6/23 NEW JAPAN CUP – NIGHT 4: Kojima vs. Evil, Takahashi vs. Goto, Chaos vs. L.I.J., Tenzan vs. Yoshi-Hashi

NEW JAPAN CUP – NIGHT 4
JUNE 23, 2020
UNDISCLOSED LOCATION IN JAPAN
AIREDLIVE ON NJPWWORLD.COM

(1) Yoh vs. Bushi – New Japan Cup 2020 First Round Match

WINNER: Bushi by pinfall (MX) in 15:42

(Fann’s Analysis: Despite YOH’s partner SHO’s show stealing performance the night before, it was not meant to be for the other half of Rappongi 3K. BUSHI toyed with the younger man for the final moments with his code-breaker and finally MX as SHO spun his wheels trying to put the junior LIJ member away..)

(2) Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Yoshi-Hashi – New Japan Cup 2020 First Round Match

WINNER: Yoshi-Hashi by submission (Butterfly Lock) in 17:35

(Fann’s Analysis: My good friend Chris Maitland has sung the praises of Yoshi-Hashi far more than I have been comfortable in public spaces, and this match shut me up good. Yoshi-Hashi was great, and the finish – after he fought through the Tenzan Anaconda Vice and kicked out of the Anaconda Buster – was a blitz I didn’t see coming.)

(3) Chaos (Sho & Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii & Kazuchika Okada) vs. L.I.J. (Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi & Sanada & Tetsuya Naito) – Eight-man tag team match

WINNERS: Double Countout of Yano and Takahashi (Hair Shenanigans) in 12:28

(Fann’s Analysis: The story of this entire 8 man was Yano-Hiromu. The latter had been scared to death of their upcoming singles match in the Cup – and the result of double countout directly played into the Yano obsession with getting to said hair. Okada as the stern boss annoyed with his charge not focusing on the task at hand was great. The match itself was quick and forgettable outside of the finish.)

(4) Hirooki Goto vs. Yujiro Takahashi – New Japan Cup 2020 First Round Match

WINNER: Hirooki Goto by pinfall (GTR) in 16:40

(Fann’s Analysis: Goto, despite the cheating effort of Jado and Yujiro acquitted himself well. A little surprised at the amount of time given, but it seems that this year’s tournament has lent far more time to Jado/Gedo related shenanigans than I guessed given the empty arena set up. The winner of the main event awaits Goto, which either way is going to be a hossfight.)

(5) Satoshi Kojima vs. Evil – New Japan Cup 2020 First Round Match

WINNER: Evil by pinfall (Everything Is Evil) in 20:08

(Fann’s Analysis: Evil’s win over Kojima got him into the second round vs. Goto, which should be a good match. This match was hard hitting, brutal and Kojima definitely seemed up for the physicality that Evil wanted to bring. The finishing sequence of Kojima without enough on his lariat to put down his younger opponent, like Tenzan earlier, is a fair reminder of his move down the card.)

Now that the first round is over, the following matches are now set for round two:

• Togi Makabe vs. Tomohiro Ishii
• Toru Yano vs. Hiromu Takahashi
• Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Taiji Ishimori
• Yuji Nagata vs. Kazuchika Okada
• Sho vs. Sanada
• Kota Ibushi vs. Taichi
• Yoshi-Hashi vs. Bushi
• Hirooki Goto vs. Evil

Overall Thoughts (7.0): New Japan Cup Night 4 set the stage for the second round, with chalk wins tonight, compared to the odd upsets of the nights before. Yoshi-Hashi’s matchup with Tenzan was probably the match of the night, followed by the hilarious antics of the 8-man tag, which culminated in Okada cackling like an SNL sketch gone wrong as he sought to return Yano to the ring. Quick, breezy show that held attention for 2 hours and left before you got tired.

Contact Rich at PWTDive@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/rich_fann.

CATCH UP… 6/22 NEW JAPAN CUP – NIGHT 3: Rich Fann’s report on Taichi vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, ZSJ vs. Ibushi, Sho vs. Takagi, Taguchu vs. Sanada