New Japan announced details about "FIGHTING SPIRIT 2003", it's first tour of the new year. No January mini-series this year, which is unfortunate, as "EXTREME 2 DAYS" was a lot of fun last year, despite the sad departure of Kojima. There are eleven shows booked for the tour, which runs from 1/30 to 2/16. It's more ambitious than last year's installment, with several sizy buildings booked. The tour begins at Korakuen Hall, before the team heads to Sapporo, and on 2/2 they run at the Tsukisame Green Dome, which houses around 7,000 spectators. They ran a double header there back on "FIGHTING SPIRIT 2000" (Team 2000 vs. nWo Japan on 2/4 with Chono beating Tenzan in the main event, and Sasaki vs. Frye for the IWGP Heavyweight Title on 2/5), but have scaled down for obvious reasons now. The next show on 2/4 is at Iwate Prefectural Gymnasium, a "big" small show if that makes sense, where minor title matches have been held in the past by companies (such as Akiyama vs. Honda for NOAH last year). They run at Osaka Rinkai Sports Center on 2/9 for the first time since 1998, and an i-mode source in Japan hinted that there may be Osaka Pro involvement there, possibly Tsubasa & Black Buffalo against whoever the IWGP Jr. Tag Champions are then. 2/11 has what will probably be a mid-level WPW taping at Gifu Industrial Hall, then following two small shows, they run the traditional Tokyo Sumo Hall event on 2/16, which will have title matches and will probably be a PPV. Of course, last year's February Sumo Hall show saw the finals of the IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament, which Yasuda won. Most likely all IWGP belts will be defended on the series. 2003 will be an important year for New Japan, with the current wave of younger generations continuing to rise, and much more.