Power Struggle (2012) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on November 11, 2012, in Osaka, Osaka, at the Bodymaker Colosseum and featured nine matches, five of which were contested for championships.[1][2][3] It was the second event under the Power Struggle name.

Power Struggle (2012)
Promotional poster for the event, featuring Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Togi Makabe and Shinsuke Nakamura
PromotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling
DateNovember 11, 2012[1]
CityOsaka, Japan[1]
VenueBodymaker Colosseum[1]
Attendance6,600[1]
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Production

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Background

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Following the success of King of Pro-Wrestling, the first NJPW pay-per-view (PPV) available on the international market, the promotion's chairman Takaaki Kidani announced that Power Struggle would also air worldwide on PPV.[4]

Storylines

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Power Struggle featured nine professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.[5]

Event

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During the event both of NJPW's junior heavyweight titles changed hands; Time Splitters (Alex Shelley and Kushida), winners of the 2012 Super Jr. Tag Tournament, captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship from the Forever Hooligans (Alex Koslov and Rocky Romero), while Prince Devitt regained the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship from Low Ki.[1] Meanwhile, K.E.S. (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer) successfully defended the IWGP Tag Team Championship against previous champions Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima), and Shinsuke Nakamura successfully defended the IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Karl Anderson, after which he nominated Kazushi Sakuraba his challenger for Wrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome.[1] The event also saw Kazuchika Okada retain his IWGP Heavyweight Championship certificate against Hirooki Goto, while Hiroshi Tanahashi retained the title itself against Yujiro Takahashi, setting up the main event between the two for Wrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome.[1]

Results

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No.Results[1][2][3]StipulationsTimes[1]
1Time Splitters (Alex Shelley and Kushida) defeated Forever Hooligans (Alex Koslov and Rocky Romero) (c)Tag team match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship06:20
2Chaos (Jado, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano and Yoshi-Hashi) defeated Captain New Japan, Jyushin Thunder Liger, Manabu Nakanishi, Negro Casas and Tiger MaskTen-man tag team match07:50
3Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki and Taichi) (with Taka Michinoku) defeated Ryusuke Taguchi and Yuji NagataTag team match09:53
4K.E.S. (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer) (c) (with Taka Michinoku) defeated Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima)Tag team match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship13:12
5Prince Devitt defeated Low Ki (c)Singles match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship13:45
6Laughter7 (Katsuyori Shibata and Kazushi Sakuraba) defeated Always Hypers (Togi Makabe and Wataru Inoue)Tag team match05:26
7Kazuchika Okada (with Gedo) defeated Hirooki GotoSingles match for the Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenge rights certificate15:43
8Shinsuke Nakamura (c) defeated Karl AndersonSingles match for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship17:36
9Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) defeated Yujiro TakahashiSingles match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship25:06
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "NJPW 40th anniversary Power Struggle". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved October 18, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "新日本プロレス「Power Struggle」". Sports Navi (in Japanese). Yahoo!. November 11, 2012. Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Power Struggle 2012". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  4. ^ "New Japan announces next iPPV". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  5. ^ Grabianowski, Ed. "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks, Inc. Discovery Communications. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
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