Pro Wrestling NOAH has announced a new two-part initiative under the Neo Green Boys banner, pairing an audition and recruitment program for prospective wrestlers with a league competition for the promotion’s current rookies.
The recruitment project is designed to create an additional route into NOAH beyond conventional applications and scouting. It will be presented as a streamed program through NOAH’s YouTube channel and other platforms, giving viewers an opportunity to follow candidates as they pursue a place in the company’s training system. While NOAH has confirmed the project and its overall framework, the first streaming date has not yet been announced.
At the same time, the Neo Green Boys League will put NOAH’s young wrestlers in direct competition beginning December 5. The tournament will culminate at NOAH The New Year 2027 on January 1 at Korakuen Hall, where the two competitors with the best records will meet in the final. The eventual winner is scheduled to head overseas.
A New Audition Route for NOAH Hopefuls
The Neo Green Boys recruitment program is open to men and women between the ages of 16 and 25 who are in good mental and physical condition. Applicants already affiliated with another wrestling organization will not be eligible for consideration. The application window is set to close on November 30.
For more background on this topic, read Tetsuya Naito Retains GHC Heavyweight Championship at NOAH Wrestle Odyssey II.
Rather than simply operating as a private intake process, NOAH intends to turn the audition into a public-facing program. The concept offers aspiring wrestlers a chance to build familiarity with the audience before any possible in-ring debut, while also documenting the route candidates take toward a professional wrestling career.
Akihiro Takeda, the Director of CyberFight, NOAH’s parent company, explained that the project is intended to broaden the range of people who may see professional wrestling as a realistic goal.
“Through this audition program, I hope to encourage a wider range of people with diverse personalities to aspire to become professional wrestlers for various reasons. We want to create a situation where wrestlers are already well-known through this program by the time of their debut match. Starting with this event, we would like to create a new recruitment method, separate from general applications and scouted applicants, where they can proceed to an entrance test after going through this audition.”
The approach is notable because it places the audition process itself at the center of the project. Candidates will not simply submit an application and wait for a decision behind closed doors. Instead, the program is intended to be part of their public introduction, potentially allowing fans to become familiar with participants before they ever reach a NOAH ring.
NOAH has not announced the full format of the streamed content, including how often episodes will air, what specific evaluations candidates will undergo on camera, or how many applicants may advance through each stage. Those details remain to be revealed once the program’s first broadcast date is set.
Judges Include Keiji Muto, Naomichi Marufuji and Kenoh
The announced judging panel gives the project a strong mix of historical stature, NOAH identity and contemporary competitive perspective. Keiji Muto, also known as The Great Muta, is listed as a judge along with NOAH’s Naomichi Marufuji. Kenoh has also been named as a tentative judge.
Muto’s involvement brings one of the most recognizable names in Japanese professional wrestling into the process. Marufuji, a defining figure in NOAH’s history and one of its leading veterans, represents the company’s own standards and lineage. Kenoh’s tentative role adds another major current NOAH voice to the selection group.
The final judging is planned for March 2027. Candidates who successfully clear the final selection stage will train at the NOAH Dojo. However, NOAH has specifically emphasized that advancing through the program and entering dojo training does not guarantee a professional wrestling debut.
That distinction is important. The Neo Green Boys program can provide successful candidates with a route to the next stage of development, but the demands of dojo training and the ultimate decision on whether a trainee is ready for the ring remain separate matters. The initiative is therefore an audition pathway rather than a promise of a roster position.
For applicants, the process offers an opportunity to be evaluated within a setting connected directly to NOAH’s training environment. For the promotion, it establishes a more visible alternative to traditional recruitment methods, one that can introduce new personalities to wrestling audiences from the earliest stage of their journey.
Neo Green Boys League Begins December 5
The recruitment program looks toward NOAH’s potential future trainees, while the Neo Green Boys League will spotlight wrestlers already at the rookie level within the company. The league is set to begin on December 5 and features Hiroya Namiki, Yuto Koyanagi, Hiroto Tsuruya and RYUSEI.
Its format will be decided by the competitors’ records. The two wrestlers who finish with the best records in the tournament will advance to the final on January 1 at Korakuen Hall. That final is scheduled for NOAH The New Year 2027, placing the conclusion of the rookie competition on one of the promotion’s first major cards of the new calendar year.
The stakes extend beyond the tournament trophy or a victory in the final. NOAH has announced that the winner will head overseas, giving the league a clear developmental reward. No further details regarding the destination, timing or nature of that overseas opportunity have been announced.
The scheduled league matches are:
- December 5: Hiroya Namiki vs. Yuto Koyanagi
- December 6: Yuto Koyanagi vs. Hiroto Tsuruya
- December 10: Yuto Koyanagi vs. RYUSEI
- December 12: Hiroto Tsuruya vs. Hiroya Namiki
- December 13: Yuto Koyanagi vs. Hiroya Namiki
- December 18: Hiroto Tsuruya vs. RYUSEI
The schedule gives the league a compact run across December before its final takes place at the start of 2027. Namiki and Koyanagi are listed to face one another on both December 5 and December 13, adding a repeat meeting to the announced slate. Koyanagi is also scheduled for matches against Tsuruya and RYUSEI, while Tsuruya will meet Namiki and RYUSEI in addition to his bout with Koyanagi.
As announced, the listed matches provide the foundation for the standings race, with the two leading records earning places in the Korakuen Hall final. NOAH has not detailed any tiebreaker procedures or additional league match announcements.
Development Takes Center Stage
The two Neo Green Boys projects present different stages of the same larger objective. The recruitment program is focused on identifying people who may eventually train for a place in professional wrestling. The league, meanwhile, gives active NOAH rookies a defined competitive platform with an overseas prize awaiting the winner.
For the audition participants, the key dates are the November 30 application deadline and the final judging scheduled for March 2027. For Namiki, Koyanagi, Tsuruya and RYUSEI, the immediate focus turns to the December league schedule and the chance to finish among the top two before the January 1 final.
NOAH’s plan combines the public search for new talent with a showcase for the performers already moving through its developmental ranks. The recruitment series will aim to make prospective wrestlers recognizable before a potential debut, while the Neo Green Boys League gives its competitors a tangible destination: a Korakuen Hall final and an overseas opportunity for the tournament winner.
Further announcements are still expected regarding the recruitment program’s first stream, its episode format and the specifics of the winner’s overseas trip. What is already clear is that NOAH will close out 2026 and open 2027 with development firmly in focus, from aspiring entrants hoping to reach the dojo to young wrestlers competing to take the next step beyond it.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.