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"DREAM * WIN" returned for it's 2002 installment, with another special theme at the mecca of pro wrestling, Tokyo Korakuen Hall. This year's concept was based around eight juniors in a one night tag team tournament, randomly selected. After a recent earthquake in the junior division that saw the re-alignment of wrestlers to Liger, Kanemoto, Samurai & Gedo vs. Heat, Kakihara, Naruse & Tiger Mask, fireworks were bound to explode! Traditionally, the feature of DREAM * WIN is to give young wrestlers a big chance, and that wasn't forgotten, as three young lions, Kenzo, Blue Wolf & Yano, faced three peers, Tenzan, Nakanishi & Yoshie in six man tag competition. And in the main event, Takashi Iizuka continued to try and regain past form by facing close friend and IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Yuji Nagata. The G1 Tag League 2000 winners revived their excellent series of matches from 2000 and early 2001 to end an eventful year for New Japan.
NJPW "DREAM * WIN", 12/23/02 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,721 Fans - Super No Vacancy
1. Naofumi Yamamoto beat Ryusuke Taguchi (6:30) with a chickenwing hold.
2. Dream * Win Jr. Tag Team Tournament - Semi Final: El Samurai & Gedo beat Jushin Thunder Liger & Masayuki Naruse (14:18) when Gedo used a Superfly splash on Naruse.
3. Dream * Win Jr. Tag Team Tournament - Semi Final: Masahito Kakihara & Tiger Mask beat Koji Kanemoto & Heat (11:51) when Tiger used a Tiger suplex hold on Heat.
4. Shiro Koshinaka & Osamu Nishimura beat Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto (10:43) when Nishimura used a ground Cobra Twist on Goto.
5. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Manabu Nakanishi & Yutaka Yoshie beat Kenzo Suzuki, Blue Wolf & Toru Yano (19:14) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Yano.
6. Dream * Win Jr. Tag Team Tournament - Final: El Samurai & Gedo beat Masahito Kakihara & Tiger Mask (11:37) when Samurai used a chickenwing armlock on Tiger.
7. Yuji Nagata beat Takashi Iizuka (13:52) with a wrist-clutch Exploder.
Points of note:
The opening match saw two recent debutants, Yamamoto and Taguchi, meet in an important match for the two rookies, as both were seeking their first win. Yamamoto, slightly his opponent's senior in the ring due to Taguchi's delayed debut, picked up his first victory with a chickenwing hold.
The lottery for the Dream * Win Jr. Tag Team Tournament took place, revealing two balanced teams on good terms (Samurai & Gedo and Kakihara & Tiger Mask), and two teams at odds, particularly the latter, Liger & Naruse and Kanemoto & Heat. The first match saw El Samurai & Gedo upset Liger & Naruse when Gedo pinned Naruse.
The second tournament match was again won by the balanced team, as in another slight surprise, Kakihara & Tiger defeated Kanemoto & Heat, which was Kanemoto and Minoru Tanaka's first match as a tag team since they lost the IWGP Tag Team Title to Liger & Samurai on 3/6/01. Heat's slump continued when after a miscommunication between he and Kanemoto, he was pinned by Tiger, who celebrated his first match as an official New Japan wrestler with a big win.
Tenzan, Nakanishi & Yoshie were given an amazing challenge by three young lions, Kenzo, Wolf & Yano, who took their three peers close over 19 minutes. The young trio were just 46 seconds shy of forcing a time limit draw out of their opponents, but Nakanishi lifted Yano into an Argentine backbreaker, and despite his best efforts, Yano had to give up. Kenzo took the microphone after the match, blasting his sworn friend, Hiroshi Tanahashi, for going to discuss his recent situation with Inoki at PRIDE 24 in Fukuoka, rather than his friend in New Japan. Kenzo was tearful as he said this, his long friendship with Tanahashi appearing over.
Samurai & Gedo sealed the tag tournament in a match featuring the two balanced teams on good terms, defeating Kakihara & Tiger. Samurai hooked Tiger in a chickenwing armlock, forcing a submission from the new signing. The new army corps of Liger, Kanemoto, Samurai, and Gedo, posed for the cameras after the match, appearing strongly united.
In another "first time since 3/6/01" event, Nagata and Iizuka had their first singles match since last March, locking horns in the main event. The two exchanged many holds and suplexes, before Nagata spiked Iizuka with a wrist-clutch Exploder to finish a successful year in victory. More was to come after the match though, as Nagata would win a prestigious award.
Miscellaneous:
The official annual New Japan awards were presented at the show, IWGP Heavyweight Champion and New Japan ace, Yuji Nagata, being voted MVP.
MVP: Yuji Nagata
Singles Best Bout: Yuji Nagata vs. Masahiro Chono (10/26)
Tag Team Best Bout: Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Osamu Nishimura (6/5)
Technique Award: Osamu Nishimura
Fighting Spirit Award: Manabu Nakanishi
Outstanding Performance Award: Koji Kanemoto
New Wave Award: Hiroshi Tanahashi
2002 Strong Style Spirit Awards (102 voters):
Heavyweight MVP: Yuji Nagata
Junior Heavyweight MVP: Koji Kanemoto
Tag Team MVP: Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Singles Best Bout: Masahiro Chono vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (8/11)
Tag Team Best Bout: Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Osamu Nishimura (6/5)
Young Lion Prize: Hiroshi Tanahashi
Technique Award: Osamu Nishimura
Fighting Spirit Award: Osamu Nishimura
[Complete Results...]
Stuart's 2002 Awards:
Heavyweight MVP: Masahiro Chono
Junior Heavyweight MVP: Koji Kanemoto
Tag Team MVP: Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Singles Best Bout: Yuji Nagata vs. Masahiro Chono (10/26)
Tag Team Best Bout: Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Osamu Nishimura (6/5)
Technique Award: Osamu Nishimura
Fighting Spirit Award: Yutaka Yoshie
Young Lion Award: Hiroshi Tanahashi
Back to: "THE SPIRAL II" (12/15/02)
Forward to: "WRESTLING WORLD 2003" (1/4/03)
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