Tag: new japan cup 2021

New Japan Cup night five results: SANADA vs. Tomohiro Ishii

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The New Japan Cup tournament continued today at ZIP Arena in Okayama. 

Here are the results and a report on the Cup matches. 

**********

Recommended matches —

  •  New Japan Cup first round match: SANADA vs. Tomohiro Ishii

Report —

EVIL, Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi (w/Dick Togo) defeated YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano & Yuya Uemura (8:58)

EVIL got the submission win over Uemura with a scorpion deathlock. 

YOSHI-HASHI faces Yujiro in a first round tournament match on tomorrow’s show. 

EVIL faces Jeff Cobb in round two on Thursday, March 11.

Yano faces Great-O-Khan, also on Thursday.

Great-O-Khan, Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb defeated Satoshi Kojima, Tomoaki Honma & Gabriel Kidd (8:36)

Cobb pinned Kidd after hitting a Tour of the Islands. 

Ospreay faces Zack Sabre Jr. in the New Japan Cup on Sunday, March 14. 

O-Khan vs. Yano and Cobb vs. EVIL are set for Thursday. 

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, David Finlay & Jeff Cobb defeated Jay White, KENTA, Chase Owens & Gedo (11:34)

Henare pinned Gedo with a modified death valley bomb. 

Henare and White face off in a tournament match tomorrow. Tanahashi will face the winner on Monday, March 15.

Finlay faces Owens in a Cup match tomorrow. 

KENTA faces Minoru Suzuki in a second round match on Saturday, March 13.

Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto & SHO defeated Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI (13:31)

Goto pinned BUSHI after a GTR. 

Goto and Shingo will face off in a second round match on Saturday. 

New Japan Cup first round match: Yuji Nagata defeated Yota Tsuji (13:42)

This was not Nagata’s best night, but Tsuji was very good here. Nagata was huffing and puffing his way through. 

They opened with some chain wrestling. Tsuji scored a knockdown off a tackle and began to try some strikes. He was initially successful, but Nagata caught his left arm and began to work on it. 

Nagata fired off some strikes, then went back to working the left arm with a fujiwara armbar. Nagata hit some big kicks. Tsuji fired up and demanded more kicks. Nagata hit the ropes to deliver a big boot, but Tsuji cut him off with a dropkick into a double down. 

Tsuji hit a slam, a senton and a splash for a near fall. Nagata fired back with kicks and a butterfly suplex for a near fall. Tsuji got two quick near falls off cradles. Nagata used a crossface. Tsuji bit Nagata’s hand to break the hold. 

They traded pinning combinations. Tsuji used two more cradles, then hit a spear to complete a trio of near falls. Tsuji got a Boston crab applied at the 10 minute call. Nagata forced a rope break, then hit a kitchen sink. 

They exchanged strikes. Nagata hit an exploder and a running knee lift in the corner. Tsuji trapped Nagata in another cradle for a two count. 

Nagata hit a wheel kick, then a backdrop suplex into a bridge for the pin. 

Nagata advances to the second round and faces the winner of the main event on Sunday.

New Japan Cup first round match: SANADA defeated Tomohiro Ishii (25:18)

This was very good. Ishii is always going to deliver in a main event and this was no exception.

They began with some mat work. They moved on to striking and Ishii got the best of the first battle. SANADA rolled outside to gain some distance, but Ishii went out after him and threw him back in. 

Ishii backed SANADA into the corner and scored with more strikes. SANADA charged out of the corner with a basement dropkick to the left knee. He followed with a leapfrog dropkick and a plancha. SANADA did some crowd work, then used a paradise lock. After some more crowd work, he broke the hold with a dropkick. 

Ishii hit a series of forearm and chop combinations in the corner. Ishii shoved referee Red Shoes down as he tried to force Ishii out of the corner. They traded strikes in the center of the ring. SANADA got a knockdown off an uppercut forearm. 

SANADA then trapped Ishii in the corner. Red Shoes tried to force a break, but this time SANADA threw him aside. They traded backdrop suplexes. Ishii hit a German. SANADA hit a shotgun dropkick. Ishii hit a German into the buckle, then used a delayed superplex for two. 

A crazy sequence saw SANADA hit a dropkick after Ishii hit a reverse buckle bomb. SANADA used a dragon sleeper to set up a TKO attempt. Ishii blocked. Ishii blocked a rolling elbow with a forearm shot. 

Ishii hit a powerbomb with a stack cover for a two count. He hit two lariats and used another stack for a near fall. Ishii went for a brainbuster. SANADA blocked. SANADA landed on his feet out of a suplex attempt and hit a TKO into a double down. 

SANADA hit a springboard dropkick. Ishii no-sold, but SANADA followed with an immediate forearm shot. SANADA used Skull End with a body scissors. After nearly a minute in the hold, Ishii forced a rope break. 

SANADA hit a magic screw for a near fall. Ishii missed an enzuigiri. Ishii avoided an O’Connor roll. SANADA hit a moonsault. He went for a second moonsault, but Ishii rolled out of the way. 

SANADA used another moonsault to set up Skull End. Ishii slid out. SANADA avoided a sliding lariat. Ishii hit an enzuigiri. Ishii hit a sliding lariat for a near fall. SANADA avoided two brainbuster attempts and used an O’Connor roll for a great near fall. 

They traded strikes. SANADA hit a hurricanrana and a pop-up TKO, then used another moonsault for the pin. 

SANADA advances to round two and will face Nagata on Sunday.

New Japan Cup night four results: Ospreay vs. Tenzan

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The New Japan Cup tournament continued today in Yamanashi.

Here are the results and a report on the Cup matches. 

Yota Tsuji defeated Yuya Uemura (6:56)

Tsuji won by trapping Uemura’s legs and flipping over into a cradle for the pin. 

Tsuji takes on Yuji Nagata in a first round Cup match on Tuesday, March 9.

Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb defeated Satoshi Kojima & Tomoaki Honma (12:00)

Cobb pinned Honma after hitting a Tour of the Islands. 

Cobb faces EVIL in a second round Cup match on Thursday, March 11. O-Khan faces Yano in a second round Cup match the same night. 

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, Toa Henare & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated EVIL, Jay White, KENTA & Dick Togo (w/Gedo) (13:11)

Tanahashi pinned Togo with a High Fly Flow. 

Henare attacked White after the match. They will face off in a first round Cup match on Wednesday, March 10. Tanahashi will face the winner of that match on Monday, March 15. 

EVIL faces Cobb in the second round on Thursday, March 11. 

KENTA will take on Minoru Suzuki on Saturday, March 13. 

Shingo Takagi, SANADA, Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI defeated Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & SHO (13:28)

Shingo pinned SHO after a Last of the Dragon. 

Ishii and SANADA had a staredown on the apron after the match. They will face off in the main event of the Tuesday, March 9 show in a first round Cup match. 

Shingo will face Goto in the second round on Saturday, March 13.

New Japan Cup first round match: Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Gabriel Kidd (17:21)

Sabre gave Kidd way more than any Young Lion ever gets in this one. I think I’ve seen at least one better match that these two have had, but this was still good. 

This was a technical wrestling master class for the first five minutes. Kidd held his own with Sabre.

After the opening technical work, Kidd missed a dropkick. Sabre used a neck twist and then backed Kidd into the corner for some strikes. Kidd rolled outside to get some distance from Sabre. 

Back in, another striking battle ensued. Kidd got the better of this one. Sabre hit a hard slap. Kidd tried to fire up, but Sabre knocked him down with another strike.

Sabre used an armbar with some small joint manipulation. Kidd forced a rope break. Sabre hit a big penalty kick for a near fall. 

Kidd hit a dropkick for a near fall. Sabre tried to turn a suplex attempt into a guillotine. Kidd maintained his grip and connected with the suplex for a two count. Kidd then used a bridging German for another near fall. Kidd cradled Sabre for another two. 

Sabre blocked a butterfly suplex and used a cobra twist. Kidd hit a hip toss out of the hold. On landing, Sabre grabbed a triangle choke and Kidd quickly tapped. 

Sabre advances and will face the winner of Ospreay/Tenzan on Sunday, March 14.

New Japan Cup first round match: Will Ospreay defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan (w/Master Wato) (13:37)

This was probably as good of a singles match as Tenzan is capable of given the mileage on his body. Ospreay was going to have to be a bump machine for the match to work and he tried his best to be that. 

They began brawling before the opening bell. Tenzan knocked Ospreay off the apron to the floor. Ospreay took two big bumps on the floor. As Tenzan tried to climb back inside, Ospreay hit a nasty neckbreaker in the ropes. 

Ospreay took control of the match. Ospreay whipped Tenzan into the barricade. He hit a diving knee drop to Tenzan on the apron, bumping to the floor in the process. Ospreay hit a series of strikes in the corner. Ospreay hit another neckbreaker for a two count. 

Ospreay used a chinlock and a kravate. Tenzan managed a wheel kick, then hit a series of Mongolian chops. So much for that stipulation a few weeks ago. He’s just back using them again. Tenzan hit a diving bulldog off the top for a two count. He followed with a brainbuster for another two. 

After an exchange of strikes, Ospreay hit pip pip cheerio and a brainbuster for a two count. Tenzan no-sold two high kicks and hit a mountain bomb. Ospreay popped up and hit a Spanish Fly for a near fall. Tenzan knocked Ospreay out of the air on a springboard attack. 

Tenzan hit a headbutt and a Mongolian chop. Tenzan used the Anaconda Vice, but Ospreay forced a rope break. Ospreay avoided a TTD and hit a side suplex. Ospreay hit a rolling elbow for a two count. Tenzan blocked a Storm Breaker attempt. 

Ospreay hit a hook kick. Tenzan hit a lariat and a TTD for a two count. Tenzan went back to the Anaconda Vice. He then hit an Anaconda Buster for a near fall. 

Tenzan went to the second rope, teasing a moonsault. Ospreay hit a cheeky nando’s kick, then a powerbomb out of the corner for a two count. Ospreay hit an Oscutter, but Tenzan kicked out and fired up. 

Ospreay went for a Storm Breaker. Tenzan blocked with a headbutt and Mongolian chops. Ospreay hoisted Tenzan up for a gutbuster for a two count. 

Ospreay hit a Hidden Blade, then finally hit Storm Breaker for the pin.

Ospreay advances and will face Sabre on Sunday, March 14.

New Japan Cup night three results: Okada vs. Shingo

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The New Japan Cup tournament continued today in the Ota City Gymnasium in Tokyo. 

Here are the results and a report on the Cup matches. 

**********

Recommended matches —

  • New Japan Cup first round match: Minoru Suzuki vs. Tomoaki Honma
  • New Japan Cup first round match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi

Report —

Jay White, Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori (w/Gedo) defeated Toa Henare, David Finlay & Yuya Uemura (9:38)

Ishimori pinned Uemura after hitting a Bloody Cross. 

Henare vs. White and Finlay vs. Owens are Cup matches on Wednesday, March 10.

Great-O-Khan, Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb (w/Bea Priestley) defeated Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI (10:55)

Cobb pinned BUSHI after a Tour of the Islands. 

There was very little in the way of tournament implications in this match. Cobb and O-Khan are through to the second round and could potentially meet in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, March 16 if Cobb beats EVIL and O-Khan beats Toru Yano. SANADA and Ospreay are on the other side of the brackets and could potentially face off in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 18.

New Japan Cup first round match: Minoru Suzuki defeated Tomoaki Honma (14:54)

This was awesome. This was the best Honma match in a long, long time. Suzuki is the perfect opponent for him and is a master of the art of pro wrestling. Honma more than held up his end of things. 

They began by firing off palm strikes to the chest. Honma got a knockdown and missed with two kokeshis. Suzuki took Honma outside and used the barricade as a weapon. Honma made it back in after a countout tease. 

Suzuki hit a hard series of kicks. Honma came back with a DDT and a running bulldog. Suzuki hit a headbutt. Honma hit a standing kokeshi. 

They fought on the turnbuckles and no one died, miraculously. Honma knocked Suzuki off the buckle and hit a diving kokeshi off the second rope. Honma tried for some sort of STF-like submission, then transitioned to a lateral press for a near fall. 

Honma slid out of a rear naked choke and hit a lariat. They both fired up. Suzuki hit two slaps to the face. They traded forearm shots. Suzuki was laughing with glee. 

Suzuki hit an unanswered series of forearm strikes to the neck. Suzuki used a rear naked choke to set up a Gotch-style piledriver. Honma valiantly fought off the attempt and cradled Suzuki for a near fall. 

Suzuki hit another forearm, then a massive Gotch-style piledriver for the pin. 

Suzuki advances and will face the winner of Juice/KENTA on Saturday, March 13.

New Japan Cup first round match: KENTA defeated Juice Robinson (w/David Finlay) (17:16)

This was good. I wouldn’t call it must-see, but they clearly put a lot of thought into the match layout. 

KENTA going after Juice’s eye after his recent return from a broken orbital bone was a story in the match. It didn’t really play into the finish, but Juice sold it throughout.

KENTA used a side headlock and a hair pull. Juice hit a back suplex to escape the headlock and picked up an early near fall. KENTA rolled out to the floor as Juice was setting up to hit a cannonball. 

KENTA hit Juice with the ring bell from the outside. KENTA began working Juice over with punches in the ring, then threw him outside and into the barricade. KENTA choked Juice with a camera cable and used the swinging gate on the barricade as a weapon. KENTA used a headlock. 

Juice came back with a spinebuster and a series of clotheslines. Juice hit a series of jabs. They raked each other’s faces. Juice hit a headbutt. KENTA hit a DDT over the ropes and a diving clothesline off the top for a two count. 

They exchanged big boots. KENTA sent Juice off the apron with a running kick. They fought on the outside. KENTA hit a backdrop over the barricade and Juice took a nasty bump over a table to the floor. 

KENTA climbed to the top rope. Juice cut him off. Juice hit a DVD on the floor. Back in, Juice used a powerbomb for a near fall. KENTA reversed a Pulp Friction attempt into a cradle for a near fall. KENTA hit a draping DDT. 

KENTA hit a running knee in the corner and a Shibata dropkick. Juice avoided a diving stomp and hit a leg lariat. KENTA went for Game Over. Juice blocked and hit a Juice Box for a two count at the 15 minute call. 

Juice blocked a G2S and rolled KENTA up for a near fall. KENTA blocked a Pulp Friction attempt and ducked a Left Hand of God. Juice connected with a right hand. 

KENTA reversed another Pulp Friction attempt and got Game Over applied. Juice tapped. 

KENTA advances and will face Suzuki on Saturday, March 13. 

New Japan Cup first round match: Shingo Takagi defeated Kazuchika Okada (23:58)

This was a tremendous match. Okada’s performance was incredible given that he has two slipped discs in his back.

Okada tried for his trademark clean break after the opening lock up, but Shingo fired off a strike. Okada answered with a side headlock. They traded shoulder tackle attempts. Okada used a drop toehold and hit an elbow drop. 

Okada used a sliding dropkick to send Shingo outside. They traded whips into the barricade. Shingo hit a DDT on the floor, then tossed Okada back inside. Shingo hit a vertical suplex for a two count, then used a chinlock to continue working the neck after the DDT on the floor. 

Okada tried to fire off some strikes, but got dropped with a double chop. Okada hit three strikes. Shingo hit one and Okada went down. Shingo went for noshigami, but Okada reversed into a Money Clip. Shingo quickly broke the hold and teased a pumping bomber. Okada blocked with a big boot. 

Okada ducked under a lariat and hit a back elbow, a running back elbow in the corner and a DDT for a near fall. Okada teased a dropkick in the corner, but Shingo escaped and dropped him with a combination of strikes. 

Shingo hit two short lariats, a slam and a diving back elbow drop. Shingo mocked Okada’s Rainmaker pose. Shingo tried for a Rainmaker, but Okada blocked. Okada hit a flapjack into a double down. 

They had an intense striking battle in the center of the ring. Okada missed a dropkick. Shingo missed a clothesline. Okada blocked another pumping bomber and tried for the Money Clip. Shingo slid out and hit noshigami into another double down. 

Shingo still could not get the pumping bomber, as Okada blocked his next attempt with a dropkick. Okada hit a tombstone and slapped on the Money Clip. Shingo slid to the bottom strand to force a break. 

Okada hit a slam and called for a top rope elbow at the 15 minute call. Shingo cut him off on the top rope and hit a superplex. Okada sold his lower back on impact. Shingo hit a sliding lariat for a two count. 

Okada blocked another pumping bomber attempt. Shingo ducked a Rainmaker and hit Made in Japan for a great near fall. Okada blocked as Shingo went for Last of the Dragon. Shingo hit a lariat, then a series of forearm strikes. 

Okada reversed a whip and hit a dropkick. Okada grabbed Shingo’s wrist on landing, then went back to the Money Clip. Okada hit a spinning tombstone, then again applied the Money Clip. Okada hit a backbreaker as Shingo reached for the ropes, then went back to the hold. They teased a ref stoppage, but Shingo made the bottom rope. Everyone was great in their role here, Okada, Shingo and Red Shoes. 

Shingo fired off some strikes from his knees at the 20 minute call. Okada hit a shotgun dropkick, but Shingo popped right up and finally hit the pumping bomber. 

Okada hit a Rainmaker. Shingo ducked a second Rainmaker. Shingo blocked a spinning Rainmaker and hit a pumping bomber. Okada kicked out at two. The crowd really got into the match here. 

Shingo hit another pumping bomber. Okada escaped Last of the Dragon and trapped Shingo’s legs in a cradle for a two count. 

Shingo hit a uranage backbreaker over his knee. Shingo hit a massive pumping bomber for another great near fall. 

Shingo went for Last of the Dragon. Okada reversed into a Rainmaker attempt. Shingo ducked the Rainmaker and hit Last of the Dragon for the pin. 

Shingo moves on and will face Hirooki Goto in a second round match on Saturday, March 13.

New Japan Cup night two results: Hirooki Goto vs. Taichi

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The New Japan Cup tournament continued today in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. 

Here are the results and a report on the Cup matches. 

Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI defeated Tomoaki Honma, Gabriel Kidd & Yuya Uemura (10:46)

Suzuki pinned Uemura after a Gotch-style piledriver. Suzuki and Honma face off in a Cup match on tomorrow’s show, while Sabre faces Kidd in a tournament match on Sunday. 

EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, YOSHI-HASHI, David Finlay & Tiger Mask (11:40)

EVIL used a Darkness Scorpion (scorpion deathlock) to submit Tiger Mask. 

EVIL, the 2020 New Japan Cup winner, and Tanahashi as the NEVER Openweight Champion were given first round byes. EVIL will face Jeff Cobb in the second round on March 11, while Tanahashi will take on the winner of Jay White vs. Toa Henare on March 15. 

Will Ospreay, Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Master Wato (9:14)

Cobb pinned Wato after hitting a Tour of the Islands. 

Cobb eliminated Kojima in the first round of the Cup yesterday. Ospreay vs. Tenzan is the main event of Sunday’s show. 

New Japan Cup first round match: Toru Yano defeated Bad Luck Fale by countout (5:50)

This was a Fale vs. Yano match. They’ve had funnier matches, but this was fine for the comic relief that it was. 

Fale attacked during Yano’s lengthy ring introduction and tried to roll him up. The ref counted even though the opening bell had not sounded. Yano kicked out. 

Yano rolled to the floor to try to escape. Fale sent him into the barricade repeatedly. They did a countout tease, but Yano beat the count back in at 19. 

Yano tried a slam, but Fale reversed it for a near fall. They traded forearm strikes. Fale ran into an exposed buckle. Fale hit two slams, then missed an elbow drop. Yano rolled back to the floor. Fale sent him into the barricade again. Fale missed a charge into the barricade. Fale posted Yano. 

Yano produced a roll of tape. Fale intercepted and taped Yano’s wrists together around the post. Yano kicked Fale low, then climbed back into the ring with his hands still taped and stole the countout win. 

After he was freed, Yano cried because Fale broke his KOPW trophy. 

Yano advances and will face Great-O-Khan on March 11.

New Japan Cup first round match: Hirooki Goto defeated Taichi (w/Zack Sabre Jr.) (22:43)

This built well and turned into a heck of a match by the end. 

They locked up a couple of times and Goto broke cleanly against the ropes. They locked up a third time and Goto grabbed a side headlock. Taichi threatened a backdrop suplex, but Goto slid out. After locking up again, Taichi refused to break cleanly and choked Goto in the ropes. 

The fight spilled outside Taichi sent Goto into the barricade and choked him with a camera cable. Goto beat the count back in at 19. Taichi continued choking Goto in the ring. Taichi hit some Kawada kicks. Goto fired up with palm strikes to the chest. 

Goto snapped and started choking Taichi in response to Taichi choking him again. Goto hit a lariat, a corner wheel kick and a bulldog for a near fall. Taichi blocked an ushigoroshi attempt and hit a gamengiri. They traded lariats. Taichi hit another gamengiri into a double down. 

Taichi tore his pants off. Goto cut off a buzzsaw kick attempt. Taichi blocked a misdirection lariat. Goto hit an ushigoroshi. Goto hit a reverse GTR for a two count. Taichi blocked a discus lariat and hit a chokeslam. 

Goto missed with a right hand and Taichi hit a backdrop suplex for a near fall. Taichi fired up and called for a last ride. Goto sprawled, but Taichi hit the powerbomb with a stack cover for another two count. 

Taichi went for Black Mephisto. Goto blocked. Taichi hit a rolling elbow. Goto hit a desperation Shouten Kai. Goto hit a mid kick. Taichi fired back with a kick. Goto hit a headbutt. Goto tried for a GTR, but Taichi slid out and hit a high kick. Taichi used a clutch hold for a great near fall. 

Goto blocked a high kick and hit a GTW for a near fall. Goto then hit another GTR and got the pin. 

Goto advances and will face the winner of tomorrow’s Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi match on March 13. 

NJPW announces New Japan Cup 2021 tournament

Posted on by Bryan Rose

NJPW has announced the return of the New Japan Cup tournament for this March.

The company’s website announced this evening that the tournament will kick off on March 5, a day after their 49th anniversary show in Budokan Hall. The first show will take place at Korakuen Hall.

The finals will take place on March 20 and 21, where the company will make their debut at the Xebio Arena Sendai in Miyagi. The winner of the tournament usually challenges for the IWGP Heavyweight title, which is currently held by Kota Ibushi.

Last year’s New Japan Cup was originally scheduled for March 4, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NJPW resumed running shows in June, starting the tournament on June 16. EVIL ended up winning, defeating Kazuchika Okada in the finals on July 11. The following day, EVIL went on to defeat Tetsuya Naito for both the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles at Dominion.