I.w.g.p. 2002

[RoaringElbow25]

If you could put together a new IWGP singles heavyweight Wrestling tournament based on the origional IWGP Format who would you put in it?

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

With the politics and possible connections New Japan might have right now:

ASIA
Shin'ya Hashimoto (NWA World Heavyweight Champion)
Jun Akiyama (GHC Heavyweight Champion)

U.S. & CANADA
Mark Coleman (PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Champion)
Jeff Jarrett (WWA World Heavyweight Champion)

CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA
Universo 2000 (CMLL World Heavyweight Champion)
Antonio Noguiera (PRIDE Heavyweight Champion )

EUROPE
Gary Steele (former NWA World Heavyweight Champion)
Robbie Brookside (EWU European Heavyweight Champion)


Using an imagination that New Japan can book anybody from any country, each region will have a preliminary round to determine two finalists:

ASIA
Toshiaki Kawada (Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion)
Shin'ya Hashimoto (NWA World Heavyweight Champion)
Jun Akiyama (GHC Heavyweight Champion)
Naoya Ogawa
Keiji Mutoh
Kazuyuki Fujita
Mitsuharu Misawa
Tadao Yasuda (only because he's the current champ )

U.S. & CANADA
Chris Jericho (not a heavyweight, but he's the WWF World Heavyweight Champion)
Jeff Jarrett (WWA World Heavyweight Champion)
Steve Austin
The Rock
Kurt Angle
Triple H (just because all these guys are big names )

CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA
Antonio Noguiera (PRIDE Heavyweight Champion)
Universo 2000 (CMLL World Heavyweight Champion)
Canek (UWA World Heavyweight Champion...well, not as of today, but you know what I mean )
Latin Lover (National Heavyweight Champion)
Rayo de Jalisco Jr.
El Cobarde Jr.

EUROPE
Gary Steele (former NWA World Heavyweight Champion)
Robbie Brookside (EWU European Heavyweight Champion)
Johnny Moss (NWA United Kingdom Heavyweight Champion)
William Regal
...and couple more

[Luds]

I'm with Hisa on that one. Sounds like a pretty sweet tournament!

[Tradewynd]

Hisa, I have to say, that would be one awesome tournament. Who would you book to win?

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

If this is to be held annually, I would proabably pick Coleman because he hasn't shown much since winning the PRIDE Grand Prix. Good way to push him as a "pro-wrestler." Gary Steele or Jarrett might be a good choice so that whichever can be pushed strongly in Japan. A Japanese can win the second year or after with different participants.

If this is only a one-time deal, of course I would pick someone related to New Japan (Hashimoto, Ogawa, or Fujita).