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[Results] New Japan, 10/29/06 by Stuart - 29 Oct 2006  --> "CIRCUIT 2006 EXPLOSION ~G1 TAG LEAGUE~" <-- Tempers exploded today at Kobe World Hall, as New Japan's new army strife accelerated. 7,000 fans watched today's show, New Japan's best (claimed) attendance at the building since the 2003 G1, and excluding the G1, since October, 2000. Three factions are now at war over control of New Japan. The regular army, New Japan Sekigun, which looks to defend the lion mark. GBH (Great Bash Heel), led by Tenzan with the aim of becoming the cruelest heel army ever and reviving the "beautiful New Japan". And the unnamed army headed by Chono, Nakamura, and Bernard, which looks to overthrow President Simon and reform New Japan its way, with Chono as the boss and Nakamura as the ace. Both matches today were fought under Captain's Fall Elimination Match format, where wrestlers could be eliminated, but the instant the captain was, it was game over. It began in the fourth match with Sekigun against GBH, Nagata and Tenzan leading their teams. Before anything could happen though, Chono's army (who were seconded by Mr. Hoshino today as ChoTen were in Kobe last year when they took the tag belts from Nakamura & Tanahashi) arrived with their "NO Simon" t-shirts on, and Chono occupied the commentary booth. The match began with a very bloodthirsty atmosphere, lots of intense and heated fighting. After ten minutes, Tenzan sent Nakanishi over the top rope to eliminate him. Makabe scored his second pinfall victory of the year over Choshu a few minutes later, after the on-fire Tenzan landed a diving headbutt. Sekigun was down to two men against four, but Nagata and Yamamoto fought on bravely. Nagata was able to oust Makabe from the ring, evening the odds a little, but both Sekigun men were worn down. Makabe smashed a chair over Nagata's head, then Yano capitalized by dropping Captain Nagata with the Oni Koroshi to score the biggest pinfall of his career to date and win the match for GBH, three men left standing! GBH went on to face their fellow heel army in the main event, at a disadvantage, but ready for a fight. President Simon took a seat in the broadcast booth, watching the match closely. Although they were able to defeat Sekigun with cruel tactics, Tenzan's army met their "wall" in the form of Chono's army. However, they managed to isolate Nakamura for a while, until he tagged Bernard, then things turned nasty for GBH. Bernard sent Koshinaka flying over the top with a two-step kick to eliminate him, and just 92 seconds later, Tomko launched Yano over the top. GBH found themselves in the same situation as Sekigun earlier, down 4-2. It somehow got worse when Nakamura drove Makabe into the mat with the Landslide, pinning him, and Captain Tenzan was all alone against four hungry beasts. Chono's army devised a merciless attack against Tenzan, who the crowd wrote off as finished. But Tenzan is known for his miracles, and there was a miracle in Kobe today. One miscommunication sent Chono's army into disarray, all over the ring. Tenzan struck Chono with a kneel kick, lariat, and Mountain bomb, moving in quickly for the kill, knowing this would be his only chance. With the troops still scattered, Tenzan dropped his former teacher with a TTD and covered for the three count! One man against four, Tenzan gave GBH a most incredible win! It didn't end there though. Chono provoked President Simon, who was still at ringside, watching. Bernard and Tomko literally lifted Simon out of the broadcast position and dragged him into the ring for more public humiliation. Chono and Simon glared at each other, before Simon tore off Chono's "NO SIMON" shirt and slapped him in the face! This led to a beating for Simon, as well as water bottles being emptied over his head. GBH then returned to the ring, clearing out Chono's army and rescuing Simon! Before any clarification could be given on Simon's link to GBH, site foreman Choshu raced into the ring and pulled Simon away from Tenzan's army, raising the question of whose side is President Simon on. Backstage, a furious Simon had no comment on GBH, but said he would call a meeting tomorrow and use all of his power to make Chono suffer for what he's done. The war for New Japan has now truly started. Today's semi final was more straightforward, as the "golden team" of Tanahashi & Kanemoto faced the CTU ikemen threat of Minoru & Milano. Local boy Kanemoto was as popular as ever, the fans supporting the Sekigun team in an exciting match. Tanahashi showed the dignity of an IWGP Heavyweight Champion, ending a 20 minute battle by pinning Minoru with his Dragon suplex hold. Tanahashi & Kanemoto will hope to use this momentum and beat Nakanishi & Yamamoto on 11/3, ensuring passage to the G1 Tag League semis. After returning home to Hawaii due to the death of his mother, Akebono returned to New Japan today, becoming the heaviest junior ever and charming the fans of Kobe. Akebono became Bono Tiger once more, teaming with Tiger Mask and El Samurai, who wore his own special edition Tiger mask. They faced the CTU trio of Liger, Jado & Gedo, the heels using all of their tricks to control. Bono Tiger went up to the top turnbuckle for a move, but was ordered down by the referee, who feared the ring would cave in. Eventually, all three CTU members were laid out side by side and Akebono splashed them all for the three count (Jado the legal man)! It wasn't all glory for GBH today though, as they had a member fall to Sekigun in a singles match. Iizuka defeated Ishii in their third match this year, and first since February. Iizuka went 3-0 over the cocky young rebel, choking him out with a sleeper hold and continuing his improved form of late. Four young men took part in two special "Super Jr." singles matches today, perhaps an effort to show the new generation of juniors in a division still dominated by veterans. Despite his great form of late and a singles victory over Samurai on 10/26, Prince Devitt couldn't get past Taguchi, the Funky Weapon winning with his Dodon. Yujiro is another who has been growing rapidly of late, as his pinfall over Liger yesterday proved. But like Devitt, he discovered that a tag and a singles match are two different things, submitting to Wataru's Triangle Lancer. Tetsuya Naito, the only young man chosen out of ten elite athletes shortlisted for tryouts late last year, won his first singles match today. He faced a man with months more experience, Hirasawa, and showed his own growth that has spawned from his trial series on the last tour. Naito won with his flying elbow attack, which sees him run the ropes and take off, leaping half way across the ring with an elbow to the face. These two are becoming opening match rivals in the same way so many others have been, like Muto and Chono, Makabe and Yoshie, Shibata and Wataru, and Taguchi and Goto. New Japan held a ten count for the late Kintaro Oki before the show, to commemorate his recent passing. Mr. Hoshino, a younger generation wrestler who loved Oki like so many of his generation (including Inoki) did, held up Oki's photo as the New Japan roster stood around the ring in silence for the ten count. NJPW "CIRCUIT 2006 EXPLOSION SPECIAL", 10/29/06 (WPW) Kobe World Hall 7,000 Fans - No Vacancy 1. Tetsuya Naito beat Mitsuhide Hirasawa (7:43) with a jumping elbow attack. 2. Super Jr. Singles Match I: Wataru Inoue beat Yujiro (11:05) with the Triangle Lancer. 3. Super Jr. Singles Match II: Ryusuke Taguchi beat Prince Devitt (8:20) with the Dodon. 4. Kobe Explosion Wars - Round 1: Hiroyoshi Tenzan (c), Togi Makabe, Shiro Koshinaka & Toru Yano beat Riki Choshu, Yuji Nagata (c), Manabu Nakanishi & Naofumi Yamamoto (21:20). Tenzan threw Nakanishi over the top rope (10:26). Makabe pinned Choshu after Tenzan used a diving headbutt (13:40). Nagata threw Makabe over the top rope (17:58). Yano used the Oni Koroshi on Nagata (21:20). 5. New Japan vs. GBH Singles Match: Takashi Iizuka beat Tomohiro Ishii (10:32) by referee stop. 6. Explosion Dream Tag ~ Bono, Welcome Back!: Bono Tiger (Akebono), Tiger Mask & El Samurai beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Jado & Gedo (8:05) when Bono used a running body press on Jado. 7. Explosion Special Tag: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Koji Kanemoto beat Minoru & Milano Collection AT (20:46) when Tanahashi used a Dragon suplex hold on Minoru. 8. Kobe Explosion Wars - Final: Hiroyoshi Tenzan (c), Togi Makabe, Shiro Koshinaka & Toru Yano beat Masahiro Chono (c), Shinsuke Nakamura. Giant Bernard & Travis Tomko (19:51). Bernard used a two-step kick to send Koshinaka over the top rope (6:58). Tomko threw Yano over the top rope (8:30). Nakamura used the Landslide on Makabe (11:34). Tenzan used the TTD on Chono (19:51).
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