New japan 4/5 ppv results (iwgp match)

[Guest Stuart]

EDIT: They ended up not showing this on PPV, just taping it for TV. The SKY PPV slot has been moved to 5/28, which will have BOSJ group matches and title matches probably.

 

Yuji Nagata began his first reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, defeating Tadao Yasuda to become the 31st champion. NOAH's Yoshihiro Takayama sat at ringside and observed the match. After the match, he asked Nagata for a handshake. Nagata accepted, but Takayama backstabbed him with knee strikes. Although Akiyama was promised the shot, Nagata appealed for treacherous Takayama to be his first challenger. Backstage, Nagata, Chono, Kensuke and Nakanishi joined up and declared all-out war on NOAH. It was determined that Takayama will face Nagata at the Tokyo Dome, with other New Japan vs. NOAH matches also likely. There were three IWGP Ranking Matches, which is the new system that will determine future challengers for the title. Although a more respected "journalist" than me claimed this was a record low, this is NOT Tokyo Nippon Budokan (Hall), it's a 4,000 seat building called Tokyo Budokan Hall.

 

NJPW "FIGHTING SPIRIT SPECIAL", 4/5/02 (TV)

Tokyo Budokan Hall

3,000 Fans

 

1. El Samurai beat Masayuki Naruse (8:46) with a la magistral.

2. Hiro Saito beat Blue Wolf (7:16) with a senton bomb.

3. Tatsutoshi Goto beat Hiroshi Tanahashi (6:45) with a backdrop suplex.

4. Koji Kanemoto, Jado & Gedo beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Minoru Tanaka & Masahito Kakihara (15:05) when Kanemoto used a Falcon Arrow on Kakihara.

5. IWGP Ranking Match: Kensuke Sasaki beat Yutaka Yoshie (9:24) with a Northern Lights Bomb.

6. IWGP Ranking Match: Manabu Nakanishi vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan went to a draw (20:00) when the time limit expired.

7. IWGP Ranking Match: Masahiro Chono beat Osamu Nishimura (19:06) by pinfall after a butterfly lock.

8. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Yuji Nagata beat Tadao Yasuda © (15:01) with the Nagata Lock II to become the 31st champion.