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[Complete Results]

Although a relatively small tour, "STRONG ENERGY 2001" served as a bridge between the big 4/9 Osaka Dome and 5/5 Fukuoka Dome super-shows. The curtain opened on April 19th, with the first half of a double header at Tokyo Korakuen Hall, running through until May 5th at Tokuyama Sports Center, where Riki Choshu would make one of two appearances on the tour, this one in his home region. The newly developed war between Chono's Team 2000 and Muto's BATT picked up steam, with Muto's disciple from All Japan, Taiyo Kea, wrestling on several shows, mainly against T2000 foe. And one prestigious belt would be on the line, with Minoru Tanaka defending the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title against Osaka Pro's Takehiro Murahama.

Foreign participation:
Rob Rage: All shows
Scott Hall (Team 2000): All shows
Scott Norton (Team 2000): All shows
Super J (Team 2000): All shows
Taiyo Kea (All Japan/BATT): 4/28 to 5/2
Dr. Wagner Jr. (CMLL): All shows
Silver King (CMLL): All shows

Special participation:
Jinsei Shinzaki (Michinoku Pro/BATT): 4/21 & 4/22
Keiji Muto (BATT): 4/19, 4/21, 4/22, 4/28 to 5/2
Riki Choshu: 4/19 & 5/2
Tatsumi Fujinami: 4/20 to 4/22, 4/28
Super Delfin (Osaka Pro): 4/20 only
Takehiro Murahama (Osaka Pro): 4/20 only

Points of note:

  • Kensuke Sasaki cancelled all of his scheduled appearances on the tour, following his crushing loss to Shinya Hashimoto at the Osaka Dome.

  • (4/19) Muto and Liger, stars in separate divisions, met in singles competition for the first time in five years. Liger gave Muto a good fight in a very technical match, before falling to Muto's Shining Wizard finisher. Muto said he had felt the LOVE of professional wrestling facing Liger, and expressed interest in recruiting the junior titan for BATT.

  • (4/20) The first of two New Japan vs. Osaka Pro junior matches headlining the second half of the Korakuen Hall double header, saw El Samurai face Osaka Pro founder and ace, Super Delfin. Samurai was able to defeat Delfin, making him submit to a chickenwing armlock after a release Samurai bomb.

  • (4/20) New Japan secured complete victory over Osaka Pro when Tanaka made the V2 defense of his IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title by defeating Takehiro Murahama. Tanaka was given an epic fight by Murahama in one of the most thrilling title matches in years, which caused Korakuen to boil. A severe fight that exceeded 15 minutes and saw Tanaka bleed came to an end when the champion clamped on a cross armbreaker for the tap.

  • (4/21) BATT defeated Muga in a tag match, with Muto & Shinzaki downing Fujinami & Nishimura. The four charmed the 4,000 fans in attendance at Kasugai City Gymnasium with pure professional wrestling. Muto shot down Nishimura with a figure-four leglock for the win, then requested handshakes. Fujinami refused, but Nishimura accepted.

  • (4/22) Another win for Muto & Shinzaki, this time over Team 2000's Chono & Hiro, was soured by a post-match attack from T2000. However, Liger appeared and helped the BATT members fight off T2000. Despite acknowledging the possibility of a joint struggle with BATT, Liger denied that he would join the new faction.

  • (4/28) BATT suffered it's first loss of the tour when Muto & Taiyo Kea, appearing for the first time on the series, fell to Chono & Scott Hall. Chono picked up a direct win over his long-time nemesis, pinning Muto after a Yakuza kick.

  • (4/30) Nagata wore open finger MMA gloves for his and Yoshie's match against Muto & Kea, trialing them for his Different Style Fight Match with Rainy Martinez on 5/5.

  • (5/2) Returning from a training camp in Saipan, where he trained for his upcoming Fukuoka Dome main event match, Choshu teamed with his 5/5 partner, Nakanishi, and Nagata, to face Chono, Norton & Tenzan. The trio was able to take down Team 2000's elite, Nagata avenging his 1/4 Tokyo Dome singles loss to Tenzan by pinning him with a backdrop hold.

    • Back to: "STRONG STYLE 2001" (4/9/01)
    Forward to: "WRESTLING DONTAKU 2001" (5/5/01)