This seems to be right in the middle of Inoki-MMA which wasn't necessarily a terrible call given how popular PRIDE fighting/K-1 was around the time. But that's not really what pro wrestling fans wanted and no one really benefited. I generally feel like I have a good handle on booking ideas until it comes to a promotion like NJPW or WWE. It seems like a tremendous balancing act along with a bit of luck.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Hiroshi Tanahashi - Opening match to a Dome show but I think it was very good stuff. Under 15 minutes, so it's all action with Tenzan pushing young Tanahashi. Nice spots, stiff shots and super entertaining wrestling. This period of Tanahashi is worth checking out some more.

Takashi Iizuka vs Ken Shamrock - Shamrock is a great shooter to book for wrestling worked matches...probably the best to be honest. They start out doing shoot style and then transition into Inoki Strong Style. They told a good story of both guys losing their cool and it's a lot of fun. You know it's a very good match as Iizuka doesn't have much charisma but these are the types of matches he belongs in. He and Shamrock worked seamlessly here. 

Jushin Thunder Liger & Koji Kanemoto vs. Heat & Tiger Mask - This was good. It had some cool moments. Minoru Tanaka as Heat is OK but the gimmick diminishes his natural charisma. But, this was lacking something. I think I would have maybe preferred Koji vs any of these other three in singles. 

After this match we get into the MMA portion of the show which I'll skip. I did skim Manabu Nakanishi vs Kaz Fujita which is two NJ guys versus each other technically. It looks semi-worked... as they told Kaz to make sure it goes 3 rounds and finish him off in the third. I think this alone would have been perfectly acceptable mid show. AJW used to have ladies kickboxing or shoot matches early in the card.

Kazunari Murakami vs. Enson Inoue - This actually looks like a fun use of Enson Inoue... there's a whole angle setting this up. They just beat each other up in a brawl It's super entertaining. Again, this is a good way to use an MMA guy especially against someone who can take a punch like Murakami. I could see a lot of people liking this one.

Kenta Kobashi vs. Masahiro Chono - Oh man, they had me hooked from the beginning. And because of that, I loved this match. Chono physically can't match up to Kobashi but dammit, he's not backing off. He's got to find a way to grind the NOAH Neanderthal down. That's what made this great...the story of watching Chono using his wits and skills. Kobashi is a juggernaut and aims to destroy Chono with brute force. I dig this pairing since it forces Chono to hit stiff and Kobashi to work smarter (reality not kayfabe) instead of relying on highspots as his opponent is physically limited in 2003. I think this was a classic match and as a fan of both, I highly recommend it. Others might find fault in Chono not being someone else and not working like someone in NOAH. I think that's what makes it so good. The story is bigger than just the moves. This was Chono's swan song in a way (even if it wasn't... it's wrestling after all). I don't know if he had been in match this physical and dangerous after he broke his neck.  It may not be everyone's cup of tea but the pacing, move selection, the storytelling (Tenzan panicking ringside at the end), the spectacle of the match, etc., I was enthralled. Perhaps I'm being a sap but, big time Dome dream match fulfilled.

Yuji Nagata vs. Yoshihiro Takayama - Great big time fight! I loved the wrestling at the beginning. Nagata withstands the giant's strikes and goes Inoki with arm breakers to get back into the fight. From there on out they beat the crap outta each other. Nagata is bleeding from the nose and has a goose egg (that's bleeding)...and well it's hard to tell the damage on Takayama. I felt this could have went a minute longer and milked the drama into a classic match but it still delivered on what I wanted with these too. Tons of little touches, surprises and compelling non cooperative looking action. You know, I think it's a near classic bout.

Overall, the show was great. Does it live up to being in the Tokyo Dome? No, it would have been fine in the Tokyo Sumo hall or where their usual big shows were. But match quality, I think it knocks it out of the park. There's definitely a MMA flavor in NJPW at the time (New Japan which always had the shoot influence/flavor compared to AJPW/NOAH. This Every few years they really get into it though). That said, each match is its own thing and takes as much or as little from the martial arts tree as it needs.

Thanks for reading!