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[Complete Results]
Spanning fifteen shows, "SUMMER STRUGGLE 2001" began at Nagaoka Welfare Hall on June 22nd, running through until July 16th at Towada Sports Center. The series led into New Japan's first ever show at the Sapporo dome on July 20th, and served as the final settlement of a tumultuous first half of 2001. The New Japan vs. Team 2000 war raged on throughout the tour, with the main focal point being T2000's Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima defending their IWGP Tag Team Title against a tandem troubling them for a long time, Manabu Nakanishi & Yutaka Yoshie. Additionally, the summer series would see this faction battle branch out into the junior division, when two surprise Team 2000 entrants appeared and made an immediate impact.
Foreign participation:
Rob Rage: All shows
Scott Hall (Team 2000): 7/6 to 7/16
Scott Norton (Team 2000): 6/22 to 7/1
Super J (Team 2000): All shows
Taiyo Kea (All Japan/Team 2000): 6/28 & 6/29
Chris Candido: All shows
Negro Casas (CMLL): All shows
Special participation:
AKIRA (Team 2000): 7/11 to 7/16
Jinsei Shinzaki (Michinoku Pro/BATT): 7/6 to 7/8
Keiji Muto (BATT): 6/28, 6/29, 7/6 to 7/8
Tatsumi Fujinami: 6/24, 6/30 to 7/12
Gedo (Team 2000): 6/28 to 7/16
Gran Naniwa: 6/22 to 6/29
Jado (Team 2000): 6/28 to 7/16
Points of note:
(6/22) Yutaka Yoshie, after carrying out a triumphant homecoming over the past year, began a singles match trial by facing his tag partner, Nakanishi. Unlike last September, where the two wrestled a grueling 16+ minute match, Yoshie was defeated in under 10 minutes today, submitting to Mr. Unbelievable's Argentine backbreaker.
(6/22) Chono, Tenzan & Kojima defeated Koshinaka, Nagata & Liger in the opening day main event, and there was a big happening surrounding the match. Popular freelance team, Jado & Gedo, who previously intruded on the Best of the Super Jr. opening day show, shook hands with Team 2000 before the bout started, formally joining BLACK. After Kojima lariated Koshinaka for the win, the new arrivals struck, attacking Liger and El Samurai. Liger's mask was torn off, Jado & Gedo sending a serious warning not only to the junior titan, but the entire junior division, with this attack.
(6/24) After quick victories on the opening two days over Makabe and Rage, Ohara scored an important six man tag win in Yamagata, submitting his former Heisei Ishingun leader, Koshinaka, with a front neck lock. Ohara utilized chokes and armbarring techniques in the matches, displaying newly acquired vale tudo knowledge. He set his sights on former New Japan wrestler turned MMA fighter, Tadao Yasuda, and also expressed interest in fighting for PRIDE, DEEP or Colosseum.
(6/28) Jado & Gedo wrestled their first match as Team 2000 representatives in New Japan, teaming with Hiro to defeat Liger, Tanaka & Samurai. Gedo avenged his Super J Cup 1995 final loss to Liger, surprising him with a Gedo clutch for the upset win!
(6/28) One day before their IWGP Tag Team Title challenge, Nakanishi & Yoshie gained a psychological advantage by beating Tenzan & Goto. Yoshie picked up a big win when he tackled Tenzan, and scored the preliminary skirmish win.
(6/28) Muto & Taiyo Kea, wrestling their first match of the tour, also picked up a big win, defeating the Team 2000 powerhouse team of Norton & Kojima, when the new Triple Crown Champion, Muto, struck his former disciple Kojima with a Shining Wizard.
(6/29) Liger led two young lions who first began turning heads in the Best of the Super Jr., Shibata and Inoue, to a big six man tag win over Jado, Gedo & Negro Casas. Korakuen boiled as Shibata pinned Mexican legend, Casas, with a German suplex hold, Jado & Gedo suffering their first loss since arriving.
(6/29) Following his and Kea's victory over Chono & Super J, Muto found himself attacked by his upcoming Triple Crown challenger, "Dr. Death" Steve Williams. Williams destroyed Nishimura and Liger, who tried to help Muto, again hinting at BATT membership for the two, and then KO'd Muto with the Doctor bomb.
(6/29) Tenzan & Kojima made a successful, but difficult V5 defense of the IWGP Tag Team Title, defeating Nakanishi & Yoshie before a rabid Korakuen Hall crowd. Although troubled by the power fighting G-EGGS duo, TenKoji's wonderful teamwork shone through, Tenzan pinning Yoshie after 22 minutes with a moonsault press!
(6/30) In the first of two rematches from the 12/14/00 PPV, Kojima once more defeated Kenzo in singles competition, lariating the young prospect for the win.
(6/30) Tenzan avenged his shock 12/14/00 loss to Yoshie, and for the second day in a row pinned the G-EGGS power fighter, defeating him in a rough near-14 minute clash.
(7/6) Okayama City Gymnasium rose to it's feet and roared in unison as ring announcer Hidekazu Tanaka announced that there had been some changes, and announced, "Fujinami Tatsumi... Nakanishi Manabu... CHOSHU RIKI!". Choshu made an unexpected, unannounced appearance, teaming with Fujinami and Nakanishi against Tenzan, Kojima & Ohara. Power Hall showed his eternal strength, lariating Kojima for the win!
(7/6) Yoshie continued to slump in singles competition, but put up a spirited fight before falling to Nagata today. Yoshie took his G-EGGS leader 15 minutes, before being sunk into the mat with a backdrop hold, his third singles loss of the series.
(7/6) Chono, who's health was in great doubt leading into the event, with fears of an internal disease, wrestled anyway. Scott Hall, making his return to New Japan, said, "Hey YO! I'm sorry I have to tell you the bad news. Dr. Hayashi said Mr. Chono is too sick to wrestle!". But a moment later, Chono's familiar theme hit and he entered the ring, ready to face Muto & Shinzaki. Late into the match, Chono suddenly collapsed, causing mass concern around the building. But when Muto turned his back, Chono sprung up and Yakuza kicked his nemesis for the dirty win!
(7/7) Team 2000 and BATT met in a big main event, with Chono, Hall & Kojima facing Muto, Liger (unofficial member) & Shinzaki. Shinzaki pinned Kojima in just under 22 minutes, strengthening his and Kea's chances of taking the IWGP Tag Team Title from Tenzan & Kojima at the Sapporo Dome.
(7/8) Nakanishi & Nagata defeated Chono & Hall in an important main event, but only under worrying circumstances. Nakanishi hit Chono with a spear, and picked up the unchallenged pinfall win. Chono was unable to move, and had to leave on a stretcher, prompting fears of an internal disease aggravation. His remaining matches on the series were immediately cancelled.
(7/11) Yoshie went 0-4 in his unofficial singles match trial series, today losing to a man he defeated twice in singles competition last year, Kojima, in the semi final. Yoshie continued to slump, staying down after a lariat from Kojima.
(7/12) Yoshie today fell to Team 2000 gaijin, Super J, in the sixth match. J put away Yoshie in little under 10 minutes with a chokeslam.
(7/12) Having failed in an attempt to win the IWGP Tag Team Title in February from Tenzan & Kojima, Nakanishi & Nishimura faced them again, in non-title form, in the Akita main event. Nishimura shocked the crowd when he front cradled Tenzan for the upset flash count, turning heads with his performance.
(7/15) Two days after being announced as Takashi Iizuka's replacement in the 2001 G1 Climax, IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Tanaka, sent a warning to the heavyweights by defeating young lion, Takemura, in just 74 seconds with a cross armbreaker!
(7/15) Yoshie's misery on a very unsuccessful tour reached it's lowest point, when he fell to undercard American import, Rage, in the third match of the night.
(7/16) The long tour finished on a quiet note in Towada, but the main event had lasting impact. Although TenKoji defeating Nagata & Yoshie was no big surprise, given Yoshie's sudden descent in form (he was pinned by Kojima, who celebrated his 10th anniversary in wrestling with a win), Nagata's post-match declaration was. Nagata said that Fighting Club G-EGGS had become lukewarm, especially with Yoshie's losses on the tour, and formally disbanded the unit, all four members (Nagata, Nakanishi, Johnston & Yoshie) returning to their original activity of being regular army members as a result.
Miscellaneous:
Yoshie's singles match trial series was somewhat informal and never listed as an official concept by New Japan like past trials, but here are the results in chronological order,
- Manabu Nakanishi beat Yutaka Yoshie (9:11) with an Argentine backbreaker.
- Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Yutaka Yoshie (13:46) with the TTD.
- Yuji Nagata beat Yutaka Yoshie (14:59) with a backdrop hold.
- Satoshi Kojima beat Yutaka Yoshie (11:22) with a lariat.
- Super J beat Yutaka Yoshie (9:57) with a chokeslam.
- Rob Rage beat Yutaka Yoshie (8:28) with a shoulder buster.
So, complete defeat for Yoshie, who's triumphant comeback year was almost undone by a shocking slump in form. Not only did he lose in singles matches, but also in various tags, such as the IWGP Tag Team Title challenge with Nakanishi, and the tour ending main event that provoked Nagata to disband G-EGGS.
Back to: "SUPER-FORCE GROUP DECLARATION 2001" (6/6/01)
Forward to: "DOME QUAKE" (7/20/01)
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