Giant Baba Memorial Cup
Encyclopedia
The Giant Baba Memorial Cup was a professional wrestling
memorial event produced by the All-Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotion
, which took place from January 2 to January 14, 2002 at Korakuen Hall
in Tokyo
, Hakata Star Lane in Fukuoka
, the Nagasaki NCC Studio, Sasebo Sports Bunka Hall, Kokura Northern Gymnasium, Kagoshima Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka Central Gymnasium
, and the Bunka Gym
in Yokohama
, Japan
. It was the second event held in honor of AJPW founder Shohei "Giant" Baba
preceding the Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular
in 2001 and was followed by the Giant Baba Memorial Six Man Tag Team Tournament three months later. Thirty-one professional wrestling matches
were featured on AJPW's "New Year Giant Series" tour over a three-week period, with the opening rounds, semi-finals and the final match airing on Gaora TV.
The Giant Baba Memorial Cup, held as a round robin tournament, had a uniquely different point system traditionally used by the Champion Carnival or Real World Tag League. Winners were awarded points on the duration of the match rather than simply defeating an opponent.
The participants were separated into two separate blocks; Shigeo Okumura
, Nobukazu Hirai
, Hideki Hosaka, Hi69, Mitsuya Nagai and Ryuji Hijikata
were in "Block A" and Nobutaka Araya, Yaz Urano, Tomoaki Honma
, Gran Naniwa
, Kazushi Miyamoto
, and Masato Tanaka
were in "Block B". The winners of each block, Mitsuya Nagai and Nobutaka Araya, faced each other in the tournament finals at the Yokohama Bunka Gym on January 14, 2002.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
memorial event produced by the All-Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
, which took place from January 2 to January 14, 2002 at Korakuen Hall
Korakuen Hall
is an arena in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan, which has hosted many boxing, professional wrestling and mixed martial arts matches. Part of Tokyo Dome City, it is one of Tokyo's biggest attractions. It opened on April 16, 1962 and has a capacity of approximately 1,800 people. The venue hosted the boxing...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Hakata Star Lane in Fukuoka
Fukuoka
Fukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan...
, the Nagasaki NCC Studio, Sasebo Sports Bunka Hall, Kokura Northern Gymnasium, Kagoshima Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka Central Gymnasium
Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium
is an indoor sporting arena located in Minato-ku, Osaka, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 8,200 people. It has hosted several of the group matches for the 2006 Volleyball World Championship. It currently serves as the home court for the Osaka Evessa, a professional basketball team in the bj...
, and the Bunka Gym
Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium
is an indoor sports arena, located in Naka-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 5,000 people and was opened in 1962.It is a five minute walk from the closest subway station, Kannai Station, on the JR/Yokohama Municipal Subway....
in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was the second event held in honor of AJPW founder Shohei "Giant" Baba
Shohei Baba
was a professional wrestler and co-founder of All Japan Pro Wrestling. He was also known as Giant Baba. Baba, along with Antonio Inoki, became one of the most famous Japanese wrestlers of his era, with a popularity in Japan comparable to Hulk Hogan's in the United States of America...
preceding the Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular
Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular
The Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular was a professional wrestling memorial event produced by the All-Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, which took place on January 28, 2001 at the Tokyo Egg Dome in Tokyo, Japan...
in 2001 and was followed by the Giant Baba Memorial Six Man Tag Team Tournament three months later. Thirty-one professional wrestling matches
Mock combat
Mock combat involves the execution of combative actions without intent to harm. Participants can engage in such sparring for ritual, training, recreational or performance reasons...
were featured on AJPW's "New Year Giant Series" tour over a three-week period, with the opening rounds, semi-finals and the final match airing on Gaora TV.
The Giant Baba Memorial Cup, held as a round robin tournament, had a uniquely different point system traditionally used by the Champion Carnival or Real World Tag League. Winners were awarded points on the duration of the match rather than simply defeating an opponent.
- A match under 5:00 min. would receive 5 points.
- A match under 10:00 min. would receive 4 points.
- A match under 15:00 min. would receive 3 points.
- A match under 20:00 min. would receive 2 points.
- A match ending in 20:00 min. time-limit draw would receive 1 point.
The participants were separated into two separate blocks; Shigeo Okumura
Shigeo Okumura
Shigeo Okumura is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and is currently billed simply as Okumura. Okumura originally worked for Tokyo Pro Wrestling and later on All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan but...
, Nobukazu Hirai
Nobukazu Hirai
Nobukazu Hirai is a Japanese professional wrestler currently competing in All Japan Pro Wrestling as Super Hate. He is the son of Japanese wrestler: Mitsu Hirai-Super World Sports :...
, Hideki Hosaka, Hi69, Mitsuya Nagai and Ryuji Hijikata
Ryuji Hijikata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. Born May 17, 1978. Started wrestling in 1998 for Yuki Isikawa's BattlARTS promotion and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he was a former AJPW World Jr...
were in "Block A" and Nobutaka Araya, Yaz Urano, Tomoaki Honma
Tomoaki Honma
Tomoaki Honma is a freelance Japanese professional wrestler, currently touring with New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Career:Honma trained in the Big Japan dojo before debuting for the promotion in May, 1997...
, Gran Naniwa
Gran Naniwa
was a Japanese professional wrestler. Naniwa was known for his comedic gimmick, in which he performed mannerisms of crabs. This was also reflected upon in the design of his wrestling mask.-Career:...
, Kazushi Miyamoto
Kazushi Miyamoto
is a Japanese professional wrestler.-Career:Kazushi Miyamoto will forever have the distinction of being the first post-split graduate of the All Japan Pro Wrestling dojo. While in the Dojo Miyamoto was trained by Hiroshi Hase, Johnny Smith, and his mentor Toshiaki Kawada...
, and Masato Tanaka
Masato Tanaka
Masato Tanaka is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling in Japan and in Extreme Championship Wrestling in the United States where he was a one-time world champion, having won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship once...
were in "Block B". The winners of each block, Mitsuya Nagai and Nobutaka Araya, faced each other in the tournament finals at the Yokohama Bunka Gym on January 14, 2002.
Results
The Giant Baba Memorial Cup was a round-robin tournament consisting of two six-man blocks, and running from January 2 to January 14, 2002.| Block A | | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsuya Nagai | 24 !! Nobutaka Araya | 21 | |
| Shigeo Okumura Shigeo Okumura Shigeo Okumura is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and is currently billed simply as Okumura. Okumura originally worked for Tokyo Pro Wrestling and later on All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan but... |
14 !! Masato Tanaka Masato Tanaka Masato Tanaka is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling in Japan and in Extreme Championship Wrestling in the United States where he was a one-time world champion, having won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship once... |
19 | |
| Nobukazu Hirai Nobukazu Hirai Nobukazu Hirai is a Japanese professional wrestler currently competing in All Japan Pro Wrestling as Super Hate. He is the son of Japanese wrestler: Mitsu Hirai-Super World Sports :... |
11 !! Tomoaki Honma Tomoaki Honma Tomoaki Honma is a freelance Japanese professional wrestler, currently touring with New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Career:Honma trained in the Big Japan dojo before debuting for the promotion in May, 1997... |
8 | |
| Hideki Hosaka | 8 !! Kazushi Miyamoto Kazushi Miyamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler.-Career:Kazushi Miyamoto will forever have the distinction of being the first post-split graduate of the All Japan Pro Wrestling dojo. While in the Dojo Miyamoto was trained by Hiroshi Hase, Johnny Smith, and his mentor Toshiaki Kawada... |
8 | |
| Ryuji Hijikata Ryuji Hijikata is a Japanese professional wrestler. Born May 17, 1978. Started wrestling in 1998 for Yuki Isikawa's BattlARTS promotion and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he was a former AJPW World Jr... |
8 !! Gran Naniwa Gran Naniwa was a Japanese professional wrestler. Naniwa was known for his comedic gimmick, in which he performed mannerisms of crabs. This was also reflected upon in the design of his wrestling mask.-Career:... |
7 | |
| Hi69 | 0 !! Yasu Urano | 0 | |
| Block A | Mitsuya Nagai | Nobukazu Hirai Nobukazu Hirai Nobukazu Hirai is a Japanese professional wrestler currently competing in All Japan Pro Wrestling as Super Hate. He is the son of Japanese wrestler: Mitsu Hirai-Super World Sports :... | Ryuji Hijikata Ryuji Hijikata is a Japanese professional wrestler. Born May 17, 1978. Started wrestling in 1998 for Yuki Isikawa's BattlARTS promotion and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he was a former AJPW World Jr... | Hi69 | Shigeo Okumura Shigeo Okumura Shigeo Okumura is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and is currently billed simply as Okumura. Okumura originally worked for Tokyo Pro Wrestling and later on All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan but... | Hideki Hosaka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsuya Nagai | X | Nagai (4:27) | Nagai (1:59) | Nagai (3:00) | Nagai (2:19) | Nagai (7:16) |
| Nobukazu Hirai Nobukazu Hirai Nobukazu Hirai is a Japanese professional wrestler currently competing in All Japan Pro Wrestling as Super Hate. He is the son of Japanese wrestler: Mitsu Hirai-Super World Sports :... |
Nagai (4:27) | X | Fujiwara (9:14) | Hirai (5:18) | Nagai (15:58) | Hirai (4:30) |
| Ryuji Hijikata Ryuji Hijikata is a Japanese professional wrestler. Born May 17, 1978. Started wrestling in 1998 for Yuki Isikawa's BattlARTS promotion and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he was a former AJPW World Jr... |
Nagai (1:59) | Hijikata (9:05) | X | Hijikata (7:41) | Okumura (4:23) | Hosaka (10:33) |
| Hi69 | Nagai (3:00) | Harai (5:18) | Hikata (7:41) | X | Okumura (2:27) | Hosaka (2:09) |
| Shigeo Okumura Shigeo Okumura Shigeo Okumura is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and is currently billed simply as Okumura. Okumura originally worked for Tokyo Pro Wrestling and later on All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan but... |
Nagai (2:19) | Hirai (15:58) | Okumura (14:23) | Okumura (2:27) | X | Okumura (5:13) |
| Hideki Hosaka | Nagai (7:16) | Hirai (4:30) | Hosaka (10:33) | Hosaka (2:09) | Okumura (5:13) | X |
| Block B | Kazushi Miyamoto Kazushi Miyamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler.-Career:Kazushi Miyamoto will forever have the distinction of being the first post-split graduate of the All Japan Pro Wrestling dojo. While in the Dojo Miyamoto was trained by Hiroshi Hase, Johnny Smith, and his mentor Toshiaki Kawada... |
Masato Tanaka Masato Tanaka Masato Tanaka is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling in Japan and in Extreme Championship Wrestling in the United States where he was a one-time world champion, having won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship once... |
Tomoaki Honma Tomoaki Honma Tomoaki Honma is a freelance Japanese professional wrestler, currently touring with New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Career:Honma trained in the Big Japan dojo before debuting for the promotion in May, 1997... |
Yasu Urano | Gran Naniwa Gran Naniwa was a Japanese professional wrestler. Naniwa was known for his comedic gimmick, in which he performed mannerisms of crabs. This was also reflected upon in the design of his wrestling mask.-Career:... |
Nobutaka Araya |
| Kazushi Miyamoto Kazushi Miyamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler.-Career:Kazushi Miyamoto will forever have the distinction of being the first post-split graduate of the All Japan Pro Wrestling dojo. While in the Dojo Miyamoto was trained by Hiroshi Hase, Johnny Smith, and his mentor Toshiaki Kawada... |
X | Tanaka (5:54) | Homna (7:13) | Miyamoto (8:54) | Miyamoto (8:06) | Araya (2:08) |
| Masato Tanaka Masato Tanaka Masato Tanaka is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling in Japan and in Extreme Championship Wrestling in the United States where he was a one-time world champion, having won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship once... |
Tanaka (5:54) | X | Tanaka (7:16) | Tanaka (4:16) | Tanaka (3:17) | Draw (20:00) |
| Tomoaki Honma Tomoaki Honma Tomoaki Honma is a freelance Japanese professional wrestler, currently touring with New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Career:Honma trained in the Big Japan dojo before debuting for the promotion in May, 1997... |
Homna (7:13) | Tanaka (7:16) | X | Honma (8:16) | Naniwa (12:24) | Araya (1:14) |
| Yasu Urano | Miyamoto (8:54) | Tanaka (4:16) | Honma (8:16) | X | Naniwa (6:37) | Araya (1:48) |
| Gran Naniwa Gran Naniwa was a Japanese professional wrestler. Naniwa was known for his comedic gimmick, in which he performed mannerisms of crabs. This was also reflected upon in the design of his wrestling mask.-Career:... |
Miyamoto (8:06) | Tanaka (3:17) | Naniwa (12:24) | Naniwa (6:37) | X | Araya (3:29) |
| Nobutaka Araya | Araya (2:08) | Draw (20:00) | Araya (1:14) | Araya (1:48) | Araya (3:29) | X |