The NJPW Cup is underway with the winner getting a chance to challenge champion Kota Ibushi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. The finals of the tournament are on March 21st. Both Evil and Hiroshi Tanahashi received byes into the second round. Evil is the defending NJPW Cup winner and Tanahashi is the current NEVER Openweight Champion. Here is today’s update, minus the extraneous tag team matches that are on every card.
NJPW Cup Night 4
Event Highlights
- In the tag team match of FinnJuice and Toa Henare against Bullet Club, Henare gets the pin on Dick Togo. Owen and Finlay share some unpleasantries as do White and Henare.
Results
Yuji Nagata versus Yota Tsuji
It is the experienced legend in Nagata against the Young Lion, Tsuji. Blue Justice teaches Tsuji a few tricks right out of the gate. Tsuji drives Nagata down to the mat with a barrage of forearms and stomps. Nagata flips things by just kicking the crap out of Tsuji. Nagata focuses on Tsuji’s left arm preparing it for a Nagata Lock. Following a slugfest, Nagata pins Tsuji though with his simple bridging belly-to-back suplex.
Winner: Yuji Nagata
Tomohiro Ishii versus Sanada
Although he doesn’t have Ishii’s strength, Sanada trades blows with him. Ishii has Sanada’s leaping drop kick and his Paradise Lock scouted and avoids them. Sanada is clearly thrown off his game. Sanada refuses to be pushed around or intimidated by The Stone Pit Bull. One forearm shot though knocks Sanada to the canvass forcing Red Shoes to check to see if he can continue. Sanada eventually does put Ishii in the Paradise Lock and poses over him. An angry Ishii batters Sanada in a corner. Red Shoes lays down the count. Ishii shoves him to the mat. He is not disqualified though. Red Shoes has to physically drag Ishii away to stop the assault. It is Sanada’s turn to no-sell shots and take it to Ishii with forearm smashes and punches. Ishii lifts Sanada up on his shoulders heaving him off face-first into a turnbuckle. When his Skull End submission doesn’t get the job done Sanada pins Ishii with his moonsault.
Winner: Sanada
In Round Two we now have:
- Sanada versus Yuji Nagata
