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New Japan returned to the hallowed Sumo Hall in Tokyo today for another successful show, with a sell out of 9,000 fans (less than the usual “sell out” due to a gigantic screen installed for the show). Shinsuke Nakamura has a history of losing to a big name, but then learning from the experience and avenging it in time. Mighty Mighty Muto Keiji is another story though, as the IWGP Heavyweight Champion - who ended what looked to be on course to be a defining IWGP reign for Nakamura in April - again warded off his young challenger. 28-year-old Nakamura, already a 2-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, again pushed Muto far in what was an exciting main event, but fell to something of a flash Frankensteiner, after Nakamura kicked out of the moonsault press that defeated him in April. Muto mentioned backstage that his old friend Shinya Hashimoto once lost to Genichiro Tenryu twice in a row, but gained experience from the trial, and bounced back a third time to
beat Tenryu. He seemed to be suggesting that perhaps Nakamura could do this, having come closer to beating Muto today, but only time will tell. Muto is going to take the belt to Taiwan now for All Japan’s trip there and try to raise the global worth of it. Nakamura said he will fight Muto as many times as he has to and its not only about winning the belt, but forcing a true change of generation and matching the very existence of the seemingly unmatchable Keiji Muto.

New Japan vs. ZERO1/ZERO1-MAX has raged on for a long time now. There have been victories and defeats, but generally New Japan has always had the edge - except for against one man. The three-in-a-row Fire Festival winner and almost Goldberg-esque ace of ZERO1 has been Masato Tanaka, and New Japan wrestlers have failed to knock him down, with Nakanishi, Makabe, and Kanemoto all losing singles matches to him. Today, Tanaka faced his first opponent from the very top level of New Japan, risking his World Heavyweight Title against the one and only Yuji Nagata. The last fort of ZERO1 was finally compromised as in what was described as an off-the-charts match saw Nagata smash Tanaka with repeated backdrops, until getting the three count with one. Large “Nagata” calls rang out after the match as the third generation leader, who so often has threatened to be overshadowed by the new generation only to fight back, lifted the second singles belt of his career.
Nagata, who recently beat Otani in a singles match too, declared ZERO1-MAX done and beaten after the match, leading to wrestlers from the company pouncing and a big brawl. No one from 01 remains untoppled now, but that won’t stop their roster from working hard to reclaim the company’s leading title, much like New Japan wrestlers are working hard to win back the company’s own title. Kohei Sato seems in line for a shot at the title, a man who could pose the biggest threat to Nagata from 01.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Takashi Iizuka has been the blood feud of 2008, stemming from Iizuka’s betrayal of Tenzan in April and subsequent nationwide war. Tenzan seemed close to liquidating the grudge in July when he won a Lumberjack Death Match, but it didn’t slow down, and today they met again in a Chain Death Match on the biggest stage yet. As expected, this match had brawling, weapons, blood, and drama, with the fans very much behind Tenzan. Both men bled heavily and fought for their lives, with GBH interfering to help Tenzan, but Kojima getting involved to even the odds. The ever dangerous Iizuka trapped Tenzan in a sleeper hold with 20 minutes gone, adding a chain to the equation to choke him out. The fans chanted Tenzan’s name in encouragement, but referee Tiger Hattori perceived he was in great danger and stopped the match, giving Iizuka his biggest win of recent years! TenKoji, having failed to lift the AJPW World Tag Team Title the other day
and now with Tenzan having fallen to Iizuka, are suffering bumps in their revival, but Kojima swore they would be revitalized soon, and will first look to win the G1 Tag League. As for Tenzan vs. Iizuka, the war is likely go on, but with Lumberjack and Chain Death Matches having not ended the grudge, what match concept is going to manage it…?

G1 Climax winner Hirooki Goto has suffered an unfortunate summer after his unlikely tournament win. Beating Makabe in the tournament final seemed step one to quick superstardom, but reality has set in, and big losses have followed. He failed narrowly to beat Muto and bring home the IWGP Heavyweight Title, then dropped his fall back to Makabe in an IWGP Tag Team Title shot with Nakamura. Today he faced New Japan’s strongest foreigner and the man who betrayed RISE recently, Giant Bernard. Goto put up another ferocious fight today, and indeed it took interference from Karl Anderson to give Bernard a win, as he dropped Goto with the Bernard bomb to hand RISE’s second-in-command another key loss. Goto was appalled by GBH’s constant interference, saying so backstage, but is now focusing on the G1 Tag League, where he and Nakamura will both want to retaliate from today’s losses quickly.

Manabu Nakanishi and Yutaka Yoshie are back together and quickly taking names. They headlined the recent PREMIUM show and bested Shinjiro Otani and Daisuke Sekimoto in the main event, and today managed another big win over the all-star team of Chono and Tanahashi. Tanahashi has been lacking form and vigor since returning from injury, and today’s pinfall loss to Nakanishi was the iceing on the cake. But now he is off to TNA in America indefinitely, where he has a chance to refresh himself, learn new things, and come back stronger than ever in time for the January 4th Tokyo Dome show. GBH recruit and IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Low Ki, continues to storm the junior division after upsetting Tiger Mask to lift wrestling’s most prestigious junior title in Kobe recently. He today pinned the legend Liger in a six man tag, but was the victim of a surprise attack from former champion Taguchi after the match, eating a Dodon. Taguchi then officially
challenged Low Ki to a match for the belt, and expect that to take place some time soon.

NO LIMIT have been emerging little by little this year. Big matches, big losses, experience gained. And it all led to their biggest feat today, when they upset RISE’s Minoru & Devitt (what a great day for RISE!) to become the 22nd generation champions! Yujiro has always been the strong link of the team, his growth over recent years making him more of a threat little by little, and he dropped Minoru with an Intercollegiate slam for the three count! The young lions are very conscious that they recent failed to win the GHC Jr. Tag Team Title from Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Kotaro Suzuki and declared that after entering the G1 Tag League, they will look to re-invade NOAH and avenge their loss in a big 2-crown title vs. title match.

NJPW “DESTRUCTION ‘08″, 10/13/08 (WPW/PPV)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Sumo Hall
9,000 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

0. Wataru Inoue & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari (7:04) when Taguchi used a small package hold on Ishikari.
1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito beat Minoru & Prince Devitt (c) (11:34) when Yujiro used an Intercollegiate slam on Minoru to become the 22nd champions.
2. Jado, Gedo & Low Ki beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Koji Kanemoto & Tiger Mask (7:46) when Ki used the Ki Krusher ‘99 on Liger.
3. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii beat Satoshi Kojima , KAI & Hiroshi Yamato (10:06) when Yano used the Oni Koroshi on Yamato.
4. Manabu Nakanishi & Yutaka Yoshie beat Masahiro Chono & Hiroshi Tanahashi (10:24) when Nakanishi used the Hercules Cutter on Tanahashi.
5. Giant Bernard beat Hirooki Goto (13:44) with the Bernard Driver.
6. Chain Death Match ~ TENZAN VS. GBH 2nd Conviction: Takashi Iizuka beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (21:24) by referee stop.
7. World Heavyweight Title: Yuji Nagata beat Masato Tanaka (c) (18:06) with a backdrop hold to become the new champion.
8. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Keiji Muto (c) beat Shinsuke Nakamura (21:39) with a Frankensteiner (4th defense).