Los Ingobernables de Japon VS… Los Ingobernables de Japon!?

NJPW’s biggest New Japan Cup is one step closer to the end, and Rampaging Dragon takes on Ticking Timebomb! Takagi VS Hiromu, LIJ VS LIJ!!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Six Man Tag: Togi Makabe, Kosei Fujita & Ryohei Oiwa VS Tiger Mask, Satoshi Kojima & Yuto Nakashima; Tiger Mask, Kojima & Nakashima win.
• Six Man Tag: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii VS Suzuki-Gun; Tanahashi, Yaho & Ishii win.
• 10 Man Tag: Ryusuke Taguchi, Master Wato & Guerrillas of Destiny VS Bullet Club; Bullet Club wins.
• Six Man Tag: Suzuki-Gun VS House of Torture; House of Torture wins.
• Six Man Tag: Tomoaki Honma, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI VS The United Empire; The United Empire wins.
• Kazuchika Okada & YOH VS Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI; Okada & Yoh win.
• 2022 New Japan Cup Quarterfinal: Shingo Takagi VS Hiromu Takahashi; Takagi wins and advances.
• 2022 New Japan Cup Quarterfinal: Zack Sabre Jr. VS Will Ospreay; ZSJ wins and advances.

PLAY BY PLAY

10 Man Tag: Ryusuke Taguchi, Master Wato & Guerrillas of Destiny VS Bullet Club!

Didn’t we just see this? Well, think of this as the sequel! But will it be Jado Avengers: The Age of Too Sweet? Or are we in the endgame now?

This seems like deja vu. Jado and his team walk up, then they rush the ring, only for Bullet Club to bail out. So far, things are going the same as yesterday. But then Fale DECKS Abe-san for taking too long with the intros! The brawl breaks out, the timekeeper gets up and he rings the bell to get this on record! Tama fires off on Fale on the outside, then whips him, only for Fale to reverse! Tama hits railing, Gedo CLUBS Jado down in the ring. Gedo stomps Jado, rakes his eyes while choking him against the ropes, but he lets off as the ref counts. Gedo asks what’s wrong, but then he smirks as he headlocks and punches Jado.

The ref reprimands about closed fists, but he doesn’t see Chase stomp Taguchi on the outside. Gedo chokes Jado on the ropes again, but the ref is busy keeping Fale out of the ring. ELP grabs Jado’s nose and then CLUBS it! Gedo laughs at Jado’s pain, but he does let off. Gedo eggs Jado on, stomps him down, then brings him over to bump off boots. Taiji tags in, he throws hands on Jaod but Jado eggs him on! So Taiji stomps him down and digs his boots in! Chase and ELP add on! The ref reprimands, Taiji gets in the face of GoD, and ELP pulls Jado’s ears! The ref reprimands everyone but Jado still suffers!

Taiji tags Fale and Fale drags Jado to ropes. He stands on Jado’s back, and Taiji climbs onto Fale! ELP also stands on Jado’s legs, then Gedo gets in to stand on Jado’s thighs! The ref reprimands and counts, Bullet Club lets off at 4, and Fale says that count is too fast. Tag to ELP while fans rally up for Jado. ELP drags Jado up, dares him to tag someone, but then CLUBS Jado down. ELP CHOKES Jado, but then sucker punches Wato! ELP mocks the applause for Jado, then drags him away. Tag to Gedo, and Gedo stomps Jado down. Gedo taunts Jado, the rest of Bullet Club gets in and they all stomp Jado!

The ref is too busy with GoD again but Taguchi gets in! Gedo kicks Taguchi first, then rakes the eyes! Taiji intercepts Wato and rakes Wato’s eyes! ELP taunts GoD and Gedo eggs them on, too. Jado crawls but Gedo kicks him down. Fans rally as Jado tries to get up. Gedo eggs Jado on, daring him to get a shot in. Jado goes to swing but Gedo rakes eyes! The ref counts and Gedo throws Jado down at 4. Gedo runs to FIST DROP! Cover, TWO! Gedo is upset with that count being too slow, but Jado is getting up! Gedo throws hands but Jado fires up! Jado eggs Gedo on and Jado’s hulking up!

Fans fire up, Gedo rakes eyes! And JAWBREAKER! Gedo aims, but his kick is blocked! Jado spins Gedo to LARIAT! Fans fire up again and Jado hurries for his corner! Hot tags to Chase and Tama! The Good Bad Guy rallies on his former friends, and he fires haymakers off on Chase! The fans fire up with Tama as he DECKS Chase! And elbows him down! Tama whips Chase into a corner, then back drops him on the rebound! Fale gets in to run Tama over! Loa gets in to fire off hands on Fale! Loa has Fale against ropes, keeps throwing, but Fale whips Loa away. Loa holds ropes, then dumps Fale out!

Chase runs in, but Loa dodges the C-Trigger! Loa ROCKS Chase, Chase rebounds to LARAIT, but Loa stays up! Chase BOOTS and Loa falls! “SUCK IT!” Chase runs at Tama, forearm smash and snapmare! But Tama ducks the kick to roll up, TWO! Chase swings, Tama dodges and gets the dragon sleeper, but Chase snapmares free! Chase dodges the superman punch, and gets around to JUMPING NECKBREAKER! Tag to ELP, and he drops an elbow! Cover, TWO! ELP suplexes, but Tama fights out to TONGAN TWIST! Both men are down and fans fire up again! Tama crawls, ELP anchors his foot, but Tama kicks him away!

Hot tag to Taguchi! The Funky Weapon fires a HIP ATTACK to Taiji! HIP ATTACK to Gedo! ELP and Taiji are on opposite ends, and Gedo on a third side! ENDLESS HIPS TRIANGLE! Taguchi stops because he’s run out of breath! But then he gets a second wind and goes again! ELP, to Taiji, to Gedo and back again! Tag to Wato and he brings ELP up! Wato whips, back elbow, uppercut and SOBAT! ELP is down, Taguchi runs for SLIDING HIP! Wato covers, TWO! Wato keeps focus and he brings ELP up to tag Taguchi in. They put ELP on the ropes, KNEE to GOURD BUSTER! Taguchi covers, Chase breaks it!

Bullet Club rushes in, they brawl with Wato and GoD! Wato throws Taiji out, Loa CLUBS Chase, Tama drags Fale out! Jado helps Tama with Fale and Taguchi has ELP. Taguchi reels ELP in, chicken wings, but Gedo gets in with the knuckles! The ref stops Gedo, but he misses Taiji BELT SHOT Taguchi with an IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship! Taiji gets away with the evidence, ELP drags Taguchi up! C R II!! Cover, Bullet Club wins again!

Winners: Bullet Club, by pinfall

Jado may not have taken the loss, but the Cutest Tag Team just got one over on the champions! They set Wato up for a BELT SHOT! And then, YES LOCK! ELP and Chase kick the Young Lions out so ELP can give Taguchi an ANKLE LOCK! And Gedo gets Jado for a CROSSFACE! TRIPLE SUBMISSIONS! Chase also stomps Loa down, and Fale stands on Tama! The ref tries to stop this, but here comes HIROSHI TANAHASHI! The Ace has been an ally to Six or Nine, and he runs Bullet Club off! Gedo is furious, but has the Once in a Century Talent just added himself to this battle? “Go home!” Fans clap along with that!

Bullet Club celebrates with a Too Sweet, but will they continue to run roughshod on the Jado Avengers? Tanahashi helps Tama, Loa and Jado up! Has the unlikeliest alliance gotten that much stronger?

2022 New Japan Cup Quarterfinal: Shingo Takagi VS Hiromu Takahashi!

Los Ingobernables de Japon faces itself! The Rampaging Dragon and Ticking Timebomb have both been this deep into the Cup before, and they both want to make it back to the semifinals. But more importantly, will these two still be amigos after this?

The bell rings and Hiromu rushes Takagi! He rams Takagi with a shoulder and fires off forearms in the corner! The  fans fire up but the ref counts the ropebreak. Hiromu lets off, he eggs Takagi on, then he dodges Takagi to run. They ram shoulders but Takagi stays up. Takagi eggs Hiromu on now so Hiromu runs and rams Takagi again. Takagi still stays up so Hiromu kicks, rams, but Takagi rebounds. Hiromu dropkicks the leg, but Takagi still keeps going! Takagi boots but Hiromu blocks! Hiromu also blocks the haymaker to add to the DRAGON SCREW! Fans fire up as Takagi goes to a corner.

Hiromu grins as he puts the left leg on ropes and dropkicks it! Hiromu then puts the right leg on ropes, runs side to side, and dropkicks it! Takagi falls over and fans fire up again as Hiromu ties the legs up. Hiromu has an Indian Deathlock that he keeps on with his arms, like a modified calf killer! Takagi endures, crawls forward, and fans rally as he gets the ropebreak! Hiromu lets go quickly, but he stomps the legs. Hiromu digs his boot in, then stomps again. He brings Takagi up but Takagi fights off the lift. Takagi throws elbows, gets free, but Hiromu catches his clothesline to spin him around.

Hiromu jumps up, but Takagi blocks the Rana! Takagi swings Hiromu up and brings him around into an Electric Chair Lift! Takagi pops Hiromu up for a SLAM! Fans fire up and Takagi checks his knees while the ref checks Hiromu. Takagi drags Hiromu by his legs into a WHEELBARROW GERMAN SUPLEX! Hiromu flounders out of the ring but Takagi goes out to fetch him. Takagi talks a little smack, then whips Hiromu into railing! Hiromu falls in a heap and Takagi walks over to him. Takagi drags Hiromu up again, has media clear out, and he whips Hiromu hard into railing! Fans applaud the show of strength.

Takagi follows after Hiromu as he goes around the corner, and then uses a fireman’s carry to APRON SNAKE EYES, then kick and DDT to the floor! Fans applaud as Takagi goes into the ring. Hiromu is okay to continue so the ring count begins. Fans rally up and Hiromu stirs at 6 of 20. Takagi waits as Hiromu drags himself up. Hiromu makes it to the apron at 13, flounders a bit but is in at 15! Takagi stands on Hiromu at the ropes! The ref reprimands and counts, Takagi lets off to DOUBLE STOMP! Hiromu sputters, fans clap, “HI-RO-MU!” “TA-KA-GI!” and maybe even just “L I J!” as Takagi drags Hiromu up.

Takagi whips Hiromu to ropes, KNEES him against ropes, then runs to run Hiromu over with a shoulder! Fans fire up and Takagi drags Hiromu back up to suplex high and hard! Cover, TWO! Takagi drops a knee on Hiromu, then clamps onto an arm to then have the chinbar. Hiromu endures, reaches out, but Takagi goes back to the arm to drop elbows into the shoulder over and over! Fans rally, Takagi takes a moment to catch his breath, but Hiromu grins as he sits up. Takagi brings Hiromu up but Hiromu CHOPS! And CHOPS! And CHOPS again! Hiromu throws more CHOPS, but Takagi DOUBLE CHOPS Hiromu down!

Fans fire up as Takagi gets Hiromu up and reels him in. Hiromu fights the lift, so Takagi CLUBS him. Takagi tries again but Hiromu manages to back drop free! Fans fire up again while both men are down. Takagi and Hiromu get up, Takagi knees low! Takagi runs, but Hiromu follows to RANA! Both men are down again and fans rally up. Hiromu gets to ropes, Takagi runs in but into a BOOT! Hiromu hops up for a HANGING HEADSCISSORS! The ref counts, Hiromu lets off at 4 to drag Takagi out and RAM him into railing! Takagi staggers while Hiromu goes to the apron! FLYING SHOTGUN DROPKICK!

Takagi hits railing and falls, but Hiromu also has to get up off the floor. Fans rally up more, Hiromu puts Takagi in and hurries to suplex! Takagi blocks, so Hiromu mule kicks and kicks the leg! Hiromu whips Takagi to a corner, clotheslines, then snapmares for a basement dropkick! And then suplex! FALCON ARROW! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up and Hiromu gets to his feet. Takagi slowly sits up but Hiromu fireman’s carries! But Takagi slips off and shoves Hiromu to a corner! Hiromu runs back at Takagi but Takagi pops him up to a fireman’s carry! Hiromu fights free to the apron, but Takagi blocks the punch to HEADBUTT, and HOTSHOT!

Takagi goes out to the apron and fires up! Fans fire up with him but the ref wants him to get back inside! Takagi kicks Hiromu, fireman’s carries, but Hiromu holds ropes to resist! Hiromu CLUBS Takagi, but runs into the fireman’s carry! Hiromu fights to get back inside, and he SUPERKICKS! Hiromu runs, sunset flip, but Takagi holds on! Takagi throws down fists, but Hiromu CHOP BLOCKS! And then POWERBOMBS to the floor! Fans are thunderous as both men are down! The ref checks and Takagi is okay to continue. Fans rally for “L I J!” as both men slowly rise and the count starts.

The count is 7 of 20 when Hiromu fires up! Hiromu brings Takagi up at 12 and puts him in at 13 to then fireman’s carry! CORNER DEATH VALLEY! Fans fire up with Hiromu again and he goes for another fireman’s carry. Takagi blocks, but Hiromu powers through! But Takagi flips off, ducks the punches, but Hiromu wheelbarrows and COMPLETE SHOTS! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up harder and Hiromu tells Takagi to just wait and see! Hiromu runs, HIROMU-CHAN BOMBER! But Takagi only drops to a knee! Takagi gets back up and eggs Hiromu on. Hiromu runs again, HIROMU-CHAN BOMBER! Takagi stays on his feet!

Hiromu tries a third time, but he runs into ELBOW! JAB! YUKON LARIAT! Fans fire up while Hiromu is down! Takagi steadies himself, shakes out some cobwebs, and he goes back for Hiromu. Takagi gives toying kicks and he eggs Hiromu on. Fans rally up, Hiromu gets up, and he blocks another boot! Takagi fights free with a headbutt! Takagi gets Hiromu’s leg, for a DRAGON SCREW! Hiromu clutches his leg and Takagi says he’s too smart for that to work a second time. Takagi gets the fans fired up again, then he drags Hiromu up. Hiromu throws a back elbow, then a knee. Takagi gets Hiromu up for short arm LARIAT after short arm LARIAT!

Takagi then scoops and SLAMS Hiromu, goes right up top, YUKON ELBOW! And then a POWERBOMB! High stack, TWO!! Into an STF!! Hiromu endures being bent back while fans fire up! Takagi drags Hiromu away for an UPSIDE-DOWN STF!! Hiromu is fading! The hand drops twice and Takagi spares him to cover, TWO!! Hiromu survives and Takagi is surprised! Fans fire up and Takagi says he’ll end it now. Takagi encourages the fans to keep rallying, and he drags Hiromu up. Takagi pump handles, half nelsons, but Hiromu resists the lift! Hiromu gets free to waistlock but Takagi resists the lift!

Takagi throws elbows but Hiromu ducks to throw a forearm! Takagi eggs Hiromu on so Hiromu hits again! Takagi ROCKS Hiromu ! Hiromu comes back and forearms, but Takagi forearms again! They go back and forth and Takagi eggs Hiromu on! Fans fire up and Hiromu staggers over to Takagi. Hiromu throws another forearm, Takagi ROCKS him with another! They keep going, Takagi eggs Hiromu on, then throws him down by his hair! Hiromu fires up and gets to his feet to fire off more forearms! Takagi throws Hiromu again, and the fans keep rallying! Hiromu drags himself over and Takagi brings him up.

Takagi fires off boxing elbows! He ROCKS Hiromu with the tenth shot, and still eggs Hiromu on! Hiromu fires boxing SLAPS! Palm strike after palm strike! Hiromu runs, into a clothesline! Takagi runs, but Hiromu dodges Pumping Bomber to REBOUND GERMAN!! Takagi flounders up and Hiromu roars as he runs, into PUMPING BOMBER!! Takagi hurries to get Hiromu back up, MADE IN JAPAN!! Cover, TWO!?! Hiromu survives and fans are thunderous again! Takagi fires up with “OI! OI! OI!” and fans join in with the claps. Takagi wants more, and the fans give him more!

Takagi drags Hiromu up, pump handles and torture racks, but Hiromu sunset flips! TWO!! Hiromu wheelbarrows to a victory roll, TWO! SUPERKICK! Takagi stays up but Hiromu runs, ducks and dodges, pop-up DESTROYER!! Cover, TWO!! Takagi survives but he still writhes, a lot of that damage to his neck coming from last round. Fans are thunderous as Hiromu roars and forces himself to get up! Takagi crawls over after Hiromu but Hiromu runs to HIROMU-CHAN BOMBER!! Takagi falls but Hiromu drags him back up! Fireman’s carry, TIMEBOMB!! Cover, TWO!! Takagi survives and fans are thunderous again!

Hiromu and Takagi are both down, and they stir as the fans rally up. Hiromu stands first, he drags Takagi up and SUPERKICKS! Takagi wobbles, so Hiromu SUPERKICKS again! And SUPERKICKS again! Takagi falls but Hiromu is only powering up! Hiromu gets Takagi up but Takagi blocks the suplex! Takagi wrenches out, but Hiromu HEADBUTTS! Fans rally hard as they can for “L I J!” as Hiromu brings Takagi back up. Dragon sleeper, but Takagi fights with haymakers! Hiromu still reverse suplexes, but Takagi slips out to have the dragon sleeper! But Hiromu turns around, only for Takagi to block the suplex!

Takagi suplexes but he puts Hiromu through ropes, then turns Hiromu! DRAPING TAKAGI G T R! Fans are fired up again and Takagi drags Hiromu back up. Takagi builds speed to PUMPING BOMBER!! Cover, TWO!!?! Takagi can’t believe Hiromu survives again! Fans are thunderous again but Takagi drags Hiromu back up. Hiromu fights the pump handle with elbows! Takagi blocks the superkick to JAB! And HEADBUTT! And SLIDING ELBOW!! Then pump handle, rack and LAST OF THE DRAGONS!!! Cover, Takagi wins!!!

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

The Timebomb could not slay the Dragon! Hiromu will have to settle for just his Best of the Super Junior trophy, but will Takagi do LIJ proud by making back to the New Japan Cup finals?

2022 New Japan Cup Quarterfinal: Zack Sabre Jr. VS Will Ospreay w/ The United Empire!

And so, these two meet again. The Submission Master and the Commonwealth Kingpin have gone back and forth, and even battled over the RevPro British Heavyweight Championship. But there’s an even bigger prize on the line! Who takes that next step towards the Cup?

The bell rings and the two rush each other! ZSJ avoids the dropkick but Ospreay gets the leg for a takedown! Ospreay turns ZSJ over, ZSJ uses his own leg to reel Ospreay in, but Ospreay pushes ZSJ back down. ZSJ arm-drags Ospreay away, then headbutts low to headlock Ospreay powers out, hurdles, but ZSJ counters hip toss into a spin, for a cobra twist! Fans applaud that fast ‘n’ furious opening exchange! Ospreay pops free but ZSJ counters hip toss with an arm-drag! ZSJ then catches the clothesline into a takedown, but Ospreay rolls away to avoid the Fujiwara! Ospreay bails out and regroups with the Empire while fans are fired up!

ZSJ eggs Ospreay on but he takes his time to cool off. Fans rally up while Khan fans Ospreay off. ZSJ eggs Ospreay on more while he waits in the ring. Ospreay gets back in, fans rally up again, and the two circle. They feel things out, Ospreay shoots in but ZSJ gets around to a waistlock. ZSJ pushes Ospreay but Ospreay resists the cover. ZSJ gets an arm for a double wristlock but Ospreay gets around to a waistlock. ZSJ throws Ospreay off, wants the arm again, and he pries his way to a top wristlock. Ospreay endures as ZSJ shifts to an armlock, then hammerlock. Fans rally, Ospreay fights up, and he uses the leg trick to pry free.

Ospreay switches the hammerlock onto ZSJ but ZSJ switches it right back onto Ospreay. ZSJ hooks a leg to keep Ospreay from moving around. Ospreay slips around to back drop but ZSJ sunset flips. Ospreay rolls through, has a toehold, and he holds on as ZSJ rolls! ZSJ hops up, and wrenches the wrist! ZSJ gets the hammerlock back but Ospreay snapmares free. Ospreay goes for a chinlock but ZSJ wrenches the arm to another hammerlock! Fans applaud this newest exchange as Ospreay endures. ZSJ hooks the other arm with a leg, and he pushes Ospreay back to a cover! TWO, but ZSJ keeps the arm.

ZSJ wrenches to a wristlock while fans rally up. ZSJ TWISTS the wrist, Ospreay gets up to scoop and SNAKE EYES ZSJ on the ropes! Ospreay then runs and BOOTS ZSJ down! ZSJ flops out of the ring and Ospreay rests in the corner while fans rally up. Ospreay goes out after ZSJ and brings him up to whip into railing! ZSJ writhes and Ospreay looms over him. Ospreay drags ZSJ Back up, CHOPS him against railing, and ZSJ drops to his knees. A ring count starts, Ospreay drags ZSJ up and puts him in the ring at 5 of 20. Fans applaud as this continues in the ring, and Ospreay brings ZSJ up to CLUB him down.

Ospreay digs his boots into ZSJ at the rope, and scrapes him! Red Shoes reprimands, but Ospreay stands on ZSJ’s head. Red Shoes counts, Ospreay lets off at 2. Ospreay drags ZSJ up but ZSJ resists so Ospreay ROCKS him with forearm after forearm! Ospreay then whips ZSJ hard into a corner! Cover, ONE! Ospreay keeps cool and fans rally up. Ospreay drags ZSJ up, CLUBS him on the neck again, then eggs him on. Fans rally, Ospreay ROCKS ZSJ with a forearm. ZSJ eggs Ospreay on, even though he’s on the mat! Ospreay sits ZSJ up again to knock him back down! ZSJ says that’s not enough, so Ospreay stands him up to DECK him!

Ospreay says, “You guys know who the real deal is, don’t you?” Fans rally up, Ospreay stands ZSJ up but ZSJ EuroUppers! And again! And again! Ospreay DECKS ZSJ with a forearm! Ospreay snapmares ZSJ but ZSJ bridges up to snapmare back! Ospreay bridges up to snapmare, so ZSJ bridges up to snapmare again! They go back and forth, but then ZSJ rakes Ospreay’s eyes and gives him a NECK TWIST! Fans rally up as ZSJ gets to his feet. ZSJ brings Ospreay up, cravats for the neck wrench, but Ospreay breaks free and headbutts low. Ospreay whips, ZSJ reverses, Ospreay handsprings, but ZSJ blocks the kick!

ZSJ has the legs hooked up, and he goes for the arms! Ospreay resists so ZSJ STOMPS the legs, then hops on, NECK TWIST! And a basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up and ZSJ has his own, “OI! OI! OI!” Fans fire up more and ZSJ brings Ospreay into a waistlock. Ospreay resists the full nelson, powers out and elbows free! But ZSJ trips him and has the KNEE JAMMER! Ospreay clutches the leg and he hobbles up. Fans rally, ZSJ whips Ospreay to the corner, but Ospreay reverses. ZSJ goes up, into a ROUNDHOUSE! Fans rally even harder now, and Ospreay stalks ZSJ, but ZSJ bails out of the ring.

Fans keep rallying, Ospreay PLANCHAS! Direct hit and down goes ZSJ! Ospreay walks off the pain in is leg as fans keep on rallying. ZSJ sits up, Ospreay drags him up and into the ring. Ospreay aims from the apron, springboards, but his leg won’t allow takeoff! ZSJ runs in but Ospreay DECKS him! Ospreay checks his leg and says he’s good. Ospreay gets up, brings ZSJ up and turns him, but ZSJ backslides out! ONE, but ZSJ gets a HEEL HOOK! Ospreay kicks ZSJ away but ZSJ PENALTY KICKS right back! Fans rally up while both men are down. ZSJ sits up to give toying kicks. Ospreay returns those, and the kicks start getting serious.

Ospreay and ZSJ sit up, and they start giving short boots to each other! Fans rally with each boot, and then Ospreay SLAPS ZSJ! ZSJ eggs Ospreay on so Ospreay SLAPS him again! ZSJ sits back up, Ospreay SLAPS so ZSJ SLAPS back! It’s a SLAP fight, fast and furious! ZSJ and Ospreay get up and are pissed with each other! The SLAPS keep flying, harder and harder! ZSJ throws a EuroUpper, Ospreay throws a forearm! Ospreay runs, into a BOOT! ZSJ runs, into Ospreay’s tiger wall kick! But then ZSJ jumps on for a GUILLOTINE! Ospreay shoves ZSJ away, but ZSJ wrenches to PELE the arm!

ZSJ runs in, tilt-o-whirls, but Ospreay blocks to bring ZSJ around, SPIN-OUT BACKBREAKER! Both men are down and fans are thunderous! The Empire coaches Ospreay while fans rally back up. Ospreay sits up slowly and gets to his feet. Ospreay hobbles over to ZSJ and drags him up by an arm. Ospreay CHOPS ZSJ, but keeps wrist control. Ospreay stands ZSJ back up to CHOP him again! ZSJ uses the wristlock to keep himself up! Ospreay CHOPS again, and again, and again! ZSJ ends up in the corner, fans keep rallying, and Ospreay dares ZSJ to come back. ZSJ runs in, into a CHOP! Ospreay throws back ZSJ’s words that he’s the stupid one.

Ospreay demands ZSJ get up. ZSJ sits up, but Ospreay brings him up to CHOP again! And again! And again! And yet again! ZSJ ends up in the ropes, Ospreay has him on the apron for another CHOP! ZSJ falls to the floor! Ospreay drags ZSJ back up, pops him up against ropes and CHOPS him again! ZSJ drops to his knees, but Ospreay drags him up to APRON BACK- NO! ZSJ fights free and has the double wristlock! ZSJ scoops but Ospreay slips out and shoves him hard into railing! Then Ospreay HOOK KICKS! ZSJ staggers, so Ospreay uses the railing for an OSCUTTER to the floor!! Fans fire up while both men are down!

Fans rally while Red Shoes checks ZSJ. ZSJ is okay to continue, so the ring count starts. Ospreay is already up and in at 4 of 20, but ZSJ is in a daze as he sits up at 8. The count goes past 10, then to 15! ZSJ manages to get up at 16, flops over at 17, and then springs back in at 18! But Ospreay is already up top, missile dropkick misses! ZSJ has a HEEL HOOK in the ropes! HANGING HEEL HOOK!! Ospreay endures, Red Shoes counts and ZSJ lets off at 4! ZSJ gets back, stalks Ospreay and PENALTY KICKS the leg out! Ospreay drags himself along the ropes as ZSJ gets back up. ZSJ PENALTY KICKS Ospreay down!

ZSJ rests in the corner and dares him to get up. Ospreay blocks the kick! But ZSJ rolls to get the HEEL HOOK!! Ospreay endures as ZSJ has the grapevine in! Ospreay reaches but ZSJ drags him away from ropes! Ospreay stands up, pries ZSJ off with a waistlock, and GERMAN SUPLEXES! Bridging cover, but only one with leg! TWO!! ZSJ is free because Ospreay couldn’t hold it. Ospreay drags ZSJ back up, turns him, DREAM SMASHER ELBOW! Fans fire up and Ospreay drags ZSJ back up! Ospreay reels him in, underhooks, STORM- NO! ZSJ slips out to hop on, IRON OCTOPUS!! Fans fire up as Ospreay endures!

ZSJ shifts grip, Ospreay pops him around to tuck him in! BASTARD DRIVER!! Cover, TWO!! ZSJ survives and fans fire up again! Both men are down, the fans rally up, and Ospreay clutches his leg while ZSJ is in a daze. Ospreay sits ZSJ up and aims, but ZSJ flops over! Ospreay says this should be a stoppage then! But ZSJ shakes his head, he refuses to lose like this! Fans rally up harder, Ospreay decides to do what he did to Sanada! But ZSJ dodges the elbow to slip through and body scissor! EURO CL- NO! Ospreay blocks the bridge, but ZSJ sits on the cover! TWO, Ospreay powers his way to a ghost pin, TWO!!

Now ZSJ has the crucifix, TWO!! Ospreay rolls but ZSJ holds on! Another ghost pin, TWO!!! Ospreay escapes by mere nanoseconds! ZSJ runs in, into a LARIAT! Ospreay hurries to get ZSJ back up, reels him in, LIGER BOMB!! Cover, TWO!! ZSJ survives again and fans are thunderous! Ospreay hurries to a corner and takes aim while ZSJ flounders! No elbow pad, HIDDEN- NO! TRIANGLE!! Ospreay deadlifts, fireman’s carries, but ZSJ slips around to a SLEEPER HOLD! Ospreay throws ZSJ off but ZSJ grapevines the leg! Ospreay moves around, but ZSJ again avoids the falling elbow!

ZSJ hooks up Ospreay’s leg, and he has a SLEEPER HOLD! OSPREAY TAPS, ZSJ WINS!!!

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

The Commonwealth King tries to defend he didn’t mean to, but he DID! He did #JustTapOut!! The Submission Master just pulled off a heist on the RevPro British Heavyweight Champion! Ospreay claims he was punching at ZSJ but there’s no going back! Will Ospreay just have to root for Takagi now?

As for ZSJ, he gets the mic to say, in Japanese, “Damn, my head hurts. Oi, Nagaoka. It’s been awhile.” Then in English, ZSJ says it’s been five years, in this very arena, surely the “idiots” remember. He bloody sure does! Back in Japanese, “I can be nostalgic, but there’s no time for that.” ZSJ doesn’t care about a tournament he won five years ago. ZSJ just won the 2021 New Japan Cup winner! “And that prick tapped out!” The past doesn’t matter to ZSJ, only the present. And not only will ZSJ win the 2022 New Japan Cup, he’ll win the bloody IWGP World Heavyweight Champion! “Sounds good, huh?!” Fans applaud, because it does to them.

ZSJ continues in Japanese as he tells Nagaoka that they’re a great city. They applaud, but then he tells them not to get used to nice ZSJ. He does have good memories here, and he will make some more. He promises that when he wins the title, he’ll defend it in Nagaoka. “But for now, ja-ne! As you were.” ZSJ drops the mic, but will he manage to slay the Rampaging Dragon in the semifinals?

My Thoughts:

What an event! The filler matches were alright, but I did keep the 10 Man rematch. I should’ve figured Bullet Club would win again, but this time it more directly sets up a Junior Heavyweight Tag title match, and I am pretty sure all the other blow-off matches. Tanahashi making the save was a great surprise, I hope we get a 10 Man of him taking Jado’s place. Another surprise was that LIJ VS LIJ was first. Takagi VS Hiromu was great stuff, but I just feel it was natural that Takagi wins. Takagi has the big story of going back for the finals, Hiromu can still get back to the Junior Heavyweight title another way.

The ZSJ VS Ospreay match was awesome stuff, and what a great finish. I could see Ospreay’s point that he was clubbing ZSJ, not tapping, but what a great twist that he loses. ZSJ VS Takagi is a bit fresher of a match-up and this controversy can give Ospreay and ZSJ a reason to fight again later, RevPro title optional. ZSJ VS Takagi could go either way, and a lot of it depends on who is going to win between Okada and Naito. Naito VS Takagi would be wild because it’s another LIJ VS LIJ, both fighting for a rematch with Okada, and again it could go either way.

My Score: 9/10