Things calm down for RAW

Results from RAW:

Big Show Vs Edge

Shawn Michaels vs Carlito

Victoria, Torrie and Candice Vs Mickie, Ashley and Trish

Kane, Carlito, Gene Snitsky, Edge, Trevor Murdoch, Viscera, Val

Venis, Rob Conway, Chavo Guerrero, Chris Masters, Rosey, Tyson Tomko,

Tajiri, Shelton Benjamin, Eugene, Lance Cade and the Heart Throbs...

Now to Puro News:

It seems Brock Lesnar has a huge Target on his back....

More on Choshu's interview yesterday from the morning press. New Japan tends to cover the basics from these press conferences and leaves out some of the interesting stuff. Choshu outlined three plans he is moving to introduce as part of his New Japan reformation.

 

1. Assessing wrestlers, their strengths/weaknesses, potential, etc.

2. Restructuring/refining the roster.

3. Closing off talent exchange in Japan and beginning a national isolation route.

 

Choshu will begin assessing talent instantly on the next tour and named Hiroshi Tanahashi (28), Shinsuke Nakamura (25), Hirooki Goto (26), Naofumi Yamamoto (28), and others of the young generation as those he is most interested in, since he has a basic idea of what the older wrestlers are like. Choshu is insisting on restructuring the roster, and said this tour is a chance for everyone to prove his individual worth to New Japan and any laziness won't be tolerated by him. Choshu is being called the "demon of restructuring" by the press, because he said openly that he will personally throw out wrestlers he doesn't think are necessary and will take full responsibility for his choices, the sort of ruthlessness he is known for. Choshu's biggest plan is to strictly prohibit talent trade between New Japan and other Japanese companies, as I touched on in the report below. He said the excess of dream matches has led to the value of regular matches falling rapidly (a problem everywhere), and apologized to the fans in advance, saying the dream matches would lessen soon in New Japan and they would have to accept what they are given, centering on New Japan affiliated wrestlers. Choshu called it a "national isolation policy", and would rather push a young wrestler up the card than bring in an expensive Japanese star. I am guessing this policy excludes freelancers like Kawada, who don't belong to any specific promotion (not sure how the BIG MOUTH LOUD situation is viewed, as BML isn't running shows at all right now), and Choshu wants to construct a card of "feelings" for 1/4, implementing the "hometown" theme. Choshu said his matchmaking will truly begin on the last tour of the year, and the next one is more of a way of looking at talent, while giving fans many interesting tag matches at the same time. The influence of Power Hall is already returning to New Japan and the company could look a lot different in a few months time...

 

Antonio Inoki gave his regular Narita Airport interview yesterday and despite Lesnar's challenger almost being definite as Fujita, Inoki named two others he thinks are worthy of challenging Brock Lesnar: Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Manabu Nakanishi. Inoki said the challenger would probably be selected from one of those three, but it is almost certain to be Fujita unless something changes that we don't know of yet. Meanwhile, in a comment remniscent of one he made a few years ago, Inoki said that New Japan could be renamed in the future. He doesn't think "New Japan" can appeal to the world, and since New Japan is thinking globally, he wants fans to send in letters, suggesting different names for the company (don't put too much stock in this yet). Meanwhile, despite New Japan's front office apparently not wanting Naoya Ogawa on the 1/4 show, Inoki said he is "neutral" on the situation.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan has demanded the 10/30 Kobe World Hall special tag match, where he and Chono face Nakamura & Tanahashi, become an IWGP Tag Team Title match. Tenzan wants to use the match as a foothold to challenging Brock Lesnar for the IWGP Heavyweight Title. Although Fujita's challenge is "near definite" for 1/4, Inoki mentioning Tenzan and Nakanishi as potential challengers has given at least Tenzan hope. Tenzan wants the Kobe match to be a "tough appetizer" for the main dish that is a match with Lesnar.

 

Josh Barnett also has a possible match with Brock in his head. Barnett wants to achieve an unprecedented IWGP Heavyweight & PRIDE Heavyweight double title reign, and of course defeating Lesnar would be part of that. I'm not sure where all of these new candidates are leading to (an industry magazine even hinted at Bob Sapp facing Lesnar on 1/4), but the main event may be less certain than we (and World Pro Wrestling, who announced Lesnar vs. Fujita on the show) thought. Meanwhile, Josh is aiming at defeating Mirko with a backdrop suplex or Nagata Lock II, and has the 1/4 Tokyo Dome show in his sights as the date of his New Japan return.

 

Naofumi Yamamoto is set to directly petition to Choshu for a match against one of ZERO1-MAX's young generation aces, Ryouji Sai. Although Choshu is hoping to close links with other Japanese promotions, Yamamoto wants him to allow this match to happen after the two had some heated exchanges in the 4 vs. 4 match at the Tokyo Dome. With less experience and actual results to his name, Yamamoto would enter the match as underdog, but he doesn't seem to care. Yamamoto has big singles matches with Fujinami and Morgan coming up on the next tour, so after his first real feature match at the Tokyo Dome, "Charisma" Yamamoto is finally beginning to move...

 

Choshu will not be at the Kobe show, as he has a pre-arranged booking with HUSTLE to fulfill. Choshu & Tomohiro Ishii will face Wataru Sakata & Mark Coleman on HUSTLE's 10/30 Aomori show, and Choshu explained that he had to take the match, as the booking was arranged before he became site foreman of New Japan again, plus he has a pre-existing DSE contract that should be expiring in the near future.

From Strong Style Spirit...

More news and detals later...