–> “CIRCUIT 2010 NEW JAPAN ISM” <--
Both the upcoming IWGP Heavyweight Title match between Nakamura and Nakanishi and the decisive battle between Hirooki Goto and Masato Tanaka gained steam today as New Japan returned to Tokyo Differ Ariake for the first time since 2001, drawing it's second packed house in successive days in Tokyo. The main event saw Tanaka gain a big advantage over Goto as he pinned him in the big tag main event following the Sliding D and provoked Goto on the microphone post-match. Kazuchika Okada said farewell to New Japan as he embarks on an indefinite overseas learning excursion to TNA Wrestling. He fought MVP Tanahashi and actually did quite well, lasting 13 1/2 minutes before succumbing to the High Fly Flow. Okada said he would change professional wrestling when he comes back and become the center of New Japan.

Jado & Gedo's challenge for Apollo 55's IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title was thrown into major doubt today as Jado suffered what seems to be a severe neck injury in their match against DDT's Kota Ibushi & Kenny Omega, having to be stretchered out after the referee quickly stopped the match. The two haven't been back together long after Gedo had a lengthy layoff last year and now Jado seems to be sidelined long-term. Tamon Honda and Kentaro Shiga were on familiar ground today, the two freelancers of NOAH fame entering New Japan to face Makabe & Honma in another unique match today. GBH picked up the win as Makabe pinned Shiga ahead of his upcoming GHC Heavyweight Title challenge.

NJPW, 1/31/10 (SXW)
Tokyo Differ Ariake
1,800 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Super Strong Machine, Tiger Mask & El Samurai beat Koji Kanemoto, Taichi & Nobuo Yoshihashi (9:26) when Samurai used a chickenwing armlock on Yoshihashi.
2. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma beat Tamon Honda & Kentaro Shiga (9:14) when Makabe used a top rope King Kong kneedrop on Shiga.
3. Special Tag Match: TAJIRI & Takashi Iizuka beat Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue (9:32) when Nagata was DQ’d.
4. Special Tag Match: Kota Ibushi & Kenny Omega beat Jado & Gedo (10:43) by referee stop (Omega beat Jado).
5. Yujiro, Tetsuya Naito, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Toru Yano, Giant Bernard, Karl Anderson & Tomohiro Ishii (12:00) when Taguchi pinned Anderson.
6. Kazuchika Okada Farewell Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Kazuchika Okada (13:26) with the High Fly Flow.
7. Special Tag Match: Shinsuke Nakamura & Masato Tanaka beat Manabu Nakanishi & Hirooki Goto (17:25) when Tanaka used the Sliding D on Goto.

New Japan has been renowned in the past decade for it’s development of young wrestlers. Even during it’s darkest times, there was always a cast of dojo boys and young lions that presented hope for a brighter future, and that future has become now with Tanahashi, Nakamura, and others leading the company safely of late.

Lately though there have been less debutants, probably due to a mixture of the recession (having to balance roster size) and other factors. Kazuchika Okada, originally a Toryumon trainee who re-trained and re-debuted for New Japan, appears to be the one to keep an eye on, as personally I think he could be just as successful as Nakamura and Tanahashi. Hirasawa and Yoshihashi show less right now but both also have potential.

Someone on the forums dug up some information on three of the newer dojo boys who look set to debut in the near future. Hopefully, if all make it to the ring, these can add some new freshness to lineups.

(Left to right)
- Simi Taitoko Fale (28-years-old) (former rugby player for the Fukuoka Sanix Blues)
- Koyume Takahashi (19-years-old)
- Kyosuke Mikami (25-years-old)

–> “CIRCUIT 2010 NEW JAPAN ISM” <--
Prince Devitt's immense growth in the past year was still not enough as he again found himself "that" close to glory in a rematch of the SUPER J-CUP final today. New IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Naomichi Marufuji, made a successful V1 defense of the belt against the young Irishman in another closely contested bout. The experience of Marufuji was again enough to give him the edge though as he dropped Devitt with his Tiger Frosion for the win. His next challenger may be an even proposition though as veteran Koji Kanemoto appeared after the match and challenged Marufuji. Marufuji responded rudely to the junior legend, calling him a "deteriorated version of KENTA", heating up what should be a spectacular match in the near future.

CHAOS' Toru Yano took one of his biggest scalps lately in the semi final, a tag match designed more to build up Nakamura vs. Nakanishi, as Nakamura & Yano battled Nakanishi & Tanahashi. But it was the brewing rivalry between Tanahashi and a fellow young generation man typically placed a few notches below the "4 Heroes", Yano, that took center stage as Yano blocked the High Fly Flow with both knees and cradled Tanahashi for the flash three count. A singles match between the two is a possibility for the 2/14 Sumo Hall show, where neither is yet booked.

NJPW, 1/30/10 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,005 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Tomoaki Honma beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (4:47) with the Shalimarti.
2. Black Cat Memorial Match: Koji Kanemoto, Tiger Mask & El Samurai beat Super Strong Machine, Wataru Inoue & Mitsuhide Hirasawa (10:25) when Kanemoto used an ankle hold on Hirasawa.
3. Hirooki Goto beat Kazuchika Okada (9:46) with the Shouten.
4. Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii, Jado & Gedo beat Riki Choshu, Togi Makabe, Ryusuke Taguchi & Taichi (8:28) when Gedo used the Gedo clutch on Taichi.
5. Special 6 Man Tag Match: Yuji Nagata, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito beat TAJIRI, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson (13:30) when TAJIRI was DQ’d.
6. Special Tag Match: Shinsuke Nakamura & Toru Yano beat Manabu Nakanishi & Hiroshi Tanahashi (16:49) when Yano pinned Tanahashi.
7. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Naomichi Marufuji (c) beat Prince Devitt (20:19) with the Tiger Frosion (1st defense).

–> “CIRCUIT 2010 NEW JAPAN ISM” <--

NJPW, 1/29/10
Shirakawa City Central Gymnasium
1,000 Fans

1. Koji Kanemoto beat Mitsuhide Hirasawa (9:50) with an ankle hold.
2. Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii beat Tiger Mask & Taichi (13:51) when Ishii used a lariat on Taichi.
3. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma beat Riki Choshu & Nobuo Yoshihashi (8:28) when Honma used the Shalimarti on Yoshihashi.
4. Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue beat Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada (14:08) when Nagata used a backdrop hold on Okada.
5. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Toru Yano, Jado & Gedo (14:25) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Gedo.
6. Manabu Nakanishi, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson (18:02) when Naito pinned Anderson after the Limitless Explosion.

–> “CIRCUIT 2010 NEW JAPAN ISM” <--

NJPW, 1/27/10 (Samurai! TV)
Chiba Port Arena Sub Arena
900 Fans

1. Koji Kanemoto beat Taichi (8:31) with an ankle hold.
2. Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii beat Tiger Mask & Mitsuhide Hirasawa (13:45) when Ishii used a brainbuster on Hirasawa.
3. Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue beat Riki Choshu & Nobuo Yoshihashi (13:33) when Inoue used the Staggerin’ Blow on Yoshihashi.
4. Toru Yano, Jado & Gedo beat Hirooki Goto, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt (15:03) when Yano used the Oni Koroshi on Taguchi.
5. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada (14:10) when Naito pinned Okada after the Limitless Explosion.
6. Manabu Nakanishi, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson (16:23) when Nakanishi used the Dai*Nakanishi German on Nakamura.

NJPW “EXCITING BATTLE IN OKINAWA 2010″, 1/22/10
Okinawa Prefectural Budokan
2,750 Fans - No Vacancy

1. Jushin Thunder Liger, Super Delfin , Kaijin Habu Otoko & Golden Pine beat Ryusuke Taguchi, Shisaou , Mil Mongoose & Menso~re Oyaji (12:06) when Otoko used the Moudoku Habu Kuubaku on Oyaji.
2. Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa beat Riki Choshu & Kazuchika Okada (9:52) when Nagata used a backdrop hold on Okada.
3. Masahiro Chono & Koji Kanemoto beat Super Strong Machine & Tiger Mask (10:25) when Chono used a Shining Yakuza kick on Machine.
4. Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka beat Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma (11:47) when Yano used the Oni Koroshi on Honma.
5. Manabu Nakanishi, Hirooki Goto & Wataru Inoue beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Jado & Gedo (15:34) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Gedo.
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Tomohiro Ishii (14:14) with the High Fly Flow.

Masahiro Chono will leave New Japan in February after spending his entire career in the company. It is a harmonious departure that contradicts President Sugabayashi’s statement the other day that his contract was all but signed and that he planned a six month “body remodeling” excursion. Chono refuses to call it a “resignation” and prefers to label it a “graduation” as he believes he no longer has a major role in New Japan so by becoming free will be able to explore whatever options he wants. As mentioned, it is a very peaceful separation and the likelihood is that Chono will continue to make special appearances, which is basically what he has been doing for a long time now. This decision seems to have come after Sugabayashi could offer Chono no concrete guarantee on his future role in New Japan.

Chono is the only “Musketeer” who stuck with New Japan in the dark days, when Muto, Hashimoto, and other key names like Kensuke Sasaki and Riki Choshu left the promotion. However, a clear shift in priorities in recent years has led to the successful transition into a youth-based company, with Nakamura and Tanahashi at the top, supported by other upcoming names and a few younger (than Chono) veterans like Nagata and Nakanishi. This has led to Chono being something of a novelty act along with Choshu and the nWo Japan founder probably feels he still has a bit more to offer the pro wrestling community at large.

Chono has always been an advocate of the “no fences” ideal where wrestlers can travel between promotions easily, which you could see on his “PREMIUM” shows a lot. So there is a possibility he may promote shows under the ARISTRIST banner of a similar style. No word as yet on whether his disciple, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, will follow him or remain with New Japan. Tenzan remains a long-term absentee due to all of his injuries and hasn’t been seen since the G1 Climax.

Three or four years ago, Chono leaving New Japan would have set off alarm bells and been a huge blow for the company but all the hard work in stabilizing the company and creating new stars means he can now “graduate” knowing New Japan is in a good state.

NJPW, 1/31/10 (SXW)
Tokyo Differ Ariake

1. Super Strong Machine, Tiger Mask & El Samurai vs. Koji Kanemoto, Taichi & Nobuo Yoshihashi
2. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Tamon Honda & Kentaro Shiga
3. Special Tag Match: Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue vs. TAJIRI & Takashi Iizuka
4. Special Tag Match: Jado & Gedo vs. Kota Ibushi & Kenny Omega
5. Yujiro, Tetsuya Naito, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Toru Yano, Giant Bernard, Karl Anderson & Tomohiro Ishii
6. Kazuchika Okada Farewell Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada
7. Special Tag Match: Manabu Nakanishi & Hirooki Goto vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Masato Tanaka

Takao Omori held an interview at New Japan offices earlier to announce that he is changing his career from “pro wrestler” to “pro wrestler who manages an inn”. You may have noticed that Omori, who has been a freelancer based in New Japan for quite a while now, isn’t booked on the next tour. That’s because he has decided to focus on managing a family inn in Kanazawa.

However, he isn’t finished as a pro wrestler. Don’t expect to see Omori too often but he has no plans to fully retire and said he will appear occasionally. He isn’t sure exactly what the future holds but wants to maintain strong relations with New Japan, who offered him a big chance to restore his career after a lengthy break following his departure from ZERO1.

40-year-old Omori goes into semi-activity with many honours behind him as a former IWGP Tag Team Champion, GHC Tag Team Champion, AJPW World Tag Team Champion, All Asia Tag Team Champion, AWA Heavyweight Champion, NWA United National Heavyweight Champion, NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Champion, and WLW Heavyweight Champion.

Two of New Japan’s young warriors are heading overseas in an attempt to transform themselves. Kazuchika Okada, one of the better heavyweight prospects in many years, is leaving indefinitely for TNA Wrestling, while Taichi is off to CMLL. President Sugabayashi said he is giving Okada as long as he needs to transform himself into what New Japan knows he can be, not even ruling out a 2-3 year stay in America if Okada needs that long. He will have a special send-off match on 1/31 against Tanahashi. With the retirement of his tag partner Milano, Taichi now seeks new direction and where better for an upcoming junior than CMLL in Mexico…

New Japan also announced today that Tamon Honda and Kentaro Shiga, who recently left NOAH as part of the company’s downsizing, will appear specially on the 1/31 Differ Ariake show. The two will face Makabe & Honma in a tag match and Sugabayashi was complimentary of Honda, saying he had been a “symbol of strength” for NOAH after his surprising “boom” several years ago where he took many big scalps and won the GHC Tag Team Title. Also announced for the Differ show was El Samurai in another special appearance.

Masahiro Chono, however, has cancelled his appearance for an interesting reason. Chono is undertaking long-term “body remodeling”. Chono has just signed a new contract with the company but will be away for up to half a year and should return around summer (G1?). Could this mean one last run at the top for Chono, with so much effort going into improving his condition?

Young lion Nobuo Yoshihashi scored his first ever singles victory earlier on Riki Choshu’s LOCK UP show, pinning ZERO1’s Yuzuru Saito in one of various matches featuring New Japan wrestlers.

LOCK UP, 1/17/10
Shinjuku FACE

- Nobuo Yoshihashi beat Yuzuru Saito (7:24) with a modified cross armbreaker.
- Daisuke Sekimoto beat Kazuchika Okada (9:02) with a German suplex hold.
- Jado & Gedo beat Dick Togo & Ikuto Hidaka (19:03) when Gedo used a schoolboy on Togo.
- Yuji Nagata beat Tomohiro Ishii (15:47) with a backdrop hold.

New Japan announced today on it’s mobile site that Milano Collection AT is retiring from pro wrestling. Milano has been dogged by a serious eye injury since last year and even after an operation there is great risk to it if he keeps on wrestling, so he has decided to end his career. Milano joined New Japan several years ago but despite winning the Best of the Super Jr. never quite reached the heights expected of him, and many were anticipating his return to see if he could finally get there. His career ends after ten years active service.

December 4th, 1943 – January 16th, 2010

Katsuhisa Shibata, former New Japan wrestler and referee, and father of second generation pro wrestler Katsuyori Shibata (who he is pictured above with when Katsuyori was 3-years-old), passed away earlier today following a heart attack. Shibata wrestled on the very first New Japan show on 3/6/72 and after retiring in February, 1976, would become a referee for the company. He temporarily retired as a referee on 6/25/99 at Korakuen Hall but would return for sporadic appearances, recently officiating in Tatsumi Fujinami’s DRADITION promotion.

Togi Makabe will challenge Takashi Sugiura for the GHC Heavyweight Title on February 28th at Tokyo Nippon Budokan. Makabe is currently in NOAH with Honma as part of the Global Tag League ‘10, where they have one win (over Bison Smith & Keith Walker) and one loss (to Sugiura & Shuhei Taniguchi). Oddly though, it is their only non-tournament match that has caught most of the attention so far, when they defeated Sugiura & Atsushi Aoki, with Makabe pinning the GHC Heavyweight Champion.

Sugiura has lots of recent history with the “4 Heroes”, having dominated Hirooki Goto in their singles match series but having unavenged losses to Nakamura, Tanahashi, and Makabe. At Budokan, he’ll have his chance to avenge those two pinfall losses to Makabe and perhaps afterwards will turn his eyes to the top two of New Japan, Nakamura and Tanahashi.

NOAH, 2/28/10
Tokyo Nippon Budokan

- GHC Heavyweight Title: Takashi Sugiura (c) vs. Togi Makabe

IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura, and K-1 Heavyweight Champion, Kyotaro, go to war next month! Gulp? No, it’s not quite as scary as it sounds as it will be an Exhibition Match held under K-1 (kickboxing rules) at the “GILCO POWER PRODUCTION DREAM MATCH” show on February 28th. Two rounds, two minutes, so it’s not very long but should be interesting.

NJPW “GILCO POWER PRODUCTION DREAM MATCH”, 2/28/10
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. K-1 Rules: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kyotaro
2. Keiji Muto , Hiroshi Tanahashi & Power Pro Kamen vs. Akebono, Yutaka Yoshie & Ryota Hama

Yuji Nagata attempts to avenge his Tokyo Dome tag loss to the nuisance TAJIRI at Sumo Hall, in one of two special singles matches added today. The other sees Hirooki Goto and ZERO1’s Masato Tanaka attempt to decide their deadlocked singles match series. Other cards have also been announced for the series, with appearances by El Samurai, Kota Ibushi, and Kenny Omega also.

NJPW “EXCITING BATTLE IN OKINAWA 2010″, 1/22/10
Okinawa Prefectural Budokan

1. Jushin Thunder Liger, Super Delfin , Kaijin Habu Otoko & Golden Pine vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, Shisaou , Mil Mongoose & Menso~re Oyaji
2. Riki Choshu & Kazuchika Okada vs. Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa
3. Masahiro Chono & Koji Kanemoto vs. Super Strong Machine & Tiger Mask
4. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka
5. Manabu Nakanishi, Hirooki Goto & Wataru Inoue vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Jado & Gedo
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii

NJPW, 1/27/10 (Samurai! TV)
Chiba Port Arena Sub Arena

1. Hirooki Goto, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Toru Yano, Jado & Gedo
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada vs. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito
3. Manabu Nakanishi, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson

NJPW, 1/29/10
Shirakawa City Central Gymnasium

1. Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue vs. Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Toru Yano, Jado & Gedo
3. Manabu Nakanishi, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson

NJPW, 1/30/10 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Taichi vs. Nobuo Yoshihashi
2. Black Cat Memorial Match: Super Strong Machine, Wataru Inoue & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Koji Kanemoto, Tiger Mask & El Samurai
3. Hirooki Goto vs. Kazuchika Okada
4. Riki Choshu, Togi Makabe, Ryusuke Taguchi & Tomoaki Honma vs. Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii, Jado & Gedo
5. Special 6 Man Tag Match: Yuji Nagata, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. TAJIRI, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
6. Special Tag Match: Manabu Nakanishi & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Toru Yano
7. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Naomichi Marufuji (c) vs. Prince Devitt

NJPW, 1/31/10 (SXW)
Tokyo Differ Ariake

1. Special Tag Match: Jado & Gedo vs. Kota Ibushi & Kenny Omega
2. Special Tag Match: Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue vs. TAJIRI & Takashi Iizuka
3. Special Tag Match: Manabu Nakanishi & Hirooki Goto vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Masato Tanaka

NJPW, 2/3/10
Ueda Creation Hall

1. Wataru Inoue, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Toru Yano, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Hirooki Goto vs. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma
3. Manabu Nakanishi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Jado & Gedo

NJPW, 2/6/10
Kasukabe City Gymnasium

1. Wataru Inoue & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Hirooki Goto vs. Toru Yano & Karl Anderson
3. Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii

NJPW, 2/7/10
Wel Sunpia Tochigi

1. Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Toru Yano, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
3. Manabu Nakanishi & Hirooki Goto vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii

NJPW, 2/8/10
Ota City Nitta Gymnasium Ex Arena

1. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Toru Yano, Jado & Gedo
3. Manabu Nakanishi & Wataru Inoue vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Giant Bernard

NJPW, 2/10/10 (SXW)
Osaka Central Gymnasium #2

1. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito
2. Yuji Nagata, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. TAJIRI, Jado & Gedo
3. Special 6 Man Tag Match: Manabu Nakanishi, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Hirooki Goto vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano & Masato Tanaka

NJPW, 2/11/10
Gifu Industrial Hall

1. Wataru Inoue & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito
2. Hirooki Goto, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt vs. Masato Tanaka , Jado & Gedo
3. Special 6 Man Tag Match: Manabu Nakanishi, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yuji Nagata vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano & TAJIRI

NJPW, 2/14/10 (WPW)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt (c) vs. Jado & Gedo
2. Special Singles Match: Yuji Nagata vs. TAJIRI
3. Special Singles Match: Hirooki Goto vs. Masato Tanaka
4. IWGP Tag Team Title: Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. El Terrible & El Texano Jr.
5. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi will again try to stall the new generation’s leadership of New Japan when he challenges Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Heavyweight Title at Sumo Hall next month. Shinsuke’s V5 defense of the belt is now official, one day after he toppled the mighty Yoshihiro Takayama. NO LIMIT attempt to finish one piece of business from CMLL as they make their V1 defense of the IWGP Tag Team Title against the men who took their hair, El Terrible & El Texano Jr., the New Japan/CMLL relationship in full effect. February will be a busy month for Prince Devitt, as at Korakuen Hall on the 30th, he challenges new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Naomichi Marufuji, in a rematch from the SUPER J-CUP final, then at Sumo Hall he and Taguchi defend their IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title against Jado & Gedo. And as for Tanahashi? He is interested in further battles with NOAH, after pinning Shiozaki yesterday but named no one in particular. He said if there was an offer, he’d consider it, and expects NOAH will be interested in throwing some wrestlers at the MVP this year.

NJPW “EXCITING BATTLE IN OKINAWA 2010″, 1/22/10
Okinawa Prefectural Budokan

1. Jushin Thunder Liger, Super Delfin , Kaijin Habu Otoko & Golden Pine vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, Shisaou , Mil Mongoose & Menso~re Oyaji
2. Riki Choshu & Kazuchika Okada vs. Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa
3. Super Strong Machine & Tiger Mask vs. Koji Kanemoto & Nobuo Yoshihashi
4. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka
5. Manabu Nakanishi, Hirooki Goto & Wataru Inoue vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Jado & Gedo
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii

NJPW, 1/30/10 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Naomichi Marufuji (c) vs. Prince Devitt

NJPW, 2/14/10 (WPW)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt (c) vs. Jado & Gedo
2. IWGP Tag Team Title: Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. El Terrible & El Texano Jr.
3. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Manabu Nakanishi

41,500 fans flocked to the Tokyo Dome today to see “WRESTLE KINGDOM IV”, an exciting show with many memorable moments. “Strong Style” was the theme as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura, met the returning Yoshihiro Takayama in a rematch from the same show six years before. As expected, this was quite physical and a very tight match, with Nakamura proving his strength again to begin the New Year and pinning Takayama after his Boma Ye, a more decisive victory than in 2004. Takayama is supposedly on the next tour poster and while I haven’t seen it, if so it would confirm continuing participation by the big man. To the surprise of some, it was Manabu Nakanishi who confronted Nakamura after the match and declared his candidacy to be Nakamura’s fifth challenger.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH did battle in an exciting four match series that, to the surprise of few, ended in a stalemate. Takashi Sugiura again defeated Hirooki Goto in their closest match yet over the GHC Heavyweight Title. Sublimely close, fans at one point were convinced that Sugiura would tap out but he didn’t, persisting and winning with his ankle hold. The biggest match of the 4 vs. 4 was right underneath, as the ace of New Japan, Hiroshi Tanahashi, battled the ace of NOAH, Go Shiozaki, in a blockbuster match that is earning early “Best Bout” candidacy in Japan. This was an action-packed match with Shiozaki coming close to victory, but Tanahashi’s experience giving him the edge as the MVP marched to a win with his High Fly Flow.

Naomichi Marufuji followed up on his SUPER J-CUP victory by facing the “end game” boss, Tiger Mask, in a dream match over the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title. This was said to be an excellent match with many spectacular moves and moments. Marufuji had to unleash his Tiger Frosion finisher to become the champion, achieving a junior title grand slam, and becoming the top junior in Japan. It will be a difficult task for New Japan’s juniors to bring home the title but the chase begins now. The series began with a short sprint as Togi Makabe made short work of GHC Tag Team Champion, Mohammed Yone. Yone jumped Makabe on the ramp, setting the pace in a short but eventful match. Makabe won overwhelmingly in the end with his top rope King Kong kneedrop and will look to get another over Yone when he and Honma enter the Global Tag League shortly, in the same block as Rikio & Yone, NOAH’s tag kings.

Legends assembled in one of the most entertaining matches of the night, as Terry Funk, Choshu, Chono, and Nakanishi beat Abdullah The Butcher, Yano, Iizuka & Ishii. The turning point came when Abby turned against Iizuka, leading to Nakanishi racking the CHAOS man for the submission win. TAJIRI vs. Aogi-gun picked up steam as he and Masato Tanaka defeated the dream tandem of Nagata & Akebono. Some tricks led to TAJIRI pinning Nagata after his Buzzsaw kick, raising the possibility of a singles match in the near future.

NO LIMIT, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito, left Japan about a year ago as young lions in hunt of junior belts. Today, they returned with the big boys, in the form of the world famous Team 3D and G1 Tag League ‘09 winners, Bernard & Anderson. Team 3D fought Bad Intentions to a non-finish late last year setting up this natural rematch but in an attempt to convince NO LIMIT to return home, President Sugabayashi slotted them into this three way hardcore match. And what a return, as the two had people in shock, having bulked up to heavyweights and having completely changed their image. Comparisons to the legendary TenKoji were raised as NO LIMIT outsmarted both American tandems to capture the IWGP Tag Team Title, Yujiro pinning Anderson after the Limitless Evolution. In addition to the young stars that now lead New Japan, a potential “franchise” tag team emerged today.

Apollo 55 made a successful V4 defense of the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title against CMLL assassins, Ultimo Guerrero & Averno, in an exciting match. Taguchi sealed the win, pinning Averno after his and Devitt’s Black Hole Vacation. They nominated Jado & Gedo as their next challengers, wanting to finally exceed the “wrestling masters” and win the delayed decision match to see who New Japan’s top junior team is.

NJPW “WRESTLE KINGDOM IV IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/10 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Dome
41,500 Fans

1. New Japan Pro-Wrestling 2010 Beginning: Super Strong Machine, Wataru Inoue & Mitsuhide Hirasawa beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Koji Kanemoto & Kazuchika Okada (4:59) when Inoue used the Triangle Lancer on Okada.
2. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title ~Amistad combativa~: Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt (c) beat Ultimo Guerrero & Averno (9:07) when Taguchi pinned Averno after the Black Hole Vacation (4th defense).
3. IWGP Tag Team Title - 3WAY Hardcore Rules Match ~Victim and Greed~: Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito beat “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon (c) and Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson (13:28) when Yujiro pinned Anderson after the Limitless Emotion to become the 55th champions.
4. Wrestle Kingdom Special Tag Match ~Blood Stream Blue~: TAJIRI & Masato Tanaka beat Yuji Nagata & Akebono (9:37) when TAJIRI used a Buzzsaw kick on Nagata.
5. Wrestle Kingdom Special 8 Man Tag Match ~The legend never rots~: Terry Funk, Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Manabu Nakanishi beat Abdullah The Butcher, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii (8:52) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Iizuka.
6. NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Wilderness~: Togi Makabe beat Mohammed Yone (5:39) with a top rope King Kong kneedrop.
7. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title ~Highest sky~: Naomichi Marufuji beat Tiger Mask (c) (14:14) with the Tiger Frosion to become the 59th champion.
8. NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Radiance~: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Go Shiozaki (19:04) with the High Fly Flow.
9. GHC Heavyweight Title - NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Blast~: Takashi Sugiura (c) beat Hirooki Goto (20:54) with an ankle hold (1st defense).
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title - The newest, The strongest: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) beat Yoshihiro Takayama (15:51) with the Boma Ye (4th defense).