Lots of news and cards today, so right to it.
- Yujiro is reverting to his full name, Yujiro Takahashi, with immediate effect. He originally used his full name before shortening it to Yujiro on the 9/2/04 “LION’S ROAD” show but his switch back is a symbol of the new growth and direction in his career.
- New Japan will at last debut its latest dojo graduate in April. He is the big Tongan who I recently posted a photo of, along with other trainees. His full name is Fale Simitaitoko, born 1/8/82 making him 28 years old. He stands at a tall 6′4″ (193cm) and weighs 249lbs (113kg) so should be one to look out for and possibly one of those rookies who moves up the card quick.
- Two long-running factions are now history. With Masahiro Chono’s exit from New Japan to become a freelancer and AKIRA also no longer being booked, Legend is dead. Choshu is still around of course but Koshinaka is long gone and Super Strong Machine is part of Nagata’s Aogi-gun. Secondly, the remnants of RISE - originally Nakamura’s faction with Goto, Minoru, Milano, and Devitt - has disbanded, with Goto and Devitt now entering the regular army, which they have pretty much been a part of for a while anyway. That leaves Sekigun, Aogi-gun, and CHAOS as the main factions, with GBH (Makabe & Honma) also existing but more as a tag team name than a faction.
- Cards have been announced for both the two show “38TH ANNIVERSARY SERIES” and the now traditional “CIRCUIT 2010 NEW JAPAN CUP ~The Perfect Generalist~“, which returns for it’s fifth installment in 2010. The anniversary tour is highlighted by a Naomichi Marufuji vs. Koji Kanemoto match for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title at Korakuen Hall, one of the few unrealized junior dream matches. Masato Tanaka and Dick Togo also continue to appear, while El Samurai makes some stops, but there is no sign of TAJIRI on any upcoming cards after his beating by Nagata.
New Japan welcomes “Strong Man”, a beastly assassin from CMLL who will be immediately thrust into the limelight when he faces Tanahashi in the first round of the New Japan Cup. At 6′0″ and 302lbs, he is a major powerhouse and will be better known to Japanese fans (or at least the few who watch IGF) as Jon Andersen from Antonio Inoki’s IGF promotion. Nowadays he is working in CMLL and heads to New Japan for his first tour, also forming a team with Nakanishi throughout it.
Last year’s New Japan Cup winner, Hirooki Goto, isn’t missing as the Korakuen card would suggest. As the reigning tournament champion, he is given a free pass into the second round.
38TH ANNIVERSARY SERIES
NJPW, 3/5/10 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Nobuo Yoshihashi
2. Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask vs. Gedo & Dick Togo
3. Manabu Nakanishi & Tomoaki Honma vs. Wataru Inoue & Mitsuhide Hirasawa
4. Yuji Nagata, Yujiro Takahashi (Yujiro) & Tetsuya Naito vs. Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Naomichi Marufuji
(c) vs. Koji Kanemoto
6. 38th Anniversary Special Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Togi Makabe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano & Masato Tanaka 
NJPW, 3/7/10 (SXW)
Act City Hamamatsu
1. Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Mitsuhide Hirasawa
2. Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai vs. Koji Kanemoto & Tiger Mask
3. Riki Choshu & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Yuji Nagata & Super Strong Machine
4. Wataru Inoue, Yujiro Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito vs. Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson
5. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Masato Tanaka
& Dick Togo
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Nobuo Yoshihashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano & Gedo
CIRCUIT 2010 NEW JAPAN CUP ~The Perfect Generalist~
NJPW, 3/14/10 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Tomoaki Honma vs. Toru Yano
2. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Tetsuya Naito vs. Karl Anderson
3. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Wataru Inoue vs. Giant Bernard
4. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Yuji Nagata vs. Yujiro Takahashi
5. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Togi Makabe vs. Tomohiro Ishii
6. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Manabu Nakanishi vs. Masato Tanaka 
7. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Strong Man
NJPW, 3/15/10
Tsubame Citizen Gymnasium
1. Manabu Nakanishi & Strong Man vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii
2. New Japan Cup Special 6 Man Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Togi Makabe vs. Toru Yano, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
NJPW, 3/16/10
Kumagaya Citizen Gymnasium
1. Manabu Nakanishi & Strong Man vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
2. New Japan Cup Special 6 Man Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Togi Makabe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii
NJPW, 3/19/10
Mito Citizen Gymnasium
1. Manabu Nakanishi & Strong Man vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito
2. New Japan Cup Special 6 Man Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Togi Makabe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka
NJPW, 3/20/10 (WPW)
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
- New Japan Cup Round 2 matches
- El Samurai participation
NJPW, 3/22/10 (Samurai! TV)
Amagasaki Memorial Park Gymnasium
- New Japan Cup Semi Finals
- New Japan Cup Final