NJPW New Japan Cup Night 10 Review – March 18, 2023
Location: Shizuoka Japan
Venue: Act City Hamamatsu
Tag Team Match
TMDK (Television Champion Zack Sabre Jr & Kosei Fujita) vs. Oskar Leube & Ryohei Oiwa
Oskar Leube started against Zack Sabre Jr and shoves him to the mat. ZSJ slaps on a cross armbreaker then Kosei Fujita & Ryohei Oiwa enters and traded forearm shots. ZSJ reenters and hit some European uppercuts on Leube, and he tied Leube in a leg lock on the mat. Oiwa hits a dropkick on Fujita then a gutwrench suplex, and he locks in a Boston Crab then Fujita got an O’Connor Roll for the win.
Winners: TMDK (10:46)
Rate: 6
Tag Team Match
IWGP Tag Team Champion Yoshi Hashi & Tomoaki Honma vs. United Empire (Aaron Henare & Kyle Fletcher)
Yoshi Hashi & Kyle Fletcher starts this match off before Tomoaki Honma enters and hit some chops on Fletcher but he misses Kokeshi. Aaron Henare enters and hit some Yes Kicks to Honma’s chest. Honma hits a running boot in the corner on Henare. Honma hits Kokeshi for a near fall but Fletcher made the save. Henare hit a spin kick to Honma’s face. Henare locks in Ultima then he hits Honma with Streets Of Rage for the win.
Winners: United Empire (10:05)
Rate: 6
Non Title Match
NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champions Strong Style (Minoru Suzuki,El Desperado & Ren Narita) vs. Bullet Club (Strong Openweight Champion Kenta,Chase Owens & El Phantasmo)
Strong Style & Bullet Club brawls on the entrance ramp before reaching the ring with Kenta & Minoru Suzuki squaring off. Chase Owens & El Desperado got in the ring to officially start the match, and Owens hit a backbreaker over his knee. El Phantasmo enters and hit an enzuigiri on Desperado then he ties Desperado in the tree of woe. Kenta & Suzuki were fighting past the guard rail and into the crowd.
Desperado hits a suplex on ELP and they were both down as we see Kenta has returned to his corner. Ren Narita tags in and hits a clothesline on Phantasmo, then a northern lights suplex then an overhead release belly 2 belly suplex. Suzuki & Kenta both tag in and charged at each other with Suzuki hitting several forearm shots and a Helluva Kick then a running Penalty Kick to the chest then they traded more forearm shots.
Kenta & Suzuki each got a chair and dueled in the ring. Kenta turned and kicks the referee in the gut and he went back to striking Suzuki with chair shots & the ref calls for the bell.
Winners By DQ: NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champions Strong Style (7:49)
Rate: 4
After the match Kenta & Suzuki kept brawling up the ramp.
6 Man Tag Team Match
United Empire (Great O Khan,Jeff Cobb & Mark Davis) vs. House Of Torture (Evil,Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo)
House Of Torture attacks United Empire at the bell then Mark Davis hits a body slam and senton on Evil and was fired up then House Of Torture began stomping on Davis. Dick Togo hit some kicks to Davis’ back. Jeff Cobb finally made the hot tag and he hits a dropkick on Yujiro Takahashi and he surfed on Takahashi’s back. Cobb hits Spin Cycle for a near fall. Evil grabs Cobb’s ankle. Togo enters and hit some punches to Cobb’s gut but Cobb no sold them.
Great O Khan tags in and he works over Togo but Sho interfered. Evil hits a fisherman’s suplex on O Khan for a near fall. Togo got his wire and chokes O Khan. Cobb hits a flying shoulder tackle on Takahashi. Sho hops on the ring apron to distract Cobb. However Great O Khan locks in Sheep Killer and Togo taps out.
Winners By Submission: United Empire (9:51)
Rate: 4
8 Man Tag Team Match
Los Ingobnrables De Japon (Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi,KOPW 2023 Champion Shingo Takagi,Bushi & Tetsuya Naito) vs. Chaos (Lio Rush,Tomohiro Ishii,Yoh & Toru Yano)
Shingo Takagi & Toru Yano kick this match off with Takagi hitting a shoulder tackle then he ran over and pushes Tomohiro Ishii and they jaw at each other. Yoh enters and traded offense with Takagi. Los Ingobnrables De Japon hits basement dropkicks on Yoh then Yoh hits a flatliner on Naito. Lio Rush & Hiromu Takahashi enters and immediately traded forearm shots.
Rush hit a headscissors takedown, then a dive to the floor. In the ring Takahashi hits a sit out powerbomb. Ishii made the hot tag and immediately traded shoulder tackles with Takagi. Takahashi hits a basement dropkick on Ishii’s knee then a dragon screw.
Bushi tagged in and he also hit a basement dropkick on Ishii’s knee then a dive through the ropes on Ishii. Bushi hits a lung blower on Ishii for a near fall however Ishii hits a brainbuster on Bushi to get the win for Chaos.
Winners: Chaos (9:30)
Rate: 6
Quarter Final Match Of The 2023 New Japan Cup
David Finlay vs. Shota Umino
David Finlay & Shota Umino brawls at the bell, and Umino shoves the ref aside as they fought. They brawled to the floor then in the ring, Finlay hit some kicks to the back and was in control. Umino hits a diving forearm then a northern lights suplex for a near fall then a dropkick. Umino hits a summersault dive from the ring apron to the floor. He hits a DDT into the ring. Finlay hit a backbreaker over his knee for a near fall. Finlay hit a forearm to the back of the head for a near fall.
Shota hit an exploder suplex, and they were both down then they got up and traded forearms. Umino hit some European uppercuts. Umino hits a twisting neckbreaker, then a 2nd one for a near fall then Finlay hits a spear for a near fall then a Dominator for a another near fall. Finlay set up for Trash Panda but Umino escaped and hits an enzuigiri. Umino tries to hit Death Rider but Finlay blocks it. Finlay then nails Trash Panda for the win.
Winner: David Finlay (17:50)
Rate: 7
Champion vs. Champion Quarter Final Match Of The 2023 New Japan Cup
IWGP Tag Team Champion Hirooki Goto vs. NEVER Openweight Champion Tama Tonga
Match begins with a lock up then they traded shoulder tackles with Tama Tonga eventually going down. Tonga hits a dropkick before Hirooki Goto hits a clothesline and they were both down. Goto hit a plancha to the floor. Tonga hit a 2nd rope superplex. Tonga hits a T Bone suplex for a near fall. Goto hit his neckbreaker over his knee.
Tonga hits Supreme Flow for a near fall and he rips off his vest. He set up for the Stun Gun but Goto blocks it. Tonga nails a DDT for a near fall then Goto hit a spin kick to the chest. Tama hit a head capture suplex. Goto hits a headbutt and a clothesline. Tonga nails the Gun Stun to put away Goto.
Winner: NEVER Openweight Champion Tama Tonga (16:38) (He will face David Finlay in the Semi Finals)
Rate: 7
Semi Finals (March 19th)
Sanada vs. Mark Davis
Non Title Match
NEVER Openweight Champion Tama Tonga vs. David Finlay
Finals (March 21st)
Sanada or Mark Davis vs. NEVER Openweight Champion Tama Tonga or David Finlay
