SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NJPW CUP 2024: NIGHT 2 REPORT
MARCH 7, 2024
TOKYO, JAPAN
KORAKUEN HALL
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
Commentators: Chris Charlton, Gino Gambino, Walker Stewart
UNDERCARD RESULTS
(1) BISHAMON & BOLTIN OLEG beat GOD (ELP & Hikuleo & Jado) at 6:50.
Bishamon hit Shota on Jado for the win.
(2) TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr. & Mikey Nicholls) beat TOGI MAKABE & TORU YANO at 7:27.
Nicholls pinned Makabe after a sliding clothesline.
(3) UNITED EMPIRE (Francesco Akira & Callum Newman & Jeff Cobb) beat BULLET CLUB (Kenta & Taiji Ishimori & Gabe Kidd) at 7:07.
Cobb pinned Ishimori with Tour of the Islands.
(4) HOUSE OF TORTURE (Evil & Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Ren Narita & Jack Perry) vs. EL DESPERADO & TOMOAKI HONMA & SHOTA UMINO & YOH at 7:44.
Narita pinned Honma after a shot with a steel bar and then the Double Cross.
(5) L.I.J (Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji & Bushi) beat JUST 5 GUYS (Sanada & Douki & Yuya Uemura & Taichi & Taka Michinoku) at 9:52.
Tsuji pinned Michinoku after hitting the Gene Blaster.
NJPW CUP 2024 FIRST ROUND MATCHES
(6) TOMOHIRO ISHII vs. CHASE OWENS – NJPW Cup 2024 First Round match
Ishii attacked Owens while he was being introduced. The announcers mentioned Owens had been in a car accident before flying to Japan, but he still showed up yesterday to attack Ishii. They traded counters and Ishii eventually hit a suplex.
They went up top and Ishii hit a stalling superplex. A short time later, Ishii blocked a V Trigger and hit a folding powerbomb for a near fall. Ishii shook off a C Trigger against the ropes and connected with a headbutt. He went off the ropes and Owens caught him with a C Trigger. He then hit another C Triggger for the win.
Owens then hit a Styles Clash for another near all! WOW! Owens had Ishii on the ropes, but Ishii blocked a package piledriver. After some back and forth action, Owen’s finally caught with the package piledriver for the win.
WINNER: Chase Owens at 16:20 to advance to the quarter final round of the NJPW Cup 2024. (***1/2)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was a solid match. It was a little slow to get going, but the finishing stretch with Ishii’s fighting spirit showcased was well received by the fans.)
(7) TANGA LOA (w/Jado) vs. GREAT-O-KHAN (w/ Jeff Cobb) – NJPW Cup 2024 First Round match
The winner will face the winner of David Finlay vs. TJP. They went to the floor early and O-Khan whipped Loa into the guardrail and his momentum took him over the top. O-Khan ended up slamming the barricade into Loa several times.
O-Khan dominated the action and he eventually took down Loa in a cobra clutch variation. He went to bounce off the ropes, it Loa nailed him with a huge lariat and hit Eat S—-t for a near fall. O-Khan fired back and spiked Loa with a tombstone for a good near fall. O-Khan set up for the Sheep Killer but Loa countered and hit a spear. He then finished off O-Khan with the Kamigoye.
WINNER: Tanga Loa at 15:50 to advance to the quarter final round of the NJPW Cup 2024. (***1/4)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was about on the high end of what I was expecting from these two.)
(8) TJP (w/Francesco Akira) vs. DAVID FINLAY (w/ Gedo) – NJPW Cup 2024 First Round match
TJP drop kicked Finlay through the ropes as he made his entrance. He then hit a big splash off the top inside the ring. The fans fired up as TJP continued the onslaught on Finlay. Finlay finally got him off on the floor and tossed him into the ring post to stop his momentum.
Finlay worked over TJP and bragged to the crowd. TJP eventually caught him with a slick cradle into an arm breaker to regain the upper hand. He then hit Finlay with a Cactus Clothesline and they both spilled to the floor. They went at it in the apron and TJP snapped Finlay’s surgically repaired shoulder over the top rope.
TJP charged at Finlay, but ended up taking an Irish Curse backbreaker. Finlay caught TJP and hit a Dominator for a near fall. TJP continued to target Finaly’s arm, but Finlay caught him with Oblivion out of nowhere. Finlay was only able to prop himself on top of TJP for a light cover and TJP kicked out at the last second.
Finlay went for a powerbomb a short time later; but TJO turned it into a DDT. Gedo slid the shillelagh into the ring and distracted the ref. Finlay tried to use it, but TJP transformed into The Aswag and spit mist into his face. He then nailed Finlay with a running knee to the back of the head. He made the cover, but Finlay kicked out at the last second.
TJP drop kicked Gedo off the apron. He hit the Mamba Solash for a two count. He then grabbed the Pinoy Stretch. Finlay struggled, but finally got to the ropes. Finlay blocked a tornado DDT and suplexed TJP into the corner. Finlay then hit Overkill for the win a short time later.
WINNER: David Finlay at 16:17 to advance to the quarterfinal round of the NJPW Cup. (****)
(Radican’s Analysis: There has been too much HOT/Bullet Club style matches so far during the first two nights of the tournament. This match was really good, but it would be nice to see more diversity in terms of how heels are presented.
TJP wrestled a great match here and had a sound strategy. This match was really well put together and had good psychology with TJP going after Finlay’s injured shoulder throughout the match only to fall short in the end.)
Finlay cut a promo after the match. He said last year he made it to the finals, but this year he would win the whole thing. Finlay told Naito to listen and he said he was going to smash him into 1,000 pieces and take his world championship. He then said he was going to go after Nic Nemeth.
Gedo then repeated what he said in Japanese. He then switched to English and said the world needs a rebel.
Contact Sean at pwtorchsean@gmail.com
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