Coverage

Andrew’s NOAH Stay Together Forever! Results & Match Ratings 7.18

NOAH is building up to some big matches in August. Naomichi Marufuji challenges for the Heavyweight title. Mutoh looks to sap the energy from the future star Kaito Kiyomiya. So the main event for this show Shiozaki/Kiyomiya vs Mutoh/Marufuji! Who gets the momentum?

Published

5 years ago

July 19, 2020

Andrew Balaz

Much like the All Japan show I covered, this is a show leading to bigger things. This is a great show to familiarize yourself with the current landscape of NOAH and where the major players are placed.

The RATEL’S versus Stinger story never ends, even if RATEL’S is technically no more. Kenoh and his angry Ginyu Force engage in faction warfare, then we get the main event with our biggest potential matches. Naomichi Marufuji will challenge Go Shiozaki for the GHC Heavyweight Championship on August 8^th to see who really embodies NOAH. Then we have Kaito Kiyomiya fishing his wish, as he will face Keiji Mutoh on August 10^th.

Now let’s see if the M Alliance builds momentum for the future, or if Shiozaki/Kaito can establish themselves as the unrivaled top of the food chain.

Ratings:

Kinya Okada vs Yoshiki Inamura: Inamura wins via Boston Crab @10:15 – ** ¼
Full Throttle (Atsushi Kotoge, Seiki Yoshioka & Hajime Ohara) vs Katsuhiko Nakajima, Mohammed Yone & Shuhei Taniguchi: Nakajima wins via Vertical Spike @15:25 – ***
3v3 Elimination Match: Stinger (HAYATA, Kotaro Suzuki & Yoshinari Ogawa) vs Daisuke Harada, Tadasuke & YO-HEY: Harada wins via Katayama German Suplex Hold @16:05 – ***
KONGO (Kenoh, Nio, Haoh, Masa Kitamiya & Manabu Soya) vs Sugiura-Gun (Takashi Sugiura, Kaz Hayashi, NOSAWA Rongai, Kendo Kashin & Kazushi Sakuraba): Sugiura wins via Olympic Slam @16:55 – *** ¼
Naomichi Marufuji & Keiji Mutoh vs Kaito Kiyomiya & Go Shiozaki: Marufuji wins via Hammerlock KO-OH @20:50 – *** ¾

Results:

Kinya Okada vs Yoshiki Inamura

As all Puro fans new and old should be used to, younger wrestlers kicking off a show is not a new concept. Inamura is a slight step above Young Boy since he was quickly incorporated into a faction and is Kongo’s tank.

Inamura’s power was met nicely with Okada’s more old school striking/precision style of offense. The crowd was trying to rally Okada at different points, but mostly thanks to the slight experience edge for Inamura, the match was never really in jeopardy. Okada did show a nice flurry of kicks and a combination that could do him wonders in the future.

Decent enough opening match.

Full Throttle (Atsushi Kotoge, Seiki Yoshioka & Hajime Ohara) vs Katsuhiko Nakajima, Mohammed Yone & Shuhei Taniguchi

So this is a mismatch when you look at all the names, since Full Throttle is a Junior Heavyweight faction and the other side is three heavyweights. Will team chemistry prevail over the obvious strength and weight advantages?

Early on we are reminded that Kotoge is still crazy, but at least Seiki seems to be more willing to play. Seiki at least halfheartedly does the rev up motion for the Full Throttle faction, and he’s grinning the entire time through his reluctance. So it’s nice to see that it’s like a Goku/Vegeta dynamic where Seiki wants to think it’s dumb…but he kinda likes it as well.

This is made more evident when he fakes a Tope, instead opts for an Asai Moonsault to the outside, but overshoots and ends up on the announce table. He’s not hurt, and the announcer is berating him playfully like a parent, so he apologizes, then the announcer does the Full Throttle motion so Seiki responds as he tries to return to the match a little embarrassed.

So even though he rolled out of the way forcing Kotoge to eat the full brunt of a scoop slam, and tries to act cool, he seems to be enjoying his new friends. Aside from the character growth and fun interactions, it’s a solid match that sees the GHC National Champion go over Ohara with the Vertical Spike.

We did get a small glimpse at Seiki and Katsuhiko, so that’s something I need more of.

3v3 Elimination Match: Stinger (HAYATA, Kotaro Suzuki & Yoshinari Ogawa) vs Daisuke Harada, Tadasuke & YO-HEY

After some decent back and forth, the former RATEL’s trio puts HAYATA in the Tree of Woe, hits the Triple Sliding Kick, but HAYATA manages to tag in Ogawa. Before the stream can even introduce his stats, Tadasuke hits a Headlock Takedown, captures the Head and Leg, to pick up a flash pinfall. Ogawa is eliminated.

Kotaro comes in, takes it to Tadasuke and starts bringing the match momentum back to equilibrium. Tadasuke does manage to tag out to YO-HEY, so we get the Junior title preview. Suzuki seems almost a half-step slow, not because he’s bad, but because YO-HEY actually has tricks up his sleeve. YO-HEY goes for Ganmen G, but Suzuki tries to counter it a few times. He tries to counter it with Requiem, but YO-HEY counters that with a Reverse Face G. Suzuki can’t get his bearing, YO-HEY finally hits Ganmen G, and that’s 2 Stinger members down.

Now alone against his former stablemates, HAYATA has to fend off numerous triple teams. He gets lucky and while charging, he tosses YO-HEY over the top rope, but he lands on the apron. However, a well-timed Superkick from HAYATA eliminates YO-HEY. Malfunction at the junction gives HAYATA another elimination when Tadasuke accidentally lariats Harada, allowing for HAYATA to roll him up with a Double Clutch Crucifix.

Harada takes a lot of this personally since he was the defacto leader of RATEL’s and you can tell from his facial expressions this is very personal. So after some jockeying for position, Harada hits his Knee Upper, Rolling Elbow and then the Katayama German Suplex Hold, with emphasis.

KONGO (Kenoh, Nio, Haoh, Masa Kitamiya & Manabu Soya) vs Sugiura-Gun (Takashi Sugiura, Kaz Hayashi, NOSAWA Rongai, Kendo Kashin & Kazushi Sakuraba)

With 10 people in a match, it’s a little silly to try and do any type of play by play, especially when it starts off as more of gang warfare. The fun thing to absorb during this match, was how much Kendo Kashin does not fit in with the rest of Sugiura-Gun.

Basically being an entire stable of wily old veterans, none of them are above taken liberties with rules or distracted referees, but Kendo wasn’t on the same page. They were all beating on Haoh on the outside, Kendo tries to choke him with the guardrail and everyone is like “no, we don’t do that”. Then when Kenoh got tagged in and wiped out Kaz, NOSAWA and Suigura, Sakuraba was looking to tag, but Kendo wanted nothing of it.

That was especially great since it had veterans showing fear of Kenoh, so that makes him look like a bigger force. When Sakuraba weakened Kenoh a little, THAT’s when Kendo wanted the tag and Sakuraba pulled his hand a back from the tag and said something snarky that popped the audience.

Lastly, we see the tried and tested team train attack. NOSAWA had to call Kendo back into the ring multiple times, and then Kendo reverses the Irish Whip sending Suguira into the corner to hit Nio. Sugiura gave him a “who the eff do you think you are” kind of look, but continued to murder, cause Sugiura is a killing machine.

All in all, it was a fun match, and I’m looking forward to how much more crap they’re gonna take from Kendo Kashin before beating the hell out of him.

Naomichi Marufuji & Keiji Mutoh vs Kaito Kiyomiya & Go Shiozaki

The main event is a big match preview. Marufuji has challenged Shiozaki for the heavyweight title, and Mutoh has agreed to face Kaito. So it’s a great generational clash. Mutoh would be looking to dispatch Kaito, which might open up a chance for him to challenge for the GHC Heavyweight and complete the Japanese Grand Slam (holding the 3 major Heavyweight Championship: IWGP, Triple Crown and GHC). Mutoh would only be the third person to pull this off (other 2 being: Kensuke Sasaki & Yoshihiro Takayama).

So it’s nice to see that Dad Jokes/Grandpa Humor is the same even in Japan. After starting against Kaito, Mutoh powders out to regain his bearings and sees the newer addition NOAH has made to commentary in the form of Jurina (some may remember when she did guest stuff for NJPW, Japanese Pop Idol who really likes wrestling). So Mutoh goes over to her to do the M Alliance finger symbol. This makes sense because a few weeks ago they claimed that if your name ends with, starts with or has an M in it, you’re part of the Alliance. Jurina’s last name is Matsui. So Mutoh gets cute and you see him motion to the ring and say “touch”, which in broken English wrestling direction is tag in, and nothing untoward. It was just an amusing interaction that really made me realize how similar dad humor is, the old “Get in there, you’re on my team” kind of vibe.

Aside from that, this was pretty awesome at setting things up. Mutoh and Kaito have a nice chemistry that will hopefully get better when Kaito remembers the leg Mutoh kicks is the one that goes back, not that you fall to. But Marufuji looked like one hell of a threat. Even with Shiozaki brushing off Marufuji’s chops and having his echo with every slap, Marufuji put together some great offense.

The corner combination into a flurry of Thrust Kicks + KO-OH attacks was nice. Plus Mutoh and Maurfuji showed decent tag chemistry doing a Shining Wizard/KO-OH combination on Go, followed by a KO-OH/Dragon Screw to Kaito’s right knee, before Mutoh locked him in the figure four.

Plus winning with the close range hammerlock variant of the KO-OH looked pretty damn effective. Nice finish to a solid show.

Overall Score: 7/10

While nothing more than a lot of preliminary matches building toward their bigger show, nothing was bad. Even matches that were “just okay”; still did their job at advancing stories, dynamics or wrestler growth. We got a lot of threads to pull on, interactions to chew on, and this is the type of show that is just very enjoyable.

I especially enjoyed the fact the last two matches didn’t focus on ring work (though it was still really good given the show and layout), they each told an interesting story depending on the perspective you took. Kaito’s desire to prove himself against Mutoh coupled with the Misawa protégé versus Kobashi protégé and who really is NOAH, it’s just great stuff.

Obviously the closer you follow the company, the more little idiosyncrasies matter, but this just felt like a fun show.

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Related Topics:Daisuke Harada Featured Featured Big Go Shiozaki Keiji Mutoh Naomichi Marufuji Pro Wrestling NOAH

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Mitchell’s WWE Extreme Rules Results & Report! (7/19/20)

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Coverage

Mitchell’s WWE NXT Results & Report! (3/18/25)

Return to the Underground!

Published

13 minutes ago

March 18, 2025

Steven Mitchell

Will Eddy Thorpe Whoop Dat Trick?

While they both want a shot at the NXT Championship, Trick Williams and Eddy Thorpe must first settle their score in THE UNDERGROUND!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

WWE Women’s United States Championship: Chelsea Green w/ The Secret Her-vice VS Sol Ruca w/ ZARIA; wins and
Ricky Saints VS Ridge Holland; wins.
Mixed Six Tag: The D’Angelo Family VS The Culling; wins.
NXT Underground: Trick Williams VS Eddy Thorpe; wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

[Due to the scheduling choices of KVIA2 CW (El Paso & Las Cruces), coverage of NXT will not begin until 9PM Eastern]

About Chairshot Radio Network

MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)

THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

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Coverage

Mitchell’s NJPW New Japan Cup Results & Report! (3/17/25)

Semifinal Number Two!

Published

20 hours ago

March 17, 2025

Steven Mitchell

One step away from the Cup!

David Finlay awaits in the New Japan Cup finals, and will either face Shota Umino or Shingo Takagi! Can the Roughneck slay the Rampaging Dragon?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuya Murashima VS Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata; Kojima & Nagata win.
10 Man Tag: The United Empire VS El Phantasmo, Jado, Toru Yano, Boltin Oleg & Daiki Nagai; The United Empire wins.
Six Man Tag: Hontai VS TMDK; TMDK wins.
Six Man Tag: Just4Guys VS Bullet Club War Dogs; War Dogs win.
Six Man Tag: Bullet Club War Dogs VS House of Torture; Double Count-Out Draw.
Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS House of Torture; House of Torture wins.
2025 New Japan Cup Semifinal: Shota Umino VS Shingo Takagi; Shota wins and advances to the finals.

PLAY BY PLAY

Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS House of Torture!

Yota Tsuji was cheated out of the New Japan Cup by the King of Darkness, but that’s no surprise. However, that means Evil has a golden ticket to the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. Will Dick Togo & Yujiro Takahashi help Darkness Fall? Or can Testuya Naito & Bushi help Yota keep everything tranquilo?

Even now, Naito takes his time with his elaborate entrance attire. Eventually, the pants are put aside, and Naito is wearing the new Tendedero merch shirt. LIJ fist bumps, but The House attacks! The fans boo but the bell rings so this is on record. Evil has Yota on the outside and he CLAWS Yota’s eyes! Yujiro CHOKES Naito, Dick bumps Bushi off buckles, and then Yujiro TOSSES Naito! Dick CHOKES Bushi now, then he and Yujiro double whip. Dick runs corner to corner but Bushi dodges! Bushi BOOTS Yujiro, then headlocks Dick! BULLDOG DROPKICK COMBO! The fans fire up and Bushi hurries to tag Naito.

Naito stomps Yujiro, Bushi joins in, and Evil protests. Evil runs in, but into an atomic drop! Evil staggers away to a corner, Naito & Bushi whip Yujiro into him! Evil falls, Naito kicks Yujiro, and holds him in place, for the NECKBREAKER! Naito poses and the fans cheer. Naito then covers, TWO! Tokyo Pimp is tougher than that, but Naito drags Yujiro up to cravat. Yujiro endures the neck wrench, Naito CLUBS him then whips. Yujiro reverses and Dick gets a cheap shot in! Yujiro runs, but Bushi gets as cheap shot in! Naito runs but Evil trips him up! Dick BLASTS Bushi, Yujiro BLASTS Yota, and Evil drags Naito out.

Evil RAMS Naito into the timekeeper! Abe-san again suffers at the hands of Evil! The fans boo and the ref reprimands but Evil drags Naito up. Evil pushes Naito into the ring, then he and Dick loosen the blue buckle pad. Yujiro covers Naito, TWO! Yujiro drags Naito up while the fans rally, but Yujiro snapmares to drop a leg! And he drops another leg! And another leg! Cover, TWO! The fans cheer, but Yujiro taunts LIJ. Yujiro drags Naito up, bumps him off Evil’s boot, and then he tags Evil in. Evil CLAWS Naito’s eyes then stomps away on the legs! The ref reprimands, Evil drags Naito out, and then Evil stomps the leg more!

Evil drops an ELBOW on the knee! Evil pulls on the leg in a toehold, then traps the leg in a leg scissors! Yota runs in and stomps Evil, but Dick TOSSES Yota back out! Evil pulls on the leg, almost has an ankle lock, but Naito has the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, Evil lets go, and he tags in Dick. They split the wishbone on Naito! The fans rally for Naito but Dick throws down fists. Cover, TWO! Naito is tougher than that and the fans continue to rally. Dick is annoyed, but Naito fires body shots on him! Dick CLAWS Naito’s eyes! The ref reprimands but Dick whips. Naito reverses and ELBOWS Dick, to then arm-drag him!

Naito dropkicks Dick’s legs out! The fans rally, Dick and Naito crawl, hot tag to Yota! The fans fire up as Yota CLOBBERS Dick, then BLASTS the House! But Dick CLAWS Yota’s eyes! Yota runs, but into a scoop and BACKBREAKER! The fans fire up and Yota runs corner to corner, to SPLASH! Yota scoops and SLAMS to then run and BODY PRESS! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up with Yota as he paces around. Yota drags Dick up, suplexes, but Dick fights that! Dick wrenches, hammerlocks, headlocks, then punches Yota! Tag to Evil and they mug Yota! The ref reprimands, the fans boo, but Dick & Evil stand Yota up.

Dick & Evil double whip to DOUBLE SHOULDER TACKLE Yota down! Cover, TWO! Yota is tougher than that and the fans rally up, but Evil tells them to shut up. Evil drags Yota to his feet, talks more trash on the fans, but the fans give that back. Evil “puts one out” on Yota, then fireman’s carries! Yota slips free to ROCK Evil! The fans fire up with Yota, he runs, but Evil goes the other way! But Yota catches the pounce into a clinch! BACKBREAKER, FLATLINER, and STOMP! The Gene Combination hits and the fans fire up! Evil sputters, Yota rolls and tags in Bushi. Bushi runs up to dropkick Evil’s legs out! Then Bushi BLASTS Dick!

Yujiro kicks Bushi, whips him to ropes, but Bushi reverses to dropkick the legs out! Evil is back but Bushi DECKS him! Bushi then builds speed and DIVES! Direct hit and Evil is sent into railing! The fans fire up, Bushi puts Evil back in, and Bushi aims from a corner. Bushi runs corner to corner to ELBOW Evil, then he puts a leg in the ropes to DROPKICK it! Bushi brings Evil out and has the leg, but Evil pulls on the mask! Bushi breaks free, kicks, but Evil blocks, hands it to the ref, and mule kicks Bushi down! Dick & Yujiro BLAST Naito & Yota off the apron! They then double whip Bushi to a corner! Dick ELBOWS Bushi! Yujiro BOOTS! Evil LARIATS!

Dick goes up, Evil & Yujiro hold Bushi open, and the ref reprimands! No one to distract him this time! But then Evil just grabs the ref and turns him around! The ref can’t get free, Bushi suffers the DICK CHOP! Cover, TWO!! Bushi survives and the fans fire up! Evil is stunned but he brushes that off. Evil paces around Bushi, slashes his throat, and vows to end this! Evil drags Bushi up, spins him, EVERY- NO, Naito gets in to kick Evil down! Yujiro is in, Evil distracts the ref, and Yujiro blocks a kick to LOW BLOW Naito!! The fans boo, but Yota runs up! Yujiro blocks his kick, and trips him up, to FALLING HEADBUTT LOW BLOW!!

The fans boo but Evil still holds onto the ref. Bushi stands, Evil shoves the ref at him! Bushi pushes the ref aside, and he blocks the low blow! But Dick LOW BLOWS from the other side! Evil & Dick get Bushi up, for MAGIC KILLER!! Cover, the House of Torture wins!!

Winners: House of Torture, by pinfall

But they’re not done, as they beat up on Yota now! They snatch the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship from him, and Evil holds it up. The fans boo, but Evil takes aim at Yota! But Yota LOW BLOWS Dick! And he dodges Evil’s attack to then pop-up LOW BLOW! Yujiro has his pimp cane! Yota blocks that, takes the cane, and LOW BLOWS Yujiro with it! The fans fire up behind Yota as he takes his belt back. Yota holds it up to show that not everything is Evil! Will the Gene Blast stop the House of Torture from having more gold?

2025 New Japan Cup Semifinal: Shota Umino VS Shingo Takagi!

The Paradigm Shift has certainly taken a turn after The Roughneck gave up his fiery red locks. Shota has changed up his style in the ring to match his new look, but will this Second Chapter lead to the Cup? Or will this young hero fail to slay the Rampaging Dragon?

The bell rings and the fans rally up. They’re strongly behind “TA-KA-GI! TA-KA-GI!” but Shota doesn’t let that bother him. Shota and Takagi slowly step forward, feel things out, then clinch. Takagi waistlocks but Shota turns around to facelock. Takagi wrenches out and has a wristlock, but Shota rolls, wrenches back, and then hammerlocks. Takagi reaches back to headlock and he hits the takeover, but Shota headscissors. Takagi kips free and the fans cheer the standoff. The two reset and feel things out again. They knuckle lock, then go shoulder to shoulder in a Test of Strength! Shota has the leverage but Takagi powers up.

Takagi breaks a grip, wrenches, headlocks, and he grinds the hold. The fans rally up while Shota endures. Shota pries at the headlock but Takagi keeps it on tight. Shota powers up and out the back, then headlocks in return. Takagi endures the grind now, and he powers up and out! They RAM shoulders, Shota keeps going to RAM Takagi! Takagi rebounds to RAM Shota, but Shota stands his ground! Shota fires a forearm, Takagi fires a DOUBLE CHOP! Takagi whips, but Shota reverses to scoop, HOTSHOT, and then he RUNS Takagi over! The fans fire up while Takagi bails out. Shota waits on Takagi, and the fans rally up again.

Takagi takes his time stepping back inside, and he resets with Shota. They knuckle lock, but then Shota shoots in and trips Takagi up. Shota stomps that leg, then he SMASHES the knee off the mat! Shota stalks Takagi to a corner, then puts the leg around ropes. The fans rally, Red Shoes reprimands, but Shota pulls on the leg. Shota then brings Takagi out to trip him, and Shota stomps away on the leg. Shota drops an ELBOW on the knee, and pulls on the toehold! Takagi endures, works his way back, and has the ROPEBREAK! Shota lets go, but then he drops a knee on the knee! Red Shoes reprimands but Shota stomps Takagi’s leg again.

Shota drags Takagi up, facelocks and turns him, but Takagi elbows free! Takagi runs in at the corner but Shota BOOTS him! Shota runs, but Takagi ELBOWS! JABS! YUKON feint and DDT! Shota staggers around while the fans fire up, and Takagi LARIATS Shota up and out! Shota staggers into railing then slumps down. The fans rally behind Takagi while he shakes out the bad leg. Takagi goes out to fetch Shota, and he drags Shota back up. Takagi RAMS Shota into the apron, then RAMS him in again! Takagi whips Shota hard into railing and Shota slumps down! Red Shoes wants Takagi to get this back in the ring, so Takagi rolls in.

The fans applaud and the ring count begins. Shota is still down at 5 of 20, sits up at 8, and he rises up at 10. Shota stands at 13 and hobbles his way over. Shota rolls in at 15, but Takagi stands on him! Red Shoes reprimands but Takagi marches in place before he steps off. Takagi KICKS Shota in the back, then drags him up to whip. Takagi KNEES Shota at the ropes, then runs to CLOBBER Shota! The fans fire up and Takagi flexes. Takagi drags Shota up, reels him in and suplexes high and hard! Cover, TWO! Shota is tougher than that, but Takagi looks to the camera. Then he wags his finger, it’s not time yet.

Takagi clamps onto Shota with a chinlock and squeezes tight. Shota endures, so Takagi sits him up and shifts around to also trap an arm. Shota endures being twisted and turned, and he kicks his way forward to the ROPEBREAK! The fans applaud, and Takagi lets go, only to BELL CLAP! Red Shoes reprimands but Takagi brings Shota around to SENTON! The fans cheer more and Takagi stands back up. Takagi looms over Shota, kicks him around, but Shota just gets mad. Shota glares at Takagi so Takagi eggs him on. Shota stands to fire a forearm! Takagi shakes his head, so Shota fires another forearm! And another!

Takagi wobbles a bit and Shota fires a flurry! But then Takagi blocks one to wrench and knuckle lock! Takagi goes up the ropes!? The fans fire up, but Shota breaks free! Takagi gives thumbs down, and the fans boo, but Takagi HIP ATTACKS Shota down! Takagi rallies the fans behind him, then reels Shota in. But Shota BACKDROPS free! Takagi gets up fast, but Shota dropkicks the legs! Shota turns Takagi for a NECKBREAKER! Shota snarls, goes to a corner, and the fans rally again. Takagi stands, Shota runs corner to corner and UPPERCUTS! Then FISHERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Not quite perfect, but Shota stays clam.

Shota drags Takagi up and reels him in, but Takagi fights the lift! Shota CLUBS Takagi, whips him to a corner, then runs up, but he blocks a boot! KNEE JAMMER, and then a SHIN BREAKER! Shota turns Takagi over for the STF! The fans rally as Takagi endures and Shota pulls on the hold! Takagi reaches out, crawls his way over, and fights his way to the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer and Shota lets go in frustration. Shota stands Takagi back up to reel him back in, but again Takagi fights the lift! Shota KNEES Takagi again and again, then tries again. Takagi still fights that lift! Takagi CLUBS at the legs, but Shota CLUBS away on Takagi’s back!

Shota UPPERCUTS into a spin! Takagi suplexes, Shota fights it, so Takagi hits a TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Both men are down and the fans rally back up. Shota crawls away to a corner while Takagi slaps his leg into working. Takagi watches Shota stand, then he runs in. Takagi blocks a boot, CLUBS the leg, and he LARIATS Shota down! The fans fire up and Takagi gets them even more fired up. Takagi stands Shota up, but Shota fires forearms! Takagi SHOVES Shota down, but Shota is right up to fire more forearms! Takagi THROWS Shota down, but Shota’s right up to fire forearms! Takagi YUKON LARIATS outta nowhere!

The fans fire up while both men are down! Takagi rises and grabs at Shota but Shota shakes him off. Takagi still tries to stand Shota up but Shota kicks him now! So Takagi short arm LARIATS Shota down! And he short arm LARIATS again! Then a scoop for a SLAM, and Takagi goes up! YUKON ELBOW DROP! Takagi hauls Shota up, and hits a POWERBOMB! High stack, TWO!! Into an STF! Takagi gives Shota a taste of his own medicine! Shota endures, the fans rally, and then Takagi shifts to Just Facelock! Shota still endures, then fights around and reaches out. Takagi shifts to a FUJIWARA ARMBAR! Shota still endures!

Shota reaches out but Takagi pulls on that arm! The fans rally, Takagi puts as much as he can into the Fujiwara, but Shota fights and reaches out, ROPEBREAK! The fans applaud while Takagi lets off, and he throws some elbows down for good measure. Takagi then brings Shota up, puts him on the top rope, and he fires ridge hand chops! Takagi climbs up, goes to the very top, and hits a SUPER DUPER PLEX! The fans fire up and Shota writhes! Takagi covers, TWO!! Shota survives and the fans fire up again. Takagi finally says, “TOKI GA KITA!” The fans fire up as the time has finally come! They then join in with “OI! OI! OI!”

Takagi stalks Shota, brings him up, and pump handles, only for Shota to fight the lift! Shota slips free, half nelsons, but Takagi elbows free! Shota UPPERCUTS, then UPPERCUTS! And UPPERCUTS! And UPPERCUTS! Shota winds up and runs, but Takagi follows to LARIAT at the ropes! Takagi keeps moving, Shota gets around to SNAP HALF ‘N’ HALF! But Takagi’s right up to SNAP GERMAN! Shota’s right up, ducks a lariat, and he SNAP GERMANS! Shota roars, runs up, but into a PUMPING BOMBER!! Both men are down and the fans fire up again! Takagi and Shota go to opposite ends, and the fans rally up.

Takagi goes to a corner, drags himself up, and Shota is in the other corner. The fans rally harder, and they both run in! DOUBLE LARIATS collide, but neither man falls! So they DOUBLE LARIAT again! Both stay up, Takagi SWATS a lariat to BLINDSIDE LARIAT! Then he whips Shota, but Shota reverses to TORNADO DDT! Takagi’s right up!? But Shota LARIATS him back down!! Shota also falls and the fans rally back up! Takagi and Shota stir, and Shota crawls his way over to Takagi. The “SHOTA! SHOTA!” fans are showing up now, and he reels Takagi in, for a POWERBOMB!! High stack cover, TWO!!

The fans fire up again and Shota fires himself up. Takagi slowly rises up, Shota runs, but Takagi swats the lariat! ELBOW! JAB! YUKON- SHOTGUN! But Takagi’s up to PUMPING BOMBER again!! Both men are down again as we hit 20 minutes! Takagi pounds the mat, the fans rally up, and Takagi crawls over to Shota. The dueling is starting to sound even, and Takagi brings Shota up. Shota fires boxing elbows, then a ROLLING- NO, Takagi catches him! Pump handle, MADE IN JAPAN! Cover, TWO!! Takagi shouts out Milano Collection AT with how he tucks Shota’s arms! TAKAGI DRIVER 98!! Cover, TWO!!

Shota survives but Takagi keeps moving, SLIDING FOREARM! The fans fire up as Takagi gets going again, and he PUMPING BOMBERS!!! Cover, TWO?!?! Shota survives and shocks everyone! Takagi thinks on what he must do now, and he brings Shota back up. The fans rally, Takagi pump handles and torture racks! But Shota kicks and flails to get free! Shota LARIATS, but Takagi stays up while Shota drops to his knees! Takagi shakes his head, brings Shota up again, but Shota ENZIGIRIS! Takagi goes to a corner, Shota fires forearms and an elbow, then a ROLLING ELBOW! Takagi stays up to ELBOW! JAB! And whip!

Shota reverses, and DROPKICKS! The fans fire up, Shota brings Takagi to his feet for the fisherman and SECOND- NO, Takagi fights that to scoop Shota! LANDSLIDE DRIVER!! The fans rally up again and Takagi watches Shota rise. Takagi runs, Shota dodges, but then Takagi dodges! DOUBLE LARIATS!! Shota falls on the cover, ONE?!?! Shota gest going again, SHOTA BOMBER!! Cover, TWO!!! Takagi will not be beat at his own game and the fans fire up! Shota goes to a corner as the fans are dueling, and Shota BUSAIKU KNEES! Then he hooks the leg, SECOND CHAPTER!!! Cover, SHOTA WINS!!

Winner: Shota Umino, by pinfall (advances to the finals)

The Rampaging Dragon has been slain! Perhaps if this was the Shota from before New Beginning, the story would be different, but the Second Chapter writes Takagi out of the tournament. Will Takagi battle his way to the top from a different path?

As for Shota, he decides not to say anything, and exits the ring. But wait! David Finlay & Gedo make their way out here! Gedo grabs the mic to ask, “Oi, kid, where’d you go? Get back out yere, you punk! Get back here, kid!” Shota responds to that taunting and makes his way back out. Gedo tells Shota, “I don’t know what’s going on in your head, but do you realize who you’re facing in the finals? The Savage King, David Finlay! He’s crazy strong, kid! Tougher than you can imagine! Whatever it took for you tog et here, in an instant, it’ll be destroyed! Get over here, ya punk! Get over here! I wanna know how much you want this!”

“You want to come in here, say your piece? Just try!” Gedo drops the mic for Shota, and then Shota stares Finlay down. Shota picks the mic up, and he tells Finlay, “I promise I will beat you.” Finlay likes the sound of that. These two stare down, and we are just days away from them battling for it all! Who will be the 2025 New Japan Cup Champion, and the man aimed squarely at the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship?

My Thoughts:

Another great night for New Japan Cup, but with as much filler as yesterday’s event. The War Dogs sure have their hands in many things, as does the House of Torture with how Evil is building to a title match with Yota Tsuji. The War Dogs and House of Torture going to Double Count-Out Draw again was a good move, it keeps both sides equal as we wait for them to do whatever huge faction warfare match they’re planning. As for Yota VS Evil, hard to say at this point as House of Torture won the match but then Yota stood tall after that scrap. It’d be really weird if Evil gets that title off Yota just to be a transitional champion to Finlay so that Finlay can get “his” title back.

Shota VS Shingo was a great match, but the crowd really took a second to get into it. There still seems to be a number of fans who are uncertain on Shota so they didn’t feel like cheering right away, but Shota got them on his side as things heated up. Shota winning makes sense, he’s got this new attitude and so that’s part of the push. I hope he changes his aesthetic enough once we get to the finals on March 20th. Take those all white paints, airbrush something on them that helps represent what “Second Chapter” Shota is about, or even just go with a solid color like red or blue to indicate the change visually. As for who wins, that is anyone’s guess, as Finlay will have to circle back to the Bullet Club Civil War at some point.