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NJPW "THE SPIRAL", 10/14/02 (WPW) (Buy)
Tokyo Dome 50,000 Fans - No Vacancy
1. Blue Wolf beat Toru Yano (5:59) with a Mongol slam.
It only happens once a year... wait, it happens thrice a year now. What's that? New Japan's trip to the Tokyo Dome, of course! Although it isn't as much of a novelty as it used to be, as the new plan seems to be to run at the Tokyo Dome three times per year (at least for 2002 and probably 2003), the shows still have that aura of excitement, the feeling that it is just the highest podium in pro wrestling. "THE SPIRAL" was a stacked show, especially after they added three matches before official gong time to display New Japan's military power. They weren't shown on WPW, but I saw Koshinaka & Iizuka vs. Hiro & Goto online somewhere, and it was as fun as you'd expect. The event started with a beautiful video package running through the matches, and showing some important clips, like the Foreign Army formation after Chono's epic G1 Climax win in August. You could see some empty seats in the crowd during entrances at the Tokyo Dome, but there was a healthy number assembled. The opening match saw the L.A. Dojo trio of American Dragon, Rocky Romero & Ricky Reyes make their major show debut, facing Liger, Kakihara & Tiger Mask. Liger got the fans riled up at the start, but the heat quickly died down, as per tradition with juniors in the Tokyo Dome. This was a nice opening match, but I thought it would have been better after seeing the 10/6 and 10/26 matches involving the L.A. guys, where the Havana Pitbulls especially made more of an impact. American Dragon was about the same as on those other two shows (slightly below 10/26), making no real impression unfortunately. He did have one nice explosive flurry of offense though. Liger pinned Rocky with a brainbuster in a slight anti-climax, but it was a good start to the official show. Next up was Shinya Makabe's return, as he and K-Dojo friend, Minoru Fujita, tackled Kings of the Hill, Kenzo & Tanahashi. Makabe looked beefed up and ready to go, a true heavyweight now. Tanaken almost ruined his return match though. They isolated Fujita right away, Tanahashi dunking "Little" Fujita on his head with a release German suplex. He enzuigiri'd Fujita, Kenzo hit the Hagakure, 1-2-3, it was over in 31 seconds! A furious Makabe called for a restart, and Tanaken accepted. Makabe fought almost the entire match alone, because Fujita was KO'd on the floor. As a result, it was slower than it probably would have been normally, with a lot of striking by the upstart team. The fans seemed to really admire Fujita's comeback, as he crawled to the apron and was tagged. He finally got some offense, looking sharp and very quick. When Makabe got back in, he made incredibly short work of Kenzo, a German suplex, then a Dragon suplex hold finishing off the man who almost spoiled the party. So a triumphant homecoming for Makabe. He was not as quick and fluid as before he left, but people should give him time to adapt to the newly added bulk, because Tenzan, Kojima, Nakanishi, Nagata, Kensuke, and many others had similar problems. It was IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title time next, as the new century's masked hero, Heat, made his official debut, challenging Koji Kanemoto for the belt. The singer of Heat's AWEEESOME entrance theme stood in the ring, and gave a live performance. Heat took ages to appear, and when he did, he followed a child version of himself (as Liger did earlier). He received an explosion of streamers, and looked really cool. The music though, I have to have it! I didn't hear a lot about this match before watching it, so didn't know what to expect. The previous two Kanemoto vs. Tanaka matches were disappointing, but their July one was a step up from their June clash, so I hoped for the same again, especially with Tanaka now the children's hero. Well, things started a little slow, with Heat seeming nervous again like on 10/12. But when things picked up, did they ever pick up! The match turned into a vintage New Japan style junior contest, with great submission emphasis, but also many nice moves. Heat used some moves that I hadn't seen from him before his persona changed, and although many of his techniques are similar to before, he approaches several in different ways. He is really fun to watch, I hope he can mold into the image in time. This match was awesome late on, so much so that even the Tokyo Dome crowd was responding. At one point they traded ankle holds, moving from defense to offense by sliding under each other in a terrific exchange. This is Kanemoto's move though, and he laid the groundwork early in the match by attacking the leg. Eventually, the debutant had to call it quits, but only after a good challenge. I don't think it hurt Heat to lose his first high profile match, he has to grow and truly become the persona. This was an excellent match by the end, and hopefully people will recognize it as such. The second "KING OF GLADIATOR" NWF Heavyweight Title Tournament semi final saw formers RINGS star, Tsuyoshi Kosaka, enter New Japan for the first time and face Makai Club leader, Yasuda. TK was accompanied by former RINGS guys, including current ZERO-ONE regular, Hirotaka Yokoi. Takayama did colour commentary, scouting the match, since he would have to face the winner. This was really short, but actually quite good while it lasted. TK is a great mat wrestler, and just schooled Yasuda, who had no idea how to defend himself. TK almost got Yasuda with a triangle choke, but forced a submission out of him soon enough with an achilles tendon hold. The second quick loss at the Tokyo Dome in a row for Yasuda, and TK marched forward, setting up a promising match with Takayama in January. Another great video package aired to kick off the New Japan vs. Foreign Army 7 vs. 7 series, that would comprise the remainder of the show now. When the video ended, the Tokyo Dome was buzzing, so it worked. The first match saw Yoshie face Yanagisawa, who entered with Kantaro Hoshino, and was trailed by the flag-wielding Makais, #1 and #2. Yoshie entered to a nice response, but that was mild compared to the reactions he would get in the match. Yoshie attacked before Hidekazu could even introduce any names, and the fight was on. This wasn't pretty, but it was 5 1/2 minutes of fast, furious action. More impressively, it had the Tokyo Dome ON FIRE. Yoshie owned the Dome, seriously getting the most heat there since Misawa vs. Chono in May! They responded to every one of his attacks, and when Yanagisawa broke a hold slowly at the ropes, there was an outbreak of jeers. Yanagisawa started controlling with kicks, and I think most people favoured him to win the match, given his background, so they were totally behind Yoshie. The tempo changed when Yoshie caught a high kick, and to a HUGE response lifted Yanagisawa, then spiked him with a Death Valley bomb! Yoshie clenched his fist and raised it high, again to the delight of the crowd. He knocked Yanagisawa into next week with a back blow, but wasn't done there, and went up to the top rope. Super heavyweight Yoshie stood high in the Tokyo Dome, and dropped a beautiful diving body press, the fans counting along as he scored the 1-2-3, putting New Japan ahead! Yoshie really did himself and his company proud here, fighting hard and with so much heart, his effort paying off. Yoshie vs. Yanagisawa was the main event of the first of two installments of the Tokyo Dome broadcast. Due to the size of the show, it aired over two weeks, so New Japan was victorious in part one. The question was, could Nagata ensure that Shin Nihon reigned supreme in the second and more important half? After the first part ended, they showed an extended package of the Fighting Spirit Heat game for Gameboy Advance, and THE MUSIC was playing in the background to make things even cooler. The game looks fun to play, and the concept seems to be that you control Heat and overcome challenges from other wrestlers. He even fought Tenzan at the New Japan dojo (which was done to a "t", including the Inoki poster on the wall!), and his main rival from the stuff shown was Liger. A sign of things to come? Part two kicked off with the second New Japan vs. Foreign Army match, as Nishimura faced Bas Rutten in a European Catch Rules Match. Even with the stipulation, Nishimura was the major underdog, because in his pre-Dome matches under the same stipulation, he had failed to score a win, losing to Fujinami in the first, and drawing with Tony St. Clair in the second. St. Clair was the official in this match, and did a very good job throughout. Nishimura and Bas are both accomplished mat wrestlers, yet of totally different styles, so it was intriguing to see their approach to this. In the end, it was Bas who adapted to a more pro wrestling style, and the results were amazing. In years to come, I see this match as one of those cult favourites. It won't be as widely loved as many matches, but for those who like pure technical wrestling, it will be one to look back on with admiration. This was an absolutely AWESOME match, going the entire duration, which was ten 3 minute rounds (30 minutes). The matwork was sensational, and they clicked far better than I could have possibly imagined. Almost every traditional hold in the book, from the cross armbreaker to the crab hold to the armlock, was used, and I found it interesting at every turn. Each round was different, and featured something cool. Bas didn't dominate as much as I expected either, and Nishimura was in fact quite equal to the former Pancrase star. He was saved by the bell a couple of times though. Nishimura lost his temper a few times, and received two yellow cards from St. Clair, almost getting DQ'd. Bas was getting tired near the end, but Nishimura seemed ready to go another ten rounds if necessary. In the end, they were deadlocked, and time expired. A match like this can lose a large audience, but the fans were very receptive, and pro-Nishimura all the way. Whenever he did something cool like a bow-and-arrow hold, they responded accordingly. Bas Rutten deserves special credit for his excellent performance here. He showed what a great sportsman he is, by wrestling a terrific match, even though his pro wrestling experience is minimal. Fans of technical wrestling should really make an effort to see this beauty. After a long, exhausting match like that, the fans needed something quick and intense to change the pace. Cue Kazunari Murakami, who walked to the ring with that look on his face that just scares you. Absolute loathing, hatred for everything around him. Everyone knew Naruse, Kensuke Sasaki's replacement in this match, had little chance of defeating the terrorist, so that gave them all the more reason to cheer him! Naruse got the biggest entrance response of the show up to this point, and fans were ready for a fight. And a fight they got, as the two waged an INTENSE, physical war lasting a shade under 4 1/2 minutes. Murakami was in vintage form, flailing his limbs at anything in sight, and throwing himself feet-first at Naruse on the outside. But Naruse was not going down easily, and like Yoshie, fought with great heart for his company. Murakami eventually overwhelmed Naruse with one of his famous flurries, and applied a sleeper hold. The fans screamed in support, and Naruse *almost* made the ropes, but had to tap out before he could get there. Murakami wouldn't break, so Iizuka attacked him, and the old rivals had to be pulled apart. Things were all tied up at 1-1-1 now with four matches to go. GREAT MUTA looked even cooler today, with a different outfit to what he wore on other shows. If he had used a different name, I really think he could have been something, but the name is always going to be a major handicap. During his entrance, he stopped, and Great Kabuki's entrance theme hit, Kabuki making his first New Japan appearance in years as MUTA's second. Tenzan was wildly popular in the Tokyo Dome, and actually dominated MUTA for most of the match with his signature moves. Just when it seemed he had it won, Kabuki misted him as he tried a second diving headbutt. MUTA capitalized with his tornado clothesline (like a powerslam into a sidewalk slam) finisher, and scored the surprise win. The fans ooh'd at the upset, and suddenly the Foreign Army was ahead. Tenzan seemed to be the stronger wrestler, but some rulebreaking cost him the match, and helped set up the IWGP Tag Team Title match for 10/27 that eventually had to be changed when MUTA injured himself the day before. Next came the controversial Chono vs. Joanie "Chyna" Laurer match, that built through September, until Chono had just had enough of her, and accepted a match. Laurer entered looking like Cleopatra, being carried to the ring by two big men. Wallid Ismail led them, serving as Laurer's second. Chono's entrance was quite spectacular, as a black limo rode out to the ramp, with some unfamiliar music playing. Out of the limo got Hiro, Goto, Jado, and Gedo, all wearing suits and chewing cigars, looking so cool. And in a fur outfit, the man himself emerged, flanked by the four as he reached the top of the rampway. Then "Crash" hit and the Tokyo Dome erupted, Mr. G1 completing an entrance that was almost as spectacular as his monster truck one from the 4/10/99 Dome show. After her improvement on the September tour, Joanie now had to fight without Justin McCully and Shane as her tag partners. And it showed, as she looked terrible here, unable to tag out when she started losing her way. Her strikes were just horrible, and for the first time in the 7 vs. 7 series, the crowd totally died out. That changed when Chono levelled her with a Yakuza kick, and things then started to improve. Although she got some more offense, Laurer was eventually Yakuza kicked again, and Chono covered her with two hands for the win. He spanked her after the match to a massive response, but as he was flexing, she low blowed him. The match had some cool moments, namely when Chono was kicking Laurer, but as a whole was weak and a waste of Chono's value and ability in an era where it is needed more than ever. BEAST vs. BEAST. Bob Sapp made his entrance to Ric Flair's entrance theme, and the Tokyo Dome was in awe. Sapp sports one of the THICKEST frames in sports, and the incredible thing is it's almost all muscle! He seriously looked, visually, like the most awe-inspiring monster in wrestling history (except maybe Andre). But in his first pro wrestling match in Japan, he had to face on of New Japan's best, Nakanishi. Nakanishi was fired up, and looked like the ace of New Japan as he walked down the ramp. Now this match was only 6 minutes, 26 seconds, but in it's own way was one of the most memorable matches of the year. It had no technical finesse or flashy moves, but was a spectacle of the highest kind. The energy was off the charts, and the Tokyo Dome was hotter than during Chono vs. Misawa in May. Despite Sapp's amazing popularity, he was the outsider here, so the fans wanted Nakanishi to win. Instantly, Sapp dropped Nakanishi with a gigantic powerbomb, and Mr. Unbelievable was almost counted out. Sapp dominated some more, but then Nakanishi was suddenly back in it, and matching Sapp. He very nearly hit the German suplex, which would have been the finish that dreams are made of, but Sapp resisted it. They traded things like shoulderblocks and lariats, and Nakanishi was as strong as Sapp, staying up. Sapp lifted Nakanishi into his own Argentine backbreaker at ringside, but moments later in the ring Nakanishi set the crowd on fire with his own version, showing his mass of strength by lifting the 350lbs range monster with relative ease. After some more action, Sapp hit a dropkick literally out of nowhere, and Nakanishi flew to the outside. He was scraping his way on to the apron, but couldn't beat the count, and lost by countout. So he avoided a pinfall loss, which should give him the right to a rematch one day. I for one would love to see Nakanishi hit Sapp with a German suplex hold for the 1-2-3, and if that ever happened, I think Nakanishi would become a bigger star than Nagata. This match was just a buzz, an experience, and although not even close to the best match from a technical standpoint, the show-stealer. It was 3-2 to the Foreign Army with one match left, so the company ace had a lot of work to do. Not only did he have to tie the series up, but also defend his IWGP Heavyweight Title against the man who did likewise against him in the 2001 Tokyo Sports match of the year on 6/6/01. That man being Kazuyuki Fujita, New Japan trueborn, and the same fighter who was originally supposed to face Nagata for a second time earlier in the year on 1/4, but couldn't due to injury. They had a hard time following up on the last match, and the crowd heat wasn't as strong (but was decent, especially near the end). The two fought another rough match like last June, with hard strikes and some heavy suplexes from Nagata. The biggest surprise of the match saw Nagata run into a PERFECT Frankensteiner from Fujita. Fujita seemed to have Nagata at the end when he unloaded with a barrage of Nagai-to-Iizuka-esque knee strikes to the head in the corner. Nagata's eyes were closed, and he was slumped in the corner, but fought to his feet just in time. The fans were rallying behind him now, praying that the belt would stay in New Japan. Nagata hit back, and dropped Fujita with a flurry of stiff backdrop suplexes. With the final one, he leaned over and got the 3 count to a TREMENDOUS ovation. Fans jumped to their feet, and I don't think they could believe it. On 6/6/01, Nagata was the clear underdog against Fujita, and was unable to match him ultimately. On 10/14/02, Yuji Nagata was Kazuyuki Fujita's superior, defeating him convincingly in an impressive V4 defense of a belt he is giving great prestige back to, the IWGP Heavyweight Title. Nagata left with Blue Wolf, Kakihara, and Naruse, but they turned at the curtain. Hidekazu Tanaka announced Nagata as still champion, and there were an explosion of streamers, ending the show on a high note for New Japan fans! I don't think this matched up to their 6/6/01 thriller, but had this been in Budokan before that same red hot crowd, I'd probably re-think that. The heat was okay, but the crowd was worn out after the Nakanishi vs. Sapp match, and they mainly responded towards the end (and whenever Nagata threw a kick). Definitely a good match, and hopefully Fujita will now concentrate on representing pro wrestling in the MMA world, since he suits it far more than the Strong Style world. Overall, a great Tokyo Dome show, probably the most enjoyable for me since 1/4/01 in fact. It was a stacked show, and had such variety. It had several layers, and the 7 vs. 7 series was like a show on it's own, and it is easy to forget all that came before it. We saw a nice opener with the juniors, Makabe's return, an excellent IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title match between Kanemoto and Heat, and a short, but intense match between Kosaka and Yasuda. Then came the 7 vs. 7 series, and it WORKED. Every match had the fans interested, and for all of them except Chono vs. Laurer there was a clear emotional attachment. The fans truly cared about New Japan, and wanted the King of Sports to fend off the foreign threat, which was an odd cast (for example, could there possibly be four more different wrestlers than Bas, MUTA, Laurer, and Sapp?). Yoshie vs. Yanagisawa was barrels of fun, Nishimura vs. Bas was positively great, Murakami vs. Naruse was just super intense, Tenzan vs. MUTA was something of a powerhouse match, Chono vs. Laurer was the only lowlight, Sapp vs. Nakanishi was an absolute spectacle, and Nagata vs. Fujita was a physical war. So of the ten matches aired over the two parts, there was something that almost everyone could enjoy. I enjoyed all but one match, and would consider this an entertaining super-show, fitting of the Tokyo Dome.
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beat Kenzo Suzuki & Hiroshi Tanahashi (7:29) when Makabe used a Dragon suplex hold on Suzuki.
beat Ryushi Yanagisawa 
(5:33) with a diving body press.