The New Japan Cup is one step closer to the finals!

With just days left, the New Japan Cup quarterfinals are here! Will EVIL be that much closer to repeating as tournament winner?

NOTE: NJPW no longer wants to feed AXS TV now that it is with Anthem and Impact Wrestling. But never fear, I will cover NJPW in the spirit of AXS in providing the most important matches of the show.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• SANADA & Bushi VS Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb; Ospreay & Cobb win.
• 2021 New Japan Cup Quarterfinals: EVIL VS Toru Yano; Evil wins and advances.
• 2021 New Japan Cup Quarterfinals: KENTA VS Shingo Takagi; Takagi wins and advances.

PLAY BY PLAY

SANADA & Bushi VS Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb!

Cold Skull and Commonwealth Kingpin will meet in the NJCUP tomorrow, but they bring the Death Mask and the Hawaiian Hulk to this battle! Will Sanada bring Ospreay to a Skull End a couple days early? Or will the United Empire conquer the ungovernable?

Ospreay asks LIJ be nice to his nose after what happened just the other day against Zack Sabre Jr. The nose is broken, so he gets on his knees and asks they don’t hit him in the nose. Sanada says he’ll be cool, and so Ospreay steps up to start. The bell rings, fans rally and the two circle. Sanada and Ospreay tie up, Ospreay wrenches an arm to a wristlock, and Sanada goes after the nose! Ospreay gets to ropes for defense and the ref has Sanada back off. Ospreay again pleads that Sanada not go after the nose, and Sanada promises not to. Fans rally “SA-NA-DA!” though Ospreay pretends it’s “WILL OS-PREAY!” as he returns.

They circle, tie up, and Ospreay wrenches an arm to then quickly hammerlock, headlock, and wristlock again. Ospreay wrenches and wrenches but Sanada WRINGS him out! Ospreay scrambles away again and steadies himself. Ospreay calls for a test of strength, Sanada accepts and they knuckle lock. They go shoulder to shoulder, Sanada starts to bend Ospreay back but Ospreay pulls Sanada’s hair! Ospreay throws Sanada down, covers, ONE as Sanada bridges! Fans cheer as Sanada stands back up, and he rolls to crank the knuckle locks! Ospreay gets to ropes again, Sanada lets off but Ospreay turns things around!

The ref warns Ospreay, he lets off clean, and again points to his nose. Fans cheer as the two stand off, and Ospreay holds out a hand. Ospreay promises to play nice but he so obviously winks to Cobb. Sanada reaches out for the handshake, but he anticipates and blocks the cheap kick! Cobb gets in to hit Sanada, Ospreay hits Bushi, and the Empire mugs Sanada. The Empire double whips Sanada corner to corner, Ospreay sends Cobb in but Sanada dodges and dropkicks Ospreay’s leg out! Sanada then RANAS Cobb out of the ring! Fans fire up and Sanada tags in Bushi. Bushi kicks Ospreay, Ospreay guards his face so Bushi kicks him low again.

Bushi whips, Ospreay reverses then runs in but Bushi slips out to the apron. Bushi swing kicks but Ospreay turns around so he gets hit in the back! Bushi climbs up, leaps but Ospreay gets under. Ospreay elbows Bushi then makes him straddle the top rope! Ospreay runs to BOOT Bushi down, then he runs to hit Sanada! Cobb drags Bushi up to throw forearms. Ospreay goes after Sanada with haymakers! Ospreay whips Sanada hard into railing! Sanada falls over, Ospreay stands on his neck and messes with Sanada’s nose now! Ospreay says no one cares about Sanada’s nose, his nose is the most important. Cobb puts Bushi in for Ospreay and Ospreay stomps him.

Tag to Cobb, the Empire drags Bushi up to double whip, and Cobb runs Bushi over. Ospreay PENALTY KICKS, Cobb covers, TWO! Fans rally up and Bushi throws body shots. Cobb clubs and whips Bushi to bring him around and throw into the Empire corner! Tag to Ospreay, Ospreay climbs and Cobb sets Bushi up, DRAPING STOMPS! Cover, TWO! Ospreay tags Cobb and digs his knee into Bushi, and Cobb drags Bushi up. Bushi throws body shots again but Cobb clubs him. Cobb runs but Bushi follows to dropkick! Fans fire up as Bushi crawls. Cobb anchors Bushi and Ospreay runs in to DECK Sanada! Ospreay stomps Bushi, the ref reprimands but Ospreay tells him to take it easy.

Bea Priestly keeps the ref distracted, and the Empire whips Bushi corner to corner. Ospreay whips Cobb in but Bushi dodges! Bushi boots Ospreay, not caring about his nose, and then hits a BULLDOG DROPKICK COMBO! Ospreay bails out to check his nose and jaw, Bushi fires forearms on Cobb. Cobb blocks the whip to whip Bushi, but Bushi dodges to DIVE onto Ospreay! Ospreay hits railing, Sanada dropkicks Cobb’s legs out! LIJ brings Cobb up to whip corner to corner, and Sanada runs in to back elbow! Bushi back elbows then feeds Cobb to Sanada’s dropkick! BACKSTABBER! Cover, but Ospreay breaks it!

Sanada throws Ospreay out and follows but Ospreay throws Sanada into railing! Bushi brings Cobb up but Cobb powers out of the fisherman screw! Ospreay gives Bushi PIP PIP CHEERIO! Sanada gets in to fireman’s carry Ospreay for a flip into the dragon sleeper! Ospreay powers out to SLAP Sanada, but Sanada blocks the boot, to get Ospreay’s nose!! Sanada CLUBS Ospreay’s nose, but Cobb CLOBBERS Sanada! Bushi comes around to cradle but Cobb blocks and dead lifts to a suplex! Cobb drags Bushi up, whips, but Bushi holds ropes and boots Cobb away! Bushi runs, Cobb blocks the Code Breaker, but Bushi turns the counter into a sunset flip!

Cobb stays up, grabs at Bushi but Bushi shifts to a school boy! TWO, and Cobb CLOBBERS Bushi! Cobb drags Bushi up, reels him in, TOUR OF THE ISLANDS!! Cover, the Empire wins!

Winners: Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb, by pinfall

Cobb picks Bushi’s arm up and lets it drop, showing that Bushi is out from that impact. Ospreay finally scolds Sanada for lying about not messing with his nose. “You’re a liar! You’re a liar! Look at my nose! This is a broken nose!” Ospreay promises to mess Sanada up, but Sanada just flips Ospreay off. Ospreay loses his cool over Sanada’s defiant attitude, but will he end up losing their NJCUP match?

2021 New Japan Cup Quarterfinals: EVIL VS Toru Yano!

The 2020 NJCUP winner wants to repeat history in 2021, but he now faces the repeat Mr. KOPW! Will Darkness Fall on the Producer? Or will Yano make sure everything is NOT evil?

After Yano’s very long introduction, and after Bullet Club Low Sweets, Yano tells the ref to be wary of Dick. Fans cheer, we all know how sneaky Dick can be. The bell rings and Dick is on the apron but Yano rallies with fans in their clap that basically translates to “Throw Him Out!” Dick doesn’t go away so Yano bails out. Yano doesn’t want any part of this if Dick is still here. Dick goes out to the railing and so does Yano. Yano says Dick isn’t far away enough but a ring count starts. Yano still complains but the count is 10 of 20 and climbing. Yano tells the ref to wait. Yano keeps moving around, the count is 18! Yano gets in at 19.5!

Evil is the one getting annoyed now as Yano goes after a buckle pad! But Dick is there so Yano is wary. Evil attacks from behind! Evil throws Yano out, and then distracts the ref so Dick can BOOT Yano down and stomp him! Dick puts Yano in and Evil stomps Yano’s legs then arms! Evil drags Yano up, fans rally, but Evil throws Yano back out. Evil follows to RAM Evil into the timekeeper! Abe-san gets put into the front row! Evil stands on Yano while the ref and Young Lions help Abe. Evil drags Yano up by an ear while fans rally. The ref reprimands, Evil puts Yano in and stomps Yano more. Evil drags Yano up, wrenches an arm, and brings him around into a cobra twist!

Dick and Evil link up for leverage, but they get away with it before the ref sees. Yano gets the ropes, the ref sees Dick and tells him to let go! Dick backs off, Evil lets Yano go and covers, TWO! Cover, TWO! Another cover, TWO! Evil gets frustrated and he drags Yano up to whip him to a bare corner! Dick took the pad again! Evil taunts Yano, drags him up, and wrenches and wrenches and wrenches! Evil whips, Yano reverses but Evil stops himself from hitting buckles. Yano runs in, but Evil dodges and Yano gets buckles! Evil whips Yano corner to corner then runs in to clothesline! Yano drops down, Evil stands on him and claps. Fans rally, the ref backs Evil off, but Evil drags Yano up.

Evil whips Yano, Yano reverses to throw Evil by his hair! Fans cheer and Yano brings Evil back up to whip him into the bare buckles! And then Yano gets the buckle pad off the other corner, throws it at Dick, and then dodges Evil to shove him into Dick! BELLY2BELLY! Fans fire up while Yano and Evil are down! Evil and Yano rise, Evil kicks first then runs but into an atomic drop! Yano catapults Evil into bare buckles! School boy roll-up, TWO! Yano brings Evil up, Evil kicks but Yano blocks, and hands the kick over to the ref so he can BOP Evil in the head! Evil runs back in but Yano dumps him out! Yano pursues but Dick storms over. Yano kicks Dick and whips him into railing!

Yano gets the spoiler choker and uses it on Evil!! The ref is busy arguing with Dick, but a ring count starts. Yano stops at 4 to then shove Evil under the ring!! Yano gets in and feels he’s already won. The count is 10 of 20 and climbing! Evil might be lost under the ring! The count is 15, then 18, but the lights go out!? Yano asks what the heck happened, and when the lights come on, EVIL is there! Yano turns around into EVERYTHING IS EVIL!! Cover, Evil wins!

Winner: Evil, by pinfall (advances to the next round)

And Dick walking back over is definitely a sign that he turned off the lights to give Evil time! Darkness did fall thanks to tricky Dick, but will the bag of tricks run out before the finals?

2021 New Japan Cup Quarterfinals: KENTA VS Shingo Takagi!

Fang Revived struck down the Meanest Man in the World and the Dragon slayed the Fierce Warrior. These two are certainly battle hardened, but only one can face Evil in the next round! Who will break and who will breakthrough into the semifinals?

The bell rings, Takagi rushes Kenta but Kenta bails right out. Fans rally as Takagi dares Kenta to get in but Kenta tells him to wait. Kenta returns slowly and Red Shoes has Takagi stay patient. But then Kenta hops back down and Takagi gets annoyed. Fans rally with “TA-KA-GI!” while Kenta paces around. Kenta gets back on the apron, Takagi stays in a corner, and Kenta gets in the ring. Takagi and Kenta circle as fans rally again, and the two tie up. Takagi gets a headlock and grinds Kenta down. Kenta fights up, Takagi grinds his head more, but Kenta pulls hair to get a headlock. Kenta grinds Takagi but Takagi powers out, but Kenta pulls hair to keep Takagi in the headlock!

Takagi tries again but again Kenta pulls hair. Takagi throws a forearm, Kenta gives it back and the two go back and forth. Fans rally as they go faster, Takagi gets the edge, runs, but into a boot! Kenta snapmares and KICKS Takagi, but Takagi just gets up and eggs him on. Kenta KICKS and KICKS but Takagi blocks to scoop and SLAM! Fans fire up, Kenta bails out, but Takagi drags Kenta up the apron. Takagi puts Kenta in the corner, JABS, CHOPS, repeat! Takagi fires off jab after jab then headbutt after headbutt! Red Shoes counts and Takagi lets off. Takagi drags Kenta up, whips him to ropes and knees him low! Takagi runs but Kenta bails out!

Takagi pursues, clubs Kenta, and whips him to railing! Kenta walks around the way, Takagi follows and clubs him down! Takagi brings Kenta up to bump off the apron, and again. Kenta hurries away but Takagi follows to put him in the ring. Fans cheer as Takagi follows, but Kenta bails out again. Takagi is annoyed, but Kenta grabs the ring bell! This is the trick he used on Juice! Red Shoes wants Takagi to wait but he doesn’t, and Kenta SMACKS him with the bell! Kenta brings Takagi out to whip into railing! Kenta whips Takagi into more railing, then mocks the clapping. Red Shoes checks on Takagi, but he’s alright. Kenta drags Takagi up to POST him, then puts him in the ring.

Kenta brings Takagi up just to throw him out! Kenta goes back out, and RAMS Takagi into more railing! Fans rally for “TA-KA-GI!” but Kenta is on him and brings him around, to DDT to the floor!! Kenta made sure it was Korakuen’s bare tile! Red Shoes checks on Takagi, he’s somehow okay, and Kenta gets in the ring to mock Takagi’s meditation pose! The ring count climbs, and is 15 of 20 before Takagi gets back to the railing! Takagi fumbles in at 17 but Kenta stomps him! Kenta paces, drags Takagi up, and whips him to ropes to elbow him down! Cover, TWO! Kenta keeps on Takagi with a chinlock and he grinds Takagi down.

Fans rally as Takagi endures and fights his way up. Kenta knees low and throws Takagi down by his hair! Kenta clamps on with a neck wrench but Takagi endures again. Kenta shifts sides to twist Takagi the other way, then lets off to KICK him! Takagi gets mad, Kenta kicks at him but fans keep rallying. Kenta kicks Takagi more, Takagi blocks to CHOP! Kenta eggs Takagi on, Takagi CHOPS, Kenta DECKS him! Kenta brushes off the red mark on his chest, then snapmares Takagi to wrap on a headscissor hold. Takagi endures, fans rally up, and Takagi moves around. Kenta grabs Takagi’s arm to bring him back and he squeezes tighter, but Takagi still gets a ropebreak with a leg.

Kenta lets go, brings Takagi up just to trip him, and then stomps him and drops knees on Takagi’s head! Kenta brings his knee pad down, jumps, but scuffs Takagi’s face. Takagi goes to ropes and Kenta mocks his sitting pose again. Kenta drops elbows on Takagi, brings him up and whips to ropes, then catches him for a sleeper! Takagi fades and drops to a knee, but Takagi fights up and throws elbows. Takagi runs but into a SPINNING POWERSLAM! Kenta gives Takagi more toying kicks but Takagi just gets mad. Takagi gets up and eggs Kenta on. Kenta kicks Takagi, talks some trash, then kicks more. Fans rally, Takagi blocks a boot to fire forearms!

Kenta knees, runs, but into the elbow, JAB and LARIAT! Fans fire up as Takagi brings Kenta up and whips him to KNEE him against ropes! Takagi runs to run Kenta over! Fans fire up again as Takagi drops knees on Kenta now. Takagi mocks Kenta, faking him out with the jump to kick him in the head! Takagi drags Kenta up, reels him in and suplexes, but Kenta slips out. Kenta catches Takagi and spins him for a DDT! Wait, is Takagi holding on somehow? Takagi dead lift suplexes Kenta! Fans fire up and Takagi watches Kenta go to a corner. Takagi runs in, Kenta boots him, and then boots him again. Kenta hops up, reels Takagi in, tornado hotshot!

Takagi is down, Kenta goes back up, and Takagi gets back up. Kenta leaps for a FLYING CLOTHESLINE! Cover, TWO! Kenta clamps onto an arm and gets the omoplata! Takagi fights off the crossface and fans rally up! Kenta pulls hair to pull Takagi in, but Takagi gets a ropebreak with his legs! Kenta lets go, it isn’t Game Over yet. Kenta drags Takagi up, reels him in, but Takagi blocks the lift to back Kenta into a corner. Takagi throws elbows, then forearms, but Kenta turns it around to throw forearms back. Takagi turns it around to throw more forearms! Kenta eggs Takagi on as he tanks the forearms, then he throws forearms on Takagi!

Takagi ROCKS Kenta back, and fans fire up as Kenta ends up in the corner. Takagi runs in, blocks the boot, and powers through to clothesline! Takagi runs but Kenta follows to BOOT! Kenta runs and HESITATION DROPKICKS! Fans fire up as Kenta goes back to the corner and climbs. Kenta leaps, but Takagi dodges! Kenta rolls through, boots Takagi again, then runs but Takagi clotheslines him at the ropes! Takagi DDT’s Kenta down! Kenta sits up, Takagi runs but Kenta avoids the sliding lariat! Kenta kicks, Takagi ducks and shoves but Kenta holds ropes. Takagi runs in, Kenta puts him in the ropes and drags him out, DRAPPING DDT! Fans rally up while both men are down!

Kenta sits up first, drags Takagi up, but Takagi swings, into a spin! Kenta fisherman suplexes! Fans rally for “TA-KA-GI!” but Kenta goes to the corner again. Kenta climbs, aims, leaps, DIVING DOUBLE STOMPS! Cover, TWO!! Takagi survives the coup de grace but Kenta vows to end this! Kenta fireman’s carries but Takagi blocks. Takagi waistlocks, Kenta elbows, but Takagi reels him back in. Kenta switches, Takagi pries free to wrench the arm, Kenta kicks! Takagi ducks it, pump handles, but Kenta fights the lift! Kenta drags Takagi down to GAME OVER! Fans rally as Takagi endures and reaches around. Kenta pulls back but Takagi scoots and gets the ropebreak!

Kenta lets go in frustration and fans fire up more. Kenta goes back to a corner to aim at Takagi and he KICKS the arm! Kenta runs while Takagi is on ropes and Kenta KNEES him against ropes! Kenta double chicken wings to TIGER SUPLEX! Takagi staggers up, Kenta runs but Takagi LARIATS! Both men are down and fans are thunderous! Takagi and Kenta head for each other, Takagi throws a forearm but Kenta gives it back. Fans rally up as both men go back and forth, faster and faster. Kenta BOOTS Takagi, Takagi wobbles and Kenta LARIATS! Takagi stays up, Kenta LARIATS again, then DISCUS- NO! Takagi catches that to a pump handle, MADE IN JAPAN!! Cover, TWO!?!

Fans are thunderous again as Takagi gets himself to a corner. Takagi fires up with “OI! OI! OI!” and fans follow with him! Takagi aims, runs in, LARIAT! Kenta stays up so Takagi DOUBLE CHOPS and DOUBLE CHOPS! Kenta SLAPS Takagi, but Takagi just glares at him. Kenta SLAPS Takagi again, Takagi laughs to fire boxing elbows! Takagi hits about 10 times, then maybe 15, but Kenta CROSS COUNTERS! Kenta fires off slapping strikes but Takagi JABS! Kenta BACK HANDS! Then BACK HANDS! Kenta brings Takagi up to KICK him down! Cover, TWO!! Kenta aims as Takagi slowly rises, PSYCHO KNEE!! Cover, TWO!!

Takagi survives but Kenta brings knee pads down and slashes the throat! Kenta drags Takagi up to a fireman’s carry, GO TO- NO!! Takagi blocks, Kenta throws forearms and strikes but Takagi HEADBUTTS! Takagi pops Kenta up for a DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! Takagi drags Kenta up, fans are electric as Takagi runs and builds speed to PUMPING BOMBER!! High stack cover, TWO!! Kenta survives but Takagi fires up more! Takagi drags Kenta up, pump handle and fireman’s carries, LAST OF THE DRAGONS!! Cover, Takagi wins!!

Winner: Shingo Takagi, by pinfall (advances to the next round)

The Dragon was too tough for the Fang Revived and is now moving on to the semifinals! Takagi gets a mic and fans cheer as he says, “OI, KORAKUEN! Can I just talk a little bit? Oi oi oi, it’s messed how tough the New Japan Cup tournament is. Tougher than even the G1!” Fans agree with that. Takagi doesn’t get it, but he gets this: he’s in the Final Four! Fans like that! “And my semifinal opponent is Evil! So this is how we meet. I couldn’t ask for anything more. A lot of thoughts behind this one…” But then Evil returns! “Evil… I might have expected that you’d show up. Applaud the man!” Fans do cheer Evil’s return, and Takagi asks if Evil has something to say. “Or do you want to do this right now, punk?!”

But DICK low blows Takagi! Evil and Dick stomp Takagi over and over, then get Takagi up for MAGIC KILLER!! Evil gets the mic now and mocks Takagi. “Oi, you talk too much, bastard. You’re getting ideas above your station, punk! The back-to-back victory is mine! Remember that.” Mic drop and Evil storms off. Will Darkness Fall on the NJCUP again? Or has this only lit a fire inside the Dragon?

My Thoughts:

A really good event to start the NJCUP quarterfinals. The opening match was all Young Lions VS the old core of Nagata, Kojima and Tenzan so of course the old guys won. Jay White and Bullet Club beat Henare & FinJuice, but Fale won it so the math with White and Finlay is even. I tuned in for LIJ VS Empire because we hadn’t gotten that as much, and with Ospreay VS Sanada coming up, I wanted to see the interactions. It was great stuff, Ospreay worrying about his nose and Sanada going after it was fun stuff. But in similar fashion, Cobb wins it for the team so Ospreay and Sanada are even in the math. As I said yesterday, White is definitely getting through Finlay but Ospreay VS Sanada is an interesting one.

Evil VS Yano was an oddball match but somehow it worked because Yano is that funny. Yano putting Evil under the ring was very creative, you don’t see that happen, but then the lights out moment was quite the twist. Evil wins, as I figured, and could definitely go back to back as a finalist. Takagi VS Kenta was great stuff, a straight up match but I feel like Kenta hitting someone with a ring bell shouldn’t be so easily brushed off. Juice kept going after getting hit, as did Takagi, but perhaps it’s about how Kenta hits them, since he only jabs them in the eyebrow rather than crack them in the forehead. But Takagi toughs it out and wins, only for Evil and Dick to get the drop on him during the promo segment.

Evil standing tall here probably won’t affect math, as going back to back is a strong story to go into the finals with, but it would be a shocker if Takagi denied Evil his historic move.

My Score: 8.9/10