01/04/2004 Wrestling World 2004

[niniendo warrior]

Well, I couldn't find this topic anywhere in the board. Hope I'm right.

Credit to SSS:

There are rumours of Hogan participating on WW 2004... with Tenzan nominating Hogan and Kobashi as his challengers... I think this might imply a title match on 01/04/2004. But, I'd rather have Tenzan v Kenta Kobashi... or Kojima... oh well...

Excerpt from SSS:

... Uei was quoted as saying, "I applied a trial-and-error method, but UC and K-1 fights failed. I want [New Japan] to return to complete professional wrestling rules." The main concept of the January Tokyo Dome show is expected to be New Japan against foreign enemies from various places. Hulk Hogan is on the new 1/4 poster (above), fueling rumours that he will in fact work the show.

here's the poster from SSS:
http://www.puroresufan.com/images/tours/010404b.jpg

Also, Fujinami is retiring... hats off to him.

[Sofa Kingdom]

I think its good that Fujinami is retiring considering that he hasn't wrestled in about a year.

[Tradition Rules]

I think its good that Fujinami is retiring considering that he hasn't wrestled in about a year.

Unfortunatly, Fujinami is being forced to resign by Inoki,... as president of New Japan,not just as an active wrestler. Riki Choshyu has even publicly critisized Inoki and New Japan managment for the treatment of Fujinami for FORCING him to retire. I'm sure a great deal of what Choshyu said was due to political reasons, as this is almost exactly what they did to him when he was forced to resign as head booker of New Japan and forced out of the company.

I wish Fujinami the best, as he truely deserves it.


T.R!

[Kinnikuman131]

How can you force someone to retire? Seems kinda cutthroat to me.

[Tradition Rules]

How can you force someone to retire? Seems kinda cutthroat to me.

Yes it does, because it is. Inoki who is once again the majority stock holder in New Japan can either have him fired, or they(being Inoki and his Croonies managing New Japan) can make it look civil in front of the media and have a big farewell for the truly great Fujinami. This would save some level of face for Fujinami,and Inoki won't look like a villian.


There is question as to if Fujinami would be forced to leave New Japan all together,which would also require him to sell HIS stock in New Japan,or if they will keep him on as an advisor in some capacity or in a purley figurehead position. There is also talk(but this is not comfirmed) that others in power in New Japan who are working for a pure "wrestliing"(no MMA) style in the company(read:Chono & Lyger) may also be facing a difficult time ahead. I won't go into the rumors because they are only rumors at this time. But if Fujinami is forced out compleatly,then this wouldn't be far fetched at all.


I'm still a fan of Inoki from his early ring career(I have a three tape career retospective of him and love it),and really respect what he has done for the sport,but he seems like he needs to flex his influential muscles because he can't let go of the fact that New Japan does not,and has not for several years, revolve around him. He just can't give up the spotlight. He was involved in so much outside the ring as well. But it seems as though he is really willing to damage or even risk destoying New Japan just to see things the way he wants/envisions then to be. He still feels he IS New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Nobody wants to feel old or left out but,very respectfully said,its time for Inoki to realize things and times change and they always will.


T.R!

[Pheonix_Chi25]

IMO if wrestlers like Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Masanobu Fuchi and other wrestlers 40 or older can still tick in the sport, why not Fujinami? Personally this seems like Inoki positioning himself to try and take over New Japan and create what he wants out of it.

[edgehead1984]

IMO if wrestlers like Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Masanobu Fuchi and other wrestlers 40 or older can still tick in the sport, why not Fujinami? Personally this seems like Inoki positioning himself to try and take over New Japan and create what he wants out of it.

Well, as TR said it is his company and he can do whatever he wants.

Good luck to Fujinami.

[Kinnikuman131]

Its hard to give up the spot light, but busting everything up so that your still in view is kinda sad.

[Luds]

I sure hope Fujinami forms that tag team with Tanahashi... That would rock... But this would pretty much mean that Nishimura & Tenzan defeat Yoshie & Tanahashi for the tag belts...

[Pheonix_Chi25]

Well, as TR said it is his company and he can do whatever he wants.

Good luck to Fujinami.

I do wish luck to Fujinami and you are right it is his company, it just seems like a lot of BS to me by Inoki

[niniendo warrior]

Credit to SSS...

Here is the list of wrestlers participating on the 1/04 Tokyo Dome... which I assume is the Wrestling World 2004.

Tatsumi Fujinami, Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi, Osamu Nishimura, Takashi Iizuka, Josh Barnett, Yutaka Yoshie, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Blue Wolf, Shinsuke Nakamura, Hiro Saito, Tatsutoshi Goto, Michiyoshi Ohara (I'm surprised, given that he hasn't worked a date since August), Shinya Makabe, Jushin Thunder Liger, El Samurai, AKIRA (the return!?), Tiger Mask, Heat, Masayuki Naruse, Wataru Inoue, Jado, Gedo, Katsushi Takemura, Toru Yano, Ryusuke Taguchi, Naofumi Yamamoto, Hirooki Goto, Akiya Anzawa, Tadao Yasuda, Kazunari Murakami, Makai #1, Mitsuya Nagai, Katsuyori Shibata, Ryota Chikuzen, and the one and only Hulk Hogan. In addition, several wrestlers from outside of New Japan are in heavy negotiations to be on the show, possibilities including Keiji Muto, Bob Sapp, Hiroshi Hase.

This is a jumbo, jumbo, jumbo event.

Also, all this conspiracy talk on Inoki forcing Fujinami to resign may not be so true after all.

-- from SSS
New Japan and Antonio Inoki will at last unite again! New Japan today pledged it's full support to "INOKI BOM-BA-YE 2003", most of the roster showing up with President Fujinami at Narita Airport, where they met the departing Inoki. Chono asked though, that in return for New Japan's help on 12/31, Inoki appear at the Tokyo Dome on 1/4/04 and support his company by greeting fans. Inoki hasn't attended a New Japan show since the original "ULTIMATE CRUSH" on 5/2, but said New Japan is becoming interesting at last. He welcomed New Japan wrestlers working his show to raise their reputation to a huge mainstream audience, and said his show would be connected to 1/4, one being vale tudo and the other being professional wrestling. Inoki wants every New Japan wrestler to compete on 1/4, so that he can assess them all. Inoki plans to fly out to Croatia before anything else, and talk to Mirko Cro Cop.

Director Uei said New Japan would also dispatch wrestlers to "K-1 DYNAMITE!!" on New Year's Eve, but will no longer support PRIDE in any way, so no one will be sent there. Josh Barnett, Tiger Mask, Masayuki Naruse (who took a copy of Weekly Pro, and held the cover up to Inoki, which had Takada doing his anti-Inoki speech), Toru Yano, Tsuyoshi Kosaka, and Dolgorsuren Sumiyabazar have all offered to fight on either of the shows. Chono said Inoki's show would be part of pro wrestling's rehabilitation, as it'd show that pro wrestlers never refuse a good challenge. He thinks the show can overthrow NHK's extremely popular "Red & White" New Year's Eve broadcast (which features singing from celebrities), and said the year would end not with a song, but with fighting. Nagata confidently claimed that New Japan wrestlers would finish completely undefeated on 12/31. New Japan now holds an important place in the biggest night in fighting history. Yoshihiro Takayama is leading candidate to fight the mighty Cro Cop on Inoki's show. The money offer must be really good...

Fujinami has called a meeting at New Japan's dojo for all wrestlers associated with the company. Fujinami wants to discuss the 1/4 Tokyo Dome event and ideas with all affiliated wrestlers. With Inoki consenting and encouraging Fujinami's plan from recently, it looks like much of New Japan's immense roster will be on the 1/4 show.

-- Looks like Fujinami and Inoki are good buddies as well as NJ as Inoki. If they can pull off this jumbo event, this could be a dream event. Can they put all the titles on the line here?

[niniendo warrior]

I opted to make a new post because my previous post was simply very long...

Anyway...

Credit to SSS:

Genichiro Tenryu has expressed his interest in joining the 1/04 event. This could be very good for the jumbo show. Is this going to last the whole day or something?

Also, Tenzan is interested in giving Chono a title shot. Since Chono is aiming at a 1/04 come-back, does this mean his come-back match could be an IWGP title shot against Tenzan? That's, of course, assuming Tenzan does romp all over Shinsuke in his V1 defense.

[Pheonix_Chi25]

WOW!

I guess Tenryu's not retiring...yet. As for Tenzan/Nakamura, Tenzan will win but Nakamura san will give Tenzan hell and then some. Nakamura can go, as well as Tenzan. This should go at least 20-30 minute mark with Tenzan pulling out the win.

[niniendo warrior]

More news on Tenryu from SSS... Tenryu has severed ties on WJ and is looking forward to either Seiji Sakaguchi or Yuji Nagata as his opponent on the 1/04 show.

Chono has said that he'll trim the number of matches to around 15 (5 dark matches and 10 fight card event).

This may be a let down for a jumbo event, but it's a sensible decision.

I think this will turn into a 2 day 2 event affair.

[edgehead1984]

Liger has challenged "Kurt Angle Jr." Takashi Suguira for a GHC Jr. Title match for the Dome show.