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New Japan celebrated it's 30th anniversary of foundation on 3/6/02. Exactly 30 years to the day since Antonio Inoki's New Japan Pro-Wrestling held it's debut show at Ota Ward Gymnasium on March 6th, 1972, a commemoration was held at the mecca of pro wrestling, Tokyo Korakuen Hall. One of New Japan's greatest aspects is it's unmatched youth system, and that was stressed on this event, with a one night tournament featuring six of it's outstanding young lions, who fought for the "Antonio Inoki Cup". A trip to New Japan's overseas dojo in Los Angeles, and training by Inoki himself, was also up for grabs. Although they took a back seat to the youngsters today, the heavyweights also had a featured match, with New Japan and Team 2000's heavyweights and juniors mixing in a 2/3 Falls Match.

NJPW "NEW JAPAN 30TH BIRTHDAY", 3/6/02 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,545 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. One Night Young Lion Tournament - Round 1: Katsuyori Shibata beat Katsushi Takemura (7:45) with a single-leg crab hold.
2. One Night Young Lion Tournament - Round 1: Blue Wolf beat Wataru Inoue (9:09) with a Mongol slam.
3. Masahito Kakihara beat El Samurai (11:36) with the Kaki Cutter.
4. Manabu Nakanishi & Osamu Nishimura beat Kensuke Sasaki & Shiro Koshinaka (7:43) when Nakanishi used a German suplex hold on Koshinaka.
5. One Night Young Lion Tournament - Semi Final: Kenzo Suzuki beat Katsuyori Shibata (8:39) with a spear.
6. One Night Young Lion Tournament - Semi Final: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Blue Wolf (8:44) with a crab hold.
7. Tadao Yasuda & Yutaka Yoshie beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Tatsutoshi Goto (8:42) by referee stop (Yasuda beat Tenzan).
8. 2/3 Falls: Tatsumi Fujinami, Yuji Nagata, Jushin Thunder Liger, Minoru Tanaka & Masayuki Naruse beat Masahiro Chono, Hiro Saito, Koji Kanemoto, Jado & Gedo (23:59). Nagata used the Nagata Lock II on Jado (15:33). Chono used a Yakuza kick on Tanaka (7:07). Tanaka used a horizontal cradle on Hiro (1:19).
9. One Night Young Lion Tournament - Final: Kenzo Suzuki beat Hiroshi Tanahashi (12:41) with a backdrop suplex.

Points of note:

  • The opening match was also the first tournament match, and saw Shibata advance by defeating Takemura. The following match saw an upset, as rookie Blue Wolf defeated a man two years his senior in wrestling, Wataru.

  • Kenzo and Tanahashi, two heavyweight young lion peers, received byes to the second round and were both victorious. Although troubled by a sleeper hold by Shibata, Kenzo managed to defeat him, while Tanahashi defeated Wolf, who continued who show amazing strength for a man just over six months into his career.

  • In a preliminary skirmish for their upcoming IWGP Heavyweight Title match, Yasuda and Tenzan clashed in a tag match. Tenzan wasn't able to gain early momentum and was defeated by the new champion, who forced a referee stoppage with his front sleeper.

  • New Japan, led by one of the originals, Tatsumi Fujinami, overcame Team 2000 in a 2/3 Falls Match. Nagata put away Jado in the first fall, but Chono levelled it when he Yakuza kicked new IWGP Jr. Champion, Tanaka. Tanaka scored a big win for himself and New Japan though, cradling Hiro for the victory.

  • It came down to upstart tag team partners, Kenzo and Tanahashi, in the tournament final. Both men were determined and the match was even, but Kenzo prevailed and sunk Tanahashi with a backdrop suplex for the win.

    • Back to: "FIGHTING SPIRIT 2002" (2/1/02 to 2/16/02)
    Forward to: "HYPER BATTLE 2002" (3/8/02 to 3/24/02)