NJPW’s biggest New Japan Cup continues into round two!

And the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Kazuchika Okada is back in action! Will the Rainmaker wash away the Way of the Grandmaster?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Tiger Mask & Hiroshi Tanahashi VS Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale; Chase & Fale win.
• BUSHI & Tetsuya Naito VS SHO & Gedo; Sho & Gedo win.
• 8 Man Tag: The United Empire VS Bullet Club; Bullet Club wins.
• Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Suzuki-Gun; LIJ wins.
• 2022 New Japan Cup Second Round: Hirooki Goto VS Dick Togo; Goto wins and advances.
• 2022 New Japan Cup Second Round: CIMA VS Yoshinobu Kanemaru; Cima wins and advances.
• 2022 New Japan Cup Second Round: Kazuchika Okada VS Master Wato; Okada wins and advances.

PLAY BY PLAY

2022 New Japan Cup Second Round: Hirooki Goto VS Dick Togo!

Chaos is very familiar with the House of Torture thanks to the New Years Golden Series. The Fierce Warrior goes up against The Spoiler, will Goto get some payback on Dick? Or will Dick actually play spoiler?

The bell rings and fans rally for Goto. Dick offers a handshake, but Goto knows better than that. Dick offers the handshake to the ref and the ref takes it. Dick tries to use that to prove he’s genuine. Goto just slaps the hand away! Goto and Dick approach, Dick kicks low to wrench the arm. Goto rolls, wrenches back, and wrenches again. Goto keeps on the shoulder, but Dick pulls hair and whips. Goto reverses to hip toss and KICK Dick down! Goto clamps onto the arm again and grinds the shoulder. Dick rolls to his feet but Goto wrenches the arm again. Goto wrenches one more time, then YANKS the arm!

Goto YANKS the arm more, then grinds the shoulder. Dick endures, fights up and rakes eyes! The ref reprimands but Dick throws Goto out of the ring. Goto gets back in as Dick hurries out, and fans cheer. Goto dares Dick to get back in but Dick takes his time. Dick gets to the apron but he just baits Goto into drag him out and RAM him into railing! Dick looks under the ring and he brings out a chair! The ref reprimands as Dick puts the chair in the ring, but he uses that as a decoy! He gets the SPOILER CHOKER! Dick chokes Goto, but lets off before the ref can see. Dick hides the choker then goes back to Goto.

Dick CLUBS Goto, puts him in the ring, then stomps Goto around. Dick chokes Goto but hides it in a cover. The ref sees the choke and counts, Dick lets off at 4. Dick shrugs but keeps his knee on Goto’s neck! The ref counts that choke but Goto lets off again. Fans rally for Goto but Dick stomps him more. Dick drags Goto up, but Goto CHOPS and CHOPS and- Dick rakes eyes again! The ref reprimands but Dick tells him to back off. Dick runs to FIST DROP! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up but Dick wraps on a chinlock. Dick grinds Goto down but Goto fights up. Goto throws body shots and gets free, but Dick kicks low.

Dick throws haymakers but the ref reprimands about the closed fist. Dick throws more punches but Goto eggs him on! Dick kicks low again, then wags his finger. Dick whips Goto to a corner but Goto comes back to run Dick over! Fans rally and Dick gets up in a corner. Goto runs in to MURAMASA! Then BULLDOG! Cover, TWO! Fans still rally and Goto focuses. Goto drags Dick up and fireman’s carries. Dick slips off, pokes Goto in the eye and headlock punches Goto down! Dick stomps Goto then drags him up to CLUB him. Dick whips again, and catches Goto, only for Goto to turn headlock into back suplex!

Fans fire up as Goto stands. Goto waits on Dick to get up, but Dick kicks him in the shin! Oklahoma Roll, TWO, into CROSSFACE! Fans rally, Goto endures, and Goto crawls his way over, but Dick pulls back harder! Goto still reaches out for the ROPEBREAK! Dick lets off quickly and fans continue to rally. Dick drags Goto up, reels him in, and underhooks the arms! Goto resists and powers out with a back drop! Goto storms over to bring Dick up, but Dick kicks. Dick runs, Goto follows and LARIATS! Fireman’s carry, USHIGOROSHI! Cover, TWO! But then the lights go out! The House of Torture is up to their old tricks!

Something is happening in the dark, and when the lights come back up, there’s no ref and Dick has Goto in the SPOILER CHOKER! Evil is here and applauding. Evil gets Goto’s staff, but Goto BOOTS Evil! Goto gets out of the choker, DECKS Dick, then blocks Evil’s next attack! Goto throws Evil, then SMACKS Evil with the staff! Dick begs for mercy, then he blocks the staff strike! Goto throws Dick away, and SMACKS him, too! Goto powers up, BUZZSAW! The ref returns as Dick flounders around. Goto gets the arm, omoplata and then the far arm! SHORYUKENKAI! Dick gives up, Goto wins!

Winner: Hirooki Goto, by submission (advances to the next round)

The Fierce Warrior survives the newest screw job the House of Torture attempted, and now he’s into the Sweet Sixteen! Will Goto continue to advance and return to the Cup?

2022 New Japan Cup Second Round: CIMA VS Yoshinobu Kanemaru!

The leader of Strong Hearts had a #GLEAT start in the tournament, but he’s taking on a rested Heel Master. Will the first round bye give Kanemaru the edge? Or will Cima make Kanemaru say bye to the Cup?

As Cima watches the ramp, Kanemaru sneaks in from the other side and dropkicks Cima’s legs out! The bell rings as Kanemaru stomps away on Cima! Kanemaru whips then dropkicks Cima’s legs again! Fans fire up while Kanemaru stomps Cima more. Kanemaru grabs a leg and SMASHES it into the mat! Then he stomps Cima to a corner. Kanemaru throws Cima out, then goes out to whip him into railing! Kanemaru stomps Cima more, but the ref tells him to get in the ring. Kanemaru brings Cima up, hooks the leg on railing and pulls! The ref reprimands, Kanemaru lets off, and then Kanemaru brings out a chair!

Kanemaru distracts the ref by throwing the whiskey bottle into the ring. The ref goes after that and Kanemaru uses the chair to SMACK Cima’s leg! Cima clutches his knee while stuck on the railing, but he slumps down to the floor. Kanemaru stomps the bad leg, but the ring count starts. Kanemaru gets in at 4 of 20 and leaves Cima to get up using the chair. The count is 12 before Cima stands, and Cima hobbles in at 15! Kanemaru stomps the leg, drags Cima by the leg then digs his boots in as he YANKS the leg! Cima writhes, Kanemaru grabs the leg again and YANKS the leg! Cima backs away to ropes but Kanemaru drags him back to center.

Kanemaru drops an elbow on the leg and pulls on the toehold. Fans rally as Cima endures, and Cima grabs at Kanemaru’s hair. The ref reprimands, so Cima drags himself and Kanemaru along, to get the ROPEBREAK! Fans cheer and Kanemaru lets off, but then Kanemaru digs his knee into the knee. The ref reprimands, Kanemaru lets off and drags Cima up. Kanemaru gets the leg but Cima fights the shin breaker with elbows! Cima CHOPS Kanemaru, then whips. Kanemaru reverses and drop toeholds! Kanemaru keeps on the leg with a deathlock but Cima endures. Fans rally and Kanemaru gets Cima up to trip him for a HALF CRAB!

Cima endures, fans rally more, and Cima crawls forward. Cima reaches out, hits Kanemaru in the back, and gets the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, Kanemaru lets off at 4. Fans rally but Kanemaru baseball slide dropkicks Cima out. Kanemaru goes out after Cima and kicks the leg. Cima throws body shots but Kanemaru rakes eyes! Kanemaru has the leg, SHIN BREAKER! Cima falls over and the ref checks him. Kanemaru tags a swig from his whiskey while fans rally behind Cima. The ref gets in the ring and Kanemaru gets the leg to SMASH into the floor mats! Kanemaru leaves Cima behind again, at the mercy of the ring count.

The count reaches 7 out of 20 as Cima works on getting his bad leg moving. Cima uses railing to stand at 14, he hobbles over at 17 and manages to get in! Fans cheer but Kanemaru is right on Cima. Cima throws body shots and CHOPS, but Kanemaru kicks the bad leg! And stomps it, too! Cima CHOPS from below but Kanemaru stomps! CHOP, stomp, repeat! Kanemaru lets off to catch his breath but fans rally as Cima works on his bad leg. Kanemaru CLUBS Cima then kicks his leg. Kanemaru has Cima in a corner, whips him corner to corner, and Cima somehow makes it. Kanemaru BOOTS Cima down!

Kanemaru gives Cima toying kicks but Cima gets mad. Cima CHOPS, then CHOPS again! Kanemaru rakes eyes! Kanemaru scoops, but Cima slips out to waistlock. Kanemaru elbows free, runs, but Cima dodges to get around, BACKSTABBER! That’s double-edged given the bad knee! Both men are down while fans rally up, and Cima shakes out the bad leg. Cima grits his teeth as he gets up. Kanemaru is at the ropes, eh runs in but misses the dropkick! Cima clubs, whips, but Kanemaru tries to reverse. Cima reverses that to RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! Fans fire up and Cima goes to one corner while Kanemaru goes to the other.

Cima manages to run in and METEORA! Cima then gets Kanemaru up to DDT! Roll into the ghost pin, TWO! The leg might’ve slowed Cima down but he gets back up. Cima drags Kanemaru up again, snapmares and hurries to the corner! Cima hops up, another METEORA! But that’s not all! Cima sits Kanemaru up then goes to the very top! But Kanemaru moves! Meteora crashes and burns!! Fans rally up as Cima crawls, but Kanemaru aims from the corner. Kanemaru runs and dropkicks the bad leg! Then step through, FIGURE FOUR!! Cima endures as Kanemaru puts as much pressure as possible!

Cima grabs at the ref but that does him no good! Kanemaru puts more pressure, Cima comes close but he refuses to quit! Cima drags himself over but Kanemaru pushes up! Cima thinks about it but he still refuses! Cima crawls over, reaches out, but Kanemaru turns him away from ropes! Cima powers through to go back, ROPEBREAK! Fans cheer while the ref helps Kanemaru undo the leglock. Kanemaru drags Cima back up, scoops and SLAMS him into a drop zone, then goes up top! MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO!! Cima survives but Kanemaru gets him back up! BRAINBUSTER!! Cover, TWO!?!

Fans fire up as Cima survives! Kanemaru goes up again, Cima manages to stand, and he manages to dropkick Kanemaru out of the air! Cima hurries to fisherman, PERFECT DRIVER! But the bad leg holds him back from the pin! Fans fire up even more as Cima grits his teeth. Kanemaru crawls to a corner, Cima forces his bad leg to work. Cima runs in, but into a boot! Kanemaru runs in, tilt-o-whirl but Cima denies the DDT! Cima kicks and runs, but Kanemaru uses the ref as a shield! Then Kanemaru dropkicks the legs out! Kanemaru has the leg, and he SMASHES the knee on the mat!

Kanemaru goes to his whiskey, pours some on Cima then takes a swig. But Cima gets up in a fury! He SUPERKICKS the whiskey out of Kanemaru’s mouth! Alabama lift, SCHWEIN!! Cover, TWO!! Kanemaru survives Cima’s take on the Air Raid Crash and fans fire up! Cima sits Kanemaru up, goes up top, and METEORA!! Cover, Cima wins!!

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

The Heel Master tried to take Cima out at the knees, literally, but Cima fought through the pain to make it through this round! Will Cima be able to make it through the quarterfinals the same way?

2022 New Japan Cup Second Round: Kazuchika Okada VS Master Wato!

The Rainmaker had an opening round main event worthy of the Cup with El Desperado. And El Desperado beat the Way of the Grandmaster in their great IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match. Will Okada logically defeat Wato? Or will Wato set fire to the rain and get the biggest win of his life?

The bell rings and fans rally up as these two slowly circle. They tie up, are in a deadlock, but Okada uses his height to get leverage. They end up on ropes, Red Shoes calls for the break, and Wato slips away before Okada can do his usual shoulder pats. They circle again, approach, and Wato shoots around to get a headlock. Wato grinds the hold, Okada powers up to put Wato on ropes. Red Shoes calls for the ropebreak, Wato lets go but slips away again. Wato won’t let Okada play his usual games, and the two circle again. Fans rally up, the two approach again and knuckle lock. Wato shoots around to waistlock again, but Okada pries it open.

Okada wrenches, wristlocks, but Wato spins through to wrench and hammerlock. Wato cranks the hold but Okada reaches back to headlock. Okada grinds Wato now, throws Wato for a takeover, and fights off Wato’s headscissors. Wato keeps his shoulders up, rolls Okada for a cover, ONE! Okada holds onto the headlock but Wato fights up to his feet. Okada cranks on the hold, thrashes Wato around and brings him back to the mat! Wato powers through to get his own headlock, but then Okada headscissors. Okada holds tight as Wato tries to kip free! Okada pushes up to add pressure but Wato endures.

Wato bridges back, hops over, but Okada shifts to get the double wristlock. Wato gets to ropes and Red Shoes calls for the break. Wato turns things around on Okada, and Wato fakes the chop to pat the shoulders! Fans cheer Wato copying Okada. Okada smirks but then comes right at Wato, only for Wato to arm-drag him down! Wato has the armlock, Okada fights up, but Wato whips him to ropes. Wato back elbows, uppercuts and SOBATS! Wato also dropkicks the legs out then basement dropkicks Okada down! Cover, ONE! Fans rally and Wato waits to KICK and KICK Okada from all sides! Cover, TWO!

Wato clamps onto Okada with a chinlock, then shifts to a full nelson. Okada endures, fights to move forward, but Wato works to turn Okada. Okada still reaches out, ROPEBREAK! Wato stomps Okada, CLUBS him on the back, then runs. Okada gets Wato for a FLAPJACK! Fans fire up and Okada stalks Wato as he crawls. Okada stands Wato up, scoops and SLAMS him, then goes to the apron to slingshot senton! Fans rally and Okada stands on Wato. Red Shoes doesn’t consider that a cover, so Okada steps away. Okada looms over Wato as he sits up. Wato chops but there’s not much behind it.

Wato chops again, then CHOPS, but Okada turns him for a NECKBREAKER! Okada puts a chinlock on tight but Wato scrambles to the ROPEBREAK! Red Shoes counts, Okada lets off at 4. Okada paces and fans rally up. Okada kicks Wato, brings him up, but Wato throws body shots. They don’t do much but Okada still knees Wato low. Wato throws forearms now, but Okada withstands those, too. Okada then DECKS Wato with one shot! Okada gets Wato up, whips him to ropes but Wato reverses to dropkick! Fans fire up and Wato gets to the ropes. Wato stands up and KICKS, KICKS and KICKS Okada!

Wato whips Okada to ropes to calf kick him down! Fans rally up more and Wato runs corner to corner, but Okada puts Wato on the apron. Wato shoulders in, springboards, and FLYING UPEPRCUTS! Okada tumbles out of the ring and Wato builds speed! Wato FLIES and direct hit with the tope conjilo! Fans rally up Wato brings Okada up. Wato puts Okada in, goes to the corner and climbs up top. Wato missile dropkicks Okada down! Cover, TWO! Fans rally and Wato gets back up. Wato kicks but Okada ducks the buzzsaw! Wato fights the waistlock with elbows, gets free and runs. Okada prepares to back drop but Wato sunset flips! TWO!

VENDAVAL! Wato pulls on Okada’s arms and head, but Okada reaches out with a leg for the ROPEBREAK! Red Shoes counts, Wato lets off. Wato follows Okada outside and KICKS him! And KICKS! And KICKS! Okada blocks to CLUB the leg and DDT Wato to the floor! Red Shoes checks on Wato but he’s okay to continue. Okada gets up and he puts Wato in the ring. Okada waits on Wato to get up, and then he runs in to SHOTGUN dropkick Wato to the corner! Fans rally up and Okada stands Wato up to wrench and MONEY CLIP! Wato endures, reaches out, but Okada keeps him from the ropes!

Fans rally and Wato kicks and reaches out. But Okada cranks back on the Money Clip! Wato still fights and gets the ROPEBREAK! Okada lets go and fans rally up. Okada drags Wato up, Alabama Lifts, but Wato kicks free to CLUB away on Okada’s back. Okada EuroUppers back! Wato ends up in a corner, Okada runs in, but Wato dodges! Okada hits buckles, Wato turns in but is popped up to the Alabama! Wato fights the tuck, to have a FLOATING VENDAVAL! But Okada powers out, so Wato hits CODE RED! Cover, TWO!! Back to GROUNDED VENDAVAL! Okada endures and fans rally up! Okada reaches out, moves around, but refuses to quit!

Okada powers through to get the ROPEBREAK! Wato lets off cleanly and fans rally up. Wato drags Okada up, wrenches, reels Okada in, but Okada fights the Mouse Trap! Wato throws elbows, but Okada throws elbows back! Okada gets free, but Wato ducks the lariat to waistlock! Okada resists the lift, throws more elbows and is free. But Wato sobats and front kicks, to SUPERKICK! Waistlock and GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!! Okada escapes and fans fire up! Wato hurries to to the corner. Wato climbs up, but Okada gets up to throw a body shot! Okada ROCKET LAUNCHES Wato off the corner!

Fans rally up and Okada drags Wato back up. Wato KICKS, but Okada tanks it! Wato KICKS again, Okada eggs him on. Wato KICKS, and KICKS, but Okada just keeps taking them! Fans rally up and Okada eggs Wato on more. Wato fires elbows and forearms then CHOPS! Wato runs, but into the DROPKICK! Okada drags Wato to a drop zone and then goes up the corner. MACHO ELBOW! Fans fire up for the Rainmaker Pose! Wato slowly gets up, Okada brings him up to ripcord, but Wato gets under! Tilt-o-whirl to a jackknife! TWO!! BUZZSAW! Wato fires up and he gets Okada up to wrench and MOUSE-

NO! Okada gut wrenches free, LANDSLIDE! Okada gets Wato back up, ripcords and RAINMAKERS!! Cover, Okada wins!

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

Wato gets washed away by the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion! It seems it is still too early for the Way of the Grandmaster, but will this loss go a long way to making him stronger?

As for Okada, he gets the mic. “Wato… You’re not there yet. But you’re young, so you have plenty of time. Maybe you’ll get another shot at me in a few years. So please, try to make it more fun for me.” Fans cheer the bit of encouragement Okada just gave, and then he continues. “Thank you all for your hot enthusiasm and support today!” Okada knows he’s up against Taichi next, and vows not to lose that one, either. “The man holding this belt cannot lose now. I’ll keep winning and standing in this spot in front of all of you!”

Fans cheer that sentiment, and Okada says this is just the second round. “Everyone, please keep enjoying this. Don’t take your eyes off of NJPW, the New Japan Cup, or Kazuchika Okada! And I’ll keep making it rain in the New Japan Cup!” The IWGP World Heavyweight Champion continues to promise success, but will he have to be careful of the Holy Emperor?

My Thoughts:

Another great event, but again I did skip non tournament matches. Bullet Club winning all of their warm-ups clearly means a good number of them are losing. Fale is facing Tanahashi next round and Chase is facing Tiger Mask, so Fale & Chase win here because I’m pretty sure The Ace  and Tiger Mask move on. Same thing with the United Empire and LIJ losing. Naito is going to win against Gedo, Great-O-Khan will beat Taiji Ishimori and Ospreay will beat El Phantasmo I did like that Bullet Club’s different parts worked together well, with the only dysfunction being whether they throw the Too Sweet up or down.

The rest of LIJ winning against Suzuki-Gun is to set up Suzuki brutalizing and beating Hiromu, while also keeping Takagi and Sanada even with their coming opponents. Goto of course beats Dick Togo, but I did like that he managed to thwart the screw job. Cima had one hell of a match with Kanemaru, great story and selling on the knee, that might come into play against Goto on Monday as part of round three, the quarterfinals. Okada VS Wato wasn’t one of Wato’s better showings, but I suppose that was the point given it’s Okada, the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Okada naturally moves on, has a closing promo that falls in line with his other ones, and is on to the next round. Okada VS Taichi should be a really good match, but I feel like the earliest Okada loses is the semifinals.

My Score: 8.5/10