New Japan at the Tokyo Dome on 1/4

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Hiroshi Tanahashi © vs. Togi Makabe or Shinsuke Nakamura

 

3rd IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Kurt Angle © vs. Yugi Nagata

 

NJPW vs. TNA Monsters Match

Manabu Nakanishi vs. Abyss

 

IWGP Tag Team Championship

Real International Special Energy (Tomko & Bernard) vs. The Steiner Brothers

 

One of those matches doesn't fit.

 

I'm picking Tanahashi, Angle, Nakanishi and RISE to win.

[Jingus 0]

One of those matches doesn't fit.

What, you mean NJPW's Monster Gaijin of the 1990s vs. Monster Gaijin 2K7?

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

One of those matches doesn't fit.

What, you mean NJPW's Monster Gaijin of the 1990s vs. Monster Gaijin 2K7?

Nakanishi vs. Abyss. It looks more than a little out of place on a Dome event. Sumo Hall? Sure. But the Dome?

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

Manabu and Abyss will be fun if nothing else. Manabu isn't a good wrestler, but he's whacky enough to be fun.

 

Him putting Abyss in the Argentine Backbreaker will get the fans going.

 

As of right now, I'm expecting Nakamura to beat Makabe and then beat Tanahashi to get the IWGP title. That was where they were going before Nakamura's injury in the G-1. If Nakamura's back up to shape 100%, I expect them to continue that path.

[Scroby 0]

Why is there a 3rd IWGP Championship?

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Why is there a 3rd IWGP Championship?

Long story short, it's the old IWGP title belt that Brock Lesnar took with him when he was IWGP Champion and left New Japan in a dispute over money. He dropped it to Kurt Angle in the main event of the first IGF (Inoki Genome Federation) show.

[tekcop 0]

I want to see the monster match just to see Abyss humorously oversell Nakanishi's weird-ass offense.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Great Muta returns to NJ on 1/4

 

For the first time in seven years and eight months, the one and only Great Muta will return home to New Japan Pro-Wrestling. President Sugabayashi today officially announced that the mystery of the Orient will compete at "WRESTLE KINGDOM II IN TOKYO DOME" on January 4th. Sugabayashi said he had heard many requests from fans to see Muta back on New Japan soil, and continuing New Japan's efforts to listen to its fans, it has been set up. With the Japan (NJ) vs. USA (TNA) theme on 1/4, he feels Muta, a man famous in both countries, is a fitting participant. Sugabayashi isn't sure who his opponent will be yet, but since Muta has been away so long and New Japan has changed so much in those seven years, he is hoping something fresh will be set up. Sugabayashi thought back to his days as a business manager in New Japan, particular when Muta vs. Choshu headlined the 6/16/92 Fukuoka International Center show, and they managed to sell out all tickets in advance for it. He is excited to see Muta back and this adds another feature to what appears to be a very "international" show.

 

 

[dubq 0]

Results from Puroresufan.com!

 

[Results] New Japan, 1/4/08 by Stuart - 04 Jan 2008

Full details and report to follow later. Following the main event, Angle got into a showdown with Nakamura - is the unification match next between the young Japanese warrior and the Olympic gold medalist?

 

NJPW "WRESTLE KINGDOM II IN TOKYO DOME", 1/4/08 (WPW/PPV)

Tokyo Dome

27,000 Fans - No Vacancy

 

1. THIS IS WAR! ~NONSTOP RISING~: Christian Cage TNA Wrestling, AJ Styles TNA Wrestling & Petey Williams TNA Wrestling beat Milano Collection AT, Minoru & Prince Devitt (10:25) when Styles used the Styles Clash on Milano.

2. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Wataru Inoue © beat Christopher Daniels TNA Wrestling (10:17) with a modified Staggerin' Blow (1st defense).

3. Japanese Muscle Monster vs. The American Monster: Manabu Nakanishi beat Abyss TNA Wrestling (6:00) with the Dai*Nakanishi German.

4. NEW JAPAN vs. The Alliance GROUND ZERO: Masato Tanaka ZERO1-MAX, Tatsuhito Takaiwa ZERO1-MAX, Yutaka Yoshie DRADITION & Katsushi Takemura DRADITION beat Takashi Iizuka, Koji Kanemoto, Tiger Mask & Ryusuke Taguchi (8:36) when Yoshie used a diving body press on Taguchi.

5. GET THE TABLE! GET THE HIGHEST! - Hardcore Match: "Team 3D" Brother Ray TNA Wrestling & Brother Devon TNA Wrestling beat Togi Makabe & Toru Yano (13:12) when Devon pinned Makabe after the 3D.

6. ONE NIGHT STAND ~LEGEND vs. VBH~: Tatsumi Fujinami DRADITION, Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA beat Jado, Gedo, TARU, Shuji Kondo & "brother" YASSHI (7:18) when Choshu used a lariat on YASSHI.

7. Generation of Chaos: Great Muta All Japan beat Hirooki Goto (13:04) with a moonsault press.

8. IWGP Tag Team Title: Giant Bernard & Travis Tomko © beat Rick Steiner TNA Wrestling & Scott Steiner TNA Wrestling (12:50) when Bernard pinned Rick after the Magic Killer (5th defense).

9. Final Resolution~REAL vs. Justice~IWGP 3rd Belt: Kurt Angle TNA Wrestling © beat Yuji Nagata (18:29) with an ankle lock.

10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Shinsuke Nakamura beat Hiroshi Tanahashi © (23:08) with the Landslide to become the 48th champion.

[dubq 0]

Photos up at SportsNavi: http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/fight/other/...0401/index.html

[Timmy8271 0]

Hey Jeff Jarrett is still alive!

 

Did the Abyss match feature Thumbtacks?

[dubq 0]

Hey Jeff Jarrett is still alive!

 

Did the Abyss match feature Thumbtacks?

 

He dumped them out, but I think that Abyss took the bump onto the tacks, not Nakanishi.

 

Here're the tacks coming out: http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/fight/photo/...0080105152.html

And here's the bump: http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/fight/photo/...0080105154.html

[Timmy8271 0]

God I can't stand Abyss. He's turned into such a goof.

[dubq 0]

Here are more detailed results straight from Puroresufan.com:

 

 

"The Day of Professional Wrestling", January 4th, saw one of New Japan's most impressive Tokyo Dome shows of recent years, rich in variety and quality. 27,000 fans watched "WRESTLE KINGDOM II IN TOKYO DOME", a similar attendance to last year's show with All Japan, most of the open seats filled, but much of the Tokyo Dome never opened in the first place. The show has received good reviews, thanks largely to an excellent double main event. Things began with a stacked TNA team comprised of Christian Cage, AJ Styles (who was originally planned to challenge Tanahashi) & Petey Williams facing RISE's Milano, Minoru & Prince Devitt. This was one of the better matches on the show, boasting a lot of speedy and exciting action, ending when AJ pinned Milano following his Styles Clash. Minoru is interested in a singles match with AJ now, and the TNA star said he's always up for it. Wataru Inoue defended one of four titles on the line, keeping hold of his IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title in his V1 defense against Christopher Daniels. Wataru took down the former Curry Man with a spear and modified Staggerin' Blow, and after the match said there is one man he particularly wants to face, but wouldn't name him.

 

Monsters collided when TNA behemoth Abyss made his Japanese debut, facing Japanese strong man Manabu Nakanishi. As expected this was a physical power fight, Nakanishi outsized but not outfight. Abyss brought out the thumbtacks, but that plan backfired and he ended up eating them. Nakanishi eventually won with his newly developed Dai*Nakanishi German, which is basically a German suplex for big opponents. Nakanishi said after the match that he is looking at titles this year, and with such a positive start, perhaps the elusive IWGP Heavyweight Title may be in his sights. Abyss wants a rematch some day for revenge. Takashi Iizuka led a New Japan army comprised of himself, Kanemoto, Tiger Mask, and Taguchi to take on a ZERO1-MAX/DRADITION alliance featuring the current aces of both companies, Masato Tanaka and Yutaka Yoshie, along with familiar junior names, Tatsuhito Takaiwa and Katsushi Takemura. This was the typical interpromotional sprint, much like the NJ vs. Z1 match on the 10/8/05 Tokyo Dome show. Taguchi eventually found him in there with both Yoshie and Tanaka, Tanaka landing a lariat, then Yoshie crushing Taguchi with his diving body press for the win. There was brawling after the match, and the Alliance was very boastful of their victory backstage. Yoshie suggested more interesting matches against New Japan wrestlers for him, considering he has been away for two years now. Tanaka praised Kanemoto's strength and there were signs of a singles match between them on the horizon. Iizuka told the Alliance not to get carried away because they won by chance today, and Taguchi swore revenge.

 

Japan's top tag team of 2007, Togi Makabe & Toru Yano, intercepted one of America's most famous teams, Team 3D, in what was described as a very entertaining Hardcore Match. This saw lots of exciting action, the GBH tandem more than capable of fighting evenly with Team 3D, but the experience difference was too great in the end. 3D super powerbombed Yano through a table, then dropped Makabe with the famous Dudley Death Drop for the three count. Devon called Yano a good wrestler with a very bright future, but said at this stage he just isn't on their level. Tatsumi Fujinami returned to New Japan after leaving early in 2006, adding yet more strength to the blossoming Legend faction as he teamed up with Choshu, Chono, Liger, and AKIRA to face a dastardly combination of GBH and Voodoo Murders. This was one of the most heated matches of the show, Legend's individual entrances pumping up the crowd for the usual high spurt sprint, where everyone got to hit their signature moves. Choshu mauled YASSHI with a lariat to secure victory for Legend, and there was a firm handshake between he and Fujinami after the match, suggesting their bad blood has gone. For the first time since the 5/5/00 Fukuoka Dome show, the one and only Great Muta descended upon New Japan, returning in one of the four top matches against young warrior, Hirooki Goto. Goto dressed himself as a samurai, while Muta wore elaborate gear as always. It began with a sneak attack by Goto on the ramp, as he hit Muta with a stick. The match became very wild, Goto again bleeding and getting misted. All in all, he fought bravely, but was overwhelmed by the legendary Muta, who showed a clear difference in experience and rank, winning quite comfortably with his moonsault press. Goto is desperate for a rematch, but may have to do some growing up first.

 

The Steiner Brothers, one of the most famous teams to ever step foot in New Japan, returned to the "Big Egg" to face this generation's gaijin force, Giant Bernard & Travis Tomko. They had chance to take back the IWGP Tag Team Title, but found times have changed and that a new force has arrived. Jeff Jarrett greeted the crowd before the match and watched from ringside, lurking dangerously with his guitar. This was a match the fans enjoyed, and included Scott Steiner doing an avalanche-style Frankensteiner! Jarrett did try to interfere, but it was Honma (apparently) who ate his guitar, and the champions were able to ground Rick Steiner with their Magic Killer, Bernard pinning him for the victory. Bernard showed where his heart lies after the match, shouting "NEW JAPAN ICHIBAN!" into the microphone. Backstage, Makabe & Yano intruded on the winners' interview, demanding a shot at their title. In what is being pegged as an early 2008 Best Bout candidate and a match that shook the Dome, Kurt Angle defended the controversial IWGP 3rd Belt, which he won from Brock Lesnar, against Yuji Nagata. This match stayed true to the fundementals of professional wrestling while fascinating the fans. It saw lots of great technical wrestling, with big bombs thrown in along the way, but the two great men's big submission holds were always in focus. After lots of back and forth, Nagata was no longer able to take the pain in Angle's ankle lock and had to tap out, ending his dream of bringing the 3rd Belt home. Angle posed with both his IWGP 3rd Belt and TNA Heavyweight Title afterwards and exchanged handshakes with Nagata, who proved to be one of his toughest opponents and lost no standing in defeat. Speaking on the upcoming main event, Angle called both Tanahashi and Nakamura wonderful athletes, but two young men not at his level. Jarrett said Angle had proven himself to be the strongest wrestler in the world again. Angle wants New Japan and TNA to keep working together, as he is excited by the possible matches.

 

After nine interpromotional matches, it was left to the two top young heavyweights in New Japan to wrap up their show in their SECOND Tokyo Dome main event, after headlining the infamous 1/4/05 show. Hiroshi Tanahashi made his V2 defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Title in his second reign against the youngest holder of that belt ever, Shinsuke Nakamura, a man craving to hold it again after having to vacate it early in his first reign due to injury. Although not able to match up to the spectacle that came before it in the eyes of many, the two put on a world class match worthy of the occasion, both of them showing their growth, especially the outstanding Tanahashi, who has become a main event wrestler in every sense of the word, which is why he was named the best worker in Japan last year. The match was largely mat-based for the first 10 minutes, before gradually picking up towards an explosive finish. Nakamura eventually had to bust out a gruesome avalanche-style Landslide and followed with the regular version, pinning Tanahashi for the 1-2-3 and taking the lead with 2008 beginning! Kurt Angle made his way to the ring after the match and went face to face with the new champion. The two argued, Angle using an interpreter to warn Nakamura that he is an Olympic gold medalist and on a completely different level than this "green boy". Nakamura glared at Angle as he left, before giving his victor interview, saying dreams and hopes still remain in professional wrestling. In regards to the IWGP 3rd Belt, Nakamura said a New Japan professional wrestler wants to win any IWGP belt, which clarified his view on the situation. Many signs now point to the unification match - IWGP Heavyweight Champion and young Japanese warrior Shinsuke Nakamura vs. TNA & IWGP 3rd Champion and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle!.

[theintensifier 0]

Muta squashed Goto. God, I hate Muta/Muto/Mutoh.

[dubq 0]

Yeah I was sad to see that result as well. I was really hoping that by some miracle Goto would go over Muta.

[theintensifier 0]

Yeah, no kidding.

 

Goto is one of the new Musketeers, and gets squashed by an old Musketeer who hasn't been in NJPW for over SEVEN years. Fucking ridiculous.

 

And, from most reports I've read, Angle/Nagata sounds awfully disappointing.

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

Goto losing to Muta wasn't a bad decision. It's how the match was structured.

 

I've watched it, and they had Goto sneak attack Muta with a weapon, instantly taking the fans out of his corner and then got his ass beat. NJPW doesn't get Goto, which doesn't really surprise me. They were ONTO something with Goto. When he returned, he was put into positions against Tanahashi and Tenzan where he wasn't the dominate guy, and instead kept making comebacks. In both matches he was the underdog, but he wouldn't give up and kept fighting. The fans took to him amazingly fast. He was being protected, he wasn't jobbing, and he kept having firey comebacks in matches. The fans BELIEVED in Goto. The fact that they wanted him to beat Tanahashi for the title like they did was amazing.

 

annnd then because it's NJPW, they fucked it up. Goto's been losing falls, the booking of his matches have changed, and he's left being a guy who's not really ready for the role they want him to be. Every match I've seen since the Tanahashi MOTY candidate, the fans don't care.

 

Worse then losing to Muta, was the fact that about two weeks before they jobbed Goto to Chono in a tag. FOR NO REASON. Direct pinfall loses matter in Japan, like they do in Mexico. That loss made no sense, whatsoever, did nothing for anyone and furthered nothing. They just did it because they could. NJPW in a nutshell. They've ruined what should have been a sure thing.

 

Don't even get me started on Makabe jobbing directly to 3-D...that one makes absolutely no sense since his partner is TORU YANO, one of the worst wrestlers in ANY of the big promotions. Taguchi jobbing in the big interpromotional match was idiotic too. He's JUST coming off an IWGP title reign.

[dubq 0]

True. I was infinitely pissed that Makabe took the fall to fucking Team 3D.

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

What makes Taguchi jobbing even stupidier, is he's getting a IWGP Jr. title shot. So what the fuck was the point in his doing the job in that match? None.

 

The more I look at this show, the more the booking is just stupid.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

1. THIS IS WAR! NONSTOP RISING!

 

Christian Cage, AJ Styles & Petey Williams vs. Milano Collection AT, Minoru & Prince Devitt

 

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=74QsCckRZTc

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb4zH5hUGyU

 

2. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title Match:

 

Wataru Inoue © vs. Christopher Daniels

 

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=RjTEcJCVql8

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Gaots3aEoaM

 

3. Japanese Muscle Monster vs. The American Monster:

 

Manabu Nakanishi vs. Abyss

 

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=i8fP_oZHR9Q

 

4. NEW JAPAN vs. The Alliance GROUND ZERO:

 

Takashi Iizuka, Koji Kanemoto, Tiger Mask & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Masato Tanaka, Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Yutaka Yoshie & Katsushi Takemura

 

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=4fGoji9aLWY

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=81GbRYvqZWA

 

5. GET THE TABLE! GET THE HIGHEST! - Hardcore Match:

 

Togi Makabe & Toru Yano vs. Brother Ray & Brother Devon

 

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=HVeU3J6RfHg

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=hufAWSRM2FA

 

6. ONE NIGHT STAND : LEGEND vs. VBH (GBH + Voodoo Murders):

 

Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Super Strong Machine, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA vs. Jado, Gedo, TARU, Shuji Kondo & "brother" YASSHI

 

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=gtjw_NhEuxc

 

7. Generation of Chaos:

 

Great Muta vs. Hirooki Goto

 

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=ijfND2a3EC8

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=y30e2F6u0to

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=9k2qZviYpts

 

8. IWGP Tag Team Title Match:

 

Giant Bernard & Travis Tomko © vs. Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner

 

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=KWWoHmTy6os

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=TCDpiSDgpbU

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=L97c8TW3kb4

 

9. Final Resolution: REAL vs. Justice: IWGP 3rd Belt:

 

Kurt Angle © vs Yuji Nagata

 

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=rUeM0IGyWF4

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=L97Nde1fltE

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=rvHTihe1gys

 

10. IWGP Heavyweight Title Match:

 

Hiroshi Tanahashi © vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

 

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra-HTKS4-og

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3-sXdKuTYs

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=7sB8sbHYAsE

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=1bgeYSosKXk

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=0DovB_x03to

[Hawk 34 0]

What was the best match/most worth checking out?

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Jeff Jarrett should become a manager.

 

It just looked right with him walking Angle back to the ring after the main event.

 

He's got a kind of cross between Col. Parker and Harley Race working for him.

 

...

 

I don't know why I fealt the need to post that...

[dubq 0]

From Puroresufan.com

 

Shinsuke Nakamura will attempt to "take the world" on February 17th when he faces Kurt Angle to determine the true IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Nakamura's 2nd generation title and Angle's 3rd generation title will be on the line in this unification match, with so much at stake. It is a chance for Nakamura to establish himself as a special New Japan ace with 2008 beginning, taking down a man with the highest rank available in professional wrestling - global fame, a golden background, and plenty of results and titles to show for his pro wrestling career. If Nakamura wins, it will go down as his first defense, and if Angle wins, he will become the 49th champion on the official title history.

[theintensifier 0]

Uh oh.

 

I don't see that turning out very well.

[Star Ocean 3 0]

Nothing was really disappointing, certainly not Angle/Yuji. Both that and the main event were worth it by themselves.

Now I'm debating if Angle/Nakamura is worth going back to Tokyo for.

[Guest aural angel dust]

annnd then because it's NJPW, they fucked it up. Goto's been losing falls, the booking of his matches have changed, and he's left being a guy who's not really ready for the role they want him to be. Every match I've seen since the Tanahashi MOTY candidate, the fans don't care.

Remember when Tanahashi fell to Chono in a 6-man during his first title reign? Probably not. You really are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill here.

 

Goto's done about 3 jobs since his title challenge; losing to Chono, who is OVER, losing to Makabe, the #1 in GBH as opposed to Goto's #2 in RISE and finally to Muta who is also OVER and has that whole experience thing going for him.

 

New Japan have had their 'big names' occasionally dropping a fall every few months or so for a long time and it hasn't had an obviously detrimental effect on the company's drawing power.

 

Though New Japan seem to stubbornly stick to their guns and have decided that now is Nakamura's time, much like it was Nagata Time a few months back and Tanahashi Time last year. Preferably I'd have Goto as leader of RISE over Nakamura because of one simple detail: PASSION. Which is something Nakamura never seems to show, even in his recent title victory. Goto has plenty of this and it should keep him over as a face for the forseeable future.

 

On a sidenote Tanahashi was fantastic in the main event, carrying all the interest nicely whilst Nakamura just kind of lay there wondering when to start a naff comeback.