Yuji Nagata gets one more shot at glory in the main event of today’s New Japan Cup event.
56-year-old Hall of Famer Yuji Nagata, a two-time former IWGP Heavyweight Champion who most recently held the top NJPW title in 2007, challenges Hirooki Goto for the World Heavyweight title in the main event today.
All four quarterfinal bouts in the 2025 New Japan Cup tournament are also set for today’s show.
On one half of the bracket, Yuya Uemura faces David Finlay, plus Zack Sabre Jr. takes on Taichi. The winners of those bouts will meet in the semifinals on Sunday.
On the other side of the bracket, Shota Umino faces Jeff Cobb, and Shingo Takagi takes on Drilla Moloney. The winner of those matches will square off on Monday’s show in the semifinals.
Four tag team matches fill out today’s undercard from Dolphin’s Arena in Nagoya. The show stream on NJPW World beginning at 4 a.m. Eastern time.
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Tag Matches
Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI defeated TMDK (Hartley Jackson & Ryohei Oiwa)
TMDK remained in large part dominant. Eventually, YOSHI-HASHI and Ishii earned a reprieve when Ishii did a sliding lariat. He then followed up with a vertical suplex. Jackson suffered a mighty Brainbuster, providing Ishii with a successful 3-count.
Ishii and Jackson face-offs will forever be entertaining. If you’re looking for a brief collision of meatheads, this opener will satiate that craving.
United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, Jakob Austin Young & TJP) defeated El Phantasmo, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano
Tanahashi tagged in a fiery Yano to contend with Khan, but the United Empire flattened the eager competitor and incapacitated his team briefly. Ragdolling Newman, Boltin’s strength found him countered by a dropkick. Phantasmo seemed ready to take out TJP, but his team and United Empire interrupted, with everyone trading finishers. Amid the chaos, TJP secured the pinfall with a Hurricanrana + Rollup combination.
These matches typically boast glimpses of what everyone brings to the table, and this was no exception. Since TJP and Phantasmo had the most impactful action, their chemistry will pay off soon.
House Of Torture (Ren Narita, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) vs. BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Chase Owens, Gabe Kidd & SANADA) ended in a Draw
The House of Torture and the War Dogs battled before the bell even rang. Kidd managed to bully Narita while Owens had been taken out of action. SANADA put in as little effort as possible. Kidd was left to his own devices until the match ended in a draw. SANADA was last seen walking to the back as the House of Torture continued picking Kidd apart.
This would’ve been a complete nothingburger, if not for plot advancement for SANADA’s desertion and the House of Torture’s ruthlessness in their unforgiving numbers game.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Tetsuya Naito & Yota Tsuji) defeated House Of Torture (Dick Togo, EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi)
With his teammates incapacitated, Naito kept Takahashi at bay before BUSHI suffered a combined effort from Togo and EVIL. Tsuji became the equalizer, until the numbers overwhelmed and he met the fate of the team’s Dick-to-Dick Contact. EVIL distracted the referee while Togo choked Tsuji out, leaving Naito and BUSHI to clear the field. Togo poked Tsuji in the eyes, but it wasn’t enough to stop him from a Gene Blaster. This gave Tsuji the 3-count victory for LIJ, but EVIL got his last licks in after the bell.
While not advancing current storylines, this six-man tag justified itself with an admittedly entertaining affair. The House of Torture’s strength the past few years has been in matches that lead to the babyfaces in singles and team action getting the better of them despite the numbers game while remaining satisfying enough to have meat on the bone of the match structure.
New Japan Cup Quarter Finals
Shingo Takagi defeated Drilla Moloney
Moloney fired off, matching Takagi’s tenacious intensity. Running at each other like a freight train, stopped only by a Spinebuster. Takagi snuck in a brief babyface comeback after surviving a Drilla Killa, but suffered a Gore. On the outside, Takagi afflicted Moloney with a Death Valley Drop, leaving the War Dog to clutch his ribs. Back in the ring, the opponents traded barbs until Takagi landed a Pumping Bomber and escaping another Drilla Killa for a Sliding Bomber. A Burning Dragon saw Takagi stand victorious.
An exceptional follow-up to Moloney’s singles win over Takagi at New Beginning in Osaka. The War Dog sold like his life depended on it and made his inevitable defeat all the more believable while leaving room for more.
Shota Umino defeated Jeff Cob
Umino began hte match spry yet wary. Cobb, however, used the same technique plus his power to overcome. He rode Umino’s back as a surfboard to further mock him. Struggling to lift Cobb, Umino instead had to rely on quick instincts. A Spin Cycle momentarily dazed Umino, but he landed a Tornado DDT to spare him a moment to breathe. Cobb nearly won the match with an F-5000. Cobb hit a nasty lariat and Umino later repaid with him one of his own. A Second Chapter eventually gave Umino the win.
The crowd was into this match, so much so that I had a hard time hearing Walker Stewart announce the finisher. There’s a connection with Umino and the live crowd. However, this match moved at a slower pace than Cobb’s exciting match with Tetsuya Naito on March 14. That said, whatever Cobb’s next moves are contractually, he’s making a great case for himself. And credit where credit is deserved, Umino worked hard for that closing stretch to be as resonant as it was.
David Finlay defeated Yuya Uemura
Uemura started off hot, matching Finlay’s moves with his own dynamic prowess, but lay stunned after a Russian Leg Sweep. Uemura swung the match back in his favor with an extended armbar. On the outside, Finlay drove Uemura’s body into the barricade. Folllowing an inside cradle, Uemura fought back with a bridge suplex but was met with a Backbreaker. Frantically searching for their finishers, trading them to a high favor of the crowd, Finlay ended the match with an Overkill, securing the pinfall.
— Post-match: SANADA briskly walked past Finlay, ignoring him, and attacked Uemura before leaving. Puzzled, Gedo and Finlay watched and made their way to the back.
Finlay and Uemura had the first highlight of the night. Dominating Uemura in the early half, he left enough hope that Uemura may eke out a victory. The closing stretch featured “edge-of-your-seat” action that made each pinfall attempt so heart-pounding.
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Taichi
Sabre Jr. urged a heavily reluctant Taichi to battle. Hesitant due to his personal relationship with Sabre and his tainted victory over Gabe Kidd the night before, Taichi steeled himself for a mad frenzy of spots with Sabre Jr. Driving the TMDK frontman into the steel barricades, Taichi was tempted by chairs and further weaponry. It was clear his mind was not in the right headspace. Fighting out of his personal foibles, Taichi kicked Sabre Jr. to the mat and ripped off his long pants. Sabre Jr. wrenched in his own comeback with kicks of his own. Now on the same page, the former tag team partners exchanged kicks, with Taichi cracking Sabre Jr.’s chest. Choking the life out of Sabre Jr., Taichi unrelented, save only for a rope break.
Sabre Jr. used a burst of energy to drop Taichi with a Sabre Driver, providing little yet enough time to catch his breath. Taichi’s Black Mephisto nearly ended the match, as did a Dangerous Backdrop. Taichi sat unfazed before collapsing after Sabre Jr. dropped him with a Gotch-style Piledriver. Sabre Jr. worked Taichi’s legs with excruciating holds. Taichi crushed Sabre Jr. with a Black Mephisto but the leg work incurred by his opponent prevented capitalization. Once more trading kicks, Taichi gained the upper-hand as he threw everything he could into each one. Just when Taichi’s kicks were giving him an advantage, Sabre Jr. quickly trounced him with a Gedo Clutch + Bridging Pin for the victory.
— Post-match: Sabre Jr. and Taichi embraced before a somber, bittersweet Taichi bowed humbly to the crowd.
While being an emotional reunion, Taichi came off as a main character here. Moreover, I’m left with hope again that the Dangerous Tekkers may reunite as tag team members once more. Win or lose, this meant so much to Taichi’s character, with Sabre Jr. pulling him into more confident territory.
Main Event
Hirooki Goto (c) defeated Yuji Nagata for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
Nagata had control in the early goings, but Goto remained strong. He worked Blue Justice’s leg after recuperating on the outside. A Wrist-Clutch Exploder of Justice returned favor of the match in Nagata’s direction. A backdrop by Nagata left Goto weak, but unwilling to take the pin. The champion rose, meeting the challenger with a deadly lariat. Goto employed a GTR, but couldn’t keep Nagata down. The pair traded forearms until Goto used a series of headbutts to bring Nagata to the mat repeatedly. Briefly battling to flip the other over, Goto succeeded with a Shouten Kai. Nagata staggered after a lariat and ultimately fell to Goto’s GTR to finish the match.
A surprisingly short, yet thrilling conclusion to the evening. Nagata’s performance, albeit slower than his younger days, carried an energy that only a sprint like this could do. Goto sold everything to make Nagata a threat, adding an emotional layer—could Blue Justice do it? In the twilight of his career, matches like these make all the difference to conclude such a legacy.
A solid evening, but the must-see matches were definitely Finlay vs Uemura, Taichi vs Sabre Jr, and the World Heavyweight Championship Match. The final two bouts were laced with emotion and passion, the kind that leaves NJPW as the destination for art in wrestling.
