SHANE HASTE RETAINS GHC HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE IN THRILLER VS KENTA
- 50 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Knowing that Pro Wrestling NOAH Legacy Rise 2026 would be on around 5:00 AM EST on Wrestle Universe, I decided to tough it out and get up early to watch the full show.
I slept through two alarms and got up at 7AM instead.
Thankfully, I was able to turn on in time to see the full main event for the GHC Heavyweight Title, the one match I really wanted to see, between White Raven Squad members KENTA and the champion Shane Haste.
Haste, who had won the GHC Heavyweight Title 11 Days earlier at Spring Mayhem Ryogoku on May 2 from Yoshiki Inamuri, wanted this matchup badly, facing the man who not only brought him back to NOAH, but an inspiration to him in KENTA.
13 years ago, KENTA defended the GHC Heavyweight Title in a match against Haste on September 7, 2013, and defeated him in a classic following a vicious STF. Haste never forgot that moment.
Both men brought it in an epic match.
A figurative tug-of-war, both champion and challenger really brought it. KENTA’s legendary strikes were on display, but one moment really shifted the match.
On the arena floor, KENTA was leveling Haste with kicks and strikes. When KENTA went to whip Haste into the guardrail, the TMDK legend held onto the ringpost with pure power. After three attempts, Haste pulled KENTA into the ringpost hard.
Haste fought through several of KENTA’s big moments, including the infamous STF. Haste, who knew what happened a decade earlier, gritted his teeth and fought through the pain.
Following both men hitting each other with a Go To Sleep and a Buisuku Knee Strike, KENTA demanded inner glory and fighting spirit from his White Raven Squad teammate. Haste obliged.
One Black Swan later, and Haste got the three count, making his first successful defense of the GHC Heavyweight Title.
It’s been a long road to the top for the Australian veteran. Primarily a tag team specialist with Mikey Nicholls in TMDK, including two GHC Tag Team Title reigns and a former IWGP Tag Team Champion, as well as being Slapjack in Retribution (don’t care, I genuinely loved the mask he had and dug the talent in the group), Haste has rededicated himself to the best shape of his career and an absolutely enthralling singles performer.
Pro Wrestling NOAH has reinvigorated my passion for wrestling, and with Haste on top, the sky for the ark has never been brighter.
Bankie Bruce
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