Will the United Empire conquer more of the New Japan Cup?

The Sweet Sixteen continues, and the United Empire is out in force! Will Great-O-Khan and Will Ospreay rise or fall together?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• YOH & Tiger Mask VS El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori; ELP & Ishimori win.
• Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato VS El Desperado & TAKA Michinoku; Taguchi & Wato win.
• Six Man Tag: Guerrillas of Destiny VS Bullet Club; Bullet Club wins.
• Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomoaki Honma VS Jeff Cobb & Aaron Henare; Cobb & Henare win.
• 8 Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS House of Torture; House of Torture wins.
• Six Man Tag: Chaos VS Suzuki-Gun; Chaos wins.
• 2022 New Japan Cup Third Round: Zack Sabre Jr. VS Great-O-Khan; ZSJ wins and advances.
• 2022 New Japan Cup Third Round: SANADA VS Will Ospreay; Ospreay wins and advances.

PLAY BY PLAY

2022 New Japan Cup Third Round: Zack Sabre Jr. VS Great-O-Khan w/ The United Empire!

The Submission Master made his own teammate, Douki, #JustTapOut, and he isn’t going to stop there. But the Dominator took out the Bone Soldier, will he eliminate ZSJ next? Or will he be the next stepping stone to ZSJ going back for the Cup?

The bell rings and Khan bails out! Khan makes ZSJ wait while he brings out a chair! The ref tells Khan to leave that chair outside and ZSJ eggs Khan on. Khan dares ZSJ to do something but ZSJ has no reason to go out. Khan throws the chair down and gets back in the ring. Fans cheer and the two circle. They feel out the grapple, tie up, and they switch back and forth and all around. The two then back off and fans cheer again. Khan and ZSJ approach, feel out the grapple, and ZSJ headlocks to facelock. Khan slips out to a waistlock but ZSJ slips out to get a leg. Khan gets around to waistlock again, but ZSJ breaks free.

Fans cheer as the two stand off again. Khan and ZSJ circle, feel out another grapple, and Khan shoots in for a leg. ZSJ gets around to waistlock now, and then goes for an arm. Khan uses that to drag ZSJ to a cover, ONE! Khan goes for legs but ZSJ fights him off. Khan floats but ZSJ slips through to go for the head. Khan throws ZSJ down, tries a top mount but ZSJ hooks a leg for a heel hook! Khan rolls and gets to the ropes, and fans cheer this technical exchange. ZSJ lets off, and Khan smirks as he’s shown he can keep up with ZSJ. They reset and feel things out again. Khan hits a fireman’s carry takeover and has a short arm scissor!

ZSJ clasps hands and fights back with a headscissor. ZSJ turns that to a mount, then drags Khan into another leg lock. Khan fights that off, gets ZSJ’s leg, but ZSJ moves around to kick with his free leg. ZSJ drags Khan down but Khan powers through to go for a wristlock. ZSJ clasps hands so Khan changes the angle on him. ZSJ rolls, Khan still holds on, but they separate again. Fans cheer this continued chess game, and the two circle again. ZSJ jumps on for a GUILLOTINE! Khan hops through and has the arm. ZSJ fights around, Khan still goes for the armbar! ZSJ clasps hands so Khan gets a leg! ZSJ fights back with his own leglock!

Khan uses a leg to trap ZSJ’s arm and add to the heel hook! ZSJ rolls and gets the ropebreak! Fans cheer and the ref counts, Khan lets ZSJ free. ZSJ talks some smack but Khan dares ZSJ to come back. They circle again, Khan uses a unique sideways stance. He tries to shoot in with his own legs but ZSJ dodges. ZSJ shoots in to body scissor takedown, he is after the heel hook again, but Khan fights it with a clinch. ZSJ cranks the leg, Khan endures, and Khan works to turn things over. ZSJ fights that off and cranks harder, but Khan gets the ropebreak! ZSJ lets off and eggs Khan on. Khan gets up and circles with ZSJ again.

They feel out the grapple, ZSJ shoots in but Khan avoids it. Khan shoots in and he gets ZSJ down! ZSJ fights off the mount with a clinch, they fight for control but Khan pries the leg scissor apart to get a heel hook! ZSJ clinches Khan, but Khan pushes through to add a GUILLOTINE! ZSJ endures and pops out the neck lock to also heel hook! They both roll and end up on the apron! The ref counts and reprimands, but they both fall off the apron and to the floor! They’re still holding onto the heel hooks! Fans cheer as the heel hook battle continues! The ref reprimands because this is all out of bounds! The ref counts and both men let go.

But then Khan gets the heel hook back! The ref reprimands, ZSJ turns over and the ref counts. Khan lets off at 4 and fans cheer. Khan drags ZSJ around to put the leg through the railing! Khan pulls on the leg but lets go as the ref counts. Khan BOOTS the railing to jam ZSJ’s leg! ZSJ clutches his knee but Khan drags ZSJ around again. Khan stomps ZSJ’s leg, then puts ZSJ in the ring. Khan wraps the legs around the post! The ref reprimands again and counts, Khan lets go of the cross heel hook at 4. Khan gets fanned off by Cobb before he gets back in the ring. Khan goes to the corner, and he digs his boot into ZSJ’s bad leg while holding the other!

The ref counts, Khan lets off at 4, and Khan claims ZSJ gave up. ZSJ didn’t, so Khan drags ZSJ up to get the leg. SHIN- NO! ZSJ slips out, but Khan blocks the Pele into a KNEEBAR! ZSJ endures, moves around, and gets the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts and fans cheer, so Khan lets go quickly. Khan taunts ZSJ then drags ZSJ back up with a gut wrench. ZSJ slips out to get a cobra twist! Khan endures, and he grabs ZSJ’s ear! Khan gets free and he hip tosses, but ZSJ counters with an arm-drag! ZSJ flounders on one good leg, but Khan kicks him first. Khan whips, but ZSJ goes up in the corner to TORNADO DDT!

Fans fire up while Khan goes to his corner. Henare coaches Khan and Cobb fans him off. Fans rally up, ZSJ clutches his leg and Khan crawls over. They go forehead to forehead, then throw forearms! ZSJ hits first, then Khan hits back. They go back and forth, but Khan stands up to put his hands behind his back. He eggs ZSJ on so ZSJ gets up to EuroUpper! Fans rally up as Khan Mongolian Chops! ZSJ sits down and again Khan eggs him on. ZSJ gets back up to EuroUpper! Khan brushes that off, stomps, and Mongolian Chops! ZSJ falls back down and again Khan eggs him on. ZSJ gets up, and gets a running start into a EuroUpper!

Khan Mongolian Chops again! ZSJ falls against ropes, gets back up, and EuroUppers! And EuroUppers! And EuroUppers! Now ZSJ puts his arms behind his back! Fans fire up as Khan gets up, and he Mongolian Chops! ZSJ falls right back down! ZSJ gets up and still has his arms behind his back! Khan Mongolian Chops! But this time, ZSJ stays up! Khan is almost shocked to see that! Khan spits on his hands and winds up, but ZSJ body scissors for a takedown, to a KNEEBAR! Khan fights up and pushes back to have ZSJ’s legs! STANDING CROSS HEEL HOOK! But ZSJ drags Khan back for a HEEL HOOK!

Khan rolls through, but ZSJ stays hooked on! Khan sits back to KNEEBAR! ZSJ gets the KNEEBAR! Khan reaches for ropes but ZSJ grapevines tight! Khan fights up as fans rally, and Khan pries ZSJ off with a waistlock! ZSJ elbows free, and PELES the arm! Khan comes back, but into a takedown! Leg hook FUJIWARA! And then he gets the far arm, CLARKY CAT! Khan endures, fights around, but ZSJ cranks back harder! Khan gets one arm free, fights up to his feet but ZSJ has a crucifix takedown! Cover, TWO!! Khan escapes, and he LARIATS ZSJ down! Fans fire up while both men are down!

Cobb fans Khan and Henare coaches him up while fans rally. Khan slowly gets up, gets a leg and STOMPS it! Then SPLASHES on it! Khan ties up the legs and IRON CLAWS the knee! ZSJ endures the knee claw, goes after Khan’s leg, but Khan CHOPS him, and then sits him up! Khan gets ZSJ up, for some kind of knee claw body slam! KNEE-liminator? Cover, TWO!! ZSJ survives and fans fire up again! They clap, “Z S J!” “Great-O-Khan!” Khan says he’ll end this, and he drags ZSJ back up. HITSUJIGUROSHI! ZSJ endures the Sheep Killer, but he’s turning purple! ZSJ starts to fade, but then Khan scoops him for a BACKBREAKER!

GROUND HITSUJIGUROSHI! ZSJ endures again, is purple again, and fans rally up! ZSJ is down on the mat, Khan lets him go to then call for the end! Khan clamps on the IRON CLAW! He drags ZSJ up, ELIMI- NO! ZSJ drags Khan down for an ARMBAR! Khan fights around, but ZSJ digs his feet into Khan’s face! Khan pushes through to deadlift, but ZSJ cranks the arm!! Khan taps, ZSJ wins!!

Winner: Zack Sabre Jr., by submission (advances to the quarterfinals)

The Submission Master snatches victory from the jaws of defeat! Or perhaps in this case, the claw of defeat! ZSJ is now on to the next round, but which familiar foe will he be meeting?

2022 New Japan Cup Third Round: SANADA VS Will Ospreay w/ The United Empire!

The Cold Skull is IWGP US Heavyweight Champion. The Commonwealth Kingpin is Rev-Pro British Heavyweight Champion. Both men are going for the Cup and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, but who earns themselves another golden ticket on the way there?

The fancy jackets are put aside, as are the title belts. The bell rings and fans rally already as the two circle. They approach and feel out the grapple. Ospreay goes for the head but Sanada gets away. They go again, Ospreay fights off the knuckle lock, and they tie up collar ‘n’ elbow. Ospreay wrenches an arm, has the wristlock, but Sanada spins through and wrenches back to wristlock. Ospreay uses ropes to flip through, and he wrenches to a hammerlock. Fans cheer that exchange, but Sanada reaches for a leg. Ospreay keeps his feet clear, but Sanada reverses the hammerlock onto him. Ospreay drop toeholds and floats to a facelock!

Sanada fights up, slips around and facelocks back, to then switch to a waistlock. Sanada pushes Ospreay down but Ospreay fights off the arms to then get up. Ospreay gets an arm, then arm-drags Sanada over for an armlock. Sanada fights up, trips Ospreay and has the toehold. Ospreay fights back with forearms across Sanada’s face, but Sanada pulls on the toehold. Ospreay hooks Sanada with a leg to go for the armbar but Sanada clasps hands. Sanada rolls but Ospreay keeps his shoulders up to avoid the pin. Ospreay CLUBS Sanada’s hands and has the ARMBAR! But Sanada moves around to get the ROPEBREAK!

Fans cheer as Ospreay lets off and the two reset. Sanada shakes out the arm, and he circles with Ospreay. They feel out a knuckle lock, but Ospreay rolls to wrench the wrist! He wrangles Sanada to the mat, and he keeps on the armlock. Sanada fights up but Ospreay twists the wrist more. Sanada rolls, handsprings, and wrenches Ospreay back to then hammerlock and headlock! Fans cheer that fast transition, but Ospreay pulls hair. Ospreay powers out of the headlock but Sanada runs him over! But Ospreay kips right back up! Fans cheer again and Ospreay kicks low. Ospreay snapmares, but Sanada handsprings through!

Sanada runs, Ospreay dodges but Sanada arm-drags Ospreay around! And dropkicks him down! Fans fire up and Sanada drags Ospreay up. Sanada CLUBS Ospreay on the neck, CLUBS him again in the corner, then snapmares him down for a chinlock. Ospreay pries at the hold, fights up to his feet and throws body shots to get free. Ospreay EuroUppers, runs, but catches Sanada as he jumps! Ospreay hits SNAKE EYES then runs to BOOT Sanada down! Sanada flops out of the ring and Ospreay goes out after him. Ospreay drags Sanada up, whips him hard into railing, and Sanada falls in a heap!

Ospreay drags Sanada up, EuroUppers the arm, then hammerlocks. Ospreay uppercuts the arm again, then wraps it around railing before he BOOTS it! Red Shoes reprimands and Ospreay apologizes. Ospreay drags Sanada up and into the ring, then hammerlocks the arm with a leg. Ospreay digs knuckles in and gets Sanada’s other arm! He makes Sanada into a recliner! Sanada endures, fans rally up, and Ospreay gets up to SNAP the arm! Sanada clutches the shoulder, Ospreay covers, TWO! Fans cheer and rally up while Ospreay grows frustrated. Ospreay drags Sanada up, puts the bad arm around rope and pulls!

Sanada grits his teeth and Ospreay lets off, to BOOT the rope! Ospreay drags Sanada back up, fans rally, and Sanada fires forearms! Ospreay eggs him on so Sanada fires off more shots! Sanada whips corner to corner, runs in but into BOOTS! Ospreay CHOPS Sanada, whips, but Sanada reverses. Ospreay handsprings but Sanada ducks under the flip! And he dropkicks Ospreay’s legs out! Fans fire up while both men are down! Fans rally as Sanada and Ospreay stir. Sanada kips right up! And he rallies on Ospreay with forearms and arm-drags! Then a BIG atomic drop! Ospreay staggers, Sanada trips him!

Fans fire up as Sanada starts tying Ospreay up! Ospreay fights off Paradise, then trips Sanada! Ospreay tries to steal Paradise but Sanada kicks him away! Ospreay ducks an dodges, sunset flips, but Sanada rolls through! Sanada ties Ospreay up in Paradise! Fans fire up and Sanada encourages them to get louder. The fans get louder, and louder, so Sanada dropkicks Ospreay out of Paradise! Cover, ONE!! Ospreay bails out, but Sanada takes aim and PLANCHAS! Ospreay moves aside, to APRON BACK SUPLEX! Ospreay aims from the corner and springboards, to PIP PIP CHEERIO! Cover, TWO!

Fans rally up as Ospreay hobbles to ropes. Ospreay goes back to Sanada, drags him up, and reels him in. Sanada fights the bomb, Ospreay gives him Kowata Kicks! Ospreay reels Sanada back in, but Sanada slips out of the bomb to forearm and ROLLING- ROUNDHOUSE! Ospreay whips Sanada to the corner, but Sanada goes up and out! Sanada springboards back in to missile dropkick! Both men are down again and fans fire back up! Fans rally again, “SA-NA-DA!” “O-SU-PREAY!” Sanada sits up but Ospreay follows. Sanada throws a forearm, but Ospreay gives it back. Sanada gets to his feet and he throws another forearm!

Ospreay gets to his feet, and throws another forearm! Sanada throws a forearm, Ospreay gives it back. They go back and forth, faster and faster, and fans rally as they go! Sanada fires off forearms, runs, but into Ospreay’s ROLLING ELBOW! Ospreay runs, but into Sanada’s ROLLING ELBOW! DOUBLE ROLLING ELBOWS! Both men stay up and fans fire up! Ospreay roars but Sanada SOBATS! Sanada runs, into a SPANISH FLY! Cover, TWO! Fans fire up more while Ospreay grows frustrated. Ospreay fires himself up and fans rally. Ospreay drags Sanada up, reels him in, underhooks, but Sanada slips off the rack!

O’Conner BRIDGE, but Ospreay pushes through to O’CONNER BRIDGE! TWO!! Sanada fireman’s carries, but Ospreay slips off to HOOK KICK! Ospreay runs, springboards, but Sanada blocks cutter into DRAGON SLEEPER! SKULL- NO! Ospreay slips out to SHOOTING STAR, onto knees! Ospreay checks his face while fans rally up again. Sanada and Ospreay slowly stir, and Sanada gets up first. Sanada drags Ospreay up, into DRAGON SLEEPER! And SKULL END!! Ospreay endures and the Empire coaches him. Fans rally and Ospreay reaches out, but Sanada pulls back harder! Ospreay is fading!

Sanada lets Ospreay go to go up top! ROUNDING BODY PRESS onto knees! HIDDEN BLADE OUTTA NOWHERE!! Cover, TWO?!? Ospreay is furious that Sanada survives but the fans are thunderous! Ospreay drags Sanada into a chicken wing, and he rains down elbows over and over! Sanada can’t defend himself so Red Shoes pulls Ospreay away. Ospreay shoves Red Shoes away, throws off his elbow pad, but Sanada is still down! Fans fire up and rally, Ospreay decides to end this with MORE elbows to the head!! Red Shoes tries to stop Ospreay but he keeps going! Red Shoes calls it, Ospreay wins!!

Winner: Will Ospreay, by referee stoppage (advances to the quarterfinals)

The Cold Skull is out cold, the #BillyGOAT crushed him completely! Ospreay mocks Sanada’s pain and then says “good night” to the IWGP US Heavyweight Champion. Speaking of which, Ospreay picks up that belt, considers the option, but then throws it away to hold up his Rev-Pro British Championship. Sanada is carried away by a Young Lion, will he even be able to compete after this?

As for Ospreay, he gets the mic to say, “Shizuoka, louder for the best wrestler in the world! Louder! Motto! Motto!” Fans do get louder for Ospreay, and he continues. “What a way to advance into the next round after beating the every loving sh*t out of Cold Skull Sanada! You maybe getting better day by day, but you’re not as good as Will Ospreay!” Cobb mockingly dabs his eyes as if he’s crying. Ospreay says it took Sanada eight YEARS to win IWGP singles gold. And he is an embarrassment for it! Ospreay won singles gold in ONE year! If you can’t keep up with Ospreay, you shouldn’t be in NJPW!

Ospreay says he is laser-focused and ready to take back what is his! That New Japan Cup is coming to the United Empire. “Zack Sabre Jr. Oh, I’ve got a score to settle with you. Last year, Zack, you broke my nose. This y ear, I’m gonna break your face! And I’m gonna win the New Japan Cup!” Mic drop after the mission statement! But will Ospreay make good on his promise? Or will his old rival make him #JustTapOut in the quarterfinals?

My Thoughts:

Another great event here, and I of course skipped the non-tournament matches. No Young Lions in the matches so technically things weren’t obvious to call, but in the case of that 8 Man, we basically saw that last time. I will say House of Torture wins here to even out the math, and then it turns out they beat up Hiromu after, and Chase Owens even gets Takagi. I don’t see things changing between Hiromu and Evil, but this solidifies Takagi is going to crush Chase for this. Then Takagi VS Evil happens in the quarterfinals for some really good stuff. And speaking of Chase, I skipped GoD VS Bullet Club again because Chase again got the win over Jado, the same as last time.

ZSJ VS Khan was great stuff, because of how well both guys do in technical wrestling. They went back and forth and I like that Khan innovated moves as the match went on. He came very close, but ZSJ getting that tap out before the bomb was a great finish. And Ospreay VS Sanada was also great stuff, and I like the story element that Sanada pushed Ospreay to lose his cool and yet not to where he gets disqualified. Ospreay wins from a stoppage, and with NJPW not reporting anything, Red Shoes putting up the X was not that X, so Sanada is fine.

Ospreay made it pretty clear he doesn’t care about any title in NJPW other than THE world title, so he probably doesn’t circle back to Sanada if he doesn’t win. Ospreay VS ZSJ is going to be an instant classic, and it elevates the quarterfinals to a level fitting the 50th anniversary and the biggest field they’ve ever done. I could see Ospreay VS Takagi in a semifinal, that’s a huge match-up, too.

My Score: 8.8/10