Will Ospreay
Photo Credit: AXS TV

New Japan Need To Watch (3/9) New Japan Cup Night 2 *No Spoilers*

Kazuchika Okada
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Show is available on NJPWWorld.com.

FIRST MATCH: Tomoaki Honma & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori & Chase Owens)

Solid tag match. Ishimori and YOHSI-HASHI have great chemistry. It’s a shame they’re in different divisions. Chase Owens is becoming a pretty stellar heel.

Need To Watch Rating: (4.0)

SECOND MATCH: Satoshi Kojima, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki, Taichi & Davey Boy Smith Jr.)

Every combo in this match is gold. Davey Boy Smith Jr. has been the star of his matches, heading into his bout with Yano. Kojima is also firing up for his New Japan Cup match, and its great to finally see him in top condition.

Need To Watch Rating: (4.5)

THIRD MATCH: Los Ingobernables de Japon (Shingo Takagi & EVIL) vs. Suzuki-gun (Zack Sabre Jr. & TAKA Michinoku)

LIJ vs. Suzuki-gun is never bad. LIJ vs. Suzuki-gun is always good. This is doubly true when EVIL gets to face Zack Sabre Jr.

Need To Watch Rating: (5.0)

FOURTH MATCH: Kota Ibushi, Hirooki Goto & Juice Robinson vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI)

Really solid tag match. Goto, Ibushi and Juice are good but aren’t a cohesive team yet. Naito and Ibushi’s exchanges were the standout.

Need To Watch Rating: (3.9)

FIFTH MATCH: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Yuji Nagata vs. Shota Umino, Colt Cabana, Ryusuke Taguchi & Manabu Nakanishi

Solid match. Shota Umino remains the star of this tour. The excitement for his match with Tanahashi is palpable. Taguchi and Cabana continue to be a great duo. Nakanishi looked better here than in his match with YOSHI-HASHI.

Need To Watch Rating: (3.95)

SIXTH MATCH: New Japan Cup First Round: Toa Henare vs. Lance Archer

Easily the best match of the night. Henare is starved for respect. Archer likes to beat people up, but has never advanced from the NJ Cup first round. The results are explosive.

Need To Watch Rating: (10.0)

SEVENTH MATCH: New Japan Cup First Round: Mikey Nicholls vs. HIKULEO

Nicholls proves that he has some serious strength in this match with the giant HIKULEO. HIKULEO is still green as grass, but effective, especially with Jado in his corner. Match definitely could’ve been longer, but still effective.

Need To Watch Rating: (7.5)

EIGHTH MATCH: New Japan Cup First Round: Bad Luck Fale vs. Will Ospreay

These two have surprisingly good chemistry, as all Ospreay has to do is throw himself around, selling for Fale. Wish there was more to write home about but an out-of-nowhere finish kinda cut off this match’s momentum.

Need To Watch Rating: (8.0)

MAIN EVENT: New Japan Cup First Round: Kazuchika Okada vs. Michael Elgin

This match was way too long. Much like Taichi/Honma, the result is never in doubt, despite the glacial pacing and endless finisher reversals. Elgin simply isn’t believable as an NJPW main eventer, and it really hurts his long matches.

Need To Watch Rating: (7.55)

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