New Japan presents one of its strongest lineups in a long time at “KING OF PRO-WRESTLING”, the new name of New Japan’s October show at Sumo Hall. From top to bottom this is a loaded card with all five IWGP titles being defended, and will be topped by the Tokyo Dome rematch of Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki for the IWGP Heavyweight Title. Tanahashi successfully defended the title against Suzuki in January in his previous reign as Okada has of course had a memorable first reign since then, but Suzuki hit back in the G1 Climax by beating Tanahashi. Speaking of Okada, he is willing to risk his number one contendership for the belt which he is contractually entitled to and will put it on the line against the on-fire “Machine Gun” Karl Anderson in a rematch of the 2012 G1 Climax final which Okada won.

Hirooki Goto is given chance to win back the IWGP Intercontinental Title against the man who took it from him, Shinsuke Nakamura, in the semi final while Sakuraba & Shibata face a tougher level of opposition this time with no young lion to bully as Makabe leads Wataru Inoue into war against the duo. NO LIMIT collide again as the former tag partners continue their endless grudge after Yujiro attacked Naito’s injured knee yesterday, leading to a big singles match between them at Sumo Hall. TenKoji finally make their V1 defense of the IWGP Tag Team Title after regaining them in July, taking on Suzuki Gun’s Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr., the latter being Harry Smith who has decided to rename himself in tribute of his late father.

And of course the juniors can’t be forgotten as the junior dream match is repeated, Kota Ibushi making his V3 defense of the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title against the man he won the belt from Low Ki. Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov make their V2 defense of the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title against the Japan-USA alliance of KUSHIDA & Alex Shelley. And what better way to start the show than with the return of the hugely popular Manabu Nakanishi? Nakanishi finally returns to action and teams with old friend Yuji Nagata and 2010 Tokyo Sports Tag Team of the Year partner Strong Man, who of course formed Muscle Orchestra with Nakanishi.

NJPW “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY ~ KING OF PRO-WRESTLING”, 10/8/12 (WPW/PPV/iPPV)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Manabu Nakanishi Return Match: Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata & Strong Man vs. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii
2. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov (c) vs. KUSHIDA & Alex Shelley
3. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Kota Ibushi (c) vs. Low Ki
4. IWGP Tag Team Title: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (c) vs. Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr.
5. Tetsuya Naito vs. Yujiro Takahashi
6. Togi Makabe & Wataru Inoue vs. Kazushi Sakuraba & Katsuyori Shibata
7. Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Match: Karl Anderson vs. Kazuchika Okada
8. IWGP Intercontinental Title: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Hirooki Goto
9. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Minoru Suzuki

Before then…

NJPW “THE MEMORY MEETING OF KASABOKO SUMMIT IN NIIGATA ON NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR”, 10/6/12
Niigata Nishikawa Sports Center

1. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Takaaki Watanabe
2. Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask vs. Captain New Japan & BUSHI
3. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata vs. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Jado
4. Togi Makabe & Wataru Inoue vs. Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI
5. Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Minoru Suzuki
6. Hirooki Goto & Tetsuya Naito vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Yujiro Takahashi
7. Hiroshi Tanahashi & KUSHIDA vs. Kazuchika Okada & Gedo

NJPW “DESTRUCTION ’12″, 9/23/12 (WPW/PPV)
Kobe World Hall
8,000 Fans – Super No Vacancy

1. Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii beat Captain New Japan & Tama Tonga (9:16) when Ishii used a brainbuster on Captain.
2. KUSHIDA, Alex Shelley & BUSHI beat Rocky Romero, Alex Koslov & Gedo (9:37) when Shelley used the I-94 on Koslov.
3. Low Ki beat Daisuke Sasaki (8:45) with a diving footstomp.
4. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer & Harry Smith beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata (12:02) when Suzuki used a Gotch-style piledriver on Nagata.
5. Togi Makabe beat Kengo Mashimo (9:02) with a King Kong kneedrop.
6. Kazushi Sakuraba & Katsuyori Shibata beat Wataru Inoue & Hiromu Takahashi (3:03) when Shibata used a PK on Takahashi.
7. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Kota Ibushi (c) beat Ryusuke Taguchi (17:06) with a Phoenix splash (2nd defense).
8. Hirooki Goto, Tetsuya Naito & Karl Anderson beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Kazuchika Okada & Yujiro Takahashi (15:08) when Goto used the Shouten Kai on Okada.
9. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) beat Naomichi Marufuji (23:35) with the High Fly Flow (3rd defense).

* Tanahashi overcame a stiff V3 defense of his IWGP Heavyweight Title in the main event of today’s sold out Kobe show, beating the man who upset him in the G1 Climax, NOAH’s Naomichi Marufuji. Tanahashi had little time to recover before Minoru Suzuki was in the ring challenging him for a title match, which would be a rematch of this January’s Tokyo Dome show and also another G1 rematch, as Suzuki was one of three men (the others being Marufuji and Anderson) who beat Tana in that tournament.

* Kota Ibushi’s second run as IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion continues to impress as today he survived the challenge of Taguchi in another difficult defense. Like Tanahashi, Ibushi was greeted by his probable next challenger right after winning as the man he defeated to win the title, Low Ki, made his presence felt and demanded another match with the high-flying champion.

* Kazushi Sakuraba and Katsuyori Shibata are finally here! The invading duo ran through Wataru Inoue and young lion Hiromu Takahashi in just 3 minutes to advertise their re-arrival in New Japan. Togi Makabe, who earlier had beaten Suzuki Gun’s newest member Kengo Mashimo, appeared after the match to challenge the two, and Makabe & Inoue vs. Sakuraba & Shibata has already been determined for October’s Sumo Hall show.

* Manabu Nakanishi is back! Or almost. After well over a year out of action with a serious injury, the big man announced in the ring today that he will return to action at Sumo Hall. Kobe responded with a loud “Nakanishi!” chant.

* As things stand the 10/8 Sumo Hall show is looking likely to have Tanahashi vs. Suzuki (IWGP Heavyweight), Ibushi vs. Low Ki (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight), Sakuraba & Shibata vs. Makabe & Inoue, and Nakanishi’s return. There are also whispers of a Nakamura vs. Goto rematch for the IWGP Intercontinental Title after Goto impressively pinned Okada today in a six man tag match.

–> “BEST OF THE SUPER JR. XVIII” <--

NJPW, 6/5/11
Akashi Municipal Industrial Exchange Center
1,560 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Best of the Super Jr. – Block B: Mascara Dorada [6] beat Daisuke Sasaki [2] (8:02) with a Tornillo.
2. Best of the Super Jr. – Block A: Taichi [2] beat Jado [0] (10:04) with the Black Mephisto.
3. Best of the Super Jr. – Block A: TJP [6] beat Davey Richards [8] (9:51) with a front cradle.
4. Best of the Super Jr. – Block B: KUSHIDA [8] beat TAKA Michinoku [6] (9:29) with the Midnight Express.
5. Best of the Super Jr. – Block A: Koji Kanemoto [8] beat Tiger Mask [8] (9:59) with an ankle hold.
6. Best of the Super Jr. – Block B: Kota Ibushi [8] beat Gedo [2] (10:10) with a Firebird splash.
7. Best of the Super Jr. – Block B: Jushin Thunder Liger [8] beat Ryusuke Taguchi [6] (9:20) with an air scissors drop.
8. Best of the Super Jr. – Block A: Prince Devitt [10] beat Kenny Omega [10] (12:08) with the Bloody Sunday.
9. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Hirooki Goto & Tomoaki Honma (16:21) when Tenzan used the Anaconda Vice on Honma.

* Ring doctor Takeshi Misawa said Nakanishi is recovering well after being seriously injured on yesterday’s show. He suffered numbness and temporary paralysis as his spinal cord was injured, but he has regained feeling in his entire body is expected to recover. There will be an announcement about his recovery time in the coming days and if he can continuing wrestling like before.

-

Block A:
1. Prince Devitt [10]
2. Kenny Omega [10]
3. Koji Kanemoto [8]
- Tiger Mask [8]
- Davey Richards [8]
6. TJP [6]
7. Fujita “Jr.” Hayato [4]
8. Taichi [2]
9. Jado [0]

Block B:
1. The Great Sasuke [10]
2. Jushin Thunder Liger [8]
- KUSHIDA [8]
- Kota Ibushi [8]
5. Ryusuke Taguchi [6]
- TAKA Michinoku [6]
- Mascara Dorada [6]
8. Daisuke Sasaki [2]
9. Gedo [2]