After watching everything on the ballot for 2002, these 10 matches make it to the next phase. (Chronological Order)

 

Kikuchi/Kanemaru vs Liger/Inoue - NOAH 2/17/2002
Mitsuharu Misawa/Kenta Kobashi v. Jun Akiyama/Yuji Nagata- NOAH 2/17/2002
Genichiro Tenryu v. Satoshi Kojima- AJPW 2/24/2002
Jushin Liger/Minoru Tanaka v. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi/Y. Kanemaru- NOAH 4/7/2002
Genichiro Tenryu/Araya v. Tayo Kea/Miyamoto- AJPW 4/27/2002
Yuji Nagata v. Yoshihiro Takayama- NJPW 5/2/2002
Yuji Nagata v. Kensuke Sasaki- NJPW 6/7/2002
Genichiro Tenryu v. Satoshi Kojima- AJPW 7/17/2002
Takayama vs Misawa - NOAH 9/23/2002
Akiyama/Saito v. Kobashi/Shiga - NOAH 10/19/2002

The New Japan vs NOAH junior tags were great. Which one was your favorite? I feel like I ma in the minority, but I thought April was the best. I feel like I might short-changed Tenryu/Kojima and Nagata/Takayama may watch those again. I thought 2002 has been by far the weakest year of the decade.

1. New Japan (Liger & Minoru ) vs. NOAH (Kikuchi & Kanemaru) - NOAH 4/7/02

2. GHC Tag Champions Akiyama & Saito vs Kobashi & Shiga - NOAH 10/19/02

3. GHC Champion Yoshihiro Takayama vs Mitsuharu Misawa - Budokan 09/23/02

4. Genichiro Tenryu vs Satoshi Kojima - AJPW 07/07/02

5. IWGP Champion Yuji Nagata vs. Yoshihiro Takayama - Tokyo Dome 05/02

4/7 was my favorite NJ v. NOAH tag. I thought the other Liger/Tanaka fell short and the Liger/Inoue tag just missed the cut.

 

2002 was a bit weak, I've set up my watching to select between 10-12 matches per year because I'm doing a best/per year for another project I'm doing in addition to the poll.

I think you guys are sleeping on Ogawa vs. Takayama from 02. Ogawa plays a damn good scrappy underdog. And the best part is he doesn't do any flippy style junior stuff and still manages some big nearfalls on Takayama. Otherwise I am in agreement on most of it. Not a Saito fan thus far. Maybe he will change my mind.