The New Japan Cup’s biggest first round finishes up!

And it’s going to be wild! Funky Weapon VS King of Darkness, Stone Pitbull VS Rampaging Dragon! Who will be left standing after such fierce battles?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• 8 Man Tag: The United Empire VS Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomoaki Honma, Togi Makabe & Ryohei Oiwa; The United Empire wins.
• Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Bullet Club; Bullet Club wins.
• 10 Man Tag: Chaos VS Suzuki-Gun; Suzuki-Gun wins.
• 2022 New Japan Cup Opening Round: Chase Owens VS Jado; Chase wins and advances.
• 2022 New Japan Cup Opening Round: Ryusuke Taguchi VS EVIL; Evil wins and advances.
• 2022 New Japan Cup Opening Round: Hiromu Takahashi VS SHO; Hiromu wins and advances.
• 2022 New Japan Cup Opening Round: Tomohiro Ishii VS Shingo Takagi; Takagi wins and advances.

PLAY BY PLAY

2022 New Japan Cup Opening Round: Chase Owens VS Jado!

It’s Bullet Club VS Bullet Club as the Crown Jewel takes on the Master Heater! Will things still be Too Sweet after this? Or is this where things start to fall apart for the club?

The bell rings and fans rally up. Chase and Jado circle, tie up, and Jado puts Chase on the ropes. The ref calls the ropebreak and Jado pats Chase on the shoulders. Fans cheer and Chase circles with Jado again. They tie up, go around, and Chase turns things around to put Jado on the ropes. The ref counts the break again, Chase gives a back elbow! Chase CLUBS Jado, runs, but Jado runs him over! Cover, ONE, and Chase runs in. Jado dodges the Shi Trigger and fans cheer the exchange. Chase offers a handshake because they’re both Bullet Club. Fans rally up, Jado accepts the handshake, but then Chase kicks low! SHI TRIGGER!

Chase shrugs then stomps Jado. Cover, TWO! Chase keeps Jado down, tries another cover, TWO! Jade gets to ropes but Chase digs his knee in. The ref counts, Chase lets off. Chase feels bad but he still sits Jado up to headlock and punch! The ref reprimands the closed fist, but then Chase stands on Jado for the Bad Luck Fale style “massage.” Chase lets off and drags Jado back up to wrench and scoop for a BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Chase grows frustrated but fans rally up. Chase tells Jado to just lie down but Jado tells him like hell! Chase throws down fists but fans keep rallying up.

Jado gets up and eggs Chase on, so Chase DECKS him again! The ref and Chase argue about the quality of his closed fist, so Chase uses an open palm strike! But Jado shakes his head, that’s not good enough! Chase tries again but Jado just powers up! Chase BOOTS Jado, but Jado fires up more! Chase ROCKS Jado with forearms, but Jado hits back with a body shot! Fans fire up with Jado but Chase kicks low again. SHI- NO! Jado blocks the knee, but Chase pokes him in the eye! Chase runs, into a LARIAT! Jado starts to rally with more clotheslines, then he dodges to LARIAT again! Fans fire up and rally behind Jado!

Jado throws Chase through ropes and then drags him out, “Happy Birthday, Chase!” DRAPING DDT! Cover, TWO! Fans rally while Jado and Chase are both down. Jado gets to a corner and asks fans to hush a moment. Jado stomps to tune up the band! They follow his beat, and Jado takes aim. Jado runs in, but Chase dodges the kick! Chase fires off the strike fest, hammerlock, JEWEL HEIST! But Chase doesn’t cover, he wants more! He reels Jado in but Jado trips him and flips him over! CROSSFACE! Chase endures, reaches out, but he grabs at the ref! They roll and the ref gets thrown! Chase taps and Jado lets go because he thinks he’s won!

But no, with the ref down, there’s no one to call the victory! Jado asks if the ref is okay, but then looks to take advantage of this moment. Jado gets his trusty kendo stick! Chase wants mercy but Jado wants him to get up. Jado raises the kendo stick, but then thinks better of it. Chase tries another cheap shot! Jado dodges, but then Chase dodges and LOW BLOWS! Chase realizes what he’s done and feels bad again. He was the one saying they’re the same team and yet he goes and does this. Jado does his best to get up, but Chase gives him a SHI TRIGGER! Cover, Chase wins!

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

Happy birthday, indeed. Chase does his best to help Jado, but Chase is still moving on to the next round. Will Chase feel better about doing this to someone not in the Bullet Club?

2022 New Japan Cup Opening Round: Ryusuke Taguchi VS EVIL!

The Funky Weapon and his team won just the other day, so you could say he has a leg up on the King of Darkness. But a Six Man Tag is very different from 1v1. Will Taguchi still find a way to take down the NEVER Openweight Champion? Or will he find out that Everything is Evil?

Whoa, wait! Taguchi is already poking fun at Evil by dressing up with a spooky mask, cloak and holding a plastic scythe! Taguchi is rubbing in Evil’s Los Ingobernables de Japon days like it’s an embarrassing phase in high school! Evil does his best to ignore that as he makes his own entrance. Evil and Dick Low Sweet but Taguchi keeps the costume on. Fans rally up and Taguchi climbs the corner to take off the cloak. And when he takes off the mask, he has badly down face paint that just makes him look creepier! Taguchi then hops down and rushes Evil! But into the EVERYTHING-

NO! Taguchi slips out, to steal EVERYTHING- NO! Evil throws Taguchi down, the bell rings, cover, TWO!! Fans rally up for Taguchi but Evil stomps him around! Evil eggs Taguchi on, gives him a kick then runs, into a HIP ATTACK! Taguchi throws point blank hip attacks! Evil gets to a corner, Taguchi drags him up to whip him corner to corner. Evil reverses but runs into a BOOT! Taguchi fakes Evil out on the hip attack, and the fans cheer the standoff. Evil runs into a BOP! And then another BOP! Taguchi runs, ducks and dodges, but Evil dodges the hip attack! Taguchi crashes down and fans rally up again.

Evil drags Taguchi up and throws him out. Evil then pursues to RAM Taguchi into the timekeeper’s area! Down goes Abe-san! That grudge seems to still be a thing. Evil claws at Taguchi’s face while the ref is busy helping the timekeeper. Evil puts Taguchi in the ring, and he grabs his House of Torture towel to CHOKE Taguchi with it! Taguchi flails and sputters as Evil lets off and Evil wants the ref to count. Cover, TWO!! Taguchi survives and fans fire up but Evil is annoyed. Evil drags Taguchi up, and throws him out. Evil and the ref argue, Dick ROCKS Taguchi and puts him in. Cover, TWO! Another, TWO! A third, TWO!!

Evil is furious that Taguchi is still in this but the fans rally up! Evil kicks at Taguchi, then stands on Taguchi’s face. Taguchi pushes the foot away, and then sits right up! Is he copying Evil or the Phenom? Evil drags Taguchi up but Taguchi CHOPS! And CHOPS! And CHOPS! Evil rakes eyes! The ref reprimands, Evil spins, but Taguchi low blows!? No, just a really low body blow! Evil shoves the ref and tries but Taguchi deflects the low blow! To then wind up and pitch a LOW BLOW! Like a baseball sidearm! Dick protests but Taguchi slingshots Dick into the ring! Fans fire up and Dick wants mercy, but he gets a HIP ATTACK! And STINK FACE!

Taguchi asks for forgiveness then runs to hip attack Evil! Then Dick! Then Evil! Then Dick again! Then for Evil, APRON HIP ATTACK! Fans fire up with Taguchi and he springboards, MISSILE HIP! Cover, TWO! Taguchi keeps focus and he drags Evil up. Fans rally as Taguchi snap suplexes, Uno Amigo! And again, Dos Amigos! Taguchi goes again but Evil blocks! But Taguchi powers through to hit THREE AMIGOS! And a kip- No, wait, not quite. Taguchi tries again, and gets it on the third try! Three KIP-migos! And now Taguchi calls upon the powers of Strong Style! “ORYA! OSU!” But the ref is used as a shield!

Taguchi moves the ref aside, but jumps into the atomic drop! EVERYTHING- NO! Taguchi slips out by moving his leg! Taguchi wags his fingers, but Evil tries again! Taguchi blocks Evil’s leg with his own, then rolls Evil up! TWO!! Evil kicks low, runs, but into an ENZIGURI! Fans fire up and Taguchi runs, BUMAYE! Cover, TWO!! Evil survives, but OH MY GARFUNKLE! Dick throws the title belt into the ring but the ref takes that away! Taguchi drops elbows on the leg! Evil grabs at the ref and Dick gets in! But Taguchi trips him up before Dick can use the Spoiler Choker! Now Taguchi has DOUBLE OH MY GARFUNKLE!!

Dick is tapping but that doesn’t matter! Evil gets free and Taguchi focuses on Dick, but then he sees Evil is up to something! Evil waves to the ramp! Is House of Torture coming!? No, and Taguchi turns around, EVERYTHING IS EVIL!! Cover, Evil wins!

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

The mere threat of Sho or Yujiro Takahashi showing up was used to trick Taguchi! Will the King of Darkness be able to use this same trick again in the rest of the Cup?

2022 New Japan Cup Opening Round: Hiromu Takahashi VS SHO!

The Ticking Timebomb and the Murder Machine meet again after their encounter in the Best of the Super Juniors. Hiromu was on the losing end that time, but will he make up for it in the Cup? Or will the House of Torture have yet another trick up their sleeves?

Forget a trick, what about putting the fix in! Sho drags Hiromu out from gorilla! And he has a chair, too! Sho stomps Hiromu on the ramp, pulls his furry jacket off him, and then JAMS him with the chair! And SMACKS him on the back, too! The ref reprimands and Sho drops the chair. The ref argues with Sho but Sho drags Hiromu to ringside. The ref reprimands, Sho stomps Hiromu and fans rally up. Sho tunes them out before he drags Hiromu up. Sho says they gotta get in the ring so he’s putting Hiromu in the ring. But then Hiromu runs out to SUNSET FLIP POWERBOMB Sho to the floor!

The bell rings and now things are official! Fans fire up as Hiromu drags Sho up to whip him into railing! And then into the ring! Hiromu fireman’s carries for a CORNER DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! Hiromu drags Sho up again, another fireman’s carry, but Sho rakes eyes! Sho bails out of the ring but Hiromu pursues. Hiromu whips Sho into more railing! And then again into even more railing! Sho flounders and begs for mercy but Hiromu just whips him into even more railing! Sho grabs the mic from the bell hammer as Hiromu brings him up, but Hiromu whips Sho into even more railing!

Sho flounders around and Hiromu starts pulling up floor mats! The ref reprimands but Hiromu keeps clearing space. Hiromu drags Sho up and brings him over, but Sho uses the hammer to hit Hiromu in the ribs! And then, well, hammer Hiromu on the back! The ref sees that and takes the hammer, but Sho gets Hiromu up, PILEDRIVER to the bare concrete!! Fans rally up while the ref checks on Hiromu, and somehow he’s okay to continue. Sho drags Hiromu up and puts him in the ring, then he unties the blue buckle pad! Sho brings the Bullet Club Special into play! Sho then stomps Hiromu, drags him up, and whips him to the corner!

Hiromu hits off bare buckles and writhes on the mat! Cover, TWO! Fans cheer and rally up as Sho grows frustrated. Sho drags Hiromu back to clamp on a chinlock. Sho digs his knee into Hiromu’s neck and shoulders, but he hides that he’s clawing Hiromu’s face! The ref counts, Sho lets off at 4, and then stomps Hiromu in the neutral corner. The ref counts as Sho digs his boots in, and Sho lets off at 4 again. Sho stomps Hiromu again then digs his boots back in. The ref counts again and Sho lets off at 4. Hiromu sputters but fans rally up as he gets to the apron. Sho is amused now and he gives toying kicks.

Hiromu CHOPS, and CHOPS! Sho eggs him on, Hiromu CHOPS again! Sho rakes the eyes, then whips Hiromu. Hiromu reverses, Sho stops from hitting bare steel! Hiromu runs in but Sho moves and now Hiromu hits bare steel! Sho CLUBS Hiromu, then brings him up to CLUB him down again. Sho runs, but Hiromu dodges and runs to RANA! Fans fire up while both men are down! Hiromu crawls and drags himself to the blue corner. Sho goes to the red corner, and he runs in, only for Hiromu to dodge! Sho hits bare buckles, then Hiromu snapmares him for a basement dropkick! Hiromu hauls Sho up, FALCON ARROW! Cover, TWO!

Fans rally up and Hiromu gets to his feet. Hiromu fires up and drags Sho up to a fireman’s carry. He aims for the bare corner but Sho slips off! Hiromu mule kicks, front kicks and fireman’s carries, but Sho slips off! Sho waistlocks, Hiromu switches, but Sho elbows free and runs! Hiromu elbows Sho, then runs but Sho follows. Hiromu stops but Sho dodges to whip! JUMP KNEE! Sho goes to run but Hiromu reels him into a waistlock. Sho backs Hiromu down into the bare buckles! Sho runs, but Hiromu blocks the spear! Sho fights out of the suplex to BEND the fingers and CLUB the arm! But Hiromu dodges to kick back!

Hiromu runs but the ref is used as a shield! Hiromu moves the ref aside but Sho SPEARS him down! But Hiromu gets right back up!? Sho dodges the clothesline to GERMAN SUPLEX! Both men are down and the fans rally back up! Fans clap for “HI-RO-MU!” but Sho gets up first. Sho drags Hiromu up and puts him against the ropes. Sho throws big boxing elbow shots! The ref reprimands, Sho runs and clotheslines Hiromu against ropes! Sho runs again but gets caught into a spin and RAN- NO! Sho swings Hiromu up to POWERBOMB! High stack, TWO, but Sho has the arm! SNAKE BITE!!

Hiromu endures Sho’s modified Koji Clutch and fans rally behind him! Hiromu reaches out, even as Sho pulls him in deeper! Hiromu starts to fade! The ref checks on Hiromu, the arm drops once. Hiromu gets a second wind and starts moving towards ropes again! ROPEBREAK! Sho holds until the ref counts 4! Sho is frustrated but the fans keep rallying for Hiromu. Sho rolls all the way out and starts looking under the ring. He finds a chair and a wrench! Sho hides the wrench while the ref sees the chair. The ref confiscates the chair so Sho aims with his wrench! But Hiromu dodges the wrench to GERMAN SUPLEX! And HIROMU-CHAN BOMBER!

Both men are down again and the fans fire up! Hiromu slowly gets up and staggers over. He drags Sho up, reels him in, but Sho fights out of the suplex! Sho dodges but Hiromu wheelbarrows for the COMPLETE SHOT! Then D!! Sho is caught in Hiromu’s Triangle Hold now and fans fire up! Sho is turning purple quickly but he stays on his feet! Sho deadlifts Hiromu, but Hiromu lets off to suplex and- NO! Sho knees free! Hiromu SWATS Sho’s lariat, SUPERKICKS, then runs to HIROMU-CHAN BOMBER! And then suplex, VICTORY ROYAL! Cover, TWO!! Sho survives and fans fire up again!

Hiromu roars and he drags Sho up again. Hiromu inverted suplexes but Sho slips out and shoves Hiromu into the ref! The ref is down and Sho LOW BLOWS Hiromu!! Sho hurries to get his wrench back! Fans rally for “HI-RO-MU!” but Sho aims from the corner. But Hiromu SUPERKICKS first! Hiromu drags Sho around, gets him up and fireman’s carries, for BARE CORNER DEATH VALLEY DRIVER!!! Fans are thunderous as Hiromu gets Sho back up! Fireman’s carry again, but Yujiro Takahashi is here! PIMP CANE SHOT! The Tokyo Pimp slithers over and gets the ref back in the ring.

Sho gets up and he brings Hiromu up. Sho reels Hiromu in, tucks the arms, CROSS-ARM PILEDRIVER! Cover, TWO!?! Somehow Hiromu survives! Sho still grins and says this is over. He aims his bow, drags Hiromu back up and double pump handles. SHOCK- NO! Hiromu fights Sho to a cradle, and wins!!!

Winner: Hiromu Takahashi, by pinfall (advance to the next round)

Sho is furious and goes after the referee! Young Lions stop Sho and Hiromu plays with Sho’s wrench. Will the Timebomb have even more, more, MORE fun in the next round?

2022 New Japan Cup Opening Round: Tomohiro Ishii VS Shingo Takagi!

Chaos lost to Los Ingobernables de Japon in 4v4 but these two kept on fighting after! Takagi looked to have the edge there, but will Ishii take a bite out of him? Or will the Rampaging Dragon slay the Stone Pitbull?

The bell rings and fans rally as these two tie up. They’re in a deadlock, so Takagi shoves Ishii away. They go again, and are in another deadlock. Ishii finds a point of leverage and powers Takagi back to the ropes. Takagi turns it around, Red Shoes wants the ropebreak, and Takagi lets off, only for Ishii to dodge his cheap shot! Takagi dodges Ishii’s chop, and fans cheer the standoff. The two go again, and Takagi headlocks. Ishii throws body shots but Takagi holds tight. Ishii powers out, and they RAM shoulders! Takagi dares Ishii to go, so Ishii runs. They RAM shoulders again, and Takagi pushes Ishii.

Takagi runs, RAMS Ishii, but Ishii rebounds to RAM Takagi! Takagi rebounds to RAM Ishii again, and they keep going shoulder to shoulder again and again! Takagi shakes out his arm and Ishii taunts him for it. They both run and the RAM! And again! And again! Ishii keeps moving, he rams and Takagi rebounds, for Ishii to run him over! Ishii  kicks Takagi but Takagi gets up. They each choke grip, Ishii SLAPS Takagi right off his feet! Takagi bails out and fans rally up, “I-SHI-I!” “TA-KA-GI!” Takagi is down by the railing but Ishii goes out after him. Ishii drags Takagi up, whips him into railing, then brings him around.

Ishii whips Takagi into railing again, then LARIATS Takagi against the railing! Takagi falls and Ishii eggs him on. Ishii kicks at Takagi, then drags him up. Ishii bumps Takagi off the apron, and again, then eggs him on. Ishii smacks Takagi off the apron again but Takagi just headbutts the apron again and again! Takagi eggs Ishii on but Ishii ROCKS him with a right! Takagi fires a forearm, Ishii gives it back, and they brawl at ringside! Fans fire up as they go faster and faster! Ishii ROCKS Takagi, and ROCKS him again! Ishii whips, Takagi reverses and sends Ishii into railing! Ishii runs in, but into a fireman’s carry! DEATH VALLEY DRIVER to the floor!

Fans fire up as both men are down! Red Shoes checks on them but they’re okay to continue. The ring count starts, Takagi gets up at 7 of 20 and he kicks away on Ishii at the railing! Takagi stops at 12, staggers to the ring at 15, just to refresh the count! Takagi gets Ishii up to RAM him into the apron, then JAB and CHOP! JAB, CHOP, JAB, CHOP on repeat! Then JAB, JAB and HAYMAKER! Ishii falls over and fans cheer as Takagi catches his breath. Takagi drags Ishii up, puts him in the ring, and fans cheer as this continues in the ring. Takagi jumps for a knee drop! Takagi then drags Ishii up, whips him to ropes and knees him low!

Takagi runs to run Ishii over! Fans fire up and Takagi drops a SENTON! Cover, TWO! Fans rally, Takagi sits Ishii up for a chinlock. Takagi grinds Ishii down, Ishii grabs at hair but Red Shoes reprimands. Ishii throws punches but Takagi sits him up to drive elbows into the shoulder! Ishii talks trash but Takagi kicks him. Ishii talks more trash, Takagi KICKS him! Fans continue to rally and Takagi drags Ishii up. Takagi reels Ishii in but Ishii blocks the lift with a headlock and throws down elbows. Ishii ROCKS Takagi, and ROCKS him again! Takagi rebounds but swings into a spin, only to block the suplex!

The two fight for control, and Takagi hits the suplex! Takagi goes up a corner right away, for a YUKON ELBOW! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up and Takagi encourages them to get louder. Takagi then drags Ishii up, whips him to a corner, then runs in but he blocks Ishii’s boot. Takagi powers through to LARIAT! Takagi runs, but into a POWERSLAM! Both men are down and fans fire up. Ishii gets up, he kicks at Takagi and puts him in a corner. Ishii CHOPS and CHOPS and CHOPS! Takagi gets in Ishii’s face so Ishii CHOPS and CHOPS and CHOPS him again! Takagi eggs him on so Ishii CHOPS even more!

Ishii CHOPS and CHOPS and CHOPS! Even as Takagi drops down! Ishii eggs Takagi on, stands on his head, but Takagi gets up to turn things around, only for Ishii to turn it back around! Takagi throws elbows and even SLAPS, but Ishii doesn’t budge! Ishii eggs Takagi on so Takagi HEADBUTTS! Ishii throws high CHOPS! Red Shoes tries to stop Ishii but Ishii keeps throwing those high chops! Red Shoes backs Ishii down and Takagi coughs and sputters. Fans rally up, Ishii drags Takagi up to CHOP high again! Ishii whips but Takagi reverses. Ishii comes back but into the ELBOW! JAB! And YUKON LARIAT!

Fans fire up while Takagi catches his breath. Takagi drags Ishii up, reels him in, SAIDO! Cover, TWO! Takagi says that’s not all, and fans rally up again. Takagi gets to his feet, brings Ishii back up, then pump handles, Ishii fights free with elbows but Takagi LARIATS point-blank! Ishii falls and fans rally up again. Takagi drags Ishii up, LARIATS again, but Ishii stays up! So Takagi LARIATS him again! Ishii drops to a knee, Takgi runs, but Ishii LARIATS at the ropes! Ishii runs but Takagi LARIATS at the ropes! Then SNAP SAIDO! But Ishii is up fast! To SNAP SAIDO Takagi! But Takagi is up, SNAP SAIDO!

Ishii staggers, dodges the lariat, and they DOUBLE LARIAT! Both stay up, Ishii LARIATS again! But Takagi’s right up! Ishii ducks the lariat to SAIDO! But he can’t get back up! Fans are thunderous as Takagi and Ishii are down! Takagi and Ishii stir, and Ishii sits up first. Ishii brings Takagi up and hoists him to the top rope. Ishii climbs up and he stands Takagi up, to SUPERPLEX! Cover, TWO! Fans fire up more and Ishii gets back up. Ishii drags Takagi up, reels him in, but Takagi fights free of the bomb! Takagi spins Ishii around, and SPIKES Ishii with a DDT! Both men are down, and fans rally up again!

Takagi gets up, kicks Ishii while he’s down, then bring him up again. Takagi snarls and he reels Ishii in. But now Ishii resists the powerbomb but Takagi powers through, to BUCKLE BOMB Ishii! Takagi fires up and fans rally with him as he hobbles back to Ishii. Takagi drags Ishii up, hoists him up top, then climbs up to join him. Now Takagi brings Ishii up, for a SUPERPLEX! Cover, TWO!! Ishii survives and fans fire up again! Takagi shouts, “OI! OI! OI!” and fans clap along. Takagi gets to his feet, waits on Ishii to rise, and then Takagi runs to PUMP- NO! Ishii swats it, but Takagi blocks the enziguri! Ishii avoids the sliding lariat, then spins Takagi to ROCK him!

Takagi grits his teeth and wags his finger. Takagi fires off boxing elbows over and over, for about a dozen! Ishii spins, but into the Gory Especial! NOSHIGAMI! Fans fire up and Takagi runs, PUMPING BOMBER!! Cover, TWO!! Ishii survives and fans are thunderous! Takagi is frustrated but he gets back up. Takagi pump handles and torture racks, Ishii slips off and headbutts! Takagi headbutts back so Ishii HEADBUTTS Takagi down! Both men stir while the fans rally up. Ishii gets to a corner but Takagi stands up. Ishii runs in but Takagi swats his lariat! Ishii spins to LARIAT with his left! Takagi swings, but Ishii SNAP GERMANS!

But Takagi’s right back up?! Only for Ishii to LARIAT him down! Cover, ONE?!!? And Ishii is furious! Ishii drags Takagi up, runs and SLIDING LARIATS! Cover, TWO! Takagi survive again and Ishii roars in frustration! Ishii gets back up, drags Takagi up and suplexes, but Takagi knees free! Takagi wrenches but Ishii DECKS him! Ishii gets Takagi up but Takagi suplexes for the BRAINBUSTER!! Cover, ONE?!?! Ishii survives Takagi’s shot and roars as he goes to ropes. Takagi runs in, PUMPING BOMBER!! Cover, ONE!?!? LARIAT from Ishii! Cover, ONE?!?!?! How are either of these two doing this?!

Takagi and Ishii go to opposite corners. Takagi dares Ishii to bring it, and they DOUBLE LARIAT! HEADBUTT! ENZIGURI! Takagi and Ishii fall again but Ishii roars as he gets back up! Off comes the elbow pad! Ishii runs, but Takagi catches him! Knee, pump handle, MADE IN JAPAN!!! Cover, TWO!?!?! Fans are thunderous as Ishii somehow survives! Takagi is too tired to be frustrated now, and he grits his teeth as he drags Ishii back up. Ishii breaks free but Takagi JABS! Ishii swings, but Takagi catches him for a SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX! And then SLIDING FOREARM!

Takagi isn’t done, he gets Ishii right back up! Pump handle, torture rack, LAST OF THE DRAGONS!!!! Cover, Takagi wins!!!

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

This battle of titans is finally over, and in the end, it is the Rampaging Dragon that stands tall! And after he finally catches his breath, he gets the mic. “I knew that old man was crazy. There are all kinds of pro-wrestling, but that was pro-wrestling.” Fans cheer that sentiment. Takagi says, “Once again… Once again… Once. Again. I AM HERE!” Fans cheer, and Takagi admits he’s a little woozy. Ishii’s one hell of a first round opponent, but somehow, Takagi made it through. Last year, Takagi was the runner-up in the Cup. That may sound nice but think about it. “In the end, Ospreay beat me to a pulp. So it wasn’t really a good ending for me.

“If you go all the way to the finals, it’s pointless if you don’t win it!” Fans cheer that sentiment while Takagi catches his breath again. “Some great politician once said, ‘Why do you insist on being first? Why not second?’ Let me say, to HELL with that! I HAVE to win this! What’s the point of entering if not to win?!” Fans cheer that, too! Takagi vows to win this year, so just watch this dragon soar all the way to the New Japan Cup! Will Takagi make good on this promise and redeem himself from last year’s loss?

My Thoughts:

Another great night for NJPW and the tournament. I kept it to the tournament matches this time, though I will say I was a bit surprised Bullet Club won against LIJ there. I suppose it does make sense, though, with ELP needing to keep momentum up as he’s going against Ospreay. Chase VS Jado was a great match just on the story of the Bullet Club Civil War that’s building. Taguchi VS Evil was great for both Taguchi mocking Evil’s old look and for Evil pulling the very clever faction fake-out. Hiromu VS Sho was also awesome right from the jump, and Hiromu winning even when House of Torture did get involved was great.

And of course, Takagi VS Ishii in the main event was wild, I loved that stretch of insane one counts. Takagi wins, has a really good promo to close out the night, and I wonder if, with Kota Ibushi out, our semifinalists on one side will be Ospreay VS Takagi to revisit last year’s finals. Then the winner of that goes against Okada or something, that’d make a HUGE final match for this biggest New Japan Cup tournament ever.

My Score: 8.6/10