First Dome Show Match Announced

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Masahiro Chono vs. Riki Choshu

 

Not sure what I think of that match. I don't really have a lot of interest in seeing Choshu in the ring at this point. Hopefully Tenzan and Chono can make it somewhat watchable but I'm not holding my breath.

[Guest Fook_Theta]

Is it just me, but a threeway hasn't been seen that often this year? Could be interesting.

 

Stuart wrote: Soon after, New Japan bowed to his demand and announced Tenzan vs. Chono vs. Choshu in a Dogfight for 1/4! The company hasn't announced that the IWGP Heavyweight Title will be on the line. No official reason yet, but it could be one of several things; such as rules needing to be decided (they haven't been specified yet), the IWGP executive committee not wanting the title defended in this concept, or New Japan wanting Tanahashi vs. Nakamura to headline (well, that wasn't announced today, so isn't set in stone yet) without being above IWGP. Michinoku Pro has run "Dogfights" before, but I'm not sure if their's were the same. The matches continued until one wrestler pinned the other two in succession (not sure if it was 1 vs. 1 or 1 vs. 1 vs. 1 format), so if this isn't a title match, it could certainly set up one as chances are all three of them would drop a fall at some point in the match.

I'd rather see a match where they can only win the title by pinning Tenzan, but we'll see.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Honestly, I think this is a horrible idea. Is it just me or does this company seem more and more lost as time goes by?

[SinToxic]

News like this make me respect AJ's and NOAH's title treatments more each day. I think even the non trueborn talent like Kojima would get a better Triple Crown reign out of the messed up AJPW roster and writing team than Tenzan has been getting with his numerously silly title reigns and useless loses to Chono throughout the year.

 

Chono will kill 2 birds with one shot if that match gets a yes for the title defense. I think in Chono's mind it's about time the title goes back in black and into a stronghold for many months or at least until his group is dismembered.

[Guest JebusNassedar]

Barely a weekend and they're back to fucking Tenzan.

 

I'm going to go with Arnold here and say that the only reason that Tenzan won the title is to make sure AJPW didnt try anything on their 1/16 show.

 

And it's not just you, Kido. I dont think there will be a New Japan by this time next year.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Barely a weekend and they're back to fucking Tenzan.

 

I'm going to go with Arnold here and say that the only reason that Tenzan won the title is to make sure AJPW didnt try anything on their 1/16 show.

 

And it's not just you, Kido. I dont think there will be a New Japan by this time next year.

It sad to think that may be a reality Jebus.......but I'm rooting for it at this point. At least to see what NOAH could do with a few additions.

[Guest JebusNassedar]

Or All Japan. When/If NJPW closes, and I am calling it, right now, at 5:00 PM Pacific, that Hiroshi Tanahashi will go straight to All Japan Pro Wrestling.

[Guest Black Tiger]

I think the match is quite the stupid idea, and if the title is on the line, its only that much worse.

 

It seems like New Japan keeps yanking the rug out from under the fans. For everything good they do, they have to go and do something bad to make it worse.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I really hope this match doesn't mean that Choshu has the book again.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

More additions to the Dome Show:

 

1. Koji Kanemoto vs. Jushin Thunder Liger

2. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Heat © vs. Tiger Mask

3. Osamu Nishimura vs. Satoshi Kojima All Japan

4. 8 Man Ultimate Royal

5. IWGP U-30 Openweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi © vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

[Guest Black Tiger]

It turns out that Tenzan vs Chono vs Chosyu isn't a "three way", but will be series of single matches. It doesn't really make the concept any better. But its less dreadful than the idea of a triple threat match, for the IWGP Title (and we don't even know for sure if the title is up for grabs yet)

[J.B. Buzzkill]

More additions to the Dome Show:

 

1. Koji Kanemoto vs. Jushin Thunder Liger

2. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Heat © vs. Tiger Mask

3. Osamu Nishimura vs. Satoshi Kojima All Japan

4. 8 Man Ultimate Royal

5. IWGP U-30 Openweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi © vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Somehow I get the feeling that they'll royally screw this up like they did the Osaka Dome show.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Eh, the rest of the card removes some of the bad taste that the main event left for me.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Besides the main event.....I don't mind the show otherwise.

[Hunter's Torn Quad]

It turns out that Tenzan vs Chono vs Chosyu isn't a "three way", but will be series of single matches. It doesn't really make the concept any better. But its less dreadful than the idea of a triple threat match, for the IWGP Title (and we don't even know for sure if the title is up for grabs yet)

If it's a series matches like the Misawa-Kobashi-Kawada deal from '97, then I think it'll go like this:

 

Tenzan beats Choshu in a hard fought match

Chono beats Tenzan, capitalizing on Tenzan's exhaustion from his match with Choshu.

Chono will then beat Choshu, thus making him the number one contender for the IWGP Title, and setting him up for a title shot.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

It turns out that Tenzan vs Chono vs Chosyu isn't a "three way", but will be series of single matches. It doesn't really make the concept any better. But its less dreadful than the idea of a triple threat match, for the IWGP Title (and we don't even know for sure if the title is up for grabs yet)

If it's a series matches like the Misawa-Kobashi-Kawada deal from '97, then I think it'll go like this:

 

Tenzan beats Choshu in a hard fought match

Chono beats Tenzan, capitalizing on Tenzan's exhaustion from his match with Choshu.

Chono will then beat Choshu, thus making him the number one contender for the IWGP Title, and setting him up for a title shot.

Once again making Tenzan look like a total bitch in the process........I find myself awaiting the death of this company more and more each day.

[Guest Black Tiger]

HTQ. The rules are that it goes until one person scores two consecutive wins. So it could possibly go twenty rounds or something. If the IWGP Title is on the line, then Tenzan wins for sure. Because I don't see NJPW risking anymore damage to the cred of the IWGP after seven changes in 2004 alone.

 

If its (hopefully) not up for grabs, then Tenzan is probably fucked.

[Hunter's Torn Quad]

HTQ. The rules are that it goes until one person scores two consecutive wins. So it could possibly go twenty rounds or something. If the IWGP Title is on the line, then Tenzan wins for sure. Because I don't see NJPW risking anymore damage to the cred of the IWGP after seven changes in 2004 alone.

 

If its (hopefully) not up for grabs, then Tenzan is probably fucked.

Then I see this:

 

Tenzan pins Choshu

Chono pins Choshu

Choshu pins Tenzan

Chono pins Choshu

Chono pins Tenzan, and wins it.

 

If it's non-title, it sets up Chono as the number one contender, and also sets Choshu up for a possible title shot.

[Guest Spunk]

Yeah, that dome card pretty much sucks. I would of much rather prefered Gibson vs Tanaka instead of TMIV. TMIV has the charisma of a baseball bat, and him vs Tanaka is going to be painfully bad. The Main is still a WMOTYC, and its great New Japan can feed that to us so early in the year.

 

Kanemoto vs Lyger will be an abortion. I've never liked Kanemoto's work, and his stuff with Lyger isn't exactly grand. Look back 8 years ago, Lyger vs Kanemoto and you'll see how their history is laid out for them. SIGH.