The Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular was a professional wrestling

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 on January 28, 2001 at the Tokyo Egg Dome in Tokyo, Japan. It was the first memorial event held in memory 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...

 since his death in 1999, and subsequently followed by the Giant Baba Memorial Cup

Giant Baba Memorial Cup

The Giant Baba Memorial Cup was a professional wrestling memorial event produced by the All-Japan Pro Wrestling 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...

 and Giant Baba Memorial Six Man Tag Team Tournament a year later. Ten 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 the event's card

Card (sports)

In sports, a card comprises a listing of the matches taking place in a title-match combat-sport event. Organizers divide overall cards into a main-event match and the undercard, which encompasses the rest of the matches. One can also further subdivide the undercard into midcard and lower card,...

, with two including championships.

The main event was an interpromotional Tag Team "dream match" between IWGP World Heavyweight Champion

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

The International Wrestling Grand Prix Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling...

 Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki

is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...

 and All-Japan's Toshiaki Kawada

Toshiaki Kawada

is a Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2005, he started freelancing in other promotions....

 against AJPW Triple Crown Champion Genichiro Tenryu

Genichiro Tenryu

Genichiro Tenryu , real name Genichiro Shimada , is a Japanese professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling...

 and Hiroshi Hase, a one-time star for New Japan Pro Wrestling

New Japan Pro Wrestling

is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...

 and then a member of the Japanese parliament. Another featured bout was a "Legends match" which saw Terry Funk

Terry Funk

Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...

 team with longtime rival Atsushi Onita

Atsushi Onita

Atsushi Onita is a Japanese former politician and active professional wrestler best known for his work in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling...

 to take on Abdullah the Butcher

Abdullah the Butcher

Lawrence Robert "Larry" Shreve best known as Abdullah the Butcher, and also at times The Madman from the Sudan, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler known as one of the most brutal or "hardcore" professional wrestlers of all-time...

 and Giant Kimala, which Funk and Onita won. The event featured two other interpromotional matches on the undercard; New Japan's Jushin "Thunder" Liger

Jushin Liger

, better known as and later, is a Japanese professional wrestler who primarily works for New Japan Pro Wrestling.He has wrestled and beaten many of the top smaller wrestlers in both Japan and the United States, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest and most revolutionary junior...

 defeating All Japan's Masa Fuchi and Keiji Mutoh

Keiji Mutoh

is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...

 beating Taiyō Kea

Taiyo Kea

Maunakea Mossman is an American professional wrestler, better known under his stage name Taiyō Kea . Although he was born in Hawaii, he has spent nearly his entire career as a member of the Japan-based All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion...

. The team of Johnny Smith

John Hindley

John Hindley is a retired British professional wrestler best known by his ring name Johnny Smith.-Early years in the U.K. :...

, Jim Steele

Jim Steele (wrestler)

James Rocha is an American Professional Wrestler who competed in World Championship Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling. He's perhaps best known for using the gimmick: Wolf Hawkfield, based on the video game character from the Virtua Fighter video game series.-World Championship Wrestling :Rocha...

 and George Hines

George Hines

George Hines is a semi-retired American professional wrestler, best known by his ringname Jackie Fulton, who competed in regional and independent promotions including the American Wrestling Association, East Coast Championship Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling...

 defeated Mike Rotunda

Mike Rotunda

Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda is a former American professional wrestler, perhaps best known under the name Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S. for short. He is currently signed with WWE working as a road agent and making occasional appearances on WWE shows as Irwin R...

, Curt Hennig

Curt Hennig

Curtis Michael "Curt" Hennig , also known by the ring name Mr. Perfect, was an American professional wrestler, manager and color commentator who worked for, among other promotions, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World...

 and Barry Windham

Barry Windham

Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling ....

 (substituting for an injured Kendall Windham

Kendall Windham

Kendall Windham is a former professional wrestler. He is the son of Blackjack Mulligan and the brother of Barry Windham.-Florida Championship Wrestling:...

). The show also included a special in-ring retirement cerimony for Stan Hansen

Stan Hansen

John Stanley Hansen, Jr. is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Stan Hansen. As a wrestler, Hansen was well known for his stiff wrestling style, which he attributes to poor eyesight, as he is nearly blind without glasses...

, one of the most dominant "Gaijin heels

Heel (professional wrestling)

In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...

" in the promotion's history, was honored by several wrestlers including The Destroyer

Dick Beyer

Dick Beyer is a retired professional wrestler who is best known by his ring names, The Destroyer or Doctor X.-Early life:...

 and Mil Máscaras

Mil Máscaras

Aaron Rodríguez , best known as Mil Máscaras , is a semi-retired Mexican professional wrestler and actor, who has starred in several films with fellow luchadores...

.

The event was highly anticipated according to the professional wrestling section of the Canadian Online Explorer

Canadian Online Explorer

Canadian Online Explorer is a bilingual online news and information site from Canada.A subsidiary of Quebecor Media, Canoe.ca is a leading local and national interactive media provider of news, entertainment and services, helping to inform and connect Canadians...

, especially the "dream team" featured in the main event, but later reported that it attracted "a disappointing crowd of 30,000 fans". The show was aired on Nippon TV two days later.

Results

January 28, 2001 in Tokyo, Japan (Tokyo Egg Dome)

#	Results	Stipulations	Times
1	Dan Kroffat Dan Kroffat Dan Kroffat is a professional wrestler who was active as a wrestler and booker in the National Wrestling Alliance and Stampede Wrestling in the 1960s and 1970sWhile acting as a booker in Stampede Wrestling, Kroffat invented the ladder match....  defeated 13 other participants by last eliminating Yuto Aijima	Thirteen-man battle royal Battle royal (professional wrestling) In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...	26:14
2	Kim Duk and 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...  defeated Yoshiaki Fujiwara Yoshiaki Fujiwara is a Japanese actor, and professional wrestler who has worked for New Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE, and UWF.-New Japan Pro Wrestling and Universal Wrestling Federation :...  and Nobutaka Araya	Tag Team match	n/a
3	Masahito Kakihara and Mitsuya Nagai defeated Alexander Otsuka Alexander Otsuka , better known by his ring name Alexander Otsuka, is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and professional wrestler. He competes in the Light Heavyweight division. He won his last fight at VFX - Vale Tudo Fighters Mexico against Masada Masada on May 27, 2006...  and Mohammed Yone Satoshi Yoneyama , better known by his ring name Mohammed Yone , is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is currently one half of the GHC Tag Team Champions with Takeshi Rikio. He is known for his trademark afro hairstyle, which has earned him the nickname "Mr. Afro"...	Singles match	n/a
4	Johnny Smith John Hindley John Hindley is a retired British professional wrestler best known by his ring name Johnny Smith.-Early years in the U.K. :... , Jim Steele and George Hines George Hines George Hines is a semi-retired American professional wrestler, best known by his ringname Jackie Fulton, who competed in regional and independent promotions including the American Wrestling Association, East Coast Championship Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling...  defeated Mike Rotunda Mike Rotunda Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda is a former American professional wrestler, perhaps best known under the name Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S. for short. He is currently signed with WWE working as a road agent and making occasional appearances on WWE shows as Irwin R... , Curt Henning and Barry Windham Barry Windham Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling ....	Tag Team match	n/a
5	Mil Máscaras Mil Máscaras Aaron Rodríguez , best known as Mil Máscaras , is a semi-retired Mexican professional wrestler and actor, who has starred in several films with fellow luchadores...  and El Hijo del Santo El Hijo del Santo Jorge Guzmán Rodríguez , better known as El Hijo del Santo , is a Mexican professional wrestler, political activist and one of the most successful stars in Lucha Libre...  defeated Arkangel de la Muerte Arkangel de la Muerte Arkangel de la Muerte is a luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler, best known for his work in the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . he is often referred to as just Arkangel. He previous worked under the ring name "Mister Cid" but changed to...  and Blue Panther Blue Panther Genaro Vazquez Nevarez is a Mexican professional wrestler currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, better known by his ring name Blue Panther...	Lucha libre tag team match	13:40
6	"Dr. Death" Steve Williams pinned Mike Barton	Singles match	14:47
7	Jushin Liger Jushin Liger , better known as and later, is a Japanese professional wrestler who primarily works for New Japan Pro Wrestling.He has wrestled and beaten many of the top smaller wrestlers in both Japan and the United States, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest and most revolutionary junior...  (NJPW) pinned Masa Fuchi (AJPW)	Interpromotional "AJPW vs. NJPW" Singles match	18:04
8	Keiji Mutoh Keiji Mutoh is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...  (NJPW) defeated Taiyō Kea Taiyo Kea Maunakea Mossman is an American professional wrestler, better known under his stage name Taiyō Kea . Although he was born in Hawaii, he has spent nearly his entire career as a member of the Japan-based All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion...  (AJPW)	Singles match	14:54
9	Terry Funk Terry Funk Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...  and Atsushi Onita Atsushi Onita Atsushi Onita is a Japanese former politician and active professional wrestler best known for his work in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling...  defeated Abdullah the Butcher Abdullah the Butcher Lawrence Robert "Larry" Shreve best known as Abdullah the Butcher, and also at times The Madman from the Sudan, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler known as one of the most brutal or "hardcore" professional wrestlers of all-time...  and Giant Kimala	Legends match	8:26
10	Kensuke Sasaki Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...  (c) and Toshiaki Kawada Toshiaki Kawada is a Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2005, he started freelancing in other promotions....  defeated Genichiro Tenryu Genichiro Tenryu Genichiro Tenryu , real name Genichiro Shimada , is a Japanese professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling...  (c) and Hiroshi Hase	Dream match	23:48