A 12-year Pro Wrestling NOAH mainstay is saying goodbye to the promotion.
Taiji Ishimori announced that he’s leaving NOAH in a move that has stunned the Japanese wrestling community. Ishimori will now become a freelance wrestler. Under the NOAH banner, Ishimori captured GHC Junior Heavyweight gold three times. He is also a six-time GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team champion.
Ishimori had been with NOAH since 2006. Prior, he made numerous appearances for New Japan Pro Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling. Most recently, Ishimori made some appearances for Impact Wrestling and even won the X-Division title.
Why Now?
In an interview with Yahoo Sports Japan, Ishimori said that his exit from NOAH is being done with the hopes of ultimately signing with the WWE (translation via F4W Online):
“While I personally do like to fight on the front line of things, I have experienced [a] overseas expedition and [am] more interested in the outside world now. I have been at NOAH for twelve years and a wrestler for sixteen. If I do not make this decision, I will regret it unless I take the first step.”
