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In August, 2002, Kazuyuki Fujita, Tadao Yasuda, Yoshihiro Takayama, and Tsuyoshi Kosaka held a press conference to announce the "KING OF GLADIATOR" tournament. The prize on offer was a belt made legendary by Fujita's mentor, Antonio Inoki, the NWF Heavyweight Title, vacated many years before by Inoki. As an enemy of the New Japan army, Fujita wanted to revive this belt to challenge the IWGP Heavyweight Title's importance, and chose four men, including himself, who had fought some brutal wars in MMA promotions, but who were also accomplished pro wrestlers. The matches took place over three conventions, with Takayama vs. Fujita on Fujita's self-produced 8/29/02 Tokyo Nippon Budokan show, Yasuda vs. Kosaka on the 10/14/02 Tokyo Dome event, and the final, which was eventually between Takayama and Kosaka, on 1/4/03 back at the Tokyo Dome.
NWF Heavyweight Title Tournament (8/29/02 to 1/4/03)
Semi Final: Yoshihiro Takayama beat Kazuyuki Fujita (8:28) with a knee kick.
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