Established in 2002, the Triathlon Survivor replaced the G1 Tag League for the year, a unique concept with a "three-in-one match" rules system. It would be Gotch-ism who prevailed, overcoming Nagata and the newly arrived team of Barton & Steele in a grueling final. Although the concept returned occasionally for stand-alone matches, the idea didn't stick, and the traditional G1 Tag League returned the following year.
Triathlon Survivor (11/22/02 to 12/4/02)
1. Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele [4]
2. Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie [3]
3. Scott Norton, Rick Steiner & Shinya Makabe [3]
4. Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan [3]
5. Kenzo Suzuki, Hiroshi Tanahashi/Toru Yano & Blue Wolf [1]*
6. Tadao Yasuda, Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 [1]
* Toru Yano replaced Hiroshi Tanahashi as Kenzo Suzuki & Blue Wolf's tag team partners when Tanahashi was injured.
11/22/02 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie [1] beat Scott Norton, Rick Steiner & Shinya Makabe [0] (22:53) by 2-1.
- Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie beat Scott Norton, Rick Steiner & Shinya Makabe (11:31) when Nakanishi used a German suplex hold on Makabe.
- Scott Norton & Rick Steiner beat Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie (20:24) when Norton used a powerbomb on Yoshie.
- Osamu Nishimura beat Rick Steiner (22:53) with a ground Cobra Twist.
2. Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele [1] beat Kenzo Suzuki, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Blue Wolf [0] (22:26) by 2-0.
- Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele beat Kenzo Suzuki, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Blue Wolf (11:33) when Nagata used a wrist-clutch Exploder on Wolf.
- Mike Barton & Jim Steele beat Kenzo Suzuki & Hiroshi Tanahashi (22:26) when Steele used the Turbo Drop II on Tanahashi.
11/23/02 @ Fujisawa City Akiba Bunka Gymnasium
1. Scott Norton, Rick Steiner & Shinya Makabe [1] beat Kenzo Suzuki, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Blue Wolf [0] (17:48) by 2-0.
- Scott Norton, Rick Steiner & Shinya Makabe beat Kenzo Suzuki, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Blue Wolf (14:53) when Makabe used a Dragon suplex hold on Tanahashi.
- Scott Norton & Rick Steiner beat Kenzo Suzuki & Blue Wolf (17:48) when Steiner used a Death Valley bomb on Wolf.
2. Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan [1] beat Tadao Yasuda, Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 [0] (22:33) by 2-1.
- Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Tadao Yasuda, Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 (12:36) when Fujinami beat Yasuda by DQ.
- Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 beat Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (20:07) when Yanagisawa used a jumping knee kick on Chono.
- Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Makai #1 (22:33) with the TTD.
11/24/02 @ Ueda Citizen Gymnasium
1. Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie [2] beat Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele [1] (34:00) by 1-0.
- Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele vs. Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie went to a draw (30:00) when the time limit expired.
- Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie beat Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele (4:00) when Yoshie used a diving body press on Steele.
11/26/02 @ Nagano Movement Park Gymnasium
1. Tadao Yasuda, Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 [1] beat Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie [2] (19:12) by 2-1.
- Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie beat Tadao Yasuda, Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 (12:16) when Yoshie used a diving body press on Yanagisawa.
- Tadao Yasuda & Makai #1 beat Manabu Nakanishi & Osamu Nishimura (16:53) when Yasuda used a straight right punch on Nakanishi.
- Makai #1 beat Osamu Nishimura (19:12) with a Makai Windmill suplex hold.
2. Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele [2] beat Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan [1] (22:30) by 2-0.
- Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele beat Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (16:17) when Nagata used an inside cradle on Fujinami.
- Mike Barton & Jim Steele beat Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (22:30) when Barton used a Barton Cutter on Chono.
11/28/02 @ Gunma Sports Center Sub Arena
1. Scott Norton, Rick Steiner & Shinya Makabe [2] beat Tadao Yasuda, Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 [1] (9:45) by 2-1.
- Scott Norton, Rick Steiner & Shinya Makabe vs. Tadao Yasuda, Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 went to a draw (4:21) when Norton & Yanagisawa were counted out.
- Rick Steiner & Shinya Makabe beat Tadao Yasuda & Makai #1 (9:45) when Makabe used a lariat on Makai #1.
2. Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie [3] beat Kenzo Suzuki, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Blue Wolf [0] by forfeit.
11/29/02 @ Tsukuba Kapio
1. Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan [2] beat Kenzo Suzuki, Blue Wolf & Toru Yano [0] (19:54) by 2-0.
- Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Kenzo Suzuki, Blue Wolf & Toru Yano (8:59) when Fujinami used a backslide on Wolf.
- Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Kenzo Suzuki & Toru Yano (19:54) when Tenzan used the TTD on Yano.
2. Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele [3] beat Tadao Yasuda, Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 [1] (12:58) by 2-0.
- Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele beat Tadao Yasuda, Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 (8:28) when Barton beat Yasuda by DQ.
- Yuji Nagata & Jim Steele beat Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 (12:58) when Nagata used a wrist-clutch Exploder on Yanagisawa.
12/1/02 @ Kyoto City Gymnasium
1. Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele [4] beat Scott Norton, Rick Steiner & Shinya Makabe [2] (23:15) by 2-1.
- Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele vs. Scott Norton, Rick Steiner & Shinya Makabe went to a draw (14:03) when Barton & Steiner were counted out.
- Yuji Nagata & Jim Steele beat Scott Norton & Shinya Makabe (23:15) when Steele used the Turbo Drop II on Makabe.
2. Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan [3] beat Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie [3] (32:19) by 2-1.
- Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie beat Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (19:03) when Nishimura used a ground Cobra Twist on Fujinami.
- Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Manabu Nakanishi & Yutaka Yoshie (26:59) when Chono used a Yakuza kick on Yoshie.
- Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Manabu Nakanishi went to a draw (30:00) when the time limit expired.
- Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie (32:19) when Fujinami used a ground Cobra Twist on Nishimura.
12/2/02 @ Tex Port Imabari
1. Scott Norton, Rick Steiner & Shinya Makabe [3] beat Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan [3] (19:03) by 2-1.
- Scott Norton, Rick Steiner & Shinya Makabe beat Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (13:20) when Steiner used a powerslam on Chono.
- Tatsumi Fujinami & Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Scott Norton & Shinya Makabe (15:26) when Fujinami used a backslide on Makabe.
- Scott Norton beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (19:03) with a powerbomb.
12/3/02 @ Yanai City Gymnasium
1. Kenzo Suzuki, Blue Wolf & Toru Yano [1] beat Tadao Yasuda, Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 [1] (9:38) by 2-1.
- Kenzo Suzuki, Blue Wolf & Toru Yano vs. Tadao Yasuda, Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 went to a draw (6:33) when Yano & Yasuda were counted out.
- Kenzo Suzuki & Blue Wolf beat Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 (9:38) when Suzuki used the Hagakure on Makai #1.
12/4/02 @ Hiroshima Sun Plaza
1. Final: Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie beat Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele (37:33) by 2-1.
- Yuji Nagata, Mike Barton & Jim Steele beat Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura & Yutaka Yoshie (22:54) when Barton used the Barton buster on Yoshie.
- Manabu Nakanishi & Osamu Nishimura beat Yuji Nagata & Jim Steele (31:02) when Nishimura used a backslide on Steele.
- Manabu Nakanishi beat Yuji Nagata (37:33) with a German suplex hold.
