4/20 Chiba Koen Taiikukan 2,200
Ring announcer Hidekazu Tanaka cried as he reported the death of Masakazu Fukuda to the fans. G-EGGS member Yutaka Yoshie stood in the ring and holding a picture of the late Masakazu Fukuda while G-EGGS leader Yuji Nagata rang the bell 10 times in Fukuda's memory. The fans then chanted Fukuda's name on last time. Kensuke Sasaki had them keep the photo of Fukuda at ringside for the rest of the show.
Junji Hirata, who is head of whatever the players have (it's not a union so I don't know what to call it) basically said that they should error on the side of caution from now on. Apparently they wouldn't let Fukuda wrestle for a while after wrestling was suppposed to be okay because he still had had blood in the skull from an in ring hit suffered in February that would not have occured if it wasn't already screwed up from his October injury. He had an MRI done before this series that showed the "blood was absorbed," so they cleared him to wrestle 2 days before the series started.
Masa Chono & Satoshi Kojima & Tatsutoshi Goto beat Kensuke Sasaki & Shiro Koshinaka & Yuji Nagata when Chono pinned Koshinaka at 11:38.
Manabu Nakanishi & Yutaka Yoshie beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Super J when Yoshie made J submit to an Argentine backbreaker at 12:30.
Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai & Kendo Kashin & Minoru Tanaka defeated Koji Kanemoto & Shinjiro Otani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Shinya Makabe when Kashin made Makabe submit to the udehishigigyakujujigatame at 15:19.
In a Young Lions Cup league match, Kenzo Suzuki beat Katsuyori Shibuta at 6:37.

They had a company sponsored vigil for Fukuda in a soul source temple in the Shinagawa ward of Tokyo. The New Japan wrestlers (including Hashimoto & Muto) and executes, Wrestle Yume Factory wrestlers, and Hiroshi Hase. Tatsumi Fujinami was the one that got to tell Fukuda's family about his death. They are now discussing the possibilities of a.Fukuda Memorial show. Fukuda's funeral will be on the 21st at the same place.

Masakazu Fukuda died of an acute hard membrane lower bloody tumor in Kessunuma General Hospital at 3:28 A.M. This is the first time a male wrestler in Japan had died due to an injury suffered during a wrestling match.
Fukuda was born on 5/17/72 in the town of Kurhane, which is part of the Tochigi prefecture. His athletic background includes amateur wrestling, sumo, and baseball. His best sport was definitely wrestling though, as he was a good amatuer wrestler in the 82kg weight class for Nihon University. After graduating college, he joined the small independent league Wrestle Yume Factory, debuting on 3/20/96 at Tokyo Korakuen Hall. I first started seeing him in 1997 when he'd appear on WAR shows. The WAR junior division was depleted at this time because Ultimo Dragon was largely wasting away in WCW, so Fukuda was pushed a lot more than he would have been a few years earlier. Fukuda & Hiroyoshi Kotsubo won the league for the vacant WAR International Junior Heavykyu Tag Senshuken on 11/24/97 at Kanagawa Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan, defeating former champions Yuji Yasuraoka & Tadahiro Ishii in the final. They never lost the belts, instead vacating them 9 months later when Fukuda graduated from the junior division. Fukuda's was invited to participate in NJ's BEST OF THE SUPER JR. V league. While he finished last with only 1 point, this was his big break because NJ was impressed enough to to something they rarely do, "steal" a guy from the Japanese independents. His most memorable match was on 5/23/98 when Shinjiro Otani did a masterful job of carrying him, really getting him over even though Otani was the one that went over. Fukuda wasn't pushed at all by New Japan. It was more like he was training in the ring as he didn't use as many spots and seemed to be more concerned with being solid and fundamental. Not that he was ever really glamorous in the first place, but his offense didn't translate well into the heavyweight division because it was based on size and power. Since he moved up in weight class, he went from being huge to a small guy, much like the difference between watching Jinsei Shinzaki wrestle against the Michinoku juniors around 1994 and then seeing him against the All Japan heavyweights in 1997. Anyway, he seemed to be still trying to find himself in New Japan, usually wrestling in one of the opening matches with veterans that had been phased down or young guys that were trying to work their way off of the Strong Style show and onto the World Pro-Wrestling show. He was just staring to get pushed a little in New Japan since they finally gave him a role as a member of Yuji Nagata's G-EGGS.

4/18 Gunma Kiryu Shi Min Taiikukan 1,800
Kensuke Sasaki & Takashi Iizuka & Manabu Nakanishi & Yutaka Yoshie beat Masahiro Chono & Tatsutoshi Goto & Satoshi Kojima & Hiro Saito when Yoshie made Hiro submit at 14:27. Nakanishi refused to accept Ogawa's proposal of Shinya Hashimoto as his replacement. Nakanishi has been wanting to fight Ogawa since 1/4, so he doesn't want to accept any substitutes. He basically said that he fought hurt during the 1992 Olympics so Ogawa can fight hurt here.
Jushin Thunder Liger & Minoru Tanaka defeated Shinjiro Otani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa when Liger pinned Takaiwa at 10:29.
Junji Hiratao & Rick Cornell & Chuck Palombo beat Shiro Koshinaka & Tadao Yasuda & Kenzo Suzuki when Palombo pinned Suzuki at 10:20
Osamu Kido & Koji Kanemoto defeated El Samurai & Kendo Kashin when Kido made Samurai submit to his wakigatame at 8:06.
In a Young Lion's Cup league match, Shinya Makabe pinned Hiroshi Tanahashi in a German suplex hold at 9:54.

4/16 Saitama Yokawa Sogo Taiikukan 2,300
Kensuke Sasaki & Shiro Koshinaka & Manabu Nakanishi beat Masahiro Chono & Satoshi Kojima & Michiyoshi Ohara when Sasaki pinned Ohara at 11:23. Sasaki announced that he would revive his terrible Power Warrior gimmick. At least he's not going to be Power Warrior 2000, but "upgrading" to Millenium Power is no bargain either (not certain if they are going to wind up billing him as this since the name isn't familiar to the fans). Sasaki as Power Warrior beat Muto as Muta at the Tokyo Dome on 1/4/97, so he figures his gimmick will once again prove to be superior.
Koji Kanemoto & Tatsuhito Takaiwa beat Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai when Kanemoto made Samurai submit to the mokugenbokugatame (fierce tiger atomic bomb hold, whatever that is) in 9:50.

Since Naoya Ogawa won't be completely healed by 5/5, Yuji Nagata said that the substitute Ogawa suggested, Shinya Hashimoto, would be fine with him. Hashimoto "has to" come out of retirement because the fans, NJ & U.F.O executives, and all the wrestlers want him to.

4/15 Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center 3,800
Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Manabu Nakanishi & Yugi Nagata & Yutaka Yoshie when Chono used a butterfly lock on Yoshie at 20:18. Chono wants a no rule stipulation added to his 5/5 match with Fujinami, and says he will drive the president into retirement.

Masakazu Fukuda remains unconscious and his body tempature still isn't back to normal. He is being treated in a Miyagi prefecture hospital for internal bleeding in his brain. Most of the New Japan wrestlers went to see him in the hospital after the 4/15 show ended. Shinya Hashimoto drove from Tokyo to see him, which took about 6 hours.

4/14 Miyagi Kessennuma Shi Sogo Taiikukan 3,800
Masakazu Fukuda is in the hospital in serious condition after having an emergency operation due to internal bleeding of the brain. He fine during the beginning of his Young Lion's Cup league match against Katsuyori Shibuta, but something was already wrong because his movement got sluggish as the match progressed. Where the big problem occured is that Shibuta was delivering a flying elbow and Fukuda just fell without being able to fully avoid the elbow, resulting in Fukuda taking another bad blow to the head. Shibuta pinned Fukuda at 6:49 so he could get help. Fukuda had a convolsion and was taken to a Kessunnuma city hospital where the doctors performed surgery. Fukuda bled a lot and hasn't regained consciousness, but at least they were able to remove the respirator. Fukuda was accidentally injured last October when Shiro Koshinaka gave him a hard blow to the head. He had to miss some time, but the doctor who gave him medical clearance to return said that he was in good health and everything. Not that it matters now, but Fukuda probably would have won the Young Lions Cup.

The show continued with WCW's Chuck Palombo beating Black Cat in 6:05.
The other match involving new Americans saw Satoshi Kojima & Tatsutoshi Goto & Michiyoshi Ohara beat Junji Hirata & Rick Cornell & Danny Devine when Kojima lariated Hirata at 8:13 so the American's weren't jobbed.
Jushin Thunder Liger & Minoru Tanaka defeated Koji Kanemoto & Shinjiro Otani when Tanaka used his Minoru special on Otani at 13:36.
In the main event, Kensuke Sasaki & Manabu Nakanishi & Yugi Nagata & Yutaka Yoshie beat Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Super J & Hiro Saito when Yoshie made Hiro submit to his Canadian backbreaker at 13:18.

The matches announced so far for the 5/5 Fukuoka Dome show are as follows:
Kensuke Sasaki defends the IWGP Heavykyu Senshuken against Great Muta
Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata defend the IWGP Tag Senshuken against Naoya Ogawa & Kazunari Murakami. Ogawa suggested that Hashimoto take his place because he's out with a bad shoulder. He said he'd do a peacemaking ceremony as well as reason with Murakami and get him to appologize for his attack on 3/11.
In a match billed as EPILOGUE OF DRAGON 1st, Tatsumi Fujinami faces Masahiro Chono. There are supposed to be 9 more matches in Fujinami's retirement road.
In a match billed as CRUSH and BREAK, Yutaka Yoshie takes on Satoshi Kojima
Takashi Iizuka vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
In a match billed as New Wave J~SPECIAL 8~, Jushin Thunder Liger & CIMA & SUWA & Sumo "Dandy" Fuji Nichi meet El Samurai & Koji Kanemoto & Kendo Kashin & Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Shinjiro Otani vs. AKIRA in a junior vs. "heavy" match
In a New Japan vs. Team 2000 match, Shiro Koshinaka & Junji Hirata & Tadao Yasuda square off against Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto & Michiyoshi Ohara
Final of the Young Lion League
The junior 8 man where the Toryumon guys make their New Japan debut will have no trouble stealing this show, but otherwise I don't see a whole lot to look forward to here and the card is incredibly weak for the venue.

The good news is that the 4/7 Dome show drew a 15.7 rating, which is far better than the 10 that NJ was hoping for. This prompted TV Asahi to commit to a similar live broadcast of NJ's 10/00 Dome show. The bad news is estimates of the actual attendance are as low as 35,000, and that obviously isn't all paid attendance. There was tremendous interest in Hashimoto vs. Ogawa as a TV match, drawing a 24 rating which makes it the highest rated match in Japan since the horrible Antonio Inoki vs. Leon Spinks match from 10/9/86, but Hashimoto announcing he'd retire didn't pick up ticket sales. Instead, it further killed off the draw of a retirement match because he may be back in less than a month.

Yuji Nagata's 26-year-old brother Katsuhiko is trying out for the Olympic amateur wrestling team at 69kg. Yuji tried out for 1992 Barcelona Olympics in the same sport, which is the year that fellow G-EGGS member Manabu Nakanishi made the.squad.

Masaaki Satake rejected Shinya Hashimoto's retirement and challenged him to a "donzoku (very bottom) match." I guess the idea is both men's stock has fallen for major losses, so one of them would get back on the right track while the other would fall as low as they could go. New Japan fans are supposedly sending letters and emails to New Japan saying they don't want Hashimoto to retire. The idea is it's okay for Hashimoto to break his word as long as that is what the fans want him to do.

Shinya Hashimoto went to the U.F.O. office to meet with Antonio Inoki. They shook hands and Inoki once again said that Hashimoto should join U.F.O. instead of retiring. The angle seems to be that Inoki is like Hashimoto's parent so Hashimoto can't say no to him. Hashimoto gave his word that he'd retire though, so right now he's trying to put off giving Inoki an answer. Tatsumi Fujinami wants Hashimoto to wrestle in New Japan if he wrestles again. Probably he'll wrestle in New Japan, but with U.F.O. against the New Japan stars. Fujinami has decided that he wants to do what Hashimoto wasn't able to do and can't do in the future because he's retired, take out Naoya Ogawa. Fujinami stepping up to the plate for the New Japan side in light of the Hashimoto embarrassments makes the match a little more intriguing, but I don't see huge money here. Fujinami needs opponents for his retirement countdown though, and this is one of the only marketable new matches they could present, so it's certainly worth a try as long as they don't try to headline a dome with it or something.
The doctor Ogawa visited said it'll take one month for his shoulder to heal. If Ogawa takes the doctors advice and rests for one month, that would mean he'd miss the 5/5 Fukuoka Dome show.

Naoya Ogawa's shoulder was injured on 4/7 when Shinya Hashimoto had him in a sankakujime. He's going to the hospital on 4/10, but expects it to take 3 weeks for him to make a full recovery. He's interested in fighting Riki Choshu at some point after he recovers and Choshu comes out of retirement.

Atsushi Onita suggested that become another "Mr. Liar" by taking one year off than returning like Onita did the second time he came out of retirement. Since there are becoming more and more liars, Onita is now called Intai no specialist (retirement specialist).

4/7 Tokyo Dome 40,000 (Nikkan Sports claim) or 60,000 sellout (Shukan Puroresu claim)
Naoya Ogawa made it three straight victories over Shinya Hashimoto, ending Hashimoto's career when he knocked him out with 6 STO's in a row at 15:09. Due to Sakaguchi's training, Hashimoto was able to stop the STO early in the match, turning it into his DDT, but several head jarring moves like mount punches and later STO's lead to his demise. He also was hurt by a straight left, but managed to fire back with a kick and escape to the floor where he collapsed on the mat. Many of the fans yelled for Hashimoto not to end his career during his retirement speach. To say this result was a huge shock would be a major understatement since everyone expected Hashimoto to finally get his revenge here even before the retirement stipulation was added. Tatsumi Fujinami, Seiji Sakaguchi, and Antonio Inoki all said that it wasn't a good idea or necessary for Hashimoto to retire, and Naoya Ogawa said he regretted that his career long enemy was retiring. Sakaguchi said that Hashimoto is strong, but Ogawa was stronger. He was able to teach him some things that helped narrow the gap, but they just didn't have enough time together. Sakaguchi was only able to give Hashimoto three special training sessions over a two week period, which he regrets since obviously that wasn't enough. While Sakaguchi would like to see them have yet another match, Inoki said he could lend Hashimoto a helping hand by welcoming him into the U.F.O., and, for the first time, Naoya Ogawa said he would accept him in the U.F.O. All of this leaves the door open for them to bring Hashimoto back either for another match with Ogawa or as part of Inoki's group. Unfortunately, even if/when Hashimoto comes back, his aura has probably left him for good. The stupidest thing about this is that they put the final nail in the coffin of the guy that, when given a second chance, became the best draw of the three musketeers for a guy that's only 2 years younger than him.
Kensuke Sasaki made it 4-0 for the heavyweights when he pinned Liger with his northern lights bomb at 7:40. The match started off with Kensuke using his lariats, but Liger fired back with shotei's then took control with a plancha and brainbuster on the floor. Of course, the 22KG weight difference was just too much for the junior, so Kensuke wound up making short work of Liger.

Masahiro Chono was awarded a victory over Great Muta when Muta was disqualified at 16:21 for spewing poison mist in the referee's face. WCW representative Paul Orndorff went to Japan and formally announced Great Muta's contract with WCW was for 1 year. Muta said bye bye to New Japan and went back to his new battlefield where we've seen him wrestle so much of late, America.
Takashi Iizuka made Kazunari Murakami submit to his hadakajime (naked choke) at 11:26.
After "controlling a violent battle," Satoshi Kojima pined Shinjiro Otani following his lariat at 10:06.
Hiroyoshi Tenzan pinned Yutaka Yoshie after his diving headbutt at 12:34.Yoshie had a different look with bleached blond hair and a better conditioned body.
Don Frye made Koji Kanemoto submit to a heel hold at 9:59. Kanemoto got his moonsault and savate kicks in, but Frye fought back with his characteristic kenka fight. He showered Kanemoto with punches and "treated the junior like a child."
Manabu Nakanishi upset Scott Norton at 11:07. Nakanishi launched a surprise attack with a tackle and they "sprinted" the rest of the way. Norton used punches to escape Nakanishi's Argentine backbreaker, but the damage was already done so Nakanishi was able to pin him.
Yuji Nagata made Kendo Kashin submit to his Nagata lock 2 at 12:16.

Don Frye made Koji Kanemoto submit to a heel hold at 9:59. Kanemoto got his moonsault and savate kicks in, but Frye fought back with his characteristic kenka fight. He showered Kanemoto with punches and "treated the junior like a child."
Manabu Nakanishi upset Scott Norton at 11:07. Norton used punches to escap Nakanishi's Argentine backbreaker, but the damage was already done so Nakanishi was able to pin him.
Yuji Nagata made Kendo Kashin submit to his Nagata lock 2 at 12:16.

The 4/7 Dome show will be broadcast at Tokyo Shibuya Station on a big screen screen of "Q Front." Rikidozan was made by television, and many of those people saw his matches outside of their own home. Of course, in the mid 50's a lot of people didn't have a TV, but anyway this gives people that are traveling a chance to see some free wrestling. The idea is that hopefully this will make Naoya Ogawa into more of a mainstream name and get people, particularly the younger salary workers that were pretty young the last time New Japan was on regularly during prime time, interested enough in wrestling that they'll pay for it down the road. There's supposed to be an exclusive camera to monitor Shinya Hashimoto and one to monitor Naoya Ogawa as they are preparing for their big match.

Tatsumi Fujinami, who is set to begin his final countdown, wants to have one last match with his retired "teacher" Antonio Inoki. They have not had a singles match since their famous 60:00 full time draw on 8/8/88, which was not only one of Inoki's best matches, but one of the last quality matches in his career. Unfortunately, the Fujinami of 2000 isn't close to the Fujinami of 1988, so this would be one of those matches that's only good for nostalgic purposes. Well, it would be good for the company in a sense that they are going to need the older fans that don't come much anymore to attend the Fukuoka Dome show, and this is the kind of match that would appeal to them. It's possible that it would not be a real match though, as exhibition and sparring have been mentioned. If that is the case then it won't draw nearly as many people, but without one of the legends from a previous generation like Inoki, Choshu, or Maeda, Fujinami's countdown matches aren't going to draw.

There's an angle to make people think Liger has a better chance of winning the title where Kensuke Sasaki has said he's still feeling the effects of the punishment he sustained in his title defense against Satoshi Kojima on 3/19. It hurts everytime he uses his lariat arm and so on and so forth.

The opening matches on the Dome show will be Yuji Nagata vs. Kendo Kashin in another junior vs. heavy match and a "Super Power Battle" between Manabu Nakanishi and Scott Norton.

Naoya Ogawa's stamina is down because he's not able to retain enough oxygen. He was told by a doctor that he'd be fine for a 10 minute match, but anything more than that would be too long. This probably means that Ogawa will come out on 4/7 throwing bombs, but won't be able to beat Hashimoto. Hashimoto will take over as Ogawa gasses, and Ogawa will lose because of this medical condition. I hope this problem isn't legit, but either way it gives Ogawa a convenient excuse for losing the match.

Naoya Ogawa demanded that Shinya Hashimoto have his retirement ceremony on the 4/7 show if he's defeated. During the ceremony, Hashimoto would have to auction the judo black belt that Seiji Sakaguchi gave him. The idea behind this is that Hashimoto wasn't able to inherit Sakaguchi's fighting spirit so he doesn't deserve to keep the belt. Hashimoto's headband would also be auctioned.

Kuniaki Kobayashi's retirement match on 4/21 at Tokyo Korakuen Hall will be against Jushin Thunder Liger. The significance of this is that Kobayashi was Keiichi Yamada's opponent when he debuted as Jushin Thunder Liger on 4/24/89 at the Tokyo Dome.

Yutaka Yoshie has officially joined Manabu Nakanishi and Masakazu Fukuda in Yuji Nagata's organization of real fighters. Riki Choshu is now their "guardian" and asked them name the group, get this, Fighting CLUB G-EGGS. Luckily, the G doesn't mean the Gobbledygooker (sp?) will come out of the egg. Instead, it means they will "glow up" as they show growth. Nagata was calling the group Team Obake after the Atlanta gym, but Choshu knows that when you use someone else's name they usually come looking for money sooner or later, so he asked Nagata to changed it. Choshu & Nagata had previously agreed to the name Team Tamako, but the other wrestlers seemed ashamed so they wound up being EGGS instead.

Shinya Hashimoto's second on 4/7, Seiji Sakaguchi, formally requested that Antonio Inoki be Naoya Ogawa's second. Since Sakaguchi taught Hashimoto one move and now had a judo exercise with Hashimoto that was open to the public, so that qualifies him as Hashimoto's teacher like Inoki is theoretically Ogawa's teacher. Sakaguchi says this this the least Ogawa can do because Hashimoto is putting his career on the line while Ogawa isn't putting his title on the line, making any concessions, or doing anything special. Obviously Inoki's will agree to be Ogawa's second, but if for some unforeseen reason he doesn't, Kazunari Murakami would probably be in that role again.

They are taking out ads from the capital managed (?) subway from 4/5-4/6. For those two days, every vehicle will have a Hashimoto vs. Ogawa poster stuck to it.

Atsushi Onita gave notice that he's going to be an intruder at the 4/7 show. He'll probably whine that Choshu won't fight him again to set up a match on 5/5.

The 5/5 show is being called Wrestling Dontaku in Fukuoka Dome EPILOGUE OF DRAGON 1st to signify that it's the first show in Fujinami's retirement countdown.

Yutaka Yoshie returned to Japan from Germany, with Yuji Nagata meeting him at the airport and trying to get him to join his group of shooter types. Yoshie fits the bill because he was an amateur wrestler and sumo. Yoshie weights in at 115kg now, with a much tighter and more muscular frame. It would be a big upset because Yoshie really never beat anyone before he left, but Yoshie beating Hiroyoshi Tenzan at the Tokyo Dome is hardly out of the question because New Japan traditionally gives guys a big push when they return to Japan after becoming "stars" overseas.

Antonio Inoki made proposed that the 4/7 Hashimoto vs. Ogawa match should be a no rule match so they could completely settle their feud on this day (yeah, and then they'll have some more b.s. to get Sakaguchi and Inoki out of retirement).In order to coerce Hashimoto to agree, Inoki said he would insure him for 2,000,000,000-en. Inoki also volunteered to buy a coffin for Hashimoto.

The latest Great Muta angle is that he had a meeting with President Tatsumi Fujinami where he said he wanted to become the Nomo of Puroresu. He plans to make WCW his main battle field, and hopes he can be the "saviour" of WCW and their independent affiliate. When he returns to Japan, he'll bring a new wave of talent from the U.S. with him (probably the indy guys). Fujinami expressed his disapproval and reminded Muta that he's still under contract with New Japan.

Tatsumi Fujinami's retirement countdown will begin on the 5/5 Fukuoka Dome show. Both Riki Choshu & Antonio Inoki may be coming out of retirement to have a bad matches on that show. If so, Choshu would be in a death match with Onita and Inoki would team with Naoya Ogawa against Shinya Hashimoto & Seiji Sakaguchi.

3/20 Hyogo Amagasaki Shi Kinen Koen Sogo Taiikukan 6,000 sellout
Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata made their 3rd successful defense on the IWGP Tag Senshuken, defeating Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan when Nakanishi used his Argentine backbreaker on Tenzan at 24:26
Don Frye pinned Jushin Thunder Liger at 10:10 following a migi straight (straight punch with the right hand). How can giving Liger a shot at the heavyweight title be justified when his only singles matches in the division this year are losses to Kojima and Frye? Supposedly Liger lost by a narrow margin, I think he was pushing the ref away when Frye caught him with the punch, but that doesn't change the fact that he didn't get the job done against either guy that Kensuke has recently made successful defenses against.
Kensuke Sasaki & Takashi Iizuka downed Scott Norton & Michiyoshi Ohara when Iizuka made Ohara submit to the hadakajime at 9:01.
Koji Kanemoto & Shinjiro Otani beat El Samurai & Shinya Makabe when Otani pinned Makabe in a Ligerbomb at 12:47.
Kendo Kashin & Dr. Wagner, Jr. defeated Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Negro Casas when Wagner pinned Casas in his Michinoku driver II at 13:09.

3/19 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan 9,000 sellout
Kensuke Sasaki made his second successful defense of the IWGP Heavykyu Senshuken, pinning Satoshi Kojima at 25:02. Kojima's focus was taking away the lariat arm, but he couldn't get the job done. It sounds like he controlled most of the first 19 minutes, but Sasaki made a comeback with punches and nadare shiki no Frankensteiner and eventually hit the northern lights bomb before putting him away with the trusty lariat.
Masa Chono & Scott Norton & Don Frye beat Takashi Iizuka & Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata when Chono yakuza kicked Nakanishi at 14:29.
Jushin Thunder Liger put Shinjiro Otani away with a powerbomb in just 8:44.
El Samurai & Kendo Kashin & Dr. Wagner, Jr. defeated Koji Kanemoto & Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Negro Casas when Kashin made Casas submit to his udehishigigyakujujigatame at 13:37.

Seiji Sakaguchi, who will act as Hashimoto's second on 4/7, wants to team with Hashimoto for a dream tag match against Naoya Ogawa and his second Antonio Inoki. Sakaguchi was the guy that introducted Ogawa for new Japan enlistment, but he's still mad that Ogawa attacked him on 6/5/98 at Tokyo Nippon Budokan (during one of those pull apart type incidents, I think). Hashimoto is supposed to wear Sakaguchi's judo jacket for the 4/7 match.
Kazunari Murakami resurfaced on 3/19 with the angle being that he cut off contact because he felt bad that he attacked Hashimoto when Inoki & Ogawa didn't want him to because they were supposed to be cooperating with Hashimoto for one day. Boy does that kill just about all the potential that angle had.