NJPW New Japan Cup Night 5 Review – March 11, 2023
Location: Aichi Japan
Venue: Dolphins Arena
6 Man Tag Team Match
NEVER Openweight Champion Tama Tonga,Toru Yano & Oskar Leube vs. United Empire (Aaron Henare,Great O Khan & Jeff Cobb)
United Empire attacks Tama Tonga,Toru Yano & Oskar Leube before the bell. Great O Khan beat up Yano in the corner and Jeff Cobb hits some punches to Yano’s gut. Cobb surfed on Yano’s back. Tonga enters and hit a double dropkick, and he rips off his vest.
Leube enters and traded blows with Henare. Henare hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on Tonga. Leube hits a running powerslam on Henare for a near fall. Henare hits a knee strike to Oskar’s jaw then Rampage for the win.
Winners: United Empire (6:32)
Rate: 6
Tag Team Match
TMDK (Television Champion Zack Sabre Jr & Kosei Fujita) vs. Bullet Club (El Phantasmo & David Finlay)
David Finlay hits a backbreaker over his knee on Kosei Fujita for a near fall. Finlay slaps El Phantasmo on the chest to tag him in then Bullet Club took turns beating on Fujita. ELP slapped Finlay to tag him back in then they were trading slaps to the face.
Zack Sabre Jr finally made the hot tag and he immediately tied up Phantasmo’s legs, and he put him in a Bow and Arrow. Phantasmo hit a Lionsault on Fujita then he set up for Sudden Death but Finlay tags himself in, annoying ELP. ELP hit an enzuigiri on ZSJ. Fujita dropkicks Bullet Club into each other before Finlay hits a Blue Thunder Bomb out of nowhere scores the win.
Winners: Bullet Club (8:07)
Rate: 5
8 Man Tag Team Match
Just 4 Guys (Taichi,Yoshinobu Kanemaru,Taka Michinoku & Douki) vs. House Of Torture (Evil,Yujiro Takahashi,Sho & Dick Togo)
Just 4 Guys & House Of Torture brawls at the bell. House Of Torture works over Douki in their corner. Taichi enters and traded blows with Evil. House Of Torture began stomping on Taichi. Taka Michinoku ties up Sho on the mat and cranks back on his neck. Dick Togo chokes Michinoku with his piano wire. Togo took a swig of alcohol.
Yoshinobu Kanemaru did too. Yujiro Takahashi did too, so Sho drank too. Michinoku hits a superkick on Sho with alcohol spraying everywhere. Sho hit a low blow on Michinoku then a Cross Armed Piledriver for the win.
Winners: House Of Torture (8:50)
Rate: 4
6 Man Tag Team Match
Los Ingobnrables De Japon (Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi,KOPW 2023 Champion Shingo Takagi & Bushi) vs. Chaos (Lio Rush,Tomohiro Ishii & Yoh)
Shingo Takagi & Tomohiro Ishii started this match off with an intense lockup, and they traded shoulder tackles, then forearm shots. Yoh entered and hit a standing neckbreaker on Takagi. Takagi hits a dragon screw meanwhile, Hiromu Takahashi & Rush started fighting on the floor. Bushi entered and hit a dropkick on Yoh’s knee and LIJ began working over Yoh.
Rush made the hot tag and traded quick reversals with Takahashi. Rush dove between the ropes and barreled onto Takahashi on the floor. In the ring Rush hits a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Takahashi hit a shotgun dropkick into the corner. Bushi tags back in and hits a basement dropkick on Rush’s knee then a dive through the ropes onto Rush.
In the ring, Bushi hit a swinging neckbreaker on Lio for a near fall. Ishii & Takagi hop back in the ring and kept brawling. Rush hits a corkscrew dive to the floor. In the ring Rush hits Final Hour on Bushi for the win.
Winners: Chaos (9:22)
Rate: 6
After the match Lio Rush & Takahashi kept glaring at each other.
6 Man Tag Team Match
IWGP Tag Team Champions Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & Yoshi Hashi) & Tomoaki Honma vs. United Empire (Kyle Fletcher,Mark Davis & Will Ospreay)
Hirooki Goto & Kyle Fletcher started this match off before Bishamon hit a team shoulder tackle on Davis. Honma missed his Kokeshi falling headbutt. Aussie Open slams Bishamon’s backs into each other. Will Ospreay hit a backbreaker over his knee on Yoshi Hashi and United Empire began working over Yoshi Hashi in their corner.
Hirooki Goto hits a clothesline on Fletcher, then a double bulldog on Aussie Open. Honma enters and hit a facewash running boot on Ospreay. Ospreay fired back with a Mafia Kick on Honma, then a springboard flying forearm for a near fall. Ospreay set up for Hidden Blade but Honma cut him off.
Honma hits a double flatliner on Aussie Open and Honma hit the Kokeshi on Ospreay for a near fall. Aussie Open hit a team stunner move on Goto. Ospreay set up for the Hidden Blade but Davis tags himself in & Aussie Open hits Korealis on Honma for the win.
Winners: United Empire (10:46)
Rate: 7
Tag Team Match
Dream Team (IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi) vs. NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champion Ren Narita & Shota Umino
Both teams brawl at the bell, and Ren Narita & Shota Umino works over Kazuchika Okada early. Umino put Okada in a Texas Cloverleaf but Umino let it go to stand toe 2 toe with Tanahashi. Dream Team works over Narita. Tanahashi hit a 2nd rope summersault senton on Narita for a near fall. Umino made the hot tag and he traded blows with Tanahashi.
Tanahashi hit a Twist & Shout on Umino. Okada made the hot tag and he applied the Money Clip on Umino. Ren made the hot tag and he hit a series of forearms on Okada, then a northern lights suplex for a near fall. Okada hit his big dropkick. Okada hit a clothesline on Narita. Narita avoided a Rainmaker, and he applied a sleeper hold.
Okada hits Rainmaker on Narita but before he could make the cover, Umino attacked him. Okada hit a top rope elbow drop on Umino, and Tanahashi immediately hits High Fly Flow on Umino, and they shoved Umino out of the ring. Okada then hits a 2nd Rainmaker clothesline on Narita for the win.
Winners: Dream Team (13:32)
Rate: 7
2nd Round Match Of The 2023 New Japan Cup
Tetsuya Naito vs. Chase Owens
Chase Owens attacks Tetsuya Naito before the bell. Naito applied a cravat and works the neck. They went to the floor, where Naito whips Owens into the guardrail. Owens hits a Russian leg sweep sending Naito into the guardrail and he took control. In the ring, Owens hit a swinging neckbreaker then he kept Naito grounded on the mat.
Naito hits a Rude Awakening and they were both down. Naito locks a leglock around Owens’ head & shoulders at 10:30. Owens hits a running knee to the chest for a near fall. Naito hits a 2nd rope blockbuster. He set up for a Destino but Owens drops to the mat to avoid. Naito hits an enzuigiri then the Destino for a near fall and Owens hits a jumping knee and they were both down.
Owens hits a short arm clothesline for a near fall then he set up for a Package Piledriver, but Naito fought free. They fought on the ropes in the corner, and Owens hit a 2nd rope Styles Clash for a near fall then he nails a C Trigger but he again couldn’t hit the Package Piledriver. Naito got a Victory Roll for the win.
Winner: Tetsuya Naito (18:07)
Rate: 7
Non Title 2nd Round Match Of The 2023 New Japan Cup
Sanada vs. Strong Openweight Champion Kenta
Sanada & Kenta do some standing switches to open this match off and Kenta kept Sanada grounded with a headlock. They brawled on the floor then Kenta whips Sanada into the guardrail and was in charge. In the ring Kenta hits a kick to the back as Sanada was seated on the mat. Kenta tried to tie him in the Paradise Lock but couldn’t figure it out. Kenta got some tape and tied Sanada up on the mat then the ref eventually freed Sanada.
Sanada hit a back suplex, and they were both down. Sanada hit a plancha and got a near fall in the ring. Kenta hit a top rope clothesline for a near fall and he applied an STF. Sanada hit some European uppercuts and Kenta fired back with some forearm shots. Sanada hit a 2nd rope missile dropkick. The ref got bumped. Kenta hit a DDT, and he got a chair, but the ref confiscated it. Kenta pushes Sanada into the ref.
Kenta hit Sanada across the back 3 times with the steel chair then once across the top of the head. He hits Sanada with a top rope double stomp to the chest and got a near fall. Kenta picks him up for Go 2 Sleep, but Sanada fought free. Kenta hit a series of open hand slaps to the face he again went for Go 2 Sleep, but Sanada got free again. Kenta switched to a Game Over then Sanada finally reached the ropes.
Sanada nailed a TKO and was fired up. He hit a top rope moonsault for a near fall. Kenta again pushed Sanada into the ref, and the ref was down again. Kenta hits a low blow uppercut, then he got his Strong Openweight Title from ringside and hits Sanada with it. However, Sanada hit a punt kick, sending the Strong Openweight Title into Kenta’s face follow by the Modified DDT gets the win.
Winner: Sanada (29:12) (He will face Tetsuya Naito in the Quarter Finals)
Rate: 7
