Go back


"THE 2ND JUDGEMENT!" saw the second major chapter of New Japan vs. All Japan within New Japan, with the main event pitting G1 Tag League winners, Takashi Iizuka & Yuji Nagata, against the two remaining natives following the All Japan/NOAH split, Toshiaki Kawada & Masanobu Fuchi. In the second match of Tatsumi Fujinami's retirement countdown, titled "Epilogue of Dragon 2nd", he faced a man who idolized him as a youngster, Koji Kanemoto. Osaka Pro returned to New Japan for the first time since "DO JUDGE!!", with three of it's brightest stars facing three New Japan juniors. The opening four matches followed a New Japan vs. Team 2000 theme, with the leaders of each group, Kensuke Sasaki and Masahiro Chono, in the opening match, showing what a big lineup was on display for New Japan's second SKY PerfecTV! PPV!

Special participation:
Masanobu Fuchi (All Japan)
Toshiaki Kawada (All Japan)
Super Delfin (Osaka Pro)
Takehiro Murahama (Osaka Pro)
Tsubasa (Osaka Pro)

NJPW "THE 2ND JUDGEMENT!", 12/14/00 (PPV/WPW)
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium
6,700 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Kensuke Sasaki & Super Strong Machine beat Masahiro Chono & T2000 Machine (14:37) when Strong Machine used a diving headbutt on T2000 Machine.
2. Yutaka Yoshie beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (13:38) with a reverse figure-four leglock.
3. Michiyoshi Ohara beat Kendo Kashin (3:07) with a nodowa otoshi.
4. Satoshi Kojima beat Kenzo Suzuki (9:40) with a lariat.
5. Jushin Thunder Liger, Minoru Tanaka & Shinya Makabe beat Super Delfin Osaka Pro, Takehiro Murahama Osaka Pro & Tsubasa Osaka Pro (16:46) when Tanaka used a cross armbreaker on Tsubasa.
6. Manabu Nakanishi beat Osamu Nishimura (11:48) with an Argentine backbreaker.
7. Epilogue of Dragon 2nd: Tatsumi Fujinami beat Koji Kanemoto (10:34) with a figure-four leglock.
8. Takashi Iizuka & Yuji Nagata vs. Toshiaki Kawada All Japan & Masanobu Fuchi All Japan went to a draw (30:00) when the time limit expired.

Points of note:

  • Prior to the show, an open lottery was held to determine the IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament pairings for the upcoming Tokyo Dome show. Chono and Toshiaki Kawada were given passes into round two, Chono to meet the winner of Kensuke vs. Kojima, and Kawada to meet the winner of Nagata vs. Tenzan.

  • In one of the biggest upsets of the year in New Japan, Yoshie avenged his April return match loss to Tenzan, by beating the Team 2000 star! The two waged a physical war, and the turning point came when Tenzan missed a diving headbutt, and Yoshie capitalized with a reverse figure-four leglock. Although Tenzan endured that one, Yoshie later re-applied the hold, and Tenzan tapped out, the fans stunned! After two wins singles wins over Kojima since returning, Yoshie ascended another rung of the ladder by beating Tenzan!

  • Kendo Kashin's slump worsened when he lost to T2000's Ohara in little more than 3 minutes. Ka Shin struck Ohara with a vital part attack, but ran into a lariat. Ohara followed up with a nodowa otoshi, pinning Kashin for the win and bouncing back from his humiliating six second loss to Kensuke days earlier.

  • Kojima made it 3-1 to Team 2000 on the day, when he defeated Kenzo in the fourth match. After enduring several spears, Kojima turned the rookie inside out with a lariat for the win and momentum boost going into his match with Sasaki at the Tokyo Dome.

  • Osaka Pro charmed the fans in attendance, with Super Delfin, Takehiro Murahama & Tsubasa entering New Japan and facing Liger, Tanaka & Makabe. The teams had a very spectacular match with many high-flying moves, before Tanaka trapped Tsubasa in a cross armbreaker for the tap out.

  • It was strength vs. technique, when Nakanishi faced Nishimura. Nishimura used cunning to escape Nakanishi's Argentine backbreaker several times, but was eventually held in it and tapped out. Nishimura continued to struggle for form after returning from illness in June.

  • Tatsumi Fujinami wrestled the second match of his retirement countdown, with Kanemoto having the honour of facing the legend after petitioning for the match. Following some high-flying from Kanemoto early on, the match became a ground-based contest, with both men trading holds. Kanemoto hit a moonsault press late in the match, but hurt his knee, and Fujinami capitalized with a figure-four for the submission victory! The two hugged post-match, a merry mood in the air.

  • New Japan met All Japan in a tag epic, when Nagata & Iizuka faced Kawada & Fuchi. Osaka was on it's feet and boiling for this thriller, which saw Fuchi repeatedly outclassed, and Kawada having to rescue him. Kawada fought very hard, almost having to work for two men, while Nagata and Iizuka wrestled a strategical match. However, neither team was able to break the other down completely, the 30 minute time limit expiring during a heated exchange between Nagata and Kawada!

    • Back to: "BATTLE FINAL 2000" (12/10/00)
    Forward to: "DREAM * WIN" (12/23/00)