NJ to hold tournament on 03/26 for #1 contendership

[Luds]

NJ will hold a 4 person tournament on 03/26/05 and the winner will get a shot at the IWGP title on the May Tokyo Dome show.

This looks like a very good card so far! Fujinami makes his return against Nishimura.

NJPW "NEXESS V", 3/26/05 (WPW/PPV/NJ+IWTV Internet)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Tatsumi Fujinami Return Match: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Osamu Nishimura
2. Young Lion Cup - Final:
3. IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Tournament - Semi Final: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Masahiro Chono
4. IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Tournament - Semi Final: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Manabu Nakanishi
5. Yuji Nagata vs. Tsuyoshi Kosaka
6. IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Tournament - Final: Winner of Nakamura/Chono vs. Winner of Tenzan/Nakanishi

[edgehead1984]

I see Chono winning the tourney...

I hope Nagata defeats Kosaka...

I hope Fujinami is in shape to return and to provide great matches as he used to...

[kwilson83]

Well, if we are making official predictions:

Masahiro Chono beats Nakamura
Tenzan beats Nakanishi
Final: Chono beats Tenzan

Not original, I almost hope they do something different to surprise me.

[BusaLiger Dragon]

Well i would like to say Tenzan to win but i think he needs time to like regenerate or something before another push so im going with chono as the winner and Fujinami over nishimura and Nagata over Kosaka

[Luds]

I see killer Nagata over Kosaka

a very fit Fujinami over Nishimura

Chono > Nakamura
Tenzan > Nakanishi
Chono > Tenzan

It would make no sense at all to have Nakanishi win, even against Tenzan as he hasn't been used at all recently. Nakamura could win, but they won't give it to him unless he goes all the way and defeat Kojima.

[Ganon KaShin]

I get the feeling that Chono will win this one, that he'll take the title back from Kojima, but then lose the title to Nakamura in a few months from then...

Either that or it'll be a monster push for Nakamura as the hero of New Japan, bringing the title back home.

[Luds]

Yeah sounds like it.

I mean, Chono in theory shouldn't take the belt, but I'd love him to take it if only for 1 match. He deserves it for all that he's done for the company over the years.

[Pheonix_Chi25]

Chono should win it all, but in theory they will make sure Nakamura or Tanahashi wins it because NJ is still pushing the "Youth Movement" with Nakamura, Tanahashi and, when he returns, Tagucchi et al.

So don't be surprised if Nakamura wins it all. I for one would like it if Chono won.

[Tradewynd]

But...it's a tournament. Tenzan has to win. He always wins tournaments! Just look at his tournament track record over the last 2 years. These are the only things Tenzan has a winning record in. If you take that away from him he'll have nothing left. Poor Tenzan...

Yes, Chono should get the belt one more time, but not until he's going to hang the boots up. Let him win the belt, get a few defences in, pass the belt and the torch and then retire. Due to 2004 proving that Chono's favorite hobby is putting himself over Tenzan I'm sure that's going to happen again.

[edgehead1984]

That's why Tenzan needs to leave...

[Luds]

Unless Chono's win is his way to finally put Tenzan over for good and a long reign for Tenzan...

[edgehead1984]

Well put Nakamura vs. Kojima on the card for the IWGP...somebody else will face Chono...maybe Tanahishi...

[Pheonix_Chi25]

If Kojima wins, Nakamura has said he will shave his head and work opening matches only. Wow, I'm bald and even I wouldn't have said that.

[Tradewynd]

Hmm...somehow I just don't see Nakamura shaving his head and working opening matches only. With Chono at the help I believe the opening matches only part, but shaving his head...come on, dude isn't going to shave his head. That makes it too far over the top. At least when HUSTLE runs angles they don't blatently give away the result of the main event in the process. Couldn't he have taken a hint from the Generalissimo and gone to an unemployment center to give away tickets and t-shirts? That way he could've gotten over with the common man and still protect the main event.

[kwilson83]

Course, we also have the option that he could lose and just refuse to comply with his own conditions. Tenzan said he would retire if he lost, but that didn't happen either