NJPW “KING OF PRO-WRESTLING”, 10/13/14 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
9,100 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Special 8 Man Tag Match: Togi Makabe, Yuji Nagata, Tomoaki Honma & Kota Ibushi beat Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows, Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga (7:48) when Ibushi used a Phoenix splash on Tonga.
2. NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Title: Chase Owens (c) beat BUSHI (7:02) with the Package Driver.
3. NWA World Tag Team Title: Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr. beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (c) (11:22) when Archer used the Killer bomb on Kojima to become the 76th champions.
4. Special Tag Match: Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba beat Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka (5:30) when Yano used the Akakiri on Iizuka.
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title – 3WAY Match: KUSHIDA & Alex Shelley (c) beat Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson and Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov (18:56) when KUSHIDA used a horizontal cradle on Koslov (3rd defense).
6. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Ryusuke Taguchi (c) beat El Desperado (12:12) with an ankle hold (1st defense).
7. NEVER Openweight Title: Tomohiro Ishii beat Yujiro Takahashi (c) (17:48) with a brainbuster to become the 5th champion.
8. Special Tag Match: Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata beat Shinsuke Nakamura & YOSHI-HASHI (13:49) when Shibata used a PK on YOSHI-HASHI.
9. Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Match: Kazuchika Okada beat Tetsuya Naito (19:17) with the Rainmaker.
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat AJ Styles (c) (27:04) with the High Fly Flow to become the 61st champion.

* Hiroshi Tanahashi becomes the first wrestler to ever hold the IWGP Heavyweight Title seven times after beating AJ Styles in today’s main event. He had been tied on 6 reigns with Tatsumi Fujinami and now not only does he have the most successful defenses, but the most reigns. A living legend? Perhaps he may not be given such a status until later in his career, but as a man with so much success and the figurehead of New Japan’s revival, it isn’t a stretch to consider him a legend already.

* Guess who’s back? Naofumi “Yoshi Tatsu” Yamamoto appeared to save Tanahashi from a Jeff Jarrett guitar shot. The New Japan dojo graduate looks to have returned home following his WWE exit some time back. Yamamoto last appeared for New Japan on 11/2/07 at Korakuen Hall, so his return comes after almost 7 years away.

* Tanahashi is set to face old rival Kazuchika Okada in the 1/4 Tokyo Dome main event, after Okada retained his #1 contendership by beating Tetsuya Naito in the semi final. Tanahashi and Okada’s match was confirmed so unless of any unexpected events that will headline the next “WRESTLE KINGDOM”.

* Tomohiro Ishii regained the NEVER Openweight Title from Yujiro Takahashi, the man who took it from him, and so begins his second reign.

* After a tag success today, Katsuyori Shibata challenged Shinsuke Nakamura for a shot at his IWGP Intercontinental Title, a match many would be pleased to see, especially if they save it for the Tokyo Dome.

* Ryusuke Taguchi’s long awaited second reign as IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion avoided the same fate as KUSHIDA’s first, as he bypassed his first challenger, forcing El Desperado to tap out.

* Time Splitters retained the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title for the third time in a 3WAY Match, beating the Young Bucks and Forever Hooligans when KUSHIDA rolled up Koslov.

* The legendary Tenzan & Kojima dropped the NWA World Tag Team Title, won in the same building this April, as their old nemesis’ the Killer Elite Squad returned and took the belts from them. Kojima hit Tenzan with an accidental lariat during the match and there was some tension between the two. Something to keep an eye on in the upcoming tag league…

* BUSHI failed to win the NWA World Jr. Title from Chase Owens and after that match the NWA’s Bruce Tharpe called out the great Jushin Thunder Liger. Liger said he wanted one last run with a title, hinting that perhaps finally retirement is on the mind (NOOOO!), and he could be next to challenge Owens.

Six titles will be defended at this year’s “KING OF PRO-WRESTLING”, which takes place at Sumo Hall on October 13. The biggest of them all sees AJ Styles make his V3 defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Title against ace Hiroshi Tanahashi in what could be a match that helps define the 1/4 Tokyo Dome main event. The other match that could do likewise sees Okada again risk his 1/4 title shot, this time against the “Stardust Genius” Tetsuya Naito.

Ishii attempts to win back the NEVER Openweight Title when he challenges Yujiro, Taguchi defends his IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title against El Desperado, and the Time Splitters must fend off the challenge of both the Young Bucks and Forever Hooligans in a 3WAY Match for the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title.

Earlier on the card, two major NWA titles will be defended with the legendary Tenzan & Kojima continuing their neverending feud with the Killer Elite Squad as Archer & Smith challenge for the NWA World Tag Team Title. And an unfamiliar face enters New Japan as Chase Owens defends the NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Title against masked man BUSHI.

Unless plans have changed and I missed it, USTREAM’s iPPV service is ending on October 1 and this show isn’t advertised, so it is unlikely to air on iPPV. New Japan is apparently looking into other ways to show the events live to foreign audiences.

NJPW “KING OF PRO-WRESTLING”, 10/13/14 (WPW)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Special 8 Man Tag Match: Togi Makabe, Yuji Nagata, Tomoaki Honma & Kota Ibushi vs. Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows, Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga
2. NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Title: Chase Owens (c) vs. BUSHI
3. NWA World Tag Team Title: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (c) vs. Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr.
4. Special Tag Match: Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title – 3WAY Match: KUSHIDA & Alex Shelley (c) vs. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs. Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov
6. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Ryusuke Taguchi (c) vs. El Desperado
7. NEVER Openweight Title: Yujiro Takahashi (c) vs. Tomohiro Ishii
8. Special Tag Match: Shinsuke Nakamura & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata
9. Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: AJ Styles (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

NJPW “DESTRUCTION IN OKAYAMA”, 9/23/14 (Samurai! TV)
Convex Okayama
3,600 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Captain New Japan, Ryusuke Taguchi & BUSHI beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & Maximo (5:05) when BUSHI used the MX on Maximo.
2. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson beat Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov (9:57) when Nick pinned Romero after the More Bang For Your Buck.
3. Kazushi Sakuraba, Toru Yano & Gedo beat Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka & TAKA Michinoku (5:51) when Yano used the Uragasumi on TAKA.
4. Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata beat Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma (7:31) when Shibata used a PK on Honma.
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: KUSHIDA & Alex Shelley (c) beat El Desperado & Taichi (15:01) when KUSHIDA pinned Taichi after the I-94 (2nd defense).
6. Special Tag Match: Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii beat Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga (11:44) when Nakamura used the Boma Ye on Tonga.
7. NWA World Tag Team Title: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (c) beat Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi (15:08) when Kojima used a lariat on Nagata (4th defense).
8. NEVER Openweight Title: Yujiro Takahashi (c) beat YOSHI-HASHI (13:29) with the Miami Shine (1st defense).
9. Special Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat AJ Styles & Doc Gallows (13:15) when Naito used a Stardust press on Gallows.
10. Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Match: Kazuchika Okada beat Karl Anderson (19:55) with the Rainmaker.

* Naito challenged Okada to a shot at his #1 contendership after the main event. This is a repeat of 2012 when Okada also won the G1 and risked his January title shot, beating Anderson and Goto that year. He beat Anderson today and next in line is Naito…

* After success in a tag match, Tanahashi challenged AJ Styles and it looks like those two could headline KOPW next month.

* YOSHI-HASHI’s second title shot in three days ended in failure as he lost to the Bullet Club’s Yujiro in a NEVER Openweight Title bout. Ishii issued a challenge after the match, wanting to take back the NEVER belt.

* KUSHIDA immediately bounced by from losing his IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title by successfully defending the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title with Shelley over El Desperado and Taichi. Both Forever Hooligans and the Young Bucks want a shot at the belts, so a 3WAY Match could be coming up at Sumo Hall.

* BUSHI challenged Chase Owens for a shot at the NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Title during the show, another match that could take place at Sumo Hall next month.

For the second year in a row, Kazuchika Okada has been named Tokyo Sports MVP (Most Valuable Player). Only Antonio Inoki, Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro Tenryu have achieved that before. Is Okada a legend in the making?

The IWGP Heavyweight Champion has become the leader of New Japan this year, his legendary win over Hiroshi Tanahashi at Sumo Hall in October seen as a transition of leadership.

And also for the second year running, a New Japan bout won Match of the Year, with Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kota Ibushi from the G1 Climax being named Best Bout.

Who is El Desperado?

One day after the 1/4 Tokyo Dome show, New Japan will debut a new masked man by the name of El Desperado. A logical choice might be Kyosuke Mikami, who has been away in CMLL for almost two years as Namajague. But that isn’t definite.

Also on the show, one day after Kojima challenges Rob Conway for the NWA World Heavyweight Title at the Dome, TenKoji challenge Conway & Jax Dane for the NWA World Tag Team Title.

NJPW “NEW YEAR DASH!!”, 1/5/14 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. El Desperado (debut) vs. X
2. NWA World Tag Team Title: Rob Conway & Jax Dane (c) vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima

Before the Dome show comes a low key tour to close out 2013, building up matches. A rare tour without a single foreign wrestler, that will conclude with the two 1/4 Tokyo Dome main events played out in tag form.

NJPW, 12/11/13
Yamagata Sports Center #2

1. Sho Tanaka vs. Yohei Komatsu
2. KUSHIDA vs. Takashi Iizuka
3. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Tiger Mask vs. Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi & BUSHI
4. Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Minoru Suzuki & Taichi
5. Togi Makabe & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Jado
6. Elimination Match: Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomoaki Honma & Captain New Japan vs. Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura, YOSHI-HASHI & Gedo

NJPW, 12/12/13
Yamagata Sports Center #2

1. Sho Tanaka vs. Yohei Komatsu
2. Tiger Mask vs. Takashi Iizuka
3. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Tiger Mask vs. Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi & BUSHI
4. Togi Makabe & KUSHIDA vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Jado
5. Toru Yano & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Minoru Suzuki & Taichi
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Captain New Japan vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii
7. Tetsuya Naito & Tomoaki Honma vs. Kazuchika Okada & Gedo

NJPW, 12/14/13
Akita Terrsa Hall

1. Sho Tanaka vs. Yohei Komatsu
2. Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Takashi Iizuka
3. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Captain New Japan vs. Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi & BUSHI
4. Togi Makabe & Tiger Mask vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Jado
5. Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Minoru Suzuki & Taichi
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & YOSHI-HASHI
7. Tetsuya Naito & KUSHIDA vs. Kazuchika Okada & Gedo

NJPW, 12/15/13
Shizukuishi Sports Park Gymnasium

1. Sho Tanaka vs. Yohei Komatsu
2. Captain New Japan vs. Takashi Iizuka
3. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Tiger Mask vs. Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi & KUSHIDA
4. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Tomohiro Ishii & Yujiro Takahashi
5. Toru Yano & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Minoru Suzuki & Taichi
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Jado
7. Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI vs. Kazuchika Okada & Gedo

NJPW, 12/21/13 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Sho Tanaka vs. Yohei Komatsu
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask vs. Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi, KUSHIDA & BUSHI
3. Togi Makabe & Kota Ibushi vs. Takashi Iizuka & Yujiro Takahashi
4. Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii & Jado vs. Minoru Suzuki, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi
5. Road to TOKYO DOME I: Tetsuya Naito vs. Gedo
6. Road to TOKYO DOME II: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. YOSHI-HASHI
7. Road to TOKYO DOME III: Captain New Japan vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
8. Road to TOKYO DOME IV: Tomoaki Honma vs. Kazuchika Okada

NJPW, 12/23/13 (TV Asahi ch2)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Sho Tanaka vs. Yohei Komatsu
2. Super Jr. 3WAY Tag Match: KUSHIDA & BUSHI vs. TAKA Michinoku & Taichi vs. Jado & Gedo
3. Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask vs. Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka
4. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Captain New Japan vs. Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi & Tomoaki Honma
5. Togi Makabe & Kota Ibushi vs. Tomohiro Ishii & Yujiro Takahashi
6. YOSHI-HASHI vs. Minoru Suzuki
7. Road to TOKYO DOME FINAL: Tetsuya Naito & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada & Shinsuke Nakamura