New Japan Pro Wrestling: New Japan Cup Round 1 Report – March 5, 2015

New Japan Pro Wrestling: New Japan Cup Round 1

March 5, 2015 – Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan

From Tokyo, Japan via NJPW World, it’s the 2015 New Japan Cup, New Japan Pro Wrestlings annual single-elimination tournament! With the winner of the tournament receiving a heavyweight title shot of their choice (IWGP HW, IWGP IC, or NEVER Openweight), the stakes have never been higher for the field of 16. The main event will be a first round match between Kazuchika Okada and Bad Luck Fale, the latest chapter in a feud that has been on the boil since the New Year.

PWMania will be providing comprehensive NJPW coverage from here on out, so for those who haven’t or can’t subscribe to NJPW World, PWMania has you covered. Now onto the show:

(note: all match ratings out of *****)

In the short pre-show, CHOAS stable veterans (and real-life NJPW booking team) Jado and Gedo are shown on commentary for todays show. Gedo goes through his usual lines backing his CHAOS charge Kazuchika Okada. The introduction video airs hyping the 16-man field.

The show kicks off with a multi-man tag match.

Match 1: Sho Tanaka/Mascara Dorada/Ryusuke Taguchi/Tiger Mask vs KUSHIDA/Jushin Liger/Yohei Komatsu/Jay White

Both teams are made up of a mix of faces and NJPW “rookies” (Tanaka, Komatsu, White). Tiger Mask and Liger, who will face off for Liger’s NWA Junior Heavyweight Championship at a later date, start off. TM wins the chain wrestling exchange and gets a backslide pin which Komatsu comes in to break up. TM dumps Komatsu outside for this troubles, but Liger turns it around on TM and tags in Komatsu. TM gets the better of Komatsu and tags in Tanaka. The two resident ‘Young Lions’ exchange forearms mid-ring until Komatsu catches a charging Tanaka with a twisting elbow strike. KUSHIDA tags in and puts Tanaka in a Boston Crab which Taguchi breaks up. KUSHIDA tags Liger back in and Liger works over Tanaka some more.

Chain tags from Ligers team as they continue to isolate Tanaka. Tanaka turns it around and dropkicks Komatsu and hot-tags Taguchi. It ends up being Taguchi and KUSHIDA. KUSHIDA gets the best of the exchange before Taguchi lands his jumping butt strike on KUSHIDA. Every member of KUSHIDA’s team comes into the ring and gets a butt attack of their own. Taguchi tags in Dorada, who gets the better of an exchange with White but is isolated as order breaks down. White lands a missile dropkick from the top against Dorada, but can’t capitalize as Dorada turns the tables with a rope-walk dropkick of his own. Dorado eventually nails a Cancun Tornado on White for the win.

Winner: Sho Tanaka/Mascara Dorada (pinfall) /Ryusuke Taguchi/Tiger Mask

Kean Rating: *1/2 – Usual NJPW multi-man cluster, with Dorada getting the pin to build him up leading to his challenge against Kenny Omega for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. White, as the newest rookie/lowest man on the totem pole, was the obvious candidate to take the pin.

Former CHAOS and current Bullet Club member Yujiro comes to the rings next with his occasional valet Mao to kick off the NJC matches. Mao does a sexy dance in the ring as Yujiro takes his time getting in. CHAOS member YOSHI-HASHI comes in next and is billed by NJPW’s English ring announcer as the “Japanese Rudo”.

Match 2: New Japan Cup First Round – Yujiro Takahashi vs YOSHI-HASHI

The two lock up as YOSHI-HASHI shows some early fire against the CHAOS turncoat Yujiro. YOSHI-HASHI gets the better of the early exchange, prompting Yujiro to slide out the ring for a breather. YOSHI chases him, but gets an eye rake for his trouble. Yujiro then drops YOSHI on the outside railing. The two men re-enter the ring with Yujiro now in control.

Yujiro works over YOSHI with chops and a corner boot, but YOSHI counters with a jumping neckbreaker off the ropes. YOSHI hangs Yujiro off the ring ropes and gives him dropkick to the back of the head. The two exchange suplex attempts, which YOSHI turns into another necbreaker. YOSHI goes up top for a Swanton Bomb attempt, but Yujiro cuts him off and turns it into a belly-to-belly suplex of sorts from the top which gets a two-count. Yujiro sets YOSHI up for the Miami Shine, but YOSHI gets out and hits a clothesline and then a reverse DDT for two. YOSHI then goes for a powerbomb, but Yujiro grabs the refs shirt. The ref falls down and Yujiro uses the distraction to low blow YOSHI. Yujiro nails the Miami Shine as the ref recovers, but YOSHI kicks out of it, which draws a big pop from the crowd. However, a shocked Yujiro follows up with Tokyo Pimps (Dominator) and this time it’s good for the three count.

Post match, Mao dances back in the ring and lavishes Yujiro with attention and smiles as the camera focuses on shots of her butt. On commentary, Jado and Gedo sell disappointment.

Winner: Yujiro (pinfall)

Kean Rating: *3/4 –Slow match which never got out of first gear. This match was always going to be the weakest of the NJC matches, and in the time given Yujiro was unable to raise his game, showing his usual stale offense which got close to no reaction from the crowd.

NJPW fan favorite and internet darling Tomoaki Honma comes out for the next NJC match. Togi Makabe, the man forced to relinquish the NEVER Openweight Championship due to illness last month, is Honma’s opponent.

Match 3: New Japan Cup First Round – Tomoaki Honma vs Togi Makabe.

Honma starts with a chop straight away and then an armdrag. Honma knocks Makabe down and goes for his customary way-too-early Kokeshi headbutt but misses. Makabe sends Homna to the outside and makes Honma get back in the ring before the 20-count. As Makabe works a leglock on Honma, the NJPW announcers sell that for the first time the NEVER Openweight Championship is an option for the NJC winner to challenge for.

Homna turns it around on Makabe with a delayed suplex as the crowd get going chanting his name. Another Kokeshi misses, but Honma finally gets it on a third attempt after shoulderblocking Makabe down. Makabe recovers though and hits Honma with a powerslam. Makabe gives Honma punches in the corner then hits a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. The two brawls start a mid-ring forearm exchange mid-ring, which Makabe gets the better of. The crowd tries to rally Honma as Makabe poses in front of a dazed Honma. Makabe shoots Honma to the ropes, but Honma falls down, still selling the forearm shots of Makabe. Makabe goes for another whip into the ropes, but Honma suprises him with two standing Kokeshis. Honma scoop slams Makabe and goes for a top rope Kokeshi and misses.

Makabe stops Honma with a chop, and the two settle in for a strong-style lariat exchange. Honma hulks up and blocks Makabe’s initial lariats, but a giant one turns Honma inside out. Makabe places Honma on the ropes for a Spider German Suplex, but Honma blocks it and sends Makabe into a tree of woe position. Honma jumps down goes for a sliding Kokeshi, but Makabe moves and hits Honma with King Kong Kneedrop to the back of the head. Makabe goes back up and hits a second King Kong Kneedrop, and its good for the pin and the win.

Winner: Togi Makabe (pinfall)

Kean Rating: **1/2 – Solid quick match between two brawlers. I have never been as high as others on Honma due to the fact that Honma’s headbutt-centric offense makes me cringe, but to each his own. The competitors are pacing themselves in the first round, and with Makabe nevr having been pinned to lose the NEVER title there was no chance of him losing clean at this stage of the NJC.  

Katsuyori Shibata comes out for the next NJC match to a small pop. Former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima comes out after Shibata.

Match 4: New Japan Cup First Round – Katsuyori Shibata vs Satoshi Kojima

The two men immediately start with rapid-fire forearms mid-ring, which gets the crowd behind them both. Kojima gets the first knockdown, which sends Shibata rolling out of the ring. Kojima follows him outside and the two resume their elbow exchanges, ignoring the ongoing 20-count. At count 19, both men stop the elbows and roll back into the ring. The crowd pops in appreciation. Kojima and Shibata alternate position in a figure-4 leglock, with Kojima eventually getting the rope break.

Shibata trash talks Kojima and gets a big forearm strike for his trouble. Kojima gives Shibata his trademark machine-gun chops in the corner, but Shibata reverses at the end and gives Kojima rapid forearms and elbows, driving Kojima down. Running drop-kick and suplex to Kojima gets Shibata a two count. Kojima comes back though with a knee strike and a top-rope elbow, popping the crowd. A big DDT sends Shibata to the ring apron. Shibata tries to get Kojima in a sleeper hold on the ropes, but Kojima breaks out and gives Shibata a lariat. Shibata bounces off the apron to the floor, initiating the 20-count. Shibata looks out of it on the outside, but Kojima decides he doesn’t want a countout win and goes outside to get Shibata, to the approval of the crowd.

Back in the ring, Kojima with a Saito Suplex to Shibata, but Shibata hulks out of it with a German Suplex. Kojima comes back with a huge lariat which gets a two count. The crowd chants for Kojima, who runs into a boot from Shibata. Shibata grabs Kojima in a sleeper hold, then lets it go and hoists Kojima up for a Go 2 Sleep which connects. Shibata then follows up with a PK. Its good for the three count.  

Winner: Katsuyori Shibata (pinfall)

Kean Rating: **3/4 – Good match given the time constraints. Shibata isn’t as over in Ota as he has been in other venues, but Kojima getting the majority of the offense in a shorter match didn’t help. The rushed finishing sequence stopped it from being *** for me.

Three-time NJC winner Hirooki Goto marches out to the ring, drawing a light reaction. Former IWGP HW Champion and NJPW legend Yuji Nagata is out next, drawing a more enthusiastic reaction from the crowd.

Match 5: New Japan Cup First Round – Hirooki Goto vs Yuji Nagata

A ‘Nagata’ chant to start off the match from the crowd. Unlike the last two brawls, they start off chain wrestling, both men patiently working on the mat and looking for a submission hold. Nagata gets a rope break, prompting Goto to tell him to bring it on.

Goto lands a couple of shoulderblocks and gets barely a two count. Goto works over Nagata’s taped-up left arm, drawing stiff kicks and an armbar attempt from Nagata in response. Nagata now works over GOto’s left arm and focuses his attack on it with kicks and a wristlock. Goto uses elbows to stop the assault, but Nagata uses kicks to drive Goto into the corner. Goto blocks an Exploder suplex attempt and finally gets separation from Nagata with a lariat. Goto with a spinning kick to Nagata and a backdrop suplex for a two count. Goto loads up the elbows, but charges right into an Exploder from Nagata. Nagata charges and waylays Goto with a running knee.

The two exchange elbows mid-ring, drawing only a light reaction from the crowd. The crowd finally pops when a big elbow from Nagata floors Goto. As Nagata picks Goto up, Goto gives Nagata an uppercut which floors Nagata in kind. Goto tries to pick Nagata up but falls into an armbar. Nagata rolls his eyes into his head Undertaker-style as the crowd chants for him. Unable to finish the armbar, Nagata hits a German Suplex, a boot, and then a Brainbuster, but only get a two count. Nagata puts Goto on the top and hits a top rope Exploder, but that’s only good for a two. Goto is reeling and tries to fight off Nagata’s kick attempts and does so with a Blackout. A spinning lariat gets Goto a two. Goto lifts Nagata up for a Shouten Kai and hits it, and its good for the three count.

Post-match, Nagata sells frustration on the outside as Goto leaves the ring without much fanfare. Nagata continues to sell disappointment and leaves through the wrong exit despite the Young Lions/ring attendants trying to steer him the right way. The crowd, still behind Nagata, tries to cheer him up.

Winner: HIrooki Goto (pinfall)

Kean Rating: **1/2 – Okay match, this makes two matches in a row where the veterans have gotten the bulk of the offense only for the more currently established wrestler to string a pin together out of seemingly nowhere. Understandable given that this is the first round, but nothing to marvel at psychology-wise. That Nagata was more over than Goto was is telling about Goto’s status as NJPW’s nearly-man.

Another multi-man tag match acts as a break from the NJC matches. Sakuraba is out first, followed by NEVER Openweight Champion Tomohiro Ishii. IWGP IC Champion Shinsuke Nakamura is out last for his team, drawing the pop of the night so far. Captain New Japan, Nakanishi and the NWA Heavyweight Champion Tenzan come out together to start what on paper looks like an epic mismatch.

Match 6: Shinsuke Nakamura /Tomohiro Ishii /Kazushi Sakuraba vs Captain New Japan/Manabu Nakanishi/Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Sakuraba and CNJ start the match. After some uneventful exchanges, Tenzan and Nakamura tag in and take turns mocking each other. Tenzan works Nakamura in the corner, but Nakamura hangs him up on the turnbuckle early and gives him a knee to the gut. Ishii tags in and exchanges headbutts with Tenzan. Ishii gets the better of the headbutt exchange and lifts Tenzan up for a big suplex. Sakuraba tags in and mimics Tenzans Mongolian Chops on a grounded Tenzan.

Nakamura tags back in, but Tenzan stops him with Mongolian Chops. Nakamura comes back with a Mongolian Chop as well, but a spin kick from Tenzan ends that. Tenzan clears Ishii and Sakuraba from the ring and then tags in Nakanishi, who lariats Nakamura and then knocks Ishii and Sakuraba off the apron again. Another lariat from Nakanishi on Nakamura gets a two count. Nakanishi puts Nakamura in a Torture Rack, then throws Nakamura onto an interfering Sakuraba. Nakanishi tags in CNJ and Nakamura tags in Ishii. CNJ misses a top rope splash and gets triple teamed, ending with Ishii giving him a lariat.

The action completely breaks down now with Tenzan and Nakanishi re-entering and clearing the ring of Sakuraba and Nakamura. Tenzan and then CNJ hit top rope headbutts on Ishii, which is only good for a two. Nakamura intercedes, and Ishii and CNJ are alone in the ring again. CNJ hits a uranage on Ishii and holds off Nakamura, but Sakuraba gets him from behind with a sleeper hold, enabling Nakamura to hit a Boma Ye on CNJ. Ishii hits a Sliding Lariat on CNJ for good measure, but Tenzan breaks up the pin attempt. The ring is cleared again, leaving Ishii to hit CNJ with a brainbuster for the pin and the win.

Post-match, Tenzan gets in Ishii’s face and the two exchange blows before the ring attendants separate them. The two take their respective belts and continue to jaw at each other, as Nakamura seizes his IC belt and gets in on the antics.

Winner: Nakamura/Ishii (pinfall)/Sakuraba

Kean Rating: **– So-so match. I don’t see much potential in a Tenzan vs Ishii feud, so I don’t know if they were using the post-match to set up for anything. Overall, just a match for the fans to see Nakamura and Ishii.

The Bullet Club’s Young Lion Cody Hall comes out next waving a Bullet Club flag. IWGP Tag Team Champion Doc Gallows, accompanied by Tama Tongo as well as Hall, comes out to his usual English trash talk. Kota Ibushi is out next, drawing a good reaction from the crowd.

Match 7: New Japan Cup First Round – Doc Gallows vs Kota Ibushi

The crowd starts a light ‘Ibushi’ chant at the start as Gallows bullies Ibushi into the corner. Ibushi can’t get anything going early on, as Gallows clubs him with forearms and uppercuts before taking the action outside of the ring.

Gallows continues to unload with strikes and headbutts on Ibushi all around the ring area. Gallows stops by the announce table to trash talk Gedo, which prompts Gedo to tell Gallows to “Shut your mouth” in English. Gallows grabs a chair, and the ref intercedes to stop him. Deciding he’s had enough, Gallows goes back in the ring and orders the ref to start the 20-count. Ibushi, however, is back in already at nine. Gallows continues to work over Ibushi, and then distracts the ref so that Tonga can get some cheap shots in on Ibushi in the corner. Gallows follows up with a snap suplex which gets a two count. The crowd tries to rally Ibushi, who recovers briefly off the ropes but eats a superkick from Gallows. This gets Doc a two count.

Gallows settles in for a chinlock mid-ring as the crowd tries to will Ibushi on. Ibushi gets out of the hold, and hits a dropkick which Gallows almost botches. Gallows rolls out of the ring, so Ibushi charges the corner and vaults into a Triangle Moonsault onto Gallows, Tonga, and Hall on the outside. Ibushi gets Gallows back in the ring and hits a missile dropkick. Gallows misses a corner splash, then tries to high kick Ibushi but misses. Ibushi then gives Gallows a big German Suplex after several tries that pops the crowd. Gallows recovers with a big kick to Ibushi. Gallows sets Ibushi up for the Gallow’s Pole, but Ibushi counters it into a hurricanrana into a pin which is good for the three count.

Post-match, Ibushi celebrates in the ring while Gallows throws a fit ringside. Gallows screams “That’s bullshit!” as Gedo on commentary tells him to go home.

Winner: Kota Ibushi (pinfall)

Kean Rating: **3/4 – Good match which told an effective story of Ibushi finding a clever way to overcome the size difference after struggling initially. Aside from the botched sell of that dropkick, Gallows played his role and enhanced Ibushi well.

Gallows leaves but the Bullet Club contingent stays as the other half of the IWGP Tag Champs Karl Anderson is out next. Tetsuya Naito comes out as his opponent, but Anderson blindsides him as he enters the ring.

Match 8: New Japan Cup First Round – Karl Anderson vs Tetsuya Naito

Anderson quickly rolls Naito outside and gives him a powerbomb on the ring apron. The ref starts the 20 count as Anderson poses and preens in the ring. At 16, Naito reenters, but Anderson throws him out again and tells the ref to count. Naito gets back on the apron at 18, but Anderson kicks him in the head and lays into him with elbows. Hung up on the ropes, Naito gets booted back outside by Anderson and the count is on again. Naito crawls back in at 19.

Anderson slows the action down with a facelock mid-ring followed by a slam. Anderson mocks Naito’s ‘Stardust Genius’ pose and goes for his running senton, but Naito moves and hits a running senton of his own. Naito goes for a head-scissors, which is blocked on the first attempt but Naito still finishes. Anderson regains control with a kick to the face and a huge flying boot for a two count. Anderson goes for a TKO, which Naito slips out of. Anderson gets the TKO on the second try but its only good for two. Anderson goes for a piledriver but Naito gets out and knocks Anderson down with a forearm.

Naito sets Anderson up for a top-rope hurricanrana, but Anderson jumps when Naito is at the highest point and slams him down for a huge top-rope powerbomb which gets a very close two. The crowd is fired up by that nearfall as Anderson and Naito exchange elbows mid-ring. Anderson gets the better of Naito using European Uppercuts and nails a pump-handle Blackout for another close two. Anderson signals for his Gun Stun finisher but Naito comes back with backslide for two. Another rollup gets two for Naito, who then hits a Tornado DDT and German Suplex for another two. Naito signals for the Stardust Press and hits it. This time its good for the pin and the win.

Post-match, Naito soaks up the cheers of the crowd. Gedo excuses himself from commentary to get ready for Okada’s match.

Winner: Tetsuya Naito (pinfall)

Kean Rating: *** – Best match of the card so far. Naito needed a win desperately after spinning his wheels in 2015 so far, and this was a good showing against the always game Anderson. The nearfalls by Anderson were believable as well in a card which so far has suffered no upsets. We are on upset alert for the last two matches.

NJPW’s resident merch peddler Toru Yano comes out next for his NJC match against Tanahashi. Yano has the Jado/Gedo DVD with him, which pleases Jado. Hiroshi Tanahashi is out next to the strongest reaction of the show so far.

Match 9: New Japan Cup First Round – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Toru Yano

The crowd pops as Yano surprisingly starts with chain wrestling and somehow holds his own against Tanahashi. Yano then immediately exposes the corner turnbuckles, drawing the rebuke of the referee. Tanahashi tries to whip Yano but Yano reverses. Tanahashi stops to avoid pushing the referee into the exposed corner, then Yano low-blows Tanahashi behind the refs back and gets him in a very close two count. In disbelief, Yano rolls Tanahashi up again for another two count.

Tanahashi comes back with a twisting elbow strike, but as he runs off the ropes again, Yano grabs Tanahashi’s hair and whips him head-first down to the mat. Yano rolls Tanahashi up and pins him. Yes, you read that right. The NJPW announcer says “EH???” at least six times in a row in shock. Toru Yano has pinned Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Post-match, Tanahashi is understandably shocked as Yano quickly exits the ring and poses by the entrance curtain.

Winner: Toru Yano (pinfall)

Kean Rating: *** – Wow. Two stars for the actual match, but an additional star for the intrigue that this result causes.  We were on upset alert after no upset results in any of the first NJC matches, but anyone who said they saw comedy act Yano beating the surefire Hall-of-Famer in Tanahashi is surely lying. It was obvious from a booking standpoint that NJPW didn’t want to go Okada vs Tanahashi again in the NJC, but for them to avoid that matchup by having Yano pull a fast one on Tanahashi was a huge shock.

Bullet Club giant Back Luck Fale comes out first for the main event, flanked by Tama Tonga. Okada is out next, accompanied by Gedo. Good reaction for Okada, but not as good as Tanahashi’s was.

Match 10: New Japan Cup First Round – Kazuchika Okada vs Bad Luck Fale

The two start quickly, with Okada getting the better of the early exchange after Fale misses a splash. Fale, however, catches Okada on the corner and dumps him outside to change the momentum. Tonga gets some cheap shots in on Okada before Fale comes outside to dish out more punishment.

Fale puts Okada back in the ring and lays into him with clubbing forearms in the corner. The crowd chants ‘Okada!’ and tries to rally NJPW’s Golden Boy. Fale steps on Okada’s hest and poses, drawing boos. Fale continues to work over Okada, but Okada comes back with a labored scoop slam on Fale followed a couple of forearms and a DDT. Okada immediately kips up from the DDT and pops the crowd. A big clothesline sends Fale to the outside. Okada follows Fale outside and throws him over the guardrail. Okada then flies over the guardrail for a crossbody attempt, but Fale catches him and slams him back over the rail onto the outside mats. Fale then goes back in the ring and the count starts. Okada stumbles back into the ring at 19 and is immediately met by a corner splash and then a mid-ring splash for a two count.

Fale grabs Okada by the throat and goes for the Samoan Spike, but Okada blocks it. Fale then tosses Okada in the corner and goes for the Bad Luck Fall (Crucifix Powerbomb) instead, but Okada backdrops him to avoid it. The two men exchange elbows and forearms mid-ring, with Okada weathering the storm and getting Fale down for a top rope elbow. Okada pops the crowd with his Rainmake pose and tries to hit the Rainmaker, but walks right into a Samoan Drop and then a brutal spear by Fale. This gets a close two count. Gedo is going crazy on the outside. Okada recovers from the nearfall by reversing Fale into a reverse neckbreaker. Okada tries to pick Fale up for a piledriver but is reversed into a crucifix instead. Fale can’t finish the Bad Luck Fall, as Okada slips out and hits him with a dropkick.

The action picks up Okada goes for another Rainmaker which Fale breaks out of. Fale grabs Okada by the throat and finally hits a Samoan Spike, but its only good for two. Fale goes up top and nails a huge frog splash on Okada. This must be the first time I’ve ever seen Fale actually land a top rope move. That splash only gets a two, so Fale picks Okada up for a Bad Luck Fall, and hits it. The crowd is shocked as Fale covers Okada for the three.

Post-match, the entire Bullet Club spills into the ring to congratulate Fale’s conquest of Okada. Gedo is infuriated ringside as he helps Okada out of the ring. The Bullet Club gets a chair for Fale and he sits in it mid-ring. Yujiro grabs a mic and runs down Okada. Karl Anderson takes the mic and asks Tokyo if they just saw ‘King’ Fale take out Okada. Anderson called Fale “The biggest baddest gaijin New Japan has ever seen”. Anderson told Tokyo the Bullet Club is REAAAAALLLL before Bullet Clubs theme played.

Winner: Bad Luck Fale (pinfall)

Kean Rating: ***1/2– Well, so much for Okada’s renaissance. The match itself was a serviceable main event, with enough drama pack in despite Okada not reaching that extra gear that we all know he is capable of. In the main event spot, Fale showed a better workrate than some of his more recent efforts.    

EVENT REAX: Nothing outstanding in terms of match quality, but a highly newsworthy event for NJPW nonetheless. In my preview of the NJC, I stated “…should NJPW pull a shocker and have both Okada and Tanahashi out by Round 2, I would fancy Naito going over Ibushi (in what would be a spectacular match) and moving on to the final”. Now that said shocker has come to fruition, Ibushi and Naito are now the hot favorites to win this years NJC. With a clean pin of Okada, Bad Luck Fale now also enters the conversation as a legitimate potential winner.

Heading into the last two matches we were on upset alert, but having both Tanahashi and Okada out in the first round was truly a shocking twist. Over the last two years a complaint about Gedo and Jado was that their booking is somewhat formulaic, but this was a great bump on the road for established stars Tanahashi and Okada. Neither of them were diminished much in defeat due to NJPW’s strict adherence to kayfabe, which makes flash pins like what happened between Yano and Tanahashi believable. Moreover, these results free up Tanahashi and Okada to enter some non-title feuds with other wrestlers throughout the spring and early summer and allow new names to chase the championship belts. This part of the year is usually when NJPW auditions people to see if they can be main-eventers of the future; with a first-time winner of the NJC now very likely, the second round of this tournament (which goes down Saturday, March 7th) suddenly became even more must-see than it was before.

Who do you think will win the 2015 New Japan Cup? Leave your comments below and stay tuned to PWMania for more in-depth NJPW coverage. Questions for the author of this article can be left in the comments section or emailed to emailstevekean@gmail.com.