41,500 fans flocked to the Tokyo Dome today to see “WRESTLE KINGDOM IV”, an exciting show with many memorable moments. “Strong Style” was the theme as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura, met the returning Yoshihiro Takayama in a rematch from the same show six years before. As expected, this was quite physical and a very tight match, with Nakamura proving his strength again to begin the New Year and pinning Takayama after his Boma Ye, a more decisive victory than in 2004. Takayama is supposedly on the next tour poster and while I haven’t seen it, if so it would confirm continuing participation by the big man. To the surprise of some, it was Manabu Nakanishi who confronted Nakamura after the match and declared his candidacy to be Nakamura’s fifth challenger.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH did battle in an exciting four match series that, to the surprise of few, ended in a stalemate. Takashi Sugiura again defeated Hirooki Goto in their closest match yet over the GHC Heavyweight Title. Sublimely close, fans at one point were convinced that Sugiura would tap out but he didn’t, persisting and winning with his ankle hold. The biggest match of the 4 vs. 4 was right underneath, as the ace of New Japan, Hiroshi Tanahashi, battled the ace of NOAH, Go Shiozaki, in a blockbuster match that is earning early “Best Bout” candidacy in Japan. This was an action-packed match with Shiozaki coming close to victory, but Tanahashi’s experience giving him the edge as the MVP marched to a win with his High Fly Flow.

Naomichi Marufuji followed up on his SUPER J-CUP victory by facing the “end game” boss, Tiger Mask, in a dream match over the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title. This was said to be an excellent match with many spectacular moves and moments. Marufuji had to unleash his Tiger Frosion finisher to become the champion, achieving a junior title grand slam, and becoming the top junior in Japan. It will be a difficult task for New Japan’s juniors to bring home the title but the chase begins now. The series began with a short sprint as Togi Makabe made short work of GHC Tag Team Champion, Mohammed Yone. Yone jumped Makabe on the ramp, setting the pace in a short but eventful match. Makabe won overwhelmingly in the end with his top rope King Kong kneedrop and will look to get another over Yone when he and Honma enter the Global Tag League shortly, in the same block as Rikio & Yone, NOAH’s tag kings.

Legends assembled in one of the most entertaining matches of the night, as Terry Funk, Choshu, Chono, and Nakanishi beat Abdullah The Butcher, Yano, Iizuka & Ishii. The turning point came when Abby turned against Iizuka, leading to Nakanishi racking the CHAOS man for the submission win. TAJIRI vs. Aogi-gun picked up steam as he and Masato Tanaka defeated the dream tandem of Nagata & Akebono. Some tricks led to TAJIRI pinning Nagata after his Buzzsaw kick, raising the possibility of a singles match in the near future.

NO LIMIT, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito, left Japan about a year ago as young lions in hunt of junior belts. Today, they returned with the big boys, in the form of the world famous Team 3D and G1 Tag League ‘09 winners, Bernard & Anderson. Team 3D fought Bad Intentions to a non-finish late last year setting up this natural rematch but in an attempt to convince NO LIMIT to return home, President Sugabayashi slotted them into this three way hardcore match. And what a return, as the two had people in shock, having bulked up to heavyweights and having completely changed their image. Comparisons to the legendary TenKoji were raised as NO LIMIT outsmarted both American tandems to capture the IWGP Tag Team Title, Yujiro pinning Anderson after the Limitless Evolution. In addition to the young stars that now lead New Japan, a potential “franchise” tag team emerged today.

Apollo 55 made a successful V4 defense of the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title against CMLL assassins, Ultimo Guerrero & Averno, in an exciting match. Taguchi sealed the win, pinning Averno after his and Devitt’s Black Hole Vacation. They nominated Jado & Gedo as their next challengers, wanting to finally exceed the “wrestling masters” and win the delayed decision match to see who New Japan’s top junior team is.

NJPW “WRESTLE KINGDOM IV IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/10 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Dome
41,500 Fans

1. New Japan Pro-Wrestling 2010 Beginning: Super Strong Machine, Wataru Inoue & Mitsuhide Hirasawa beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Koji Kanemoto & Kazuchika Okada (4:59) when Inoue used the Triangle Lancer on Okada.
2. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title ~Amistad combativa~: Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt (c) beat Ultimo Guerrero & Averno (9:07) when Taguchi pinned Averno after the Black Hole Vacation (4th defense).
3. IWGP Tag Team Title - 3WAY Hardcore Rules Match ~Victim and Greed~: Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito beat “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon (c) and Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson (13:28) when Yujiro pinned Anderson after the Limitless Emotion to become the 55th champions.
4. Wrestle Kingdom Special Tag Match ~Blood Stream Blue~: TAJIRI & Masato Tanaka beat Yuji Nagata & Akebono (9:37) when TAJIRI used a Buzzsaw kick on Nagata.
5. Wrestle Kingdom Special 8 Man Tag Match ~The legend never rots~: Terry Funk, Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Manabu Nakanishi beat Abdullah The Butcher, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii (8:52) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Iizuka.
6. NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Wilderness~: Togi Makabe beat Mohammed Yone (5:39) with a top rope King Kong kneedrop.
7. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title ~Highest sky~: Naomichi Marufuji beat Tiger Mask (c) (14:14) with the Tiger Frosion to become the 59th champion.
8. NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Radiance~: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Go Shiozaki (19:04) with the High Fly Flow.
9. GHC Heavyweight Title - NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Blast~: Takashi Sugiura (c) beat Hirooki Goto (20:54) with an ankle hold (1st defense).
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title - The newest, The strongest: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) beat Yoshihiro Takayama (15:51) with the Boma Ye (4th defense).

Two final matches and full card order for the biggest show of 2010 in Japan, “WRESTLE KINGDOM IV IN TOKYO DOME”, have been announced. Apollo 55, after doing so well in the J-CUP, face two assassins from CMLL in the form of Ultimo Guerrero & Averno with the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title on the line. And Aogi-gun’s Machine, Wataru & Hirasawa battle Liger, Kanemoto & Okada in NJ’s first match of 2010.

NJPW “WRESTLE KINGDOM IV IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/10 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Dome

1. New Japan Pro-Wrestling 2010 Beginning: Super Strong Machine, Wataru Inoue & Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Jushin Thunder Liger, Koji Kanemoto & Kazuchika Okada
2. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title ~Amistad combativa~: Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt (c) vs. Ultimo Guerrero & Averno
3. IWGP Tag Team Title - 3WAY Hardcore Rules Match ~Victim and Greed~: “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon (c) vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson vs. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito
4. Wrestle Kingdom Special Tag Match ~Blood Stream Blue~: Yuji Nagata & Akebono vs. TAJIRI & Masato Tanaka
5. Wrestle Kingdom Special 8 Man Tag Match ~The legend never rots~: Terry Funk, Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Abdullah The Butcher, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii
6. NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Wilderness~: Togi Makabe vs. Mohammed Yone
7. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title ~Highest sky~: Tiger Mask (c) vs. Naomichi Marufuji
8. NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Radiance~: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Go Shiozaki
9. GHC Heavyweight Title - NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Blast~: Takashi Sugiura (c) vs. Hirooki Goto
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title - The newest, The strongest: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Yoshihiro Takayama

Eight matches are now confirmed for the Tokyo Dome, with the addition of three more today. As expected, Makabe vs. Yone becomes the third New Japan vs. NOAH match, while to follow up from the earlier story, gaijin legends Terry Funk and Abdullah The Butcher return in a special eight man tag, Abby teaming up with CHAOS and Terry with Choshu, Chono, and Nakanishi. Finally, the new Aogi-gun vs. TAJIRI war continues with Nagata bringing in his friend Akebono to battle the tandem of TAJIRI and Masato Tanaka.

This would seem to complete the card on the heavyweight side, unless a minor NJ vs. NOAH match or such is added. All of the top heavyweights are booked except Tenzan, who doesn’t seem ready to return from injury yet. There may be a couple of junior matches yet added but with the J-CUP yet to happen, it’s hard to announce them without giving away something about the tournament. The New Japan vs. NOAH series was touted as a 5 vs. 5 so it’s possible the last two matches could be that (Tiger Mask vs. J-CUP winner would enter the series if Marufuji or Aoki won the tournament).

NJPW “WRESTLE KINGDOM IV IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/10 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Dome

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tiger Mask (c) vs. Super J-Cup 5th Stage winner
2. Wrestle Kingdom Special 8 Man Tag Match: Terry Funk, Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Abdullah The Butcher, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii
3. Wrestle Kingdom Special Tag Match: Yuji Nagata & Akebono vs. TAJIRI & Masato Tanaka
4. IWGP Tag Team Title - 3WAY Hardcore Rules Match: “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon (c) vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson vs. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito
5. NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Wilderness~: Togi Makabe vs. Mohammed Yone
6. NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Radiance~: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Go Shiozaki
7. GHC Heavyweight Title - NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Blast~: Takashi Sugiura (c) vs. Hirooki Goto
8. IWGP Heavyweight Title - The newest, The strongest: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Yoshihiro Takayama

Two of the most famous gaijin legends in Japanese pro wrestling history will return to Japan for the 1/4 Tokyo Dome show, according to Nikkan Sports. 68-year-old Abdullah The Butcher and 65-year-old Terry Funk will do battle in some form, possibly a match involving New Japan wrestlers. No word as yet what said match will be but the idea may be to bring in some old fans from the Showa era to watch the show.

Yoshihiro Takayama returns to New Japan Pro-Wrestling on January 4th at the Tokyo Dome six years to the day after suffering a humiliating upset loss to the then “green boy” Nakamura in the main event of the 1/4/04 event. It is a very different Shinsuke Nakamura these days, then a trickster relying mostly on speed and instincts to win matches, now a conqueror much like Takayama himself who has become one of the kingpins of pro wrestling in Japan.

Shinsuke’s V4 defense was today confirmed at a special event that saw others on the show comment, as well as some pre-J-CUP hype. Takayama confessed that New Japan has changed since he was last there, becoming a much stronger and more orderly promotion that can stand on it’s own two feet again, and cited the growth of Tanahashi and Nakamura as two factors in that. Still, he is in New Japan to win the IWGP Heavyweight Title and hasn’t forgotten his defeat to Nakamura, who took the NWF Heavyweight Title off him back at the start of 2004 and sealed it. Whatever the result on January 4th, it is thought that Takayama has transferred his main attention to New Japan from All Japan and could be a regular fixture in the company come 2010.

Nakamura was complimentary of Takayama who in some ways he resembles now with his knee kicks and heavy strikes. Shinsuke called Takayama a unique individual in Japan and called him a “big wall” to get past even now. He pointed out that Takayama is very worthy having accomplished what he calls a “super-grand slam” of the IWGP Heavyweight & IWGP Tag (New Japan), GHC Heavyweight & GHC Tag (NOAH), and Triple Crown & AJPW World Heavyweight Tag (All Japan) titles. While New Japan vs. NOAH dominates a large part of the upcoming Tokyo Dome super-show, Nakamura said his fight with Takayama will be a personal battle unrelated, Takayama having become a freelancer a long time ago now after once belonging to NOAH.

No other matches were announced today, with much still undecided. Nagata and Nakanishi both said they are looking forward to whoever is thrown their way, while Makabe was a little less polite, saying he has introduced himself as a member of the NJ vs. NOAH feud but no one from “cowardly NOAH” has yet stepped forward to receive his challenge. Akira Taue, Takeshi Morishima, and Kenta Kobashi are just three possibilities to face the Unchained Gorilla at the Dome on 1/4.

NJPW “WRESTLE KINGDOM IV IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/10 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Dome

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tiger Mask (c) vs. Super J-Cup 5th Stage winner
2. IWGP Tag Team Title - 3WAY Hardcore Rules Match: “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon (c) vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson vs. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito
3. NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Radiance~: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Go Shiozaki
4. GHC Heavyweight Title - NJPW vs. NOAH Battle Effusions ~Blast~: : Takashi Sugiura (c) vs. Hirooki Goto
5. IWGP Heavyweight Title - The newest, The strongest: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Yoshihiro Takayama