All japan ppv results and other stuff...

[Guest Stuart]

All Japan held the climax to a financially successful tour, selling out Tokyo Nippon Budokan. Kendo Ka Shin captured the vacant AJPW Jr. Heavyweight Title, beating five time champion, Masanobu Fuchi. Despite a request by Kaz Hayashi for a shot, Ka Shin nominated Gran Naniwa as his first challenger. Along with Williams, Rotundo & Anjo, who downed Barton, Steele & Cedman today, the following teams will compete in the Baba 6 Man Cup: (1) Muto, Hines & Hayashi, (2) Kea, Nagai & Okumura, (3) Fuchi, Hosaka & Naniwa, (4) Kojima, Honma & Yang, (5) Tenryu, Arashi & Araya and (6) Abdullah The Butcher, Ka Shin & Johnny Smith. Arashi & Araya captured the vacant All Asia Tag Team Title, Arashi picking up the belt he vacated in January. Kojima defeated Kea to become #1 contender. And in a rematch from last June and this month's Champion Carnival as well, Tenryu defeated Muto to win the Triple Crown, beginning his third reign. He'll meet Kojima in his first defense in a rematch from 2/24. The two had a showdown in the ring after the main event.

 

AJPW "GRAND CHAMPION CARNIVAL", 4/13/02 (PPV)

Tokyo Nippon Budokan

16,000 Fans (Sell Out)

 

1. Nobukazu Hirai beat Yasu Urano (5:39) with a crab hold.

2. Kaz Hayashi, Jimmy Yang & Hi69 beat Kazushi Miyamoto, Gran Naniwa & Ryuji Hijikata (10:30) when Yang used the Yang Time on Hijikata.

3. Hiroshi Hase & Hideki Hosaka beat George Hines & Tomoaki Honma (11:56) when Hase used a northern lights suplex hold on Honma.

4. AJPW Jr. Heavyweight Title: Kendo Ka Shin beat Masanobu Fuchi (16:55) with a cross armbreaker to become the 20th champion (decision match).

5. Giant Baba 6 Man Cup - Round 1: Steve Williams, Mike Rotundo & Yoji Anjo beat Mike Barton, Jim Steele & The Cedman (16:16) when Williams used a dangerous backdrop driver on Cedman.

6. All Asia Tag Team Title: Arashi & Nobutaka Araya beat Mitsuya Nagai & Shigeo Okumura (23:27) when Araya used a lariat on Okumura to become the 71st champions (decision match).

7. Triple Crown #1 Contender Match: Satoshi Kojima beat Taiyo Kea (17:13) with a lariat.

8. Triple Crown: Genichiro Tenryu beat Keiji Muto (19:38) with a brainbuster to become the 29th champion (decision match).

 

All Japan has introduced a more modernized tour poster style for it's next tour, differing from the age old no frills type.

 

---

 

New Japan ran it's "EXCITING BATTLE IN OKINAWA" internet show, featuring a spectacular main event, with some interesting results, including Gedo pinning the IWGP Heavyweight Champion and Nakanishi pinning the IWGP Jr. Tag Champions... at once! Before the show, Masahito Kakihara talked about his fellow former UWF-I wrestler, Yoshihiro Takayama, saying he knows Takayama well. Kakihara said that he would accompany Nagata to the Tokyo Dome, probably as his second.

 

NJPW "EXCITING BATTLE IN OKINAWA", 4/13/02 (NJTV Internet)

Okinawa Prefectural Budokan

4,500 Fans (Sell Out)

 

1. Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Blue Wolf (8:40) with a crab hold.

2. Masahito Kakihara beat El Samurai (9:05) with the Kaki Cutter.

3. Osamu Nishimura beat Hiro Saito (8:57) with a ground Cobra Twist.

4. Tadao Yasuda beat Yutaka Yoshie (9:10) with a front sleeper.

5. Kensuke Sasaki beat Tatsutoshi Goto (5:10) with a Northern Lights Bomb.

6. Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi, Jushin Thunder Liger, Minoru Tanaka & Masayuki Naruse beat Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Koji Kanemoto, Jado & Gedo (36:24) in an Elimination Match. Kanemoto used a moonsault press on Naruse (20:11). Jado used a crossface hold on Tanaka (23:05). Nagata used an Exploder on Kanemoto (25:15). Liger used a front cradle on Tenzan (32:05). Chono used an STF on Liger (32:32). Nagata used the Nagata Lock II on Chono (33:56). Gedo used the Gedo clutch on Nagata (34:57). Nakanishi used a northern lights suplex hold on both Jado & Gedo (36:24).

[Guest wolverine]

"He'll meet Kojima in his first defense in a rematch from 2/24."

 

Under traditional All Japan booking, Kojima would chase the title for quite some time, such as with Akiyama when he was there.  However, I don't think "Grandpa" should hold those belts much longer, so I'd do the switch to Kojima.

[Guest The Son of Sting]

Was Tenryu/Muto ment to be any good?

[Guest Jubuki]

Sure, it's good.

 

FOR ME TO POOP ON.

 

No reason for Kojima to get the belts - let Tenryu be a placeholder for Kawada so Kawada can get his job back from Tenryu, too.

[Guest Vyce]

No reason for Kojima to get the belts - let Tenryu be a placeholder for Kawada so Kawada can get his job back from Tenryu, too.

 

Pardon me if I am mistaken, but I thought that the nature / extent of Kawada's injury was such that it would keep him out of the ring for something like 6 months or so.

 

Is it a good thing to let Tenryu keep the belts for that long?