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Team 2000 presented "BATTLE FINAL 2000", an event it won matchmaking rights to by defeating Fighting Club G-EGGS in October's nineteen match "Black vs. G-EGGS" series. The intent was clear from Masahiro Chono's army, that being to monopolize New Japan's titles. AKIRA was granted a shot at Minoru Tanaka's IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title, hoping to take over the junior division for T2000. Chono himself teamed with Tatsutoshi Goto to challenge T2000 allies, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima, for the IWGP Tag Team Title, in doing so preventing New Japan wrestlers from getting the chance. And in an attempt to keep ace Kensuke Sasaki out of the IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament set for January's Tokyo Dome super-show, Chono sent Michiyoshi Ohara to take that slot in a tournament participation match. And not content with controlling the feature matches, Team 2000 decided to punish G-EGGS, placing them in the opening match against three New Japan army members, the humiliation for all six being that they were placed under the traditional opening match young lion clash (Shibata vs. Inoue).
NJPW "BATTLE FINAL 2000", 12/10/00 (WPW)
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
9,500 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House
1. Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata & Yutaka Yoshie beat Junji Hirata, Takashi Iizuka & Kenzo Suzuki (13:23) when Yoshie used a crab hold on Suzuki.
2. Wataru Inoue beat Katsuyori Shibata (6:02) with an elbow smash.
3. Kendo Kashin beat Koji Kanemoto (11:49) with an achilles tendon hold.
4. Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai beat Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Shinya Makabe (14:12) when Liger used a brainbuster on Makabe.
5. Osamu Nishimura beat Tadao Yasuda (9:41) with a German suplex hold.
6. Kensuke Sasaki beat Michiyoshi Ohara (0:06) with a lariat.
7. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Minoru Tanaka (c) beat AKIRA (17:09) with a cross kneelock (1st defense).
8. IWGP Tag Team Title: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (c) beat Masahiro Chono & Tatsutoshi Goto (15:22) when Kojima used a lariat on Goto (2nd defense).
Points of note:
At the mercy of Team 2000 for one show, G-EGGS' Nakanishi, Nagata & Yoshie opened the festivities, facing Hirata, Iizuka & Kenzo. Despite having to wrestle in the opening match, the six entertained the fans, Yoshie winning it for G-EGGS when he submitted Kenzo.
Kendo Kashin picked up a much needed win in his attempt to regain past form, defeating Kanemoto. Kashin caught Kanemoto by surprise with a vital part attack, before locking him in an achilles tendon hold for the tap out.
T2000's Ohara attempted to grasp a place in January's IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament, facing Kensuke. The bell rang, and Ohara charged, a surprise attack in mind. Kensuke was ready though, meeting Ohara with a lariat. He covered, and it was over in an amazing six seconds! Ohara was knocked out and unable to stand, having to be carried to the back. The ace of New Japan advanced to the tournament in style, one step closer to regaining the crown he vacated in October.
Things just got worse for Team 2000 when it's only eligible junior challenger, AKIRA, failed in an attempt to dethrone upstart IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Minoru Tanaka. Tanaka made a thrilling V1 defense of his recently captured title, taking AKIRA down into a cross kneelock for the submission win.
The main event guaranteed one thing, that Team 2000 would leave it as winners, with Chono & Goto challenging friends, Tenzan & Kojima, for the IWGP Tag Team Title. Despite boasting the leader of T2000, the challengers were unable to overcome the elite teamwork of TenKoji, Kojima striking Goto with a lariat after 15 minutes of combat to complete a successful V2 defense.
Back to: "G1 TAG LEAGUE 2000" (11/17/00 to 12/2/00)
Forward to: "THE 2ND JUDGEMENT!" (12/14/00)
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