Next Triple Crown Champion...

[Luds]

Who will win the Triple Crown next and why???

Kojima, Kawada, Gladiator, or Otani?

I'g go with Kawada andfinally get the Kawada-Hashimto rematch...

[DANGEROUS DAN]

Luds, I hope you are right, but there is one thing that stands in the way of that dream, Mutoh. He has the book, and if history is any indication he will give his boy the title. As much as it pains me and the rest of you AJPW tradionalists here to see another former NJPW made piece of talent win the title. I have dreamt (like you) of the Kawada/Hashimoto match since 1995, but it will not come to fruition due to the ego and injuries involoved.

[edgehead1984]

I agree with both of you.

I would like to see Kawada regain the TC, but with Mutoh booking I think we might The Gladiator of all people hold the TC, not that Awaesome that bad, he is a cousin of Horace Hogan after all.

[OldSchoolFan]

Kawada get his nice long title reign that he shoulda had 5 years ago. Drops to Kojima in march or april if the company is still around that long.

[EvilMidnightBomber]

Have to agree with Old School - give Dangerous K his much deserved long run, then turn it over to Kojima (and Kea).

[Pheonix_Chi25]

Satoshi Kojima hands down

[BadNews]

Gladiator hasn't been built up yet and by the time he has AJPW won't be around anymore.

Kojima is great, but he is just not getting the belt.

Otani? Where the heck did you get that idea?

Kawada is the only logical choice. He will have the sad duty of carrying the company into oblivion...

[Mutoh-Mania]

Satoshi Kojima

[EvilMidnightBomber]

Otani? Where the heck did you get that idea?

Otani was announced as the final contender (and Zero-One's representative) for a one night (9/6 I think), four-man tourney to award the vacated TC (Kawada, Awesome, and Kojima being the other 3). I've always been a fan of Otani's, but I would have preferred Masata Tanaka. Actually, now that I think about - it should have been Kawada, Kojima, Tanaka, and Otani. Since Zero-One's vacating the title, you'd think they'd get more than one contender. It's not like anyone believes Awesome (and his gut) are going to walk out of Da Budokan with the Triple Crown anyway.

[Luds]

Gladiator hasn't been built up yet and by the time he has AJPW won't be around anymore.
Kojima is great, but he is just not getting the belt.
Otani? Where the heck did you get that idea?
Kawada is the only logical choice. He will have the sad duty of carrying the company into oblivion...

Pretty much... As much as I'd like him to win, Kawada is the logical choice. However, we've seen weird results in All Japan before...

Like when Noah was formed, Everyone thought that Kawada would win the TC that was vacated by Kobashi, but is was Tenryu who won...

[El Pollo Guerrera]

Knowing how the matches are set up (Kojima vs. Ohtani and Kawada vs. Gladiator), I'd say Kawada will win. I'd really like to see the Kojima/Ohtani match, though... I'd like to see Ohtani put in a strong showing. Ohtani is my "dark horse" pick.

(You never know... Mutoh could pull a McMahon and have Ohtani win, a la Chris Jericho!)

[BadNews]

giving the belt to Otani would only make sense if Zero-One wants to grab the TC and run before it all goes wahooni-shaped, to quote Terry Pratchett. From the moneymakin' point, there is no alternative to Kawada so that he can face Hashimoto.

[Daishikaze]

Ya never know with Mutoh nowadays, He might put it on Kawada just to challenge him after the win, and take it himself, since he is going the WWE route, I wouldn't be surprised

[Sofa Kingdom]

Put the Triple Crown on Gladiator! If theirs an udesirable champion people will watch in hopes to see him lose... well it worked for Vince (HHH) and Inoki (Puroresu.com message board personal hero, Mr. Yasuda).

...but then again that would be copying.

So I suggest droping it to Kojima, mainly because of what he's already done in the past year.

[Peru-Yakuza]

Pretty much... As much as I'd like him to win, Kawada is the logical choice. However, we've seen weird results in All Japan before...

Like when Noah was formed, Everyone thought that Kawada would win the TC that was vacated by Kobashi, but is was Tenryu who won...

Tenryu won because he was a former champion and because they were giving him the ranking he had when he left (which was above Kawada). Plus, having Kawada kill Tenryu right there would not have made much sense, remember that the two of them would be the ones carrying All-Japan and there was no one else. Kojima on the other hand is not a former champion and neither is Otani, so I don't give them much chance, as this is the Triple Crown we're talking about. I don't think for a second Muta would give it to Kojima, for the reason that he still has to prove himself against Kawada, or Otani who despite turning heavyweight has only beaten prelims or mid-carders.