Departure (2022)

Promotional poster for the first night of the event featuring HAYATA and Shuji Kondo

## Information

### Sponsor(s)

OSG
The Reeve

### City

Tokyo, Japan

**Departure 2022** was a professional wrestling event promoted by Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah). The event took place on August 5, 2022, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. This was the twelveth event under the Departure name. The show was headlined by HAYATA defending the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship against Shuji Kondo.

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the event had some restrictions in attendance, following the declaration of the State of Emergency in Japan. The event aired live on AbemaTV online linear television service and CyberFight's streaming service Wrestle Universe.

## Production

### Background

Following the 2000 All Japan Pro Wrestling mass exodus, Mitsuharu Misawa left All Japan Pro Wrestling and formed his own promotion Pro Wrestling NOAH. Afterwards, Noah began annually the Departure event, to symbolize the anniversary of the promotion. The event aired through CyberFight's internet streaming service Wrestle Universe and second night aired on CyberAgent's Abema TV online linear television service.

#### Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

On March 30, 2020, it was initially announced that some 2020 Global Tag League shows of the tournament, while the April 15 show would be held behind closed doors, being streamed on DDT Universe, due to restrictions made by the Japanese government regarding the 2019-20 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic but it was later announced that the entire tournament would be held behind closed doors and the shows would be streamed on the DDT Universe under NOAH TV name. On April 22, the first show of the NOAH THE SPIRIT 2020 tour was held in an empty TV studio broadcast live on AbemaTV, and the rest of the shows would be canceled including ALL OUT ATTACK 2020 tour. On May 9, NOAH and their sister promotion, DDT started to promote shows at an empty TV studio being broadcast on AbemaTV under NOAH TV name. On July 18, Noah returned to held events with a limited number of fans in attendance at the Korakuen Hall.

### Storylines

Departure (2022) featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.

The Departure (2022) was main evented by HAYATA making his fouth title defense of the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship against Shuji Kondo. On July 16, 2022, HAYATA successfully defended the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship against former Stinger stablemate Seiki Yoshioka. Afterwards, Shuji Kondo confronted HAYATA and challenged him to a title match, before reminding that he was a former GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion, leading HAYATA to accept, while also claiming that he would raise the "value of the belt". On July 21, following a eight-man tag team match, between them, Kondo offered a handshake to HAYATA, which he accepted, but when Kondo was leaving, HAYATA tried to sneak attack him, which he dodged. The following day, following another tag team match, HAYATA offered another handshake to Kondo, which he accepted, before HAYATA tried to attack him and sliding out of the ring.