Only the mighty survive!

Shota Umino or Zack Sabre Jr, Hirooki Goto or Callum Newman, who makes it into the New Japan Cup Semifinals?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Six Man Tag: Taichi, Satoshi Kojima & Masatora Yasuda VS House of Torture; House of Torture wins.
• Six Man Tag: Aaron Wolf, Toru Yano & Tatsuya Matsumoto VS House of Torture; House of Torture wins.
• OSKAR & Yuto-Ice VS Hartley Jackson & Ryohei Oiwa; Oskar & Yuto win.
• 10 Man Tag: The Unbound Company VS The United Empire; The United Empire wins.
• Yuya Uemura & Tomoaki Honma VS Boltin Oleg & YOSHI-HASHI; Oleg & Hashi win.
• 2026 New Japan Cup Quarterfinals: Hirooki Goto VS Callum Newman; Callum wins and advances.
• 2026 New Japan Cup Quarterfinals: Shota Umino VS Zack Sabre Jr; Shota wins and advances.

PLAY BY PLAY

2026 New Japan Cup Quarterfinals: Hirooki Goto VS Callum Newman!

The Fierce Warrior overcame the Silent Jester while the Prince of Pace has been slaying giants. Only one can make it into the semifinals, but will Callum make Goto kiss the crown? Or will the Goto Revolution overthrow the United Empire?

The bell rings and the fans rally up for “GO-TO-O! GO-TO-O!” Callum mockingly claps along as he and Goto circle. They tie up collar ‘n’ elbow, are in a deadlock, but Goto manages to power Callum back. The ref counts, Goto lets off cleanly, and the fans applaud. The two reset, tie up again, and are in another deadlock. Goto powers Callum back a step, but then Callum powers Goto to the ropes. The ref counts, Callum lets off slowly, and he pats Goto on the shoulders. But then he CHOPS! Callum eggs Goto on, so Goto fires a forearm! They go back and forth, shot for shot, then Goto headlocks. Callum powers up and out, but Goto RUNS Callum over!

The fans applaud while Callum sits up. Goto stomps Callum, CLUBS him, then whips him to ropes. Callum reverses, then he trips Goto up to KNEE him in the side! Goto writhes and flounders out of the ring! The fans rally for Goto while the ref checks him. Callum counts for himself and says it’s 5 of 20. Callum goes out to fetch Goto, and whip him hard into the railing! Goto slumps down, but Callum stands him up to KNEE him in the head! Then Callum whips Goto hard into even more railing! Goto flops down in front of commentary. Callum rolls into the ring and lounges while an actual ring count begins.

The fans rally for Goto while he stirs, but the count actually hits 5 of 20. Then it climbs to 10 before Goto stands. Goto rolls in at 13 but Callum stomps him down. Callum sits Goto up to KICK him in the back. Callum drags Goto up to clinch and RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! Then GROUND OCTOPUS! Goto endures, fights around, but Callum pulls on the arm! Goto still fights around, still reaches out, and still makes the ROPEBREAK! The fans applaud but Callum holds on. The ref counts, and Callum lets go at 4. Callum scuffs Goto, then brings him up. Callum KICKS Goto down, then eggs him on. The fans rally but Callum mocks Goto’s power-up stance!

Callum aims and BUZZ- NO! Goto blocks the kick! Goto CLUBS the leg, Callum ROCKS Goto! Callum runs, but Goto follows to LARIAT! The fans cheer while both men are down. Goto drags Callum up, fires forearms, then whips corner to corner. Goto runs and MURAMASA! Then SAIDO! Cover, TWO! Callum survives but the fans rally behind Goto. Goto drags Callum up, fireman’s carries, but Callum fights free with elbows! Goto ROCKS Callum, but Callum comes back to ROCK Goto! Goto ROCKS Callum again! Callum ROCKS Goto again! Goto shakes his head, and eggs Callum on, so Callum ROCKS him again! And again!

Goto puts his hands back! The fans cheer as Goto dares Callum to go again. Callum winds up, but he BOOTS Goto down instead! Callum mockingly puts his hands back, daring Goto to hit back. Goto rises while Callum taunts him. Goto still puts his arms back! Callum ROCKS Goto again and again, then SPITS on him before he fires more shots! Goto DECKS Callum right back! The fans fire up as Goto stalks Callum to the ropes. Goto drags Callum up, fireman’s carries, but Callum powers out! Callum DROPKICKS in the corner, then hooks the leg! FIREBOLT! Cover, TWO! Goto survives and the fans fire up again!

Callum wobbles but he makes it to the corner. Callum storms over to Goto, underhooks, but Goto fights the Prince’s Curse! Callum KNEES Goto, CHOPS him, then dodges the lariat! Callum BOOTS Goto, Goto stays up, so Callum runs again! Goto blocks the boot, but Callum ROCKS him! Callum runs once more, but into a fireman’s carry! USHIGOROSHI! The fans fire up while both men are down! Goto rises up, and now he powers up! The fans cheer as Goto aims, BUZZSAW! Callum sputters, Goto drags him up, and dragon sleeper! Clalum fights but Goto grabs that arm! Callum spins through and RAMS Goto into the corner!

Callum RAMS again and again, but Goto powers Callum back! Goto fires KNEE after KNEE into Callum’s chest! The Goto fires HEADBUTT after HEADBUTT! The fans fire up with Goto as he waits on Callum. BUZZSAW again! Goto then hauls Callum up, fireman’s carries, and G T W! Cover, TWO!! Callum survives but the fans fire up again! Goto dragon sleepers Callum, but Callum spins through! Callum suplexes, INTO OBLIVION!! Callum keeps copying the Savage King even now! The fans rally while both men are down! Callum crawls to the ropes, then the corner. Callum runs up on Goto, EXCALIBUR!! Cover, TWO?!? The fans fire up as Goto survives!

Callum is frustrated, but he crawls to the ropes. Goto rises up at center, but Callum runs up again! Goto dodges Excalibur this time! But then Callum dodges the lariat! SUPERKICK! Goto swings again, but Callum dodges! Then he uses the ref as a shield! Goto moves the ref aside, but Callum LOW BLOWS! Then  POINT-BLANK LARIAT! Callum hurries to get Goto back up, PRINCE’S CURSE!! Cover, CALLUM WINS!!

Winner: Callum Newman, by pinfall (advances to the semifinals)

The Prince has stopped two giants and a revolution, and now he’s one of the Final Four! Is nothing going to stop Callum from taking the Cup?

2026 New Japan Cup Quarterfinals: Shota Umino VS Zack Sabre Jr!

The Roughneck has overcome the House of Torture two rounds in a row, even with all their cheating. Meanwhile, The Front Man overcame his own Mighty protege, Ryohei Oiwa. These two have battled it out before, but who wins again to be one step closer to the Cup?

The bell rings and the two run up! Shota sunset flips but ZSJ sits on it, ONE! Shota has it, ONE! ZSJ has it, ONE! They go again and again, ZSJ high stacks, ONE, then Shota sunset flips, ONE but ZSJ sits on it! ONE, Shota has the ghost pin, TWO!! The fans fire up for that fast ‘n’ furious exchange but ZSJ is already annoyed. ZSJ and Shota reset and circle each other. They feel things out, then clinch. Shota waistlocks but ZSJ wrenches to a knuckle lock. ZSJ pushes the wristlock, but Shota rolls, slips through and wrenches back to top wristlock. The fans rally, ZSJ headscissors, and ZSJ holds on tight.

Shota fights around, ZSJ digs his elbows into him, but Shota pops free. Shota floats to a headlock, but ZSJ headscissors again! Shota kips free, the two stand up, and the fans cheer again. ZSJ and Shota reset again, then knuckle lock. ZSJ RAMS Shota, whips him to a corner, but Shota reverses. ZSJ goes up, comes back, but into an arm-drag! Shota armlocks but ZSJ headscissors! The fans applaud while Shota works on the escape. Shota moves around, pops free again, but he backs off so he can run up and basement DROPKICK! ZSJ stumbles away but Shota stomps him into the corner. Shota digs his boot in, but he stops as the ref counts 4.

The fans rally as ZSJ stands, and Shota CLUBS him on the neck. Shota follows ZSJ to ropes, clamps on a cravat and pushes on the neck wrench. Shota avoids the swim move, but ZSJ rolls to throw Shota down. Shota still holds the cravat! ZSJ scoops but Shota snapmares through! The fans applaud the exchange while ZSJ endures. ZSJ fights up, Shota snapmares him down, but ZSJ bridges up to snapmare! But Shota drags ZSJ into the victory roll, TWO! ZSJ has Shota caught for the NECK TWIST! The fans applaud again while Shota writhes. ZSJ storms over to Shota at the ropes, then chinbars him into a straitjacket stretch! Shota endures even as ZSJ bends him back!

The fans rally as ZSJ thrashes Shota, but Shota reaches out with his foot, ROPEBREAK! The fans applaud while ZSJ lets Shota go. ZSJ drags Shota up, UPPERCUTS him, then follows him around. ZSJ UPPERCUTS Shota again, then UPPERCUTS again! ZSJ shoves and RAMS Shota down low! ZSJ follows Shota along the ropes, then snapmares Shota into a headscissors squeeze. Shota endures, fights around, but ZSJ traps an arm! The fans rally as Shota reaches out, but ZSJ grabs the other arm! ZSJ shifts into a TRIANGLE HOLD! Shota kicks and kicks and has the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer and ZSJ lets Shota go.

ZSJ taunts Shota that there are levels to this, then scuffs him. ZSJ kicks Shota around but Shota gets up. Shota gets in ZSJ’s face, then CHOPS! The fans cheer while ZSJ walks that off. Shota CHOPS him again, then ROCKS ZSJ! ZSJ CHOPS, then he UPPERCUTS the arm! ZSJ cravats for the neck wrench, but Shota powers through to a facelock. ZSJ fights the suplex but Shota powers through. ZSJ still fights it, and has a GUILLOTINE FACELOCK! ZSJ squeezes tight but the fans rally as Shota endures. Shota powers up to suplex through! The fans cheer while both men are down! Shota fires up and the fans cheer as he stands.

Shota stalks ZSJ to the corner, then ROCKS him! And CHOPS him! Shota ROCKS and CHOPS ZSJ as the fans cheer him on. ZSJ sputters as he drops down, but Shota brings him back up. Shota whips but ZSJ blocks, so Shota ROCKS him and CHOPS, CHOPS, CHOPS! Shota whips ZSJ corner to corner hard, then runs up to UPPERCUT! And FISHERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Not quite perfect but the fans still applaud. Shota drags ZSJ, reels him in, but ZSJ fights the lift. ZSJ rolls, traps an arm, and TWEAKS it! Shota staggers away, ZSJ runs up, but Shota drop toeholds him onto the ropes! Shota then slingshots, but ZSJ dodges the DDT!

ZSJ takes a swing but Shota dodges. Shota takes a swing, but into a HANGING ARMBAR! The ref counts, ZSJ lets go of the arm, and Shota falls to the apron. Shota clutches his elbow while the fans rally up. ZSJ drags Shota back in, then bends the fingers! The ref reprimands, Shota is still partially in the ropes. But ZSJ isolates the arm and STOMPS it! Shota scrambles away, stumbling into the railing in front of commentary. Shota slumps down, clutching that arm, while the fans cheer ZSJ. The ring count starts but ZSJ waits on Shota. Shota is still down at 5 of 20, sits up at 10, and crawls his way over at 12. Shota rolls in at 13 and the fans applaud.

ZSJ clamps onto Shota’s arm, then ties up the legs! Shota endures as ZSJ drags him around to keep him from the ropes! ZSJ then traps the legs and pulls on an arm in a modified Bow ‘n’ Arrow! The fans rally as Shota endures, but ZSJ shifts to an ARMBAR, only for Shota to get the ROPEBREAK! ZSJ lets go in frustration while the fans applaud. ZSJ eggs Shota on with kicks and taunts, but Shota sits up with fire in his eyes. ZSJ kicks Shota again and again, then whips him, only for Shota to reverse and TORNADO DDT! The fans fire up while ZSJ flounders around. ZSJ ends up on the ropes, Shota slingshots to DDT to the apron!

The fans fire up while Shota shakes out the arm and takes a lap around the ring. The ring count starts, but Shota fetches ZSJ at 5 of 20. Shota brings ZSJ around to then put on the railing, DRAPING DDT to the floor! The fans cheer again while ZSJ writhes. The ref stops the count to reprimands Shota and tell him to get this in the ring. Shota puts ZSJ in, the fans applaud, and Shota stands ZSJ up. Shota lifts ZSJ for a POWERBOMB! High stack, TWO! ZSJ survives and the fans fire up again. Shota aims from a corner, runs up on ZSJ, but ZSJ ducks the Strike Knee! And he catches the arm into a TRIANGLE HOLD!

ZSJ fires elbows into Shota, then shifts for the REVERSE ARMBAR! Then the DISARMER! Shota endures as ZSJ pulls on the arm! The fans rally as Shota reaches out, but ZSJ shifts into RINGS OF SATURN! Shota kicks his way around, but ZSJ slips around to the other side, only for Shota to reach the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer while ZSJ lets go again. Shota shakes out the arm, but ZSJ kicks at him. ZSJ stands as he kicks Shota and eggs him on. Shota scowls as ZSJ kicks him again and again. ZSJ KICKS but Shota stands up! Shota UPPERCUTS ZSJ! ZSJ shakes that off to UPPERCUT back! Shota grits his teeth and shakes his head!

The fans rally as Shota comes back to UPPERCUT! ZSJ wobbles but he comes back to UPPERCUT again! Shota wobbles but ZSJ UPPERCUTS him again! And again! And again! Shota catches one to hook the arms, but ZSJ fights free to UPPERCUT again and again! Shota goes to a corner, ZSJ runs in, but Shota dodges! BLINDSIDE KNEE STRIKE! Shota then goes corner to corner, BLINDSIDE STRIKE KNEE! ZSJ tumbles away and the fans fire up! Shota runs in, STRIKE KNEE!! The fans fire up again as Shota drags ZSJ up, hooks the leg, and SECOND- NO! ZSJ fights free, and has the arm for the FUJIWARA ARMBAR!

Shota endures but ZSJ shifts to hammerlock the other arm! Shota fights off Clarky Cat but ZSJ CLUBS him on the back! ZSJ pushes on the arm, and he PULLS on it! Shota endures, fights with his legs, but ZSJ grabs that leg! Shota rolls with ZSJ but ZSJ still holds onto the arms! Shota endures, but ZSJ shifts to PULL that arm again! The fans rally harder and harder, and Shota rolls towards the pressure. ZSJ has the TRIANGLE HOLD, but Shota has the ROPEBREAK! ZSJ again lets go in frustration but the fans cheer. The fans rally up as ZSJ pats Shota on the cheek, somewhat mocking him with encouragement.

Both men rise, and ZSJ stands to KICK Shota! Shota grits his teeth, sits back up, but ZSJ KICKS him again! The fans rally harder while ZSJ waits on Shota. Shota shakes his head, sits back up, but ZSJ KICKS! ZSJ runs, but into a scoop! MICHINOKU DRIVER! Shota snatches ZSJ’s favorite move, but both men are down! The fans fire up as Shota roars, and Shota rises back to his feet. ZSJ sits up, Shota runs, but ZSJ BOOTS him first! Shota just rebounds to LARIAT! ZSJ stays standing, and he rebounds to BOOT- Shota blocks! Shota ROCKS ZSJ, then runs! But ZSJ BOOTS the lariat! Shota tries again but ZSJ catches the arm to PELE! Shota LARIATS with the SOUTHPAW! Cover, TWO!!

The fans fire up with Shota and he runs again, but into another BOOT! ZACK DRIVER! Cover, TWO!! Shota survives and the fans fire up again! ZSJ and Shota stir while the fans rally back up. ZSJ goes to a corner, tells Shota, “Wakey wakey.” ZSJ eggs Shota on to get up, then runs up to KICK! Shota blocks again! Shota stands, ZSJ fires SLAP after SLAP, but Shota just winds up to SLAP back! Shota fires more shots, but ZSJ SMACKS him down! The fans fire up while ZSJ brings Shota up. SABRE- NO, Shota slips free, O’Conner Rolls, AND BRIDGE! TWO, and ZSJ has the REAR NAKED, then goes right to the ARMBAR, but Shota stacks! TWO!!

Both men stand, ZSJ hits a JUMPING TRIANGLE, but Shota makes it a JACKKNIFE BRIDGE! TWO, and PENALTY KICK! Shota is up, but ZSJ LARIATS FIRST!! The fans are thunderous as ZSJ roars! ZSJ hauls Shota up, SABRE- DDT COUNTER!! Shota turns things back around on ZSJ and the fans fire up again! Shota goes to ropes, throws off his elbow pads, and he builds speed for the ROUGHNECK LARIAT!! Cover, TWO?!?! ZSJ survives, but he stumbles all around! Shota roars, then he brings ZSJ in, SECOND CHAPTER!! Cover, SHOTA WINS!!

Winner: Shota Umino, by pinfall (advances to the semifinals)

The Mighty Don’t Kneel, but they do fall! ZSJ won’t get a shot at his third New Japan Cup this year, will he have to fight that much harder next time?

As for Shota, he takes the mic to say, “Everyone here and watching on NJPW World, thank you for supporting us!” The fans applaud, and Shota continues by saying he believes his greatest strength and asset is his “stubborn refusal to give up until the very end.” The fans applaud that, too. Shota says he is driven by a desire to overcome this frustration, he will conquer the New Japan Cup. He’ll keep going for that reason alone! The fans also cheer that, and Shota thanks them all again for their passionate support.

Shota says in conclusion, there will be difficult times, but he hopes everyone can gain energy and vitality from watching pro-wrestling. Let’s all have fun, do our best, and enjoy pro-wrestling! The fans cheer as the Roughneck rolls on, but will he be able to survive the semifinals?

My Thoughts:

Another great night for the New Japan Cup, but I feel like the crowd was nowhere near as hot as they should’ve been. Though, hard to say if Goto VS Callum lived up to expectations. The fans also took a second to warm up to Shota VS ZSJ, but they were able to turn up the heat by the end. NJPW is really going with some young, fresh faces for this year’s semifinals with Callum and Shota winning, joining Boltin Oleg and Yuya Uemura. As I said last time, it feels like Yuya and Shota will face off in the finals, not just fighting for the Cup and the title shot that comes with it, but also for the position of Hontai’s next leader, the New Ace of NJPW.

My Score: 8.9/10