Destiny (2005)

Promotional poster for the event, featuring various NOAH wrestlers

**Destiny** was a major professional wrestling event produced by Pro Wrestling Noah. The event took place on July 18, 2005 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, and marked Noah's second event to take place in the arena, after 2004's Departure and the first event under the Destiny name.

The main event was marketed as the last match between longtime rivals Toshiaki Kawada and Mitsuharu Misawa, who, once both signed to All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), had since gone separate ways, with Kawada remaining in All Japan and Misawa leaving to form Noah.

In other major matches on the event, Kenta Kobashi faced Kensuke Sasaki, which marked Sasaki's first appearance in his future home promotion, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru defended the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship against Kenta. The show featured participation from other promotions, including New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), with Hiroshi Tanahashi representing the promotion to challenge Takeshi Rikio for the GHC Heavyweight Championship.

## Background

### Storylines

Throughout the 1990s Toshiaki Kawada and Mitsuharu Misawa had been regarded as the two top stars of the popular All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotion, with both men regularly headlining shows with and against each other, and feuding over the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship throughout the decade. After owner and promoter Giant Baba died in 1999, Misawa inherited the position of AJPW president, however, after numerous disagreements with Baba's widow Motoko, he was removed from his position by a board of executives the following year and subsequently left All Japan Pro Wrestling in May 2000. Following Misawa's resignation, almost the entirety of the roster followed him in leaving and formed Pro Wrestling Noah the same year. Kawada was one of only four wrestlers to remain with All Japan, leaving him, Masanobu Fuchi, Stan Hansen and Maunakea Mossman as the sole roster of the promotion. By 2005, Kawada signed a contract with Dream Stage Entertainment, the parent company of PRIDE Fighting Championships, which allowed Kawada to work for any promotion he chose to, and opened the door for an appearance in Noah. For the first time ever, Kawada appeared in Noah on April 24, 2005 and called out Misawa for their first public meeting in over five years. Kawada challenged Misawa to "one more match" in the Tokyo Dome, which Misawa accepted, and the match was set for July 18 at Destiny, Noah's biggest event to date.

After ending Kenta Kobashi's 735 day-long GHC Heavyweight Championship reign on March 5, 2005, Takeshi Rikio successfully defended the title against Akitoshi Saito before New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW)'s then-current IWGP U-30 Openweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi was named as his next challenger.

Having recently left NJPW for the second time in his career, Kensuke Sasaki was once again a freelancer primarily competing in AJPW and announced his intention to compete in Noah in mid-2005. He was soon confirmed to be facing Kenta Kobashi, in what was promoted as a "dream match". It marked Sasaki's first ever appearance in the promotion.

## Aftermath

Destiny would be the last time Kawada and Misawa shared a ring with each other, and the last time Kawada would appear in Noah until October 2009. Misawa died after an in-ring accident in June 2009, and Kawada would return for the Misawa memorial show.

3 years after his first appearance in Noah, Kensuke Sasaki announced his intentions to make it his own promotion, and began competing in both Noah and his own promotion Kensuke Office exclusively from 2008 onwards.

## References

1. ↑ Funk, Terry (2006). *Terry Funk: More Than Just Hardcore*. Sports Publishing LLC, 217. ISBN 1-59670-159-5.
2. ↑ Hornbaker, Tim (2006). *National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Pro Wrestling*. ECW Press, 328. ISBN 1-55022-741-6.
3. ↑ Molinaro, John F. 2000-06-15. Misawa's departure cripples All Japan . *Slam! Wrestling*. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved on 2009-06-13.
4. ↑ NOAH Navigation For Evolution 2005 - Tag 10 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database . Retrieved on 2018-12-17.
5. ↑ NOAH Encountering Navigation 2005 - Tag 15 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database . Retrieved on 2018-12-17.
6. ↑ NOAH Destiny 2005 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database . Retrieved on 2018-12-17.
7. ↑ NOAH Great Voyage 2009 In Osaka ~ Mitsuharu Misawa, Always In Our Hearts « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database . Retrieved on 2018-12-17.