Hirooki Goto celebrated his 30th birthday today by receiving a special cake from female members of staff at New Japan headquarters. Goto blew out the candles, looking a little embarrassed by all the attention, before commenting. For him, like many, the age of 30 is a turning point and he realizes he still has much to do in pro wrestling. Unlike in other sports, where 30 can be seen as past your prime, it is still the age of many “young men” in pro wrestling and just the start of a maturing career. Goto brought up his unexpected loss to Sugiura in Osaka as an example of how he needs to work harder to reach the very top and is looking forward to improving on what has been quick and remarkable progress in his career.

New Japan has announced its schedule for September with the “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN GENERATION” tour. The big show will be the customary stop at Kobe World Hall but the tour opener will be a special show promoted by Nagata, an achievement he managed a couple of years ago in his local Togane. Nagata announced that Akebono will return to New Japan after a long time away and appear specially on the event.

CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN GENERATION
- 9/12 “NAGATA PRODUCE - BLUE JUSTICE! 2009″ @ Togane Arena
- 9/13 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall
- 9/14 @ Chichibu Cultural Sports Center
- 9/16 @ Chikuma City Togura Gymnasium
- 9/19 @ Okayama Orange Hall
- 9/20 @ Matsuyama City Community Center
- 9/21 @ Wel Sunpia Kochi
- 9/22 @ Gifu Industrial Hall
- 9/27 @ Kobe World Hall

A couple more cards for the main July series have been announced, just house shows…

NJPW, 7/16/09
TONYAMACHI Big Sight

1. Manabu Nakanishi, Takao Omori & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Giant Bernard, Val Venis & Karl Anderson
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata & Hirooki Goto vs. Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Jado
3. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Toru Yano
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Wataru Inoue, Koji Kanemoto, Milano Collection AT & Taichi

NJPW, 7/18/09
Muroran City Gymnasium

1. Manabu Nakanishi, Takao Omori & Wataru Inoue vs. Val Venis, Karl Anderson & Jado
2. Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Giant Bernard & Tomohiro Ishii
3. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Masahiro Chono, Koji Kanemoto, Milano Collection AT & Taichi

As well as cards for the “NEW JAPAN LIVE 2DAYS ~2NIGHT’S THE NIGHT~” mini-tour that follows it. There’s also another “Leonis” card schedule for July 21st in Sapporo, the mini-brand’s first landing in that area.

NJPW, 7/22/09
Asahikawa Local Industry Promotion Center

1. Apollo 55 vs. Unione I: Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Milano Collection AT & Taichi
2. GBH vs. CHAOS I: Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Toru Yano
3. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi & Takao Omori vs. Giant Bernard, Val Venis & Karl Anderson

NJPW, 7/23/09
Hakodate Citizen Gymnasium

1. Apollo 55 vs. Unione II: Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Milano Collection AT & Taichi
2. GBH vs. CHAOS II: Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Toru Yano
3. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Wataru Inoue vs. Giant Bernard, Val Venis & Karl Anderson

Liger today returned to NOAH for the first time since the company’s May Budokan show, where he and Kanemoto faced Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Genba Hirayanagi. Today he faced Atsushi Aoki, who recently fared so well in the Super Jr. tournament, and defeated Aoki in the 8th match of the young man’s trial series.

NOAH, 6/22/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,100 Fans - Super No Vacancy

- Atsushi Aoki Flash Series 8th: Jushin Thunder Liger beat Atsushi Aoki (13:45) by pinfall.

Hiroshi Tanahashi will make his V1 defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Title against NOAH’s Takashi Sugiura on July 20th at the Tsukisamu Alpha Court Dome (formerly the Tsukisamu Green Dome) in the first ever New Japan vs. NOAH match for the IWGP Heavyweight Title. This comes after Sugiura scored a big win over Hirooki Goto in Osaka the other day and is a big match for Sugiura to try and elevate himself up the ladder having become the main presence on the NOAH side in the New Japan vs. NOAH feud of late. Also on the show will be Tiger Mask’s V4 defense of the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title against Super Jr. winner Koji Kanemoto, Tiger finally able to shake off the threat of Black Tiger(s) after eliminating two generations of the persona this year. Cards for all but two of the other shows have also been announced, with some interesting matches, most noticeably the return of Masahiro Chono as a regular in many main events, perhaps hinting that he will return to the G1 Climax this year.

New Japan also announced a special Korakuen Hall show for April 30th called “GET OUT OF MY WAY -JG20FTW-”, a 20th anniversary performance for one of wrestling’s most famous tag teams, Jado & Gedo. Gedo has missed much of the year with a spinal injury so could be back by then.

NJPW, 7/5/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA vs. Milano Collection AT & Taichi
2. Tomoaki Honma vs. Toru Yano
3. Hirooki Goto vs. Kazuchika Okada
4. Manabu Nakanishi & Takao Omori vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
5. Yuji Nagata vs. Tomohiro Ishii
6. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Togi Makabe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Takashi Iizuka
7. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tiger Mask vs. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto
8. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin (c) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt

NJPW, 7/10/09 (SXW)
Chiba Port Arena Sub Arena

1. Manabu Nakanishi, Takao Omori & Kazuchika Okada vs. Giant Bernard, Val Venis & Karl Anderson
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Jado
3. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Toru Yano
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Tiger Mask vs. Masahiro Chono, Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto

NJPW “~THE STAR FESTIVAL IN MAEBASHI~”, 7/12/09
Green Dome Maebashi Sub Arena

1. Yuji Nagata, Tomoaki Honma & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii & Jado
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Togi Makabe vs. Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka
3. Manabu Nakanishi, Takao Omori & Yutaka Yoshie vs. Giant Bernard, Val Venis & Karl Anderson
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Masahiro Chono, Milano Collection AT & Taichi

NJPW, 7/14/09
Fukushima City Gymnasium

1. Riki Choshu, Jushin Thunder Liger & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Giant Bernard, Val Venis & Karl Anderson
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Yuji Nagata vs. Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii
3. Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano & Jado
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Masahiro Chono, Manabu Nakanishi, Milano Collection AT & Taichi

NJPW, 7/15/09
Miyako City Gymnasium Sea Arena

1. Hirooki Goto & Tiger Mask vs. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata, Takao Omori & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Takashi Iizuka, Giant Bernard, Karl Anderson & Tomohiro Ishii
3. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Toru Yano
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Manabu Nakanishi, Milano Collection AT & Taichi

NJPW, 7/16/09
TONYAMACHI Big Sight

NJPW, 7/18/09
Muroran City Gymnasium

NJPW, 7/20/09 (WPW)
Tsukisamu Alpha Court Dome

1. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Yuji Nagata, Hirooki Goto & Mitsuhide Hirasawa
2. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tiger Mask (c) vs. Koji Kanemoto
3. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Takashi Sugiura

The year of Hiroshi Tanahashi is back on track, the young ace of New Japan today ending Manabu Nakanishi’s one month reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion and winning back the belt he lost at Korakuen Hall in May. A near packed house of 5,800 fans watched the show and were hot throughout it, particularly for the main event where they favoured long-time Osaka favourite Nakanishi. However, after Tanahashi dropped his High Fly Flow to end the half hour match, the fans cheered him and showed they accept him as the company leader. After his win, Tanahashi was confronted by Takashi Sugiura, the NOAH stalwart having scored a relative upset over Hirooki Goto earlier in the show. Tanahashi treated the invader lightly but Sugiura’s victory over Goto would seem to set up a big interpromotional match as Tanahashi’s V1 defense in Sapporo before the G1.

In the battle of former tag partners, Toru Yano upset Togi Makabe in what was a bloody match, but needed Nakamura’s help en route to a big win. Team 3D continue to reign as IWGP Tag Team Champions after beating NJ-based American team, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson. It remains to be seen who can topple the world famous Team 3D, who have spent the first half of the year as champions, defending the belts in two countries. Young lion Kazuchika Okada has been showing awesome potential lately so it should come as no surprise that he made another big impression against the new GHC Heavyweight Champion, Go Shiozaki, in the sixth match. Okada didn’t go down as easily as one might expect and continued to show all the goods of a future ace candidate before falling to the Go Flasher. Tiger Mask ended another Black Tiger generation after putting the fourth generation (Rocky Romero) to rest earlier this year. The IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion made short and easy work of the fifth generation Black Tiger, who tried to cover up after being unmasked but it was clear that this was former IWGP Jr. and GHC Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Tatsuhito Takaiwa. Tiger Mask, in an accident, also had his mask fall off during the match. Super Jr. winner Kanemoto confronted Tiger after the match, their title match looking a “go” for Sapporo next month. Finally, Apollo 55 earned a rematch against the Motor City Machine Guns for the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title by beating Milano & Taichi today, Taguchi avenging his upset loss to Taichi from the recent tour climax.

NJPW “DOMINION 6.20″, 6/20/09 (WPW)
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium
5,800 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA beat Koji Kanemoto & Nobuo Yoshihashi (6:47) when AKIRA used a Musasabi press on Yoshihashi.
2. Takao Omori & Yutaka Yoshie beat Super Strong Machine & Mitsuhide Hirasawa (5:26) when Omori used an Axe Bomber on Hirasawa.
3. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title #1 Contender Match: Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Milano Collection AT & Taichi (13:13) when Taguchi used the Dodon on Taichi.
4. Mascara Contra Mascara: Tiger Mask beat Black Tiger (4:32) with a chickenwing hold.
5. Shinsuke Nakamura, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Jado beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata, Wataru Inoue & Tomoaki Honma (12:12) when Nakamura used a knee kick on Inoue.
6. Special Singles Match - NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Diffusions I: Go Shiozaki beat Kazuchika Okada (8:28) with the Go Flasher.
7. IWGP Tag Team Title - Hardcore Rules: “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon (c) beat Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson (18:04) when Devon pinned Anderson after a super powerbomb through a table (3rd defense).
8. Special Singles Match - NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Diffusions II: Takashi Sugiura beat Hirooki Goto (14:42) with an Olympic slam.
9. Special Singles Match - Dominion’s Scepter: Toru Yano beat Togi Makabe (14:16) with the Oni Koroshi.
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Manabu Nakanishi (c) (31:18) with the High Fly Flow to become the 52nd champion.

-

NJPW, 7/5/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin (c) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt

The full card for New Japan’s next big show, “DOMINION 6.20″ in Osaka, has been announced. Two big additions and they are the battle of former IWGP Tag Team Champions, Makabe vs. Yano, and a mask vs. mask match between Tiger Mask and Black Tiger. It hasn’t been long since Tiger Mask took the previous generation Black Tiger’s mask and now he has a chance to end the fifth generation already and avenge a loss that kept him out of the Super Jr. final stages the other day.

NJPW “DOMINION 6.20″, 6/20/09 (WPW)
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium

1. Koji Kanemoto & Nobuo Yoshihashi vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA
2. Super Strong Machine & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Takao Omori & Yutaka Yoshie
3. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title #1 Contender Match: Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Milano Collection AT & Taichi
4. Mascara Contra Mascara: Tiger Mask vs. Black Tiger
5. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata, Wataru Inoue & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Jado
6. Special Singles Match - NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Diffusions I: Kazuchika Okada vs. Go Shiozaki
7. IWGP Tag Team Title: “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon (c) vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
8. Special Singles Match - NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Diffusions II: Hirooki Goto vs. Takashi Sugiura
9. Special Singles Match - Dominion’s Scepter: Togi Makabe vs. Toru Yano
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Manabu Nakanishi (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

–> “BEST OF THE SUPER JR. XVI ~THE HARD LUCK SOLDIERS~” <--
Koji Kanemoto emerged as the somewhat surprising winner of the 2009 Best of the Super Jr. in a year when young juniors from home and away were emphasized. Kanemoto's third Super Jr. tournament win started with an easy victory over NOAH youngster Atsushi Aoki, who was put through ankle hell to the point that the referee feared for his health and stopped the match. The second semi final was a spectacular air battle between Prince Devitt and Kota Ibushi which was more competitive and ended when Devitt revealed his "new model" ("Shingata") Prince's Throne to advance. Then later in the match the two New Japan juniors, Kanemoto and Devitt, put on a fantastic 20 minute file which both showed Devitt's growth and perhaps Kanemoto's defiance in a year where it seemed he might finally be on the way down. After a Tiger suplex, Kanemoto locked Devitt in his modified ankle hold for the tap out and tournament win. Kanemoto will now go on to challenge old friend Tiger Mask for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title shortly.

Tsuyoshi Kikuchi and Atsushi Aoki stood in the center of the New Japan ring before the show began and held up a photo of the late Mitsuharu Misawa as an image of the legend showed on the monitor. While the two would normally be booed for being hostile outsiders, they were sent warm encouragement from the fans. The fans chanted "Misawa!" after the silent prayer ended and many were in tears remembering the great man. Wrestlers wore black armbands all night in tribute to Misawa.

NJPW, 6/14/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,005 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (5:28) with the Fireball bomb.
2. Taichi beat Ryusuke Taguchi (1:28) with a thrust kick.
3. Best of the Super Jr. - Semi Final: Koji Kanemoto beat Atsushi Aoki (6:27) by referee stop.
4. Best of the Super Jr. - Semi Final: Prince Devitt beat Kota Ibushi (8:14) with the Shingata Prince’s Throne.
5. Tiger Mask, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA beat Black Tiger, Jado & YAMATO (3:48) when AKIRA used a horizontal cradle on Jado.
6. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue, Milano Collection AT & Tomoaki Honma (13:14) when Nakamura used the Landslide on Honma.
7. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada beat Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa (12:47) when Goto used the Shouten on Hirasawa.
8. Best of the Super Jr. - Final: Koji Kanemoto beat Prince Devitt (19:55) with a modified ankle hold.

–> “BEST OF THE SUPER JR. XVI ~THE HARD LUCK SOLDIERS~” <--
In memory of the legendary Mitsuharu Misawa, who died after suffering cardiac arrest in the ring at today's Pro Wrestling NOAH show. Like everyone else, this is a completely mind-boggling event to me and I can't really find anything to type right now. R.I.P. Mr. Misawa (tribute banner by Xanshin)...

NJPW, 6/13/09
Kyoto KBS Hall
1,350 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Tomohiro Ishii, Karl Anderson & Jado beat Taichi, Mitsuhide Hirasawa & Kazuchika Okada (8:40) when Anderson used the Gun Stun on Hirasawa.
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue & Tomoaki Honma beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & YAMATO (9:47) when Iizuka was DQ’d.
3. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Prince Devitt beat Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata & AKIRA (11:59) when Goto used the Shouten on AKIRA.
4. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: Atsushi Aoki [8] beat Milano Collection AT [6] (11:12) by pinfall.
5. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: Black Tiger [2] beat Tiger Mask [6] (3:51) with a horizontal cradle.
6. Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Kota Ibushi [8] beat Jushin Thunder Liger [6] (16:35) with a Phoenix splash.
7. Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Koji Kanemoto [8] beat Ryusuke Taguchi [6] (17:11) with a modified ankle hold.

-

Block A:
1. Prince Devitt [8]
2. Atsushi Aoki [8]
3. Tiger Mask [6]
- Milano Collection AT [6]
- AKIRA [6]
- Jado [6]
7. Black Tiger [2]

Block B:
1. Koji Kanemoto [8]
2. Kota Ibushi [8]
3. Jushin Thunder Liger [6]
4. Ryusuke Taguchi [6]
5. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [6]
6. Taichi [4]
7. YAMATO [4]

-

NJPW, 6/14/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Nobuo Yoshihashi
2. Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Taichi
3. Best of the Super Jr. - Semi Final: Koji Kanemoto vs. Atsushi Aoki
4. Best of the Super Jr. - Semi Final: Prince Devitt vs. Kota Ibushi
5. Tiger Mask, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA vs. Black Tiger, Jado & YAMATO
6. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue, Milano Collection AT & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson
7. Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada
8. Best of the Super Jr. - Final:

–> “BEST OF THE SUPER JR. XVI ~THE HARD LUCK SOLDIERS~” <--
Only one day of group stage matches are left in this year's Super Jr. tournament and we still don't have any confirmed finalists after today. Devitt, after beating AKIRA, tops Block A decisively but his group stage matches are finished, while Tiger Mask, Milano, and Aoki -- all on six points -- have matches tomorrow. Block B isn't even worth thinking much about until tomorrow's matches (Liger vs. Ibushi and Kanemoto vs. Taguchi) are over and done with, with all four of those men -- each on six points as well -- fighting for the semi final spots. After today's "leader" confrontation between the big seniors of NJ and NOAH's junior divisions, Kikuchi can't quality as his group stage matches are over.

NJPW, 6/12/09
Toyohashi City Gymnasium #2
1,400 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Tiger Mask, Koji Kanemoto & Milano Collection AT beat Mitsuhide Hirasawa, Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi (7:12) when Milano used a thrust kick on Yoshihashi.
2. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: Atsushi Aoki [6] beat Jado [6] (10:00) with a cross armbreaker.
3. Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Kota Ibushi [6] beat YAMATO [4] (10:13) by DQ.
4. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue & Tomoaki Honma (10:58) when Nakamura used the Landslide on Honma.
5. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: Prince Devitt [8] beat AKIRA [6] (10:53) with a diving footstomp.
6. Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Jushin Thunder Liger [6] beat Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [6] (8:30) with a cradle.
7. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata & Taichi (17:50) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Taichi.

-

Block A:
1. Prince Devitt [8]
2. Tiger Mask [6]
- Milano Collection AT [6]
- AKIRA [6]
- Jado [6]
- Atsushi Aoki [6]
7. Black Tiger [0]

Block B:
1. Koji Kanemoto [6]
- Jushin Thunder Liger [6]
- Ryusuke Taguchi [6]
- Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [6]
- Kota Ibushi [6]
6. Taichi [4]
- YAMATO [4]

–> “BEST OF THE SUPER JR. XVI ~THE HARD LUCK SOLDIERS~” <--

NJPW, 6/11/09
Mie Yume Dome Ueno #2
1,150 Fans - No Vacancy

1. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Kota Ibushi beat Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi (9:31) when Ibushi used a half-nelson suplex hold on Yoshihashi.
2. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: AKIRA [6] beat Milano Collection AT [6] (11:17) with a moonsault press.
3. Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Taichi [4] beat Ryusuke Taguchi [6] (10:01) with the Black Mephisto.
4. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue, Tomoaki Honma & Mitsuhide Hirasawa (10:27) when Nakamura used a knee kick on Hirasawa.
5. Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: YAMATO [4] beat Koji Kanemoto [6] (9:40) by referee stop.
6. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: Jado [6] beat Tiger Mask [6] (10:48) by pinfall.
7. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Prince Devitt beat Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata & Jushin Thunder Liger (17:13) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Liger.

-

Block A:
1. Tiger Mask [6]
- Milano Collection AT [6]
- AKIRA [6]
- Prince Devitt [6]
- Jado [6]
6. Atsushi Aoki [4]
7. Black Tiger [0]

Block B:
1. Koji Kanemoto [6]
- Ryusuke Taguchi [6]
- Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [6]
4. Jushin Thunder Liger [4]
- Taichi [4]
- Kota Ibushi [4]
- YAMATO [4]

–> “BEST OF THE SUPER JR. XVI ~THE HARD LUCK SOLDIERS~” <--

NJPW, 6/9/09
Gifu Mount Ace
750 Fans - No Vacancy

1. Tomohiro Ishii & YAMATO beat AKIRA & Mitsuhide Hirasawa (9:41) when Ishii used a brainbuster on Hirasawa.
2. Kota Ibushi & Atsushi Aoki beat Koji Kanemoto & Nobuo Yoshihashi (8:58) when Ibushi used a half-nelson suplex hold on Yoshihashi.
3. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: Prince Devitt [6] beat Black Tiger [0] (7:20) by referee stop.
4. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Karl Anderson beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue & Tomoaki Honma (12:43) when Nakamura used the Landslide on Honma.
5. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: Milano Collection AT [6] beat Jado [2] (16:22) with a Gedo clutch.
6. Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Ryusuke Taguchi [6] beat Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [6] (11:31) with a Tiger suplex hold.
7. Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata, Jushin Thunder Liger & Taichi beat Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Tiger Mask & Kazuchika Okada (18:58) when Nakanishi used the Dai*Nakanishi German on Okada.

-

Block A:
1. Tiger Mask [6]
- Milano Collection AT [6]
- Prince Devitt [6]
4. AKIRA [4]
- Jado [4]
- Atsushi Aoki [4]
7. Black Tiger [0]

Block B:
1. Koji Kanemoto [6]
- Ryusuke Taguchi [6]
- Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [6]
4. Jushin Thunder Liger [4]
- Kota Ibushi [4]
6. Taichi [2]
- YAMATO [2]

–> “BEST OF THE SUPER JR. XVI ~THE HARD LUCK SOLDIERS~” <--

NJPW, 6/8/09
Fukui City Gymnasium
1,100 Fans

1. Atsushi Aoki beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (10:31) with a cross armbreaker.
2. Karl Anderson, Jado & YAMATO beat Ryusuke Taguchi, Mitsuhide Hirasawa & Kazuchika Okada (9:48) when Anderson used the Gun Stun on Hirasawa.
3. Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Koji Kanemoto [6] beat Taichi [2] (12:05) with a modified ankle hold.
4. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue, Jushin Thunder Liger & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Black Tiger went to a no contest (15:45).
5. Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Kota Ibushi [4] beat Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [6] (9:56) with a half-nelson suplex hold.
6. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: AKIRA [4] beat Tiger Mask [6] (10:05) with the Growing Up.
7. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Prince Devitt beat Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata & Milano Collection AT (19:20) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Milano.

-

Block A:
1. Tiger Mask [6]
2. Milano Collection AT [4]
- AKIRA [4]
- Prince Devitt [4]
- Jado [4]
- Atsushi Aoki [4]
7. Black Tiger [0]

Block B:
1. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [6]
- Koji Kanemoto [6]
3. Jushin Thunder Liger [4]
- Ryusuke Taguchi [4]
- Kota Ibushi [4]
6. Taichi [2]
- YAMATO [2]

–> “BEST OF THE SUPER JR. XVI ~THE HARD LUCK SOLDIERS~” <--

NJPW, 6/7/09
Akashi Municipal Industrial Exchange Center
1,560 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Karl Anderson beat Kazuchika Okada (7:40) with the Gun Stun.
2. Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Taichi [2] beat YAMATO [2] (9:31) with the Black Mephisto.
3. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: Atsushi Aoki [4] beat Black Tiger [0] (9:36) with a front cradle.
4. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue & Tomoaki Honma beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii (15:15) when Tenzan was DQ’d.
5. Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata & Milano Collection AT beat Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Ryusuke Taguchi (16:30) when Nakanishi used the Dai*Nakanishi German on Taguchi.
6. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: Tiger Mask [6] beat Prince Devitt [4] (11:19) with a Destroy suplex hold.
7. Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Koji Kanemoto [4] beat Jushin Thunder Liger [4] (17:27) with a modified ankle hold.

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Block A:
1. Tiger Mask [6]
2. Milano Collection AT [4]
- Prince Devitt [4]
- Jado [4]
- Atsushi Aoki [4]
6. AKIRA [2]
7. Black Tiger [0]

Block B:
1. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [6]
2. Jushin Thunder Liger [4]
- Koji Kanemoto [4]
- Ryusuke Taguchi [4]
5. Taichi [2]
- Kota Ibushi [2]
- YAMATO [2]

–> “BEST OF THE SUPER JR. XVI ~THE HARD LUCK SOLDIERS~” <--

NJPW, 6/6/09
Shinji Lake Park
1,300 Fans

1. Tiger Mask & Jushin Thunder Liger beat Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi (10:13) when Tiger used a tombstone piledriver on Yoshihashi.
2. Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson beat Super Strong Machine & Mitsuhide Hirasawa (10:59) when Anderson used the Gun Stun on Hirasawa.
3. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: Milano Collection AT [4] beat Black Tiger [0] (10:29) by DQ.
4. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Jado beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue & Tomoaki Honma (14:19) when Nakamura used the Landslide on Honma.
5. Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [6] beat YAMATO [2] (10:54) by pinfall.
6. Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: Atsushi Aoki [2] beat AKIRA [2] (15:00) with a cross armbreaker.
7. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata, Koji Kanemoto & Taichi (21:37) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Taichi.

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Block A:
1. Tiger Mask [4]
- Milano Collection AT [4]
- Prince Devitt [4]
- Jado [4]
5. AKIRA [2]
- Atsushi Aoki [2]
7. Black Tiger [0]

Block B:
1. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [6]
2. Jushin Thunder Liger [4]
- Ryusuke Taguchi [4]
4. Koji Kanemoto [2]
- Kota Ibushi [2]
- YAMATO [2]
7. Taichi [0]