nWo Japan

Title History

• IWGP Tag Team titles (Masahiro Chono & Keiji Mutoh)
• IWGP Tag Team titles (Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan)
• IWGP Tag Team titles (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima)
• IWGP Heavyweight title (Masahiro Chono)
• IWGP Heavyweight title (Scott Norton)
• IWGP Heavyweight title (Keiji Mutoh)

Career Highlights

New Japan Pro-Wrestling & WCW – Ready to take over Japan:

• December 16, 1997 – WCW Nitro: “Mean” Gene Okelund held an interview with Sonny Onoo about Masahiro Chono’s contractual situation with New Japan.
• ~~~Suddenly, Chono revealed a nWo T-Shirt announcing that he rejected New Japan to join the nWo.
• ~~~Later that night, Chris Jericho defeated Masahiro Chono via DQ.
• Back in New Japan, Chono officially announced the born of nWo Japan, along with his mates from Team Wolf, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Hiro Saito.
• January 4, 1997 – NJPW Wrestling World: Masahiro Chono defeated Shoji Nakamaki.
• ~~~Hiro Saito beat The Great Kojika by submission.
• ~~~Tatsumi Fujinami & Kengo Kimura defeated Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan to win the IWGP Tag Team titles.
• January 20, 1997 – WCW Nitro: Masahiro Chono defeated Dave Taylor.
• January 25, 1997 – WCW Souled Out: Masahiro Chono beat Chris Jericho.
• February 16, 1997 – NJPW Sumo Hall: Michiyoshi Ohara & Tatsutoshi Goto defeated Hiro Saito & Hiroyoshi Tenzan.
• ~~~Masahiro Chono, Scott Norton & Buff Bagwell beat Riki Choshu, Kensuke Sasaki, & Tadao Yasuda.
• ~~~Later that night, Chono, Norton and Bagwell approached to The Great Muta after his match to offer him a place into the nWo, but Muta left the ring with no answer.
• March, 1997: Keiji Mutoh approached to nWo Japan members, apparently to join them. But he attacked Masahiro Chono out of nowhere and left the ring.
• ~~~On backstage, Scott Norton and Buff Bagwell vowed revenge on Mutoh.
• March 20, 1997: nWo Japan (Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi, Tenzan, Scott Norton, nWo Sting & Buff Bagwell) beat New Japan Sekigun (Shin’ya Hashimoto, Keiji Mutoh, Kensuke Sasaki, Manabu Nakanishi & Steven Regal) when Mutoh accidentally cost the victory of his team.
• April 4, 1997 – NJPW Battle Formation: Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Manabu Nakanishi via submission.
• ~~~The Great Muta defeated Masahiro Chono, strangely Muta and Chono shook hands after the match, spreading confusion about Muta’s true colors.
• May 3, 1997 – NJPW Strong Style Evolution: Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan.
• ~~~nWo Sting & Syxx defeated Tadao Yasuda & Takashi Iizuka.
• ~~~Scott Norton & Buff Bagwell defeated Lex Luger & The Giant.
• ~~~Masahiro Chono & The Outsiders beat Keiji Mutoh & The Steiner Brothers.
• May 26, 1997 – WCW Nitro: The Great Muta vs. Masahiro Chono went to no-contest when Muta and Chono attacked Sonny Onoo.
• ~~~Finally, Chono revealed that The Great Muta had joined to the nWo!!! (However, Keiji Mutoh declared his loyalty to New Japan)
• June 2, 1997 – WCW Nitro: The Great Muta & Masahiro Chono defeated The Steiner Brothers.
• June 5, 1997 – NJPW Budokan Hall Show: Satoshi Kojima & Manabu Nakanishi beat Masahiro Chono & nWo Sting to retain the IWGP Tag Team titles.
• ~~~Shin’ya Hashimoto defeated Keiji Mutoh to retain the IWGP World title. Strangely, all the members of the nWo were supporting Mutoh at his corner.
• June 26, 1997: The Great Muta, Masahiro Chono & nWo Sting defeated Shin’ya Hashimoto, Satoshi Kojima & Manabu Nakanishi.
• June 30, 1997 – WCW Nitro: The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Chris Benoit & Steve McMichael) defeated nWo Japan (Masahiro Chono, Scott Norton & Buff Bagwell).
• July 6, 1997: Shin’ya Hashimoto & Riki Choshu won over Masahiro Chono & The Great Muta.
• ~~~Afterwards, Chono teased to punish Muta with a baseball bat, but he decided to not do it to show unity inside nWo gundam
• July 13, 1997 – WCW Bash at The Beach: The Steiner Brothers beat Masahiro Chono & The Great Muta.
• July 14, 1997 – WCW Nitro: Masahiro Chono & The Great Muta defeated The Public Enemy.
• July 21, 1997 – WCW Nitro: The Giant beat The Great Muta by DQ after Muta spewed Green Mist on The Giant.
• July 28, 1997 – WCW Nitro: The Giant took down The Great Muta in their rematch.
• August, 1997 – NJPW G1 Climax: Masahiro Chono, The Great Muta, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Scott Norton and Buff Bagwell competed in the tournament.
• ~~~Hiroyoshi Tenzan could make it to the finals but lost to Kensuke Sasaki.
• August 3, 1997: The Great Muta defeated Lord Steven Regal.
• August 10, 1997 – NJPW Four Heaven: The Great Muta defeated Naoya Ogawa when Tiger Mask had to throw the towel after Muta putted Ogawa in a vicious Cross Armbreaker.
• ~~~Shin’ya Hashimoto beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan to retain the IWGP title.
• August 31, 1997: Riki Choshu, Tatsumi Fujinami & Genichiro Tenryu defeated The Great Muta, Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan.
• September 13, 1997 – NJPW: The Great Muta defeated Tadao Yasuda.
• September 17, 1997 – NJPW: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & The Great Muta beat Tatsumi Fujinami & Akira Nogami.
• September 20, 1997 – NJPW: Kensuke Sasaki & Kazuo Yamazaki beat The Great Muta & Hiroyoshi Tenzan.
• ~~~In the middle of the match, Tenzan accidentally attacked Muta with a Diving Mongolian Chop, driving Muta crazy.
• ~~~Right in the end, Muta spewed Green Mist on Tenzan’s eyes and then argued with Masahiro Chono.
• September 23, 1997 – NJPW Budokan Hall Show: nWo Sting & Buff Bagwell beat Tadao Yasuda & Takayuki Iizuka.
• ~~~The Great Muta & Masahiro Chono vs. Kensuke Sasaki & Kazuo Yamazaki went to a very strange end.
• ~~~In one point of the match, Chono accidentally delivered to Muta a Diving Shoulder Block, then Muta went mad and left Chono by his own.
• ~~~Later, Keiji Mutoh hit the ring, apparently to help New Japan wrestlers, but instead he attacked Kensuke Sasaki allowing the victory to the nWo gundam and completing his “full” joining to the stable!
• October 19, 1997 – nWo Typhoon tour: Keiji Mutoh & Masahiro Chono defeated Kensuke Sasaki & Kazuo Yamazaki to win the IWGP World Tag Team titles.
• November 2, 1997- Final Battle Hall: Michiyoshi Ohara, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Scott Norton beat Tadao Yasuda, Satoshi Kojima & Manabu Nakanishi.
• ~~~Masahiro Chono & Keiji Mutoh retained the IWGP Tag Team titles defeating Tatsumi Fujinami & Genichiro Tenryu.
• December 8, 1997 – Super Grade Tag League: nWo participated with two teams: Masahiro Chono & Keiji Mutoh and Hiroyoshi Tenzan & nWo Sting.
• ~~~Chono & Mutoh defeated Shin’ya Hashimoto & Manabu Nakanishi in the finals.
• January 4, 1998 – Final Power Hall: Yuji Nagata defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan by submission.
• ~~~Masahiro Chono beat Shiro Koshinaka.
• ~~~Kensuke Sasaki defeated Keiji Mutoh to retain the IWGP World title.
• January 8, 1998 – WCW Thunder: Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Michoyoshi Ohara.
• April 4, 1998 – The Inoki Final in Tokyo Dome: Manabu Nakanishi & Satoshi Kojima beat Hiro Saito & Hiroyoshi Tenzan.
• ~~~Masahiro Chono & Keiji Mutoh defeated Shin’ya Hashimoto & Osamu Nishimura to retain the IWGP Tag Team titles.
• May, 1998: Keiji Mutoh & Masahiro Chono vacated the IWGP Tag Team titles due to a Mutoh’s knee injury.
• June 5, 1998 – Best of the Super Juniors V: Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Genichiro Tneryu & Shiro Koshinaka to win the IWGP Tag Team titles.
• June 15, 1998 – WCW Nitro: Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat High Voltage.
• June 18, 1998 – WCW Thunder: Davey Boy Smith & Jim Neidhart defeated Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan by DQ
• June 28, 1998 – WCW Nitro: The Great Muta & Masahiro Chono defeated The Boogie Knights (Disco Inferno & Alex Wright).
• ~~~Afterwards, Scott Norton hit the ring and destroyed Inferno and Wright.
• July 15, 1998: Genichiro Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka beat Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan to retain the IWGP Tag Team titles.

NJPW – The Hunt for the IWGP Championship:

• July/August, 1998 – G1 Climax Tournament: Masahiro Chono, Keiji Mutoh and Hiroyoshi Tenzan participated in the tournament.
• ~~~Chono reached the semi-finals but lost to Kazuo Yamazaki.
• August 8, 1998 – Rising the Next Generation: Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Shiro Koshinaka.
• ~~~The Great Muta & The Great Kabuki defeated Tatsutoshi Goto & Michiyoshi Ohara.
• ~~~Masahiro Chono beat Tatsumi Fujinami to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Title!
• Masahiro Chono suffered a neck injury, which forced him to forfeit the IWGP title.
• ~~~Keiji Mutoh assumed the leadership of nWo Japan and changed completely its philosophy, turning the nWo into a babyface faction.
• September 23, 1998 – Big Wednesday: Genichiro Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka defeated nWo Sting & Brian Adams to retain the IWGP Tag Team titles.
• ~~~Scott Norton defeated Yuji Nagata in the finals of a tournament to win the vacant IWGP Championship.
• September 30, 1998: Scott Norton beat Shin’ya Hashimoto by count-out to retain the IWGP Championship.
• October 18, 1998: Genichiro Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka beat Keiji Mutoh & Hiroyoshi Tenzan to retain the IWGP Tag Team titles.
• Mutoh successfully recruited Satoshi Kojima.
• November 2, 1998 – WCW Nitro: Scott Norton defeated Hammer-V to retain the IWGP World Championship.
• November 9, 1998 – WCW Nitro: Scott Norton beat Lodi to retain the IWGP World title.
• November/December, 1998 – Super Grade Tag League: nWo participated with two teams: Keiji Mutoh & Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan & nWo Sting.
• ~~~Mutoh & Kojima defeated Shin’ya Hashimoto & Tatsumi Fujinami in the finals.
• December 14, 1998: Scott Norton defeated Manabu Nakanishi to retain the IWGP title.

NJPW – new WORLD order vs. Team 2000:

• Masahiro Chono made his return and declared war to Keiji Mutoh and the nWo, for disagreeing about the new direction of the group, creating Team 2000.
• January 4, 1999 – Wrestling World: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Genichiro Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka to win the IWGP Tag Team titles.
• ~~~Keiji Mutoh defeated Scott Norton to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
• February 5, 1999: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi to retain the IWGP Tag Team titles.
• February 14, 1999 – St. Valentine’s Day Massacre: Masahiro Chono, Fake Sting & AKIRA beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Hiro Saito.
• ~~~Keiji Mutoh defeated Kensuke Sasaki to retain the IWGP Title.
• March 22, 1999: Kensuke Sasaki & Shiro Koshinaka defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima to win the IWGP Tag Team titles.
• April 10, 1999 – Strong Style Symphony: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi.
• ~~~Keiji Mutoh beat Don Frye to retain the IWGP Heavyweight title.
• May 3, 1999: Keiji Mutoh defeated Genichiro Tenryu to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
• June 9, 1999 – Budokan Hall Show: Osamu Kido & Kuniaki Kobayashi beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Hiro Saito.
• ~~~Keiji Mutoh & Satoshi Kojima defeated Masahiro Chono & Don Frye.
• July 21, 1999: Keiji Mutoh retained the IWGP Championship over Satoshi Kojima.
• August 15, 1999 – G1 Climax Tournament: Keiji Mutoh, Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan participated at the G1 Climax.
• ~~~Manabu Nakanishi beat Keiji Mutoh by submission in the finals to win the tournament.
• August, 1999: Masahiro Chono, AKIRA & Atsushi Onita beat Keiji Mutoh, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Hiro Saito.
• August 28, 1999 – Battle of Last Summer: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Shiro Koshinaka & Tatsumi Fujinami.
• ~~~Don Frye pinned Scott Norton.
• ~~~The Great Muta defeated The Great Nita in a No Rope-Electrified Barbed Wire-Double Hell Deathmatch.
• September, 1999 – G1 Climax Tag Team League: nWo participated with two teams: Keiji Mutoh & Scott Norton; and Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima.
• ~~~Mutoh & Norton beat Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi in the finals.
• October 11, 1999 – Final Dome: Hiroyoshi Tenzan pinned Tatsutoshi Goto.
• ~~~Don Frye & Masahiro Chono defeated Satoshi Kojima & Scott Norton by submission.
• ~~~Keiji Mutoh beat Manabu Nakanishi by submission to retain the IWGP World title.
• December 10, 1999: Masahiro Chono beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan by submission.
• ~~~Genichiro Tenryu defeated Keiji Mutoh to become the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion!
• January 4, 2000 – Wrestling World: Shiro Koshinaka defeated Satoshi Kojima.
• ~~~Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Chris Benoit.
• ~~~Scott Norton defeated Don Frye.
• ~~~Masahiro Chono defeated Keiji Mutoh by submission, forcing nWo Japan to disband.

Special thank you to Exequiel Ortega Rubio for helping with the content on this profile…..