New Japan kicked off the 2023 New Japan Cup today, the annual March singles tournament that leads into their major April event. The tournament is for heavyweights and is a single-elimination bracket format and awards an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship shot to the eventual winner. Zack Sabre Jr. is the defending winner.
Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese and English.
The announced paid attendance was 1371, a legit advance sellout.
Match 1: Kosei Fujita & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Ryohei Oiwa & Tama Tonga. Fujita beat Oiwa with an armbar.
Match 2: Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi, Ren Narita & Shota Umino beat Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL. Wato beat Togo with Vendeval.
Match 3: Gedo, Chase Owens & KENTA beat Yuto Nakashima, El Desperado & Minoru Suzuki. Owens pinned Nakashima after a package piledriver.
Match 4: BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi beat Lio Rush, Yoh & Toru Yano. Takagi pinned Yano.
Match 5: YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto beat Tomoaki Honma, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Onada. Ishii pinned Honma after a vertical drop brainbuster.
Match 6: New Japan Cup Round 1: Tetsuya Naito beat El Phantasmo. As a result, Naito advances to Round 2 and will face Chase Owens.
Main Event: New Japan Cup Round 1: SANADA beat Taichi. As a result, SANADA advances to Round 2 and will face KENTA. This potentially could setup an LIJ Quarterfinal.
The next event is the New Japan Pro Wrestling 51st Anniversary Event tomorrow at Ota City General Gym in Tokyo. The Cup will continue with 2 more Round 1 matches as part of the event. Live streaming on New Japan World (and maybe ABEMA in Japan) will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET, and even better this event will be available live and on demand FOR FREE! Also of note-Wednesday will be the special Antonio Inoki Farewell Event for fans at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo beginning at 11 AM JST (Tuesday at 6 PM PT/9 PM ET).
