair unique to Osaka Pro Wrestling. All eyes are on the Tokyo debut of “Naniwa Battle Entertainment,” which promises fierce battles, emotional moments, and side-splitting laughter.

Tickets start at 3,500 yen for general reserved seating. Discounts are available for elementary, junior high, and high school students, as well as those aged 65 and older. Tickets can be purchased through the official Osaka Pro Wrestling online ticket site, Lawson Ticket, and Ticket Pia.

Article translated:

NOAH’s “Beast,” Kazuyuki Fujita (55), is brimming with fighting spirit, spurred on by his children’s outstanding achievements.

　At the Kawasaki event on the 23rd, Fujita will team up with Yoshiki Inamura to challenge GHC Tag Team Champions Manabu Seiya and Yuki Iino. He has also been entered in the singles league tournament “N-1 VICTORY 2026,” which kicks off in September.

Facing a midsummer filled with back-to-back intense battles, Fujita clenches his massive fist and says, “When I see my kids, I think, ‘I’ve got to give it my all.’ I’ve got to put food on the table.” In July, all three of his children—his third-year high school daughter Mahiru, his second-year son Mihaku, and his first-year daughter Murasaki—competed together in the wrestling event at the National High School Athletic Meet (Inter-High) held in Wakayama. Mahiru won the championship, achieving the remarkable feat of three consecutive titles, while Murasaki placed third.

　Fujita, who was on site cheering them on, said with a smile, “They’re really just having fun and doing their own thing. There isn’t a parent out there who isn’t happy to see their kids giving it their all.” He plans to continue encouraging them, saying, “I just want them to do what they love and go as far as they want to go.” Regarding Makiru, who is set to enter college next year, he nodded and said, “The Olympics? There are some strong competitors in her weight class (76 kg). Anyway, I just want her to do what she feels is best.”

With that in mind, he declared with determination, “I’ve got to win the N-1 title, too.” When asked about teaming up with Inamura, he grinned and said, “That sounds good, doesn’t it? He’s huge.” When they faced off one-on-one in July, he took a massive powerbomb and was pinned for the three-count, but he said breathlessly, “Being thrown like that was a shock I hadn’t felt since Scott Norton. It felt great… So I can’t wait.”

With the kids’ energy behind him, will he be able to capture his first-ever tag team title?

Article translated:

Shun Skywalker, who will challenge NJPW WORLD TV Champion KONOSUKE TAKESHITA at the New Japan Pro-Wrestling event in Kobe on September 27th, has revealed the truth behind his joining the villainous faction “House of Torture (H.O.T.).” What are Shun’s true intentions, now that he has left Dragon Gate and supposedly returned to “Heaven”?

　Shun, who fought his final match at the Dragon Gate Korakuen Hall event on the 4th, made a surprise appearance just 11 days later at the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Ryogoku event on the 15th. After joining H.O.T. and declaring war on Takeshita, he made his debut by defeating Satoshi Kojima in a 6-man tag team match at the Ryogoku event on the 16th.

　In an interview, he revealed the circumstances: “Although I had returned to Heaven, it was just too peaceful. Shun Skywalker craves battle, and I realized there were still things I hadn’t done yet, so within a few days I decided to leave Heaven. The first person who came to mind was Kounosuke Takeshita.” Although he teamed up with Takeshita in the main event of “ALL TOGETHER” (Nippon Budokan) in May 2024, the two fell out after the match. He had been demanding a singles match ever since. “I think he’s the top contender worth defeating as a wrestler. I want to compare what he calls ‘the world’ with Heaven,” he said, flexing his muscles.

　Even though he stands in direct opposition to Takeshita, who belongs to the main faction, what was his reason for choosing H.O.T.? At the H.O.T. event last November (Korakuen Hall), he was rejected as an ally by the then-leader EVIL (now NARAKU of WWE) and also lost in a singles match. Shun offered his own unique interpretation, stating, “As it turned out, that night—when Shun Skywalker carried out the purge—was the night EVIL decided to leave the Japanese pro-wrestling scene…” He continued, “To put it simply, there was no recruitment offer; Shun Skywalker chose H.O.T., and they accepted him. “I’ve never belonged to an established group in my career up to this point, but after getting a taste of it, there were aspects of the organization’s philosophy that I came to understand,” he revealed.

　Shun will begin competing in earnest starting with the September 9th Korakuen Hall event, while Takeshita’s participation will be limited to the Kobe showdown. “I don’t view this as a ‘preliminary battle,’ so I couldn’t care less if I don’t compete in the events leading up to Kobe. But if I don’t go on tour much, Shota Umino—who was a standout in the G1—might get angry,” he said, reigniting a controversy that now feels almost nostalgic, while remaining utterly defiant to the very end.

Suzu Suzuki vs. Starlight Kid

Maika vs. Rina