Kazuchika Okada, one of Japanese pro wrestling’s biggest breakout stars in years, dominated the 2012 Tokyo Sports awards. Not only did he become the MVP aged just 25 but his memorable match with Tanahashi on June 16th, when Tanahashi won the IWGP Heavyweight Title back from Okada, was named Best Bout. Along with these two awards, Shinsuke Nakamura added a third for New Japan by winning the Technique Prize while New Japan legend Seiji Sakaguchi picked up a Lifetime Achievement Prize.

Tokyo Sports 2012 MVP: Kazuchika Okada
Tokyo Sports 2012 Best Bout: Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (6/16 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
Tokyo Sports 2012 Technique Award: Shinsuke Nakamura

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Satoshi Kojima failed in his attempt to win the GHC Heavyweight Title in the main event of NOAH’s Sumo Hall show on which the legendary Kenta Kobashi announced he is retiring from pro wrestling. NOAH has been struggling more and more since the death of Misawa but was able to draw a reasonable attendance of 7,500 (if real) for the show.

NOAH “GREAT VOYAGE 2012 IN RYOGOKU VOL. 2″, 12/9/12
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
7,500 Fans

- GHC Heavyweight Title: Takeshi Morishima (c) beat Satoshi Kojima (20:17) with a backdrop suplex (8th defense).

NJPW, 11/4/12 (Samurai! TV)
Twin Messe Shizuoka
1,600 Fans

1. Toru Yano & YOSHI-HASHI beat Wataru Inoue & Takaaki Watanabe (9:37) when YOSHI-HASHI used a Swanton bomb on Watanabe.
2. Captain New Japan beat Takashi Iizuka (8:00) by DQ.
3. Rocky Romero, Alex Koslov & Gedo beat KUSHIDA, Alex Shelley & BUSHI (12:12) when Koslov pinned BUSHI after Gedo used a diving kneedrop.
4. Low Ki, Brian Kendrick & Jado beat Prince Devitt, Ryusuke Taguchi & Negro Casas (14:20) when Ki used a diving footstomp on Casas.
5. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, Davey Boy Smith Jr., TAKA Michinoku & Taichi beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Yuji Nagata, Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask (12:29) when Taichi used the Low Fly Flow on Tiger.
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, Hirooki Goto & Karl Anderson beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Kazuchika Okada, Yujiro Takahashi & Tomohiro Ishii (17:26) when Makabe used a King Kong kneedrop on Ishii.

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After two successful ventures into NOAH, beating Marufuji in a singles match and with Tenzan defeating Sugiura & Yone yesterday, Satoshi Kojima will challenge Takeshi Morishima for the GHC Heavyweight Title on NOAH’s 12/9 Sumo Hall show in the main event. Yuji Nagata is also in NOAH at the moment as part of the Global League and defeated Go Shiozaki on day one of the tournament so the third generation remains very active even if not the leading force in New Japan these days.

NOAH, 11/3/12
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,000 Fans – Super No Vacancy

- NOAH vs. NJPW Special Tag Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Takashi Sugiura & Mohammed Yone (12:35) when Kojima used a lariat on Yone.
- Global League – Block A: Yuji Nagata beat Go Shiozaki (18:47) with a backdrop hold.

NOAH, 12/9/12
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

- GHC Heavyweight Title: Takeshi Morishima (c) vs. Satoshi Kojima