New Japan Pro Wrestling continued their annual New Japan Cup tournament. Since the show aired at 2:00am EST on NJPWWorld.com, here’s a spoiler-free summary for the non-nite owl New Japan fans. Each match receives a Need To Watch Rating of 0.0-10.0
FIRST MATCH: Shota Umino vs. Ren Narita
This was a stellar opening contest. Entirely possible that this match will someday main event Wrestle Kingdom. Umino is a star on the rise, and Narita has been shining especially bright in Katsuya Kitamura’s absence. Definitely recommended viewing.
Need To Watch Rating: (5.1)
SECOND MATCH: Bullet Club (Tanga Loa, Yujiro Takahashi & Bad Luck Fale) vs. Toa Henare, Togi Makabe & Tomoyuki Oka
Loa, Takahashi & Fale continue to make a dominant threesome. Henare continues to be a fiery powerhouse. Oka is very close to breaking through. Decent though predictable match.
Need To Watch Rating: (2.9)
THIRD MATCH: CHAOS (Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii) vs. Suzuki-gun (Taichi & Takashi Iizuka)
Your feelings on this match will depend entirely on the finish. Yano and Ishii continue to be a great team, and Taichi continues to prove his meddle in the heavyweight division. Iizuka continues to Iizuka. It’s classic Yano shenanigans and classic Suzuki-gun shenanigans, do with that information what you will.
Need To Watch Rating: (5.0)
FOURTH MATCH: Juice Robinson & Michael Elgin vs. Kota Ibushi & Chase Owens
Ibushi and Owens continue to grow as a tag team, even debuting new tandem maneuvers in this match. Elgin and Juice would make an effective case for World Tag League entry, but with The Golden Lovers & Young Bucks joining the Heavyweight division, they’ll likely be crowded out.
Need To Watch Rating: (4.2)
FIFTH MATCH: CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto) vs. Killer Elite Squad (Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Lance Archer)
Killer Elite Squad continue to have a highlight year. They’ve been in a new gear since Wrestle Kingdom, and in this match they showed that agains last year’s World Tag League standouts Goto & YOSHI-HASHI. Definitely recommended viewing. Archer is currently the closest thing New Japan has to Bruiser Brody.
Need To Watch Rating: (7.3)
SIXTH MATCH: Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI)
Suzuki continues his near-obsession with Tetsuya Naito. Suzuki’s “crazy old man” vibe was in overdrive in this wild brawl of a match. The LIJ/Suzuki-gun feud continues to entertain.
Need To Watch Rating: (7.0)
SEVENTH MATCH: CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Chuckie T) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi & David Finlay
Tanahashi. Okada. Need I say more?
…I do? Alright, Chuckie T and David Finlay also bring some fantastic exchanges to the table. Definitely recommended.
Need To Watch Rating: (7.5)
MAIN EVENT: New Japan Cup Sem-Final Match: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. SANADA
SANADA and Sabre have a submission based match that, much like most of Sabre’s New Japan Cup matches, was far more combat sports than pro-wrestling. Seek. Out. This. Match.
Need To Watch Rating: (10.0)
