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[Complete Results]
The first tour of 2001 for New Japan was "FIGHTING SPIRIT 2001", spanning twelve events and featuring several big shows. A double header at the new mecca of the north, Hokkaido Sports Center, saw two title matches and involvement from All Japan wrestlers, one of whom was ace Toshiaki Kawada! Keiji Muto and Shinjiro Otani, aligned after co-starring in a triumphant double return performance at the Tokyo Dome, wrestled their first tour since returning, teaming up and making an immediate impact. After his explosive comeback, former IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Otani, was granted his first shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Title at the big Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan tour climax, which was New Japan's third convention shown live on SKY PerfecTV! PPV. New foreigners were also on display, with Dr. Wagner Jr. bringing his real brother, Silver King, back to Japan, the two aiming at the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title instantly. And by the recommendation of Otani, The Sledge Hammer from Canada's WCEW was imported for the tour, looking to make a name for himself.
Foreign participation:
Brian Johnston (G-EGGS): All shows
Don Frye (Team 2000): 1/31, 2/3, 2/17 & 2/18
Super J (Team 2000): All shows
The Sledge Hammer (WCEW Canada)
Dr. Wagner Jr. (CMLL): All shows
Silver King (CMLL): All shows
Special participation:
AKIRA (Team 2000): 2/11 to 2/17
Kazunari Murakami (UFO): 2/18 only
Keiji Muto: 2/3, 2/4, 2/11 & 2/18
Masahiro Chono (Team 2000): 2/3 & 2/18
Masahito Kakihara (All Japan): 2/18 only
Masanobu Fuchi (All Japan): 2/3 only
Mitsuya Nagai (All Japan): 2/3 only
Nobutaka Araya (All Japan): 2/3 only
Riki Choshu: 2/4, 2/8, 2/11, 2/12, 2/15 to 2/18
Tatsumi Fujinami: 2/3 only
Toshiaki Kawada (All Japan): 2/3 only
Yoshiaki Fujiwara (Fujiwara Gumi): 2/3 only
Super Delfin (Osaka Pro): 2/11 only
Takehiro Murahama (Osaka Pro): 2/11 only
Tsubasa (Osaka Pro): 2/11 only
Points of note:
(1/31) During the Tokyo Differ Ariake tour opener, President Fujinami entered the ring and apologized to fans for the controversial no contest ruling of Riki Choshu vs. Shinya Hashimoto at the Tokyo Dome. Fujinami said revisions to the rules would be considered to improve New Japan.
(1/31) Otani made short work of the man he personally brought to New Japan, The Sledge Hammer, using his new cobra hold finisher in just 5 1/2 minutes for the tap out. Keiji Muto, who had watched from ringside, left seconds before Otani won the match, and Otani quickly followed him backstage. Otani declared that he would win the IWGP Heavyweight Title, then defend it in NOAH or ZERO-ONE.
(2/3) In preparation for their IWGP Tag Team Title shot on the second half of the Hokkaido Sports Center double header, Tenzan & Kojima defeated an all-star heavyweight and junior team, Sasaki & Liger. Kojima sealed the match for TenKoji, lariating Liger in a strong non-title win.
(2/3) Tatsumi Fujinami wrestled his "Epilogue of Dragon 3rd" bout, the third match of his ongoing retirement countdown. He defeated his old Showa rival, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, who made a rare appearance in his old haunt, submitting to Fujinami's patented figure-four leglock.
(2/3) Tanaka & Kanemoto made an impressive V3 defense of their IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title, defeating Mexican brothers, Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King, in a near-20 minute thriller. Kanemoto dropped a moonsault press on King, pinning the new arrival to complete a successful defense.
(2/3) In an important match for the new team of Muto & Otani, they tackled a very threatening Team 2000 duo, Chono & Frye. Late on, Frye struck both Muto and Otani with lethal jabs, but abruptly did likewise with Chono, betraying his long-time T2000 ally! Muto quickly covered Chono for the win, before Team 2000 chased Frye off. Despite the stinging betrayal, Frye showed no signs of aligning with the new force yet.
(2/3) In a big New Japan vs. All Japan six man tag main event that drew 7,200 fans to Hokkaido Sports Center, the regular army trio of Iizuka, Nakanishi & Nagata fended off a severe, tough 23+ minute test from All Japan's Toshiaki Kawada, Masanobu Fuchi & Nobutaka Araya. After submitting Araya with his Argentine backbreaker, Nakanishi took the microphone and provoked Kawada, challenging him to a singles match, most likely at All Japan's 3/3 Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium event!
(2/4) Otani downed another heavyweight opponent, following up on his win over Hiro on 1/19, and beating another T2000 member, Ohara, with a cobra hold.
(2/4) Choshu & Kenzo, scheduled to face TenKoji on 2/18, picked up a momentum boost when they defeated the Team 2000 old guard team of Hiro & Goto.
(2/4) In an important singles match and difficult match for Muto, he faced Submission Master, Iizuka, in a 16 1/2 minute ground-based match. Muto scraped through and came out the winner, debuting a new knee kick to the face for the pinfall victory.
(2/4) Tenzan & Kojima made a successful V3 defense of their IWGP Tag Team Title, fending off a 25+ minute challenge from Nakanishi & Nishimura. Although troubled by Nakanishi's strength and Nishimura's technique, TenKoji's elite teamwork shone through, Tenzan spiking Nishimura with the TTD to round off another brilliant victory for the champions.
(2/8) In a preliminary skirmish to the TenKoji vs. Choshu & Kenzo match on 2/18, Kojima and Power Hall clashed in a tag. Kojima & Goto defeated Choshu & Koshinaka, when in a shocking finish, Kojima pinned Choshu after SEVEN lariats!
(2/11) Osaka Pro returned to New Japan, delighting fans in a vibrant six man tag match. Super Delfin, Takehiro Murahama & Tsubasa avenged their December loss to New Japan, defeating Tanaka, El Samurai & Makabe when Delfin dropped Samurai with his Osaka Stunner for the win.
(2/11) In a big main event, Muto & Otani again reigned supreme, this time defeating Kensuke & Koshinaka. Otani wrestled a strategic match, destroying Sasaki's right arm in an attempt to disable it before their Ryogoku Kokugikan title meeting. Otani's rampage continued when he put away another heavyweight, this time Koshinaka, who fell to Otani's cobra hold. Muto, Otani, and Don Frye, now an official member of this new movement, posed in unison after the match, a new force at large in New Japan.
(2/15) Otani once again targetted Kensuke's right arm in another tag match, further dismantling it. He led Sledge Hammer to a big tag win over Sasaki & Nishimura, Otani personally sinking Nishimura with a cobra hold to add another heavyweight name to his list of wins.
(2/17) Due to an injury picked up by Kenzo, Makabe was forced to wrestle twice, beating Shibata in the opener, then teaming with Choshu and Iizuka against Super J, Hiro & Goto in the fifth match. Makabe showed his young lion vigor even in defeat, fighting hard before falling to Goto's backdrop suplex. He was selected by Choshu as Kenzo's replacement for the non-title match against Tenzan & Kojima on 2/18, offending TenKoji, who vowed to vacate their belts if they couldn't win in under 10 minutes.
(2/17) In one last attempt to weaken Kensuke before their big match, Otani again went after the right arm. He didn't focus on the six man tag match at hand, his attention set solely on the arm. Kensuke lost his temper, using the injured arm to lariat Sledge Hammer for the win, and perhaps damaging it further in doing so.
(2/18) In a thrilling opener to the live Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan PPV, Tanaka, Kanemoto & Takaiwa defeated El Samurai, Wagner & Silver King when Kanemoto pinned Wagner. This would be Takaiwa's final match as a New Japan wrestler, as he quit the promotion to join Hashimoto's new ZERO-ONE venture.
(2/18) In the second New Japan vs. All Japan clash of the tour, New Japan again was victorious, with the 2000 G1 Tag League winners, Iizuka & Nagata, downing two of All Japan's top technicians, Masahito Kakihara & Mitsuya Nagai. Kakihara fought hard in his first New Japan match since the famous New Japan vs. UWF-I feud, but wasn't able to prevent a loss, as Iizuka choked out Nagai with a sleeper hold for the win.
(2/18) Tenzan & Kojima were given a much tougher fight than expected from Choshu and the young lion, Makabe. When the 10 minute mark was announced, there was a stir in the crowd, but TenKoji wouldn't live up to their vow to vacate the belts. Strengthened by the support of Power Hall, Makabe showed great heart, and avoided a direct loss! This meant that Choshu, in his return tour, was pinned again, this time by Tenzan after a moonsault press! TenKoji completed a successful tour with two direct wins over the mighty Choshu!
(2/18) Following the sixth match, Antonio Inoki, accompanied by Kazuyuki Fujita, entered the ring dressed in worn out, crumbling rags, and said he was acting as a homeless man. Inoki said he wanted to make professional wrestling interested somehow, and revealed that he was in talks with boxing legend, Mike Tyson, about a match in June against a wrestler. He suggested a tournament of Japanese fighters, involving Fujita, Naoya Ogawa, and Tadao Yasuda, at the Osaka Dome on 4/9, to determine Tyson's opponent.
(2/18) In a special grudge match, Chono faced his betrayer, Frye, in singles competition. Chono was suffering from a serious rib injury, and Frye targetted the bandaged area with punches. Chono was clearly in no condition to wrestle, and Frye exploited the situation, picking up a huge win over his former leader with a sleeper hold! Chono was immediately ruled out of action long-term, with Tenzan named as T2000 leader for the March series.
(2/18) Muto faced a terrorist in the semi final, with UFO's resident maniac, Kazunari Murakami, returning to New Japan as Muto's opponent in singles competition. Murakami made a surprise attack, but was caught off guard when a man wearing all white, including a white mask, appeared at ringside. Murakami was distracted by the enigmatic figure long enough for Muto to hit his new knee kick for the win! Muto called Frye and his new disciple from All Japan, Taiyo Kea, into the ring, as well as the masked man. The man unmasked, revealing the person who waged one of the bloodiest wars ever with Muto (as Muta) on the 4/29/96 Tokyo Dome show, Jinsei Shinzaki! This odd group posed together, four very distinct wrestlers of different fighting styles.
(2/18) Sasaki made a very painful V1 defense of his recently re-acquired IWGP Heavyweight Title, fending off Otani's challenge. The ace suffered great misery en route to the victory, as Otani once more attacked the right arm relentlessly. Kensuke also survived Otani's cobra hold, before sucking in the pain and throwing a lariat, then dropping Otani with a Northern Light bomb for the win! In his post-match interview, Sasaki told Otani to train more and re-challenge, wanting him to understand the value of the title. Otani had different ideas, backstage quitting New Japan like his friend Takaiwa, to join Hashimoto's new ZERO-ONE promotion! Otani said, "Since I have become stronger, I'm taking a trip! To Shinya Hashimoto's place!".
Back to: "NEW CENTURY DASH 2001" (1/19/01)
Forward to: "HYPER BATTLE 2001" (3/3/01 to 3/20/01)
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