| Wrestling Dontaku 2009 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | New Japan Pro-Wrestling | ||
| Date | May 3, 2009[1] | ||
| City | Fukuoka,Japan[1] | ||
| Venue | Fukuoka Kokusai Center[1] | ||
| Attendance | 5,500[1] | ||
| Pay-per-view chronology | |||
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| Wrestling Dontaku chronology | |||
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Wrestling Dontaku 2009 was aprofessional wrestlingpay-per-view (PPV) event promoted byNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on May 3, 2009, inFukuoka,Fukuoka, at theFukuoka Kokusai Center. The event featured nine matches (including onedark match), one of which was contested for achampionship.[1][2][3][4] It was the sixth event and first in eight years under theWrestling Dontaku name.
Wrestling Dontaku 2009 featured nineprofessional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds andstorylines. Wrestlers portrayedvillains,heroes, orless distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.[5]
Cima fromDragon Gate worked the event as an outsider.[1] In the semi main event of the evening,Giant Bernard andKarl Anderson defeatedTencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan andSatoshi Kojima) to become the number one contenders to theIWGP Tag Team Championship. In the main event,Hiroshi Tanahashi successfully defended theIWGP Heavyweight Championship against the winner of the2009 New Japan Cup,Hirooki Goto, and afterwards nominatedManabu Nakanishi as his next challenger.[1][3]
Three days after Wrestling Dontaku 2009, Manabu Nakanishi defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the first time in what was considered a major upset.[4]