Yoshihiro Takayama
Fujita returned to New Japan on July 20, 2002 at Toukon Memorial Day, beating junior heavyweight Masahito Kakihara in 1:09. At "Cross Road" on August 29, Fujita entered a tournament for the vacated NWF Heavyweight Championship but was defeated by eventual winner Yoshihiro Takayama, giving Fujita his first loss in New Japan since January 2000. On October 14, Fujita challenged Yuji Nagata for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship but came up short.