READER COURTESY: This review was 3 pages on Google Docs.
“It used to be better.” – The Lapsed Fan Pro Wrestling Podcast
Previously on The Lapsed Timeline:
The Lapsed Navigation – NOAH Great Voyage 2000 [12/23/2000]
To hell with table-setting, as it’s the Granddaddy of ‘Em All in the Far East. The Tokyo Dome. January 4. The vacant IWGP Heavyweight Title is up for grabs in a one-night tournament.
This will NOT be an entire event review, just cherry-picked matches.
The following event is available on NJPW World.
NJPW Wrestling World 2001
January 4, 2001 – Tokyo, Japan
Minoru Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto vs. Shinya Makabe & Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Tanaka & Kanemoto are the IWGP Jr. Tag Champions, but this match is non-title.
After several minutes, Tanaka & Kanemoto target Makabe’s left leg, but he’s not eaten enough damage yet for it to become a glaring weakness. The strikes in this are glorious, and the verbal selling that everyone does for another takes this up a notch, even without the main event star power to get the easy crowd reactions. Makabe takes a kick to his face from Tanaka, which seems to only piss him off and take it out on Kanemoto.
The first noticeable crowd reaction happens when Takaiawa catches Kanemoto in the air and power slams him. However, Kanemoto just goes on a brief fury moments later, only for this to tease breaking down among all four men.
Tanaka prevents a Doomsday-type double-team move, instead dropkicking Takaiwa from behind. However, Makabe inserts himself to try breaking Kanemoto’s Standing Ankle Lock, only to get clubbed. Makabe still manages to dump Kanemoto with a German Suplex, and now we’ve got the ring being cut in half as Tanaka is kept at bay.
Kanemoto makes a comeback when he blocks a suplex, planting Makabe with a Steiner Screwdriver and making the tag to Tanaka. Because there was no extensive heat segment, this in no way resembles a hot tag, and it breaks down into guys doing what they want, but without the issues of tag legalities not being enforced.
Kanemoto makes the save after Makabe hits a couple German Suplexes on Tanaka, who then applies a Cross Arm Breaker. None of the saves or tags in this are getting a sustained, visceral reaction, which obviously isn’t the goal in this undercard match.
During a strike exchange, Makabe delivers some ridiculous slaps to Kanemoto, only to eat a German Suplex and Ankle Lock submission as Tanaka keeps Kanemoto away with the same submission. Makabe’s left knee is targeted again, tapping out to the Ankle Lock. That would’ve meant far more if the left leg had been a more focused story in this match, but fine undercard filler nonetheless.
Rating: ***1/4
Vacant IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament Semifinal
Toshiaki Kawada vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
They waste no time going right after each other, Tenzan knocking Kawada down first. Kawada’s kicks are brutal as usual, eventually leading to a strike exchange that ends up with Tenzan busting himself open on the exchange-winning headbutt. I’m sure that was worth it.
Tenzan maintains control for a bit, Kawada failing to psyche himself up fully to show fire. Tenzan misses a diving headbutt but still cuts off Kawada on a comeback attempt, hitting a Scoop Tombstone Piledriver and Top Rope Fist Drop.
Kawada collapses during an Irish Whip, and the crowd is electric about the situation. He gets in a strike to Tenzan’s jaw, causing both to collapse and give himself time to make a successful comeback. Kawada has an adrenaline rush to take control, and his fire is outstanding.
There’s a tremendous crowd reaction when Tenzan scouts Kawada’s kick and delivers a Dragon Screw Leg Whip, which is followed by another. He applies a modified Figure Four Leg Lock, and Kawada is once again brilliant in his selling, the missing front teeth only adding to his grit.
Kawada scouts the Dragon Screw Leg Whip, hitting an Enzuigiri that only proves to be a hope spot. However, Kawada cuts Tenzan off in the corner, getting a great reaction on a standard Backdrop Suplex. Kawada absorbs another headbutt to deliver an Enzuigiri, showing he has more in the tank than Tenzan, even as the latter kicks out.
Kawada is unable to lift Tenzan for a Powerbomb, instead delivering a big boot before successfully hitting it for the win. Tenzan tried to deadlift it, but Kawada wasn’t gonna be denied in this one, and with that, the final is a rematch that everyone’s been waiting for. It’s Sasaki vs. Kawada II!
Rating: ***½
Vacant IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament Final
Kensuke Sasaki vs. Toshiaki Kawada
They instantly charge at each other and Kawada gets the first strikes, hitting multiple Enzuigiris and a Saito Suplex for a near-fall. Excellent, excellent start to this money rematch (that for obvious reasons, should’ve just been booked in advance as such without the desperate-for-buzz tournament mess.)
Sasaki can only manage a slap early, outclassed by the former AJPW Triple Crown Champ. He finally blocks a kick and dumps Kawada, with it turning into an alpha male strike exchange that draws the usual great crowd reaction. Sasaki maintains control though, hitting a great short-armed lariat for emphasis.
Kawada blocks a German Suplex, hitting a Pele Kick to put down the former IWGP Heavyweight Champ. Sasaki isn’t being outclassed though, regaining control with a Power Slam counter. However, Sasaki hits an ugly German Suplex to get cut off, but Kawada is so exhausted from the one-night tournament to follow-up immediately.
Kawada is busted open, but hits a plethora of slaps to keep control on Sasaki, who is trying to rely on fighting spirit to absorb and make comebacks. Kawada applies his trademark modified Dragon Sleeper, grinding his elbow on Sasaki’s face for good measure, and it looks like Sasaki is busted open in the mouth too.
Sasaki looks to be outmatched once again, falling prey to the Kawada kicks. However, he shows resilience on blocking the Powerbomb attempt, only to still eat it. Unlike Tenzan though, Sasaki kicks out. The crowd reaction is nowhere near the epic one that would be expected considering how freshly established that finisher is.
Kawada goes for another Powerbomb, and this time Sasaki turns it into a Spinebuster and Liontamer, getting decent arch once it’s turned into a Boston Crab. Kawada reaches the ropes for a hot false finish reaction, then blocks the Northern Lights Bomb to deliver another Enzuigiri, the crowd totally hooked at this point.
In a mutual lariat, Sasaki is the one still standing, although dazed. He won’t let Kawada sandbag him, hitting a German Suplex and follow-up lariat for a red-hot near-fall. Moments later, Sasaki avenges the loss from months earlier, earning the victory and the title back with the Northern Lights Bomb! The crowd reaction is incredible, as Sasaki is now cemented as a true world-beater, although analysis of this booking is better left to those more versed on puro (as a reminder, this timeline revolves around an American company that doesn’t even exist yet as the Monday Night War still keeps going, lopsided as it is.).
Nowhere near their first match from Do Judge!!, but a damn good one considering the corner they were booked in by Antonio Inoki’s desperate need to stay in the headlines going into this event.
Rating: ***¾
A show saddled badly by Inoki-ism, the matches reviewed here are all that anyone should be making time for. I shudder to think what else this era of NJPW has in store. Fucking Inoki-ism.
The next chapter in this timeline will not be focused on match reviews. Instead, it will partially be an editorial, largely focused on piecing together the barrage of news that hit the industry at this period of time, with just one relevant match review thrown in.
The next three weeks that are to come in the month of January 2001 are, in hindsight, some of the most important I’ve ever researched. They are truly devastating to reflect on, an absolutely dizzying chain of events that are also essential to this passion project.
As stated, the flagship of this timeline will eventually be a federation that doesn’t even exist. In January 2001, the very concept of it may not have even entered anybody’s minds yet. As the wrestling world is buzzing today with a new era of honor set to begin, we go back to a time in which the idea of it may not have even been conceived yet.
Next time, The Lapsed Timeline takes a look long before the events of early 2002; we will dive deep into the month that truly began to set the stage for the existence of this project’s flagship federation. We will look at the events more than a year earlier involving the struggling WCW and ECW, and if either federation was worthy of optimism and passionate hope by their fans and those within the companies alike.
Both literally and figuratively… the road to honor… nonstop action… guerrilla warfare… peak ultraviolence… a keystone utopia…
The road to the underground golden age and ruthless aggression…
Simply put… these roads were all paved in blood.
See you next time with The Extremely Lapsed Depression!
For the grandest stage in all of New Japan, the charitable causes now turn to the plight of big cats, a nod to the company’s logo and this part of the timeline’s name. Since New Japan has spent its entire existence using lions for their branding, this is an opportunity to bring a spotlight to those who are making a genuine effort to support lions and other big cat species. Many if not all of them face threats of going extinct, plagued by human encroachment, poaching, bushmeat, habitat destruction, entertainment exploitation, canned/trophy hunting, charlatans posing as sanctuaries, misguided desires by our species for home companionship, and misguided views on human medicine.
Today’s charity spotlight:
The National Geographic Society’s Big Cat Initiative
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/projects/big-cats-initiative/
Founded in 2009 by globally recognized, award-winning wildlife filmmakers and conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert and National Geographic, this collaborative initiative aims to protect big cat species and help them live in harmony with humans.
Big cats worldwide are under threat—for many populations, local extinctions are imminent due to habitat loss, degradation, and conflicts with humans. The National Geographic Big Cats Initiative is partnering with some of the world’s leading big cat experts, funding on-the-ground research and innovative conservation projects to protect big cats and their critical habitats, while leading efforts to shine a light on the challenges these species face. Currently, the Big Cats Initiative has identified 20 lion populations in 18 countries in Africa as lion priority areas the project is focusing efforts towards.
The National Geographic Society’s Big Cats Initiative supports scientists and conservationists working to save big cats in the wild. With your help, we’ve supported more than 153 innovative projects to protect big cat species in 28 countries and built more than 2,100 livestock enclosures to protect livestock, and save big cats from retaliatory killings. Together we’re helping big cats and communities thrive.