3/16 Kyoko Furitsu Taiikukan 6,500 sellout
Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata beat Masahiro Chono & Tatsutoshi Goto when Nakanishi made Got submit to his Argentine backbreaker at 11:03. Goto is the only one of the four that isn't in the tag title match on the 20th, so he did the job since Chono doesn't need the win for credibility.
Takashi Iizuka & Brian Johnston upset Don Frye & Satoshi Kojima when Johnston made Kojima submit to a full nelson lock at 12:32.
Shinya Makabe got his first push, teaming with Jushin Thunder Liger & Kendo Kashin & Dr. Wagner, Jr. to beat Koji Kanemoto & Shinjiro Otani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Negro Casas when Makabe pinned Otani in a German suplex hold at 15:16. This was probably done because the point of sending Makabe to the J-CUP (aside from getting one of their stars out of doing a job to a less famous and probably inferior wrestler) is to get people to start taking notice of their (hopefully) future star.

Former NJ star and president Seiji Sakaguchi, who was a judo champion before getting into wrestling, is teaching Shinya Hashimoto a counter for Naoya Ogawa's deadly STO.

In case you didn't get enough of Masa Chono vs. Keiji Muto on 1/4/00, you'll get to see it again on 4/7. This time Muto will be using his Great Muta gimmick, so immediately lower your already low expectations by *.

Naoya Ogawa has filed a missing person application with the Japanese authorities because his partner, Kazunari Murakami, hasn't been seen since he attacked Shinya Hashimoto on 3/11. Ogawa has tried to contact him through email and has called his portable telephone, but doesn't get any response. Apparently the brakes on Murakami's car aren't good, and Ogawa has seen Murakami drive recklessly, so he's worried he may have had an accident. If this is an angle to prove that Ogawa had no knowledge that Murakami was going to attack Hashimoto then it's an awfully sick one.

Kuniaki Kobayashi, 44, will retire on 4/21 due to back pain and internal organ disease. Kobayashi nearly had to retire 7 years ago, but had surgery and made a miraculous comeback. Many people are used to Kobayashi as a heavyweight that's nothing special and not really pushed, but he was actually one of the best juniors in the world during the early to mid 80's, including a highly underrated series of matches against Shodai Tiger Mask. His biggest accomplishment is being the only man to hold the (current) top junior belt in each of the Japanese big two, New Japan's IWGP Junior Heavykyu Senshuken and All Japan's Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshuken.

Although President Tatsumi Fujinami "tried to talk him out of it," the stipulation that Shinya Hashimoto will retire if he fails to beat Naoya Ogawa on 4/7 has officially been added to their already scheduled match. Ogawa had wanted Hashimoto to win the IWGP heavyweight title so they could do a double title match (Ogawa is NWA champ), but that wasn't going to happen when Hashimoto wasn't even scheduled to get a title shot, so Hashimoto is risking something more important than the belt.

NJ is doing an angle where Great Muta has signed a contract with WCW. This should result in Muta and some Americans (probably guys that are under contract to WCW that WCW hasn't used yet or has used but doesn't care about because NJ wants guys they can use full time like they have done with Super J so they don't have to deal with WCW never allowing the guys to go to Japan or forgetting they "need" these guys for their PPV) representing WCW in New Japan against Masa Chono's Team 2000, which includes all the guys that abandoned Muta earlier in the year when he finally succumbed to his injuries and took some time off to heal them. Where it stands right now is that both companies claim they have the rights to him because he has a valid contract with each, and Masa Saito (he's been the main guy that deals with WCW because he speaks English, he wrestled in the US for ages so he understands it better than most in New Japan, and him and Uncle Eric go way back) is stuck in the middle hoping the relationship he's worked so hard to build won't be ruined by this contract dispute. Saito wants to settle the disagreement by getting WCW to send New Japan one of their big names as compensation.

3/10 Yamaguchi Yanii Shi Taiikukan 2,100
Jushin Thunder Liger made his third successful defense of the IWGP Junior Heavykyu Senshuken, disposing of El Samurai in a mere 8:00 following his nadare shiki no suichoku rakka brainbuster. At this pace, the next challenger should be able to last 10 minutes...
In the main event, Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Kensuke Sasaki & Manabu Nakanishi & Yugi Nagata when Tenzan made Nagata submit to a buffalo sleeper at 14:13.

There's an angle where The Great Muta was going to fight Masa Chono on the 4/7 Dome show, but Chono says he doesn't do fights with human beings who paint their face.
Goldberg won't be ready to return in time to appear on the 4/7 Tokyo Dome show. He's scheduled to return for WCW on 4/16.

3/7 Shizuoka Kiramesse Mematsu 2,500 sellout
Kensuke Sasaki & Manabu Nakanishi defeated Masa Chono & Satoshi Kojima by disqualification in 11:14 when Goto interfered.
Jushin Thunder Liger & Dr. Wagner, Jr. & Negro Casas beat Koji Kanemoto & Shinjiro Otani & Hijo Del Perro Aguayo when Wagner used his Michinoku Driver II on Aguayo at 12:31

3/6 Tokyo Korakuen Hall 1,545 sellout
Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Kensuke Sasaki & Takashi Iizuka when Chono beat Iizuka with a hanearigatame (?).
In Perro Aguayo's Japan retirement match, Perro Aguayo & Dr. Wagner, Jr. & Hijo Del Perro Aguayo downed Jushin Thunder Liger & Gran Hamada & Negro Casas when Wagner used his Michinoku driver II on Casas at 8:22.

President Fujinami announced that New Japan would have a major show on 5/5 at the Fukuoka Dome as part of the 4 large dome tour they are doing this year. New Japan can't fill this building because it holds 80,000, but has always had problems drawing here, which is why they've only taken the building out once since drawing 48,000 on 5/3/95. Of course, even a papered 48,000 still makes for a very profitable show. The best they did here was 55,000 on 5/3/93 for Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu & Genichiru Tenryu, but they don't have anything on that level to present this year. It's rumored that they'll go with Riki Choshu coming out of retirement in an exploding death match against soon to be retired Atsushi Onita. Tatsumi Fujinami may start his retirement countdown on this show.

3/5 Tokyo Korakuen Hall 1,812 sellout
Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Tatsutoshi Goto & Michiyoshi Ohara beat Kensuke Sasaki & Takashi Iizuka & Manabu Nakanishi & Yugi Nagata when Goto backdropped Nagata at 7:31.
Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Mike Enos following his diving headbutt at 11:30.
Perro Aguayo & Hijo Del Perro Aguayo & Jushin Thunder Liger downed Gran Hamada & El Samurai & Negro Casas when Liger pinned Hamada at 9:29 following his suichoku rakka shiki no brainbuster.

Keiji Muto is scouting independent wrestlers in Nashville, Tennessee. He's supposed to be looking for a new companion since all his former allies are now aligned with his rival Masa Chono, but I'm sure New Japan isn't going to have Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Muto and two indy guys anytime soon. What is possible is that Muto and a few WCW wrestlers could challenge Team 2000 at some point.

3/4 Kanagawa Hiratsuka Sogo Taiikukan 4,200 sellout
Kensuke Sasaki & Junji Hirata & Manabu Nakanishi defeated Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima when Hirata pinned Tenzan at 15:11 in his mashin fusha (I guess this is devil windmill, but I was always under the impression that mashin was Machine since he was SS Machine for all those years) suplex.
Yuji Nagata & Mike Enos beat Tatsutoshi Goto & Michiyoshi Ohara when Enos gave Ohara the Mike crusher at 10:00.
Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai & Gran Hamada & Dr. Wagner, Jr. downed Perro Aguayo & Hijo Del Perro Aguayo & Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Negro Casas when Samurai pinned Casas at 13:00.

Keiji Muto came to America to "probe the road to recovery." He's supposed to be scouting talent for New Japan and helping them get Goldberg for the 4/7 Dome show, but mainly he's leaving to get more treatment on his shot knees and wrestle as The Great Muta in WCW because their matches are much shorter and far less demanding.

3/3 Niigata Shi Taiikukan 3,800 sellout
Kensuke Sasaki & Shiro Koshinaka & Takashi Iizuka beat Masahiro Chono & Tatsutoshi Goto & Michiyoshi Ohara when Sasaki strangled Ohara at 10:06.
Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat tag champions Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata in a non-title match when Kojima lariated Nakanishi at 10:56.
Perro Aguayo & Koji Kanemoto & Shinjiro Otani & Negro Casas & Hijo Del Perro Aguayo defeated Jushin Thunder Liger & Gran Hamada & El Samurai & Kendo Kashin & Dr. Wagner Jr. in a 2/3 fall match. Aguayo took the first fall after he gave Hamada a diving senton at 6:35. Hamada pinned Casas at 6:18 in the second fall after his Hama-chan cutter. Otani took the third fall when he pinned Wagner at 6:34 following his swandive shiki no near kick.
Osamu Kido & Mike Enos downed Junji Hirata & Tadao Yasuda when Enos pinned Hirata at 9:26 after his Mike crusher.

6 more matches were announced for the DOME IMPACT card on 4/7 at the Tokyo Dome. They are really going through with the Kensuke Sasaki vs. Jushin Thunder Liger match. This will almost certainly be for the IWGP Heavykyu Senshuken, it's just that Sasaki has to make his defense against Satoshi Kojima on 3/19 first. Kojima, of course, says he's going to beat Sasaki for the title, which would make his Tokyo Dome match against Shinjiro Otani a title match. These two junior vs. heavy matches are being billed as Challenge the Super Heavy Hamaguchi Dojo Hen, with the gimmick being that all four of these guys were originally trained for New Japan in Animal Hamaguchi's Dojo. There is another junior vs. heavy match billed as Challenge the Super Heavy Kakutogi Hen, with Koji Kanemoto facing Don Frye, which means Kanemoto is supposed to be the best "shooter" of the current junior heavyweights. The good thing about Otani & Kanemoto getting matches against heavyweights as well is that means Liger doesn't have to keep proving he's above these guys to warrant matches out of the junior division. Of course, the bad thing is that a junior tag title match would have been worlds better than Kanemoto vs. Frye.
Since Hashimoto is facing Ogawa, they are also having their partners, Takashi Iizuka & Kazunari Murakami, meet each other in a singles match. This match is billed as Genkonittki, which means play for all or nothing.
Yutaka Yoshie's first match back from CWA in Europe will be against Hiroyoshi Tenzan.
Genichiru Tenryu & Tatsumi Fujinami will face Manabu Nakanishi & Yugi Nagata in a match billed as HISTORY of WRESTLING.

They are doing a dissention angle where Shinya Hashimoto has criticized Kensuke Sasaki for letting the team down by losing the deciding match in the NJ vs. Team 2000 10 vs. 10 series on 2/20. Sasaki, in turn, complained that Hashimoto has been too concerned with Naoya Ogawa.

The biggest matches for the two March tours are as follows:
3/6 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Perro Aguayo & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. El Hijo Del Perro Aguayo & Gran Hamada in Perro Aguayo's last match in Japan
3/10 Yamaguchi Yanai Shi Taiikukan: Liger vs. El Samurai for the IWGP Junior
3/19 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan: Kensuke Sasaki vs. Satoshi Kojima for the IWGP Heavy. Kensuke will win this one then defend the title against Chono at the Tokyo Dome.
3/20 Hyogo Amagasaki Shi Kinen Koen Sogo Taiikukan: Manabu Nakanishi & Yugi Nagata vs. Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan for the IWGP Tag & Liger vs. Don Frye in a Special Match
Mike Enos will be on these tours.

They are doing an angle where Chono is demanding that his wrestlers get shots at every IWGP belt on the next tour. This is rather bizarre because Chono doesn't have any juniors in his group. AKIRA is a former IWGP Junior champion and still could wrestle as a junior, but hasn't competed in the division in years. His win over Kanemoto on 2/20 could warrant the title shot, but don't ask me who he'd tag with to pursue the junior tag titles. Chono is in line for a shot at Sasaki since he beat him to win the 10 vs. 10 (even though he lost to him that night as well), but I have a feeling that he'll get that shot at the Tokyo Dome.

Yutaka Yoshie will return to New Japan on the 4/7 Tokyo Dome show. Yoshie has been wrestling in Europe for the CWA, where he earned the nickname Sumo. He's bulked up to 115kg, but despite the nickname the added weight is supposed to be muscle.

2/20 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan 11,500 sellout
New Japan finished their current series with a Shin Nihon Puroresu vs. Team 2000 10 vs. 10 Kessen (decisive battle).
The series started off with NJ's Takashi Iizuka forcing Hiro Saito to submit to his hadakajime at 12:10.
Team 2000's Super J evened the series when he pinned Tadao Yasuda at 7:33 following a swing shiki no DDT.
Tatsutoshi Goto made it 2-1 Team 2000 when he forced Junji Hirata to submit to a reverse chickenwing at 7:03.
NJ's Shiro Koshinaka evened the series at 2 when he pinned Michiyoshi Ohara in his powerbomb at 6:03.
AKIRA made it 3-2 Team 2000 when he pinned Koji Kanemoto in his Dragon suplex hold at 9:57.
Satoshi Kojima made it 4-2 Team 2000 when he lariated Jushin Thunder Liger in 7:51. Unless the idea of Liger challenging for the IWGP Heavykyu has been scrapped, this result doesn't make any sense. I mean, why would anyone believe that Liger could beat Kensuke when he can't even last 8 minutes with a guy that challenged for the IWGP Heavykyu once in his life.
Don Frye of Team 2000 made it 5-2 when he defeated Yuji Nagata at 6:47 with a hadakajime. The best the New Japan side could do now was tie, but they weren't demoralized.
New Japan began their big run when Manabu Nakanishi forced Hiroyoshi Tenzan to submit to his Argentine backbreaker in 12:36.
Shinya Hashimoto followed this up by pinning Scott Norton with a jumping DDT in 8:46. This meant that Kensuke could force the series to go an extra match if he could defeat Team 2000 leader Masa Chono.
Kensuke Sasaki tied the series at 5 when he forced Masa Chono to submit to his strangle hold alpha in 16:57. Chono then demanded a rematch between the "generals" of the two sides.
Chono gained when Sasaki's second Shinya Hashimoto threw in the towel at 7:29 because Sasaki had been trapped in Chono's cross shiki no STF for more than 3 minutes (this must have been one hell of a match.:). Chono rubbed the victory for his Team 2000 in, with his "parade of power" causing post-match chaos to further heat up the feud and lead to the next series of matches between the warring factions.

The angle involving Shinya Hashimoto is that Hashimoto doesn't want to team with his rival Naoya Ogawa because he doesn't like him one bit, and instead wants to regain his honor by beating him on 4/7 at the Tokyo Dome. Tatsumi Fujinami represents New Japan in all these kind of angles rather than the booker (whom they call matchmaker since it's supposed to be real) because the president is supposed to look out for the leagues best interest and be their spokesman. Anyway, Fujinami wants Hashimoto vs. Ogawa to headline the 4/7 Dome show because it's the biggest match they can present (and they have nothing else). Inoki is the main person putting together the Rikidozan memorial show, and they don't have anything on the table that can come close to filling the arena. Ogawa realizes being involved in such a match will help his career, and doesn't want to fight against Hashimoto for the rest of his life, but basically he's teaming with Hashimoto because his teacher Inoki wants him to. Nobuhiko Takada doesn't want to participate for some unannounced reason, probably because they want him to do the job. Part of the angle is that Inoki is going to postpone a trip to the US to meet with Takada and persuade him to be a part of the match. In order to heat up the angle on this major show, Inoki, on his birthday, asked Hashimoto in the ring to team with Ogawa, but Hashimoto refused to shake hands with Ogawa and left instead of joining him. Fujinami asked the fans if they wanted to see them have a singles match and the fans screamed for it so it was basically settled that they would have their fifth singles match on 4/7 (as if there was any doubt). Still, Inoki is going to try to convince Hashimoto one more time before he gives up on this match. In a related note, there will be a special 3-hour edition of World Pro Wrestling on 4/7 starting at 7:54 PM that will show the top matches from the Tokyo Dome.

Kazuo Yamazaki's autobiography comes out on 2/20.

2/16 Gifu Kosei Kaikan 4,000 sellout
Masa Chono & Scott Norton & Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Tatsumi Fujinami & Shinya Hashimoto & Manabu Nakanishi when Chono used his diving shoulder attack on Nakanishi at 13:49.
Jushin Thunder Liger & Dr. Wagner, Jr. & El Samurai & Kendo Kashin beat Koji Kanemoto & Shinjiro Otani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Minoru Tanaka when Samurai used his nadare shiki no Frankensteiner on Kanemoto at 11:21

Now that Naoya Ogawa has asked Shinya Hashimoto to team with him on 3/11, they are playing up the angle of Hashimoto possibly leaving NJ for UFO. I wouldn't expect to see this happen in the next few months, but it's the logical progression of mixing the lineups up in order to make the most money. Hashimoto vs. Ogawa will have run it's course after the 4/7 Tokyo Dome, so Hashimoto & Ogawa forming a shooter team at some point is the way to continue to make money of the same guys being in the ring together.

Yuji Nagata is forming a Vale Tudo troop in New Japan. These guys will train with him in the Team Obake gym in Atlanta that Goldberg owns. So far he hasn't announced any members of his troop.

2/12 Wakayama Kenritsu Hashimoto Taiikukan Sub Arena 1,500
Masa Chono & Tatsu Goto & Michiyoshi Ohara beat Kensuke Sasaki & Takashi Iizuka & Yuji Nagata when Chono forced Iizuka to submit to the STF at 11:31.

2/11 Osaka Fushu (?) Arena 3,500
The New Japan team of Tatsumi Fujinami & Kensuke Sasaki & Shinya Hashimoto & Takashi Iizuka & Manabu Nakanishi scored a 2 falls to 0 victory over the Team 2000 team of Masa Chono & Don Frye & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima & Super J. Sasaki took the first fall when he lariated Super J at 14:26. Hashimoto won the match for New Japan when he made Tenzan submit to a sankakujime at 8:43. I'm surprised they would do a 2-3 falls match to start the series and have one team win both falls. I suspect this means Team 2000 will win more matches in the 10 vs. 10 series on 2/20.
The weak members of Team 2000 that weren't in the 2/3 falls match, Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto & Michiyoshi Ohara, upset Genichiru Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka & Junji Hirata when Goto backdropped Hirata at 8:36. Since Hirata doesn't have a role anymore due to old age, this was a good result because it allows Team 2000 to get one up on Koshinaka, and Tenryu if indeed the plan is for him to join this series at some point.
Scott Norton beat Kenzo Suzuki in the 4th match of Suzuki's CHALLENGE TRIAL series with a powerbomb at 5:40.

New Japan's 2/20 show at Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan will be built around a New Japan vs. Team 2000 10 vs. 10 singles series. It sounds like they won't be announcing the actual singles matchups, just the participants. Instead, the fans who are there won't know who is in each specific match until their music starts playing. Since Chono only has 10 guys, his side is obvious. The angle is that Sasaki, who is leading the NJ side, is recruiting the other 9 members of his team. It looks like, in addition to Hashimoto, he has Shiro Koshinaka and Jushin Thunder Liger so far.

New Japan continues to realign their wrestlers. To answer the question of who Team 2000 were going to feud against, heavyweight champion Kensuke Sasaki declared all out war against Chono's unit. Shinya Hashimoto will be siding with Sasaki since the NJ side now lacks any other big names.

Masahiro Chono has unified his Team 2000 group (Frye, Super J, & AKIRA) with nWo black (Tenzan, Kojima, Norton, & Hiro) and Dog Corps (Goto & Ohara). The group will keep Chono's Team 2000 name, so the nWo name is dead in Japan once and for all, meaning no more problems with WCW in that regard. It also means Tenzan has no chance of surpassing Chono because he's back under him. For that reason, I think this is a bad more. With Muto out and Chono leading the other side, Tenzan & Kojima were finally out of the shadow of those two and in a program that had the potential to help bring them up closer to Chono's level. I'm not saying it would have worked, but they've barely had any shows since Tenzan beat Chono in tag to instill life into the series, so I can't see pulling the plug on it now. If the nWo name was the problem, they should have just scrapped it when Tenzan and co. succeeded from Muto's command. Furthermore, I've never seen the benefit in having 10 guys in a group. Half of the group means something, but Hiro, Goto, and Ohara may as well be Adams, Disciple, and Vincent. On the other hand, by including everyone, NJ keeps their lesser wrestlers somewhat meaningful and useful because at least they have a role in what will probably be the top feud in the company. It's not like the bottom feed will just be standing around twiddling their thumbs while Hogan and Nash spread the bull, and then hitting the ring to get taken out by Sting. Anyway, Chono said he "swears a solid union to smash New Japan." Their feud against New Japan will begin on 2/11 in Osaka.

Masa Chono announced that he's ending the black dispute (Team 2,000 vs. nWo feud). Also, he said he will announce the latest addition to Team 2,000 tomorrow.

2/5 Sapporo Hokkaido-ken Sangyo Kyoshinkaijyo Tsukisappu Green Dome 6,800 sellout
Kensuke Sasaki made his first successful defense of the IWGP Heavykyu Senshuken, pinning Don Frye at 14:02 after 4 consecutive lariats. Sasaki had previously beaten Frye on the 8/8/98 Osaka Dome show, but Frye lasted longer and gave him a tougher fight here. President Tatsumi Fujinami said he would like to see Sasuke defend the title against Goldberg on the 4/7 Tokyo Dome show, but Sasaki said he wants to defend against Liger. There is no chance of Goldberg vs. Sasaki happening, but Liger might be a real possibility since I'm sure Nobuhiko Takada will be too busy training his ass off for his 5/1 match against Ken Shamrock. The idea of Sasaki vs. Liger would be to unify heavyweight and junior heavyweight wrestling, but this would not be a good thing because the match quality of the juniors would go to hell and I can't see them being pushed hard against the heavyweights over the long haul.
Shinya Hashimoto continues to be repushed. Coming off a win over the IWGP tag champs, Hashimoto & Takashi Iizuka beat Masahiro Chono & AKIRA when Hashimoto forced AKIRA to submit to his sankakujime at 10:44.
Kenzo Suzuki continues to lose his CHALLENGE TRIAL matches, of course, this time Yuji Nagata made him to submit to the udehishigigyakujujigatame at 8:52.
Jushin Thunder Liger teamed with Minoru Tanaka, who had replaced Liger in the tag match on the November-December tour so Liger could be embarrassed by Vince Russo, to defeat Kendo Kashin & Dr. Wagner Jr. when Liger used his shotei on Kashin at 11:00.

2/4 Sapporo Hokkaido-ken Sangyo Kyoshinkaijyo Tsukisappu Green Dome 6,500 sellout
Masa Chono's Team 2000 defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan's nWo JAPAN BLACK 3 matches to one. The series started off with 2000's AKIRA beating Hiro Saito at 7:44 with his musasabi (giant flying squirrel/ Petaurista leucogenys) press. Scott Norton evened it up for nWo JAPAN, pinning Super J at 8:18 following a nagebbonashi (throw without returning?) powerbomb. From there it was all downhill for nWo Japan as Don Frye forced Satoshi Kojima to submit to his hadakajime at 10:22 and Hiroyoshi Tenzan failed to beat his old mentor to at least tie things, instead submitting in 18:14 to the same cross shiki no STF that Chono beat Muto with at the Tokyo Dome.
There were also three title defenses on this stacked show, but none of the titles changes hands. Manabu Nakanishi & Yugi Nagata made their expected second successful defense over Tatsutoshi Goto & Michiyoshi Ohara when Nagata pinned Ohara in a backdrop hold at 15:43. Their next opponents, Naoya Ogawa & Kazunari Murakami, present a much bigger threat to Nakanishi & Nagata. If those two are unable to win the titles and Nakanishi & Nagata still have the titles after the Tokyo Dome then Shinya Hashimoto & Takashi Iizuka, who beat the champions in a non-title match on 2/1, will probably get a shot.
Jushin Thunder Liger continued his angle that's ruining the junior division where he squashes his challenger for the IWGP Junior Heavykyu Senshuken (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title) and then they talk about him coming a heavyweight. Minoru Tanaka lasted over a minute longer with Liger than Koji Kanemoto did on 1/4, which normally would be an accomplishment, but in this case it was only 5:04 before Liger pinned him after the suichoku rakka shiki brainbuster (verticle fall style brainbuster). This was Liger's second successful defense, with the total match time of the defenses adding up to just 9 minutes. After the match there was further verbal warfare between Liger and the junior tag champs Shinjiro Otani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa, which should help set up a future title match for one or both of the belts so long as Liger is still in the division.
Otani & Takaiwa's 4th successful defense was over Kendo Kashin & Dr. Wagner Jr. This match went 16:23 before Otani used his spiral bomb to pin Wagner.
The second match of the Kenzo Suzuki CHALLENGE TRIAL series saw him team with Kensuke Sasaki to lose to Genichiru Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka when Tenryu lariated him in 7:37.

Manabu Nakanishi tried to start a feud with Naoya Ogawa on the 1/4 Tokyo Dome show. It looks like it will come to fruition (so Hashimoto vs. Ogawa can finally end after the April Dome), as Ogawa & Kazunari Murakami are getting the next shot at the IWGP Tag Senshuken. Assuming Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata defend against Tatsu Goto & Michiyoshi Ohara on 2/4, which they will, they'll be putting the titles up for grabs on the 3/11 Rikidozan memorial show.