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[Complete Results]
Two days after New Japan celebrated it's 30th birthday at Tokyo Korakuen Hall, "HYPER BATTLE 2002" kicked off in Niigata. As a result of Keiji Muto's recent departure, the IWGP Tag Team Title was vacated, and a tournament to crown new champions was arranged. With tournament matches in Niigata, Kyoto, Aichi and Amagasaki, violent fighting was expected from New Japan's top tag teams, as all sought the same prestigious championship. Tadao Yasuda began his first tour as IWGP Heavyweight Champion following his big win on the last series, and looked for a second crown, as he and Dan Devine gunned for the tag belts. Yasuda also had to worry about his primary title though, as Hiroyoshi Tenzan was his first challenger on 3/21. The New Japan vs. Team 2000 junior rivalry heated up with three special concept matches, each with a different stipulation. Eddie Guerrero, the former Black Tiger (second generation) in New Japan, and more recently of WWF and WCW, made his return to New Japan and quickly involved himself in the junior scene. Interestingly enough, Black Tiger (third generation), the successor to Guerrero under that persona, also returned, and would quickly cross paths with Guerrero.
Foreign participation:
Giant Silva (CMLL/Team 2000): All shows
Giant Singh (Team 2000): All shows
Scott Norton (Team 2000): All shows
Super J (Team 2000): All shows
Black Tiger (CMLL/Team 2000): All shows
Eddie Guerrero: All shows
Points of note:
IWGP Tag Team Title Tournament matches on 3/8 Niigata, 3/14 Kyoto, 3/17 Aichi, and 3/24 Amagasaki.
(3/8) Eddie Guerrero returned to New Japan, teaming with Tanaka and Black Tiger to tackle T2000's Kanemoto, Jado & Gedo. But out of nowhere, both Guerrero and Tiger assaulted Tanaka from behind, and a 5-on-1 attack began! Liger raced to the ring and saved Tanaka, and all this forced team reorganization in the upcoming concept matches, as Guerrero and Tiger were scheduled to oppose T2000, but today joined them!
(3/8) The first of two IWGP Tag Team Title Tournament first round matches saw young lions, Kenzo & Tanahashi, repeat their upset win from the 2001 G1 Tag League, defeating Nishimura & Liger! Suzuki pinned Mr. Muga following a backdrop suplex, and Tanaken promised their first throne capture.
(3/8) The second tournament match and main event saw Nagata get some revenge for his IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament final loss to Yasuda on the last series, as he and Nakanishi reformed their successful team and defeated Yasuda & Devine, Nagata pinning Devine with a backdrop hold. The former G-EGGS leaders marched forward, looking for their first IWGP Tag Title win since 8/28/99 at Jingu Stadium.
(3/9) The New Japan vs. T2000 junior strife intensified, when in a non-title match, IWGP Jr. Tag Champions, Jado & Gedo, were recklessly assaulted by Tanaka, who got himself DQ'd. Following the match, both armies brawled, and Chono appeared, formally inducting Guerrero and Black Tiger into Team 2000.
(3/9) With their IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Match around the corner, Nagata and Norton clashed in a tag, with Norton pinning Nagata following a powerbomb. Norton also looked past Nagata to his partner, reigning champion Yasuda, and pummeled the new king with stiff levels chops.
(3/10) New Japan vs. Team 2000 Jr. No. 1 went down at Korakuen, and Team 2000 gave a brilliant performance, completely defeating New Japan in a 25+ minute Elimination Match. T2000 won in five straight falls, Guerrero pinning Samurai, Jado submitting Naruse, Gedo pinning Kakihara, Tiger pinning Liger, and Guerrero wrapping it up by pinning IWGP Jr. Champion, Tanaka!
(3/10) Nakanishi demonstrated the German suplex hold he mastered while training under the master, Karl Gotch, recently, defeating his good friend Yoshie in a singles match. After pinning his bulky opponent, Nakanishi said he would defeat Silva, Singh or Norton with it soon.
(3/10) Tenzan became the first man to pin Yasuda since his big win over Jerome Le Banner on 12/31/01, as he and Chono downed Yasuda & Nagata, Yasuda falling to his first challenger when Tenzan hit the TTD.
(3/14) In New Japan vs. Team 2000 Jr. No. 2, T2000 sealed the series with another convincing win, this time in a 2/3 Falls Match. Tanaka started things with a bang for New Japan, submitting Gedo with a cross armbreaker in just 42 seconds! It was all downhill for him after that though, as he fell to Jado in the second fall, and then his next title challenger, Gedo, in the final fall.
(3/14) In the third IWGP Tag Team Title Tournament first round match, the giants convincingly defeated fellow T2000 gaijin, Norton & Super J, Singh chokeslamming J for the win. After his loss, J quarreled with Norton, seeming upset with his long-time ally.
(3/14) The final first round match was unscheduled but forced. Due to injuries to Koshinaka and Kenzo, their partners, Kensuke and Tanahashi (who had previously qualified for the next round, but had to try again) respectively, had to team up against former champions, Chono & Tenzan. They showed good teamwork, and Tanahashi gave a very spirited effort, but eventually Tenzan's TTD sunk him into the mat, the Team 2000 aces marching directly to the final.
(3/15) Following today's main event, which saw Yasuda, Nagata & Devine defeat Norton, Tenzan & Hiro, Super J assisted the home team, betraying T2000 and revealing a New Japan shirt under his jacket! This was the first time J had aligned with the New Japan army since he began touring for New Japan, back when he was nWo Sting. A singles match between he and his friend turned enemy, Norton, was hurriedly determined for 3/24 Amagasaki.
(3/16) J began duties as a New Japan army member, teaming with Nagata to defeat Norton & Goto. The new team showed good teamwork, and J took the fall from Goto.
(3/17) Days after teaming, Kensuke and Tanahashi waged war in a physical singles match. Sasaki showed no mercy on the young lion, cutting him open and defeating him with a lariat. There was respect in his eyes after the match though, and he seemed impressed by Tanahashi's fighting spirit.
(3/17) In an eight man junior tag, not part of the concept series, New Japan got some revenge over Team 2000, with Liger, Samurai, Shibata & Inoue beating Kanemoto, Guerrero, Black Tiger & Jado, when young warrior Shibata scored the upset and pinned Tiger. Shibata demanded he be added to the 3/24 conclusion match because he was able to do what his partners couldn't, take T2000 down.
(3/17) Tanaka made it 2-0 on the day for New Japan by successfully making his V1 defense of the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title when he defeated Gedo, the T2000 rogue falling to the Minoru Special.
(3/17) Nagata & Nakanishi completed one of their most impressive wins, as they defeated the monsterous duo of Giant Silva & Giant Singh in the only IWGP Tag Team Tournament semi final. Although overpowered, their technique confused the arguing giants, and Nakanishi finished the match in style, hitting 7'7" Singh with a memorable German suplex hold for the 3 count!
(3/21) In a match based on respect for the old style, Nakanishi faced Nishimura. A technical battle spanning nearly 15 minutes, Nakanishi had the perfect chance to display many of his Gotch-ism techniques, and again used the German suplex hold to seal the win.
(3/21) The arguing giants were placed against each other in a tag match officiated by Chono, who wanted to control the two. The two ignored Chono's orders though, and kept fighting, while Goto snuck up on Hiro and hit a backdrop suplex for the 3 count. A furious Chono declared that the giants would meet in singles competition at the Tokyo Dome on 5/2.
(3/21) Nagata moved one step closer to ending his recent singles match slump when he defeated Norton in a #1 contender match to earn a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Title. Nagata demolished the gaijin ace towards the with stinging kicks, and finished him off with a middle kick to the head.
(3/21) In a very close match, Yasuda made a successful V1 defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Title, defeating Tenzan with a front sleeper. Yasuda was troubled by Tenzan, who assaulted his left leg, and used bold moves such as a German suplex and moonsault press. However, Yasuda's front sleeper was too much, and a rematch from February of Yasuda vs. Nagata was set up for 4/5 at Tokyo Budokan Hall.
(3/22) Young lions, Shibata & Inoue, continued to impress when they upset Guerrero & Black Tiger in tag team competition. The finish came as a big surprise, when Wataru inside cradled Eddie for one of the biggest wins of his career so far.
(3/22) Just a day after his big win over Norton, Nagata's woes continued, when he and Nakanishi, so close to their IWGP Tag Team Tournament final match, lost to Yasuda & Yoshie. Yasuda continued to one-up Nagata when he submitted his V2 challenger with a shoulder hold.
(3/24) In a short, but physical match between new rivals, Norton and Super J, Norton continued to control the gaijin ranks of New Japan, putting J away in a little over 5 minutes.
(3/24) Kensuke & Tanahashi again teamed up, and once more showed good teamwork when they upset Yasuda & Yoshie, Sasaki pinning Yoshie to secure a big win for he and his new young lion disciple.
(3/24) New Japan vs. Team 2000 Jr. No. 3 saw another miserable outcome for New Japan, as they lost once more and suffered complete 0-3 defeat in the series. Today's concept was a Singles Elimination Match, with singles matches taking place until one team was completely eliminated, and the entire chain of falls lasted around 45 minutes. It was very even, moreso than the first two matches in the series, and came down to arch-rivals Tanaka and Kanemoto after Tanaka eliminated Guerrero. Kanemoto further pushed towards a true singles match with Tanaka, pinning him with a Tiger suplex hold to finish up a very successful tour for the T2000 juniors.
(3/24) Exactly two years and four days after Nagata & Nakanishi made a their successful V3 defense of the IWGP Tag Team Title against Chono & Tenzan in the same building, the two teams met again to determine champions for the vacant prize. With a super sell out crowd boiling, the four waged a true Strong Style war lasting over 23 minutes. Once again Nagata would fall, with Tenzan hitting a moonsault press to win the belts and begin his and Chono's fourth reign as champions, equalling Fujinami & Kimura for most reigns with the title. With their successful tandem reformed, Chono & Tenzan's win promised a brand new era for the tag division after the forced split of TenKoji in January.
Miscellaneous:
Team 2000's juniors took Liger's army to school in the concept series with a perfect 3-0 record.
- Koji Kanemoto, Eddie Guerrero, Black Tiger, Jado & Gedo beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Minoru Tanaka, El Samurai, Masayuki Naruse & Masahiro Kakihara (25:43) in an Elimination Match. Guerrero used a diving body press on Samurai (10:31). Jado used the Crossface of JADO on Naruse (14:48). Gedo used the Gedo clutch on Kakihara (17:40). Tiger used a moonsault press on Liger (25:05). Guerrero used a brainbuster on Tanaka (25:43).
- Koji Kanemoto, Eddie Guerrero, Black Tiger, Jado & Gedo beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Minoru Tanaka, El Samurai, Masayuki Naruse & Masahiro Kakihara (27:46) in a 2/3 Falls Match. Tanaka used a cross armbreaker on Gedo (0:42). Jado used the Crossface of JADO on Tanaka (21:36). Gedo used a Superfly splash on Tanaka (5:28).
- Koji Kanemoto, Eddie Guerrero, Black Tiger, Jado & Gedo beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Minoru Tanaka, El Samurai, Masayuki Naruse & Masahito Kakihara (45:40) in a Singles Elimination Match. Liger vs. Jado went to a double countout (9:29). Tiger used a Death Valley bomb on Naruse (7:59). Kakihara used a cross armbreaker on Tiger (3:56). Guerrero used a diving body press on Kakihara (5:12). Guerrero used a diving body press on Samurai (6:28). Tanaka used a cross armbreaker on Guerrero (4:48). Kanemoto used a Tiger suplex hold on Tanaka (7:48).
Luckily for Team 2000, an extension of the series would be granted on the next tour, so they were given chance to redeem themselves, but for now Kanemoto's bolstered army reigned supreme. Unfortunately for them, after some strong outings, Eddie Guerrero would return to the WWF following the series, and wrestled the final match of his brief return stint on 3/24.
Back to: "NEW JAPAN 30TH BIRTHDAY" (3/6/02)
Forward to: "EXCITING BATTLE IN NAEBA 2002" (3/29/02 to 3/30/02)
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