Sunday’s Sumo Hall show just got some added spice. After his tag match in Okinawa, Nagata was sneak attacked by former friend Iizuka, who beat Mr. Saikyo bloody and caused him to be stretchered out. Nagata demanded a card change and now the Nagata & Goto vs. Yano & Iizuka tag has been dissolved into two singles matches - Nagata vs. Iizuka and Goto vs. Yano! The twist to Nagata vs. Iizuka is that it will be a Chain Death Match, the same concept that Tenzan vs. Iizuka was last October when Iizuka put Tenzan to sleep. Goto vs. Yano will be a normal singles match but important for Goto to try and build more momentum leading into his IWGP Heavyweight Title challenge against Sunday’s main event winner.

NJPW “RESOLUTION ‘09″, 4/5/09 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Koji Kanemoto vs. Kazuchika Okada
2. Wataru Inoue, Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Jado & Tomoaki Honma
3. Resolution ‘09 Special 6 Man Tag Match - NJPW Greatest Heritage: Riki Choshu, Super Strong Machine & El Samurai vs. Masahiro Chono, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA
4. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Winner of Motor City Machine Guns/NO LIMIT (c) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title - Belt Contra Mascara: Tiger Mask (c) vs. Black Tiger
6. Resolution ‘09 Special Tag Match - Big Comeback WILD HEART: Manabu Nakanishi & Takao Omori vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
7. Resolution ‘09 Special Singles Match - HUGE RIOT: Hirooki Goto vs. Toru Yano
8. Resolution ‘09 Special Singles Match - Bolt from the blue - Chain Death Match: Yuji Nagata vs. Takashi Iizuka
9. Resolution ‘09 Special Singles Match - The end of discord: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Togi Makabe
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title - WHICH IS GENIUS: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kurt Angle

NJPW “EXCITING BATTLE IN OKINAWA 2009″, 3/29/09
Okinawa Prefectural Budokan
2,500 Fans

1. Okinawa Pro Offer Match: Shisaou , Captain “Churaumi Pirates” Zack & Mil Mongoose beat Super Delfin , Kaijin Habu Otoko & Menso~re Oyaji (9:37) when Shisaou used the Final Shisa on Oyaji.
2. Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Koji Kanemoto & Taichi Ishikari (11:49) when Tiger used a Tiger suplex hold on Ishikari.
3. Tomohiro Ishii & Jado beat Wataru Inoue & Nobuo Yoshihashi (11:27) when Jado used the Crossface of JADO on Yoshihashi.
4. Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi beat Riki Choshu & Kazuchika Okada (10:39) when Nagata used a backdrop hold on Okada.
5. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Milano Collection AT (16:41) when Yano used the Oni Koroshi on Milano.
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Karl Anderson (12:09) with the High Fly Flow.

New Japan presents Japan’s most renowned annual junior tournament from late May to mid June with the “BEST OF THE SUPER JR. XVI ~THE HARD LUCK SOLDIERS~” taking place. It both begins and ends at Korakuen Hall with twelve shows in total. Who will control the junior festival this year?

BEST OF THE SUPER JR. XVI ~THE HARD LUCK SOLDIERS~
- 5/30 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall
- 5/31 @ Mito Citizen Gymnasium
- 6/3 @ Tokorozawa Citizen Gymnasium #2
- 6/5 @ Yonago Industrial Gymnasium
- 6/6 @ Shinji Lake Park
- 6/7 @ Akashi Municipal Industrial Exchange Center
- 6/8 @ Fukui City Gymnasium
- 6/9 @ Gifu Mount Ace
- 6/11 @ Mie Yume Dome Ueno #2
- 6/12 @ Toyohashi City Gymnasium #2
- 6/13 @ Kyoto KBS Hall
- 6/14 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall

All nine matches have been announced for “RESOLUTION ‘09″, New Japan’s second advance of 2009 on Sumo Hall. In addition to what we already know, there are some interesting additions. Attempting to maintain his vigor leading into Fukuoka, where he will challenge the main event winner, NJC winner Hirooki Goto teams with rival Nagata against GBH’s strong man team, Yano & Iizuka. Wild Child, a fan favourite team when they held the IWGP Tag Team Title, reunite against the foreign combination of Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson! This will be Omori’s return to pro wrestling, now a freelancer. Taguchi & Devitt will challenge for the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title but exactly who they will face isn’t clear yet, as NO LIMIT will first challenge the Motor City Machine Guns in Orlando at the end of the month. The young lions have already bested the champions in a non-title match and seem to be faring quite well in America. Six company legends compete in a match titled “NJPW Greatest Heritage”, celebrating the amazing history of the Japanese pro wrestling leader, as Choshu, Super Strong Machine & El Samurai battle Chono, Liger & AKIRA. This marks another return for El Samurai, who appeared on a house show also recently.

NJPW “RESOLUTION ‘09″, 4/5/09 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Koji Kanemoto vs. Kazuchika Okada
2. Wataru Inoue, Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Jado & Tomoaki Honma
3. Resolution ‘09 Special 6 Man Tag Match - NJPW Greatest Heritage: Riki Choshu, Super Strong Machine & El Samurai vs. Masahiro Chono, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA
4. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Winner of Motor City Machine Guns/NO LIMIT (c) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title - Belt Contra Mascara: Tiger Mask (c) vs. Black Tiger
6. Resolution ‘09 Special Tag Match - Big Comeback WILD HEART: Manabu Nakanishi & Takao Omori vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
7. Yuji Nagata & Hirooki Goto vs. Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka
8. Resolution ‘09 Special Singles Match - The end of discord: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Togi Makabe
9. IWGP Heavyweight Title - WHICH IS GENIUS: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kurt Angle

Foreign and special participation have been announced for the “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN BRAVE” tour that runs from 4/11 to 5/1 and bridges Sumo Hall and Fukuoka.

- Masahiro Chono (4/11, 4/29, 4/30, 5/1)
- Riki Choshu (all shows)
- AKIRA (all shows)
- Giant Bernard (all shows)
- Karl Anderson (all shows)
- Prince Devitt (all shows)

LOCK UP begins its next phase with a loaded show supported heavily by New Japan (who no longer sponsors the shows - Choshu’s Riki Pro does) with some very enticing matches including an attempt to liquidate the Ishii vs. Wataru grudge and also the “dream team” of Tiger Mask Sayama and Liger facing Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Daisuke Sekimoto.

LOCK UP “CHAPTER 2 ~ COME BACK”, 4/12/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- Kuniyoshi Wada & Nobuo Yoshihashi vs. Shito Ueda & Ken Saito
- Jado vs. Kazuchika Okada
- Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Dick Togo & Ikuto Hidaka
- Tiger Mask 1 & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Daisuke Sekimoto
- Tomohiro Ishii vs. Wataru Inoue
- Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. X & X

Koji Kanemoto headlined Sumo Hall today for, I believe, the first time in his career as part of DRAGON GATE’s first advance on the hallowed building. Kanemoto, after repeated wins in DG, challenged Open The Dream Gate Champion, Naruki Doi, in the main event. This was a super-physical match to the extent that Doi was barely conscious for part of the match. He survived Kanemoto’s famous ankle hell attacks and won in close to half an hour with the Muscular Bomb.

DRAGON GATE “THE GATE OF ANNIVERSARY”, 3/22/09
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
11,500 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

- Open The Dream Gate Title: Naruki Doi (c) beat Koji Kanemoto (27:41) with the Muscular Bomb (2nd defense).

–> “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN CUP ~SOUL ON THE RING~” <--
Hirooki Goto today moved one step closer to the top, following up on his shocking G1 Climax win last August by capturing the fifth annual New Japan Cup. A hot crowd in Amagasaki saw Goto do the seemingly impossible and beat two of New Japan's upper tier. Before that, Giant Bernard ended Yutaka Yoshie's good run in the tournament, cradling him to reach his third NJC final. The other semi final then saw Goto avenge his Sumo Hall loss with a huge win over Nagata, using the modified armlock he has been favouring recently for the win.

This set up the final of Goto vs. Bernard, a match with history as you might recall, AFTER Goto won the G1 last year, Bernard scored two successive wins over him in what remained of the year. Goto again had trouble with the bigger and stronger gaijin ace, but his improving submission techniques made a big difference, as he got Bernard in a cross armbreaker and transitioned into the same modified armlock for the tap and win! Goto has now earned a shot against the winner of Tanahashi vs. Angle for the IWGP Heavyweight Title on May 3rd at the Fukuoka International Center. Tanahashi, ahead of his match with Angle, defeated another American star in the form of former WWE Intercontinental Champion, Val Venis, landing the High Fly Flow in this non-title match.

NJPW, 3/22/09 (Samurai! TV)
Amagasaki Memorial Park Gymnasium
5,300 Fans - No Vacancy

0. Kazuchika Okada beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (5:50) with a crab hold.
1. Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari (9:00) when Devitt pinned Ishikari after a Dodon & Prince’s Throne combination.
2. Manabu Nakanishi, Tiger Mask & Jushin Thunder Liger beat Karl Anderson, Black Tiger & Jado (10:01) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Jado.
3. New Japan Cup - Semi Final: Giant Bernard beat Yutaka Yoshie (8:56) with a horizontal cradle.
4. New Japan Cup - Semi Final: Hirooki Goto beat Yuji Nagata (14:51) with a modified armlock.
5. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Super Strong Machine beat Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomoaki Honma (12:21) when Choon used a Shining Yakuza kick on Honma.
6. New Japan Cup Special Tag Match ~ Soul of AMAGASAKI: Shinsuke Nakamura & Wataru Inoue vs. Togi Makabe & Tomohiro Ishii went to a draw (13:22) when Nakamura & Makabe were counted out.
7. New Japan Cup Special Singles Match ~ Soul of AMAGASAKI: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Val Venis (12:50) with the High Fly Flow.
8. New Japan Cup - Final: Hirooki Goto beat Giant Bernard (18:18) with a modified armlock.

TNA Wrestling presents an IWGP Tag Team Title vs. TNA World Tag Team Title match at the upcoming Lockdown PPV on April 19th at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia. It’ll be Beer Money Inc. (Robert Roode & James Storm) who recently appeared in New Japan against Team 3D, who of course took the IWGP Tag Team Title back to America. It’ll be a Steel Cage match and apparently both titles will be on the line but if history teaches us anything its not to consider it an official IWGP match until New Japan says so as there have been a handful of title defenses never sanctioned by New Japan, so we’ll wait and see if this one is.

–> “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN CUP ~SOUL ON THE RING~” <--

NJPW, 3/21/09
Fukuyama Big Rose
1,100 Fans

1. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari beat Koji Kanemoto & Prince Devitt (12:55) when Milano used a la magistral cutback on Devitt.
2. Black Tiger & Jado beat Tiger Mask & Ryusuke Taguchi (10:27) when Jado used the Crossface of JADO on Taguchi.
3. Manabu Nakanishi & Yutaka Yoshie beat Riki Choshu & Kazuchika Okada (10:37) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Okada.
4. Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka beat Masahiro Chono & Super Strong Machine (11:14) when Iizuka used a Jigoku Tsuki on Machine.
5. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Wataru Inoue beat Togi Makabe, Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma (12:10) when Nakamura used a flying cross armbreaker on Honma.
6. New Japan Cup Special 6 Man Tag Match ~ Soul of HIROSHIMA: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata & Jushin Thunder Liger beat Giant Bernard, Val Venis & Karl Anderson (13:16) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Anderson.

–> “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN CUP ~SOUL ON THE RING~” <--

NJPW, 3/20/09
Takamatsu City Gymnasium #2
1,100 Fans - No Vacancy

1. Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi (8:58) when Devitt used a diving footstomp on Yoshihashi.
2. Black Tiger & Jado beat Tiger Mask & Milano Collection AT (10:39) when Jado pinned Milano.
3. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto beat Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii (13:18) when Ishii was DQ’d.
4. Riki Choshu, Yuji Nagata & Super Strong Machine beat Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomoaki Honma (9:11) when Nagata used a backdrop hold on Honma.
5. Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto beat Masahiro Chono & Jushin Thunder Liger (11:53) when Goto used a modified armlock on Liger.
6. New Japan Cup Special 6 Man Tag Match ~ Soul of TAKAMATSU: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi & Yutaka Yoshie beat Giant Bernard, Val Venis & Karl Anderson (19:08) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Anderson.

NJPW “LEONIS II”, 3/19/09
Osaka World Hall
204 Fans - No Vacancy

1. Wataru Inoue beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (9:29) with a crab hold.
2. Karl Anderson beat Kazuchika Okada (11:53) with the Gun Stun.
3. Tiger Mask & Milano Collection AT beat Black Tiger & Tomoaki Honma (15:59) when Milano used a jackknife hold on Honma.
4. Hirooki Goto & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Shinsuke Nakamura & Prince Devitt (14:07) when Goto used the Shouten on Devitt.
5. Val Venis, Tomohiro Ishii & Jado beat Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi & Taichi Ishikari (16:45) when Venis used the Money Shot on Ishikari.

–> “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN CUP ~SOUL ON THE RING~” <--

NJPW, 3/17/09
Kumagaya Citizen Gymnasium
1,000 Fans

1. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari beat Jushin Thunder Liger & Prince Devitt (11:51) when Milano used a cradle on Devitt.
2. Super Strong Machine & Wataru Inoue vs. Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii went to a draw (13:32) when Inoue & Ishii were counted out.
3. Toru Yano & Tomoaki Honma beat Riki Choshu & Masahiro Chono (9:34) when Yano pinned Choshu.
4. Manabu Nakanishi, Yutaka Yoshie , Tiger Mask & Koji Kanemoto beat Giant Bernard, Val Venis, Karl Anderson & Black Tiger (11:00) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Anderson.
5. Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto beat Yuji Nagata & Kazuchika Okada (15:24) when Nakamura used the Landslide on Okada.
6. New Japan Cup Special Tag Match ~ Soul of KUMAGAYA: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Togi Makabe & Jado (16:40) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Jado.

Two big matches have been officially added to the big 4/5 Sumo Hall show, finally giving us a look at what to expect besides Tanahashi vs. Angle. Tiger Mask risks his belt against old nemesis Black Tiger’s mask in what has become a mask vs. title match that could settle this renewed rivalry very quickly. And Makabe’s demand for a rematch against Nakamura has been accepted as the GBH leader looks to avenge his NJC round one loss to the RISE leader, who has losses to both Tanahashi and Goto to try and bounce back from.

NJPW “RESOLUTION ‘09″, 4/5/09 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title - Belt Contra Mascara: Tiger Mask (c) vs. Black Tiger
2. Special Singles Match: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Togi Makabe
3. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kurt Angle

–> “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN CUP ~SOUL ON THE RING~” <--

NJPW, 3/16/09
Tsubame Citizen Gymnasium
1,150 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Jushin Thunder Liger & Kazuchika Okada beat Koji Kanemoto & Nobuo Yoshihashi (9:29) when Liger used a brainbuster on Yoshihashi.
2. Val Venis beat Milano Collection AT (11:16) with the Money Shot.
3. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Wataru Inoue & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma (12:30) when Chono used a Shining Yakuza kick on Honma.
4. Manabu Nakanishi & Yutaka Yoshie beat Hirooki Goto & Taichi Ishikari (13:42) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Ishikari.
5. Shinsuke Nakamura & Prince Devitt beat Togi Makabe & Jado (13:21) when Nakamura used the Landslide on Jado.
6. New Japan Cup Special 6 Man Tag Match ~ Soul of NIIGATA: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata & Tiger Mask beat Giant Bernard, Karl Anderson & Black Tiger (15:19) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Anderson.

-

The full card for Amagasaki has been announced, with the notable addition being a special tag match featuring two grudges and also Tanahashi vs. Val Venis in a special singles match.

NJPW, 3/22/09 (Samurai! TV)
Amagasaki Memorial Park Gymnasium

1. Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari
2. Manabu Nakanishi, Tiger Mask & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Karl Anderson, Black Tiger & Jado
3. New Japan Cup - Semi Final: Giant Bernard vs. Yutaka Yoshie
4. New Japan Cup - Semi Final: Yuji Nagata vs. Hirooki Goto
5. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Super Strong Machine vs. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomoaki Honma
6. New Japan Cup Special Tag Match ~ Soul of AMAGASAKI: Shinsuke Nakamura & Wataru Inoue vs. Togi Makabe & Tomohiro Ishii
7. New Japan Cup Special Singles Match ~ Soul of AMAGASAKI: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Val Venis
8. New Japan Cup - Final:

–> “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN CUP ~SOUL ON THE RING~” <--
More details later but the semi finals of the NJC Cup are set as Bernard vs. Yoshie and Nagata vs. Goto the rematch after Goto scored a big win over his RISE leader Nakamura. The other big news is that Takao Omori appeared after a lengthy break from pro wrestling to shake hands with Nakanishi, sparking the reformation of Wild Child who look set to challenge Team 3D for the IWGP Tag Team Title at Sumo Hall! Tiger Mask vs. Black Tiger in a possible mask vs. title is also looking likely, as is Nakamura vs. Makabe in a rematch from the NJC.

NJPW, 3/15/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,800 Fans

1. Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Jushin Thunder Liger & Kazuchika Okada (9:49) when Devitt pinned Okada after a Dodon & Prince’s Throne combination.
2. Toru Yano, Black Tiger, Jado & Tomoaki Honma beat Super Strong Machine, Tiger Mask, Koji Kanemoto & Taichi Ishikari (11:39) when Black Tiger used a tombstone piledriver on Ishikari.
3. New Japan Cup - Round 2: Giant Bernard beat Milano Collection AT (9:13) with the Bernard Driver.
4. New Japan Cup - Round 2: Yutaka Yoshie beat Tomohiro Ishii (13:38) with a diving body press.
5. New Japan Cup - Round 2: Yuji Nagata beat Takashi Iizuka (14:49) by DQ.
6. New Japan Cup Special 6 Man Tag Match ~ Soul of KORAKUEN: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi & Wataru Inoue beat Togi Makabe, Val Venis & Karl Anderson (13:53) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Anderson.
7. New Japan Cup - Round 2: Hirooki Goto beat Shinsuke Nakamura (19:00) with a lariat.

-

NJPW, 3/22/09 (Samurai! TV)
Amagasaki Memorial Park Gymnasium

1. New Japan Cup - Semi Final: Giant Bernard vs. Yutaka Yoshie
2. New Japan Cup - Semi Final: Yuji Nagata vs. Hirooki Goto
3. New Japan Cup - Final:

–> “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN CUP ~SOUL ON THE RING~” <--

NJPW, 3/14/09
Kuki City Gymnasium
1,400 Fans - No Vacancy

1. Taichi Ishikari beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (10:08) with a crab hold.
2. Black Tiger & Jado beat Tiger Mask & Prince Devitt (11:17) when Black Tiger used a tombstone piledriver on Devitt.
3. Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka beat Yuji Nagata & Ryusuke Taguchi (12:21) when Iizuka used a Jigoku Tsuki on Taguchi.
4. Masahiro Chono & Jushin Thunder Liger beat Manabu Nakanishi & Kazuchika Okada (10:14) when Chono used a Shining Yakuza kick on Okada.
5. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Milano Collection AT beat Giant Bernard, Val Venis & Karl Anderson (16:05) when Nakamura used a flying cross armbreaker on Anderson.
6. New Japan Cup Special 6 Man Tag Match ~ Soul of KUKI: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto beat Togi Makabe, Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma (16:28) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Honma.

NJPW, 3/15/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Jushin Thunder Liger & Kazuchika Okada vs. Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt
2. Super Strong Machine, Tiger Mask, Koji Kanemoto & Taichi Ishikari vs. Toru Yano, Black Tiger, Jado & Gedo
3. New Japan Cup - Round 2: Milano Collection AT vs. Giant Bernard
4. New Japan Cup - Round 2: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yutaka Yoshie
5. New Japan Cup - Round 2: Yuji Nagata vs. Takashi Iizuka
6. New Japan Cup Special 6 Man Tag Match ~ Soul of KORAKUEN: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi & Wataru Inoue vs. Togi Makabe, Val Venis & Karl Anderson
7. New Japan Cup - Round 2: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Hirooki Goto

–> “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN CUP ~SOUL ON THE RING~” <--
The fifth annual New Japan Cup began today in Nagoya with 12 of the 14 participants in round one action - 2007 and 2008 winners, Giant Bernard and Yuji Nagata, getting passes to the second round with 2009 winner, Tanahashi, not in it as the idea of the tournament is to find a challenger for the winner of his match with Kurt Angle. It began with a battle of GBH as Tomoaki Honma got to face Takashi Iizuka after winning a participation match over young lion Hirasawa. Unfortunately for Honma there was to be no nice, clean fight today, as Iizuka ripped his head open and beat him to a bloody pulp before pinning him. The main midcard feud of the moment, Wataru Inoue vs. Tomohiro Ishii, saw little settled today as they first battled to a double countout, then in the restarted match, Ishii won by countout but this seemed to do little to settle their grudge.

After a career-boosting performance as part of one of the hottest matches of the year so far when he and Nakamura invaded NOAH recently, Milano Collection AT showed more signs of life after a long hibernation. He upset GBH's Toru Yano with his craftiness, beating the strong man with a cradle. Hirooki Goto, as expected, got the better of Karl Anderson with a modified armlock, leaving the two big matches of the first round left. On-again, off-again tag partners Nakanishi and Yoshie went to war in a hard-hitting 20 minute slugfest in which the returning Yoshie scored a big win over the ever underachieving Nakanishi, pinning him with a diving body press. Nakanishi took a nasty bump to the head in the match and there are fears of a concussion, so he may miss some upcoming dates. And finally RISE leader Shinsuke Nakamura revived his grudge series with GBH leader Togi Makabe and again got the better of Makabe, who himself has been somewhat underachieving lately. Nakamura pinned Makabe following his Landslide to set up a big round two match against RISE second-in-command Goto.

The only other match on the main card today saw the intergenerational ace team of Tanahashi & Nagata face Bernard and the debuting Val Venis. Bernard sent a severe warning to Tanahashi by pinning the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, a signal of his intent as he heads into his New Japan Cup campaign.

NJPW, 3/8/09 (WPW)
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
8,500 Fans - No Vacancy

0. Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi, Prince Devitt & Kazuchika Okada beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Koji Kanemoto, Taichi Ishikari & Nobuo Yoshihashi (6:44) when Devitt used a diving footstomp on Yoshihashi.
1. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Takashi Iizuka beat Tomoaki Honma (10:53) with a Jigoku Tsuki.
2. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Wataru Inoue vs. Tomohiro Ishii went to a double countout (3:18).
2b. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Tomohiro Ishii beat Wataru Inoue (9:15) by countout.
3. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Milano Collection AT beat Toru Yano (9:50) with a jackknife hold.
4. Riki Choshu & Masahiro Chono beat Jado & Gedo (7:46) when Chono used a Shining Yakuza kick on Jado.
5. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Hirooki Goto beat Karl Anderson (11:10) with a modified armlock.
6. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Yutaka Yoshie beat Manabu Nakanishi (20:29) with a diving body press.
7. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Shinsuke Nakamura beat Togi Makabe (15:32) with the Landslide.
8. New Japan Cup Special Tag Match ~ Soul of AICHI: Giant Bernard & Val Venis beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yuji Nagata (14:41) when Bernard used the Bernard Driver on Tanahashi.

-

The tour breaks now until the 14th, which is a non-tournament show, then round two takes place at Korakuen Hall with four intriguing matches. The technician Milano vs. powerhouse Bernard and a battle of fiery hard-hitters as Ishii battles Yoshie. Then a revival of one of the best technical series of earlier in the 2000s, Nagata vs. Iizuka, as the former tag partners go to war for the first time since Iizuka’s turn to the darkside. Unlikely this will be a highly technical match this time. And then the big one as RISE collides - Nakamura vs. Goto!

NJPW, 3/15/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. New Japan Cup - Round 2: Milano Collection AT vs. Giant Bernard
2. New Japan Cup - Round 2: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yutaka Yoshie
3. New Japan Cup - Round 2: Yuji Nagata vs. Takashi Iizuka
4. New Japan Cup - Round 2: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Hirooki Goto

New Japan celebrated its 37th anniversary today with a pretty straightforward show at Korakuen Hall. The main event saw today’s champions, Tanahashi & Tiger Mask, show that they are the generation(s) in charge these days as they beat legends Chono & Liger, Tanahashi pinning Liger. Appearances from alumni like Yoshie, Hiro, Koshinaka (no longer a regular), and Aoyagi highlighted the undercard. Before the show, New Japan helds its first ever “NJPW Greatest Wrestlers” ceremony with Akira Maeda, Shoji Kai, and Kuniaki Kobayashi, and the late Black Cat commended. Many optimists were expecting some sort of event from Maeda’s first appearance in years in his old haunt but times change and Maeda merely gave his thanks.

NJPW “STRONG STYLE 37TH ANNIVERSARY”, 3/6/09 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,800 Fans

0. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari beat Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi (7:37) when Milano used a thrust kick on Yoshihashi.
1. Super Strong Machine 25th Anniversary Match: Riki Choshu, Super Strong Machine & Hiro Saito beat Shiro Koshinaka, Akira Nogami & Masashi Aoyagi (7:27) when Machine used a Devil Windmill suplex hold on Nogami.
2. Takashi Iizuka, Jado & Gedo beat Yuji Nagata, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt (11:03) when Iizuka used a Jigoku Tsuki on Devitt.
3. Manabu Nakanishi, Yutaka Yoshie , Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto beat Togi Makabe, Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma (14:46) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Honma.
4. Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto beat Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson (12:29) when Nakamura used a flying cross armbreaker on Anderson.
5. 37th Anniversary Special Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tiger Mask beat Masahiro Chono & Jushin Thunder Liger (17:22) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Liger.

After beating BxB Hulk in the same building last time he appeared in DRAGON GATE, Kanemoto again appeared today to build up his upcoming Sumo Hall main event against Naruki Doi. The two were opposite each other in trios action, with Kanemoto getting the upper hand leading in.

DRAGON GATE “GLORIOUS GATE”, 3/5/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,150 Fans - Super No Vacancy

- Koji Kanemoto , Masaaki Mochizuki & Don Fujii beat Naruki Doi, BxB Hulk & Naoki Tanisaki (16:03) when Mochizuki used a kakato otoshi on Tanisaki.

The hand of New Japan’s diplomacy was outstretched today as NJ wrestlers appeared in no less than three promotions. The big match was the follow up from January 4th’s Nakamura & Goto victory over Misawa & Sugiura as Nakamura took RISE junior Milano Collection AT into enemy territory to battle Takashi Sugiura & Go Shiozaki. The RISE duo were unphased by the booing but lost the match as Milano, who made a good showing in his first big match for quite some time, fell to Shiozaki’s strong arm lariat. Shiozaki and Hirooki Goto had a staredown after the match, suggesting something involving those two could be on the horizon.

Elsewhere the Tiger Masks united to defeat Riki Choshu & Tatsuhito Takaiwa, the original Tiger pinning Takaiwa. In Tokushima, Masahiro Chono appeared on Jinsei Shinzaki’s homecoming show, teaming with the High Priest to beat young men Fujita “Jr.” Hayato & Takeshi Minamino.

NOAH, 3/1/09
Tokyo Nippon Budokan
14,200 Fans - Super No Vacancy

- Takashi Sugiura & Go Shiozaki beat Shinsuke Nakamura & Milano Collection AT (20:30) when Shiozaki used a strong arm lariat on Milano.

Real Japan “CHAOS”, 3/1/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- Tiger Mask 1 & Tiger Mask 4 beat Riki Choshu & Tatsuhito Takaiwa (12:36) when Tiger Mask 1 used a Tiger suplex hold on Takaiwa.

Michinoku Pro “JINSEI SHINZAKI LOCAL RETURN”, 3/1/09
Tokushima Municipal Gymnasium
2,531 Fans - No Vacancy

- Masahiro Chono & Jinsei Shinzaki beat Fujita “Jr.” Hayato & Takeshi Minamino (19:05) when Shinzaki used the Gokuraku Gatame on Minamino.