NJPW - 14 февруари 2010

[nWoHulkster]

Manabu Nakanishi will again try to stall the new generation’s leadership of New Japan when he challenges Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Heavyweight Title at Sumo Hall next month. Shinsuke’s V5 defense of the belt is now official, one day after he toppled the mighty Yoshihiro Takayama. Yuji Nagata attempts to avenge his Tokyo Dome tag loss to the nuisance TAJIRI at Sumo Hall, in one of two special singles matches added today. The other sees Hirooki Goto and ZERO1’s Masato Tanaka attempt to decide their deadlocked singles match series. NO LIMIT attempt to finish one piece of business from CMLL as they make their V1 defense of the IWGP Tag Team Title against the men who took their hair, El Terrible & El Texano Jr., the New Japan/CMLL relationship in full effect. February will be a busy month for Prince Devitt, as at Korakuen Hall on the 30th, he challenges new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Naomichi Marufuji, in a rematch from the SUPER J-CUP final, then at Sumo Hall he and Taguchi defend their IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title against Jado & Gedo. And as for Tanahashi? He is interested in further battles with NOAH, after pinning Shiozaki yesterday but named no one in particular. He said if there was an offer, he’d consider it, and expects NOAH will be interested in throwing some wrestlers at the MVP this year.

NJPW, 2/14/10 (WPW)

Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt © vs. Jado & Gedo

2. Special Singles Match: Yuji Nagata vs. TAJIRI

3. Special Singles Match: Hirooki Goto vs. Masato Tanaka

4. IWGP Tag Team Title: Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito © vs. El Terrible & El Texano Jr.

5. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Shinsuke Nakamura © vs. Manabu Nakanishi

[nWoHulkster]

All nine matches for the 2/14 Sumo Hall show were finalized today, with one under review. That is Apollo 55’s IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title defense against Jado & Gedo, which is in significant doubt after Jado’s injury yesterday. Matches added today include Tanahashi vs. Yano, one of Yano’s biggest singles opportunities to date. Meanwhile, Goto vs. Tanaka has been made into a Hardcore Rules match which would seem to work against Hirooki given that Tanaka is something of a hardcore legend in wrestling from his time in FMW and ECW.

There is also a special opening match, with three of New Japan’s junior veterans facing three of the brightest young talents from the indie scene. The event has also been announced as a SKYPerfecTV! PPV. Meanwhile, New Japan has confirmed that the next IWGP Heavyweight Title match after this will be on 4/4 at Korakuen Hall, the main event of “NEW DIMENSION”. The winner of the 2010 New Japan Cup is likely to challenge the victor of Nakamura vs. Nakanishi there.

NJPW, 2/14/10 (WPW/PPV)

Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Special Opening Match: Jushin Thunder Liger, Koji Kanamoto & Tiger Mask vs. Kota Ibushi , GENTARO & Fujita "Jr." Hayato

2. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Apollo 55 (Ryusuke Taguchi) & Prince Devitt © vs. Jado & Gedo

3. Riki Choshu & Wataru Inoue vs. Bad Intentions (Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson)

4. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii

5. Special Singles Match: Yuji Nagata vs. TAJIRI

6. IWGP Tag Team Title: NO LIMIT (Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito) © vs. El Terrible & El Texano Jr.

7. Special Singles Match - Hardcore Rules: Hirooki Goto vs. Masato Tanaka

8. Special Singles Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Toru Yano

9. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Shinsuke Nakamura © vs. Manabu Nakanishi

[nWoHulkster]

The unstoppable Shinsuke Nakamura defeated the “last fort” of the third generation, Manabu Nakanishi, to secure a successful V5 defense of his IWGP Heavyweight Title today at Sumo Hall. Just 6,300 watched what was probably New Japan’s weakest card for a big Tokyo show in some years but those who watched it in person or on PPV called it a very good show. Nakanishi resisted Shinsuke’s Boma Ye several times before finally succumbing to the deadly knee kick, joining Makabe, Tanahashi, Otani, Nagata, and Takayama as victims of the CHAOS leader in recent IWGP Heavyweight Title matches. No one stepped up to challenge Nakamura post-match as expected, as he will make his V6 defense against the New Japan Cup winner at Korakuen Hall on April 4th.

MVP Hiroshi Tanahashi expectedly defeated CHAOS’ Toru Yano in the semi final, pinning him after the High Fly Flow. After the match though, Masato Tanaka joined Yano in the ring and they cut off some of pretty boy Tanahashi’s hair, leading to Tanahashi vowing revenge afterwards. Tanaka had just sealed his series against Hirooki Goto, winning the deciding match of their unofficial three match series in his environment - Hardcore Rules. Tanaka won a good match with the Sliding D, dooming Goto to more defeat after failing to capture the GHC Heavyweight Title from Takashi Sugiura at the Tokyo Dome. Goto’s career seems to have stalled and he will have to work hard to get it back on track. NO LIMIT wrapped up one last piece of unfinished business from Mexico, defeating the team that took their hair and in doing so making a successful V1 defense of the IWGP Tag Team Title. Yujiro & Naito overcame El Terrible & El Texano Jr., Naito pinning Texano after NL’s Limitless Explosion finisher. The two appealed for a match with Bad Intentions and that looks to be their V2 defense in the near future.

Yuji Nagata taught TAJIRI the strength of New Japan, warding off a surprise attack and beating the constant nuisance quite easily with an armlock in under 5 minutes. Nagata saluted after the match, declaring this situation dealt with. Gedo invited old friend Dick Togo back to replace his injured brother Jado, the two challenging Apollo 55 for the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title in today’s second match. Taguchi & Devitt pulled through in what was their fifth defense in a productive reign, Taguchi pinning Gedo. Milano Collection AT, who accompanied the champions, entered the ring after the match and levelled Gedo (who attacked his injured eye with a bamboo stick last October) with a thrust kick. Milano also enjoyed an emotional retirement parade today, which was attended by the likes of Hayabusa and Toru Owashi.

NJPW, 2/14/10 (WPW/PPV)

Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

6,300 Fans

1. Special Opening Match: Jushin Thunder Liger, Koji Kanemoto & Tiger Mask beat Kota Ibushi, Fujita “Jr.” Hayato & GENTARO(11:23) when Kanemoto used an ankle hold on GENTARO.

2. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt © beat Gedo & Dick Togo (14:01) when Taguchi pinned Gedo after the Blackhole Vacation (5th defense).

3. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson beat Riki Choshu & Wataru Inoue (9:10) when Bernard pinned Inoue after the Magic Killer.

4. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma beat Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii (8:34) when Makabe used a top rope King Kong kneedrop on Ishii.

5. Special Singles Match: Yuji Nagata beat TAJIRI (4:42) with an armlock.

6. IWGP Tag Team Title: Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito © beat El Terrible & El Texano Jr. (10:37) when Naito pinned Texano after the Limitless Explosion (1st defense).

7. Special Singles Match - Hardcore Rules: Masato Tanaka beat Hirooki Goto (15:45) with the Sliding D.

8. Special Singles Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Toru Yano (14:04) with the High Fly Flow.

9. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Shinsuke Nakamura © beat Manabu Nakanishi (18:02) with the Boma Ye (5th defense).