–> “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN ISM” <--
Tanahashi vs. Nakamura continued to heat up at today's second show of the Korakuen double header, with Tanahashi's upcoming challenger again getting the better of him. It was a main event of two rivalries - Tanahashi vs. Nakamura over the IWGP Heavyweight Title and Taguchi & Devitt vs. NO LIMIT as both teams aim for IWGP Jr. Tag Title contendership - and a 25 minute battle ended when Nakamura pinned Yujiro. Nakamura declared war on Tanahashi after the match, promising to put his body and soul into winning back the belt. The semi final again saw two rivalries played out in tag form - Nagata vs. Goto and Tiger vs. Liger - with Liger scoring a big cradle pin over the man he will challenge for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title at Sumo Hall. Worringly, Goto had to be helped out with a knee injury after the match and may have to cancel some appearances.

Minoru made his expected appearance to greet fans before the show. He said after ten years as a New Japan junior he is becoming a freelancer, but wants fans to continue supporting New Japan juniors, who he considers the world's strongest. He thanked the fans and now takes a new path, but to where remains a mystery...

NJPW, 1/31/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,600 Fans - No Vacancy

1. AKIRA beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (9:34) with a Musasabi press.
2. Jado & Gedo beat Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari (11:40) when Gedo pinned Ishikari.
3. Takashi Iizuka, Giant Bernard, Karl Anderson & Tomoaki Honma beat Manabu Nakanishi, Koji Kanemoto, Mitsuhide Hirasawa & Kazuchika Okada (15:25) when Anderson used the Gun Stun on Okada.
4. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Wataru Inoue beat Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii (12:02) when Ishii was DQ’d.
5. Hirooki Goto & Jushin Thunder Liger beat Yuji Nagata & Tiger Mask (11:50) when Liger used a cradle on Tiger.
6. Shinsuke Nakamura, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito (25:25) when Nakamura used the Landslide on Yujiro.

–> “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN ISM” <--
"I will surpass the wall of Nagata!". Today's main event was supposed to build up Tanahashi vs. Nakamura, and did -- but it also revived the Nagata vs. Goto grudge after Goto surprisingly pinned the ZERO1 World Heavyweight Champion and then demanded a singles match with him. He wants to use Nagata as a step to greater glory and the two seemed destined to collide at Sumo Hall. Who will be the team given the chance to bring home the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title from TNA Wrestling's Motor City Machine Guns? Today's NO LIMIT vs. RISE tag ended in a stalemate 20 minute draw, and both teams were joined by Jado & Gedo and Taguchi & Devitt post-match, all four wanting a slice of the cake. It isn't clear how they will decide who gets the next shot yet -- perhaps a mini-tournament or four way tag dance at Sumo Hall?

A new year and another new belt as Tiger Mask was officially presented with the new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title belt today ahead of his V1 defense against Liger at Sumo Hall. It has been three years now since Black Cat passed away but each January he is remembered by New Japan. A ceremony was again performed today with all of the wrestlers gathering, and after pinning Nagata, Goto held a picture of Cat to his heart.

NJPW “BLACK CAT MEMORIAL”, 1/30/09 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,300 Fans

1. Wataru Inoue, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Jado, Gedo & Tomohiro Ishii (11:04) when Devitt used a cradle on Gedo.
2. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari went to a draw (20:00) when the time limit expired.
3. Tiger Mask & Koji Kanemoto beat Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA (11:24) when Tiger used a chickenwing facelock on AKIRA.
4. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomoaki Honma beat Riki Choshu, Mitsuhide Hirasawa, Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi (8:21) when Honma used a diving headbutt on Hirasawa.
5. Masahiro Chono & Manabu Nakanishi beat Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson (11:21) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Anderson.
6. Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yuji Nagata (21:38) when Goto used the Shouten on Nagata.

Mexican superstar Mistico will now defend his CMLL World Welterweight Title at Sumo Hall again rival Mephisto. This is the fourth title match on the card now. Lots of names remain unbooked and given the delay, you have to wonder if events at Korakuen Hall tomorrow may help shape the card.

NJPW, 2/15/09 (WPW)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. CMLL World Welterweight Title - Lucha Libre Globalization: Mistico (c) vs. Mephisto
2. Special Tag Match - NJPW vs. TNA Augmented Reality: Masahiro Chono & AKIRA vs. James Storm & Robert Roode
3. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tiger Mask (c) vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
4. Special Singles Match - Wrestle-incident DIE OR BREED: Giant Bernard vs. Kurt Angle
5. IWGP Tag Team Title - Hardcore Rules: “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon (c) vs. Togi Makabe & Toru Yano
6. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

After he requested it, New Japan have had a new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title belt created for Tiger Mask. He said if a new IWGP Heavyweight Title belt could be created last year, why not one for the junior strap? A first glimpse of it can be found in the new Weekly Pro - is that it pictured above?

Yuji Nagata will make his V4 defense of ZERO1’s World Heavyweight Title against Shinjiro Otani after the company president pinned Wataru Inoue in a tag match today. Otani is considered ZERO1’s last hope, even though Nagata bested him in a singles match shortly before taking the belt from Masato Tanaka, but few from 01 know Nagata as well as Otani. No date for the defense has been announced as yet.

ZERO1, 1/23/09
Shinjuku FACE

- Shinjiro Otani & Masato Tanaka beat Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue (14:46) when Otani used a Spiral bomb on Inoue.

1/26 update: The match is now confirmed for ZERO1’s 2/27 Korakuen Hall show.

ZERO1 “ZERO1 WRESTLER’S BELIEF ‘09″, 2/27/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- World Heavyweight Title: Yuji Nagata (c) vs. Shinjiro Otani

Koji Kanemoto will look to inflict some punishment on BxB Hulk when the two collide at DRAGON GATE’s 2/12 Korakuen Hall show. Hulk insulted Kanemoto today after Koji’s special appearance in DRAGON GATE, setting up a singles match between the two next month. BxB competed in the 2007 Best of the Super Jr. and was beaten easily by Kanemoto, but Aniki said today that this is a different BxB who will be a much tougher opponent.

DRAGON GATE, 1/23/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- Masaaki Mochizuki & Koji Kanemoto beat BxB Hulk & Naoki Tanisaki (11:19) when Kanemoto used an ankle hold on Tanisaki.

-

DRAGON GATE, 2/12/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- BxB Hulk vs. Koji Kanemoto

Daisuke Sekimoto continues to have trouble against New Japan opposition and today fell to junior legend Jushin Thunder Liger in a follow-up from Liger & AKIRA’s failed BJW Tag Team Title shot last month.

BJW, 1/22/09
Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse

- Special Singles Match: Jushin Thunder Liger beat Daisuke Sekimoto (16:48) with a Samson clutch.

New Japan is going on the offensive in 2009 and part of that includes reviving the Golden Week tradition of big wrestling shows. In the past, New Japan ran a Dome in May but in recent times has run Korakuen Hall more often than not. But New Japan officials have told Kami Pro that on May 3rd, the company will run a show at the 10,000 seat Fukuoka International Center. Not exactly a hotspot for pro wrestling in recent years, Fukuoka hasn’t hosted a major New Japan event for quite some time, so the return to the place where Keiji Muto (as Muta) won his first IWGP Heavyweight Title in 1992 will be significant. New Japan plans to make it a “Sumo Hall” level event with similar effort into production and promotion. The last time New Japan ran there was a few years ago when Brock Lesnar defended the IWGP Heavyweight Title against Giant Bernard, and it drew a very poor crowd, but the company has revived itself a lot since then and has put together a project team to organize this event.

Many people are wondering about the progress of contract talks right now, and well, it is a much quieter month than in the past. Wrestlers are signing, holding secondary talks, and all as usual, but the company will only talk about it when negotiations are over or if someone leaves — as Minoru is. Tanahashi did suspend talks as his demands are complex: he apparently wants exclusive nude photos of women as part of his deal, and New Japan officials are a bit perplexed.

“Funky Weapon” Ryusuke Taguchi could be the next New Japan wrestler to board the ark, after talking to New Japan management about invading the NOAH ring soon. Taguchi said in order to create new excitement in the pro wrestling community, he wants to find fresh challenges, and has his eyes on Naomichi Marufuji, KENTA, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru - the upper tier of NOAH’s junior division. Taguchi is recovering from a left elbow injury right now, but is working on a new finishing move and hopes to have an impressive 2009.

My time is a lot more limited these days, so finding time to re-add old data has been difficult to say the least. But I’ve managed to upload a bare bones roster list, fully up to date, with champions listed.

- New Japan Roster

The permanent link is on the left, just under the Results/Schedule (constantly updated, just added some new posters today) link. When I get time I hope to work on getting the History section back up and running, and will also probably re-add profiles in time.

Koji Kanemoto and Hikaru announced today that they were married on the 13th and both couldn’t keep the smiles off their faces. The latest pro wrestling couple announced on New Year’s Day when Kanemoto worked a ZERO1 show that they were engaged, and now that they are married Hikaru plans to retire from wrestling, her last match planned for April 26th.

When asked about kids, Aniki said he wants a girl first, and perhaps sent a warning to future suitors that if his daughter were to go on a date, it’d be a three person date, as he’d be there too.

Miruhon recently published an article that Kanemoto had been fired by New Japan over a disturbance, but today were forced into an apology after Kanemoto signed a new contract. When asked about it at the interview, he brushed it off with a smile, more important things on his mind.

Third time lucky? MVP will challenge Team 3D at Sumo Hall next month in an attempt to win back the IWGP Tag Team Title that they dropped to the iconic American tandem at the Tokyo Dome. Not content with a re-challenge, the GBH team want to re-enter Team 3D’s hardcore environment and have demanded the match be held under “Hardcore Rules” (1/16 update: This is now official, another Hardcore Rules match between the teams). Tiger Mask makes his V1 defense of the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title against Liger, a big chance for Liger to decorate his 20th anniversary year by winning the belt he hasn’t held since 2000. TNA World Tag Team Champions, James Storm and Robert Roode, hit the New Japan mat in a special non-title tag match against Legend’s Chono & AKIRA.

Other tour notes. Due to his pending exit, Minoru is off both Korakuen shows, but will appear on 1/31 to address the fans and say farewell. AKIRA will replace him in both planned matches. Old favourite El Samurai returns to New Japan for a special appearance on the 2/12 Toyohashi event, teaming with AKIRA against Bernard & Karl Anderson.

NJPW, 2/15/09 (WPW)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Special Singles Match: Mistico vs. Mephisto
2. Special Tag Match - NJPW vs. TNA Augmented Reality: Masahiro Chono & AKIRA vs. James Storm & Robert Roode
3. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tiger Mask (c) vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
4. Special Singles Match: Giant Bernard vs. Kurt Angle
5. IWGP Tag Team Title - Hardcore Rules: “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon (c) vs. Togi Makabe & Toru Yano
6. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Yuji Nagata and Wataru Inoue will enter ZERO1’s 1/23 show at Shinjuku FACE as a tag team, battling 01’s ace tandem of Shinjiro Otani & Masato Tanaka.

ZERO1 “WRESTLER’S INCEPTION ‘09″, 1/23/09
Shinjuku FACE

- Shinjiro Otani & Masato Tanaka vs. Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue

The writing has been on the wall for a while, but now it is official courtesy of New Japan. After many years with the company following a move from BattlARTS, Minoru has decided to leave New Japan. Minoru became one of New Japan’s most successful juniors this decade, but in recent times his position has lessened quite a lot and he has spent much of his time mentoring Prince Devitt in the junior tag division.

Minoru will wrestle his last match for the company opposite young lion Nobuo Yoshihashi on the 1/31 Korakuen Hall show. His future plans after that aren’t known, but he plans to address the crowd on the 1/30 Korakuen show.

LOCK UP, 1/10/09
Shinjuku FACE

- Kazuchika Okada beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (5:30) with a camel clutch.
- Jado & Gedo beat Masaaki Mochizuki & Tetsuya Naito (16:38) when Gedo used a horizontal cradle on Naito.
- Riki Choshu & Masato Tanaka beat Yutaka Yoshie & Daisuke Sekimoto (12:42) when Tanaka used the Sliding D on Sekimoto.
- WEW Heavyweight Title: Tomohiro Ishii (c) beat Kintaro Kanemura (17:27) with a lariat.

More matches for the upcoming “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN ISM” tour have been announced, which each card headed by Tanahashi vs. Nakamura preliminary skirmishes. You may notice that after 1/31 (contract cut-off day), RISE’s Minoru is nowhere to be found. There has been a lot of speculation about his future, and this may (or may not!) be the writing on the wall.

NJPW, 1/30/09 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Wataru Inoue, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Jado, Gedo & Tomohiro Ishii
2. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari
3. Tiger Mask & Koji Kanemoto vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & Minoru
4. Riki Choshu, Mitsuhide Hirasawa, Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomoaki Honma
5. Masahiro Chono & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yuji Nagata vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto

NJPW, 1/31/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Nobuo Yoshihashi vs. Minoru
2. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari vs. Jado & Gedo
3. Manabu Nakanishi, Koji Kanemoto, Mitsuhide Hirasawa & Kazuchika Okada vs. Takashi Iizuka, Giant Bernard, Karl Anderson & Tomoaki Honma
4. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Wataru Inoue vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii
5. Yuji Nagata & Tiger Mask vs. Hirooki Goto & Jushin Thunder Liger
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt

NJPW, 2/1/09
Tomi Fureai Gymnasium

1. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
2. Manabu Nakanishi & Wataru Inoue vs. Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii
3. Riki Choshu & Masahiro Chono vs. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata, Tiger Mask & Kazuchika Okada vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA

NJPW, 2/7/09 (Samurai! TV)
Tochigi Bunka Center Sub Hall

1. Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari
2. Manabu Nakanishi, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Giant Bernard, Jado & Gedo
3. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Wataru Inoue vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata, Tiger Mask & Koji Kanemoto vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA

NJPW, 2/8/09 (SXW)
Zepp Sendai

1. Manabu Nakanishi, Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii
2. Yuji Nagata, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Hirooki Goto, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt
3. Riki Choshu & Masahiro Chono vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tiger Mask vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Jushin Thunder Liger

NJPW, 2/10/09
Ota City Nitta Gymnasium Ex Arena

1. Manabu Nakanishi, Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari vs. Takashi Iizuka, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
2. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto vs. Togi Makabe & Tomohiro Ishii
3. Riki Choshu & Masahiro Chono vs. Toru Yano & Tomoaki Honma
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada

NJPW, 2/11/09 (Samurai! TV)
Act City Hamamatsu

1. Manabu Nakanishi, Milano Collection AT, Taichi Ishikari & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Jado, Gedo, Karl Anderson & Tomoaki Honma
2. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto vs. Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii
3. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & AKIRA vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Giant Bernard
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata & Tiger Mask vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Jushin Thunder Liger

NJPW, 2/12/09
Toyohashi City Gymnasium #2

1. Wataru Inoue & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii
2. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomoaki Honma
3. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata & Nobuo Yoshihashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada

-

The late February to late March schedule has been announced, with the New Japan Cup returning, plus a series of special Korakuen Hall shows.

- 2/29 “NEW DIMENSION” @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall
- 3/6 “STRONG STYLE 37TH ANNIVERSARY” @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall

CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN CUP ~SOUL ON THE RING~
- 3/8 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
- 3/14 @ Kuki City Gymnasium
- 3/15 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall
- 3/16 @ Tsubame Citizen Gymnasium
- 3/17 @ Kumagaya Citizen Gymnasium
- 3/20 @ Takamatsu City Gymnasium
- 3/21 @ Fukuyama Big Rose
- 3/22 @ Amagasaki Memorial Park Gymnasium

- 3/29 “EXCITING BATTLE IN OKINAWA 2009″ @ Okinawa Prefectural Budokan

Following up on Liger & AKIRA’s failure to win the BJW Tag Team Title last month, Jushin Thunder Liger will re-advance on Big Japan to face their young powerhouse, Daisuke Sekimoto. Sekimoto, a regular on PREMIUM shows, has plenty of experience against big leaguers, including a mini-feud with Nakanishi once, while on the other hand Liger has lots of experience fighting heavyweights such as Sekimoto.

BJW, 1/22/09
Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse

- Special Singles Match: Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Jushin Thunder Liger

Eternal rivals Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura collide again next month at Sumo Hall when new IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Tanahashi, faces the man who held the title this time last year. Nakamura scored back to back victories over Tanahashi in early 2008, both in title matches, so Tanahashi has the chance to do the same here. After laying out Kurt Angle following the Legend/MEM vs. GBH eight man tag yesterday, Giant Bernard looks to take the American icon’s scalp in a singles match when they collide. And another of Mistico’s great rivals, Mephisto, hits the New Japan ring to take on the pride of Mexican wrestling in a special singles match that will look to spread lucha libre to the fans of Japan.

NJPW, 1/30/09 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yuji Nagata vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto

NJPW, 1/31/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt

NJPW, 2/15/09 (WPW)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Special Singles Match: Mistico vs. Mephisto
2. Special Singles Match: Giant Bernard vs. Kurt Angle
3. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

New Japan Pro-Wrestling begans 2009 with the task of pushing a struggling industry forward, and with stars from all over said industry as well as the American industry, put on an acclaimed Tokyo Dome show today that drew the biggest crowd to the building for some time. Superstars from across the globe united for “WRESTLE KINGDOM III IN TOKYO DOME” and put on a show full of colour, variety, and interest. A story many years in the making culminated with the clash of IWGP Heavyweight Champion and teacher, Keiji Muto, battling his talented disciple Hiroshi Tanahashi in his V5 defense of the title. Muto dethroned Tanahashi’s great rival Nakamura for the belt last April and reigned supreme until today when the student finally surpassed the teacher. Half an hour of pure professional wrestling excited the fans, and at times it seemed almost certain Tanahashi was beaten, but he came back and hit two High Fly Flows for the win and title. Tanahashi took the microphone and told the fans he loves them and New Japan. When asked who he wants to be his first challenger, he shouted “Shinsuke!”, saying they have to decide who is the ace of New Japan, as he doesn’t think there is room for two. Nakamura defeated Tanahashi this time last year, then again in March, so Tanahashi clearly wants to undo that with two successive victories of his own. Nakamura confronted Tanahashi backstage and said he’d fight him any time. Muto said backstage that he has passed Tanahashi his sash after doing his best for over half a year to raise the worth of the title, and suggested he will withdraw now and leave New Japan wrestlers to move their company forward.

Shinsuke Nakamura and his cohort Hirooki Goto stood firm and defended the lion mark against NOAH boss Mitsuharu Misawa and his “bodyguard” Takashi Sugiura in a hot match that showed the thrilling nature of interpromotional conflict. This featured many heated moments, including a stage where all four were laid out on the mat after a series of finishers: Goto’s Shouten on Sugiura, Misawa’s Emerald Frosion on Goto, then Nakamura’s Landslide on Misawa. It finished with the two men who lit up the Tokyo Dome most in this match, Nakamura and Sugiura, Nakamura taking Sugiura down with a flying cross armbreaker for the tap out win. Backstage, Nakamura said they had won, plain and simple, and if any NOAH wrestlers have a problem with that, to come and complain - don’t hide. Goto called it a “perfect victory” and said he is looking forward to hearing the excuses of NOAH wrestlers. Misawa said backstage that he hopes New Japan and NOAH can continue working together in both rings this year.

“The World’s Strongest Tag Team” Team 3D, Brother Ray and Brother Devon, grasped the IWGP Tag Team Title out of MVP’s hands today, with Makabe & Yano for the second year running losing a hardcore match to the famous American team. The turning point came when Makabe hit Yano with a chain lariat by accident, leaving him prone to Team 3D, and the Dudley Death Drop finished off Makabe and meant that Team 3D add yet another title to their huge cabinet. The tragic tale of perennial underachiever Manabu Nakanishi continued in the other New Japan vs. NOAH match on the show, when he fell to GHC Heavyweight Title #1 contender, Jun Akiyama, in an entertaining sprint. Nakanishi kicked out of two Exploders at a one count, but then succumbed to the more deadly wrist-clutch variation. Akiyama made it clear that he has no intention of stepping away from New Japan opposition and put his name forward as a candidate for more matches if things are to continue.

ZERO1 ace Masato Tanaka came to the Tokyo Dome with the intention of killing two birds with one stone: avenge his October loss to Yuji Nagata and win back the World Heavyweight Title in the process. He did neither, as again Mr. Saikyo proved too strong in a shorter, but equally exciting fight today. Nagata landed a backdrop, face punch, another backdrop, then a backdrop hold to put away Tanaka for the second time running. Shinjiro Otani, who Nagata did beat in a singles match not too long ago, looked bitterly at Nagata post-match, suggesting that it could be he who challenges next. Nagata said backstage that it would cheapen ZERO1’s title for Otani to face him again so suddenly, and suggested an “out of season” Fire Festival to determine a worthy rival.

Legends of two continents united against GBH, as Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Kurt Angle, and Kevin Nash entered one by one to their theme tunes, presenting a great spectacle to fans. Chono stopped and shook hands with Angle, then Nash joined them and they followed Choshu to the ring. As expected, this was a short and fast paced match that quickly showed the characteristics of each wrestler. Angle scored the win with his ankle lock on Anderson, but right after was laid out by Bernard’s Bernard Driver. Angle said backstage that he wants to half-murder Bernard, and a singles match between the two could be on the cards in New Japan or TNA. Three months ago at Kobe World Hall, a very short IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title reign for Tiger Mask ended when he was surprisingly beaten by Low Ki. He swore revenge immediately after and achieved it today with a decisive victory over the GBH junior. Tiger won what was a very straightforward match with a modified Tiger suplex hold to regain the title for Jr. Sekigun. Tiger said he had come up with this new version of his finisher at the dojo.

The other junior tag title spilled into TNA too, as the Motor City Machine Guns, Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin, ended the dream IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title reign of NO LIMIT. This was an exciting action-packed match that ended when the Americans used their Made in Detroit finisher on Naito to lift the belts. Shelley said backstage that if anyone wants to win the title back, they are going to have to travel to America and do it in TNA. He suggested Jado & Gedo or Minoru & Devitt fly over, but said it’d be a waste of ticket cost, as they won’t win in the “Impact Zone”. Jushin Thunder Liger is no longer a teen! The legend today had his 20th anniversary match by teaming with old rival Takuma “Naoki” Sano against Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto. They pretty much sprinted out of the blocks and went back and forth until Liger busted out his old avalanche-style brainbuster on Kanemoto for the win. All four men raised each others’ arms after the match and Liger suggested taking his team with Sano to the NOAH ring shortly. He is also interested in challenging new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Tiger Mask, and trying to win the belt he hasn’t held since 2000.

Today’s show opened in style with the Japanese landing of Mexican superstar Mistico at the Tokyo Dome, as he teamed up with New Japan youngsters Taguchi and Devitt against the rudo trio of Averno, Jado & Gedo. Mistico wow’d fans with his dazzling moves and used his spectacular La Mística on countryman Averno for the tap out win. Mistico seemed to say backstage that he will be coming back to New Japan in February and wants the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title.

NJPW “WRESTLE KINGDOM III IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/09 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Dome
40,000 Fans

0. Milano Collection AT, Minoru & Taichi Ishikari beat Mitsuhide Hirasawa, Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi (6:24) when Milano used a super scrap kick on Yoshihashi.
1. Wrestle Kingdom Grand Opening VIENTO DORADO: Mistico, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Averno, Jado & Gedo (9:50) when Mistico used the La Mística on Averno.
2. Jushin Thunder Liger 20th Anniversary Match: Jushin Thunder Liger & Takuma Sano beat Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto (8:47) when Liger used an avalanche-style brainbuster on Kanemoto.
3. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title ~Tread on!!~: Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin beat Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito (c) (13:21) when Sabin pinned Naito after the Made in Detroit to become the 22nd champions.
4. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title ~Ballistic interception~: Tiger Mask beat Low Ki (c) (8:48) with a modified Tiger suplex hold to become the 56th champion.
5. Fighting Holdings Competition: Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Kurt Angle & Kevin Nash beat Giant Bernard, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson (7:09) when Angle used an ankle lock on Anderson.
6. World Heavyweight Title ~Crusade for Justice~: Yuji Nagata (c) beat Masato Tanaka (11:41) with a backdrop hold (3rd defense).
7. New Japan vs. NOAH Battle Tendencies ~the invasion~: Jun Akiyama beat Manabu Nakanishi (10:27) with a wrist-clutch Exploder.
8. IWGP Tag Team Title - Hardcore Rules: “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon beat Togi Makabe & Toru Yano (c) (15:34) when Ray pinned Makabe after the 3D to become the 52nd champions.
9. New Japan vs. NOAH Battle Tendencies ~the encounter~: Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto beat Mitsuharu Misawa & Takashi Sugiura (15:17) when Nakamura used a flying cross armbreaker on Sugiura.
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Keiji Muto (c) (30:22) with the High Fly Flow to become the 50th champion.

The TenKoji super-revival that has seen them win both New Japan’s G1 Tag League and All Japan’s Real World Tag League has been cut short. Tenzan has suffered a serious eye injury and had an urgent operation on it, forcing him off tomorrow’s Tokyo Dome show. As such, Kojima’s participation has also been shelved so we now have a direct rematch from last year of Makabe & Yano vs. Team 3D, this time for the IWGP Tag Team Title.

I’ll do my best to run live or prompt (near end of show or right after) results tomorrow. I’m a lot busier nowadays so can’t do as much live or detailed coverage as I used to, but for sure there will be a full report of tomorrow’s super-show that is going to be one of the biggest events of recent years in Japanese pro wrestling.

NJPW “WRESTLE KINGDOM III IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/09 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Dome

0. Mitsuhide Hirasawa, Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi vs. Milano Collection AT, Minoru & Taichi Ishikari
1. Wrestle Kingdom Grand Opening VIENTO DORADO: Mistico, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Averno, Jado & Gedo
2. Jushin Thunder Liger 20th Anniversary Match: Jushin Thunder Liger & Takuma Sano vs. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto
3. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title ~Tread on!!~: Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin
4. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title ~Ballistic interception~: Low Ki (c) vs. Tiger Mask
5. Fighting Holdings Competition: Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Kurt Angle & Kevin Nash vs. Giant Bernard, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson
6. World Heavyweight Title ~Crusade for Justice~: Yuji Nagata (c) vs. Masato Tanaka
7. New Japan vs. NOAH Battle Tendencies ~the invasion~: Manabu Nakanishi vs. Jun Akiyama
8. IWGP Tag Team Title - Hardcore Rules: Togi Makabe & Toru Yano (c) vs. “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon
9. New Japan vs. NOAH Battle Tendencies ~the encounter~: Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Takashi Sugiura
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Keiji Muto (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

New Japan wrestlers stepped back into the ZERO1 (which it officially became today) ring today to start 2009, the big results seeing the famous New Japan junior heel threesome of Otani, Kanemoto, and Takaiwa reunite to defeat the Complete Players when Otani pinned Gedo. After the match, 42-year-old Kanemoto surprisingly announced his marriage to 27-year-old joshi puroresu star Hikaru to big cheers. Kanemoto’s sworn friend Wataru Inoue brought out flowers to congratulate the two.

ZERO1 “GENESIS 2009″, 1/1/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- One Day Bond: Ikuto Hidaka & Minoru Fujita beat Minoru & Munenori Sawa (21:23) when Fujita used the Sasuke Sedgeway on Sawa.
- New Year Big Fight: Manabu Nakanishi beat Kohei Sato (14:56) with the Dai*Nakanishi German.
- New Year Special Match: Shinjiro Otani, Koji Kanemoto & Tatsuhito Takaiwa beat Masato Tanaka, Jado & Gedo (20:34) when Otani used a Spiral bomb on Gedo.