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The first Tokyo Dome event of the 2002 was "WRESTLING WORLD 2002", the annual January 4th event. This was the first chapter of a long chain of shows commemorating New Japan's 30th anniversary year, an important time for a company so proud of it's history. The main event was a dream match, featuring two new generation superstars who formed a friendship in 2001, Yuji Nagata and Jun Akiyama, competing over Akiyama's GHC Heavyweight Title. Additionally, the Team 2000 internal war continued, with G1 Tag League winners, Tenzan & Kojima, facing Chono & Giant Singh. Also, in a match between men of opposite beliefs and fighting styles, but of high ranking status, Kensuke Sasaki and Naoya Ogawa locked horns on a clash of the titans. Other feature matches were also on offer, a wide range of styles, including four juniors bouts.
Foreign participation:
Giant Silva (CMLL/Team 2000)
Giant Singh (Team 2000)
Special participation:
Hiroshi Hase (BATT)
Jun Akiyama (NOAH)
Kazunari Murakami (UFO)
Naoya Ogawa (UFO)
Yuki Ishikawa (BattlARTS)
Daijiro Matsui (Takada Dojo)
Dick Togo (Far East Connection)
Great Sasuke (Michinoku Pro)
Tiger Mask (Michinoku Pro)
NJPW "WRESTLING WORLD 2002", 1/4/02 (WPW)
Tokyo Dome
51,500 Fans - Super No Vacancy
1. Masayuki Naruse & Masahito Kakihara beat Katsuyori Shibata & Wataru Inoue (10:50) when Kakihara used the Kaki Cutter on Inoue.
2. El Samurai & Minoru Tanaka beat Koji Kanemoto & AKIRA (12:31) when Tanaka used a backslide on AKIRA.
3. Kazunari Murakami  & Yuki Ishikawa  beat Kenzo Suzuki & Hiroshi Tanahashi (8:00) by referee stop (Murakami beat Tanahashi).
4. Jushin Thunder Liger, Great Sasuke  & Tiger Mask beat Dick Togo, Jado & Gedo (20:12) when Liger used a brainbuster on Gedo.
5. Manabu Nakanishi beat Giant Silva (6:49) by countout.
6. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Kendo Kashin (c) beat Daijiro Matsui (5:43) with a front cradle (2nd defense).
7. Keiji Muto & Hiroshi Hase beat Tatsumi Fujinami & Osamu Nishimura (16:44) when Muto used the Shining Wizard on Nishimura.
8. Kensuke Sasaki vs. Naoya Ogawa went to a no contest (4:02).
9. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Masahiro Chono & Giant Singh (10:47) when Tenzan used a horizontal cradle on Singh.
10. GHC Heavyweight Title: Jun Akiyama  (c) beat Yuji Nagata (19:58) with a wrist-clutch Exploder (3rd defense).
Points of note:
Kenzo & Tanahashi, beginning a year of hopeful success, fell to the united forces of former rivals, Kazunari Murakami (UFO) & Yuki Ishikawa (BattlARTS), but only after putting up a strong fight.
In a dream junior match, which saw the official restoration of New Japan/Michinoku Pro relations, Liger, Great Sasuke & Tiger Mask defeated the Team 2000/Far East Connection trio of Dick Togo, Jado & Gedo, Liger pinning Gedo in a little over 20 minutes.
Nakanishi faced Giant Silva in a match that was always going to be tough, and in a memorable moment, he lifted the 7'7" giant into an Argentine backbreaker! Nakanishi also went to the top rope like a junior heavyweight, and hit a plancha out to Silva! Silva never recovered, and was counted out, Mr. Unbelievable scoring a huge win.
Following the fifth match, Kazuyuki Fujita handed the IWGP Heavyweight Title over to Inoki. Fujita apologized for not being able to wrestle due to his injury, and the title was officially vacated.
In a battle of PRIDE fighters, Kendo Kashin made a successful V2 defense of the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title, defeating Takada Dojo's Daijiro Matsui. Matsui was taken into Kashin's peculiar world, and Kashin cradled him for the win in short time.
In a much anticipated clash, Kensuke Sasaki and Naoya Ogawa met in a heated war. The titans went at it from the bell, and Kensuke was able to dominate Ogawa. Things got out of hand, and seconds raced in, prompting another no contest finish to an Ogawa match. Kensuke was highly motivated and ready to fight some more, but Ogawa left the ring and rushed to the back, much to the discontent of the fans, who jeered violently.
TenKoji, after their miraculous comeback to win the 2001 G1 Tag League, scored another huge victory, beating Chono & Giant Singh. Silva and Singh failed in a double team attempt, and Kojima was able to lariat Singh into a horizontal cradle ("schoolboy") from Tenzan, which got the win. Following the match, the giants argued with each other, giving Chono more problems besides his rebelling disciples.
New Japan ace, Yuji Nagata, and NOAH ace, Jun Akiyama, met in a dream main event, with Akiyama's GHC Heavyweight Title on the line. Nagata, who looked disspirited walking to the ring after his crushing loss to Mirko Cro Cop on 12/31/01, was very aggressive against his good friend. However, his slump continued, when Akiyama hit a deadly trio of moves (Emerald Frosion, Exploder, wrist-clutch Exploder) for the win and successful V3 defense of NOAH's top prize.
Back to: "DREAM * WIN" (12/23/01)
Forward to: "EXTREME 2 DAYS" (1/24/02 to 1/25/02)
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