It will be David Finlay versus Shota Umino for the New Japan Cup. Umino defeated Shingo Takagi on night eight of the tournament. The New Japan Cup is NJPW’s annual single-elimination tournament. The winner is rewarded with an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match. The finals will air on Thursday.
As Shingo calmly made his way to the ring Shota kneeled in a corner, head down with his eyes closed concentrating. Lots of feeling each other out until Shota dropped Shingo on his throat on the top rope and clotheslined him. Shingo rolled out of the ring to get himself together after that.
Shota worked over Shingo’s right leg and knee until Shingo DDTed him, clotheslining him over the top rope. Shota hit the barricade on the way down to the floor. Shingo sends Shota into the ringside barricade further weakening his back. Shingo reached the ropes to break an STF by Shota. Shingo powerbombed Shota for a two count and then quickly transitioned into his own STF submission. Shota made it to the ropes.
Shingo superplexed Shota off the top rope for another two count. Shota and Shingo give each other one German Suplex after another. Shingo catches Shota with a clothesline coming in.
Shingo bounces off the ropes for a Pumping Bomber and another two count. Shingo drops Shota on his head. Shota fights back with a clothesline but Shingo pops up right away. Shota hits a Lariat for a two count. Running knee smash to the face and a Second Chapter pins Shingo.
Finlay and Umino had a staredown in the ring to close out the night.
New Japan Cup Night Eight Results
Hiroshi Tanahashi and Katsuya Murashima vs Yuji Nagata and Satoshi Kojima
Same ending again. Kojima pins Katsuya with his Lariat.
Winners: Yuji Nagata and Satoshi Kojima
El Phantasmo, Toru Yano, Boltin Oleg, Jado and Daiki Nagai vs United Empire (Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb, TJP, Callum Newman and Jakob Austin Young)
Nagai submits to TJP’s Octopus hold.
Winners: United Empire (Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb, TJP, Callum Newman and Jakob Austin Young)
Tomohiro Ishii, YOSH-HASHI and Tomoaki Honma vs TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa and Hartley Jackson)
Oiwa pins Honma with his Grip clothesline.
Winners: TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa and Hartley Jackson)
Just Four Guys (Taichi, Yuya Uemura and TAKA Michinoku) vs Bullet Club War Dogs, (David Finlay, SANADA and Drilla Moloney)
Sanada shoves Taka into the official. With the official down, Sanada gives Taka pop-up kick to the groin. Sanada makes Taka submit to Skull End. Sanada won’t release the hold so Yuya punches him in the head over and over. Sanada gives Yuya a pop-up kick to the groin.
Winners: Bullet Club War Dogs, (David Finlay, SANADA and Drilla Moloney)
BULLET CLUB (Gabe Kidd, Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale) vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
The match begins with another big brawl on the floor. Narita and Kidd are both counted out.
Winners: A Draw
Los Ingbernables De Japon (Yota Tsuji, Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI) vs House of Torture (EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi and Dick Togo)
Evil pushes the official into Bushi. Bushi shoves him away. Bushi stops Evil from punching him in the groin but Dick Togo hits the low-blow from behind. Togo and Evil drop Bushi with the Magic Killer. After the match, Togo puts the boots to Tsuji. Tsuji gives Evil a pop-up kick to the groin as he tries to hit him with the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. Yujiro tries to nail him with his cane. Tsuji hits him in the groin with it.
Winners: House of Torture (EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi and Dick Togo)
New Japan Cup semifinal- Shota Umino vs Shingo Takagi
Winner: Shota Umino
