Dec 17, 2024
I don't have a scanner but took some of these from my AXIZ photobook
seen from United States
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I don't have a scanner but took some of these from my AXIZ photobook
credit: Kanae
I'm so happy AXIZ is reunited! 💖
here are the quick facts about axiz for those who want the lowdown but don't watch noah (go subscribe to wrestle universe!!)
this is katsuhiko nakajima, the "mad wolf"
he's a short king wild boy from a tumultuous childhood, and a genius at striking offense with a background in martial arts and MMA since he was literally 14 or something
it doesn't matter how tall you are, he's swingin
he's burned countless bridges before, one being his ex-tag team and now current tag team partner, mr. "i am noah" himself, go shiozaki
he's the tallest smol you'll ever meet with a real tragic past, loyal to a fault (and loves cute things like desserts and using cute emoticons, has 7 cats and a dog, and is unironically a kpop stan).
this is him in my favorite shirt of his that he likes to wear
anyway they were in a tag team called axiz and they used to be like this:
and like this:
anyway, the main thing is that they were homies.
they also had three specially produced photobooks with lore.
by the way, if you have twitter, give Hi5ame a follow; they are literally a godsend for the NOAH fandom.
as i mentioned, nakajima tends to burn bridges and the surrounding 50km radius. he turned on shiozaki when he believed that go had no "use" for him. in fact, nakajima turns on his partners when he feels they no longer rely on him.
he betrayed go to join kenoh's stable, kongo in august 2020. worth noting that the reason why he teamed with shiozaki in the first place was that he betrayed his ex-partner masa kitamiya earlier in 2018. anyway, no matter how kitamiya feels, nakajima is in kongo now.
at the time, it seemed like nakajima was the odd man out, the lone wolf of the group, but over 2 and half years, it appeared that the wolf had found his pack. there was even a haircut episode (iykyk)
in particular, he bonded with kenoh the most. nakajima and kenoh were rivals, but they had also become bros outside of just hating The Company and ragging on shiozaki
in a way, nakajima stumbled into what he needed the most. friends who understood him, who lived through the struggles of noah as he did. but the thing is, despite finally finding a faction that seemed to suit him and want him, nakajima couldn't be happy. not when he and kenoh's try at the tag belts failed. inadvertently rubbing salt in the wounds, kenoh's other tag belt endeavors with other members of kongo succeeded.
so, on may 4, 2023, during a 6-man tag between kongo (katsuhiko nakajima, kenoh, manabu soya) and noah's main unit team of kaito kiyomiya, yoshiki inamura, and go shiozaki, in what was go's comeback match after 8 months of being sidelined with injury, kongo utterly and thoroughly crushes the hope of the returning shiozaki.
further humiliating him in the ring, nakajima mocks shiozaki on the mic, wondering where the strong ace of noah's past went. before him is a weak and pathetic man.
and that's exactly why nakajima lifts up his hand to deliver the final blow...
...and offer to team up. because shiozaki needs nakajima. shiozaki would be nothing but dependent on nakajima. nakajima will be irreplaceable.
leaning on none other than shiozaki's surgically-repaired shoulder, nakajima poses, hearkening back to classic axiz. and shiozaki, a head taller than nakajima, nearly crumples to half his height, clinging to nakajima in a grateful and emotional embrace, so happy to have katsuhiko back.
(source: pro wrestling noah global twitter)
the thing about axiz's catchphrase is that they are "homies now and forever." and bless him and his loyalty, shiozaki took it to heart. in the two and half years axiz had broken up, go had never changed his twitter bio. he's always been repping AXIZ (and also bts lmao). he'd always been hoping that nakajima would return to his side.
(source: x)
and in the backstage, nakajima makes it clear, saying, "kongo doesn't need me anymore. kenoh doesn't need me anymore. i don't need him anymore either."
kenoh, of course, ain't happy. deeply hurt by this betrayal (and losing nakajima to go shiozaki!!! of all people!!!), he calls nakajima a "traitor." things are gonna get real spicy, especially as the fallout of axiz's reformation begins to settle.
if you're interested in what comes next:
subscribe to wrestle universe! things are just getting started!
Them 💛🤍
Not to sound somewhat melodramatic but watching the NOAH New Year show has only reminded me that I will absolutely never get over Axiz breaking up 😱😭 Neverrrrrrrrrrrrr! 😭
AXIZ REUNITED?? MY BLORBO-IN-LAW TAG TEAM REUNITED???