–> “NEW JAPAN LIVE 2011” <--

NJPW, 9/25/11
Tokushima Municipal Gymnasium
750 Fans

1. King Fale beat Kyosuke Mikami (8:36) with a crab hold.
2. Tama Tonga beat Hiromu Takahashi (8:24) with the Headshrinker.
3. Tetsuya Naito & Tomoaki Honma beat Yujiro Takahashi & Gedo (10:13) when Naito used a Stardust press on Gedo.
4. Hirooki Goto, Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Tomohiro Ishii, Davey Richards & Rocky Romero (14:35) when Goto used the Shouten Kai on Ishii.
5. Togi Makabe, Tiger Mask & KUSHIDA beat Minoru Suzuki, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi (14:40) when Makabe used a King Kong kneedrop on Taichi.
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Hideo Saito (19:09) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Saito.

–> “NEW JAPAN LIVE 2011” <--

NJPW, 9/24/11
Yawatahama Citizen Sports Center
850 Fans

1. Tomoaki Honma beat Takaaki Watanabe (9:28) with the Kokeshi.
2. KUSHIDA beat Hiromu Takahashi (9:02) with the 9469.
3. Toru Yano, Hideo Saito & Tomohiro Ishii beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata & King Fale (13:35) when Saito used the Caribbean Death Grip on Fale.
4. Tetsuya Naito & Tama Tonga beat Yujiro Takahashi & Gedo (10:35) when Naito used a Stardust press on Gedo.
5. Minoru Suzuki, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi beat Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue & Tiger Mask (14:21) when TAKA used the Michinoku Driver II on Tiger.
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Takashi Iizuka, Davey Richards & Rocky Romero (17:37) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Iizuka.

IWGP Tag & GHC Tag double champions Bad Intentions will make their V2 defense of NOAH’s GHC Tag Team Title on 10/31 at Differ Ariake against the young generation team of Go Shiozaki & Shuhei Taniguchi. Shiozaki is the reigning GHC Heavyweight Champion and just bypassed a tough V2 defense against Yoshihiro Takayama, so will be looking to become a 2-crown champion like both Bernard and Anderson are at the moment.

NOAH “NOAHFUL HALLOWEEN NIGHT”, 10/31/11
Tokyo Differ Ariake

- GHC Tag Team Title: Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson (c) vs. Go Shiozaki & Shuhei Taniguchi

–> “NEW JAPAN LIVE 2011” <--

NJPW, 9/23/11
Takamatsu City Gymnasium
1,350 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Kyosuke Mikami beat Takaaki Watanabe (6:51) with a crab hold.
2. Tomoaki Honma beat Tama Tonga (7:59) with the Kokeshi.
3. Toru Yano & Hideo Saito beat Yuji Nagata & King Fale (10:10) when Saito used the Caribbean Death Grip on Fale.
4. Tetsuya Naito, Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Tomohiro Ishii, Davey Richards & Rocky Romero (13:48) when Naito used a Stardust press on Ishii.
5. Minoru Suzuki, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi beat Togi Makabe, Tiger Mask & KUSHIDA (14:50) when TAKA used the Michinoku Driver II on KUSHIDA.
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Wataru Inoue beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Takashi Iizuka, Yujiro Takahashi & Gedo (19:41) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Gedo.

–> “NEW JAPAN LIVE 2011” <--

NJPW, 9/22/11
Niihama Citizen Gymnasium
1,350 Fans

1. Kyosuke Mikami beat Hiromu Takahashi (8:14) with a modified achilles tendon hold.
2. Tama Tonga beat King Fale (8:37) with the Headshrinker.
3. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Hideo Saito beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata & Tomoaki Honma (12:26) when Yano used the Oni Koroshi on Honma.
4. Tetsuya Naito & KUSHIDA beat Yujiro Takahashi & Gedo (12:26) when Naito used a Stardust press on Gedo.
5. Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue & Tiger Mask beat Minoru Suzuki, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi (16:56) when Makabe used a King Kong kneedrop on Taichi.
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii, Davey Richards & Rocky Romero (14:47) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Ishii.

NJPW “NEVER.7 ~GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL~”, 9/21/11 (Samurai! TV)
Osaka World Hall
200 Fans – No Vacancy

1. Go To the Next Level I: Ryusuke Taguchi beat Takaaki Watanabe (10:26) with a cross armbreaker.
2. Go To the Next Level II: Yujiro Takahashi beat Kyosuke Mikami (8:37) with the Tokyo Pimps.
3. Go To the Next Level III: Hideo Saito beat King Fale (8:19) with the Caribbean Death Grip.
4. Go To the Next Level IV: Toru Yano beat Hiromu Takahashi (8:53) with the Oni Koroshi.
5. Go To the Next Level V: Hirooki Goto beat Tama Tonga (10:32) with the Shouten Kai.
6. Go To the Next Level VI: Tetsuya Naito beat KUSHIDA (12:35) with the Gloria.

New Japan have revealed the entrants into this year’s G1 Tag League that runs from 10/22 to 11/6. It marks the return of Bad Intentions, the all-conquering IWGP Tag Team Champions, after a short absence.

Many other interesting combinations are involved including the all-star team of Tanahashi & Goto and a special team comprised of Ishii and DRAGON GATE’s Don Fujii called “SOUL OF W”, the “W” standing for WAR (Tenryu’s old promotion).

Last year’s winners Nagata & Inoue are in separate teams this year with Wataru having seemed to have shifted from having Nagata to Tenzan as his teacher lately. Nagata assumes a similar role for King Fale who he teams up with.

- “Bad Intentions” Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
- “The Billion Powers” Hiroshi Tanahashi & Hirooki Goto
- “Beast Combination” Satoshi Kojima & Togi Makabe
- “Teacher & Student” Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Wataru Inoue
- “Blue Justice” Yuji Nagata & King Fale
- “Stardust * Stream” Tetsuya Naito & Tomoaki Honma
- “CHAOS Top Team” Shinsuke Nakamura & Toru Yano
- “CHAOS OF THE NORTHERN” Takashi Iizuka & Hideo Saito
- “Complete Players” Masato Tanaka & Yujiro Takahashi
- “SOUL OF W” Tomohiro Ishii & Don Fujii
- “Suzuki-gun” Minoru Suzuki & Lance Archer
- “Muscle Pavilion” Strong Man & Tama Tonga

Tetsuya Naito’s massive year continues at Sumo Hall on October 10th when he challenges Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Title and attempts to break into the upper tier of New Japan. Naito reached the G1 Climax final and lost narrowly to the man Tanahashi beat yesterday, Shinsuke Nakamura, so will have to go to a new level in order to defeat the ace of New Japan. Ten matches were announced for the October super-show today with this match topping it.

Underneath, Makabe faces Suzuki while MVP finally defends his IWGP Intercontinental Title against someone other than Yano as he faces a man with much international experience, former ECW World Heavyweight Champion, Masato Tanaka. Nagata vs. Yano is set as expected, while Apollo 55 make their V8 defense of the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title against Davey Richards & Rocky Romero. They already beat this team in their V4 defense but aren’t afraid to beat the same team twice as they did TAKA & Taichi (V2 and V7).

Satoshi Kojima makes his official return as a New Japan wrestler, his first match as a fully affiliated member of the roster since 1/24/02 when he faces eternal friend Hiroyoshi Tenzan in a rematch from the G1 Climax. CMLL superstar Ultimo Guerrero also makes a special appearance as he teams with CHAOS leader Nakamura against Goto & Tama Tonga in a special tag match.

The opening match features “Schwarz” and “Weiss” who seem to be based on anime characters as President Sugabayashi mentioned that they are “special athletes” who are appearing as part of a tie-up with Bushiroad.

NJPW “DESTRUCTION ’11″, 10/10/11 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Schwarz, Weiss, Tiger Mask, KUSHIDA & Killer Rabbit vs. Takashi Iizuka, Jado, Gedo, Tomohiro Ishii & Hideo Saito
2. Tomoaki Honma vs. Yujiro Takahashi
3. Wataru Inoue vs. Lance Archer
4. Special Tag Match: Hirooki Goto & Tama Tonga vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Ultimo Guerrero
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi (c) vs. Davey Richards & Rocky Romero
6. Satoshi Kojima Return Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Satoshi Kojima
7. Special Singles Match: Yuji Nagata vs. Toru Yano
8. IWGP Intercontinental Title: MVP (c) vs. Masato Tanaka
9. Special Singles Match: Togi Makabe vs. Minoru Suzuki
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito

NJPW “NEW JAPAN LIVE IN UONUMA”, 10/8/11
Koide Village Gymnasium

1. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Takaaki Watanabe
2. Prince Devitt, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tiger Mask & KUSHIDA vs. Rocky Romero, Jado, Gedo & Tomohiro Ishii
3. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Kyosuke Mikami vs. Takashi Iizuka & Hideo Saito
4. Togi Makabe & Wataru Inoue vs. Minoru Suzuki & Taichi
5. Yuji Nagata, King Fale & Tama Tonga vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano & Yujiro Takahashi
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Hirooki Goto vs. Tetsuya Naito & Tomoaki Honma

NJPW “HIROYOSHI TENZAN 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW”, 10/3/11 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Kyosuke Mikami, Hiromu Takahashi & Takaaki Watanabe vs. Rocky Romero, Jado & Gedo
2. Taichi vs. Hideo Saito
3. Tomoaki Honma, Tama Tonga & King Fale vs. Takashi Iizuka, Yujiro Takahashi & Tomohiro Ishii
4. Togi Makabe & Wataru Inoue vs. Minoru Suzuki & TAKA Michinoku
5. Yuji Nagata & Hirooki Goto vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Toru Yano
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tiger Mask & KUSHIDA vs. Tetsuya Naito, Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi
7. Hiroyoshi Tenzan 20th Anniversary Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Masahiro Chono & Hiro Saito vs. Osamu Nishimura, Koji Kanemoto & Shinjiro Otani

–> “G1 CLIMAX SPECIAL 2011” <--

NJPW “KANTARO HOSHINO MEMORIAL SHOW”, 9/19/11 (WPW/PPV)
Kobe World Hall
7,800 Fans – Super No Vacancy

1. TAKA Michinoku & Taichi beat Tomoaki Honma & Kyosuke Mikami (8:30) when TAKA used the Just Facelock on Mikami.
2. Kantaro Hoshino Memorial Match: Koji Kanemoto beat Makai #28 (5:25) with an ankle hold.
3. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Gedo beat Hirooki Goto, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Tama Tonga & Killer Rabbit (12:42) when Yano used the Oni Koroshi on Rabbit.
4. Special Singles Match: Yuji Nagata beat Hideo Saito (9:24) with a backdrop hold.
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Prince Devitt beat KUSHIDA (13:30) with the Bloody Sunday to become the 62nd champion (decision match).
6. Special 6 Man Tag Match: Masato Tanaka , Davey Richards & Rocky Romero beat MVP, Tiger Mask & Ryusuke Taguchi (10:02) when Richards used the Contract Killer on Taguchi.
7. Special Singles Match: Minoru Suzuki beat Wataru Inoue (13:02) with a Gotch-style piledriver.
8. Special Singles Match: Tetsuya Naito beat Yujiro Takahashi (12:37) with a Stardust press.
9. Special Singles Match: Togi Makabe beat Lance Archer (11:22) with a King Kong kneedrop.
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) beat Shinsuke Nakamura (26:07) with the High Fly Flow (7th defense).

* New Japan ace Hiroshi Tanahashi returned from an excursion to CMLL in Mexico and made a successful V7 defense of his IWGP Heavyweight Title against his greatest rival Shinsuke Nakamura. It was the traditional IWGP vs. G1 Climax match held in September or October and as always the two put on a great show for the sold out Kobe World Hall. But for the second time in this, his fifth reign as champion, Tanahashi defeated Nakamura and looks close to unstoppable in a reign that has now entered its eighth month.
* Tanahashi’s next challenger will be G1 Climax runner-up Tetsuya Naito who finally turned around his 0-2 record against former NO LIMIT tag partner Yujiro Takahashi today by pinning the man who betrayed him following a Stardust press. Naito appeared after Tana’s victory over Nakamura and issued his challenge
* Following singles victories for both today, Togi Makabe and Minoru Suzuki are set to do battle at Sumo Hall next month after Makabe had harsh words for the Pancrase man.
* After close to a year of performing in the company as a freelancer, Satoshi Kojima showed up for the first time since the G1 Climax today and announced he is formally rejoining New Japan! Kojima left the company with the All Japan breakaway crew of Keiji Muto and Kendo Kashin way back in January ’02 but can now officially call himself a New Japan wrestler again. Kojima nominated sworn friend Hiroyoshi Tenzan as his return match opponent for “DESTRUCTION ’11″ on 10/10 at Sumo Hall.
* The IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title is back in New Japan hands but only after Kota Ibushi was forced to vacate the belt, leading to today’s decision match between Prince Devitt and KUSHIDA. Devitt held the title for almost a year in his previous reign that Ibushi ended in June but was too strong for KUSHIDA in this decision match, hitting the Bloody Sunday to begin his second reign as champion. Can Devitt hold the belt for such an epic length of time as he did last time?
* After he beat former young lion disciple Hideo Saito, Nagata was attacked by another CHAOS member, Toru Yano, who assaulted him with scissors and said he would shave Nagata’s hair off. Nagata declared war on Yano.
* Of course as the title suggests, this show was held in tribute to the late Kantaro Hoshino who passed away last November. Hoshino and his son for years had done exceptional work promoting shows like these in Kobe and helping New Japan get good attendances just like today’s. A former wrestler and manager (of the Makai Club) in New Japan, Hoshino is sorely missed. “BISSHIBISHI!” President Hoshino!

–> “G1 CLIMAX SPECIAL 2011” <--

NJPW, 9/18/11
Okayama Orange Hall
1,250 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Kyosuke Mikami beat Takaaki Watanabe (7:53) with a crab hold.
2. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Hideo Saito beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata & King Fale (14:15) when Saito used a Nagata Lock II on Fale.
3. MVP, Tetsuya Naito & KUSHIDA beat Masato Tanaka , Yujiro Takahashi & Gedo (13:58) when MVP used the Irreversible Crisis on Gedo.
4. Minoru Suzuki & TAKA Michinoku beat Wataru Inoue & Tomoaki Honma (12:53) when Suzuki used a Gotch-style piledriver on Honma.
5. Togi Makabe & Tiger Mask beat Lance Archer & Taichi (11:19) when Tiger used a crucifix hold on Taichi.
6. Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii, Davey Richards & Rocky Romero beat Hirooki Goto, Prince Devitt, Ryusuke Taguchi & Tama Tonga (17:48) when Nakamura used the Boma Ye on Tonga.

–> “G1 CLIMAX SPECIAL 2011” <--

NJPW, 9/17/11
Izumo City Gymnasium
1,800 Fans

1. Tama Tonga & King Fale beat Kyosuke Mikami & Takaaki Watanabe (12:41) when Tonga used the Headshrinker on Watanabe.
2. Hideo Saito beat Hiromu Takahashi (4:36) with the Caribbean Death Grip.
3. MVP, Tetsuya Naito, Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Yujiro Takahashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Davey Richards & Rocky Romero (15:01) when MVP used the Irreversible Crisis on Ishii.
4. Wataru Inoue & Tiger Mask beat TAKA Michinoku & Taichi (10:45) when Inoue used the Spear of Justice on Taichi.
5. Minoru Suzuki & Lance Archer beat Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma (10:36) when Archer used the Dark Days on Honma.
6. Hirooki Goto, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata & KUSHIDA beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Gedo (18:21) when Goto used the Shouten Kai on Gedo.

–> “G1 CLIMAX SPECIAL 2011” <--

NJPW, 9/16/11
Hiroshima Green Arena Small Arena
2,000 Fans

1. Tomohiro Ishii beat Kyosuke Mikami (9:13) with a lariat.
2. Tama Tonga beat Hiromu Takahashi (7:16) with the Headshrinker.
3. Prince Devitt, Ryusuke Taguchi & KUSHIDA beat Davey Richards, Rocky Romero & Gedo (10:39) when KUSHIDA used the Midnight Express on Gedo.
4. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Hideo Saito beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata & King Fale (13:25) when Saito used the Caribbean Death Grip on Fale.
5. Special Elimination Match: Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi beat Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue, Tomoaki Honma & Tiger Mask (19:45) when Archer used the Dark Days on Honma. Order of elimination: Tiger, TAKA, Makabe, Taichi, Inoue, Honma.
6. Shinsuke Nakamura, Masato Tanaka & Yujiro Takahashi beat Hirooki Goto, MVP & Tetsuya Naito (18:14) when Tanaka used the Sliding D on Goto.

–> “G1 CLIMAX SPECIAL 2011” <--

NJPW, 9/15/11
Fukuchiyama Park Gymnasium
1,000 Fans

1. Hiromu Takahashi beat Takaaki Watanabe (5:54) with a Fisherman’s suplex hold.
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata, King Fale & KUSHIDA beat Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka, Hideo Saito & Gedo (12:46) when Tenzan used the Anaconda Vice on Gedo.
3. Masato Tanaka , Yujiro Takahashi & Tomohiro Ishii beat MVP, Tetsuya Naito & Tama Tonga (14:29) when Tanaka used the Sliding D on Tonga.
4. Wataru Inoue & Tiger Mask beat Minoru Suzuki & Taichi (10:32) when Inoue used the Spear of Justice on Taichi.
5. Lance Archer & TAKA Michinoku beat Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma (10:49) when Archer used the Dark Days on Honma.
6. Shinsuke Nakamura, Davey Richards & Rocky Romero beat Hirooki Goto, Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi (14:34) when Nakamura used the Boma Ye on Taguchi.

* I’ve updated New Japan’s 2011 schedule up until November for those interested.