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.

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?

Some quick interpromotional notes.

Nagata made an appearance at a “Corazon Pro Wrestling” show at the Mizuno Futsal Plaza which is adjoined to the Ajinomoto Stadium. He had been in the stadium itself as a special guest before the FC Tokyo vs. Kyoto Sangha FC football game in the J LEAGUE began. At the latter event Nagata wrestled Kazuhiro Tamura of STYLE-E and defeated him but had a lot of praise for the young man, calling him strong.

Corazon Pro Wrestling, 5/9/09
Mizuno Futsal Plaza

- Yuji Nagata beat Kazuhiro Tamura (10:31) with a crab hold.

Masahiro Chono and Tiger Mask will both be making special appearances soon. Chono will be appearing on the Real Japan show of original Tiger Mask, Satoru Sayama, on June 17th in an undetermined match, but most likely one featuring Ganso Tiger Mask. The current Tiger Mask will appear in Michinoku Pro, teaming with two men he has long history with, Jinsei Shinzaki and Dick Togo.

Michinoku Pro, 6/19/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- Jinsei Shinzaki, Tiger Mask & Dick Togo vs. Shinjitsu Nohashi, Shu Sato & Kei Sato

The hand of New Japan’s diplomacy was outstretched today as NJ wrestlers appeared in no less than three promotions. The big match was the follow up from January 4th’s Nakamura & Goto victory over Misawa & Sugiura as Nakamura took RISE junior Milano Collection AT into enemy territory to battle Takashi Sugiura & Go Shiozaki. The RISE duo were unphased by the booing but lost the match as Milano, who made a good showing in his first big match for quite some time, fell to Shiozaki’s strong arm lariat. Shiozaki and Hirooki Goto had a staredown after the match, suggesting something involving those two could be on the horizon.

Elsewhere the Tiger Masks united to defeat Riki Choshu & Tatsuhito Takaiwa, the original Tiger pinning Takaiwa. In Tokushima, Masahiro Chono appeared on Jinsei Shinzaki’s homecoming show, teaming with the High Priest to beat young men Fujita “Jr.” Hayato & Takeshi Minamino.

NOAH, 3/1/09
Tokyo Nippon Budokan
14,200 Fans - Super No Vacancy

- Takashi Sugiura & Go Shiozaki beat Shinsuke Nakamura & Milano Collection AT (20:30) when Shiozaki used a strong arm lariat on Milano.

Real Japan “CHAOS”, 3/1/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- Tiger Mask 1 & Tiger Mask 4 beat Riki Choshu & Tatsuhito Takaiwa (12:36) when Tiger Mask 1 used a Tiger suplex hold on Takaiwa.

Michinoku Pro “JINSEI SHINZAKI LOCAL RETURN”, 3/1/09
Tokushima Municipal Gymnasium
2,531 Fans - No Vacancy

- Masahiro Chono & Jinsei Shinzaki beat Fujita “Jr.” Hayato & Takeshi Minamino (19:05) when Shinzaki used the Gokuraku Gatame on Minamino.