–> “NJPW PRESENTS CMLL FANTASTICA MANIA 2013” <--

NJPW/CMLL, 1/20/13 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,950 Fans – No Vacancy

1. Special Singles Match: Taichi beat Maximo (8:40) with a small package hold.
2. 6 vs. 6 Torneo Cibernetico: Tomohiro Ishii, Jado, Gedo, Misterioso Jr., OKUMURA & YOSHI-HASHI beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask, Mascara Dorada, Diamante, Titan & BUSHI (19:41) when Ishii used a lariat on BUSHI.
3. Special Singles Match: Rush beat Rey Escorpion (9:38) with the Rush Driver.
4. NWA World Historic Middleweight Title: La Sombra beat Dragon Rojo Jr. (c) (11:58) by pinfall to become the 6th champion.
5. Mexican National Light Heavyweight Title: La Mascara (c) beat Volador Jr. (14:40) with the La Campana.
6. Special 6 Man Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Prince Devitt & Atlantis beat Kazuchika Okada, Mephisto & Euforia (9:58) when Atlantis used the Atlantida on Mephisto.

* A successful tour that brought in 5,350 fans over three days at Korakuen Hall to see New Japan and CMLL stars ended today with two title matches including a switch as La Sombra lifted the NWA World Historic Middleweight Title from Dragon Rojo Jr., who had won the belt off New Japan’s own Prince Devitt in Mexico last year.

NJPW “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY ~ LAST REBELLION”, 7/29/12 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,040 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Captain New Japan & KUSHIDA beat Jado & Gedo (7:22) when KUSHIDA used a Buzzsaw kick on Gedo.
2. Wataru Inoue, Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask beat Ryusuke Taguchi, BUSHI & Tama Tonga (9:09) when Inoue used a German suplex hold on BUSHI.
3. Karl Anderson, MVP, Shelton Benjamin & Rush beat Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi (10:15) when Benjamin used the Paydirt on Taichi.
4. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata beat Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii (10:09) when Nagata used a backdrop hold on Ishii.
5. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, Hirooki Goto & Tetsuya Naito beat Shinsuke Nakamura, Kazuchika Okada, Yujiro Takahashi & YOSHI-HASHI (17:12) when Naito used a Stardust press on YOSHI-HASHI.
6. Double Main Event I – IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Kota Ibushi beat Low Ki (c) (19:30) with a Phoenix splash to become the 30th champion.
7. Double Main Event II – NWA World Historic Middleweight Title: Prince Devitt (c) beat Volador Jr. (13:05) with an avalanche-style Bloody Sunday (2nd defense).

* The final show before this year’s G1 Climax was the junior-centric “LAST REBELLION” and was a complete sell out at a packed Korakuen Hall.

* NWA World Historic Middleweight Champion, Prince Devitt, is unfamiliar with the idea of not holding a title these days so having lost the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title back in May had to make sure he overcame the tough challenge of CMLL star Volador Jr. in part two of the double main event. This was a good match with many exciting high-flying moves although the fans were a little burned out from what came before it, but New Japan wanted one of its own stars in the final match of the card. And Devitt came out on top, sinking Volador with an avalanche-style Bloody Sunday to complete a successful V2 defense.

* The most anticipated match of the show was the first of the two main events and saw dominant IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Low Ki, take on DDT star and former champion Kota Ibushi in something of a modern day junior dream match. This was Ibushi’s first singles match in New Japan since defeating Taguchi in a title defense in his last reign just under a year ago, after which he was forced to vacate the title with a badly dislocated shoulder. Having not long returned Ibushi has quickly returned to New Japan and put on a wildly exciting match with Ki today in what was Ki’s V2 defense of the title. And Ibushi picked up where he left off in New Japan, sinking Ki with a Phoenix splash to capture the title for the second time. KUSHIDA, who upset Ki in a non-title match a week ago, appeared afterwards to issue a challenge to Ibushi which could set up another match with great potential. Hopefully Ki’s quick back-to-back losses don’t mean he is on his way out so soon as he has boosted the junior division a lot since his New Japan return.

The juniors will take center stage at Korakuen Hall on July 29th as New Japan hosts “LAST REBELLION”, the final show before the 2012 G1 Climax begins. As we all knew, Low Ki makes his V2 defense of the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title against DDT’s Kota Ibushi, but this will be only one half of the double main event. Announced today was Prince Devitt’s V2 defense of the NWA World Historic Middleweight Title following his successful first defense over Taichi yesterday. And a formidable challenge is being thrown his way in the form of Volador Jr. who headlined the second New Japan/CMLL “FANTASTICA MANIA 2012″ show in January.

New Japan also announced today that the Tenzan & Kojima vs. Yano & Iizuka decision match for the IWGP Tag Team Title on 7/22 will have four referees – one in the ring (Tiger Hattori) and three around it (Red Shoes Unno, Marty Asami, and Kenta Sato). Not only that, there will be no countouts to ensure that this feud, littered with DQs, countouts, and no contests, will have a full conclusion.

NJPW “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY ~ LAST REBELLION”, 7/29/12 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Captain New Japan & KUSHIDA vs. Jado & Gedo
2. Wataru Inoue, Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, BUSHI & Tama Tonga
3. Karl Anderson, MVP, Shelton Benjamin & Rush vs. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi
4. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata vs. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii
5. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, Hirooki Goto & Tetsuya Naito vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Kazuchika Okada, Yujiro Takahashi & YOSHI-HASHI
6. Double Main Event I – IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Low Ki (c) vs. Kota Ibushi
7. Double Main Event II – NWA World Historic Middleweight Title: Prince Devitt (c) vs. Volador Jr.

-

TenKoji today suffered a defeat heading into their IWGP Tag Title match as they competed on Shinjiro Otani’s 20th anniversary show and were beaten by Emblem – Otani & Masato Tanaka. Otani has a close bond with Tenzan and Kojima as all three were part of New Japan’s third generation who graduated from the dojo in the early 1990s. Otani debuted against Tenzan (then using his real name Hiroyoshi Yamamoto) on June 25th, 1992. And of course Masato Tanaka is almost a full-timer nowadays in New Japan and is challenging Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Title on 7/22, and it was he who settled the match by pinning Kojima.

ZERO1 “SHINJIRO OTANI 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW”, 7/8/12
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- Shinjiro Otani 20th Anniversary Match: Shinjiro Otani & Masato Tanaka beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (25:53) when Tanaka used the Sliding D on Kojima.

–> “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR ~ KIZUNA ROAD” <--

NJPW, 7/8/12 (J SPORTS)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,900 Fans – No Vacancy

1. Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask, KUSHIDA & Maximo beat Rocky Romero, Alex Koslov, Jado & Gedo (9:38) when KUSHIDA used the Midnight Express on Gedo.
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Captain New Japan vs. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & YOSHI-HASHI went to a double countout (11:40).
3. Low Ki beat BUSHI (7:36) with a diving footstomp.
4. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer & TAKA Michinoku beat Togi Makabe, Yuji Nagata & Ryusuke Taguchi (11:11) when Suzuki used a Gotch-style piledriver on Taguchi.
5. NWA World Historic Middleweight Title: Prince Devitt (c) beat Taichi (17:42) with a diving footstomp (1st defense).
6. Tetsuya Naito, Karl Anderson & Tama Tonga beat Kazuchika Okada, Yujiro Takahashi & Tomohiro Ishii (16:04) when Anderson used the Gun Stun on Ishii.
7. Special Tag Match: Shinsuke Nakamura & Masato Tanaka beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Hirooki Goto (18:20) when Nakamura used the Boma Ye on Goto.

-

Participants and lineups for the 2012 G1 Climax were announced today. NOAH star Naomichi Marufuji who was supposed to enter the 2010 G1 but pulled out because of an injury and was replaced by Devitt is in the tournament, and is joined by fellow G1 debutants Shelton Benjamin and highly rated CMLL star Rush. The rest are New Japan regulars who make up a typically strong cast. The blocks are below and perhaps the most notable thing is that CHAOS’ top two, Okada and Nakamura, are in the jaw-dropping Block B meaning they will face each other! Having seen every G1 Climax I believe if this one reaches its full potential it could be among the best in history.

Block A:
1. Hiroshi Tanahashi
2. Yuji Nagata
3. Satoshi Kojima
4. Karl Anderson
5. Shelton Benjamin (free)
6. Toru Yano
7. Yujiro Takahashi
8. Minoru Suzuki
9. Naomichi Marufuji (NOAH)

Block B:
1. Togi Makabe
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
3. Hirooki Goto
4. Tetsuya Naito
5. MVP
6. Rush (CMLL)
7. Shinsuke Nakamura
8. Kazuchika Okada
9. Lance Archer

NJPW, 8/1/12 (Asahi Newstar)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. G1 Climax – Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Rush
2. G1 Climax – Block A: Yujiro Takahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki
3. G1 Climax – Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Karl Anderson
4. G1 Climax – Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Lance Archer
5. G1 Climax – Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Kazuchika Okada
6. G1 Climax – Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
7. G1 Climax – Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shelton Benjamin

NJPW, 8/3/12 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. G1 Climax – Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Yujiro Takahashi
2. G1 Climax – Block B: Rush vs. Lance Archer
3. G1 Climax – Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Toru Yano
4. G1 Climax – Block A: Karl Anderson vs. Minoru Suzuki
5. G1 Climax – Block A: Shelton Benjamin vs. Naomichi Marufuji
6. G1 Climax – Block B: Togi Makabe vs. MVP
7. G1 Climax – Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
8. G1 Climax – Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Kazuchika Okada

NJPW, 8/4/12 (J SPORTS)
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium

1. G1 Climax – Block A: Karl Anderson vs. Yujiro Takahashi
2. G1 Climax – Block A: Shelton Benjamin vs. Toru Yano
3. G1 Climax – Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. MVP
4. G1 Climax – Block B: Rush vs. Kazuchika Okada
5. G1 Climax – Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
6. G1 Climax – Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Naomichi Marufuji
7. G1 Climax – Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Satoshi Kojima

NJPW, 8/5/12 (WPW)
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium

1. G1 Climax – Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Yujiro Takahashi
2. G1 Climax – Block B: MVP vs. Rush
3. G1 Climax – Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Lance Archer
4. G1 Climax – Block A: Karl Anderson vs. Shelton Benjamin
5. G1 Climax – Block A: Toru Yano vs. Minoru Suzuki
6. G1 Climax – Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Tetsuya Naito
7. G1 Climax – Block B: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kazuchika Okada
8. G1 Climax – Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Naomichi Marufuji

NJPW, 8/7/12 (Samurai! TV)
Sendai Sun Plaza Hall

1. G1 Climax – Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Rush
2. G1 Climax – Block A: Shelton Benjamin vs. Yujiro Takahashi
3. G1 Climax – Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Karl Anderson
4. G1 Climax – Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Hirooki Goto
5. G1 Climax – Block B: Lance Archer vs. Kazuchika Okada
6. G1 Climax – Block B: MVP vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
7. G1 Climax – Block A: Minoru Suzuki vs. Naomichi Marufuji
8. G1 Climax – Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Toru Yano

NJPW, 8/8/12 (Samurai! TV)
Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium

1. G1 Climax – Block A: Karl Anderson vs. Naomichi Marufuji
2. G1 Climax – Block A: Toru Yano vs. Yujiro Takahashi
3. G1 Climax – Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Rush
4. G1 Climax – Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Lance Archer
5. G1 Climax – Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. MVP
6. G1 Climax – Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Nagata
7. G1 Climax – Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
8. G1 Climax – Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki

NJPW, 8/10/12 (J SPORTS)
Niigata City Gymnasium

1. G1 Climax – Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Lance Archer
2. G1 Climax – Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Shelton Benjamin
3. G1 Climax – Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. MVP
4. G1 Climax – Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Rush
5. G1 Climax – Block A: Karl Anderson vs. Toru Yano
6. G1 Climax – Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Minoru Suzuki
7. G1 Climax – Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Yujiro Takahashi
8. G1 Climax – Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Kazuchika Okada

NJPW, 8/11/12 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. G1 Climax – Block B: Rush vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
2. G1 Climax – Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Toru Yano
3. G1 Climax – Block A: Shelton Benjamin vs. Minoru Suzuki
4. G1 Climax – Block A: Naomichi Marufuji vs. Yujiro Takahashi
5. G1 Climax – Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Tetsuya Naito
6. G1 Climax – Block B: MVP vs. Kazuchika Okada
7. G1 Climax – Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Hirooki Goto
8. G1 Climax – Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Yuji Nagata

NJPW, 8/12/12 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. G1 Climax – Block B: MVP vs. Lance Archer
2. G1 Climax – Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Tetsuya Naito
3. G1 Climax – Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
4. G1 Climax – Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Kazuchika Okada
5. G1 Climax – Block A: Naomichi Marufuji vs. Toru Yano
6. G1 Climax – Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Minoru Suzuki
7. G1 Climax – Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Shelton Benjamin
8. G1 Climax – Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Karl Anderson
9. G1 Climax – Final: Block A 1st place vs. Block B 1st place

New Japan today announced that CHAOS tandem Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka have been stripped of their IWGP Tag Team Title with immediate effect after the double non-finish in Osaka on Saturday. President Sugabayashi said they could not be deemed worthy champions after such a finish (or non-finish). It looks like the Osaka match won’t be recognised as Yano & Iizuka’s V1 defense either. But all is not lost for the dastardly duo as they have a quick chance to reclaim the title in a July packed with title matches.

Prince Devitt defends his NWA World Historic Middleweight Title, won earlier in the year when he traveled to Mexico, against Suzuki Gun’s Taichi on 7/8 at Korakuen Hall. At the end of the same tour, New Japan hits the Yamagata Sports Center with four huge title matches. As mentioned, Yano & Iizuka can regain the IWGP Tag Team Title but so can Tenzan & Kojima as the two sides meet in a decision match to determine the 60th champions. Whoever wins the IWGP Heavyweight Title clash at Sumo Hall on July 1st won’t have much time to enjoy that victory as either Tanahashi or Makabe will defend the title against Masato Tanaka later in the main event of the Yamagata show.

New Japan’s secondary singles belt, the IWGP Intercontinental Title, suddenly doesn’t seem quite so secondary as Hirooki Goto will make his V3 defense of the one-year old title against old rival Shinsuke Nakamura in a huge match that some would say is even bigger than the IWGP Heavyweight Title match. And finally, Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask make their V1 defense of the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title against the foreign duo of Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov, the latter of whom impressed in the Super Jr. so has been invited back. Akebono, Kota Ibushi, and Daisuke Sasaki will appear on the 7/18-7/19 Sapporo Teisen Hall double header on this tour also. Update: CMLL’s Maximo has also been announced for the entire tour.

After the tour and before the G1, New Japan is again at Korakuen Hall with a show that sees Low Ki defends his IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title in an already much anticipated match against Ibushi.

NJPW, 7/8/12 (J SPORTS)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. NWA World Historic Middleweight Title: Prince Devitt (c) vs. Taichi

NJPW, 7/22/12 (WPW)
Yamagata Sports Center

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask (c) vs. Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov
2. IWGP Intercontinental Title: Hirooki Goto (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
3. IWGP Tag Team Title: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka (decision match)
4. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Winner of Tanahashi/Makabe (c) vs. Masato Tanaka

NJPW “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY ~ LAST REBELLION”, 7/29/12
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Low Ki (c) vs. Kota Ibushi

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion and New Japan junior ace Prince Devitt challenges Volador Jr. for the NWA World Historic Middleweight Title at the famous Arena Mexico in a fantastic match.

Not for the first time in his already hugely successful career, New Japan junior ace Prince Devitt is a double champion! The IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, on excursion to CMLL in Mexico, today captured the NWA World Historic Middleweight Title from Volador Jr. at Arena Mexico. Devitt posted a Tweet saying “My luggage is going to be slightly heavier leaving Mexico that when I arrived!” with a photo of his two belts.