Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Naomichi Marufuji today conquered the fifth Super J-Cup and in doing so earned the right to challenge New Japan’s strongest junior and IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Tiger Mask, at the Tokyo Dome on January 4th. Marufuji was the heavy favourite to win this tournament but the ever emerging Prince Devitt threatened to beat the odds by advancing to the final along with Marufuji. This was Devitt’s third junior tournament final of the year after narrowly missing out on the Super Jr. tournament and ZERO1’s own junior tournament. In what was described as a blockbuster finale, Devitt’s stock again rose in a big year for the Irishman but for the third time running he fell short, as Marufuji unleashed the Pole Shift to down him. Much like Makabe in the past, Devitt finds himself as a Mr. #2 but Makabe was able to go one better this year and Devitt will be hoping for likewise in 2010. Marufuji now marches on to the Tokyo Dome, his match with Tiger Mask entering the New Japan vs. NOAH series and creating an unrealized junior dream match between two of the biggest name juniors in Japan.

NJPW “SUPER J-CUP 5TH STAGE ~Land of Confusion Final~”, 12/23/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,020 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

1. SUPER J-CUP - Round 2: YAMATO beat Gedo (8:36) by referee stop.
2. SUPER J-CUP - Round 2: Prince Devitt beat Danshoku Dino (5:49) with a diving footstomp.
3. SUPER J-CUP - Round 2: Ryusuke Taguchi beat Koji Kanemoto (10:14) with an achilles tendon hold.
4. SUPER J-CUP - Round 2: Naomichi Marufuji beat Tigers Mask (6:39) with an Aussie suplex hold.
5. SUPER J-CUP - Semi Final: Prince Devitt beat YAMATO (8:41) with a vertical drop DDT.
6. SUPER J-CUP - Semi Final: Naomichi Marufuji beat Ryusuke Taguchi (10:57) with the Shiranui.
7. SUPER J-CUP Special 8 Man Tag: Jushin Thunder Liger, AKIRA, Taichi & Kota Ibushi beat Gedo, Atsushi Aoki , GENTARO & Fujita “Jr.” Hayato (17:41) when AKIRA used a la magistral on Gedo.
8. SUPER J-CUP - Final: Naomichi Marufuji beat Prince Devitt (18:06) with the Pole Shift.

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NJPW “WRESTLE KINGDOM IV IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/10 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Dome

- IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tiger Mask (c) vs. Naomichi Marufuji

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Earlier today…

NOAH/Naomichi Marufuji Produce “SHIRANUI IKOTENYOKU IKI ~TEN NO KAN - I MISS YOU~”, 12/13/09
Tokyo Differ Ariake
1,800 Fans - Super No Vacancy

- NOAH vs. Machine-gun: Super Strong Machine & Super “S” Machine (Takashi Sugiura) beat Naomichi Marufuji & Atsushi Aoki (13:28) when “S” Machine used a Devil Windmill suplex hold on Aoki.