NJPW “ONLY ONE NIGHT ~AREA W~”, 9/23/08
Wakayama Prefectural Hashimoto Gymnasium
470 Fans

1. Koji Kanemoto, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Yujiro, Tetsuya Naito & Nobuo Yoshihashi (10:29) when Devitt used a brainbuster on Yoshihashi.
2. Low Ki beat Kazuchika Okada (8:29) with the Dragon clutch.
3. Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask beat Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari (12:24) when Tiger used a diving headbutt on Ishikari.
4. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Takashi Iizuka, Jado & Gedo (9:03) when Tenzan used the Anaconda Vice on Gedo.
5. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Karl Anderson beat Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi & Mitsuhide Hirasawa (13:08) when Anderson used the Gun Stun on Hirasawa.
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Wataru Inoue beat Giant Bernard, Rick Fuller, Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma (15:32) when Nakamura used a flying cross armbreaker on Honma.

For the first time since Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Jun Akiyama opened the 2003 G1 Climax, New Japan packed Kobe World Hall to the rafters today with a capacity crowd of 8,000 fans turning out to see the first ever IWGP Heavyweight Title match in the hotspot. Togi Makabe has found himself in second place so much over the past year and half, finishing runner-up in no less than three tournaments, and failing to win the IWGP Heavyweight Title. Each time he is in touching distance, but never gets the job done, and sadly for him, it was the same today. And yet one can’t overlook Makabe pushing Keiji Muto to his limit and beating him bloody, again coming close to winning the prestigious title. But mighty Muto continued a reign that started in April, wrapping Makabe’s own chain around his knee and hitting a Shining Wizard, then following with a moonsault press to complete a successful V3 defense. It was the man who Muto took the belt from, young superstar Shinsuke Nakamura, who appeared in the ring after the match and challenged Muto for a chance to regain what was taken from him. Muto shook hands with Nakamura and “HOLD OUT” hit, and now the rematch looks on for 10/13 Sumo Hall! TenKoji’s reunion continued with another win over GBH as they bested Iizuka & Ishii, Tenzan submitting the WEW Heavyweight Champion with his Anaconda Vice. Iizuka also used a chain in this match to torment Tenzan, and there were signs that Tenzan vs. Iizuka in a Chain Death Match could also be added to Sumo Hall.

A new threat has emerged in New Japan’s junior division. He first appeared last year as TNA superstar Senshi, then again as RISE’s new recruit earlier this year, but was injured right away. Then he returned at the beginning of this tour as a GBH member, and already Low Ki has struck gold, today ending a fairly brief fourth reign as IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion for Tiger Mask. This was Tiger’s V1 defense and it went wrong as Low Ki drilled Tiger with his Ki Krusher ‘99 for the unlikely title win. Tiger Mask swore on his honour to avenge this loss and win back the belt, but another title has entered GBH custody for the time being. On the undercard, New Japan Sekigun and RISE united, as Tanahashi, Nakamura, Goto & Wataru beat the team of Yano, Bernard, Fuller & Anderson when Nakamura forced Anderson to tap out. There are signs of Tanahashi, who has been quiet since returning from a long-term injury, of heading to America for an expedition, possibly with some TNA appearances again.

NJPW, 9/21/08 (WPW)
Kobe World Hall
8,000 Fans - Super No Vacancy

0. Kazuchika Okada beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (5:07) with a crab hold.
1. GREATEST Jr. BATTLE in KOBE: Koji Kanemoto beat Jushin Thunder Liger (8:12) with an ankle hold.
2. Milano Collection AT beat Taichi Ishikari (8:27) with the Victoria Milanese.
3. Yuji Nagata, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito beat Manabu Nakanishi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt (11:06) when Nagata used a backdrop hold on Devitt.
4. Jado, Gedo & Tomoaki Honma beat Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Mitsuhide Hirasawa (7:29) when Honma used a diving headbutt on Hirasawa.
5. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Wataru Inoue beat Toru Yano, Giant Bernard, Rick Fuller & Karl Anderson (16:16) when Nakamura used a flying cross armbreaker on Anderson.
6. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Low Ki beat Tiger Mask (c) (15:17) with the Ki Krusher ‘99 to become the 55th champion.
7. TENKOJI vs. GBH “Crimson WARS”: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii (12:23) when Tenzan used the Anaconda Vice on Ishii.
8. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Keiji Muto (c) beat Togi Makabe (19:16) with a moonsault press (3rd defense).

NJPW, 9/20/08 (Samurai! TV)
Yokkaichi City Gymnasium
2,300 Fans

1. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito beat Mitsuhide Hirasawa & Nobuo Yoshihashi (9:42) when Naito used a crab hold on Yoshihashi.
2. Prince Devitt beat Taichi Ishikari (8:23) with the Prince’s Throne.
3. Tiger Mask, Jushin Thunder Liger & Koji Kanemoto beat Jado, Gedo & Low Ki (11:23) when Tiger used a Tiger suplex hold on Gedo.
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Wataru Inoue & Kazuchika Okada (14:02) when Taguchi used a reverse Gory Special on Okada.
5. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi beat Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii, Tomoaki Honma & Karl Anderson (13:01) when Nagata used a backdrop hold on Anderson.
6. Togi Makabe, Giant Bernard & Rick Fuller beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Milano Collection AT (13:35) when Makabe used a top rope King Kong kneedrop on Milano.

NJPW, 9/19/08
Tottori Industrial Gymnasium
2,300 Fans

1. Yujiro beat Mitsuhide Hirasawa (8:05) with a chickenwing armlock.
2. Prince Devitt beat Kazuchika Okada (7:20) with a brainbuster.
3. Jado, Gedo, Low Ki & Black Buffalo beat Tiger Mask, Jushin Thunder Liger, Taichi Ishikari & Tetsuya Naito (12:23) when Ki used the Ki Krusher ‘99 on Ishikari.
4. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Ryusuke Taguchi (15:08) when Inoue used the Oracion Flame on Taguchi.
5. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi beat Togi Makabe, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma (15:41) when Nagata used a backdrop hold on Honma.
6. Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto & Milano Collection AT beat Giant Bernard, Rick Fuller & Karl Anderson (13:03) when Nakamura used a flying cross armbreaker on Anderson.