KENTA returns to Pro Wrestling NOAH for one night.
During Friday’s New Japan World Tag League event in Sendai, NOAH’s Kenoh made an unannounced appearance to confront KENTA and issue a challenge for its New Year event on January 1.
KENTA accepted the challenge with NOAH promoting the 1-on-1 match at Nippon Budokan which will be KENTA’s first match with the group in two years.
The 43-year-old started his career as a product of the All Japan system but was among the sea of talent to follow Mitsuharu Misawa in 2000 to form NOAH. KENTA became the company’s signature junior heavyweight alongside partner and rival Naomichi Marufuji.
After three reigns as GHC Jr. Heavyweight Champion, he rose to become its heavyweight champion and held the title for nearly one year in 2013. The next year, KENTA signed with the WWE and moved to the U.S. where he competed as Hideo Itami.
His home promotion has been New Japan Pro Wrestling since leaving WWE in 2019.
NOAH The New Year will be headlined by Kaito Kiyomiya defending the GHC Heavyweight Championship against Taishi Ozawa along with WWE’s Shinsuke Nakamura facing Ulka Sasaki in the top matches.
