Only 8 men remain and today was meant to be the first two quarterfinal matches of the New Japan Cup. However, the show did not go according to plan. David Finlay was meant to face Hirooki Goto in a quarterfinal match, however, Finlay was hospitalized with an illness and forced to forfeit. With Finlay forfeiting, Goto got an automatic pass into the semifinals.
The main event was a rematch from Forbidden Door back in June 2023. Just like June, SANADA defeated Jack Perry again, this time to advance to the semifinals.
As SANADA was making his entrance, Perry grabbed a microphone to tell SANADA he has been waiting for this match since Forbidden Door. He did not say much more as he clocked SANADA in the head with the microphone and began choking him with the chord. He started laying strikes into SANADA as the bell sounded to begin the match officially. SANADA tried to bounce back with a dropkick and dive, but Perry reversed and threw him into the barricades.
He then removed the padding from the hardwood floor but did not utilize that just yet. Perry brought SANADA back into the ring to dropkick him in the back and choke him against the ropes. The offence continued for Perry with shoulder tackles and a neck breaker, but SANADA then caught Perry with a Russian leg sweep. SANADA continued with a dropkick and a diving plancha to the outside. He then hit a TKO and locked in Skull End, he released the hold to attempt a diving moonsault, but Perry got his knees up.
Shining Wizard. Credit: NJPW
Perry tripped SANADA to lock in a Snare Trap, but SANADA got to the ropes to break the hold. Perry then hung SANADA’s feet off the apron to DDT him onto the hardwood floor that he exposed earlier in the match. Back in the ring, Perry connected with a tiger bomb and attempted a running knee. However, SANADA moved out of the way and went for an O’Connor Bridge, but Perry hit the referee as he was being rolled up. With the referee down, House of Torture rushed the ring to attack SANADA.
Dick Togo hit SANADA with Dick to Dick Contact and Just 5 Guys then made their way out to even the odds. When the madness cleared the ring Perry hit SANADA with a superkick, SANADA responded with a poisonrana and Perry came right back with a running knee. As both men made it back to their feet SANADA hit an enzigiri and a magic screw. He then hit a Shining Wizard and a diving moonsault from the top rope, but Ren Narita pulled the referee out of the ring before he could count to three.
O’Connor roll to victory. Credit: NJPW
Togo now choked SANADA to a point where he was dazed and Perry connected with another running knee. The referee made it back into the ring, however, SANADA kicked out at two and Just 5 Guys took House of Torture out once again. SANADA now reversed another knee from Perry and caught him into the O’Connor Bridge to get the victory. SANADA moves on to face Hirooki Goto in the semifinals.
Quarterfinal matches to go:
Shingo Takagi versus EVIL
Yota Tsuji versus Ren Narita
Semifinal matches so far:
Hirooki Goto versus SANADA
New Japan Cup 2024 Night 9 Results
Katsuya Murashima, El Desperado & Togi Makabe vs. Shoma Kato, Boltin Oleg & YOH
Oleg defeated Murashima with a Kamikaze.
Winners: Shoma Kato, Boltin Oleg & YOH
Ryusuke Taguchi, Tanga Loa & Tomohiro Ishii vs. United Empire (Francesco Akira, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb)
Akira took out Ishii on the outside while Cobb beat Taguchi with a Tour of the Islands.
Winners: United Empire (Francesco Akira, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb)
TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Zack Sabre Jr.) vs. United Empire (Callum Newman & TJP)
Sabre forced Newman to submit with a Cross Heel Hook.
Winners: TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Zack Sabre Jr.)
Guerrillas of Destiny (Jado, El Phantasmo & Hikuleo) & Toru Yano vs. Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori, Gabe Kidd, Chase Owens & KENTA)
Ishimori stole the victory for Bullet Club by rolling up Jado.
Winners: Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori, Gabe Kidd, Chase Owens & KENTA)
Shota Umino & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Just 5 Guys (Yuya Uemura & Taichi)
Uemura caught HASHI with the pin by putting him in a storm clutch for the upset victory.
Winners: Just 5 Guys (Yuya Uemura & Taichi)
Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Yota Tsuji, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito) vs. House of Torture (Dick Togo, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Yujiro Takahashi, Ren Narita & EVIL)
Tsuji has been on a tear recently looking practically unbeatable and his momentum continued today. He super-kicked Kanemaru before hitting Takahashi with a Gene Blaster to get the victory for LIJ.
Following the match, EVIL attacked Takagi on the outside ahead of their quarterfinal match tomorrow.
