In the first All-Japan to New Japan jump since before SWS, Masahito Kakihara announced that instead of coming back to All-Japan in October he would join New Japan as a free agent for the upcoming G-1 Climax Tag League.

This league tour will actually be subdivided into two leagues, one for the juniors (11/16 to 11/25) and other for the heavyweights (11/30 to 12/11). Most likely he will be teaming with Masayuki Naruse to feud with the "defender shooters," Koji Kanemoto (also returning) and Minoru Tanaka.

Will Kakihara finally achieve his potential? Considering his injury historial, as well as the fact that the latest was a result of a foreign object, the answer is debatable.