SANADA defeated David Finlay to win this year’s New Japan Cup.
The newest member of Just Five Guys won the tournament for the first time after hitting Finlay with a new finisher, a modified DDT. After the match, Finlay was shown throwing a fit before eventually making his way backstage.
SANADA cut a promo after he was awarded the trophy, saying he was happy to win the tournament in his hometown. He eventually called out Kazuchika Okada, who obliged. Okada congratulated SANADA, saying he had been waiting for SANADA and asked why he had taken so long to reach this point. Okada said just because he changed his hair color and allegiance doesn’t mean SANADA can beat him. SANADA finished the show by saying Just Five Guys will become the top group in NJPW and he will become the next IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
SANADA defeated Taichi, KENTA, Tetsuya Naito, and Mark Davis to advance to the finals. Finlay had defeated Tomohiro Ishii, David Finlay, Shota Umino, and Tama Tonga to make it to Tuesday morning’s finals.
SANADA will face David Finlay today in the finals of the 2023 New Japan Cup tournament.
In the build to the finals, SANADA broke off from the Los Ingobernables de Japon group and joined the Just Five Guys stable, while Finlay joined Bullet Club.
The New Japan Cup winner will face Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis on Saturday, April 8.
This is the first New Japan Cup finals appearance for Finlay, while SANADA was the runner-up in 2019.
In the semi-main event, Hiromu Takahashi is set to defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Lio Rush.
The full card:
New Japan Cup finals: SANADA vs. David Finlay
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi defends against Lio Rush
Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Jeff Cobb & Aussie Open
Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi vs. Great-O-Khan & Aaron Henare
El Desperado, Ren Narita, Ryusuke Taguchi & Toru Yano vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Dick Togo
Tama Tonga, Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma vs. KENTA, Chase Owens & El Phantasmo
Shota Umino & Ryohei Oiwa vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yuto Nakashima vs. Taichi & DOUKI
This was a fine little opener here to shine some light on Nakashima.
DOUKI and Taichi took an early lead over an overly-ambitious Nakashima. Once Nakashima tagged to Tanahashi, the crowd came unglued. After Tanahashi gained control, Nakashima begged for a tag. Once obliged, Taichi hit Nakashima with an axe bomber and a dangerous backdrop to win the match.
The young lions opened the match with a bit of grappling. Despite Fujita’s accelerated learning as a part of TMDK, Oiwa took the lead and passed it off to Umino. After a tag to ZSJ, TMDK started to fight into the match.
After an ample selection of back-and-forths, Fujita tagged back in. He nearly caught Umino with a bridging pin, but Umino kicked out, hit Fujita with a death rider, and won the match.
After the match, Umino challenged ZSJ to a TV title match; ZSJ accepted.
BULLET CLUB (Chase Owens, El Phantasmo & KENTA) defeated Tama Tonga, Tomoaki Honma & Tomohiro Ishii
Ishii and Owens were a bit of a focal point throughout this match. I still don’t know why this is happening.
Bullet Club used heelish tactics early to take advantage. The match then played out fairly typically, filled with Bullet Club using their numbers to overwhelm their opponents before an eventual babyface rally. In the end, ELP won by hitting Honma with CR2.
This was far from a good match, but the post-match visuals were powerful. If they were to set up something other than a HOT trios match, I would have loved this.
The match opened with HOT attacking their Strong Style opponents. After a mostly one-sided beatdown, Yujiro hit Taguchi with a wrench.
After the match concluded, HOT unmasked Desperado. The post-match beatdown continued with HOT cutting off Narita’s shirt and spraypainting “HOT” on his torso. This led into an even more brutal beatdown and another Desperado unmasking.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito) defeated United Empire (Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan)
This was a tag built entirely around some firey exchanges between Shingo and Henare. For most of the match, Naito failed to get his wheels turning, and O-Khan was just kind of there.
In the end, it was O-Khan and Naito left alone in the ring while Henare and Naito brawled outside of the ring. Naito caught O-Khan with a rollup to win the match.
Henare and Shingo had a staredown over the KOPW belt after the match, further setting up their upcoming bout.
United Empire (Jeff Cobb, Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) defeated CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI)
CHAOS gained the upper hand early, but UE fought back, using environmental offense to take control. After an extended period with UE in the lead, the match entered a stretch of turbulence, with neither team being clearly ahead.
Ultimately, Aussie Open weathered the storm and came out on top after hitting YH with Coriolis.
After the match, Aussie Open made their challenge for Bishamon’s title clear. Cobb also called out Kenny Omega, who he imitated at points in the match.
The match opened at a fast pace, with Lio taking the fight to the floor. Hiromu landed a powerbomb onto the apron and a slam into the barricade to take the early lead. Back in the ring, Hiromu maintained control for a while with a variety of wear-down moves.
To get himself back in the match, Lio hit an impressive flipping dive from the apron to the floor. Hiromu answered Lio with a powerbomb, but Lio held on, landing a poison rana and Rush Hour for a quick response.
Lio landed one splash, but Hiromu reversed the second and immediately followed with timebomb for a nearfall. Lio fought back with a Spanish fly and a DMV, both yielding nearfalls. Lio hit YOH’s direct drive and attempted another dive, but Hiromu rolled out of the way.
After surviving everything Lio could throw at him, Hiromu hit a lariat and timebomb 2 to win the match.
After the match, Zack Sabre Jr walked to the ring and announced the next challenger would be the newest member of TMDK, Robbie Eagles.
New Japan Cup 2023 Final Match: SANADA defeated David Finlay
This was a nothing match, but the crowd made it bearable.
This match opened with the loudest reaction from a New Japan crowd in years, in support of Niigata’s own, SANADA.
Finlay opened the match, taking the match to the floor and establishing control. As SANADA tried to fight back into the match, Finlay took the match back outside, slamming him into the barricade and apron. Back in the ring, Finlay clubbed SANADA with offense for quite some time. Most of the match spawned from this period of control.
Finlay began to look for the finish, but SANADA reversed the trash panda attempt into skull end. After escaping skull end, the pair traded shots at their finishers until SANDA landed a shining wizard and his new DDT to win the match.
After the match, SANADA challenged Okada to meet him in the ring. Okada toyed with SANADA, pointing out his previous failings ahead of their title bout. Before leaving, Okada stood tall, IWGP in hand.
After Okada left, SANADA cut the show-ending promo with a sea of lights in the crowd.
The tournament semifinals took place today in Gunma.
Bullet Club’s David Finlay advanced to the finals after defeating Tama Tonga in the semi-main event on Sunday’s show. He countered a Gun Stun attempt and hit Trash Panda for the win.
SANADA will also be headed to the finals. He defeated Mark Davis in the second semifinal match after countering a Water Slide attempt into his new modified DDT finisher.
Finlay vs. SANADA in the tournament finals will take place Tuesday, March 21, from Nagaoka. Hiromu Takahashi defending the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Lio Rush is also scheduled for the show.
The winner of Tuesday’s finals will advance to challenge Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis on April 8, 2023.
Both finalists joined new stables during the tournament. David Finlay was revealed as the newest member of Bullet Club shortly before he defeated Tomohiro Ishii in the first round. SANADA then revealed he was leaving Los InGobernables and joining the faction now known as “Just Five Guys” after defeating Tetsuya Naito in the quarterfinals.
This will be SANADA’s second appearance in the New Japan Cup finals. He was defeated by Kazuchika Okada to close out the tournament in 2019.
Finlay’s previous best showing in the tournament was in 2021 when he was defeated by Will Ospreay in the semifinals. He was also defeated by KENTA in the finals of the New Japan Cup USA in 2020.
New Japan Cup results, March 19, 2023:
Shota Umino & Oskar Leube defeated Kosei Fujita & Zack Sabre Jr.
NJPW holds the semifinals of the 2023 New Japan Cup today in Gunma.
In one semifinal bout, SANADA faces Mark Davis. SANADA jumped factions this past week, leaving Los Ingobernables de Japon for Just Five Guys. Davis is an injury substitution for his fellow United Empire stablemate Will Ospreay.
In the other semifinal contest, Tama Tonga takes on David Finlay. Finlay has gotten a push of late after joining Bullet Club, Tama’s former stable.
The New Japan Cup finals take place on Tuesday, with the winner earning an IWGP World Heavyweight title shot against Kazuchika Okada at Sakura Genesis on April 8.
Today’s undercard:
Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi vs. YOH & Lio Rush
Shingo Takagi & BUSHI vs. Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan
YOSHI-HASHI & Tomoaki Honma vs. Jeff Cobb & Kyle Fletcher
Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, Ren Narita & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Dick Togo
Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano & Ryohei Oiwa vs. KENTA, Chase Owens & El Phantasmo
Shota Umino & Oskar Leube vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita
Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
This was a fantastic opening tag. Everyone looked great.
ZSJ and Shota had a fun verbal spat before the Young Lions started the match. ZSJ tagged in to help Fujita further his developing lead, eventually setting up a hot tag to Umino. After a set of back-and-forth exchanges, Umnio submitted Fujita with the STF.
BULLET CLUB (Chase Owens, El Phantasmo & KENTA) defeated CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano) & Ryohei Oiwa
This was a match filled with tomfoolery. In the end, ELP rolled up Oiwa to win the match.
Ishii and Owens spent a lot of time interacting with each other; this seems to be a singles feud they’re setting up for some reason.
This was another match built on cheating, but Strong Style’s relative seriousness kept things from turning too silly. In the end, SHO won the match for HOT with a wrench shot to Taguchi.
It looks like HOT might challenge for the six-man belts again soon.
This was a by-the-numbers tag. After some interaction between all four guys, Cobb hit Honma with Tour of the Islands to win the match.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito) defeated CHAOS (Lio Rush & YOH)
This match existed to further promote the upcoming Hiromu/Rush title match. While Rush and Hiromu spent the latter part of the match interacting with each other, Naito worked to win the match for his team. Naito eventually hit YOH with Destino to secure victory.
New Japan Cup: David Finlay defeated Tama Tonga
This was not good.
Finlay was quick to gain the lead with a back suplex before slowing the match to a crawl. Finlay began picking apart Tama, slamming him into barricades and locking in wear-down submissions.
A Tongan twist reset the match, letting Tama hit a supreme flow for a nearfall, but when Tama tried for gun stun, Finlay repeatedly reversed.
Finlay hit a blue thunder bomb and a spear for a nearfall of his own. When Finlay tried for the Trash Panda, Tama reversed into a sharpshooter.
After escaping the submission, Finlay hit a backbreaker and a dominator for a nearfall. Once Tama kicked out, he rebounded with a bloody Sunday for a nearfall of his own but, again, failed to hit gun stun. After surviving all of Tama’s finish attempts, Finlay hit Trash Panda and won the match to advance to the finals.
New Japan Cup: SANADA defeated Mark Davis
This was a very good outing from Davis and seems to be the start of a new era for SANADA.
Before the match, SANADA entered the ring with his new faction, Just 5 Guys. SANADA debuted a new look, featuring black hair and tights to match.
Davis gained a quick lead with a standing senton. He then continued to advance his lead for some time before a dropkick, and a dive to the floor got SANADA back into the match. Davis answered with a dive of his own that wiped out both men.
The match quickly devolved into both men trying for bigger and bigger moves. Both men tried for top rope dives, and both men reversed. An insane piledriver from Davis scored him a nearfall, but SANADA avoided the finish. After slipping free from the waterslide, SANADA hit his new finishing DDT to win the match and advance to the finals.
After the match, Finlay and Gedo walked to the ring. Gedo called SANADA’s new faction “Just 5 Losers,” and they left the ring.
SANADA cut a short promo before handing the microphone to TAKA. TAKA ended the show with the Just 5 Guys call.
Four wrestlers are still in contention to win the 2023 New Japan Cup.
The New Japan Cup semifinals were confirmed with Tama Tonga and David Finlay winning their quarterfinal matches on Saturday. Tonga defeated Hirooki Goto, while Finlay defeated Shota Umino.
Tonga vs. Finlay and SANADA vs. Mark Davis are the two semifinal matches for the tournament. Both are taking place in Gunma on Sunday (March 19).
SANADA defeated Tetsuya Naito in the quarterfinals. After the match, it was revealed that SANADA has left Los Ingobernables de Japon and joined Just Five Guys, a faction with Taichi, DOUKI, TAKA Michinoku, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru.
Davis lost to Will Ospreay in the second round of the tournament but was given another chance after Ospreay had to withdraw due to a shoulder injury. Davis defeated EVIL in the quarterfinals.
The semifinal winners will advance to face off in the finals, which are being held on Tuesday (March 21). The winner will challenge Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis.
Two wrestlers have advanced to the semifinals of the 2023 New Japan Cup.
SANADA defeated his stablemate, Tetsuya Naito, in the main event. He countered a Destino attempt into the DDT maneuver he first debuted in the tournament’s opening round for the win.
Following the match, the members of Just Four Guys came to the ring. SANADA and Taichi shook hands and the rest of the faction embraced SANADA as well. This brought out Los Ingobernables’ Shingo Takagi, BUSHI, and Hiromu Takahashi.
SANADA then cut a promo stating he was no longer in LIJ and motioned for them to get out of the ring. After LIJ left, TAKA Michinoku said that with SANADA now in the faction, they will be known as “Just Five Guys.”
DOUKI, Michinoku, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Taichi formed the Just Four Guys stable the night after WrestleKingdom in January.
Aussie Open’s Mark Davis also advanced in the tournament. He pinned former IWGP Heavyweight Champion EVIL in the night’s semi-main event. The finish saw a referee bump and interference from members of both House of Torture and United Empire. When everyone was finally cleared from the ring, Davis hit Water Slide from Dunkzilla and got the pin.
Will Ospreay was ringside during the match with his arm in a sling. Davis was announced as Ospreay’s replacement in the tournament after Ospreay was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder injury.
On Friday’s undercard, Minoru Suzuki pinned Strong Openweight Champion, KENTA, with a Gotch-style piledriver, perhaps setting up a future title match between the two.
New Japan Cup 2023 on March 17, 2023, from Korakuen Hall results:
Will Ospreay has withdrawn from the 2023 New Japan Cup.
NJPW announced on Tuesday that Ospreay would miss the March 15 card from Okayama due to a shoulder injury. It was then revealed at an impromptu press conference on Wednesday that Ospreay will miss the remainder of the tournament as well.
He is believed to have sustained the injury during his second-round tournament match against Mark Davis on Monday.
Davis then held a press conference on Wednesday and announced that Ospreay had nominated him as an alternate in the tournament.
David said:
‘New Japan Cup 2023. We set foot into this tournament, each member of the United Empire, and we made a pact, that this year it would be for the United Empire. Now the reason I’m standing here is to deliver some deeply unfortunate news, and that is that Will Ospreay has to forfeit his place in the New Japan Cup.
I’m deeply saddened to be the one to have to tell you, but I’m more motivated than ever to take his place in the tournament, and to take home that New Japan Cup for the United Empire. So on the 17th, Tokyo, Korakuen Hall, EVIL- it’s not Will Ospreay you’re going to be facing. It’s Dunkzilla Davis, and I’m taking this one home for the United Empire.’
Davis continued:
How did I feel? For me, it’s a lot of pressure on my shoulders. I’m not going to lie, I’m not going to be dishonest. My specialty in professional wrestling is in tag team wrestling alongside my partner Kyle Fletcher as Aussie Open. I think of us as the best duo in the world today. But I love professional wrestling in all of its competition, and my heart is in this to win. So when Will Ospreay told me that he needed me to take his place and win this for the United Empire, it just built a fire inside of me. It lit something inside of me even deeper. So I’m going to do this for the United Empire, I’m going to do this for Will Ospreay, I’m going to do this for Aussie Open, and I’m going to do this for myself. Thank you.
Upcoming New Japan Cup 2023 matches:
Tetsuya Naito vs. SANADA (March 17) (Quarterfinals)
EVIL vs. Mark Davis (March 17) (Quarterfinals) **
Hirooki Goto vs. Tama Tonga (March 18) (Quarterfinals)
David Finlay vs. Shota Umino (March 18) (Quarterfinals)
The final night of second-round action in the 2023 New Japan Cup concluded on Wednesday.
Shota Umino and Bullet Club’s David Finlay both advanced to the quarterfinals.
Finlay defeated Great-O-Khan in the night’s semi-main event after countering an Eliminator attempt into Trash Panda for the win.
Umino then picked up a victory over two-time New Japan Cup winner, Zack Sabre Jr, in the main event, finishing his opponent off with a Death Rider.
Umino and Finlay will now face each other in the quarterfinals on Saturday, March 18, 2023, from Shizuoka. Hirooki Goto vs. Tama Tonga is the other quarterfinal match on the card.
The 2023 New Japan Cup continues on Friday with a show from Korakuen Hall. Tetsuya Naito vs. SANADA and EVIL vs. Mark Davis (replacing an injured Will Ospreay) are the tournament matches scheduled for the show.
New Japan Cup 3/15 results from Okayama:
Aaron Henare defeated Yuto Nakashima
Mark Davis, Kyle Fletcher & Jeff Cobb defeated Ryohei Oiwa, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto
Taichi, DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & TAKA Michinoku defeated Dick Togo, SHO, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL
Two wrestlers qualified for the quarterfinals on the show.
In the night’s semi-main event, EVIL defeated Jeff Cobb after some significant interference from his House of Torture teammates. Will Ospreay then pinned his United Empire stablemate Mark Davis after a Stormbreaker and Hidden Blade in the main event.
EVIL and Ospreay will now face each other in the quarterfinals on Friday, March 17, 2023, from Korakuen Hall.
The final night of the quarterfinals takes place Wednesday, March 15, 2023, from Okayama. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Shota Umino and David Finlay vs. Great-O-Khan are the tournament matches on the show.
NJPW New Japan Cup on Monday, March 13 from Ehime:
Chase Owens & KENTA defeated Oskar Leube & Ren Narita
Tama Tonga & Shota Umino defeated Kosei Fujita
Yujiro Takahashi & SHO defeated TAKA Michinoku & Taichi
Great-O-Khan, Aaron Henare & Kyle Fletcher defeated Gedo, El Phantasmo & David Finlay
The first two wrestlers have booked their spots in the New Japan Cup quarterfinals.
The second round of the New Japan Cup got underway in Aichi on Saturday. Two Los Ingobernables de Japon members were able to advance to the next round of the tournament. SANADA defeated KENTA, while Tetsuya Naito defeated Chase Owens.
SANADA and Naito will face off in a quarterfinal match on Friday, March 17.
In the first round of the tournament, SANADA defeated Taichi and Naito defeated El Phantasmo.
The New Japan Cup continues with its next show taking place on Sunday. Here’s the remaining quarterfinal schedule:
Sunday, March 12 —
Hirooki Goto vs. Kyle Fletcher
Tama Tonga vs. Aaron Henare
Monday, March 13 —
Will Ospreay vs. Mark Davis
EVIL vs. Jeff Cobb
Wednesday, March 15 —
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Shota Umino
David Finlay vs. The Great-O-Khan
The tournament concludes with the finals taking place in Niigata on Tuesday, March 21. The winner receives an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship shot against Kazuchika Okada at Sakura Genesis.
The opening round of the 2023 New Japan Cup concluded on Friday.
Aaron Henare advanced in the tournament after defeating Shingo Takagi in the main event of NJPW’s show from Yamanashi. The United Empire member countered Last of the Dragon and delivered a headbutt followed by Streets of Rage for the win. He’ll now face Tama Tonga in the second round on Sunday, March 12.
The semi-main event of the evening saw Aussie Open’s Kyle Fletcher and Bishamon’s YOSHI-HASHI square off. Fletcher finished off his opponent with a running knee followed by Grimstone for the win. He’ll now move on to face the other member of Bishamon, Hirooki Goto, in the second round of the tournament on Sunday, March 12.
The 2023 New Japan Cup continues Saturday with a show from Aichi. Tetsuya Naito vs. Chase Owens and KENTA vs. SANADA are the tournament matches scheduled for the show.
Full results from the 3/10 New Japan Cup event from Yamanashi:
The New Japan Cup continued on Wednesday with a show from Koriyama, Fukushima.
Two more wrestlers have advanced to the second round of the single-elimination tournament.
Aussie Open’s Mark Davis defeated Toru Yano in the night’s semi-main event. He blocked a low blow attempt and countered into a Water Slide from Dunkzilla for the win. Davis now moves on to face his United Empire teammate, Will Ospreay, in the second round on March 13.
EVIL defeated Ren Narita in the main event. He picked up the win with Everything Is Evil after some help from Dick Togo and a low blow. EVIL will face Jeff Cobb in the second round on March 13.
The tournament continues Friday with the final two opening-round matches. YOSHI-HASHI will face Kyle Fletcher and Shingo Takagi meets Aaron Henare.
New Japan Cup second round: SANADA/Taichi winner vs. KENTA
New Japan Cup second round: Tetsuya Naito/El Phantasmo winner vs. Chase Owens
New Japan Cup, Sunday, March 12 —
New Japan Cup second round: YOSHI-HASHI/Kyle Fletcher winner vs. Hirooki Goto
New Japan Cup second round: Shingo Takagi/Aaron Henare winner vs. Tama Tonga
New Japan Cup, Monday, March 13 —
New Japan Cup second round: Toru Yano/Mark Davis winner vs. Will Ospreay
New Japan Cup second round: Ren Narita/EVIL winner vs. Jeff Cobb
New Japan Cup, Wednesday, March 15 —
New Japan Cup second round: David Finlay/Tomohiro Ishii winner vs. Great-O-Khan
New Japan Cup second round: Shota Umino/Yujiro Takahashi winner vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
The New Japan Cup quarterfinals are set for Friday, March 17, and Saturday, March 18, with the semifinals being held on Sunday, March 19. The tournament final is set for Tuesday, March 21.
The New Japan Cup 2023 winner will receive a shot at Kazuchika Okada’s IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Sakura Genesis on Saturday, April 8.
Hiromu Takahashi will defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Lio Rush at the NJPW New Japan Cup finals event on March 21.
NJPW announced the title bout on Monday after Rush issued a challenge to Hiromu via video promo during Saturday’s The New Beginning in Osaka show.
Prior to their title match on the 21st, Hiromu and Rush will be on opposite sides of a tag team bout at NJPW’s 51st anniversary show on March 6, where it will be Hiromu and BUSHI teaming against Rush and YOH. A pair of first round New Japan Cup matches are also set for that show, with Tomohiro Ishii taking on David Finlay, as well as Shota Umino facing Yujiro Takahashi.
NJPW has revealed the bracket for the New Japan Cup 2023, with first round bouts set for March 5, March 6, and March 10. The second round will be held on March 11, March 12, March 13, and March 15.
The New Japan Cup quarterfinals are set for March 17 and March 18, with the semifinals taking place on March 19.
The New Japan Cup winner will receive a shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis on April 8.
NJPW has revealed the bracket for the New Japan Cup 2023 tournament, set to begin on March 5.
This year’s tournament will have 24 competitors, with eight receiving first round byes. The winner will receive an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match at Sakura Genesis on April 8.
The eight wrestlers receiving byes are:
KENTA
Chase Owens
Jeff Cobb
Will Ospreay
Hirooki Goto
NEVER Openweight Champion Tama Tonga
Great-O-Khan
NJPW World Television Champion Zack Sabre Jr.
The first round matches:
Sunday, March 5 —
SANADA vs. Taichi
Tetsuya Naito vs. El Phantasmo
Monday, March 6, NJPW 51st anniversary show —
David Finlay vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Shota Umino vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Wednesday, March 8 —
Ren Narita vs. EVIL
Toru Yano vs. Mark Davis
Friday, March 10 —
YOSHI-HASHI vs. Kyle Fletcher
Shingo Takagi vs. Aaron Henare
The second round matchups:
Saturday, March 11 —
SANADA/Taichi winner vs. KENTA
Tetsuya Naito/El Phantasmo winner vs. Chase Owens
Sunday, March 12 —
YOSHI-HASHI/Kyle Fletcher winner vs. Hirooki Goto
Shingo Takagi/Aaron Henare winner vs. Tama Tonga
Monday, March 13 —
Toru Yano/Mark Davis winner vs. Will Ospreay
Ren Narita/EVIL winner vs. Jeff Cobb
Wednesday, March 15 —
David Finlay/Tomohiro Ishii winner vs. Great-O-Khan
Shota Umino/Yujiro Takahashi winner vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
The quarterfinals will be held on Friday, March 17, and Saturday, March 18, with the semifinals set for Sunday, March 19. The tournament final will take place on Tuesday, March 21.
