Results:
- Tatsuya Matsumoto over Taisei Nakahara in 7:40 (Recommended)
- Chase Owens & Yujiro over Shota Umino & Masatora Yasuda in 8:37
- Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano over El Phantasmo & Jado in 9:09
- OSKAR, Drilla Moloney, Shingo Takagi & Daiki Nagai over Callum Newman, Jake Lee, HENARE & Zane Jay in 11:55 (Recommended)
- Taichi, Master Wato & Tomoaki Honma over Ren Narita, DOUKI & Dick Togo in 11:19
- Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa, Robbie Eagles, Kosei Fujita & Hartley Jackson over Yota Tsuji, Yuto-Ice, Robbie X, Taiji Ishimori & Gedo in 9:03
- New Japan Cup – First Round: Don Fale over Aaron Wolf in 8:46
- New Japan Cup – First Round: Yuya Uemura over Great O-Khan in 22:06 (Recommended)
Don Fale is going to the second round of the New Japan Cup after Aaron Wolf was pinned for the second time in three weeks.
The New Japan Cup kicked off at Korakuen Hall with two opening round matches featuring Fale and Yuya Uemura advancing.
The focus was on Olympic gold medalist Aaron Wolf, who debuted at Wrestle Kingdom 20 and assisted NJPW in the show airing on TV-Asahi for the first time in 2004. Wolf has a strong debut due to the role EVIL played in the layout of their NEVER Openweight Championship match. One month later, Wolf lost the title to Ren Narita at New Beginning in Osaka in his first pro loss.
The question was how he would be booked in the New Japan Cup, where, inevitably, he would have to lose again. NJPW opted to book a similar scenario as Osaka, where the numbers disadvantage from the House of Torture led to Wolf’s defeat. It was 7-on-1 at points until Toru Yano was the lone New Japan roster member to try and help. Wolf continually fought off the House of Torture, struck Fale with a table, and Angle Slam but the referee was yanked to the floor. Ren Narita entered using a belt shot to Wolf, and a Grenade finished off the Olympic standout.
It’s a tricky balancing act NJPW is attempting with Wolf, who was received like a superstar at the Tokyo Dome and is a rare crossover celebrity for the promotion.
The show was headlined by Yuya Uemura defeating Great O-Khan in a twenty-two-minute match. The audience rallied behind Uemura, who sold for most of the match. He countered the Imperial Claw and attempted the Deadbolt unsuccessfully. Uemura kicked out from a TTD (Tenzan Tombstone Driver) and brought the crowd up to another level. He blocked the Elimination, landed the Deadbolt without bridging, and won the match using Aces High as a nod to the retired Hiroshi Tanahashi.
Uemura will meet Drilla Moloney in the second round on March 10, and Don Fale faces Shingo Takagi on the same show.
Wednesday’s show in front of 1,136 was also highlighted by an excellent eight-man tag involving OSKAR of the Knockout Bros. teaming with Shingo Takagi, Drilla Moloney & Daiki Nagai against the United Empire. It was an excellent showcase for OSKAR and teeing up his opening round match with Callum Newman on Friday.
25-year-old Taisei Nakahara had his pro debut, submitting to Tatsuya Matsumoto. The latter secured the first singles win of his career.
The New Japan Cup continues with two more matches on Thursday, and another two on Friday at NJPW’s 54th Anniversary event.
New Japan Cup – Thursday, March 5:
- New Japan Cup – First Round: Oleg Boltin vs. El Phantasmo
- New Japan Cup – First Round: Taichi vs. Ren Narita
