Hiroshi Tanahashi’s quick-fire return to New Japan sees him team up with G1 Climax winner Togi Makabe on the opening day, as the two and Honma battle Nakamura, Yano & Iizuka. While this would seem to be a necessary union to combat a dangerous CHAOS trio, Makabe is furious and doesn’t want to team with Tanahashi, who despite being on the same side as, somewhat, he has no particular love for. Makabe said he neither considers himself a babyface or heel and as such doesn’t like being put in “template” (babyface vs. heel) matches like this. As for Iizuka, Makabe doesn’t want to wait until Sumo Hall to fight him and suggested they just move the match forward.
New Japan trueborn Yutaka Yoshie recently quit Tatsumi Fujinami’s DRADITION, the promotion he left New Japan to join (well, when it was called Muga World), and is now a freelancer. But in a sign that he remains very close to New Japan and that perhaps the opportunity is there for him to return full-time some day, New Japan will run a 15th anniversary show for Yoshie on December 13th called “NEW JAPAN LIVE IN MAEBASHI”. Yoshie debuted on 12/9/94 against Satoshi Kojima but broke his leg early in his career and didn’t really get going until a year later. This is one of two additional December standalone shows that were announced today, the other being “NEW JAPAN LIVE IN USHIKU” on 12/20. No Korakuen shows announced yet for Christmas.
- 12/13 “NEW JAPAN LIVE IN MAEBASHI ~YUTAKA YOSHIE 15TH ANNIVERSARY~” @ Green Dome Maebashi Sub Arena
- 12/20 “NEW JAPAN LIVE IN USHIKU” @ Ushiku Movement Park Gymnasium
- 1/4/10 “WRESTLE KINGDOM IV IN TOKYO DOME” @ Tokyo Dome
