--> "FIGHTING SPIRIT 2003" <--
After a wild start to the series, things settled down today with a smaller house show. Chono blasted Makabe before the show, accusing him of overrating himself, and may have banished him (Makabe is not listed on the next show lineup). Chono said that if Makabe lost today (which he did), he should head back overseas and re-practice, like Katsushi Takemura did after going on a losing streak following his return on "SUMMER FIGHT SERIES 2002". New Japan has not been happy with Makabe's progress since he returned, which is why contract talks continue to stall (Makabe wants a semi main event position, but New Japan won't guarantee that). There are some rumours that Makabe could be Kenzo's mystery opponent on 3/1 if he chooses to leave New Japan. Meanwhile, Yanagisawa again demanded an open finger glove match with Takayama on 2/16. The first match of note saw two of New Japan's great young lion prospects, Shinsuke Nakamura and Naofumi Yamamoto, clash for the first time since leaving the dojo. They teamed with peers (Nishimura and Yoshie respectively), and the bout hit the 15 minute time limit. Josh Barnett continued his study of pro wrestling, KO'ing Makai #2 in 5 minutes with a popular wrestling move, the German suplex. Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto, two veterans finding sudden form, advanced to the semi final round of the IWGP Tag Team Title #1 Contender Tournament. They defeated, for the second time, Shinya Makabe & Minoru Fujita, the struggling Makabe again falling to Goto's backdrop suplex. Fujita is himself doing well this tour, and remains personally unbeaten going into his IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title shot in Miyagi. Takayama & Saturn put away Yanagisawa & Makai #1, Takayama knee kicking #1 for the victory. In the semi final, Barton & Steele continued to gather steam for their tag tournament semi final against Hiro & Goto, defeating Nagata & Wolf. Along with Yasuda & Murakami, Barton & Steele are a strong possibility to take the tournament and go on to challenge Chono & Tenzan. Finally, New Japan vs. Makai Club headlined for the first time on the series, with eight man tag action. Makai took this victory after two losses earlier in the show, Murakami continuing to one-up the man who defeated him on successive Tokyo Dome shows in 2000, Iizuka, and forcing a submission out of him. Couple of quick WON notes concerning New Japan. Ken Shamrock will most likely either challenge the IWGP Heavyweight Champion (Nagata or whoever it might be by then, very possibly on 5/2) or team with fellow former UFC star, Josh Barnett, and gun for the IWGP Tag Team Title. New Japan has considered the possibility of an eight man vale tudo/shoot tournament for 5/2 (featuring Kazuyuki Fujita, Tadao Yasuda, Shinsuke Nakamura, Tsuyoshi Kosaka, Josh Barnett, Ken Shamrock, Mark Coleman, and Walid Ismail), but with Inoki's refusal to let New Japan use the "INOKI BOM-BA-YE" name, chances may be slim. New Japan will also run the Tokyo Dome in October again this year, making it three once more.

NJPW, 2/4/03
Iwate Prefectural Gymnasium
2,500 Fans

1. Toru Yano beat Ryusuke Taguchi (5:56) with a crab hold.
2. Osamu Nishimura & Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Yutaka Yoshie & Naofumi Yamamoto went to a draw (15:00) when the time limit expired.
3. Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai beat Super Crazy & Curry Man (11:08) when Samurai used a chickenwing armlock on Crazy.
4. Koji Kanemoto, Jado & Gedo beat Heat, Masahito Kakihara & Tiger Mask 4 (16:11) when Gedo used the Gedo clutch on Kakihara.
5. Josh Barnett beat Makai #2 (5:03) by KO.
6. IWGP Tag Team Title #1 Contender Tournament - Round 1: Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto beat Shinya Makabe & Minoru Fujita (7:13) when Goto used a backdrop suplex on Makabe.
7. Yoshihiro Takayama & Perry Saturn beat Ryushi Yanagisawa & Makai #1 (10:59) when Takayama used a knee kick on Makai #1.
8. Mike Barton & Jim Steele beat Yuji Nagata & Blue Wolf (15:32) when Steele used the Turbo Drop II on Wolf.
9. Tadao Yasuda, Kazunari Murakami, Makai #4 & Makai #5 beat Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Manabu Nakanishi & Takashi Iizuka (17:23) when Murakami used an armlock on Iizuka.

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Like most recent shows, the next one is dominated by New Japan vs. outsiders matches, including Koji Kanemoto's V5 defense of the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title against Kaientai Dojo's Minoru Fujita, in what should be an excellent match. Unlike other junior title matches, it won't main event due to Fujita's current low status. Also, in a rematch from the Tokyo Dome, Iizuka & Kakihara face Makai #4 (Shibata) & Makai #5 (Nagai), with the Iizuka vs. Nagai situation promising to heat up more. The outing also sees Liger, Jado & Gedo team up as a trio for the first time ever. Nine matches altogether, so another long one for this SXW taping. The convention will be the first wrestling show in the new Dream Messe Miyagi facility (not sure how many it holds, but advanced sales are decent, with most of the expensive seats sold out).

NJPW, 2/6/03 (SXW)
Dream Messe Miyagi

1. Naofumi Yamamoto vs. Ryusuke Taguchi
2. Kengo Kimura & El Samurai vs. Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto
3. Blue Wolf & Toru Yano vs. Makai #1 & Makai #2
4. Jushin Thunder Liger, Jado & Gedo vs. Tiger Mask 4, Super Crazy & Curry Man
5. IWGP Tag Team Title #1 Contender Tournament - Round 1: Takashi Iizuka & Masahito Kakihara vs. Makai #4 & Makai #5
6. Manabu Nakanishi & Heat vs. Josh Barnett & Perry Saturn
7. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Koji Kanemoto (c) vs. Minoru Fujita
8. Yuji Nagata, Yutaka Yoshie & Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Tadao Yasuda, Kazunari Murakami & Ryushi Yanagisawa
9. Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Osamu Nishimura vs. Yoshihiro Takayama, Mike Barton & Jim Steele