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After four successful defenses throughout a reign nearing a year, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan needed some worthy challengers for their IWGP Tag Team Title. Throughout the "FIGHTING SPIRIT 2003" tour, a tournament was set up to determine challengers for the pair on 2/16/03 at Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan. It would come down to an American team on a roll and the much hated Makai Club leaders to find a suitable challenging team. Barton & Steele would defeat Yasuda & Murakami, but after Steele injured himself days later, Yasuda & Murakami would go on to challenge Chono & Tenzan.
IWGP Tag Team Title #1 Contender Tournament (2/2/03 to 2/11/03)
Round 1: Tadao Yasuda & Kazunari Murakami beat Yoshihiro Takayama & Hiroshi Nagao (debut) (3:02) when Yasuda used a straight right punch on Nagao.
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