In April 2002, Yoshihiro Takayama re-debuted in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) by attacking Yuji Nagata after he had won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship from Tadao Yasuda in Nippon Budokan and began a long running feud with Nagata. Takayama quickly skyrocketed up the card and became one of the most well-known pro wrestlers in Japan. Thanks to his fights in Pride Fighting Championship. In the same year, Antonio Inoki declared the NWF Heavyweight Championship would return, and a tournament was set up throughout later part of 2002 and early 2003. At Wrestling World 2003, Takayama defeated Tsuyoshi Kosaka in the final of the tournament to win the vacant title.[1] While Takayama was NWF Champion, Nagata had held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for over a year. A unification match was later set up for Ultimate Crush, where the winner would get both belts.
On January 10, 2003, Masahiro Chono debuted for Pro Wrestling Noah, teaming with Mitsuharu Misawa in a loss to Kenta Kobashi and Akira Taue in what was called a "dream match", pitting All Japan's top stars of the 1990s against New Japan's top villain of the 1990s. On April 13, Chono was in attendance to watch Kobashi successfully defend the GHC Heavyweight Championship against Tamon Honda at Ariake Coliseum, and after the match, was invited to ringside by Kobashi. Chono expressed his wish to challenge for the GHC Heavyweight Title in the Tokyo Dome on May 2, in what he called a "Mr. Pro Wrestling vs Mr. Pro Wrestling" match.
In early 2003, Kazunari Murakami and the Makai Club began a feud with Michiyoshi Ohara's Crazy Dog's stable, with the two exchanging wins throughout the start of the year. On January 4, Ohara teamed with Shinsuke Nakamura to beat Murakami and Tadao Yasuda at Wrestling World 2003, and on March 21 Makai Club beat Crazy Dogs. However, Masahiro Chono came to their aid during a post match beatdown and helped the Crazy Dogs stuff Makai Club president Kantaro Hoshino into a doghouse, something that would become a trademark of the Crazy Dogs. During this time, Crazy Dogs recruited MMA fighter Enson Inoue to join the group and combat Kazunari Murakami, and a match was later set up to pit Murakami against Inoue in the Tokyo Dome.
Enson Inoue and Kazunari Murakami would face off once more in June, with Inoue once again winning by referee stoppage.[8] After the Crazy Dogs began to break up, Inoue primarily aligned himself with Yuji Nagata and the rest of the New Japan sekigun before leaving New Japan in early 2004.
