NJPW NEW JAPAN CUP 2025 – NIGHT 6 RESULTS (3/15): Lansdell’s report and analysis on Goto vs Nagata, ZSJ vs Taichi, Umino vs Cobb, more

NJPW NEW JAPAN CUP 2025 NIGHT 6
MARCH 15, 2025
DOLPHINS ARENA
AICHI, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD

From the home city of Kazuchika Okada and Ryohei Oiwa, we have reached the Elite Eight of the New Japan Cup 2025. Walker Stewart had company at the commentary table tonight with Chris Charlton joining him.

(1) YOSHI-HASHI & TOMOHIRO ISHII vs. TMDK (Ryohei Oiwa & Hartley Jackson)

Oiwa getting to come out first in his home prefecture must have been a good feeling. The Oiwa-Ishii interaction was definitely the most interesting prospect coming into this match, but it was the showcase that Jackson got against Ishii that opened my eyes. He had been largely there to take pins all through the tour, and he did so here after an Ishii brainbuster, but he looked good in the process. Well, as good as you can look in a five-minute match.

WINNERS: Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi via pinfall in 5:00. (**)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: It was a five-minute match to open the show, with no real storylines coming in. There was some talk of Oiwa wanting a Never Openweight title match against Takeshita, or a Strong title match against Kidd, and Ishii has a match against Kidd in April in Chicago. Aside from that, just a match to open the palette. )

(2) UNITED EMPIRE (Great-O-Khan & Jacob Austin Young & Callum Newman & TJP) vs. TORU YANO & HIROSHI TANAHASHI & BOLTIN OLEG & EL PHANTASMO

I know there were eight people to introduce, including two with very long introductions, but it took over six and a half minutes from the time the entrance themes started for the bell to ring. And Shota Umino wasn’t even in the match!

To be fair, the match was high-octane once it got going. Everyone got a little shine, and in the end TJP picked up a surprise pin over the TV champion ELP with a huracanrana and clutch.

WINNERS: United Empire via pinfall in 6:00. (**1/2)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Putting aside the fact that the entrances lasted longer than the match, this was a lot to jam into a short stretch. TJP pinning ELP is clearly going to lead to a title shot, and that match will be very entertaining. Sadly one of them has to lose, because I want them both to be champions. TJP has worked really hard for NJPW but tends to get overlooked as a contributor.)

(3) GABE KIDD & SANADA & CHASE OWENS vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita & Sho & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

I know this might shock you, but this was a brawl as soon as the War Dogs started their entrance. The surprising part is that Sanada actually made contact with a member of House of Torture, seeming to put a sleeper on Sho on the outside in the pre-bell brawl.

Once again we had no finish in this match, as it ended in another countout. Sanada was barely on camera, and was seen disappearing up the entranceway after the bell while everyone else continued to brawl.

WINNERS: Double countout at 3:00. (DUD)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: This feud is clearly leading to a cage match or something similar that takes countouts and DQs out of the equation. It’s a feud that needs that sort of thing, but I think we have done enough to build to it now. The continued clustermucks aren’t helping anything, and have become even more frustrating than the usual HoT Shenanigans (TM). I did not think that would be possible.)

(4) EVIL & DICK TOGO & YUJIRO TAKAHASHI vs. YOTA TSUJI & TETSUYA NAITO & BUSHI

It’s becoming more and more clear that they’re trying to ease us into accepting someone other than Naito as the head of LIJ. Again tonight he was not the last man out, with Tsuji taking the honour. He also had some nice new gold tights for the night.

I fully expected the War Dogs to run in during this match and cause another non-finish, but restraint was exercised and Tsuji pinned Togo after Gene Blasting him out of his boots.

WINNERS: LIJ via pinfall in 7:00. (**)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Evil tried to get a sneak attack on Tsuji after the bell, which failed. It would seem likely that Evil is getting a Global title match, having beaten Tsuji in the Cup. If the rest of this card unfolds as I expect it to, I think the War Dogs are likely to cost Evil that match. Will that be the final piece of kindling on the pyre that leads to the blow-off of the feud? We can only hope.)

(5) SHINGO TAKAGI vs. DRILLA MOLONEY – New Japan Cup Quarter-Final

Neither man had much patience here as they jumped into it right at the bell. Shingo pounded Moloney in the corner, with the crowd being electric right from the start. Moloney countered a clothesline with a boot, then they started running into each other. An exchange of elbow strikes followed, with Moloney hitting a dropkick at the end only for Shingo to pop up into a shoulder tackle to take control. Shingo went for a powerbomb, Moloney escaped out the back and then hit a spinebuster to slow the action down.

Moloney hit a series of strikes, a snap mare, and a kick to the spine. He whipped Shingo to a corner and hit a head kick for a two-count. He went for the Drilla Killa but Shingo blocked and countered with a back body drop. Shingo followed up with a shoulder tackle, body slam, and senton for a two-count. It was almost Shingo Time, but Moloney tried to cut him short with a Booker T-style head kick. Shingo knew it was coming, ducked under it, and hit a strike combo ending with a left-arm lariat at the five-minute mark. THEN it was Shingo Time. He missed a sliding lariat , and after a series of escapes Moloney connected with a brainbuster and a spear for a near fall.

Both men went to the apron. Shingo lifted Moloney for a Death Valley driver, but Moloney escaped and went for a piledriver. Shingo escaped that, swept out Moloney’s legs, and connected with that Death Valley driver on the floor. He rolled Moloney back into the ring and measured him for a corner clothesline…connected! He went for another lariat, Moloney kicked his arm and hit Made in Japan! 1…2…no! Shingo escaped another Drilla Killa attempt and hit noshigami to leave both men down.

Shingo laid in a succession of left and right elbow strikes. Moloney came back with a head kick, then Shingo hit a lariat. Shingo went for Last of the Dragon, Moloney reversed into a Drilla Killa attempt, but Shingo again escaped into a sliding lariat at the ten-minute mark. Moloney lifted Shingo for a Last of the Dragon, Shingo countered it and hit Last of the Dragon himself, then took Moloney’s head off with a lariat for a very near fall. Burning Dragon…connected! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Shingo Takagi via pinfall in 11:00. (***1/2) Shingo will face either Shota Umino or Jeff Cobb in the semifinals.

(Lansdell’s Analysis: It was hard-hitting and fun, though not as good as their last match in my opinion. Moloney needs to find another string to his bow, because building every match around Drilla Killa attempts will not be viable in the long run. Shingo winning here, and his status as the perennial bridesmaid, tells me that either Cobb or Umino is going to the finals. Moloney had a strong showing for his first real test as a heavyweight, and with the right follow-up he could do good things in the division.)

(6) SHOTA UMINO vs. JEFF COBB – New Japan Cup Quarter-Final

Umino did not look depressed for his entrance tonight, a big improvement. This is still early days for the new gimmick, so some adjustment is to be expected. This was a first-time singles match for these two. Cobb in his backstage comments last night called out the real Shota Umino, not Naito or Tanahashi or Okada.

After the initial lockup ended up in the ropes, Umino hit a flurry of strikes and ran into Cobb multiple times without success. Cobb eventually had had enough and knocked Umino down hard with a shoulder. Cobb trash-talked Umino and hit a headbutt, but then ran into a dropkick. Umino went for an ill-advised suplex, which Cobb reversed into a vertical suplex throw of his own. Cobb clubbed Umino in the back, then hit a pumphandle overhead suplex for a two-count. Cobb stood on Umino’s back and assumed the surfer pose, which is the sort of hubris that never backfires ever in pro wrestling. Umino came back with a dropkick to the shins and a neckbreaker, then charged Cobb in the corner and hit an elbow. Umino went to the legs again with a dropkick, and applied an STF. Cobb got to the ropes at the five-minute mark.

Umino went for a powerbomb, but Cobb dropped his hips to block. He tried to counter with a back body drop, but Umino held on and tried to roll him up. They got to their feet and traded strikes, Cobb ducking an enzuigiri and hitting a superkick before a release blue thunder drop and a massive senton left Umino gasping. Umino got a foot up into a charging Cobb, but then ran into a Spin Cycle. Cobb tried to whip Umino into the ropes but instead ate a tornado DDT that left both men down.

Cobb countered the half-tiger suplex into a slam, dropped a sickle clothesline on him, but missed the standing moonsault. Umino fired up and ran right into a dropkick. F-5000 from Cobb! 1…2…no! Cobb scooped up Umino for a slam, but it was reversed into a small package for a near fall. Off the kickout, Cobb turned Umino inside out with a lariat. Tour of the Islands…Umino escaped and hit the half-tiger suplex! Umino dragged himself to his feet and measured Cobb…lariat connected! 1…2…Cobb kicked out with authority! Somehow, we have only had ten minutes of this match! Umino measured Cobb and connected with a busaiku knee. Second Chapter…connected! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Shota Umino via pinfall in 10:00. (***3/4) . Umino will face Shingo in the semifinals.

(Lansdell’s Analysis: The result was predictable I’m afraid, but there was a small voice telling me that Cobb might get the win to keep that rumour mill turning. This was one of Umino’s better efforts, and the personality is starting to solidify, but I would have expected both the quarter-finals we’ve had so far to go longer than ten minutes each. I really hope this doesn’t mean I have to watch Nagata try to wrestle for half an hour later…)

(7) YUUYA UEMURA vs. DAVID FINLAY – New Japan Cup Quarter-Final

I wish I didn’t think this match would end with interference. Finlay was a popular pick coming into the Cup to win it and beat Goto for the title, but with everything happening with House of Torture I just can’t shake the thought that this will end with HoT Shenanigans (TM).

Of all the matches in the quarter-finals, this one had the least history behind it. Oiwa came out firing with a trio of deep armdrags into an armbar. He continued to work on the arm, hitting a basement dropkick to the shoulder and covering for a one-count. Uemura went back to the armbar, but Finlay went to the corner to get the break. Uemura did not break clean, blistering Finlay’s chest with chops. Finlay reversed a whip to the corner, then hit a stun gun and a Russian leg sweep for a two-count. That momentum shift was sudden, smooth, and special.

Finlay mounted Uemura and fired in a series of right hands. He whipped Uemura hard into the corner, then started the trash talk. He whipped him back across the ring again, and Uemura crumpled on impact. Finlay charged Uemura in the corner but ate a back elbow. Finlay still hit a clothesline in the corner, but then got dropped with an arm drag and a double-handed chop. He went for a back suplex, Finlay elbowed out of it and tried to run the ropes but Uemura held on to his arm, pulled him back in and hit the suplex. He applied a cross armbreaker at the five-minute mark, but Finlay got to the ropes.

Uemura went for a suplex, Finlay blocked it and went for a powerbomb, but Uemura blocked that and hit a back body drop. A uranage slam from Uemura was only enough for a two-count. Uemura measured Finlay, and charged him in the corner with a double-handed chop. Uemura went to the top, but was stopped by Finlay. With Uemura on the apron and Finlay in the ring, they traded shots. Finlay snapped Uemura’s neck over the top rope to send him to the floor, followed him down to the outside, and barged him into a barricade. He rolled Uemura back inside and connected with a Dominator for a two-count. Finlay trash-talked Uemura while laying in some brutal crossface forearms. He called for the finish and went for Overkill…small package by Uemura! 1…2…no! Finlay blocked a lariat and went for a backslide, Uemura blocked it, Finlay turned around into an Overkill…Uemura caught the knee to block! Finlay blistered Uemura with elbows but at the ten-minute mark Uemura shrugged them off and hit a German suplex for a near fall.

Uemura locked in a full nelson, Finlay tried to drop down to counter it but Uemura caught his legs and pinned him for a two-count. Off the kickout, Finlay managed to hit the Northern Irish curse for his own two-count. He followed up with a buckle bomb, but his powerbomb attempt was countered into a huracanrana clutch for a two-count. Finlay went for a roaring elbow, Uemura caught the strike and went for the Deadbolt suplex…Finlay countered by spitting in his eyes. No, seriously. He hit the roaring elbow which staggered Uemura, then three more. Uemura would not go down. He countered the fifth attempt with a headbutt, then hit a dragon suplex for a near fall. Both men were down in the middle of the ring after the kickout.

Uemura was up first, and the crowd cheered him. He went to the top, hesitated, but connected with a crossbody for a very near fall. He went for a Deadbolt, hooked one arm, but in trying to hook the second he ate a clothesline as he swung Finlay around. He replied with a headbutt, Finlay responded in kind, then Uemura ran the ropes and hit a crossbody…Finlay caught him! He flipped Uemura up into a powerbomb that got a very close two-count. Ushigoroshi by Finlay! 1…2…no! Overkill! 1…2…3!

WINNER: David Finlay via pinfall in 15:00. (****) Finlay will face either Taichi or ZSJ in the semifinals.

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Sometimes I am wrong and glad to be wrong. A clean finish to a hell of a match that reminded everyone how good Finlay can be, and also improved Uemura’s stock in the process. House of Torture was nowhere to be seen. The pre-tournament favourite is still alive, and if he is going to lose I would expect it to be in the finals. Maybe that’s when we get that interference we all assume is coming.)

• After the match, Sanada came to the ring. He walked by Finlay with a nonchalant look, stood over the fallen Uemura, and made as if to help him up. Finlay and Gedo watched from the ramp, slightly confused. To nobody’s surprise, Sanada dropped Uemura with a Deadfall, which put a smile on Finlay’’s face. Sanada left through the crowd while Finlay and Gedo went up the ramp. Well, that made little sense.

(8) TAICHI vs. ZACK SABRE JR – New Japan Cup Quarter-Final

Dangerous Tekkers explode! This was their first singles match in New Japan. At the bell Taichi had his head down, looking pained and uncomfortable. ZSJ called him on, but Taichi seemed to be having a panic attack.The crowd chanted “Let’s go Taichi” as he tried to fire himself up, and they locked up.

They traded head chops and European uppercuts. ZSJ whipped Taichi in and ate a big kick. ZSJ went for a Zak Driver, Taichi escaped and went for the backdrop driver, which ZSJ escaped. After a couple more reversals Taichi hit a back suplex that sent ZSJ rolling to the outside. As the referee counted, Taichi went out to retrieve his former partner. He whipped ZSJ into a barricade, then another one, then he went into the crowd and retrieved a chair. The referee took the chair away, the crowd applauding as Taichi let it go without a fight.

Back in the ring, Taichi took ZSJ over with a snap mare, then landed a kick to the back. He planted two more kicks to the same spot before ZSJ hit his own snap mare and spine kick. He did it again, then twisted Taichi’s neck with his feet for good measure as we reached the five-minute mark. ZSJ went to work on the mat, applying a figure four headscissors. Taichi rolled over to make it to the ropes. ZSJ hit a trio of European uppercuts, sending Taichi into the corner in a slump. ZSJ measured him, then hit a charging European uppercut and a float-over snap suplex for a two-count. ZSJ tapped Taichi on the back with his boot, taunting him. Taichi fired up, avoided a charging ZSJ, and hit a gamengiri to leave both men down.

Taichi recovered first and hit a Yakuza kick in the corner. He went for a lariat, ZSJ kicked his arm to block but then ate a hook kick. A delayed cover got a two-count nonetheless. A kick to the gut and a second one to the head dropped ZSJ to the mat. Taichi tore off his pants, then got tripped up and caught in a leg lace. Taichi tried to reposition and get to the ropes, but ZSJ kept pulling him away. Eventually Taichi went towards a corner, allowing him to reach a rope at the ten-minute mark.

ZSJ stomped on Taichi’s leg. Taichi managed to get to his feet, and ZSJ invited him to a strike battle. Taichi went with leg kicks, ZSJ used his trusty European uppercuts. ZSJ dropped Taichi to his knees with a strike, but allowed him to get up. Taichi returned that kindness with a round kick to the chest. A second one buckled ZSJ’s knees, the third sent him staggering. Taichi invited him to return fire, which he did. They traded round kicks, with Taichi landing the heavier blows and eventually flattening ZSJ. He went for a lariat but ZSJ sidestepped and went for a cobra twist. Taichi countered into a stretch plum! ZSJ had a vacant stare and was not trying to escape, but the referee did not call it. Taichi cranked down on the hold, twisting ZSJ’s torso. A sudden burst of energy got ZSJ to the ropes at the 15-minute mark.

Now it was Taichi’s turn to taunt ZSJ with light foot taps. They got harder though, with a stiff kick to the face seeming to wake ZSJ up. He countered a backdrop driver into a crossbody, then hit the Zack Driver! Both men were down as the crowd got behind Taichi. They each rolled to opposite neutral corners, ZSJ recovering first and hitting a charging European. Zack Driver…countered into Emerald Flowsion! 1…2…no! Taichi went for a lariat but ZSJ beat him to the punch. Taichi popped up and hit a lariat anyway! Backdrop Driver Dangerous! 1…2…ZSJ kicked out! Taichi went for Black Mephisto…ZSJ hit a Gotch-style piledriver to counter! Both men were slow to recover, ZSJ was up first but got tied up in a Gedo clutch! 1…2…no! Zack Driver! 1…2…no! ZSJ transitioned right into a heel hook off the kickout, with the ropes a long way away. He transitioned into a modified figure four as the 20-minute mark.

As Taichi fought and repositioned, ZSJ adapted the hold. Taichi made it to the ropes, leaving ZSJ frustrated. ZSJ went for a cross-leg brainbuster, but Taichi escaped…and hit Black Mephisto! Again both men were down. They crawled to the middle of the ring, then stood up while leaning into each other. The strike exchange had decidedly less power behind it, but still registered on both men. They traded backfists, but Taichi caught ZSJ with a spinning head kick that crumpled him. Taichi measured ZSJ and hit a gamengiri at the 25-minute call.

ZSJ kept coming. A third head kick connected, ZSJ rebounded and hit a PK, but could only get a one-count. Superkick from Taichi! 1…2…ZSJ got a foot on the ropes at 2.9! Taichi went for Black Mephisto, ZSJ escaped and rolled him up but only for a near fall. Big boot from Taichi! ZSJ rolled through a lariat and got Taichi in the European clutch! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Zack Sabre Jr. via pinfall in 26:00. (****1/2) ZSJ and David Finlay will contest the other semifinal.

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Honestly this was a masterclass in making you believe the underdog could win. Taichi came in looking like he was resigned to losing, but then put on a show that said he belonged at the top of the card after all. I was actually starting to think of ways to talk about Taichi’s Cinderella run. ZSJ and Finlay will be a really interesting match that I cannot call in terms of a winner.)

• A guest commentator, who was apparently Nagata’s biggest fan, came to the Japanese announce table for the main event.

(9) HIROOKI GOTO (C) vs YUJI NAGATA – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match

Whatever else I might say about this match and the weirdness of it in terms of timing and headlining a show in the middle of the New Japan Cup, I cannot deny that the crowd was electric for it.

Goto got an early headlock takedown, which Nagata was able to easily escape into a headscissors. Goto escaped that, and they went back to a lockup. They struggled for position, Nagata grabbing his own headlock. Goto absorbed a shoulder tackle then knocked Nagata down with one of his own. He missed an elbow drop, and Nagata capitalised with a cross armbreaker, but Goto was in the ropes. Goto laid in some elbow strikes, but went to the same move too often and Nagata caught an arm for a Fujiwara armbar. Goto went straight to the ropes and to the outside to recover.

Back inside, Nagata applied a kimmura. Goto backed into a corner and kicked Nagata in the hamstring, then wrapped his leg around the middle rope. Goto kicked the rope, sending Nagata to the outside. Goto beckoned him back inside, picked his leg, and applied a leg lock. Nagata tried to kick his way free, could not get enough leverage, and headed for the ropes instead. Goto broke the hold and dragged Nagata back to the middle of the ring, then applied the hold again at the five-minute mark.

Goto kicked at Nagata’s leg and tried for a suplex. Nagata blocked, pushed Goto backwards towards the ropes, and hit a rope-assisted magic screw to turn the tide. He laid in a succession of chest kicks and a yakuza kick in the corner, followed by an exploder suplex for a two-count. Goto blocked a suplex attempt and hit a misdirection lariat to leave both men down. Goto recovered first and hit a muramasa kick in the corner, followed by a back suplex for a two-count. Goto laid in some elbows but was selling the damage to his arm. He changed approaches and hit a reverse GTR, but Nagata caught his arm and applied a Shirome arm bar as the crowd exploded. Goto fought and struggled and made the ropes, despite Nagata’s eyes rolling back in his head.

Nagata kicked at Goto’s arm, jacked that arm over his shoulder, then hit a Justice knee in the corner at the ten-minute mark. He sat Goto on the top turnbuckle, went up with him, and got stopped by a series of strikes. They traded elbows, Nagata regained control and hit a super exploder suplex for a near fall. That was pretty impressive. The crowd were even louder, chanting for Nagata, as he went for a backdrop driver. Goto elbowed himself free but Nagata hit a rebound German suplex. Backdrop driver connected! 1…2…no! Nagata tried for another backdrop, but Goto used the ropes to block. Goto hit a lariat out of nowhere, and both men were down. The crowd were now chanting for Goto.

Nagata hit a Yakuza kick, but Goto picked him up and hit a GTW for a near fall. Again they both struggled to stand, and traded strikes. Nagata had some real venom in his shots. The exchange carried on past the 15-minute call, until Goto dropped Nagata with a headbutt. Goto peppered the back of Nagata’s head with a succession of headbutts, then went for a GTR. Nagata blocked and went for a suplex, which Goto countered into shouten kai for a near fall. Goto called for the end and went for a round kick, but Nagata caught it and hit a spinning heel kick. Goto shrugged it off and hit a lariat. Nagata tried to fire up but could not muster the strength. Goto hit a running PK, then connected with GTR for the win.

WINNER: Hirooki Goto via pinfall in 18:00 to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight championship. (***½)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: On so many levels, about so many things, I was wrong. I thought nobody wanted to see this match, and that was proven wrong in the opening seconds. I thought it would be slow and painful to watch, and that was very wrong. Some older guys keep something in reserve for that one last high-profile match, and this was Nagata’s. He might struggle to walk up the ramp, he might be slow to get around the ring in the preliminary tags, but he has another gear and it is a gear that lets him compete with people 10 years his junior. People were in tears at the end of the bout, including this people. I am not a history expert when it comes to New Japan, and I clearly underrated Nagata’s popularity. Goto was the right opponent to give Nagata this match, as his changes of pace did not make Nagata look glacial by comparison. It was not a technical classic, it wasn’t a strikefest, but it was a good match. And if you factor in the crowd and the emotion, both of which were exceptional for Japan, it was close to perfect.)

Final thoughts: This was a very strange card. The preview tags were all shorter than normal, and two of the four cup matches felt like they got short-changed at ten minutes. In particular, Cobb and Umino could have done with five more minutes for their match. The other two cup matches were excellent, and as much as I dreaded that main event I am so glad it happened and that I saw it. There are still a lot of questions to answer on this tour, which is the way it should be, and I am starting to get some confidence that the answers will be good ones.

Keep your eyes and ears open for the 7-Star Podcast and Radican Worldwide on PWTorch VIP to hear more of my thoughts on the Cup. Thanks for joining us!