Yuji Nagata finally relinquished his grip on ZERO1’s World Heavyweight Title today, falling to generation rival and 01 boss Shinjiro Otani in a 20 minute thriller. Nagata seemed unstoppable in 01, having beaten Otani himself previously, as well as the two victories over Masato Tanaka, so had suggested that if he beat Otani again, 01 should be absorbed into New Japan. It wasn’t to be, as Otani edged out Mr. Saikyo with a Dragon suplex to recapture the belt. Nagata told Otani that he had raised the value of 01’s belt and now it was Otani’s responsibility to act as a strong pillar for the struggling company. The ZERO1 fans applauded Nagata, who will now likely focus on New Japan activities again.

ZERO1 “WRESTLER’S BELIEF ‘09″, 2/27/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- World Heavyweight Title: Shinjiro Otani (c) beat Yuji Nagata (20:48) with a Dragon suplex to become the new champion.

Yuji Nagata will make his V4 defense of ZERO1’s World Heavyweight Title against Shinjiro Otani after the company president pinned Wataru Inoue in a tag match today. Otani is considered ZERO1’s last hope, even though Nagata bested him in a singles match shortly before taking the belt from Masato Tanaka, but few from 01 know Nagata as well as Otani. No date for the defense has been announced as yet.

ZERO1, 1/23/09
Shinjuku FACE

- Shinjiro Otani & Masato Tanaka beat Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue (14:46) when Otani used a Spiral bomb on Inoue.

1/26 update: The match is now confirmed for ZERO1’s 2/27 Korakuen Hall show.

ZERO1 “ZERO1 WRESTLER’S BELIEF ‘09″, 2/27/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- World Heavyweight Title: Yuji Nagata (c) vs. Shinjiro Otani

Yuji Nagata and Wataru Inoue will enter ZERO1’s 1/23 show at Shinjuku FACE as a tag team, battling 01’s ace tandem of Shinjiro Otani & Masato Tanaka.

ZERO1 “WRESTLER’S INCEPTION ‘09″, 1/23/09
Shinjuku FACE

- Shinjiro Otani & Masato Tanaka vs. Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue

New Japan wrestlers stepped back into the ZERO1 (which it officially became today) ring today to start 2009, the big results seeing the famous New Japan junior heel threesome of Otani, Kanemoto, and Takaiwa reunite to defeat the Complete Players when Otani pinned Gedo. After the match, 42-year-old Kanemoto surprisingly announced his marriage to 27-year-old joshi puroresu star Hikaru to big cheers. Kanemoto’s sworn friend Wataru Inoue brought out flowers to congratulate the two.

ZERO1 “GENESIS 2009″, 1/1/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- One Day Bond: Ikuto Hidaka & Minoru Fujita beat Minoru & Munenori Sawa (21:23) when Fujita used the Sasuke Sedgeway on Sawa.
- New Year Big Fight: Manabu Nakanishi beat Kohei Sato (14:56) with the Dai*Nakanishi German.
- New Year Special Match: Shinjiro Otani, Koji Kanemoto & Tatsuhito Takaiwa beat Masato Tanaka, Jado & Gedo (20:34) when Otani used a Spiral bomb on Gedo.

Nagata made a successful V2 defense of his World Heavyweight Title at today’s ZERO1-MAX show at Shinjuku FACE. He downed the Tenka-Ichi Jr. Tournament winner and former dojo mate, Tatsuhito Takaiwa, after a pretty tough fight. Nagata was then confronted by who else but ZERO1-MAX ace and the man he took the belt from, Masato Tanaka, who demanded their Tokyo Dome match be a title defense. Nagata accepted and it looks all set! 01 also announced that from January their organization name will become just ZERO1.

ZERO1-MAX “ZERO1 DELIGHT ‘08″, 12/17/08
Shinjuku FACE

- World Heavyweight Title: Yuji Nagata (c) beat Tatsuhito Takaiwa (17:53) with a backdrop suplex (2nd defense).

Jushin Thunder Liger could hold two outside tag titles by the time 2009 comes around. We already knew that he and AKIRA would challenge heavyweights Daisuke Sekimoto & Mammoth Sasaki for the BJW Tag Team Title this month, but he will also now be involved in CIMA’s return match on DRAGON GATE soil, as the two challenge YAMATO & Cyber Kong for the Open The Twin Gate Tag Team Title. This is one new interpromotional match announced involving NJ wrestlers, and here is a list of upcoming ones, including the famous New Japan “bad boy” junior trio reuniting on New Year’s Day…

AJPW “FAN APPRECIATION DAY”, 12/14/08
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- Tiger Mask & Shisa Mask vs. Kiyonari Sanada & Manabu Soya

ZERO1-MAX “ZERO1 DELIGHT 2008″, 12/17/08
Shinjuku FACE

- World Heavyweight Title: Yuji Nagata (c) vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa

BJW, 12/19/08
Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium

- BJW Tag Team Title: Daisuke Sekimoto & Mammoth Sasaki (c) vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA

DRAGON GATE, 12/28/08
Fukuoka International Center

- Open The Twin Gate: YAMATO & Cyber Kong (c) vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & CIMA

ZERO1-MAX “GENESIS 2009″, 1/1/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- New Year Special Fight: Shinjiro Otani, Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Koji Kanemoto vs. Masato Tanaka, Jado & Gedo
- New Year Big Fight: Kohei Sato vs. Manabu Nakanishi

LOCK UP, 1/10/09
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

- Kazuchika Okada vs. Nobuo Yoshihashi
- Jado & Gedo vs. Masaaki Mochizuki & Tetsuya Naito

After overcoming Kohei Sato in his V1 defense of ZERO1-MAX’s World Heavyweight Title, Nagata has an interesting second defense set for 12/17 at Shinjuku FACE. He’ll battle Tatsuhito Takaiwa, a fellow member of the 1992 New Japan dojo class, and someone it has been a very long time since Nagata took on in a singles match. Takaiwa earned this shot by winning 01’s Tenka-Ichi Jr. Tournament recently, where he pinned NJ’s Minoru in the final. Nagata will be the heavy favourite, but Takaiwa has plenty of experience and took part in the 2000 G1 Climax, where he pulled off an upset over Koshinaka.

ZERO1-MAX “ZERO1 DELIGHT 2008″, 12/17/08
Shinjuku FACE

- World Heavyweight Title: Yuji Nagata (c) vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa

And just to confirm, Liger & AKIRA will be challenging the power fighter team of Daisuke Sekimoto & Mammoth Sasaki for the BJW Tag Team Title at Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium on 12/19. The tough man duo overcame Daikokubo Benkei & Yuichi Taniguchi recently in their latest defense to confirm this. Liger isn’t daunted by having to face two heavyweights, as he’s used to it and has scored plenty of wins over bigger opponents in the past. AKIRA, if you recall, was actually part of the heavyweight division for years, before moving back to the junior division earlier this decade.

BJW, 12/19/08
Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium

- BJW Tag Team Title: Daisuke Sekimoto & Mammoth Sasaki (c) vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA

Yuji Nagata goes into tomorrow’s match with Masato Tanaka in charge, having won today’s final lead-in. Nagata choked out ZERO1 youngster Shito Ueda with a sleeper hold in a tag today and provoked Tanaka after the match, promising to take his title at Sumo Hall.

ZERO1-MAX, 10/12/08
Tochigi Prefectural Cultural Center

- ZERO1 vs. NJPW: Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa beat Masato Tanaka & Shito Ueda (14:14) when Nagata used a sleeper hold on Ueda.

ZERO1-MAX, 9/25/08
Urakawa Wellington Hotel

- ZERO1 vs. GBH: Masato Tanaka & Shinjiro Otani beat Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma (15:42) when Otani used the Spiral bomb on Honma.

ZERO1-MAX, 9/27/08
Sapporo Teisen Hall

- ZERO1 vs. GBH: Masato Tanaka & Daisuke Sekimoto beat Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma (16:20) when Tanaka used the Sliding D on Honma.

ZERO1-MAX, 9/28/08
Shiomi Community Center

- ZERO1 vs. GBH: Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma beat Masato Tanaka & Tatsuhito Takaiwa (10:42) when Makabe used a top rope King Kong kneedrop on Takaiwa.

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ZERO1-MAX, 10/12/08
Tochigi Prefectural Cultural Center

- ZERO1 vs. NJPW: Masato Tanaka & Shito Ueda vs. Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa