IWGP U-30 Openweight Title League

[Haiku Warrior]

Here's the match line-ups...

#1: Naofumi Yamamoto vs. Hiroshi Nagao
#2: Blue Wolf vs. Toru Yano
#3: Hiroshi Nagao vs. Toru Yano
#4: Naofumi Yamamoto vs. Harry Smith
#5: Blue Wolf vs. Hiroshi Nagao
#6: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Harry Smith
#7: Hiroshi Nagao vs. Harry Smith
#8: Blue Wolf vs. Naofumi Yamamoto
#9: Blue Wolf vs. Harry Smith
#10: Naofumi Yamamoto vs. Toru Yano
#11: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hiroshi Nagao
#12: Toru Yano vs. Harry Smith
#13: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Blue Wolf

My early prediction is Tanahashi beating Smith is their first match and Smith beating him in the finals. I like Harry. I think he'll be a good fit for NJ (if they can keep the WWE off of him long enough to mature as a wrestler). Yano and Wolf will probably round of 3 & 4 with the young bucks bringing up the rear.

EDIT: The bolds aren't my predictions, just making it easier to see who is in the tournament.

[edgehead1984]

Well the first two matches happened yesterday...

and Yamamoto defeated Nagao and Yano defeated Wolf...

[Luds]

It would be pointless to have Tanahashi win this. THey should either give it to Blue Wolf or Smith

[edgehead1984]

Yano defeated Nagao today making the standings as following credit Yujiro's Fan Page

U-30 Openweight League Standings
Toru Yano - 4
N. Yamamoto - 2
H. Tanahashi - 2
Hiroshi Nagao - 0
Harry Smith - 0
Blue Wolf - 0

[Luds]

Tanahashi 4 (2-0)
Yano 4 (2-1)
Smith 2 (1-1)
Wolf 2 (1-1)
Yamamoto 2 (1-1)
Nagao 0 (0-3)

[Pheonix_Chi25]

If Harry Smith doesn't walk away with the U-30 Yano will win it.

[Luds]

Yano might win it, but I don't think that he's *as ready* as Blue Wolf. Wolf should graduate from the young lions soon.

[Black_Flag_Of_Ulster]

Well, then they shouldn't give him the belt. Stupid idea anyway.

[Luds]

Tanahashi shouldn't be in there either.

He'll lose in the final I'm sure. Which is a big win for the winner, but very lame for Tanahashi

[Luds]

Well Tanahashi is in the final for sure, even if he loses his last match to Wolf.

1- Hiroshi Tanahashi 8 (4-0)
2- Toru Yano 6 (3-1)
3- Blue Wolf 6 (3-1, loss to Yano)
4- Harry Smith 4 (2-2)
5- Naofumi Yamamoto 2 (1-4)
6- Hiroshi Nagao 0 (0-5)

06/18/05

-Toru Yano vs. Harry Smith
-Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Blue Wolf
- #1 vs. #2

1) So if Yano defeats Smith, Tanahashi wins the pool and Yano is #2.
2) If Yano loses to Smith, and Tanahashi defeats Wolf, then Yano takes #2 as he won over Wolf
3) If Yano loses to Smith, and Wolf defeats Tanahashi, then Wolf finishes #1 and Tanahashi #2. They would face again for the final in the very next match! That would be very cool!

[Haiku Warrior]

Wolf might pull this off and then have a feud with Yano somewhere down the line. I was pulling for Smith though...

[Luds]

06/18/05 results

-Toru Yano [8, 4-1] > Harry Smith [4, 2-3] in 6:05 minutes via Inside Cradle
-Hiroshi Tanahashi [10, 5-0] > Blue WOlf [6, 3-2] in 8:23 minutes via Dragon Sleeper
- Hiroshi Tanahashi > Toru Yano in 9:15 via Sling Blade

So is Tanahashi the new U-30 champ or did he just win a league?

[Haiku Warrior]

Pointless, just pointless.

[edgehead1984]

I have to agree with you Haiku......I don't know why they did this, it's a step backwards for Tanahashi....

[Haiku Warrior]

Not only for Tanahashi but for the title (league) in general. Why not let Tanahashi lose it gracefully in the finals to some up and comer (read: Yano, Wolf, Smith). He should concentrate on Tag and Heavyweight titles not waste his time with a belt he established. It's almost akin to when A.J. went back to the X division after his heavyweight run.