ALL JAPAN [2/23/03] Results -- Hashimoto wins Triple Crown!

[Haiku Warrior]

AJPW, 2/23/03 (PPV)
Tokyo Nippon Budokan
15,800 Fans (Sell Out)

1. Gran Hamada & Taichi Ishikari beat Masanobu Fuchi & Spriggan (11:53) when Hamada used the Hama-Chan Cutter on Spriggan.
2. Extreme Blade beat Super Dragon (8:09) with the Bring the House Down.
3. Tomoaki Honma, Kazushi Miyamoto, Sanshiro Takagi & Tomohiko Hashimoto beat Shigeo Okumura, Hideki Hosaka, Yuto Aijima & Ryuji Hijikata (24:33) in an Elimination Match. Hijikata used a face kick on Hashimoto (9:54). Miyamoto used a wakigatame cutback cradle on Aijima (15:30). Hosaka and Takagi went over the top rope (16:29). Honma threw Hijikata over the top rope (18:38). Honma used a rolling elbow smash on Okumura (24:33).
4. The Gladiator beat Nobukazu Hirai (8:57) with a diving body press.
5. Genichiro Tenryu, Yoji Anjo & Kaz Hayashi beat Big John Tenta, Gigantes & Jimmy Yang (15:12) when Hayashi used an avalanche-style Final Cut on Yang.
6. Satoshi Kojima, Arashi, Nobutaka Araya & Kendo Kashin beat Shinjiro Otani , Masato Tanaka , Kazuhiko Ogasawara & Ryouji Sai (20:06) when Kojima used a lariat on Sai.
7. Triple Crown: Shinya Hashimoto beat Great Muta (c) (20:09) with a vertical drop brainbuster to become the 31st champion.

[Haiku Warrior]

Triple Crown: Shinya Hashimoto beat Great Muta (c) (20:09) with a vertical drop brainbuster to become the 31st champion. [/B]

WOW!

[Sofa Kingdom]

Hashimoto Triple Crown Champ!

...talk about pleasent suprises.

[Mutoh-Mania]

Let me toast the new champion and offer congratulations

[TRZZXQ]

Well, the Hashimoto win was certainly unexpected. I'm happy about it though, I've always been a fan of his. You think this may be a contingency plan of sorts? You know, build up good relations with ZERO-ONE in case anyone (read: Tenryu or Kawada) jumps from AJPW or if business continues to go down. Hm, ZERO-ONE/AJPW fued, that works for me.

[StrongStyleKid]

I am also a big Mutoh fan, however I congratulate Hashimoto on his victory! Great to hear!

[DANGEROUS DAN]

If any one goes to Baba's grave in the near future proceed with caution as he is spinning with greeat velocity.

What a load of crap Muto's vision of wrestling is. This chain smoking, non working, egotistical doesn't put anyone over and will only drop it back to Muto, if he even does that. I mean look at his so called drop of the NWA strap. He has no class and to much ego.

I think it is about time I gave up my loyalty to AJPW. Baba's vision is indeed gone

[El Fiasco]

Okay, I like Hashimoto and am glad to see him win the Triple Crown, but honestly, WHO is he going to defend it against in Zero-One? The Predator? Steve Corino? Naoya Ogawa? These could all be decent matches, but hardly the epic battles the Triple Crown was created for.

Hopefully Hashimoto faces All Japans best, such as Kojima and Tenryu, before finally dropping the titles to Kawada.

[Haiku Warrior]

[Muiyan]

C'mon, it ain't really THAT surprising. Personally, i had expected Mutoh to drop it, and if he didn't, THEN i'd be surprised.

As for Hashimoto as TC Champ....mmm... i had enjoyed the stiff kicking and crazy stiff chopping of the Hashimoto of old, but i've not seen any of his recent (or even several years old) stuff, so i don't know.

I feel a bit odd that he's the TRIPLE CROWN champ though. Yes i expected it but i still feel weird. And I'll be looking forward to Hashimoto vs. Kawada!

[Peru-Yakuza]

Unless Muta and Hashimoto go thru with the idea of merging All-Japan and Zero-One, beware - when the list of "IWGP & TC" champs increases, you might think one of the promotions holding the titles will collapse.

[jstonek]

i am a huge Mutoh fan but the switch makes sense to build up the fued and have Kojima avenge All Japan and regain the belt.

Hashimoto - Mutoh
Hashimoto - Kojima
Hashimoto - Kawada
Hashimoto - Gladitor

hum, should be very interesting.

[El Fiasco]

Wouldn't everyone had rather seen Kojima win the belt than Hashimoto?

[Jason]

Of course it would be great to see Kojima win it, but that's the one ace in the hole AJ may have left and they have to do it right so that when he does win it is special. Having Kojima defeat Hashimoto to bring the TC back to AJ as jstonek suggested is certainly more exciting than another mediocre Mutoh-Kojima match.

Personally, I'd prefer that they hold off on Kojima a bit longer and have Kawada be the one to bring the TC back to AJ. Then down the road you could have a true passing of the torch from Kawada (representing old AJ) to Kojima (representing the new AJ).

[Luds]

Well having HAshimoto take the belt makes everyone wonder who will take it away...

Arashi? Don't be stupid
Mutoh? What's the point
Kojima? Good choice!
Kawada? KICKING CONTEST!
Kea? He won't hold the title that long... Kea is out for a while