The semi-finals for the New Japan Cup are a go.
The first Cup match of night six saw Shingo Takagi take on Drilla Moloney. Takagi’s path to victory was cleared with a Pumping Bomber on Drilla. He clocked him with Last of the Dragon and a running Pumping Bomber off the ropes. Shingo only got a two count though as Drilla kicked out. Shingo finally moves on with a Burning Dragon on Drilla knocking him out of the tournament.
Shota Umino and Jeff Cobb were next on the docket. Perhaps signaling that he might be heading to WWE, Cobb is out of the tournament. Umino German Suplexed Cobb over. He then clotheslined him for a two count. He labeled Cobb with a running knee smash and pinned him flat with a Second Chapter scoop brainbuster.
Yuya Uemura and David Finlay took the stage next trying to keep their New Japan Cup dreams alive. Yuya hit a flying crossbody off the top rope for a two count. Both men traded clotheslines and head butts. Finlay caught Yuya in the air powerbombing him to the mat then hitting his Into Oblivion brainbuster on his knee. Yuya still kicked out of a pin. Finlay finally got the win with Overkill.
After the match Sanada came walking down the ramp. He stared at Finlay and Gedo as he went right past them and into the ring. Sanada helped Yuya to his feet…then drilled him with a DDT. Finlay and Gedo laughed.
Zack Sabre Jr. pinned Taichi with some dumb ass roll-up.
In the main event, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Hirooki Goto, defeated Yuji Nagata in what was a forgone conclusion simply because Goto just won the belt so recently and Nagata isn’t a full-time NJPW wrestler and never looked to be moving in that direction. The match just popped up out of nowhere with no real in-depth explanation as to why it was happening at all. Goto pinned Nagata with a Goto Revolution.
The semi-finals of the tournament are:
Sunday: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. David Finlay
Monday: Shota Umino vs. Shingo Takagi
The tournament ends next Thursday. The New Japan Cup is NJPW’s annual single-elimination tournament. The winner is rewarded with an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match.
New Japan Cup – Night Six Results
Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI versus TMDK (Hartley Jackson and Ryohei Oiwa)
Ishii pins Jackson with a brainbuster.
Winners: Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI
El Phantasmo, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Oleg Boltin and Toru Yano versus United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, Jakob Austin Young and TJP)
Phantasmo squaring off against TJP was some magic. ELP goes to leap onto everyone on the floor. As he turns around to run the ropes TJP is waiting. He flips him over with a hurricanrana and pins him.
Winners: United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, Jakob Austin Young and TJP)
Bullet Club War Dogs (Chase Owens, Gabe Kidd and SANADA) versus House of Torture (Ren Narita, Sho and Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
The bell doesn’t even ring and everyone is brawling on the floor. The match does begin but gets thrown out almost immediately.
Winners: N/A
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Bushi, Tetsuya Naito and Yota Tsuji) versus House Of Torture (Dick Togo, Evil and Yujiro Takahashi)
Tsuji pins Togo with his spear. Evil attacks Tsuji after the match. He is laid out with super kick.
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon (Bushi, Tetsuya Naito and Yota Tsuji)
Shingo Takagi versus Drilla Moloney – New Japan Cup Match
Winner: Shingo Takagi
Shota Umino versus Jeff Cobb – New Japan Cup Match
Winner: Shota Umino
Yuya Uemura versus David Finlay – New Japan Cup Match
Winner: David Finlay
Taichi versus Zack Sabre Jr. – New Japan Cup Match
Winner: Zack Sabre Jr.
Hirooki Goto (c) versus Yuji Nagata – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Match
Winner: Hirooki Goto
