IWGP vs. Triple Crown at Sumo Hall!!!

[BusaLiger Dragon]

From SSS

New Japan presents one of the biggest Sumo Hall cards in history on 2/20! For the first time ever, it'll be IWGP Heavyweight Champion vs. Triple Crown Champion, as Hiroyoshi Tenzan makes his V1 defense of IWGP against the winner of Toshiaki Kawada vs. Satoshi Kojima on 2/16. These three seem to be crossing each others' paths constantly. In December, shortly before winning IWGP, Tenzan lost a 30+ match with Kawada, before drawing with Kojima in Osaka, then taking the title from Kensuke. Now, after All Japan's future is decided, he will take on the winner of that match almost instantly. It'll be a historic match, and makes the 2/20 Sumo Hall show bigger than the 1/4 Tokyo Dome show, pretty much, which isn't too surprising as the whole card is booked by the tour committee (Hidekazu Tanaka, etc.)... without certain influences. Chono or Nakamura are leading candidates to challenge the winner on March's Sumo Hall show. Also added today was the "Biggest ideology feud ever" climax, as Nishimura looks to erase "lariat puroresu" from New Japan when he goes to war with Riki Choshu. Choshu knocked Nishimura out in a tag at the Osaka Dome, and Nishimura bled from his mouth after taking a Riki lariat. UPDATE: SKY PerfecTV! PPV has 2/20 listed as a PPV, so its going to be a joint PPV/WPW taping.

There are still a number of unannounced cards, but two of the bigger house shows had main matches announced today. 2/11 Gifu has the men at each others' throats in the press, Nagata and Tanahashi, teaming against Chono & X. Underneath is Tenzan vs. Makabe, which has happened quite a few times in the last couple of years, with Tenzan winning every match. 2/13 Gifu looks interesting, with a same generation tag pitting Tanahashi & Nakamura against Makabe & Yoshie, the latter of whom will be looking to close the gap. A big six man tag sees Tenzan, Nagata & Nishimura face Chono, Nakanishi & X. Interesting note about X, whoever it is. The press made a big deal about how he was ranked above Nakanishi in match listings. But suddenly, New Japan has quietly changed his ranking to below Nakanishi, which could mean one of several things.

2005 is turning out to be a great year...Just look at this show

NJPW, 2/20/05 (WPW/PPV/NJ+IWTV Internet)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tiger Mask (c) vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
2. Osamu Nishimura vs. Riki Choshu
3-6. New Japan vs. Black New Japan 4 vs. 4 Singles Match Series: Yuji Nagata New Japan, Takashi Iizuka New Japan, Hiroshi Tanahashi New Japan & Shinsuke Nakamura New Japan vs. Masahiro Chono Black New Japan, Manabu Nakanishi Black New Japan, X Black New Japan & Harry Smith Black New Japan
7. IWGP Heavyweight Title & Triple Crown: Hiroyoshi Tenzan (c) vs. Winner of Toshiaki Kawada/Satoshi Kojima All Japan (c)

[Luds]

Holly molly, this is crazy!!!

AJ runs a show on 02/16 with
Keiji Motoh vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi and Satoshi Kojima vs. Triple Crown (C) Toshiaki Kawada

and 4 days later we get Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Kawada/Kojima for the Triple Crown!!!

I'm freakign out!

It'll be a draw, but still!!!

[edgehead1984]

Well someone is going into this match with no illusions...I wish I could go!

[Haiku Warrior]

I'm guessing it'll be TENZEN v. KOJIMA but it could be Tenzen v. Kawada again with Tenzen winning. But I do think it will be a draw but a 60:00 draw between Tenzen & Kojima? Man, that will and should be one for the ages.

[Black_Flag_Of_Ulster]

i'm sure njpw will find a way to turn this into a tag team match in time.

[Luds]

Actually, a 60 min draw might be a better option for the show.

Where would AJ go from here if Kawada/Kojima were to lose?

[Pheonix_Chi25]

If I were a betting man, I'd say X will be Shinya Hashimoto.

I'm psyched for this too, the possibility of one man walking away with FOUR BELTS!!!! This is awesome. Although I believe it will be Kawada that will face Tenzan and not Kojima.

[Tradewynd]

To burst your bubble, X is looking like A-Train, so don't get your hopes up.

I doesn't seem like either title is going to change hands here. They may not go 60 minutes, probably a countout or a DQ for using a closed fist knowing New Japan these days. I could see Tenzan doing the job though, just to continue the theme of completely destroying his credibility. They're probably telling him that's he's going over clean until he signs the contract, and that's when he goes back to upper card jobberville. He should keep NJ on the fence until 2/20, work on handshake deal until the big night and then announce that's he's jumping somewhere else with the IWGP title. I'd love to see Chono and Inoki's face when that happens.

[Luds]

Now that would be something! Tenzan jumps to HOAH with both the IWGP and the TC straps

[Tradewynd]

Of course, Misawa will be challenging for the newly created IWGP Quadruple Crown at NOAH's next big show, and will go over clean before unveiling a new gimmick for Tenzan - Kawada II. Misawa will also have regained the GHC by that time, and and will melt down all 5 titles to create the Misawa Mitsuharu Memorial Belt.

I would still take that over Inoki calling the shots.

[edgehead1984]

That's saying something, but I believe that New Japan would simply resurrect the NWF title.

[Luds]

And then Misawa puts over his boyfriend ratboy who will become the 2nd New-Triple crown champ (TC, IWGP Heavy, GHC Heavy)

[edgehead1984]

that's putting it mildly...

[Luds]

Man if ratboy ever wins the strap again (GHC heavy) that's it for me and NOAH...

anyways, I really can't wait for this match. Tenzan vs. Kojima in a 60 min draw sounds fantastic.

[Haiku Warrior]

I would rather it be Kawada because as much as I like Kojima, Kawada represents AJ that much more.

In all honesty a match like this should be Chono v. Kawada b/c they both are the epitome of their respective companies.