NJPW NEW JAPAN CUP 2025 – NIGHT 8 RESULTS (3/17): Lansdell’s report and analysis of the second semifinal match, plus the undercard

NJPW NEW JAPAN CUP 2025 NIGHT 8
MARCH 17, 2025
BIG PALETTE FUKUSHIMA
FUKUSHIMA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD

Walker Stewart, on his own to start the night, welcomed us to Fukushima.

(1) HIROSHI TANAHASHI & KATSUYA MURASHIMA vs. SATOSHI KOJIMA & YUJI NAGATA

Tanahashi and Kojima are scheduled to compete on March 20 at the NJ Cup Finals show. Murashima on the other hand was scheduled to have the tar beaten out of him for five minutes, and he obliged. Sure, Tanahashi had some time in the ring getting beaten down, but Murashima took the brunt of the punishment and ate the pin after a Kojima lariat.

WINNERS: Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi via pinfall in 10:00. (*1/2)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: I am not sure why this needed to be ten minutes, but I guess everyone wants their chance to see Tanahashi before he retires. Nothing of note here really, we’ve already seen Murashima’s improvement and the other three guys aren’t exactly about to bust out some new moves.)

(2) UNITED EMPIRE (Great-O-Khan & Jacob Austin Young & Callum Newman & TJP & Jeff Cobb) vs. TORU YANO & JADO & DAIKI NAGAI & BOLTIN OLEG & EL PHANTASMO

Both O-Khan and TJP had been making overtures towards ELP’s TV title, which is why we had this match. Interesting to note that Nagai, the Young Lion in this match, got in Young’s face and shoved him before entrances were even finished. Somewhat uncharacteristically, both teams started brawling before the bell. TJP and ELP had several exchanges, mostly focusing on their similarities, before TJP tapped out Nagai with the Cobra Twist.

WINNERS: United Empire via submission in 9:00. (**)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: The preview of TJP and ELP’s eventual match was enjoyable. They could really put on a show in 15 minutes. O-Khan does not appear to be in that picture for now. Cobb was largely de-emphasised, barely getting any time in the ring for his team. I don’t want to read anything into that but…well, it’s right there.)

(3) TOMOAKI HONMA & YOSHI-HASHI & TOMOHIRO ISHII vs. TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr & Hartley Jackson & Ryohei Oiwa)

This was largely just space-filler on the card, but it did have an exchange between Ishii and ZSJ that served to remind us all that Ishii is not human, and can turn up the speed and intensity when needed. This match is worth watching to see that alone. Honma, who got more offence than we’re used to seeing from him, took the pin after The Grip hit The Grip. Yeah, I know it’s confusing. The move sucks too.

WINNERS: TMDK via pinfall at 9:00. (**)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: The ZSJ-Ishii stuff was offset by the excessive amount of Honma we had to endure. The poor guy just looks like he’s struggling to move. I’ve seen mascots in giant pirate costumes move better. Ishii and ZSJ don’t really have a reason to be going after each other, but I won’t argue with it based on this match.)

ELP joined Stewart on commentary as ZSJ and Ishii chopped each other after the match. As the two groups brawled to the back, ELP announced his open challenge would return on the next show.

(4) JUST FOUR GUYS (Taichi & Taka Michinoku & Yuya Uemura) vs. BULLET CLUB WAR DOGS (Drilla Moloney & David Finlay & Sanada)

After Sanada dropped Uemura on the Mar. 15 show, this match seemed a natural fit to continue the feud between Sanada and his old faction. Again the two teams attacked before the bell, with Sanada and Uemura heading off into the crowd. All of the War Dogs played heel during this match, further confusing the issue.

Sanada tapped out Taka after a pop-up low blow into Skull End. After the bell, Uemura attacked Sanada but also fell victim to a pop-up low blow.

WINNERS: War Dogs via submission in 8:00. (*3/4)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: I have no idea what the end game is for this Sanada character, but I am interested in it so it’s working. The constant flipping of the War Dogs, especially Moloney, is getting confusing for sure. My hope is that all will be revealed on March 20.)

(5) HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita & Sho & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) vs BULLET CLUB WAR DOGS (Gabe Kidd & Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale)

For once the match did not immediately go into the crowd. We at least got the bell to start the match before that happened. Fale actually got in the ring this time, albeit very briefly. According to commentary, Sanada officially invited Chase Owens to join the War Dogs during this tournament. He was even wearing the shirt!

The match ended when the action spilled to the outside, the referee counted, and Narita prevented Kidd from returning to the ring before the 20-count. Pretty much what we’re used to between these two groups at this point.

WINNER: Double countout in 8:00. (*1/2)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Do we think maybe these factions dislike each other? It really feels like a couple of different things going on at the same time, because Sanada, Owens, and Fale don’t feel like they are connected to the House of Torture feud. I just want it to be over and done with now.)

(6) HOUSE OF TORTURE (Dick Togo & Yujiro Takahashi & Evil) vs. LOS INGOBERNABLES DE JAPON (Bushi & Tetsuya Naito & Yota Tsuji)

Another battlefront for House of Torture, as Evil has his sights set on Tsuji. This was pretty much a paint-by-numbers HoT match, with multiple low blows and a Magic Killer on Bushi for the win.

WINNERS: House of Torture via pinfall in 10:00. (*1/2)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: The only thing of note in here was that after the match, Tsuji hit low blows on Evil and Yujiro. Otherwise this match played out exactly how you would imagine it played out. House of Torture has been a problem for a while but it is getting worse and worse. )

(7) SHINGO TAKAGI vs. SHOTA UMINO – New Japan Cup Quarter-Final

As has become the norm, Umino looked hyper focused. To be fair, Shingo did too. They tentatively locked up, Shingo scoring a headlock takedown. They traded shoulder tackles, then Umino landed the first telling blow with a stun gun and a tackle that sent Shingo to the outside. Back in the ring, Umino picked the leg for a takedown, then slammed Shingo’s knee into the mat. He continued to attack Shingo’s leg, dropping an elbow on it and applying a leg hold.

I just noticed that the stark white pants Umino has been wearing are actually his old Shooter pants, with the colour removed. Shingo escaped a neckbreaker attempt and hit a strike combination that ended with his trademark feint punch-DDT sequence. He clotheslined Umino over the top rope to the floor, following him out for more violence at the five-minute mark. He whipped Umino around ringside, then left him laying and returned to the ring. Umino returned to the ring at the count of 14.

Shingo flattened Umino with a big shoulder tackle. The commentators mentioned, not for the first time, that all the semi finalists had a first-round bye. Shingo hit a vertical suplex and followed up with a chinlock. He released the hold, preferring to drop a senton on him instead. Shingo allowed Umino to get to his feet, which he might have regretted when Umino peppered him with elbow strikes. Shingo caught his arm on one strike attempt and went for Old School, but Umino escaped. Shingo went for a powerbomb, Umino countered with a back body drop. He followed up with a dropkick to the knee and a neckbreaker to take control.

Umino charged and hit a European uppercut in the corner. A fisherman’s suplex got a two-count at the ten-minute mark. Shingo blocked a powerbomb attempt, but fell victim to a kneebreaker instead. Umino locked in an STF in the middle of the ring. Shingo dragged himself (and Umino) across the ring to reach the ropes. Umino tried twice for a powerbomb, which again Shingo resisted, despite knee lifts and forearms from Umino. Shingo reversed the third attempt into a spinning neckbreaker to leave both men down. Shingo recovered fastest and hit a clubbing clothesline in the corner, but Umino fired back with rapid-fire elbows. Shingo stopped him cold with a left-arm lariat. He grabbed Umino’s wrist and hit two more lefty lariats, dropped him with a scoop slam, then went to the top rope and hit an elbow drop. A powerbomb hold got a two-count, and Shingo transitioned the kickout into an STF of his own.

Umino tried to make it to the ropes, so Shingo changed the hold to a Fujiwara armbar. Umino made it to the ropes and the 15-minute mark. Shingo set Umino on the top turnbuckle for a superplex…and connected. He covered for a near fall. And now…it’s Shingo Time! He called to the crowd, helped Umino up, and tried for Made in Japan. Umino blocked and went for the half-tiger suplex, which Shingo blocked. Umino hit a trio of stiff European uppercuts. He ran the ropes, but Shingo followed him and hit a lariat as soon as Umino hit the ropes. Half and half suplex by Umino! German suplex by Shingo! German suplex by Umino! Lariat by Shingo! Struggling to keep up by Lansdell!

Both men got to their feet in opposite corners. They collided mid-ring with clotheslines. Shingo blocked Umino’s clothesline attempt and kicked his arm, but turned around into a tornado DDT and a lariat. Umino hit a big powerbomb for a near fall. He measured Shingo for entirely too long, and ran into some jabs from Shingo. Umino came back with a dropkick, but then ate a lariat. As the 20-minute announcement was made, Shingo got to his feet first. He hit a Made in Japan for a very near fall, then a no-shikami powerbomb for a near fall. A big lariat got a third near fall, this one even closer.

Shingo went for Burning Dragon, but Umino wriggled free. Out of nowhere Umino hit an enzuigiri, and Shingo responded with two straight right hands. Umino returned fire with a sweet dropkick, and went for Second Chapter. Shingo countered into a K-Driller! He went for a lariat, Umino ducked. Umino tried one, Shingo ducked. Umino tried again and connected! Shingo got right up! A second lariat connected for Umino! 1…2…no! The crowd chanted for Shingo as Umino hit a busaiku knee, then dropped Shingo with Second Chapter! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Shota Umino via pinfall in 24:00. (***3/4) Shota Umino will face David Finlay in the finals of the 2025 New Japan Cup.

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Almost everything about this match was good to very good. Maybe one too many lariats, but this is New Japan after all. The thing is, something is just missing from these Umino matches. The lack of emotion is still a bit jarring, and it seems to be making it hard for the crowd to get behind him. Emotion is the backbone of professional wrestling stories, and even in New Japan where that is less prevalent it is still part of the presentation. The line between “cold and focused” and “disinterested and boring” is not that fine, but NIBS Umino is not yet on the right side of it.)

Final thoughts: A one match card, as was to be expected. From a purely wrestling perspective, that one match was very good. In terms of amplifying emotion and creating buy-in, it was lacking. The undercard was underwhelming, almost by design, but House of Torture has once again become a hindrance to the enjoyment of the product. For a while they had been pushed down the card, and their Shenanigans (TM) were largely getting countered or were ineffective, but they are back to being ever-present. We expect heels to cheat, but the WAY HoT goes about it is insulting to the intelligence and stretches the boundaries of credulity. I would not be surprised if we see a new faction coming soon too, possibly led by Shota Umino and including some of the disgruntled members of other factions. My money is on Umino to win the finals, possibly due to interference (either HoT to screw Finlay, or Umino’s new faction if it exists), leading to a title win at Sakura Genesis.

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!