More matches for the upcoming “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN ISM” tour have been announced, which each card headed by Tanahashi vs. Nakamura preliminary skirmishes. You may notice that after 1/31 (contract cut-off day), RISE’s Minoru is nowhere to be found. There has been a lot of speculation about his future, and this may (or may not!) be the writing on the wall.

NJPW, 1/30/09 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Wataru Inoue, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Jado, Gedo & Tomohiro Ishii
2. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari
3. Tiger Mask & Koji Kanemoto vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & Minoru
4. Riki Choshu, Mitsuhide Hirasawa, Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomoaki Honma
5. Masahiro Chono & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yuji Nagata vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto

NJPW, 1/31/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Nobuo Yoshihashi vs. Minoru
2. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari vs. Jado & Gedo
3. Manabu Nakanishi, Koji Kanemoto, Mitsuhide Hirasawa & Kazuchika Okada vs. Takashi Iizuka, Giant Bernard, Karl Anderson & Tomoaki Honma
4. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Wataru Inoue vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii
5. Yuji Nagata & Tiger Mask vs. Hirooki Goto & Jushin Thunder Liger
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt

NJPW, 2/1/09
Tomi Fureai Gymnasium

1. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
2. Manabu Nakanishi & Wataru Inoue vs. Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii
3. Riki Choshu & Masahiro Chono vs. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata, Tiger Mask & Kazuchika Okada vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA

NJPW, 2/7/09 (Samurai! TV)
Tochigi Bunka Center Sub Hall

1. Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari
2. Manabu Nakanishi, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Giant Bernard, Jado & Gedo
3. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Wataru Inoue vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata, Tiger Mask & Koji Kanemoto vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA

NJPW, 2/8/09 (SXW)
Zepp Sendai

1. Manabu Nakanishi, Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii
2. Yuji Nagata, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Hirooki Goto, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt
3. Riki Choshu & Masahiro Chono vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tiger Mask vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Jushin Thunder Liger

NJPW, 2/10/09
Ota City Nitta Gymnasium Ex Arena

1. Manabu Nakanishi, Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari vs. Takashi Iizuka, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
2. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto vs. Togi Makabe & Tomohiro Ishii
3. Riki Choshu & Masahiro Chono vs. Toru Yano & Tomoaki Honma
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada

NJPW, 2/11/09 (Samurai! TV)
Act City Hamamatsu

1. Manabu Nakanishi, Milano Collection AT, Taichi Ishikari & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Jado, Gedo, Karl Anderson & Tomoaki Honma
2. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto vs. Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii
3. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & AKIRA vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Giant Bernard
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata & Tiger Mask vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Jushin Thunder Liger

NJPW, 2/12/09
Toyohashi City Gymnasium #2

1. Wataru Inoue & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii
2. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomoaki Honma
3. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata & Nobuo Yoshihashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada

-

The late February to late March schedule has been announced, with the New Japan Cup returning, plus a series of special Korakuen Hall shows.

- 2/29 “NEW DIMENSION” @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall
- 3/6 “STRONG STYLE 37TH ANNIVERSARY” @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall

CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN CUP ~SOUL ON THE RING~
- 3/8 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
- 3/14 @ Kuki City Gymnasium
- 3/15 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall
- 3/16 @ Tsubame Citizen Gymnasium
- 3/17 @ Kumagaya Citizen Gymnasium
- 3/20 @ Takamatsu City Gymnasium
- 3/21 @ Fukuyama Big Rose
- 3/22 @ Amagasaki Memorial Park Gymnasium

- 3/29 “EXCITING BATTLE IN OKINAWA 2009″ @ Okinawa Prefectural Budokan

Following up on Liger & AKIRA’s failure to win the BJW Tag Team Title last month, Jushin Thunder Liger will re-advance on Big Japan to face their young powerhouse, Daisuke Sekimoto. Sekimoto, a regular on PREMIUM shows, has plenty of experience against big leaguers, including a mini-feud with Nakanishi once, while on the other hand Liger has lots of experience fighting heavyweights such as Sekimoto.

BJW, 1/22/09
Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse

- Special Singles Match: Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Jushin Thunder Liger

Eternal rivals Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura collide again next month at Sumo Hall when new IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Tanahashi, faces the man who held the title this time last year. Nakamura scored back to back victories over Tanahashi in early 2008, both in title matches, so Tanahashi has the chance to do the same here. After laying out Kurt Angle following the Legend/MEM vs. GBH eight man tag yesterday, Giant Bernard looks to take the American icon’s scalp in a singles match when they collide. And another of Mistico’s great rivals, Mephisto, hits the New Japan ring to take on the pride of Mexican wrestling in a special singles match that will look to spread lucha libre to the fans of Japan.

NJPW, 1/30/09 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yuji Nagata vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto

NJPW, 1/31/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt

NJPW, 2/15/09 (WPW)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Special Singles Match: Mistico vs. Mephisto
2. Special Singles Match: Giant Bernard vs. Kurt Angle
3. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

New Japan Pro-Wrestling begans 2009 with the task of pushing a struggling industry forward, and with stars from all over said industry as well as the American industry, put on an acclaimed Tokyo Dome show today that drew the biggest crowd to the building for some time. Superstars from across the globe united for “WRESTLE KINGDOM III IN TOKYO DOME” and put on a show full of colour, variety, and interest. A story many years in the making culminated with the clash of IWGP Heavyweight Champion and teacher, Keiji Muto, battling his talented disciple Hiroshi Tanahashi in his V5 defense of the title. Muto dethroned Tanahashi’s great rival Nakamura for the belt last April and reigned supreme until today when the student finally surpassed the teacher. Half an hour of pure professional wrestling excited the fans, and at times it seemed almost certain Tanahashi was beaten, but he came back and hit two High Fly Flows for the win and title. Tanahashi took the microphone and told the fans he loves them and New Japan. When asked who he wants to be his first challenger, he shouted “Shinsuke!”, saying they have to decide who is the ace of New Japan, as he doesn’t think there is room for two. Nakamura defeated Tanahashi this time last year, then again in March, so Tanahashi clearly wants to undo that with two successive victories of his own. Nakamura confronted Tanahashi backstage and said he’d fight him any time. Muto said backstage that he has passed Tanahashi his sash after doing his best for over half a year to raise the worth of the title, and suggested he will withdraw now and leave New Japan wrestlers to move their company forward.

Shinsuke Nakamura and his cohort Hirooki Goto stood firm and defended the lion mark against NOAH boss Mitsuharu Misawa and his “bodyguard” Takashi Sugiura in a hot match that showed the thrilling nature of interpromotional conflict. This featured many heated moments, including a stage where all four were laid out on the mat after a series of finishers: Goto’s Shouten on Sugiura, Misawa’s Emerald Frosion on Goto, then Nakamura’s Landslide on Misawa. It finished with the two men who lit up the Tokyo Dome most in this match, Nakamura and Sugiura, Nakamura taking Sugiura down with a flying cross armbreaker for the tap out win. Backstage, Nakamura said they had won, plain and simple, and if any NOAH wrestlers have a problem with that, to come and complain - don’t hide. Goto called it a “perfect victory” and said he is looking forward to hearing the excuses of NOAH wrestlers. Misawa said backstage that he hopes New Japan and NOAH can continue working together in both rings this year.

“The World’s Strongest Tag Team” Team 3D, Brother Ray and Brother Devon, grasped the IWGP Tag Team Title out of MVP’s hands today, with Makabe & Yano for the second year running losing a hardcore match to the famous American team. The turning point came when Makabe hit Yano with a chain lariat by accident, leaving him prone to Team 3D, and the Dudley Death Drop finished off Makabe and meant that Team 3D add yet another title to their huge cabinet. The tragic tale of perennial underachiever Manabu Nakanishi continued in the other New Japan vs. NOAH match on the show, when he fell to GHC Heavyweight Title #1 contender, Jun Akiyama, in an entertaining sprint. Nakanishi kicked out of two Exploders at a one count, but then succumbed to the more deadly wrist-clutch variation. Akiyama made it clear that he has no intention of stepping away from New Japan opposition and put his name forward as a candidate for more matches if things are to continue.

ZERO1 ace Masato Tanaka came to the Tokyo Dome with the intention of killing two birds with one stone: avenge his October loss to Yuji Nagata and win back the World Heavyweight Title in the process. He did neither, as again Mr. Saikyo proved too strong in a shorter, but equally exciting fight today. Nagata landed a backdrop, face punch, another backdrop, then a backdrop hold to put away Tanaka for the second time running. Shinjiro Otani, who Nagata did beat in a singles match not too long ago, looked bitterly at Nagata post-match, suggesting that it could be he who challenges next. Nagata said backstage that it would cheapen ZERO1’s title for Otani to face him again so suddenly, and suggested an “out of season” Fire Festival to determine a worthy rival.

Legends of two continents united against GBH, as Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Kurt Angle, and Kevin Nash entered one by one to their theme tunes, presenting a great spectacle to fans. Chono stopped and shook hands with Angle, then Nash joined them and they followed Choshu to the ring. As expected, this was a short and fast paced match that quickly showed the characteristics of each wrestler. Angle scored the win with his ankle lock on Anderson, but right after was laid out by Bernard’s Bernard Driver. Angle said backstage that he wants to half-murder Bernard, and a singles match between the two could be on the cards in New Japan or TNA. Three months ago at Kobe World Hall, a very short IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title reign for Tiger Mask ended when he was surprisingly beaten by Low Ki. He swore revenge immediately after and achieved it today with a decisive victory over the GBH junior. Tiger won what was a very straightforward match with a modified Tiger suplex hold to regain the title for Jr. Sekigun. Tiger said he had come up with this new version of his finisher at the dojo.

The other junior tag title spilled into TNA too, as the Motor City Machine Guns, Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin, ended the dream IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title reign of NO LIMIT. This was an exciting action-packed match that ended when the Americans used their Made in Detroit finisher on Naito to lift the belts. Shelley said backstage that if anyone wants to win the title back, they are going to have to travel to America and do it in TNA. He suggested Jado & Gedo or Minoru & Devitt fly over, but said it’d be a waste of ticket cost, as they won’t win in the “Impact Zone”. Jushin Thunder Liger is no longer a teen! The legend today had his 20th anniversary match by teaming with old rival Takuma “Naoki” Sano against Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto. They pretty much sprinted out of the blocks and went back and forth until Liger busted out his old avalanche-style brainbuster on Kanemoto for the win. All four men raised each others’ arms after the match and Liger suggested taking his team with Sano to the NOAH ring shortly. He is also interested in challenging new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Tiger Mask, and trying to win the belt he hasn’t held since 2000.

Today’s show opened in style with the Japanese landing of Mexican superstar Mistico at the Tokyo Dome, as he teamed up with New Japan youngsters Taguchi and Devitt against the rudo trio of Averno, Jado & Gedo. Mistico wow’d fans with his dazzling moves and used his spectacular La Mística on countryman Averno for the tap out win. Mistico seemed to say backstage that he will be coming back to New Japan in February and wants the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title.

NJPW “WRESTLE KINGDOM III IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/09 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Dome
40,000 Fans

0. Milano Collection AT, Minoru & Taichi Ishikari beat Mitsuhide Hirasawa, Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi (6:24) when Milano used a super scrap kick on Yoshihashi.
1. Wrestle Kingdom Grand Opening VIENTO DORADO: Mistico, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Averno, Jado & Gedo (9:50) when Mistico used the La Mística on Averno.
2. Jushin Thunder Liger 20th Anniversary Match: Jushin Thunder Liger & Takuma Sano beat Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto (8:47) when Liger used an avalanche-style brainbuster on Kanemoto.
3. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title ~Tread on!!~: Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin beat Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito (c) (13:21) when Sabin pinned Naito after the Made in Detroit to become the 22nd champions.
4. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title ~Ballistic interception~: Tiger Mask beat Low Ki (c) (8:48) with a modified Tiger suplex hold to become the 56th champion.
5. Fighting Holdings Competition: Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Kurt Angle & Kevin Nash beat Giant Bernard, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson (7:09) when Angle used an ankle lock on Anderson.
6. World Heavyweight Title ~Crusade for Justice~: Yuji Nagata (c) beat Masato Tanaka (11:41) with a backdrop hold (3rd defense).
7. New Japan vs. NOAH Battle Tendencies ~the invasion~: Jun Akiyama beat Manabu Nakanishi (10:27) with a wrist-clutch Exploder.
8. IWGP Tag Team Title - Hardcore Rules: “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon beat Togi Makabe & Toru Yano (c) (15:34) when Ray pinned Makabe after the 3D to become the 52nd champions.
9. New Japan vs. NOAH Battle Tendencies ~the encounter~: Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto beat Mitsuharu Misawa & Takashi Sugiura (15:17) when Nakamura used a flying cross armbreaker on Sugiura.
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Keiji Muto (c) (30:22) with the High Fly Flow to become the 50th champion.

The TenKoji super-revival that has seen them win both New Japan’s G1 Tag League and All Japan’s Real World Tag League has been cut short. Tenzan has suffered a serious eye injury and had an urgent operation on it, forcing him off tomorrow’s Tokyo Dome show. As such, Kojima’s participation has also been shelved so we now have a direct rematch from last year of Makabe & Yano vs. Team 3D, this time for the IWGP Tag Team Title.

I’ll do my best to run live or prompt (near end of show or right after) results tomorrow. I’m a lot busier nowadays so can’t do as much live or detailed coverage as I used to, but for sure there will be a full report of tomorrow’s super-show that is going to be one of the biggest events of recent years in Japanese pro wrestling.

NJPW “WRESTLE KINGDOM III IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/09 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Dome

0. Mitsuhide Hirasawa, Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi vs. Milano Collection AT, Minoru & Taichi Ishikari
1. Wrestle Kingdom Grand Opening VIENTO DORADO: Mistico, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Averno, Jado & Gedo
2. Jushin Thunder Liger 20th Anniversary Match: Jushin Thunder Liger & Takuma Sano vs. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto
3. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title ~Tread on!!~: Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin
4. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title ~Ballistic interception~: Low Ki (c) vs. Tiger Mask
5. Fighting Holdings Competition: Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Kurt Angle & Kevin Nash vs. Giant Bernard, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson
6. World Heavyweight Title ~Crusade for Justice~: Yuji Nagata (c) vs. Masato Tanaka
7. New Japan vs. NOAH Battle Tendencies ~the invasion~: Manabu Nakanishi vs. Jun Akiyama
8. IWGP Tag Team Title - Hardcore Rules: Togi Makabe & Toru Yano (c) vs. “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon
9. New Japan vs. NOAH Battle Tendencies ~the encounter~: Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Takashi Sugiura
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Keiji Muto (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

New Japan wrestlers stepped back into the ZERO1 (which it officially became today) ring today to start 2009, the big results seeing the famous New Japan junior heel threesome of Otani, Kanemoto, and Takaiwa reunite to defeat the Complete Players when Otani pinned Gedo. After the match, 42-year-old Kanemoto surprisingly announced his marriage to 27-year-old joshi puroresu star Hikaru to big cheers. Kanemoto’s sworn friend Wataru Inoue brought out flowers to congratulate the two.

ZERO1 “GENESIS 2009″, 1/1/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- One Day Bond: Ikuto Hidaka & Minoru Fujita beat Minoru & Munenori Sawa (21:23) when Fujita used the Sasuke Sedgeway on Sawa.
- New Year Big Fight: Manabu Nakanishi beat Kohei Sato (14:56) with the Dai*Nakanishi German.
- New Year Special Match: Shinjiro Otani, Koji Kanemoto & Tatsuhito Takaiwa beat Masato Tanaka, Jado & Gedo (20:34) when Otani used a Spiral bomb on Gedo.

The Junior*Stars reunited today for Masaaki Mochizuki’s 15th anniversary special show and were victorious over very tough opposition, Mochi and Kanemoto’s old friend Shinjiro Otani. Kanemoto submitted the host of the show with an ankle hold for the win. Mochi called for all three outsiders in the main event to take part on his 1/23 show back at Korakuen, proposing he and Minoru reform the B’s, Kanemoto face a young wrestler from DRAGON GATE, and Otani battle Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa.

Buyuden “MASAAKI MOCHIZUKI 15TH ANNIVERSARY”, 12/27/08
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- Koji Kanemoto & Minoru beat Masaaki Mochizuki & Shinjiro Otani (22:48) when Kanemoto used an ankle hold on Mochizuki.

PREMIUM, 12/26/08 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,200 Fans

1. PREMIUM FUTURE I: Shinjiro Otani beat Kazuchika Okada (5:12) with a camel clutch.
2. PREMIUM FUTURE II: Manabu Nakanishi beat Shito Ueda (5:08) with an Argentine backbreaker.
3. PREMIUM FUTURE III: Yutaka Yoshie beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (4:16) with a crab hold.
4. ROAD to SUPER J-CUP “PREMIUM APPETIZER”: Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Ikuto Hidaka beat Milano Collection AT & El Samurai (13:45) when Hidaka used the Iwami Silver Mine on Samurai.
5. PREMIUM ENTRÉ: Riki Choshu & Daisuke Sekimoto beat Kohei Sato & Osamu Namiguchi (10:55) when Sekimoto used a German suplex hold on Namiguchi.
6. ROAD to SUPER J-CUP “PREMIUM POISSON”: Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA beat Ultimo Dragon & Mineo Fujita (15:23) when AKIRA used a Musasabi press on Fujita.
7. PREMIUM VIANDE ~ Ookami Gundan vs. Complete Players: Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Hiro Saito beat Masato Tanaka , Jado & Gedo (14:57) when Chono used a Shining Yakuza kick on Jado.

Here’s the final, complete card for the 1/4/09 Tokyo Dome blockbuster, with a dark match added. Nearly all of the most expensive seats have been sold out, with only cheaper ones left in any significant quantities.

NJPW “WRESTLE KINGDOM III IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/09 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Dome

0. Mitsuhide Hirasawa, Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi vs. Milano Collection AT, Minoru & Taichi Ishikari
1. Wrestle Kingdom Grand Opening VIENTO DORADO: Mistico, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Averno, Jado & Gedo
2. Jushin Thunder Liger 20th Anniversary Match: Jushin Thunder Liger & Takuma Sano vs. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto
3. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title ~Tread on!!~: Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin
4. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title ~Ballistic interception~: Low Ki (c) vs. Tiger Mask
5. Fighting Holdings Competition: Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Kurt Angle & Kevin Nash vs. Giant Bernard, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson
6. World Heavyweight Title ~Crusade for Justice~: Yuji Nagata (c) vs. Masato Tanaka
7. New Japan vs. NOAH Battle Tendencies ~the invasion~: Manabu Nakanishi vs. Jun Akiyama
8. IWGP Tag Team Title - 3WAY Hardcore Match ~Three correct answers~: Togi Makabe & Toru Yano (c) vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon
9. New Japan vs. NOAH Battle Tendencies ~the encounter~: Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Takashi Sugiura
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Keiji Muto (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

The IWGP Tag Team Title 3WAY Match has had the stakes pushed up with the addition of a stipulation - Hardcore Rules. That will make it a direct sequel to the 1/4/08 match between Makabe & Yano and Team 3D, which the TNA team won in their natural environment. This stip seems to put TenKoji at a disadvantage, but they are known for fighting against the odds with success.

Sorry for the site’s downtime, there was a DNS issue. Forum regulars may already have noticed that a few days worth of data have disappeared, hence while I’m also posting the 12/20 and 12/22 results below.

NJPW “THEORY ~CHAOS OF CHRISTMAS~”, 12/23/08 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,900 Fans

0. Tomoaki Honma beat Mitsuhide Hirasawa (8:24) with a diving headbutt.
1. Minoru beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (7:50) with a single-leg crab hold.
2. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari beat Ryusuke Taguchi & Kazuchika Okada (11:40) when Milano used a super scrap kick on Okada.
3. Tiger Mask beat AKIRA (13:32) with a Tiger suplex hold.
4. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto beat Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii (11:23) when Iizuka was DQ’d.
5. Special Tag Match ~ Wrestle Kingdom Tag Scramble: Togi Makabe & Toru Yano beat Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito (15:01) when Makabe pinned Yujiro after a union King Kong kneedrop.
6. Special Tag Match ~ Wrestle Kingdom Tag Scramble: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Jado & Gedo (15:46) when Tenzan used the Anaconda Vice on Gedo.
7. Special 6 Man Tag Match ~ Wrestle Kingdom Chaos of Trinity: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto beat Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi & Jushin Thunder Liger (20:34) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Liger.

NJPW “NEXT ~CATCH THE VICTORY III~”, 12/22/08 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,800 Fans

0. AKIRA beat Tomoaki Honma (8:10) with a backslide.
1. Wataru Inoue, Jushin Thunder Liger & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Milano Collection AT, Minoru & Taichi Ishikari (10:56) when Inoue used the Oracion Flame on Minoru.
2. Bullet Sanction: Masato Tanaka beat Mitsuhide Hirasawa (8:42) with an elbow smash.
3. NEW JAPAN NEXT: Tiger Mask beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (5:56) with a chickenwing facelock.
4. NEW JAPAN NEXT: Hirooki Goto beat Yujiro (10:24) with the Shouten.
5. NEW JAPAN NEXT: Shinsuke Nakamura beat Kazuchika Okada (6:00) with a sleeper hold.
6. NEW JAPAN NEXT: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Tetsuya Naito (13:13) with a Texas Cloverleaf hold.
7. Street Fight Anywhere Fall Match: Kantaro Hoshino beat Gedo (12:38) by pinfall.
8. Third Generation vs. GBH Elimination Match ~ Proceed to Next: Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima , Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi & Koji Kanemoto beat Togi Makabe, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Jado (28:07) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Ishii.

NJPW “ONLY ONE NIGHT ~AREA K~”, 12/20/08 (Samurai! TV)
Koshigaya Katsura Studio
1,100 Fans - No Vacancy

1. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari went to a draw (20:00) when the time limit expired.
2. Koji Kanemoto & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Minoru & Nobuo Yoshihashi (13:36) when Taguchi used a cross armbreaker on Yoshihashi.
3. Manabu Nakanishi, Tiger Mask & Kazuchika Okada beat Jado, Gedo & Tomohiro Ishii (11:09) when Tiger used a moonsault kneedrop on Gedo.
4. Manabu Nakanishi won the 15 Man Battle Royal Koshigaya (8:34) with an Argentine backbreaker on Jado. Participants: Yujiro, Tetsuya Naito, Milano Collection AT, Taichi Ishikari, Koji Kanemoto, Ryusuke Taguchi, Minoru, Nobuo Yoshihashi, Manabu Nakanishi, Tiger Mask, Kazuchika Okada, Jado, Gedo, Tomohiro Ishii & Kuniyoshi Wada.
5. JUSTICE SANCTION: Yuji Nagata beat Mitsuhide Hirasawa (9:21) with the Nagata Lock II.
6. Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA beat Togi Makabe, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomoaki Honma (14:27) when Tenzan used the TTD on Honma.
7. Special Tag Match ~ Wrestle Kingdom Signal Red: Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Wataru Inoue (16:42) when Goto used the Shouten on Inoue.

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Former IWGP Jr. Tag Team Champions, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA, ventured into Big Japan today to challenge power fighters Daisuke Sekimoto & Mammoth Sasaki for the BJW Tag Team Title. Both of the heavyweights have plenty of experience against big leaguers, Sekimoto having had that somewhat unsuccessful series against Nakanishi and Mammoth representing Apache Army against GBH, and it showed as they scored a big win. Sekimoto pinned AKIRA, but Liger wasn’t satisified and challenged him to a singles match next year! Sekimoto accepted, so a match against Liger is likely to be booked some time soon.

BJW, 12/19/08
Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium
2,400 Fans

- BJW Tag Team Title: Daisuke Sekimoto & Mammoth Sasaki (c) beat Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA (18:07) when Sekimoto used a German suplex hold on AKIRA (6th defense).

Tarzan Goto missed yesterday’s Showa Puroresu show, meaning the “New Japan vs. All Japan” tag match became “New Japan vs. All Japan & New Japan” as Liger stepped in. The heavyweight legends won a sweeping “double victory” as Chono pinned Liger after a Shining Yakuza kick just as Fuchi ate a Riki lariat and then suffered in a Scorpion Deathlock.

Showa Puroresu, 12/18/08
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,850 Fans - Super No Vacancy

- Opening Special Tag Match ~ New Japan vs. All Japan: Kotetsu Yamamoto & Kantaro Hoshino vs. Great Kojika & Great Kabuki went to a draw (10:00) when the time limit expired.
- Special Tag Match: Riki Choshu & Masahiro Chono beat Masanobu Fuchi & Jushin Thunder Liger (7:46) when Chono used a Shining Yakuza kick on Liger.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling seems to be on course to finish 2008 in black figures. This means it would be a profitable company, quite an inspiring feat when you both consider how things were not so long ago, plus the state of the industry tied in with the global economy - the latter of which has cost NOAH its national TV deal as of March ‘09 and doesn’t put New Japan out of danger with TV Asahi.

New Japan made a surprising profit in Q1 2008 with the Tokyo Dome and Sumo Hall shows, but went on to post an even larger deficit (loss) in Q2 2008. Q3 2008 saw a big jump though, with a ¥40,000,000 (US$455,000) profit posted, compared to a LOSS of ¥23,000,000 (US$260,000) this time last year.

Nagata made a successful V2 defense of his World Heavyweight Title at today’s ZERO1-MAX show at Shinjuku FACE. He downed the Tenka-Ichi Jr. Tournament winner and former dojo mate, Tatsuhito Takaiwa, after a pretty tough fight. Nagata was then confronted by who else but ZERO1-MAX ace and the man he took the belt from, Masato Tanaka, who demanded their Tokyo Dome match be a title defense. Nagata accepted and it looks all set! 01 also announced that from January their organization name will become just ZERO1.

Update: It is now official - a fifth title match has been set for the 1/4 Tokyo Dome show, as Nagata makes his V3 defense against the man he dethroned, Masato Tanaka!

ZERO1-MAX “ZERO1 DELIGHT ‘08″, 12/17/08
Shinjuku FACE

- World Heavyweight Title: Yuji Nagata (c) beat Tatsuhito Takaiwa (17:53) with a backdrop suplex (2nd defense).