Who do you think is going to have the best year?

[Azrael]

NOAH and New Japan are kinda down, All Japan is building itself up, and FMW is coming back, who's going to rule 2002!?

[Kaiser Baz]

I reckon All Japan are making a serious comeback.

[BurningHammer]

This is purely my sentimental side, but I am hoping for NOAH to have a breakout year. Mostly, I just want to see Kenta Kobashi back and healthy, but I think that NOAH has an incredible batch of young talent (Marufuji, KENTA, Modest, Ikeda, and Suguira to name a few) that can really rise to the forefront if taken seriously. All Japan will no doubt dominate the picture, but I'm still pulling for NOAH.

[LizardKing]

I would say BattlArts! But they're not on the list...

I voted for New Japan, because I still think they are in the best position. All Japan hasn't changed much. I didn't really feel Mutoh, Kojima and Ka Shin would do much to help All Japan and I dont feel they've turned things around there at all. For me, All Japan is in the middle of a transitional phase, torn between sticking with the tradition and breaking away from it. NOAH is still blighted by Misawa's erratic booking and blatant misuse of talent plus Kobashi being injured again doesnt help. I see New Japan, finally with a good IWGP Champion, and with a junior division looking as good as ever, I still see New Japan as top dog.

[Luds]

I agree with LizardKing, NJ is looking strong with Nagata. It's good to see a new face as the champion... a good one!

[Kaiser Baz]

NJPW will only prosper if they hamper their stupid fixation with putting their top stars in shoot matches. Nagata was the shining star of New Japan until he got murdered by Mirko Cro Cop and he's only now recovering. But thank Jevesus that that bufoon Yasuda is not the champ any more.

[Fulltime Killer]

Yasuda, is he like the equivilent(sp?) of...let's say...Giant Silva? Or how about Goldberg?


man, I gotta start getting NJPW tapes again. I'm glad Nagata is at the top!

[LizardKing]

Yasuda was made IWGP Champion at a time when every fan of NJPW wanted Nagata or Tenzan (or at worst, Chono). Yasuda had done well in a shoot and got the belt on that basis. He's by no means a Giant Silva, and is carryable. But as champion - no way.

Nagata to me is a natural champion. Yeah, he got badly beaten by Filipovic, but he has recovered from that so well, so well infact that I have mostly forgotten about it. His capture of the IWGP belt just showed how good he is - Nagata was awesome.