After some confusion over whether New Japan would take part, the company today announced lineups for the joint New Japan/All Japan 40th anniversary shows in Taiwan next month. Compared to the Sumo Hall show in July these are very low key, with New Japan unable to dispatch top stars like Tanahashi, Nakamura, Okada, Goto, Makabe, Naito, and Devitt because the company has a tour going at the same time in Japan. So older heads like Nagata, TenKoji, and Liger have been tasked with leading the company on these shows against near enough All Japan’s entire native roster. Koji Kanemoto, who spends most of his time in All Japan these days but is still a New Japan wrestler, represents New Japan in a series of interesting interpromotional matches including one battle with his Junior Stars friend Minoru Tanaka. Another big junior match pits Liger against Kaz Hayashi, while probably the biggest heavyweight match is the 10/28 main event of Tenzan, Kojima & Wataru vs. Muto, Funaki & Hayashi.

NJPW/AJPW “NJPW & AJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY ~ WE ARE PRO-WRESTLING LOVE IN TAIWAN”, 10/27/12
Taiwan National University Gymnasium

1. Takao Omori, Manabu Soya & Hiroshi Yamato vs. Masakatsu Funaki, Masayuki Kono & Minoru Tanaka
2. New Japan vs. All Japan: Tiger Mask vs. SUSHI
3. New Japan vs. All Japan: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Seiya Sanada
4. New Japan vs. All Japan: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. KENSO & Ryota Hama
5. New Japan vs. All Japan: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Kaz Hayashi
6. New Japan vs. All Japan: Yuji Nagata , Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto vs. Keiji Muto , Suwama & Shuji Kondo

NJPW/AJPW “NJPW & AJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY ~ WE ARE PRO-WRESTLING LOVE IN TAIWAN”, 10/28/12
Taiwan National University Gymnasium

1. Suwama, Takao Omori & Manabu Soya vs. KENSO, Ryota Hama & Seiya Sanada
2. New Japan vs. All Japan: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. SUSHI
3. New Japan vs. All Japan: Koji Kanemoto vs. Minoru Tanaka
4. New Japan vs. All Japan: Tiger Mask & Hiromu Takahashi vs. Shuji Kondo & Hiroshi Yamato
5. New Japan vs. All Japan: Yuji Nagata vs. Masayuki Kono
6. New Japan vs. All Japan: Hiroyoshi Tenzan , Satoshi Kojima & Wataru Inoue vs. Keiji Muto , Masakatsu Funaki & Kaz Hayashi

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Satoshi Kojima’s busy interpromotional schedule also sees him go to NOAH soon where he faces Naomichi Marufuji in a singles match. On the heels of his failure to take the IWGP Heavyweight Title from Tanahashi, Marufuji will be looking to bounce back with a win over the IWGP Tag Team Champion.

NOAH, 9/29/12
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- Naomichi Marufuji vs. Satoshi Kojima

Masakatsu Funaki returns to his original home at last! New Japan announced five matches for “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR ~ WRESTLE KINGDOM VI IN TOKYO DOME”, Japanese professional wrestling’s annual super-show at the Tokyo Dome in January. Funaki, who many New Japan fans have long waited to see in the company where he was trained, teams up with Masayuki Kono against Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue in a special tag match. New Japan and NOAH go to war as old rivals Hirooki Goto and Takashi Sugiura lock horns, while CHAOS’ Shinsuke Nakamura & Toru Yano do battle with the duo of GHC Heavyweight Champion, Go Shiozaki, and Naomichi Marufuji. TenKoji’s revival grants them a shot at the most dominant IWGP Tag Team Champions in history, Bad Intentions, meaning whether they win or lose, Bernard & Anderson’s reign will have gone from 2010, all the way 2011, and into 2012. And of course, as we all knew, Hiroshi Tanahashi attempts to become the most successful IWGP Heavyweight Champion to ever live as he makes his V11 defense of the prestigious belt against Minoru Suzuki in the main event. More matches are yet to be added but these five promise lots of excitement.

NJPW “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR ~ WRESTLE KINGDOM VI IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/12 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Dome

1. BLUE JUSTICE NEVER DIE: Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue vs. Masakatsu Funaki & Masayuki Kono
2. NJPW vs. NOAH BATTLE CONCENTRATION: Hirooki Goto vs. Takashi Sugiura
3. NJPW vs. NOAH BATTLE CONCENTRATION: Shinsuke Nakamura & Toru Yano vs. Go Shiozaki & Naomichi Marufuji
4. IWGP Tag Team Title: Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson (c) vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima
5. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Minoru Suzuki