The NEVER Openweight Title. A title with an illustrious history of hard-hitters, technical vice grips, and sometimes a mix of the two. In the past two years the NEVER Openweight title has largely gone to the same group of people including Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto, and Shingo Takagi. After a trip to the United States with Jay White, and what seems to be Ishii's last ride into the sun, the question now becomes: Who will step up next to the NEVER Openweight Title? ----------------------------------------------------------

To start with, EVIL still wins the title from Tomohiro Ishii at Night One of Wrestle Kingdom. On the January 29th date of the New Years Golden Series, EVIL was set to defend his title in a marquee rematch with Tomohiro Ishii. However, the battle between House of Torture and CHAOS would blow up once again, with the refs finally having enough of the two sides: a double DQ would be called, the match ruled a draw. It was evident that Tomohiro Ishii had enough judging that he demanded a microphone and couldn't wait until his post-match comments to speak.

Ishii: "I'm sick of this shit, EVIL! I'm done with having to fight in a tag team match each night, and I'm ready to finally face you. I want to face you in a special match, since it's New Japan's 50th Anniversary after all. Korakuen Hall, I want you in a Cage Match EVIL!" The crowd gasps and cheers for this prospect; finally EVIL will get his comeuppance!

EVIL: "You're on, fat bastard.".

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NJPW New Years Golden Series Final Korakuen Hall Show: NEVER Openweight Title Cage Match ~ EVIL (c) vs. Tomohiro Ishii

This match was an old-school blood brawl to its finest. Both men would leave the match with massive bloody faces, and both would take many shots against the hard and unforgiving steel cage. At one point in the match, Dick Togo would shout at Ishii at the cage door to try and distract his partner's opponent. This would turn out poorly for Dick as Ishii would drag him inside the cage and absolutely rock him with a headbutt! With EVIL's only benefactor now eliminated, things seemed to be going up for Ishii - until EVIL rocked him with a headbutt of his own! Realizing the opportunity at hand, EVIL would pick him up and hit a massive Everything is EVIL STO on Ishii, and then pick up the huge pinfall victory!

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WINNER ~ AND STILL NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPION: EVIL ~ Time: 19:11

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EVIL would flaunt his victory following the match and grab a microphone for his manager and mouth-piece, Dick Togo.

Dick Togo: "He's done it again, Korakuen! EVIL has defeated the obese hero you've worshipped for years, and now he is THE standard-bearer for this title! I know it makes you absolutely sick to think about, doesn't it?" Togo stops for a moment, basking in the reactions. "All it does is make me grin from ear to ear." He grins, and then points towards the entrance-way. "Hey, all of you back there. I've been listening to what you've been saying in your post-match comments. All of us have, in fact. So how about this: instead of sitting on your asses and talking to the press, trying to be this company's next poster-boy, you come out here and fight your reigning NEVER Openweight Champion!" With that, the microphone is put down and the two walk to the locker-room.

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Part 1.B: NJPW Big Fight Series/New Japan Cup:

On the first day of the Big Fight Series, the same show in which EVIL would defend against former Los Ingobernales de Japon stablemate Hiromu Takahashi, two suit-claden men would come out to the Korakuen Hall crowd: Go Shiozaki and Masa Kitamiya of Pro Wrestling NOAH! The two had previously been seen at Night 3 of Wrestle Kingdom representing NOAH against House of Torture. The rivalry between NOAH and New Japan was certainly not slowing back down if this is any evidence.

Go Shiozaki spoke first, and announced that he wanted to face Kazuchika Okada for the first time since 2009. He wanted to not only take the title back home to NOAH, but he wanted to be the one the New Japan Cup winner would face. With the crowd excited, Masa Kitamiya would make his announcement: He was going to face EVIL for the NEVER Openweight Title on the final night! EVIL would express his disgust with someone from outside the company being given a shot at his title, but said that he would 'destroy them nonetheless.'

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Big Fight Series Final Night: NEVER Openweight Championship: EVIL (c, v.2) vs. Masa Kitamiya (Pro Wrestling NOAH)

This match would be a ruthless show of agression between the two competitors. Masa Kitamiya looked incredibly hungry for a huge title win here, and EVIL was coming out swinging before the bell had even rang, racing towards Kitamiya before he could finish his entrance and attacking him on the ramp! The match would primarily see EVIL trying to wear down the neck and head of Kitamiya, whereas Kitamiya would try to wear down the back and the legs of EVIL; both using very impactful moves to do this, obviously. When it came down to it, a headbutt battle straight from the 2000s would determine it between these two heavyweight monsters... and Masa Kitamiya would come out the winner of it! Wrestling the likes of Kazuyuki Fujita and Takashi Sugiura obviously helped him out here, and wrestling someone like Kazushi Sakuraba would help him out to win the match as a Sasorigatame would be what put EVIL away! NOAH wins the NEVER Openweight Title!?

WINNER ~ AND NEW NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPION: Masa Kitamiya! Time: 15:21

Masa would pose for pictures with the belt following the match, and not say much during his post-match comments backstage. Go Shiozaki wouldn't be nearly as lucky, as Kazuchika Okada would flip the script in the main event and retain his IWGP World Heavyweight Title.

Before we continue, there's one small note that I'd like to mention regarding the New Japan Cup. In the second round of the event, BULLET CLUB would collide (or BULLET CLUB and House of Torture, depending on how you see it) as KENTA would defeat SHO. This will come into play later, so be patient.

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Part 1.C: NOAH Takes The Belt

At NOAH's Full Throttle in Yokohama event in the Spring, Seiki Yoshioka would do the very same thing that Masa Kitamiya did to get his title shot: Dressed in a suit and tie, he would come to the ring and propose a challenge to the Junior's much larger foe with the title on the line. For those that may not know Seiki Yoshioka, he is a very, very hard hitting/hard kicking Junior that is currently affiliated with STINGER group alongside Yoshinari Ogawa, HAYATA, and Yuya Susumu. That match would take place only a week later, at NOAH's Grand Voyage in Yokhama event, live from the Yokohama Budokan. Despite Seiki doing the absolute best that he could against Kitamiya, even getting an outside assist from Yoshinari Ogawa, he couldn't quite beat the beast before him.

After the match however, a familiar face to all of the NOAH audience, and some of the New Japan audience would emerge as Masa Kitamiya's next challenger: Kazuyuki Fujita. A man who embodies what the NEVER Openweight Title has been brought to be about: Hard hitting action.

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Mitsuharu Misawa Memorial Show 2022 ~ NEVER Openweight Title Match: Masa Kitamiya (c) vs. Kazuyuki Fujita

100 Miles Per Hour is the only thing that can describe this match. Not in the way that they were fast, but in the way that they couldn't stop going at one another. Kazuyuki Fujita proved that he could still go with the best of them, taking the beating to Masa in the opening of the match. By the end of the match, however, Masa's youth and stamina would prove beneficial as one massive headbutt later and Fujita would be out for the 3 count.

WINNER ~ AND STILL NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPION: Masa Kitamiya! Time: 13:21

Following the match, KENTA, the man who would turn on Pro Wrestling NOAH a second time after aligning himself with them, would come out and challenge Masa for the belt, stating he wanted to take it away from NOAH and bring it back to his home territory: BULLET CLUB.

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Cyberfight Festival 2022 ~ NEVER Openweight Championship: Masa Kitamiya (c) vs. KENTA

The present and the future would collide in this huge matchup, as KENTA would look to take the NEVER title back from Masa Kitamiya. He would succeed in that after using his normal kick based offense, and nailing a massive Go 2 Sleep to finish him off.

Following this, KENTA would not defend the title again in NOAH, but would make a few appearances here and there.

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END PART 1