Stinger is a unit in Pro-Wrestling NOAH, originally formed by Kotaro Suzuki, YO-HEY, and Yoshinari Ogawa and debuted on December 16, 2018. Their first feud began with the RATEL’S, HAYATA, a member of that unit, would later join the Stinger unit.
The Start of STINGER
Before the unit became known as STINGER, Kotaro Suzuki fired the first shots at the RATEL’S in October of 2018. Yoshinari Ogawa would join him in the feud. Suzuki would defeat Daisuke Harada for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship. Harada led the RATEL’S. Harada would request a rematch; however, Suzuki would just concede it, under the specification that if Harada lost RATEL’S would be compelled to disband.
The Great Voyage in Yokohama vol. 2, would take place on December 16, 2018. Kotaro Suzuki would lose to Harada. Harada would gain the title back. YO-HEY turned on RATEL’S favouring Suzuki and Ogawa’s side. These three men would announce themselves as STINGER. February 1, 2019, Stinger would be joined by HAYATA, who was originally part of the RATEL’S. Ogawa and Suzuki would move on to squash Hajime Ohara and Hitoshi Kumano to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. Ogawa and Suzuki would effectively guard the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship against HAYATA and Tadasuke in March. YO-HEY would later declare he needed to group with HAYATA for the quest of their third reign for the Global Junior Heavyweight Tag League.
The Turn on YO-HEY
YO-HEY by implication would announce war on his stable. This would lead to STINGER turning on YO-HEY. In May 2019, the RATEL’S would save YO-HEY from the faction. Ogawa and Suzuki participated in the 2019 Global Junior Heavyweight Tag League. On June 9, 2019, Ogawa and Suzuki vanquished HAYATA and YO-HEY to win the competition. STINGER would announce their new member. Chris Ridgeway was declared STINGER.
2020 and Beyond
New Sunrise is NOAH’s two-day pro-wrestling event. The show took place on January 4 and 5, 2020 at the legendary Koruaken Hall in Tokyo, Japan. Ogawa vanquished HAYATA to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship. Soon thereafter, all individuals from Stinger participated in the 2020 Global Junior League. Ogawa won two wins and one draw, progressing to the elimination rounds of the competition. On January 30, Ogawa was beaten by Dick Togo in the elimination rounds. That same year Kotoge and Suzuki lost the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship to HAYATA and YO-HEY. Thereafter, Ogawa effectively guarded the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship against Daisuke Harada. This event in March 2020 would end the battle with RATEL’S. Suzuki turned on Ogawa.
Later in a post-coordinate meeting, Ogawa declared the disbanding of the stable. On October 28, Stinger was beaten by KONGOH, due to Suzuki being pinned by Tadasuke. Subsequently, HAYATA and Ogawa turned on Suzuki. This would allow STINGER to become a tag team. NOAH the Best event on December 6, 2020, is one of the promotion’s major PPVs. The event took place in Tokyo, Japan at Yoyogi National Stadium Gymnasium #2. The importance of this date is that STINGER would become a faction again. Yuya Susumo would join them.
STINGER has become an important unit for the current vision of Pro-Wrestling NOAH. They have disbanded and returned. The members all provide a unique style both in the ring and style. STINGER will continue to be one of the main stable in NOAH.
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