The Great Voyage (2016)

## Great Voyage (2016)

Promotional poster featuring various NOAH wrestlers

**Great Voyage (2016)** were a series of events promoted by Pro Wrestling NOAH annually since 2000. In 2016, NOAH produced four events under the Great Voyage name that were on different days. The events featured a lot of title matches that were contested for GHC championships. These were the eleventh under the Great Voyage name. These were eleventh under the Great Voyage name. The event featured the storyline of Pro Wrestling Noah battling against Suzuki-gun.

## Production

### Storylines

The Great Voyage shows featured several professional wrestling matches and each that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.

#### Yokohama

On December 23, at Destiny Sugiura turned on Naomichi Marufuji and Noah and joined Suzuki-gun. Following Sugiura’s betrayal, Noah's President Akira Taue dismantled all of Noahs stables in order to unite the promotion against Suzuki-gun. He also dismissed Takashi Sugiura from his position as a chairman, talent relations, within Noah. With that it was announced that Marufuji would defend his newly won GHC Heavyweight Champion against Sugiura.

On December 23, following Takashi Sugiura's betrayal, Shiozaki announced that he wanted to join the promotion in its battle with Suzuki-gun, Marufuji; however, turned down his offer. Following Destiny, Marufuji announced that Yoshinobu Kanemaru would make his return after three years leaving the promotion for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) in 2013. Afterwards, both Shiozaki and Kanemaru began feuding with El Desperado and Minoru Suzuki. Prior to the event, Minoru Suzuki teased the possibility of there being another traitor within Noah.

Follwoing Destiny, Nakajima formally announced that he wanted to be apart of Noah once and for all, after years of being in Diamond Ring, and seeks to bring the GHC Tag Team Championship back to Noah alongside Muhammad Yone. Taue then formally announced that he has accepted Katsuhiko Nakajima’s offer to join Noah.

On December 23, Taiji Ishimori defeated Taichi to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship for his second time. Following the event, Kenoh, who defeated his tag team partner Hajime Ohara challenged Ishimori to a title match.

In the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match, Noah's Momo no Seishun (Atsushi Kotoge and Daisuke Harada) made their first title defense against Suzuki-gun (Taichi and Taka Michinoku). Michinoku and Taichi challenged the team after refering themselves to be the successful duo of "TAKA-Taichi".

#### Kourakuen

After the Great Voyage in Yokohama, Sugiura started to feud with Katsuhiko Nakajima, Nakajima stated that he would accept the match without hesitation. Earlier Sugiura stated that would be a “stupid move for Nakajima to join NOAH so late with NOAH not having too much time”; However, Nakajima had his own response that he will not hold anything back if given the chance to compete for the GHC Heavyweight Champion.

After the event, Maybach Taniguchi and Go Shiozaki announced that they would be re-forming their tag alliance from the past. Maybach also dropped the Maybach mask and reverted to his birth name. Shiozaki stated that he and Taniguchi would become a force that Noah needed. Shiozaki also stated that they both want to aim the GHC Tag Championship, but that he also had his eyes set on taking on Sugiura for the GHC Heavyweight Championship as well.

After Yoshinobu Kanemaru revealed himself as the traitor within, and joining Suzuki-gun, it was announced that Kanemaru would challenge Taiji Ishimori for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion. Kanemaru defeated Ishimori to win the championship, afterwards Noah announced a rematch.

#### Osaka

On May 4 after Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Hajime Ohara to retain the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship, Kumano confronted the Kanemaru, which led to NOAH granting him his first-ever shot for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship.

On April 30 after Harada and Kotoge retained the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship against Suzuki-Gun Taichi and Taka Michinoku, Ohara and Kenoh challenged Harada and Kotoge.

From April 21 to May 4, Marufuji took part in the 2016 Global Tag League with Toru Yano, who took part despite being mainly a competitor in New Japan Pro Wrestling. The pair got eight points, good enough for second in the block, and ultimately avenged a loss by defeating Killer Elite Squad in the finals. As a result of winning the tag league, the duo won a shot at the GHC Tag Team Championships held by Killer Elite Squad.

On January 31, Shiozaki's tag team partner Yoshinobu Kanemaru turned on him and joined Suzuki-gun. At the end of the show, Marufuji, after losing the GHC Heavyweight Championship to Sugiura, finally accepted Shiozaki's help in the war between Noah and Suzuki-gun. Afterwards after Katsuhiko Nakajima unsuccessfully challenged Sugiura, Shiozaki challenged him to a title match.

#### Yokohama Vol.2

On September 23, after Takashi Sugiura defended the GHC Heavyweight Championship against Masa Kitamiya, Katsuhiko Nakajima challenged Sugiura to a title rematch, which Sugiura accepted.

At NJPW's King of Pro-Wrestling, after Katsuyori Shibata defeated Kyle O'Reilly to retain the NEVER Openweight Championship, Go Shiozaki challenged Shibata to match. The match was announced to take place on October 23.