Pro Wrestling NOAH, one of the leading promotions in Japan, has announced that it is bringing back the GHC Hardcore Openweight Championship, a title that has been inactive since 2009. The title will be contested on the second episode of NOAH’s new weekly show, Monday Magic, on October 23, 2023.
The GHC Hardcore Openweight Championship was first introduced in 2004 as a singles title with a unique stipulation: if the challenger was smaller than the champion, and lasted for 15 minutes, they would win the title. It could also change hands on a countout. The first champion was Jun Akiyama, who declared himself champion and defended it against various opponents. The title was later held by stars such as Naomichi Marufuji, Muhammad Yone, 2 Cold Scorpio, and Kenta Kobashi.
In 2007, the title was reformed into a tag team title, continuing with the same lineage as the original belt. The first tag team champions were Kishin Kawabata and Kentaro Shiga, who defeated Go Shiozaki and Shuhei Taniguchi in a tournament final. Later that year, Kawabata defeated Shiga to reunify the title as a singles championship.
The last champion was Kenta Kobashi, who won the title in 2009 and defended it four times before vacating it due to injury. The title has remained inactive since then, until now.
The revival of the GHC Hardcore Openweight Championship was announced by NOSAWA Rongai, who came out to the ring on the debut episode of Monday Magic. He revealed that a new champion will be crowned on the next episode, and that the title will be open to anyone who wants to challenge for it. He also said that the title will have no weight limit or rules, and that it will be the most extreme and hardcore title in NOAH.
The first challenger for the GHC Hardcore Openweight Championship was revealed to be Ninja Mack, a high-flying sensation from Texas who made his NOAH debut earlier this year. He claimed the title after defeating Terry Yaki on Monday Magic, and said that he is ready to face anyone who wants to challenge him. He also said that he wants to make history with the title and bring more excitement to NOAH.
The identity of Ninja Mack’s opponent for the GHC Hardcore Openweight Championship on October 23 is still unknown, but it is expected to be someone who can match his speed and agility. Some fans have speculated that it could be someone from outside of NOAH, such as a freelancer or a wrestler from another promotion. Whoever it is, they will have to face Ninja Mack in a hardcore match with no rules and no limits.
The GHC Hardcore Openweight Championship is one of the six active titles in NOAH, along with the GHC Heavyweight Championship, the GHC National Championship, the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship, the GHC Tag Team Championship, and the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
NOAH fans can watch Monday Magic every week on ABEMA TV or on NOAH’s official YouTube channel. The show features matches from NOAH’s top stars as well as new talents and guests from other promotions. The show also features backstage interviews, segments, and stories that build up to NOAH’s major events.
The next episode of Monday Magic will air on October 23 at 8:00 PM JST (7:00 AM EDT / 12:00 PM BST). It will feature Ninja Mack defending his newly won GHC Hardcore Openweight Championship against a mystery opponent, as well as other matches and surprises. Don’t miss this historic event as NOAH revives its hardcore legacy.
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