New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Gabe Kidd didn’t hold back during a recent appearance for CBS News Los Angeles and took aim at both WWE and AEW.
Kidd was on the show to promote the upcoming NJPW Resurgence 2024 event. The show will take place on May 11 from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, Canada.
When asked what makes New Japan different to other wrestling promotions, the English grappler shared his views on WWE and AEW.
“Listen, I’ll put it in very simple terms. You like theater? Go and watch WWE. If you’re a fat nerd who can’t talk to girls, go and watch AEW. If you want to watch the real stuff, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, this is where it’s at.”
Kidd will be competing in some inter-promotional warfare at NJPW Resurgence later this month. He will challenge AEW’s Eddie Kingston in a No Ropes Last Man Standing match for Kingston’s New Japan Strong Openweight Championship.
Crossover Matches
While Kidd hardly has a favorable take on AEW, NJPW Resurgence will feature plenty of All-Elite talent. AEW staple Jon Moxley will headline the show when he puts the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on the line against Shota Umino.
Lance Archer will challenge Jeff Cobb for the latter’s NJPW World Television Championship. Jack Perry, fresh off his appearance on this week’s AEW Dynamite, will team with Ren Narita & EVIL to face Tomohiro Ishii, Rocky Romero & The DKC. It won’t just be AEW and New Japan talent involved, as TNA Wrestling’s X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali will face Lio Rush on the pre-show.
Pro wrestling contracts are very important to the business. It helps companies lock down talent to make sure they can use them for later. Then again, contracts are not essential in every case.
It seems that NJPW star Gabe Kidd has actually been working without a contract. This has left him working for the company for well over a month on a handshake deal.
Gabriel Kidd’s Contract Status
According to Fightful Select, Gabe Kidd’s contract with NJPW was expected to expire in January. It lapsed, leaving him without a contract for approximately a month and a half.
Despite this contract situation, he continued to participate in key events such as the major cage match with Bullet Club War Dogs in February and New Japan Cup matches in March.
Now it is reported that Kidd has inked a new deal with New Japan Pro Wrestling. The specifics of the contract terms have yet to be disclosed. During the past few weeks, Kidd has been in Japan, actively participating in matches for the New Japan Cup shows.
Gabe Kidd in NJPW
Gabe Kidd is known for his contributions to Bullet Club and Bullet Club War Dogs, the 26-year-old wrestler is viewed as a potential rising star within NJPW. Now, it seems that he will be sticking around NJPW for even longer.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more, in the pro wrestling world. Please keep checking back for more updates.
In the latest installment of the Get to Know series, we bring you a special interview with UK wrestling podcast Wresthings.
The United States has seen many independent wrestling podcasts grow and expand their reach worldwide. However, it’s not as common to see international wrestling content creators gain popularity in the U.S.
Wresthings have slowly risen as one of the most popular United Kingdom podcasts in wrestling. They’ve already grown a fanbase in their hometown of London, England, but they are also gaining popularity in America. People are taking notice of the Wresthings group, whether it be other podcasters or wrestlers.
I recently spoke with Delboy, N.K, Anarfi, VRSYJNES, and Mekz of Wresthings about their growing successful media career. Sam Blackz and Laps were, unfortunately, unavailable at the time.
Here’s the video of our discussion, followed by written highlights.
How Did The Wresthings Podcast Start?
The Wresthings podcast started as a group of wrestling fans wanting to discuss current wrestling content without being judged and making it cool to watch. Finding people still watching present-day wrestling in the UK may not be easy, particularly in the inner city community.
Working as musicians, Delboy and Anarfi know each other and bonded in an Instagram group chat about wrestling. Having a common interest, both creators decided to start the Wresthings brand.
When talking about coming together as wrestling fans to discuss wrestling, Anarfi said, “…It’s crazy because back in the day, I’d speak to people about wrestling, and the first thing people would say is oh, isn’t that fake or they say something like oh, Stone Cold still wrestling and stuff and it’s like those were conversations there I didn’t really want to hear. For example, there was a moment in time when I didn’t watch wrestling, and Del was my go-to guy.”
He continued, “…It was just nice that we can have this sort of like this forum or community, or brotherhood or sisterhood or family or whatever that we can actually come through, post our wrestling content, speak about other stuff, check on up with mental health and life and stuff. So yeah, It’s gone from us being like wrestling fans and just talking about wrestling all the time to doing other stuff and caring for each other.”
Delboy would also contact VRSYJNES and Blackz to join them as they also bonded about wrestling. They officially launched their podcast on Jan. 11, 2019. As the podcast progressed over the years, other current podcast members joined, and the brand gained popularity.
Dealing with Fame as Content Creators
While the podcast is gaining success, the group members are getting more recognized among their peers. Although it can sometimes be overwhelming, the group takes pride in helping make wrestling popular among the black community in the U.K.
The group noted how they are getting noticed in public by fans and how much it meant to them to see people love their work. Delboy shared what it meant to see his brother watching Wresthings.
“…I’m tired of my siblings watching WhatCulture. I’ll be real, said Delboy jokingly. He continued, “I’m tired of them watching What Culture and Cultaholic and Wrestletalk, no disrespect to them. I love them. I watch them all the time, but it brings a smile to my face when I’m going downstairs, and I’m watching my brother watch my podcast. it makes me feel like, yeah it’s just as important as watching Simon Miller or an Adam Blampied. For him to look at us, yeah I want to listen to your podcast. I don’t agree with this, what Anarfi said here was rubbish or what Blackz said here I enjoyed, for me it’s like yeah this is why I do it.”
Delboy also added that “…The fact that there are black kids watching us and being able to have us as an alternative to the majors, for me, it’s like we are doing what we need to do. So we have to carry on and continue until we take over, and we have all these black kids watching us.”
Their Thoughts on Clash at Castle Taking Place in Cardiff, Wales
WWE will hold its next event, Clash at the Castle, on Sep. 3 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Although the event is in the U.K, it’s not an easy trip to make if you live in England.
Wresthings shared that they wouldn’t be able to attend, and the travel would cost more than going to New York. The group is also confused about why the event is happening in Cardiff.
“…No disrespect to Wales, but London is the capital or at least if not London, you know we have big other cities here Manchester, Birmingham, like not too sure why they went to Wales. Maybe it’s availability of the stadium, but those that are going, they’ve done hard work to make sure they are going,” said Mekz. He continued, “…I know people that are going that aren’t staying in Cardiff, which is the city it’s happening in. They are staying in other cities in Wales, just because of availability of hotels and cheaper tickets and they are going to go from those other cities into Cardiff on the day. WWE hasn’t made this show as accessible as you would like really and truly. You know, hopefully it’s a successful show for them and they come back to the U.K somewhere closer to us in general.”
Clash at the Castle isn’t sold out, with tickets still on sale at Ticketmaster. The event also has tickets available for resale.
What Are Wresthings Future Plans?
The future for Wresthings seems to be promising. Each podcast member has goals they want to accomplish for the brand.
One of the biggest things they look to achieve is creating subscription services like Patreon to create more content and earn more financial growth. However, Anarfi shared that it won’t be happening just yet.
Outside of doing weekly wrestling content, they continue to have famous U.K wrestlers sometimes appear on their show, like Will Ospreay or Gabriel Kidd. They recently had Ava White on their Aug. 12 episode, who will be competing in the IWGP Women’s Championship Tournament at Royal Quest 2 Night two on Oct. 2.
The group also discussed doing more things creatively in wrestling, like having their wrestling event under their brand. Wresthings have shown great ambition to take the brand to new levels.
They hope to continue making discussing wrestling fun and entertaining as they flourish. While it started as friends discussing WWE, Wresthings has become a successful wrestling media brand.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!
Watch live on NJPW World with a paid subscription. English and Japanese commentary are available! This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
Gabriel Kidd def. Yuya Uemura (8:16) Based on the math, Yota Tsuji has already clinched his place as the winner of the unofficial “C-Block” between these three young lions. Neverthe less, Uemura and Kidd did not give off the impression that they were any less motivated to fight their hardest. Both men jockeyed for position, trying to attack each other’s arm to set up for their finishing arm-trap suplex, before the match devolved into an energetic slugfest. Gabriel Kidd’s standing dropkick followed by the double underhook suplex sealed the deal for Uemura. This would put Kidd, unofficially, in second place, and Uemura in last.
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI def. Toru Yano (6:10) Yano spent all of fifteen seconds calling for a “clean fight” before he attempted to remove a turnbuckle pad. As it turned out, YOSHI-HASHI had hidden a roll of tape in his own trunks that the referee did not find before the match. He used them to tape his staff to Yano’s wrist between the bars of the guardrail on the outside. Yano was barely able to find a way to get his hand free and make it back in the ring before being counted out. From there, he tried to roll YOSHI up repeatedly, and even hit a low blow from behind. As he did, YOSHI-HASHI caught Yano’s arm between his own legs, and used that to roll into an arm-trap cradle for the pinfall victory over his CHAOS stablemate. He has truly performed well above his station and I’m glad he ended his tournament on a happy note. YOSHI-HASHI finishes with 4 points (2 wins, 7 losses). Toru Yano finishes with 6 points (3 wins, 6 losses).
B Block: Juice Robinson def. Hirooki Goto (12:07) Both Goto and Juice have ended up with fairly unfavorable G1 records after starting off strong. Goto in particular, his story the whole tournament has been his hurt arm, which KENTA caused by targeting it relentlessly in their match together, and has dragged his performance down since. At first, Juice went to targeting the hurt arm as well, before switching gears to trying to prove that he could brawl with a weakened Goto. Juice won a battle of lariats, but Goto caught the running Juice with an Ushigoroshi. Still, Juice had the werewithal to catch Juice’s kick and rise to his feet, then rock Goto with a right-handed punch. He called for Pulp Friction, but as he was setting it up, Goto applied a sleeper hold and tried to transition it into a pinning combination, but only achieved a near fall. Out of nowhere, Juice landed a big left-handed punch, then one more, and finally the Pulp Friction to end his G1 with a win. Hirooki Goto finishes with 8 points (4 wins, 5 losses) Juice Robinson finishes with 8 points (4 wins, 5 losses)
B Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Zack Sabre Jr. (12:01) I wonder if Zack Sabre Jr. spins a wheel with different names of body parts to decide what he’s going to focus on for his match on any given day. Today, it would be Tanahashi’s neck. With locks and cranks, Zack did his best to immobilize the Ace with neck work. Tanahashi, being technically-versed in his own right, was never at Zack’s mercy for too long. He turned a headscissors neck lock into a modified cloverleaf. Tanahashi used all his bursts of momentum to attack the leg, as he usually does, and it was a battle of who could be clever and creative enough to take control long enough to steal the win. Suddenly, Tanahashi was able to hit a Sling Blade, then immediately went for the High Fly Flow. He managed to land it on a standing Zack, but Zack rolled through it to apply an armbar. Thinking quickly, Tanahashi got to his feet and, with his arm-still trapped, rolled Zack into a lateral press cradle for the victory! He even kept pinning Zack after the three had been counted, because he’s just that cool. Hiroshi Tanahashi finishes with 8 points (4 wins, 5 losses). Zack Sabre Jr. finishes with 10 points (5 wins, 4 losses).
B Block: KENTA def. Tetsuya Naito (21:06) No one who knew what KENTA was like before entering NJPW would have thought that this match with Tetsuya Naito would be a battle of mischevious personalities. At first, KENTA tried to provoke Naito by repeatedly bailing from the ring, but he had a clever plan in mind. As KENTA left the ring again, Naito followed him, but KENTA picked up his IWGP US Heavyweight Championship #1 contender briefcase and hit Naito with it as he leaned over the ropes, making a loud smacking sound. He was trained on Naito’s neck in much the same way that Zack just was against Tanahashi, hoping to hurt it before finishing with the Go 2 Sleep. After landing the Shibata-style corner dropkick into the diving foot stomp, Naito was really struggling to find any breathing room for himself. However, as KENTA lifted Naito onto his shoulders, Naito sat up and hit a reverse frankensteiner, and then went after KENTA with repeated elbows to the back of the neck. He pressed his new advantage with a super frankensteiner and the Gloria slam for a near fall. He tried for the Destino, but KENTA elbowed him away easily, and then lifted Naito’s feet onto the second rope for a DDT. He tried again for the Go 2 Sleep, but Naito would turn it into a counter Destino! He followed up with Valentia and went for the arm-trap Destino, but before he could lock it in, KENTA turned it into an inside cradle roll up for the flash pinfall victory on Naito. KENTA can’t win the G1, but now Naito is out. KENTA finishes with 10 points (5 wins, 4 losses). Tetsuya Naito finishes with 12 points (6 wins, 3 losses).
B Block: SANADA def. EVIL (27:01) EVIL left the ring immediately upon the first bell and offered a too-sweet to Hiromu Takahashi, who was a guest commentator at ringside. Hiromu just gave him a goofy grin and a thumbs-up. SANADA eventually got tired of waiting for EVIL to fight him, and chased him, but this gave EVIL the opportunity to suplex him on a pile of chairs that he had taken out on the outside. The hurt SANADA was a sitting duck for EVIL’s offense, and a smattering of well-timed aid from Dick Togo. SANADA finally rose up and delivered a standing dropkick and plancha to EVIL to take him out. He then brought Dick Togo into the ring and put him in the Paradise Lock, and would do the same to EVIL upon his recovery. He followed up with a springboard dropkick and a bridging tiger suplex for a near fall on the former double champion. SANADA then landed the giant swing into the Skull End, but released it too soon to hit the moonsault and EVIL was able to move out of the way. EVIL would rise to his feet first to deliver a superplex before applying the scorpion deathlock, and held it for a good long time before SANADA finally managed to grab the bottom rope to force the rope break. Still reeling, he barely managed to kick out of Darkness Falls as it was announced that the time limit would come in 10 minutes. EVIL tried for the EVIL (STO), but SANADA blocked it and locked in the Skull End with bodyscissors once again. SANADA stood up and landed two top rope moonsaults on EVIL, but Dick Togo pulled the referee out of the ring and started hitting SANADA with a chair. The two of them landed the Magic Killer on SANADA, but Hiromu, having seen enough, got out of the commentary chair and laid Togo out with a superkick, but EVIL would hit a low blow on Hiromu. Togo and EVIL then hit the Magic Killer on Hiromu as well. EVIL picked up SANADA and threw him back down with a running lariat, and then Dick Togo started choking SANADA. Hiromu came back again to hit another superkick on Togo. But, finally, SANADA pushed EVIL into Dick Togo, and then pinned him with the Japanese leg roll clutch! EVIL finishes with 12 points (6 wins, 3 losses). SANADA finishes with 12 points (6 wins, 3 losses).
Due to his victories over both other men who have 12 points, Tetsuya Naito and EVIL, SANADA is the winner of the B Block. He will face Kota Ibushi and one of them will leave tomorrow the 30th G1 Climax winner!
New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!
Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
Gabriel Kidd def. Yota Tsuji (7:09) The longer this tournament lasts, the less patient and the mroe aggressive the young lions are getting with each other. It’s as if they are losing their inhibitions and becoming more willing to wrestle all-out, whether they win or lose. Also, you see both Uemura and Kidd gunning for Tsuji as he proves himself the favorite. Kidd, in particular, has been showing his LA Dojo training more and more, using body language while throwing elbow strikes that even commentary mentioned as being patterned after Katsuyori Shibata. Kidd landed a dropkick and double underhook suplex for the three-count.
B Block: Zack Sabre Jr. def. YOSHI-HASHI (13:34) In the early going, Zack went after YOSHI-HASHI’s left arm, controlling the pace and forcing the first-time champion to rely on rope breaks to escape his holds. With strikes from his good arm, YOSHI-HASHI was able to fight back, taking advantage of Zack’s lack of durability. Zack clung to his game plan, throwing kicks to the bad arm and applying an Octopus hold, but YOSHI was able to reverse it into a cobra twist, and he transitioned into the Butterfly Lock. Zack was able to get to the bottom rope to break the hold and land more stomps to the left arm, but YOSHI’s thrust kick sent him flopping to the mat again. YOSHI tried for Karma, but Zack was not having it, and he continued trying to rip YOSHI’s left arm out of its socket. YOSHI-HASHI was trapped, and did not have the mental capacity to give up, but the referee made that decision for him. Zack Sabre Jr. goes to 8 points
B Block: KENTA def. Toru Yano (8:56) KENTA and Yano spent a good few minutes yelling at each other to put away the foreign objects that they brought to the ring: Yano’s red steel chair and KENTA’s IWGP US Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender briefcase. It was ruled that neither object was allowed. Finally having touched after nearly five minutes, Yano threw KENTA into the guardrail, sprayed sanitizing fluid in his face, then threw a turnbuckle pad at him, but KENTA was able to make it back into the ring in time. KENTA worked over Yano and then pulled him, along with the briefcase, to the entrance stage. He hit Yano in the head with the briefcase, causing it to open, and countless rolls of tape to spill out. KENTA taped Yano’s arm to the truss of the entranceway and left him to be counted out. KENTA goes to 6 points
B Block: SANADA def. Juice Robinson (15:06) Both Juice and SANADA’s ability to factor into the finals of this tournament are largely dependent on the result of this match. Surprisingly, only a few days after SANADA’s victory over Tetsuya Naito, Juice was getting the better of him, while delivering some prime banter. Between calling SANADA “Cold Stone” and telling the referee that he has until five in Japanese, showing his personality is where Juice shines. SANADA was finally able to create some momentum for himself after he dodged Juice’s cannonball splash and hit a dropkick and plancha. SANADA’s comeback did not last long, though, as Juice caught him with a full nelson slam, then hit a superplex and jackhammer to press the advantage. SANADA was still able to dodge Juice’s Left Hand of God and block his attempts at Pulp Friction. SANADA tried multiple times at the Skull End, but Juice avoided it in creative ways multiple times. Finally, SANADA was able to hit the dragon sleeper giant swing into the Skull End, followed by the top rope moonsault to put Juice away and stay alive. SANADA goes to 8 points
B Block: Hirooki Goto def. Hiroshi Tanahashi (13:38) Another match with both men on the bubble of elimination. Tanahashi, as he is apt to do, targeted Goto’s knees with laserlike focus. Goto was already worn down by this tournament, having a wrapped right shoulder since his second match, and now his base was being removed from him as well. Tanahashi tried early for the Texas cloverleaf, but Goto got out of it without too much difficulty and hit the Ushigoroshi to finally inflict some offense. He tried for the Shouten Kai, but Tanahashi sandbagged it and hit Twist and Shout, followed by a counter Sling Blade. He perched on the top rope for the High Fly Flow, but Goto climbed up with him and slowed his roll with multiple headbutts. He lifted Tanahashi on his shoulders and dropped him to the mat with a nasty looking Ushigoroshi, but this also hurt his own knees in the process. Goto followed up with the reverse GTR, and Tanahashi desperately tried to apply a flash pin, but Goto kicked out of it. He hit the normal GTR and put the Ace down for the three count. Goto is still in; Tanahashi is out. Hirooki Goto goes to 8 points
B Block: EVIL def. Tetsuya Naito (23:57) After wrestling two main event title matches, Naito and the new EVIL are well-acquainted with each other. However, even though Naito definitively won at Summer Struggle, his animosity for EVIL, the man who betrayed Los Ingobernables de Japon, was more evident than ever. He smiled as he cranked EVIL’s neck in holds and refused to break them, even when he was told to by the referee. However, this did not mean he was immune to EVIL’s nefarious deeds, or those of his new right-hand man, Dick Togo. Togo was still there to distract the referee at times, or even be the aggressor, but Naito was smarter about avoiding their tactics this time. Nevertheless, Naito was on the back foot for most of this match. He got out of EVIL’s Scorpion Deathlock and retaliated with a rolling kick and Gloria for a near fall. EVIL pushed Naito into an exposed turnbuckle and used this opportunity to take control again. EVIL got Naito up for Darkness Falls but received a counter Destino for it. EVIL tried for his self-named finish but Naito avoided it, only to be hit by Darkness Falls this time. EVIL kept trying for EVIL, but Naito kept foiling his attempts. Dick Togo got in the ring yet again, and Naito disposed of him easily, but EVIL had the opportunity to hit a low blow on Naito in the meantime. This did not deter Naito, who hit a flying forearm on EVIL, followed by a running Destino for a near fall. He tried for one more Destino, but EVIL countered it into his self-named finish hold for the victory. EVIL goes to 10 points
G1 Climax 30 Standings
A Block: 10 points – Jay White, Will Ospreay, Kota Ibushi, Kazuchika Okada 6 points – Taichi, Minoru Suzuki, Tomohiro Ishii, Shingo Takagi, Jeff Cobb 0 points – Yujiro Takahashi
New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!
Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
Gabriel Kidd def. Yuya Uemura (8:47) Over the course of this G1, which is past the halfway mark at this point, Gabriel Kidd has shown himself to be the most adaptable of the three young lions, in my view. He has the strength to strike with Tsuji and the technique to grapple with Uemura, while the two Japanese young lions are more specialized. Kidd and Uemura were both able to reach the ropes with their dueling Boston crabs early in the match, but, and Kidd had enough fight in him to stuff Uemura’s attempt at a double arm suplex. He hit a dropkick, a vertical suplex, followed by his own double underhook suplex for the win.
B Block: Hirooki Goto def. YOSHI-HASHI (14:12) Goto’s last several matches have ended in very decisive fashion, lasting only several minutes combined. His right arm and shoulder are bandaged and it is a wonder whether that has made Goto fight with more urgency. YOSHI-HASHI focused on Goto’s hurt arm, applying a keylock that Goto needed a rope break to escape. Goto rallied with a spinning kick and a running bulldog, followed by the Ushigoroshi, but the pain in his arm stopped him from capitalizing. YOSHI-HASHI smartly countered with a lariat to the arm, followed by a Dragon suplex and the Butterfly Lock. He transitioned it into a sleeper hold and backstabber when Goto started moving towards the ropes, followed by the Kumagoroshi for a near fall. He tried to hit the Karma, but Goto stuffed it and lifted YOSHI-HASHI for the GTW. He tried to follow up, but YOSHI-HASHI hit a headbutt, only for Goto to return the favor. Finally, he hit the GTR for the pinfall win. Goto 6 points, YOSHI-HASHI 2 points
B Block: Zack Sabre Jr. def. Toru Yano (12:20) Toru Yano claimed to want a clean fight with Zack Sabre Jr., and voluntarily removed many rolls of wrist tape from his trousers. He then proceeded to challenge Zack to grappling, followed by amateur wrestling, but Zack was not interested in engaging. Zack then adopted an amateur wrestling stance as well, but Yano instead ran to remove a turnbuckle pad. He left to retrieve a chair from outside the ring, along with a roll of tape, and he tied Zack’s arm to a chair outside the guardrail. Still, Zack was able to pull the chair through the bars of the guardrail to make it back in the ring before he could be counted out. The referee removed the chair and Yano apologized profusely to Zack, before hitting a belly-to-belly suplex. Yano pulled him out of the ring and tried to hit a German suplex on the floor, but Zack pulled him into an ankle lock and dragged him away from the ring. Yano was still able to limp back to the ring before the 20-count, though. The slowed Yano was a sitting duck for more leg attacks from Zack. Yano got to his feet and removed a turnbuckle pad, but then engaged Zack in a series of fighting for pinning combinations. Zack trapped him in an ankle lock yet again, then transitioned it into a heel hook, and Yano had nowhere to go. Zack 6 points, Yano 6 points
B Block: SANADA def. KENTA (11:24) KENTA’s “IWGP US Heavyweight Championship #1 contender” briefcase had a big crack in it from when KENTA hit Tanahashi across the face with it two days ago. It had a note taped over the crack with Tanahashi’s name written. KENTA controlled the match early, grinding SANADA down with strikes and holds to the head. SANADA blocked a kick of KENTA’s and applied the Paradise Lock, which to this day amuses the audience very much. With a running dropkick followed by a diving double footstomp, KENTA brought the momentum of the match back in his favor. Hew went for the Go 2 Sleep, but this may have been premature, as SANADA avoided it easily. SANADA hit a pop-up TKO and applied the sleeper hold, but KENTA pushed him into the referee and left to pick up the briefcase again. He tried to hit SANADA in the face with it, but SANADA dodged it and dropkicked the briefcase into KENTA’s face. He then went for a moonsault, but KENTA blocked it with his knees. Seeing the opportunity, he tried for the Go 2 Sleep again, but SANADA avoided it and pulled KENTA into a Japanese leg roll clutch for the pinfall win. SANADA 6 points, KENTA 4 points
B Block: Tetsuya Naito def. Juice Robinson (25:01) Juice has been one of the best at engaging a crowd that isn’t allowed to cheer, but Naito was the more popular man in the building. Naito dominated Juice in the early going, almost mocking him, and perhaps his Blues Brothers cosplay outfit, as he scraped his boot across Juice’s face. He mimicked Juice’s crowd-rallying pose while holding Juice in a headscissors hold, but Juice was finally able to get to his feet and grant himself some space with a spinebuster. This did not last long, though, as Naito pounced with a neckbreaker drop into the Pluma Blanca necklock. Naito condescendingly encouraged Juice to try harder, only for Juice to catch his flying forearm and hit a full nelson slam. He fired up the crowd as he lifted Naito to the top rope and landed a superplex into a jackhammer for a near fall on the double champion. Naito wriggled out of Juice’s Pulp Friction finish and awarded Juice a reverse Frankensteiner for his efforts. Naito went for the running Destino, but Juice caught him with a leg lariat as he yelled profanely. He caught Naito’s rope-assisted tornado DDT, but Naito modified it into a reverse Destino. Juice reversed Naito’s next Destino attempt into a falling powerbomb as the crowd applauded. Past the 20 minute mark, Juice hit a big lariat and tried once more for the Pulp Friction, but again Naito avoided it, but was knocked to the mat by the Left Hand of God. Juice tried yet again for his finish, but again Naito managed to hit another running Destino. The crowd came unglued as Juice kicked out! Naito was unfazed, though, and landed one last Destino to extend his lead on the rest of B Block. Naito 10 points, Juice 6 points
B Block: EVIL def. Hiroshi Tanahashi (19:58) It didn’t take a long period of Tanahashi getting the better of EVIL for Dick Togo to interfere on EVIL’s behalf. EVIL whipped Tanahashi into the barricade, and while he was down, he pulled out a pile of chairs, suplexed Yota Tsuji onto them, and removed a turnbuckle pad. Togo would repeatedly be there when Tanahashi was starting to take control. EVIL tried to throw Tanahashi to the outside, but he skinned the cat to get back in the ring, only to get thrown halfway across with a German suplex. Tanahashi fought off EVIL’s Scorpion Deathlock attempt and tried to apply the Texas cloverleaf, but EVIL grabbed his hair to get Tanahashi off of him. Tanahashi hit a sliding dropkick to knock down Togo, followed by multiple Dragonscrews and another go at the cloverleaf. EVIL’s back was severely arched, but he managed to crawl to the bottom rope and free himself. EVIL returned to form with a big lariat, but Tanahashi reversed his Darkness Falls into a Sling Blade. Tanahashi climbed to the top rope for a High Fly Flow, and Togo tried to distract him, but Tsuji pulled him away. He hit the crossbody on a standing EVIL and transitioned into the Texas cloverleaf once more, but Togo came in and started choking Tanahashi with his wire. Tanahashi was able to lift it off of his neck and slap Togo in the face to send him reeling. From there, he hit a Sling Blade and a High Fly Flow to EVIL’s back, then went for another. However, Dick Togo pulled his leg, making his groin land on the turnbuckle, and giving EVIL the opening he needed. He superplexed Tanahashi off the top rope and landed Darkness Falls for a two-count. Finally, he landed his self-named STO for the three count. EVIL 8 points, Tanahashi 6 points
G1 Climax 30 Standings
A Block: 8 points – Kota Ibushi, Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, Jay White 6 points – Taichi, Minoru Suzuki, Tomohiro Ishii, Shingo Takagi 4 points – Jeff Cobb 0 points – Yujiro Takahashi
New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!
Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
Yota Tsuji def. Gabriel Kidd (6:43) Two of the last three opening singles matches between young lions have ended in time limit draws, including the last one between Tsuji and Kidd. Evidently, the two of them had taken that to heart and didn’t want it to happen again. They spared the audience the formality of grappling at all and went straight to brawling and trying for their finishing holds. After much striking and grunting, Tsuji hit a spear on Kidd and locked in the Boston crab. He leaned back to put even more tension on Kidd’s spine and Kidd had nowhere to go.
A Block: Tomohiro Ishii def. Yujiro Takahashi (15:25) Yujiro attacked Ishii before the bell and spent the opening minutes controlling the match against the Stone Pitbull. After slowing Yujiro’s role with a vertical suplex, he took his shirt off and threw it at the laying Yujiro, which drew applause from the crowd. Ishii threw Yujiro with a German suplex into the turnbuckle pad, then lifted him to the top rope for a superplex and a near fall. Yujiro was hurt, but he managed to reverse Ishii’s powerbomb and hit an Olympic slam for a two-count and the Miami Shine for yet another. Yujiro tried for the Pimp Juice DDT, but Ishii blocked it. Yujiro blocked his multiple attempts at the vertical brainbuster, and managed to hit a brainbuster of his own. Desperate, Yujiro tried to roll Ishii up, but that didn’t work. With a headbutt, a sliding lariat, and the vertical drop brainbuster put Yujiro away. Credit to him for lasting as long as he did, though. Ishii 6 points, Yujiro 0 points
A Block: Kazuchika Okada def. Jeff Cobb (11:03) Okada realized that he would be fighting an uphill battle against the powerhouse Cobb once the opening bell rang. As Cobb was coming off the ropes, Okada tried to jump over him, but Cobb caught him in midair and laid him out with a vertical suplex. Cobb missed a corner splash and Okada used this opportunity to use multiple swinging neckbreakers to ready Cobb for the Money Clip. This was not enough to slow Cobb, though. Okada, a deceptively large man in his own right, experienced being tossed multiple times like an infant. Cobb’s Athletic-Plex and standing moonsault both received close near-falls from the Rainmaker. However, Okada would block Cobb’s try at the Tour of the Islands and hit a standing dropkick and Tombstone piledriver to even the odds. Okada applied the Money Clip, but Cobb was able to get to his feet and hit a standing dropkick of his own! Okada dropeped multiple more attempts at the Tour of the Islands and applied a rana pin for the victory. Okada 8 points, Cobb 4 points
A Block: Will Ospreay def. Minoru Suzuki (14:26) From jump, the wily Suzuki was frequently ready for Ospreay’s moves. On the outside of the ring, Ospreay tried to do a flying forearm off the barricade, but Suzuki caught him in an armbar. Suzuki kept attacking Ospreay’s right arm, and when Ospreay tried to pop up and hit an elbow strike, he recoiled in pain. Not the smartest tool in the shed. Suzuki laid in his chops and had Ospreay bleeding from the chest. A handspring kick and standing shooting star press helped Ospreay gain some breathing room, but another top rope attack led to him being trapped in an armbar yet again. He was able to put his foot on the bottom rope to break the hold, but Suzuki was still in control. He laughed at Ospreay’s feeble strikes, and when Ospreay tried to go to the top rope again, Suzuki caught him, only for an Ospreay headbutt to send him to the mat. Suzuki blocked Ospreay’s attempt at the Stormbreaker, but Ospreay hit a suplex to grant himself some slight reprieve. Suzuki dodged the Hidden Blade and applied a sleeper hold. He tried for the Gotch-style piledriver, but Ospreay got out of it and hit an enzuigiri, followed by the Stormbreaker for the win. Ospreay 8 points, Suzuki 6 points
A Block: Jay White def. Taichi (15:16) Every time Jay tried to leave the ring to troll Taichi, Taichi left the ring too, like a never-ending battle of who could hold out for longer. Eventually, Jay got tired of this, and threw Taichi into the barricade. He brought Taichi back in and focused on attacking Taichi’s back until Taichi retaliated with his powerful kicks. When he missed a kick in the corner, Jay capitalized with a chop block, followed by the Bladebuster. After landing a uranage, Jay attempted the Blade Runner, but Taichi blocked it and hit a backdrop driver at the 10-minute mark. Jay couldn’t land the snap sleeper suplex and Taichi applied the Gedo Clutch, but Gedo himself came in to distract the referee so he couldn’t count the pin. Jay pushed Taichi into the referee, and Gedo tried to interfere, but Taichi kicked him in the crotch. Then he kicked Jay White there too, but he kicked out of the Gedo Clutch at 2. Taichi hit an elevated powerbomb for another near fall, then set up for a thrust kick. As he went for it, Jay caught his leg, then swiftly hit the Blade Runner. Jay 8 points, Taichi 6 points
A Block: Shingo Takagi def. Kota Ibushi (21:56) Ibushi and Shingo have never wrestled in a singles match before, and this match was highly anticipated. These two men are both incredible athletes who can do most anything, but Ibushi has the advantage in speed, Shingo in strength. The winner of this match would be he who could press that advantage greater, and at first it was Shingo. He battered Ibushi with strikes that Ibushi couldn’t match, and Ibushi was confident enough to play Shingo’s game. Finally, Ibushi wised up, and took the advantage using his trademark aerial offense. Shingo would continually cut Ibushi off, though, as his left arm lariat made Ibushi land on the mat head-first, and then he landed the Noshigami for a near fall on last year’s G1 Climax winner. Shingo tried for a German suplex, but Ibushi backflipped out of it and kicked the sitting Shingo right in the back of the head. After Ibushi’s sitout powerbomb achieved a near fall, Shingo would grant himself some space with a death valley driver, then lift Ibushi for the Last of the Dragon. It did not work, but he avoided a kick from Ibushi to land the Made in Japan for a near fall once more. Shingo followed up with two Pumping Bombers, but Ibushi kicked out just in time! Shingo lifted Ibushi to his feet and went for the Last of the Dragon again, but Ibushi shifted his weight to avoid it. A big lariat from Ibushi put Shingo on his back, and a Boma Ye put Shingo down for a two-count. Ibushi tried to finish the match with the Kamigoye, but Shingo grabbed Ibushi’s knee, and lifted him by it into the Last of the Dragon! Shingo 6 points, Ibushi 8 points
G1 Climax 30 Standings
A Block: 8 points – Kota Ibushi, Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, Jay White 6 points – Taichi, Minoru Suzuki, Tomohiro Ishii, Shingo Takagi 4 points – Jeff Cobb 0 points – Yujiro Takahashi
New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!
Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
Yuya Uemura def. Gabriel Kidd (7:35) The neck strength fostered at the NJPW Dojo, and likely most of the dojos in Japan, is truly otherworldly. It’s not even the first time they did this in this series of tournament matches, but watching Uemura bridge while an adult man is kneeling on his torso never fails to impress. What also never fails to please is when someone takes the most obvious move possible, to break the hold they’re trapped in, seen in this match when Kidd ended Uemura’s arm wringer with a loud elbow to the face. I enjoy the struggle that young lion matches embody and oftentimes non-young lions focus more on showcasing their repertoire than embodying that struggle. Yuya Uemura won by submission with a high-angle Boston crab.
A Block: Shingo Takagi def. Yujiro Takahashi (13:38) Yujiro was sensible enough to understand that fighting dirty was the only hope he had against a powerhouse like Shingo. He bent the rules in every way possible, between hair pulling, biting, and slamming Shingo’s head into the corner post, and a reverse DDT on the apron for good measure. Eventually, Shingo got frustrated enough to bite Yujiro on the hand the way he did to Shingo earlier. It must hurt being bitten by a dragon. Yujiro pushed Shingo harder than I expected, hitting the Miami Shine and trying to set up for Pimp Juice, but Shingo stopped him. Eventually, Yujiro pushed the referee and tried to hit Shingo with his pimp cane, but Shingo lariated it away. A following Pumping Bomber and Last of the Dragon put Yujiro away in decisive fashion. Shingo 4 points, Yujiro 0 points
A Block: Jeff Cobb def. Jay White (12:24) Taking a lesson from Bullet Club stablemate Yujiro in the previous match, Jay White used underhanded tactics to try and cut Mr. Athletic down to size. At one point, Gedo tried to interfere but Jeff Cobb caught both him and Jay, and delivered a double noggin knocker, something I’m surprised not to see more of in wrestling. Impressively, White was able to lift the rotund Cobb for the Bladebuster, but found himself thoroughly outmatched in a battle of strikes. Jay then transitioned into taking out the big man’s legs with a chop block and a dragonscrew. Cobb fired up and still had enough of a base that he could still try for the Tour of the Islands. Jay blocked it at first, but Gedo came in to distract Cobb and give Jay a moment of reprieve. However, this backfired spectacularly, when Cobb lifted Gedo up, press-slammed him into Jay White, and then hit the Tour of the Islands to pin Jay White. Cobb 4 points, White 6 points
A Block: Kazuchika Okada def. Minoru Suzuki (14:10) Okada tried to grapple with Suzuki only to get summarily stretched, and then rocked when he tried to throw elbows with Suzuki. Okada has come back from behind to defeat Suzuki in the past, but it never seemed quite so one-sided. Okada tried to run off the ropes, but Suzuki caught him in a sleeper hold and went for an early Gotch-style piledriver. Okada blocked it and hit the Reverse Neckbreaker, which was the most relevant moment of offense he had achieved thus far. Still, Suzuki had the mettle to hold his hands behind his back and challenge Okada to hit him hard enough to hurt. Instead, Okada hit a standing dropkick followed by a Tombstone piledriver, then applied his cobra clutch, the Money Clip. Suzuki got to his feet and made it out of the hold. He put on a sleeper hold with bodyscissors, and when Okada managed to stand up out of it, he applied it again, but Okada grabbed Suzuki’s legs and pushed him down into a prawn hold for the pinfall victory. Likely the least earned win Okada has had in this tournament, and has ever had over Suzuki. Okada 6 points, Suzuki 6 points
A Block: Tomohiro Ishii def. Taichi (18:48) Taichi truly has come along way over the last several years. In the early going of this match, Taichi was trading his kicks for Ishii’s forearm strikes and coming out the better man for it. Of course, Ishii did eventually find the werewithal to push through the pain and start laying the boots to Taichi. Perhaps his hubris got the better of him, as he went for an early attempt at the brainbuster, but Taichi blocked it and a cracking head kick put Ishii’s head flat on the mat. Ishii made it back to his feet but Taichi continued to punish him with heavy strikes. Ishii popped up yet again and hit a buckle bomb and a lariat, then endured a buzzsaw kick to the head and continued laying on his strikes. He went for the brainbuster yet again, but Taichi dropped out of it. In a moment of desperation, he pushed the referee at Ishii and kicked Ishii in the groin, but even this could not put Ishii away for a three-count. Ishii stood up and hit a lariat but Taichi kicked out at one, then stood up and dropped Ishii on his head with a backdrop driver! Down but not out, Ishii blocked Taichi’s attempt at Black Mephisto and hit a jumping high kick, followed by a sliding lariat. The vertical drop brainbuster finished Taichi off in emphatic fashion. Ishii 4 points, Taichi 6 points
A Block: Kota Ibushi def. Will Ospreay (15:56) The way Ospreay behaved towards Ibushi as this match began was almost comically condescending. He ruffled Ibushi’s hair with his hand when they were locked up against the ropes, then again with his boot later when Ibushi was on the mat. Ibushi did not take this lightly. When Ospreay did his fakeout Sasuke Special and posed in the ring, Ibushi bolted in and grabbed his arms for a Kamigoye attempt. It did not land, but it’s the thought that counts. Similar to their encounter late last year, Ibushi tried for a top rope Frankensteiner, only for Ospreay to land on his feet out of it, albeit with a bit less balance than last time. He was also getting the better of Ibushi when it came to striking too. Ospreay tried for a Stombreaker early on but couldn’t make it stick, and hit a gnarly sitout powerbomb to put Ibushi down for a two-count. Ospreay set up in the corner for the Hidden Blade, but Ibushi stood up just in time to block it, and hit a powerbomb of his own for a near fall. Feeling the need to end the match quickly, Ospreay went for the Oscutter, but Ibushi hit a jumping knee to hit Ospreay in midair, and then the Kamigoye for an abrupt but utlimately satisfying victory. Ibushi 8 points, Ospreay 6 points
New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!
Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
Yota Tsuji vs. Gabriel Kidd ended in a draw (15:00) Gabriel Kidd has come along a great deal since joining NJPW. He worked a headlock on Tsuji in the most interesting way I’ve ever seen someone do it, cranking on it and reversing all of Tsuji’s attempts to break it in creative ways. His creative holds and transitions enabled him to dominate the majority of the match against Tsuji. Tsuji retaliated with a body slam into a single-leg Boston crab, but it was enough to make Kidd’s crumble after he tried a body slam of his own. Kidd locked in a full Boston crab, but Tsuji was able to make it to the ropes to break the hold. Tsuji hit a back body drop and applied a Boston crab of his own. Kidd was able to get out of it and hit a dropkick as the ring announcer said there was less than 1 minute to go. They both attempted flash pins but the 15 minute time limit arrived before either man was finished Both men kept striking each other after the bell rang until they collapsed in a heap.
B Block: Juice Robinson def. Toru Yano (6:42) Toru Yano threw one of his t-shirts at Juice and asked him to put it on. Juice was suspicious of Yano’s intentions, but he insisted, and then attempted to roll Juice up, but failed. He then left the ring and told Juice to come after him, but Juice ripped the Yano shirt off and rubbed it between his legs before running after Yano. Yano outsmarted him and taped Juice’s legs together, then bolted back into the ring for the countout victory, but Juice hopped on his taped-together legs back into the ring in time. Juice managed to rip the tape off and hit the Left Hand of God, but Yano blocked Juice’s Pulp Friction. He tried for another roll up but Juice reversed it into a prawn hold for the pinfall victory. Juice 6 points, Yano 6 points
B Block: Zack Sabre Jr. def. Hirooki Goto (3:59) Following his loss at the hands of KENTA, Zack Sabre Jr. wasted no time trying to dismantle the bandaged right shoulder of Hirooki Goto. He brought Goto to his knees with an octopus hold, then hit a cheeky penalty kick for good measure. The angered Goto hit a lariat with his bad arm and paid the price, collapsing in pain. He managed to still perform the Ushigoroshi on Zack, but when he went for his finishing move, the GTR, Zack dropped out of his grip and flipped Goto into the bridging European Clutch for the three-count, in a very fast match.
B Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi def. YOSHI-HASHI (18:41) YOSHI-HASHI, seemingly in defiance of one of the elder statesmen of NJPW, adapted part of Tanahashi’s trademark strategy for himself, going after Tanahashi’s legs early in the match, including a Dragonscrew. Irate, Tanahashi pushed YOSHI-HASHI into the corner with elbow strikes and then repaid him with a Dragonscrew of his own. Shockingly, YOSHI-HASHI overpowered Tanahashi in a chop battle and then put him down for a 2-count with a sitout powerbomb. Tanahashi hit a Sling Blade when YOSHI-HASHI ran off the ropes, and then went for the High Fly Flow, but YOSHI-HASHI blocked it with his knees! He then hit a big lariat and applied the Butterfly Lock as the crowd rallied behind Tanahashi. He could see Tanahashi inching toward the rope and transitioned into a backcracker. Tanahashi tried to come back with repeated Dragonscrews, but YOSHI-HASHI managed to hit the Kumagoroshi for a near fall. Tanahashi blocked YOSHI-HASHI’s attempt at the Karma and hit a fast Sling Blade, followed by two High Fly Flows to put YOSHI-HASHI away. 4 points Tanahashi, 2 points YOSHI-HASHI
B Block: EVIL def. KENTA (15:40) I was interested in this match before the tournament began, with the potential interactions between two Bullet Club members who have not interacted recently, and how Dick Togo’s allegiance might factor in. KENTA offered a 2-Sweet at the start of the match, and EVIL and Dick Togo gave each other a 2-Sweet instead of KENTA. Seemingly perturbed by this, KENTA whispered something to Dick Togo and then went about beating EVIL from pillar to post. He asked Dick Togo to help him but Togo did not get involved. EVIL irish-whipped KENTA into the ropes and Togo grabbed his foot, making him trip, which made KENTA furious at how a Bullet Club member could cheat against another one. From here, EVIL controlled the pace, grinding KENTA down and wrenching on his bad left shoulder. KENTA retaliated with powerful kicks and a flying lariat for a near fall, but when he tried to follow up, Dick Togo jumped onto the apron to distract him and put EVIL back in control. KENTA pushed the referee into EVIL and went to grab his “IWGP US Heavyweight Champion #1 contender” briefcase. Dick Togo asked KENTA for it, and got hit in the face with it. KENTA then hit EVIL with it as well and followed up with the Busaiku Knee Kick, but EVIL kicked out. EVIL then came back with the Darkness Falls, but KENTA blocked the EVIL, and lifted the interfering Dick Togo into the Go 2 Sleep. This gave EVIL the opportunity to hit a low blow from behind and then the EVIL STO for the dirty win over KENTA. 4 points EVIL, 4 points KENTA
B Block: SANADA def. Tetsuya Naito (27:08) Naito and SANADA have met in the G1 several times since SANADA joined LIJ, but no LIJ member has ever defeated Naito in the G1. However, the crowd today, being in the same prefecture that SANADA was born in, was on SANADA’s side. They clapped in bursts of three, as if chanting the syllables of his name. Naito took this personally, finding every opportunity possible to crank on SANADA’s neck while urging the crowd to chant for their hometown hero. Naito softened SANADA’s neck up with a top rope Frankensteiner and the Esperanza, but SANADA reversed his running Destino into the TKO cutter. From there, he landed the moonsault into the Skull End, reapplying the bodyscissors when Naito managed to get to his feet. He broke the hold to hit the top rope moonsault, but Naito rolled out of the way! As the ring announcer said that 25 minutes had passed, Naito hit a Destino only for SANADA to kick out. He wound up for another, but SANADA blocked it and hit a Destino of his own! He followed up with two top rope moonsaults and got the pin on Naito! SANADA 2 points, Naito 6 points
New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!
Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
Yuya Uemura def. Gabriel Kidd At the start, Gabriel Kidd was laser-focused on Uemura’s arm, using a bridging arm lock to weaken him, so that he would be unable to break free of the double underhook suplex that Kidd has been using to finish matches lately. Uemura was able to reverse the hold into a leglock, but Kidd grabbed the bottom rope to break it. They engaged in a battle of strikes but Kidd was getting the upper hand, but Uemura hit a beautiful dropkick and locked in a high-angle Boston crab; Kidd had no choice but to tap out.
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI def. SANADA (15:15) SANADA trained his offense on YOSHI-HASHI’s neck, likely a setup for the Skull End. YOSHI-HASHI hit a lariat to SANADA against the ropes, sending him tumbling to the outside, but when he went to the outside to follow up, SANADA lifted YOSHI-HASHI’s legs onto the barricade and gave him a body dragonscrew. SANADA looked to have YOSHI-HASHI’s number, rallying the Korakuen Hall crowd. YOSHI-HASHI finally hit a desparation lariat, followed by a sitout powerbomb for a near fall. He rose to the top rope, but SANADA blocked the Swanton Bomb with his legs. He then hit a moonsault on a standing YOSHI-HASHI into the Skull End. YOSHI briefly got his head free, but SANADA pulled him back into it. SANADA broke the hold to hit his finishing top rope moonsault, but YOSHI-HASHI blocked it with his knees, in an act of retribution. He rose to his feet and delivered a dragon suplex followed by the Kumagoroshi for a near fall as the crowd clapped for him. Finally, he hit the Karma for the three-count! YOSHI-HASHI 2 points, SANADA 0 points
B Block: KENTA def. Zack Sabre Jr. (15:46) KENTA did not begin the match by retreating to the outside of the ring like he did against his prior opponents. Zack laid on the mat and challenged KENTA to grapple with him, but KENTA just kicked him in the chest. KENTA pelted the spindly ZSJ with strikes for quite a while. Zack even sat up and put his arms behind his back, challenging KENTA to kick him, but he soon regretted it. Zack finally realized he couldn’t sustain much more of this and brought the match onto his terms, attacking KENTA’s right arm. KENTA tried to hit a lariat, but was clutching his arm in pain after he did so. KENTA decided to use his other limbs to fight, landing multiple shotgun dropkicks and a diving foot stomp for a near fall. He tried to lift Zack for the Go 2 Sleep, but Zack started cranking on his arm and he had to stop. Zack hit a guillotine choke and transitioned into the Jim Breaks armbar, but KENTA forced the rope break. Zack hit the ropes, but ran into KENTA’s knee strike on the way back. KENTA lifted the dazed Zack for the Go 2 Sleep and the pinfall victory. KENTA 4 points, Zack 2 points
B Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Juice Robinson (14:16) Tanahashi found himself outpowered by Juice in the early going, as Juice worked over the Ace’s lower back with punches, backbreakers, and a sidewalk slam. He placed Tanahashi in a seated full nelson while egging on Tanahashi to do better. He broke the hold to hit another lower back punch, but the freed Tanahashi put Juice on his back with a dropkick to the leg and a dragonscrew. Slowed, but not beaten, Juice continued to push Tanahashi, hitting a big lariat and the cannonball splash, as the crowd flared up with rhythmic applause. Juice hit a jackhammer for a near fall, but when he went for the Pulp Friction, Tanahashi blocked it and hit a Sling Blade. He went to the top rope for the High Fly Flow, but the standing Juice rolled through it into a pinning combination for a two-count. Juice hit his Left Hand of God punch on Tanahashi and went for the Pulp Friction again, but Tanahashi dropped to the mat to avoid it and pulled Juice into a victory roll for the pinfall victory, to finally make it on the board. Tanahashi 2 points, Juice 4 points
B Block: Toru Yano def. EVIL (4:33) Yano immediately went after EVIL’s second, Dick Togo, so that he would not be present to give EVIL the advantage. He taped Togo’s arm to the outside barricade, but EVIL was able to break him free later on. As Togo distracted the referee, EVIL hit a low blow on Yano, but then Yano whipped him into the referee. EVIL stopped before hitting the referee, but it gave Yano the opening to hit a low blow of his own. Immediately, Dick Togo came in and hit a low blow on Yano, but Yano retaliated with a mule kick. He whipped Togo into EVIL and then hit a low blow on both of them at once, then pinned EVIL with a roll-up. Yano 6 points, EVIL 2 points
B Block: Tetsuya Naito def. Hirooki Goto (21:58) Goto’s right shoulder was already taped up from his match with KENTA and Naito focused on it immediately, using arm wringers, strikes, and a Kimura lock to further damage Goto’s dominant arm. Naito had said in a recent interview that he viewed Goto as just a guy, whose presence did not mean much in the grand scheme. This was Goto’s chance to prove that statement wrong, but his early comebacks were all thwarted by Naito. When Naito lifted Goto to the middle rope for his super frankensteiner, Goto slid under and delivered a superplex, sending Naito reeling to the outside. He followed up with the first plancha I’ve ever seen him do. As the match reached 15 elapsed minutes, Naito was back on the offense again, catching Goto with a swinging DDT and repeated elbows to the back of the head, and then successfully performing the super Frankensteiner. Naito went for the running Destino, but Goto blocked hit and hit the reverse GTR! He followed up with a rope-hung GTR for a near fall, but when he went for the Ushigoroshi Naito countered it into a Destino. Naito went for the final Destino, but Goto caught it and hit the GTW! Goto attempted the GTR, but Naito blocked it, then finished Goto off with the Valentia and Destino! Naito 6 points, Goto 2 points
A Block: Taichi def. Minoru Suzuki (12:11, Pinfall, Black Mephisto)
A Block: Will Ospreay def. Tomohiro Ishii (18:20, Pinfall, Stormbreaker)
A Block: Jay White def. Kota Ibushi (20:28, Pinfall, Blade Runner)
Standings
A Block 4 points – Will Ospreay, Taichi, Jay White 2 points – Jeff Cobb, Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki, Kota Ibushi 0 points – Tomohiro Ishii, Shingo Takagi, Yujiro Takahashi
New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!
Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
Yota Tsuji def. Gabriel Kidd (9:15) I would recommend that everyone reading this go to NJPW’s English website and read Gabriel Kidd’s interview, in which he discusses Shibata grabbing his stomach fat and telling him to lose weight before he could join the LA Dojo. He certainly has, but it may have been Yota Tsuji’s weight may have helped him press the advantage, as he overpowered Gabriel Kid with strikes, and was too heavy for Kidd to lift when he attempted a suplex. Kidd hit a great standing dropkick to cut off Tsuji briefly, but in the end Tsuji caught him in the Boston Crab for the submission victory.
B Block: Juice Robinson def. YOSHI-HASHI (15:57) Unlike Ishii yesterday, YOSHI-HASHI entered while proudly displaying his NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship. Meanwhile, Juice Robinson entered in a white tank top and tight black pants and shoes, looking like a Blues Brother. These two hit some of the loudest chops I’ve heard recently, up there with the one sin yesterday’s match between Ishii and Suzuki. Juice made the crowd stomp and clap to the rhythm of “We Will Rock You” by Queen. His focus on the crowd let YOSHI-HASHI catch him in the Butterfly Lock, but the crowd resumed the rhythmic noise-making to support Juice. YOSHI-HASHI broke the hold to hit a swanton bomb, but Juice kicked out at two as the crowd. His chest red from chops, he went for the Karma, but Juice was able to sprawl to stop the hold and a heavy lariat. Finally, he hit two big punches and the Pulp Friction to put YOSHI-HASHI away. Juice 2 points, YOSHI-HASHI 0 points
B Block: Toru Yano def. SANADA (6:16) SANADA also decided to bring new gear to the G1, wearing a black and silver outfit that looks like something a supervillain would wear, but a comically small skull mask. Toru Yano was carrying three rolls of tape in his trunks, which were removed by the referee early in the match. After being unceremoniously worked over, Yano retreated to the outside and told SANADA to come after him, but SANADA didn’t take the bait and Yano had to run back to the ring to stop from being counted out, and SANADA hit a plancha to the outside to press his advantage. From there, SANADA pulled Yano to the entrance walkway and put him in the Paradise Lock, then left him to trapped to be counted out. However, a young lion, thinking this was unfair, rolled Yano onto his back to set him free. This enabled Yano to tie SANADA and the young lion’s legs together with his last roll of tape, and win the match by countout. Also, the young lion wasn’t wearing his mask over his nose, shame on him. Yano 2 points, SANADA 0 points
B Block: KENTA def. Hirooki Goto (17:15) Goto also didn’t bring out his NEVER 6-Man title, and it’s getting on my nerves that YOSHI-HASHI is the only one who did. KENTA had promised on Twitter that he would win this match using his Game Over submission, which he had used in this same building to win the GHC Heavyweight Championship when he was in Pro Wrestling NOAH. He put that plan into action, targeting Goto’s right arm with holds and kicks. As KENTA kicked Goto in the chest, Goto rose to his feet went for a lariat, but KENTA grabbed his arm, immobilizing Goto in pain. Goto fought back and started working on KENTA’s arm too. KENTA was able to get his foot on the rope to break Goto’s seated armbar, and got Goto back on the defensive again with a diving foot stomp. He lifted Goto for the Go 2 Sleep, but Goto grabbed KENTA’s knee to stop its impact. He applied his Shoryu Kekkai arm submission, but KENTA was able to reach the bottom rope to break it. Goto tried to finish the match with the GTR, but KENTA forced him into the Game Over and there was nowhere for Goto to go. KENTA wins by submission. KENTA 2 points, Goto 0 points
B Block: Zack Sabre Jr. def. EVIL (15:54) With one of the briefest IWGP Heavyweight Championship reigns in recent history behind him, EVIL has a lot to prove in the G1. Credit to him, he was beating Zack from pillar to post in the early going, a little bit of help from Dick Togo notwithstanding. With his quickness, Zack was able to make his move and went to twisting EVIL’s neck and arms in a brutal fashion. EVIL was able to break Zack’s abdominal stretch by pulling on his ear, living up to his name. He went back to pummeling the wiry submission master with strikes and big suplexes. Zack countered EVIL’s lariat with an arm drag into a submission hold, but Dick Togo came onto the apron as a distraction. Zack casually kicked him away, but EVIL whipped him into the referee, and Dick Togo came in to lay boots to Zack. After being hit with one senton from each, Zack was able to fight back to take Togo out. EVIL went for a mule kick, but Zack caught EVIL’s leg in between his knees. EVIL hit the Darkness Falls for a near fall, and went for the EVIL STO, but Zack rolled him into the European Clutch for the pinfall victory. He was hurt and struggling to walk afterward, but the points go to him, overcoming a two on one disadvantage. Zack 2 points, EVIL 0 points
B Block: Tetsuya Naito def. Hiroshi Tanahashi (27:16) Tanahashi’s plan, as it often is, was to attack Naito’s knees to neutralize his advantage of speed. However, early on, Naito was always one step ahead of Tanahashi, avoiding his front flip senton while laying on the mat in his tranquilo pose. Naito held control until Tanahashi hit a dragonscrew legwhip to send Naito retreating to the outside, and then hit the High Fly Flow to Naito standing outside. He said he was going to retire that move four years ago and yet here we are. He brought Naito back into the ring and landed more dragonscrews with Naito hung up in the ropes, then went for the Texas Cloverleaf, but Naito was able to stuff the hold. Tanahashi hit more Dragonscrews and was able to lock in the Texas Cloverleaf this time, which he used to tap out Naito in their last match and win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, three years ago. He locked it in at an even higher angle, but Naito grabbed the middle rope and saved himself. Tanahashi pushed his advantage with a bridging arm-trap suplex for a very close near fall. He went for the Sling Blade but Naito dodged it and landed a twirling DDT to put Tanahashi on his back. He hit repeated clubbing blows to the back of the neck, then hit Gloria only for Tanahashi to kick out at two. Naito went for the Destino, but Tanahashi countered it into the Sling Blade as the crowd applauded wildly and the ring announcer called that 25 minutes had passed. He hit a second Sling Blade and then the High Fly Flow, but then went for another High Fly Flow and Naito rolled out of the way. Naito capitalized with a gnarly running Destino that got a 2-count, then hit the Valentia and another Destino for the three-count! Naito 2 points, Tanahashi 0 points
Following the events of yesterday’s New Japan Cup Final, New Japan Pro-Wrestling has been shaken up by the betrayal of EVIL, turning his back on Los Ingobernables de Japon and joining Bullet Club after his victory over Kazuchika Okada to win the New Japan Cup. Today, he challenges Tetsuya Naito in the main event for Naito’s IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships.
Watch exclusively on NJPW World with Japanese commentary. English commentary will be recorded and uploaded to NJPW World this week. Note: This event will have a reduced attendance capacity to comply with social distancing regulations. Also, the live audience was instructed not to cheer loudly to reduce exhalation of potentially contagious aerosols.
NJPW Dominion 2020 Results
Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima & Ryusuke Taguchi def. Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Gabriel Kidd (9:25) The audience only reacting by applause is still somewhat jarring, but the crowd is making the most of it. There was an extended bit of Kojima and Honma trading Machine Gun chops in which the crowd clapped in time with every single chop. Their hands are going to be sore by the end of the night. These matches do get repetitive, but when a young lion’s in there it’s always satisfying to see the process of their development. Finish: Yuji Nagata over Gabriel Kidd by submission (Nagata Lock II)
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi, BUSHI & SANADA) def. Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano & Yota Tsuji (10:15) The story of this match was more how Los Ingobernables de Japon were processing EVIL’s betrayal yesterday. None of them looked particularly happy to be there. and SANADA and BUSHI weren’t carrying the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championships that they were holding with EVIL. Hiromu Takahashi’s hair was frayed like he’d been up all night and his wrist tape had “Why?” written on it over and over again. Finish: Hiromu Takahashi over Yota Tsuji by submission (Boston crab)
Suzuki-gun (El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI) def.Master Wato, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Yuya Uemura Master Wato’s strikes are a little loose, but he wrestles with a good energy about him and he’s very young so I don’t view it as particularly problematic. He got over as a young lion for being an underdog who you could really feel for, so his lack of dominance can be forgiven, but Hiroyoshi Tenzan being the one to draw sympathy by being beaten up by all three members of Suzuki-gun seemed misplaced. Finish: El Desperado over Yuya Uemura by pinfall (Pinche Loco)
Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori & Yujiro Takahashi) def. CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Hirooki Goto) Okada threw his big coat at Yujiro as he entered, incensed by Yujiro’s intereference in the New Japan Cup yesterday, and he kept trying to go after Yujiro. This isn’t the first time Yujiro interfered to Okada’s detriment in a big match, so Okada’s bone to pick was evident. After a while, Gedo came out and hit Okada in the back with a spanner while Goto was the legal man, and this gave Ishimori and Yujiro the opportunity to team up on Goto for the victory. Finish: Yujiro Takahashi over Hirooki Goto by pinfall (Pimp Juice)
After the match, Okada was able to shake Gedo off to attack Yujiro some more, but Yujiro planted him with a Pimp Juice of his own. As he said in an interview yesterday, he wasn’t on Okada’s level, but he could pull Okada down to his own level.
NEVER Openweight Championship Match: Shingo Takagi (c) def. SHO We’ve seen a lot of this match over the last month, with SHO defeating Shingo for the first time in the first round of the New Japan Cup, and them coming to blows ever since. SHO has continued to carry himself more and more like Shingo’s equal despite Shingo’s advantage in experience and size. It goes without saying that these two hit each other hard and threw each other hard, but they brought it into a new gear in this match, just potatoing each other in a way that pleased my hindbrain very much. SHO looked to have Shingo on the ropes and lifted him for the Shock Arrow, but Shingo sprawled and lifted SHO for a Made in Japan that gave him a near fall. He hit a Pumping Bomber, but SHO kicked out immediately, even before the one count. SHO attacked with a cross-arm piledriver for a near fall. From that point, he kept going for a cross armbreaker, but Shingo used his strength to keep getting out of it. SHO finally hit a straight punch, followed by a GTW and the Last of the Dragon for the win. Shingo Takagi defends the NEVER Openweight Championship.
As Shingo celebrated on the ramp, El Desperado came from behind the curtain and punched him in the face, then hit Shingo with his own belt. He yelled that Shingo would be accepting this challenge no matter what.
IWGP Tag Team Championship Match: Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr.) def. Golden Ace (Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi) (c) Even Zack Sabre Jr., who is considered a relatively noble wrestler by Suzuki-gun’s standards, couldn’t help but stoop down to Taichi’s level. The two of them took turns beating down Tanahashi while keeping him separate from Ibushi. Zack bit off more than he could chew and Tanahashi got out of his abdominal stretch and whipped him with a reverse Dragon screw. He reached Ibushi for the hot tag, who unleashed hot fire on his enemies. Ibushi was on the verge of winning, but Zack came in and put him in a guillotine, which he was nearly disqualified for. Ibushi landed a LOUD high kick that dropped Taichi to the mat, then tagged in Tanahashi as Taichi tagged in Zack. Tanahashi hit a sling blade for a near fall when Taichi came in to break up the pin. Tanahashi hit another sling blade and a high fly flow, but Zack got his knees up. With Taichi holding Tanahashi in place, Zack hit repeated dragonscrews on both of Tanahashi’s legs. Taichi hit a high kick on Tanahashi as Zack planted him with the Zack driver for the victory. Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr.) are the new IWGP Tag Team Champions.
IWGP Heavyweight & IWGP Intercontinental Championships Match: EVIL def. Tetsuya Naito (c) EVIL entered with new music and a new look about him, like a cross between a Roman gladiator and a dominatrix. Every member of Bullet Club in the country accompanied him to the ring, but the referee refused to start the match with them present. EVIL rolled in and out of the ring as the match began, but the angered Naito ran straight after him. EVIL took the early edge, and with Naito laying, EVIL took Milano Collection AT’s EVIL toy scythe and broke it in half, then threw it at him. Incensed, Milano jumped the barricade and tried to fight EVIL, but EVIL whipped him into the guardrail, knocking him out of commission. EVIL continued to batter Naito, destroying his knee to nullify his speed advantage. He had pulled out a table earlier in the match and he lifted Naito and gave him a sickening knee drop straight through the table on the outside, which also gave Naito a big cut on his back. He grinned (evilly, as you might imagine) at Naito, then floored him with a running lariat and Darkness Falls for a two-count. Naito took back the momentum with a turning rope-assisted DDT and the Gloria for a near fall of his own. He lifted EVIL to the top rope to hit a super hurricanrana, then a running DDT for yet another count of two. Naito went for the Destino again, but EVIL blocked it and pushed him into the referee, giving Bullet Club the opportunity to interfere. Hiromu Takahashi ran out and took on Jado and Taiji Ishimori by himself. Although they were apprehended, EVIL had grabbed a steel chair amidst the chaos and slammed it right over Naito’s head, popping the seat off. He looked to capitalize, but Naito blocked the EVIL finish and went for the Destino only for EVIL to hit a mule kick while pushing the referee down. BUSHI came out and lifted Naito to his feet, only to attack him. EVIL stomped Naito in the groin and hit the EVIL for the three count. EVIL is the new IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Champion.
BUSHI, who had helped EVIL win the match, took his mask off to reveal he wasn’t BUSHI, but Dick Togo, a freelance wrestler who has been in NJPW before. Hiromu Takahashi came out and, to avenge Naito’s loss, wanted to challenge EVIL for his newly won championships. If not both, either one would be fine, he noted. EVIL brushed him off and left Hiromu going ballistic in the ring.
Today, NJPW will hold the ninth and final day of the 2020 New Japan Cup. It is a 32-man single elimination tournament. The winner will challenge Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships at NJPW Dominion on July 12. Today’s card will hold the final match to determine tomorrow’s main event challenger at Dominion!
Watch exclusively on NJPW World with Japanese commentary. English commentary will be recorded and uploaded to NJPW World this week. Note: This event will have a reduced attendance capacity to comply with social distancing regulations.
New Japan Cup 2020 Day 9 Results
Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma) def.Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura (9:15) Everyone in this match wrestled with a level of enthusiasm befitting the first NJPW match with a paying crowd in over four months. Also, there was a mystifying new element to this match: the fact that the crowds were told by NJPW not to cheer loudly. Instead, it was just a sea of applause for every cool move and every time the young lions made a comeback. The happiness was palpable. Togi Makabe finished off Yota Tsuji with a bridging German suplex.
TenKoji (Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan) def. Hirooki Goto & Gabriel Kidd (9:57) The euphoria of the return of the audience was still affecting me during this match, and it must have been affecting Gabriel Kidd too because he was a house of fire in this match. Even after the crowd successfully stifled the instinct to chant Kojima’s “Icchauzo bakayaro” catchphrase, Kidd lifting Kojima up for a vertical sequence got the biggest vocal reaction so far, prompting gasps from the crowd. Katsuyori Shibata must be a great trainer. Satoshi Kojima put Gabriel Kidd down for the three count with a lariat.
Master Wato def. DOUKI (7:46) I’m not sure that Master Wato came out like a house of fire, leveling DOUKI with high kicks and a spinning uppercut. When DOUKI took control of the match, it was mostly with repeated eye-rakes and hitting Wato with his pipe. I’m still not sure about Wato. His strikes are very good and fit his persona well, and he certainly looks better than he did in the video package hyping him up over the last month, but it still feels out of place. Master Wato pinned DOUKI with a top rope corkscrew somersault senton.
Following the end of the match, as Wato celebrated, Yoshinobu Kanemaru came out and attacked him. Hiroyoshi Tenzan came out to pull Kanemaru off Wato and the two of them shook hands.
Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori & Yujiro Takahashi) def.Los Ingobernables de Japon (SANADA & BUSHI) (9:20) It seemed like Los Ingobernables de Japon especially relished the return of live audiences. The crowd roared (with applause) when SANADA applied the Paradise Lock on Taiji Ishimori, and BUSHI was over as well. There was a single person booing when Ishimori tried to rip off BUSHI’s mask, which may have been unintentional comedy. Yujiro Takahashi pinned BUSHI with the Pimp Juice DDT.
Suzuki-gun (Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) def. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Yuji Nagata & Ryusuke Taguchi (12:43) Hiroshi Tanahashi experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in this match. He soaked in the crowd’s applause like no one else, then ten minutes later he was having his knees twisted, pummeled, pulverized, and punished by everyone in Suzuki-gun. This damage may make the difference in the outcome of Tanahashi and Ibushi’s first defense of the IWGP Tag Team Championships against Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi tomorrow. Ibushi and Zack Sabre Jr. exchanged incredibly quick blows and transitions, Nagata threw some lovely suplexes, and Taguchi’s shtick is much more enjoyable with a crowd, even if all they do is clap. El Desperado pushed Taguchi into the referee, then hit him with a straight punch and the Pinche Loco for the pinfall victory.
Golden Ace and Dangerous Tekkers came to blows after the match, but for once in this whole rivalry it was Tanahashi and Ibushi who held the IWGP Tag Team Championships high in the end.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi) def. CHAOS (SHO, Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano) (15:00) This was a wild trios match featuring five great athletes, and one generational athlete in Toru Yano. But seriously, between SHO and Shingo coming to violent blows as they usually do, Hiromu Takahashi and Tomohiro Ishii in a battle of speed versus hardness, and Toru Yano being surprisingly formidable and only going down after being triple-teamed by all three members of LIJ, and getting several dramatic near-falls on the dual IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion, this match was action-packed. Tetsuya Naito pinned Toru Yano with a jackknife pin for the victory.
After the match, the three members of Los Ingobernables de Japon posed in the ring, with five Championship belts between the three of them.
New Japan Cup 2020 Final: EVIL def. Kazuchika Okada (31:50) EVIL has really been living up to his name this tournament. Every match he’s won to make it to this point has occurred in a dastardly fashion, with groin stomps and chair shots as far as the eye can see. He went to finish the match early, going for his namesake finisher within two minutes of the opening bell, but to no avail. Even though the crowd was instructed not to cheer vocally, you could hear people calling out EVIL and Okada’s name from time to time. EVIL’s game plan, at first, was to work Okada’s arm to weaken both the Rainmaker, which Okada has yet to actually win a match with in the tournament, and the cobra clutch, which he has been finishing all his matches with. Okada hit a flapjack and a short-range dropkick to slow EVIL’s roll and applied the cobra clutch, but EVIL made it to the ropes to break the hold. Okada tried to capitalize, but EVIL pushed him into the referee and delivered a low blow to Okada. With both Okada and the referee down, EVIL threw no fewer than four chairs into the ring, and Okada with Darkness Falls into the pile of chairs. Okada had enough energy to hit a reverse neckbreaker, but fell to the mat. EVIL hit a nasty rolling elbow and went to run the ropes, but Okada hit a standing dropkick and reapplied the cobra clutch, but EVIL raked his eyes to stop it. Okada applied the cobra clutch once more, but stopped it to hit a short-range Rainmaker. As Okada went to follow up, Gedo came out and distracted the referee, then Yujiro Takahashi attacked Okada while the referee wasn’t looking. Okada caught EVIL in the cobra clutch yet again, but EVIL broke it with a mule kick and then stomped the laying Okada right in the groin. Finally, EVIL hit the EVIL on Okada for the three count.
EVIL wins the New Japan Cup 2020. He will challenge Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships tomorrow at Dominion!
After the match, Tetsuya Naito showed up to congratulate EVIL on his victory. He said that he enjoyed the new EVIL he’s been seeing lately, and that he was looking forward to their match tomorrow. He offered a fist bump to EVIL, but EVIL met it with a Too Sweet, and he hit the EVIL on Naito. Every Bullet Club member in Japan showed up to applaud him, and he left with then. EVIL is Bullet Club.
Today, New Japan Pro-Wrestling will hold the eighth day of the 2020 New Japan Cup. The New Japan Cup is NJPW’s annual 32-man single elimination tournament, usually scheduled for the Spring. The winner will challenge Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships at NJPW Dominion on July 12. Today’s card will hold the two semifinal matches.
Watch exclusively on NJPW World with Japanese commentary. English commentary will be recorded and uploaded to NJPW World this week. Note: This event was held in an empty arena.
New Japan Cup 2020 Day 8 Results
Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado & Taichi) def.Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Yuji Nagata & Gabriel Kidd As expected, the main theme of the match was continuing the heated rivalries forged during the New Japan Cup, namely Minoru Suzuki with Yuji Nagata and the Golden Aces against Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi. I wouldn’t be surprised if both of said rivalries culminate at Dominion. In addition, Gabriel Kidd’s gumption was on display, as he stepped right up to Minoru Suzuki, only for Suzuki to eat his elbow strikes and drop him with one slap. In the end, El Desperado finished Kidd off with a punch to the face and the Pinche Loco. The fighting continued after the match, and the Dangerous Tekkers threw the IWGP Tag Team Championships at Tanahashi and Ibushi as Zack exclaimed “We’ll make those belts worth something!” Ibushi chased them backstage in a fit of rage.
CHAOS (SHO, Hirooki Goto & Tomohiro Ishii) def. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI) If there had to be one wrestler who was the focus of this match, it was undoubtedly SHO. He came out like a house of fire against every member of LIJ to prove what he had to offer. When Shingo Takagi and SHO fought last year, it seemed like SHO was always on the back foot, that Shingo was never in danger of losing. After beating Shingo in the first round of the tournament and his performance in this match, he now feels like Takagi’s equal and I can think of no greater praise than that. SHO pinned BUSHI with the Shock Arrow. Afterwards, Shingo brandished his two championships at SHO, asking which one he wanted. SHO pulled the NEVER Openweight Championship, making his intentions clear. Shingo attempted to hit SHO with said Championship, but SHO dodged it and hit an impactful spear to state his case. Expect that match to take place at Dominion as well.
Prior to the cleaning and disinfection intermission, a new vignette played involving the new wrestler coming to NJPW who has been referred to as “The Grandmaster.” It revealed that this was Hirai Kawato, who was returning from his learning excursion in Mexico. His gimmick appears to be something of a martial artist, and his new name is “Master Wato.” Personally, I think it looks too goofy and it’s hard to take seriously. It turned out that he was in the building and made his entrance to speak a few words in the ring. As he posed, DOUKI came out of nowhere and attacked him, and Wato needed to be helped to the back after the assault. Perhaps DOUKI will be Master Wato’s first obstacle to overcome.
Semifinal Match: EVIL def. SANADA (20:13) The match began at a tempered pace, as the teammates gingerly approached each other. Their level of trust has been a recurring theme in their matches together, and EVIL has won his matches so far in the tournament in less than sportsmanlike ways. The question was whether or not EVIL would fight fairly and honorably in this match. As you would guess from his name, of course not. SANADA offered a handshake and EVIL accepted it only to go for his EVIL finish right away, but SANADA had it scouted. As the match progressed, EVIL seemed to have the advantage most of the way through. Shortly after the ten minute mark, he hit the Darkness Falls for a near fall. Not out yet, SANADA wrenched on the Skull End, but EVIL flipped backwards over him to get out of the hold and then floored him with an evil lariat. SANADA fired back up with a cutter from the top rope, but appeared to land on his own head and it looked bad. As EVIL looked to capitalize on the mistake, SANADA rolled him into the Skull End again, but stood up to go for a top rope moonsault but EVIL blocked it with his knees. EVIL pushed SANADA into the referee and hit a low blow, then hit him in the face with a steel chair. With the referee still down, EVIL stomped on SANADA’s groin. He then pushed the referee into the ring, hit the EVIL and won. EVIL advances to the New Japan Cup Final.
Semifinal Match: Kazuchika Okada def. Hiromu Takahashi (27:00) Hiromu looked excited to wrestle against Okada, while Okada didn’t have any particular expression about him. Hiromu took control of the early going, hitting Okada with rapid and high-powered offense and using his speed advantage on the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Okada had 20 kilograms on Hiromu but that extra weight was costing him. Okada hitting a flapjack and a shotgun dropkick to even out the momentum of the match. Okada continued with a top rope dropkick, sending Hiromu flying across the ring, and now seemed firmly in control. Okada went to the top rope, but Hiromu dropkicked off of it, and then sunset flip powerbombed Okada to the floor. He followed up with the Dynamite Plunger, but Okada managed a standing dropkick to end his momentum. Okada hit the Tombstone piledriver and the Cobra clutch, but Hiromu struggled to his feet, picked Okada up, and gave him a death valley bomb in the corner turnbuckle pad. Hiromu hit Okada with a rainmaker of his own and the Time Bomb, but Okada kicked out just before the three count. Hiromu went for the Time Bomb II, but Okada wiggled out of it and hit a spinning Tombstone piledriver and a discus Rainmaker. Finally, he hit a wrist-clutch Rainmaker and applied the Cobra clutch again. Hiromu was unresponsive, and the referee called the match for Okada. Kazuchika Okada advances to face EVIL in the New Japan Cup Final.
Today, New Japan Pro-Wrestling will hold the third day of the 2020 New Japan Cup. The New Japan Cup is NJPW’s annual 32-man single elimination tournament, usually scheduled for the Spring. The winner will challenge Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships at NJPW Dominion on July 12. Today’s card will hold four of the sixteen matches in the first round.
Watch exclusively on NJPW World with Japanese commentary. English commentary will be recorded and uploaded to NJPW World this week. Note: This event was held in an empty arena.
New Japan Cup 2020 Day 3 Results
Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI) def. Yuji Nagata, Yota Tsuji, Yuya Uemura & Gabriel Kidd (10:33) After the first three days of NJPW action taking place in a nondescript television studio, New Japan is back in Korakuen Hall, which has a decidedly better atmosphere even without a crowd. Minoru Suzuki went on a rampage against Uemura and Nagata, thanks to the latter eliminating him from the New Japan Cup in the first round last week. El Desperado landed a slap on Yota Tsuji that echoed throughout the hall, then hit the Pinche Loco for the pinfall victory. Only Nagata and Kanemaru are still in tournament contention. Respectively, they will face off against Kazuchika Okada and Taiji Ishimori in the second round two days from now.
New Japan Cup First Round Match: SANADA def. Ryusuke Taguchi (15:47) SANADA didn’t enter wearing his pirate, which I feel means he should be blackballed from the sport for not taking Taguchi seriously. Taguchi caught SANADA’s leg and placed him in the Paradise Lock. SANADA lackadaisically removed himself from Taguchi’s improperly applied hold and put Taguchi in the Paradise Lock. SANADA elected to attack Taguchi’s tailbone through repeated atomic drops. SANADA attempted the Skull End, but Taguchi got out of it and applied the Oh My and Garankle. SANADA was able to roll out of it and apply the Skull End with a giant swing. Taguchi attempted to fight back with a hip attack, but SANADA did one more atomic drop and then pinned Taguchi with an O’Connor roll to advance to the second round.
New Japan Cup First Round Match: SHO def. Shingo Takagi (17:06) Determined to prove himself after his loss in last year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament, SHO immediately blasted Shingo with a brutal lariat. Shingo had a guard of some sort on his right hand, which SHO noticed and immediately went to work attacking Shingo’s right arm to try and nullify the Pumping Bomber. A left arm lariat from Shingo showed that this strategy could only ever be so effective. Shingo lifted SHO to the top rope but SHO blocked his move with a headbutt, then sunset flipped over him and hit the Powerbreaker. SHO hit a very delayed bridging German suplex for a two count. SHO set up the Shock Arrow but Shingo blocked it. An incredibly loud slap and Made in Japan from Shingo landed a near fall, then a Pumping Bomber resulted in yet another. Shingo went for the Last of the Dragon, but SHO got out of it and hit a cross-arm piledriver, followed by the Shock Arrow to score the upset. SHO will face SANADA in the second round.
New Japan Cup First Round Match: Kota Ibushi def. Zack Sabre Jr. (15:15) The match began with fast-paced mat wrestling until Ibushi lost his patience and started kicking Zack in his spindly legs. Zack responded by trying to apply holds to Ibushi’s legs, but Ibushi responded by throwing heavy forearms and Zack crumbled under their force. In a classic brains versus brawn battle, Zack continued to grind down Ibushi’s limbs while Ibushi just tried to apply as much blunt force trauma as possible. The attrition favored Zack the longer the match went, but out of nowhere, Ibushi hit a running knee strike and then hit the Kamigoye for the pinfall victory.
New Japan Cup First Round Match: Taichi def. Hiroshi Tanahashi (21:51) Tanahashi entered wearing an all silver ring attire with massive shoulder spikes, reminiscent of a Road Warrior. As Tanahashi posed on the turnbuckle to the crowd that didn’t exist, Taichi got under him and powerbombed him, then delivered a Buzzsaw Kick as Tanahashi writhed in pain. DOUKI was also present, as he attacked Tanahashi with his bent pipe when he rolled out of the ring. Tanahashi finally began fighting back as Yota Tsuji pounded the mat for his hero to get up. As Tanahashi rebounded off the ropes to hit the Sling Blade, Taichi attempted a big boot but Tanahashi caught his leg and hit a dragonscrew. Tanahashi fought back but Taichi landed repeated kicks to Tanahashi’s abdomen and then planted him on his head with a backdrop driver. Taichi went for another backdrop but Tanahashi reversed it into the Sling Blade. Tanahashi hit the Sling Blade for a two count, then the High Fly Flow on a standing Taichi. He went for another High Fly Flow, but DOUKI tried to interfere only for Tanahashi to slap him away. Taichi used the distraction to hit a low blow into the Gedo Clutch, but Tanahashi kicked out at two. Taichi an Axe Bomber and an elevated powerbomb for another two count. Finally, Taichi removed his pants, hit a superkick, and put Tanahashi away with the Black Mephisto. He will face Kota Ibushi in the second round.
Taichi and DOUKI continued to attack Tanahashi after the match ended. Kota Ibushi came to Tanahashi’s rescue, and he and Taichi stood each other down in the ring, before DOUKI and Taichi teamed up on Ibushi also. Taichi hit Tanahashi with one of the IWGP Tag Team Championship belts, then posed on top of both members of Golden Ace. Taichi said on the microphone that both the IWGP Tag Team Championships and the New Japan Cup would be his.
Today, New Japan Pro-Wrestling will hold the second day of the 2020 New Japan Cup. The New Japan Cup is NJPW’s annual 32-man single elimination tournament, usually scheduled for the Spring. The winner will challenge Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships at NJPW Dominion on July 12. Today’s card will hold four of the sixteen matches in the first round.
Watch exclusively on NJPW World with Japanese commentary. English commentary will be recorded and uploaded to NJPW World this week. Note: This event was held in an empty arena.
New Japan Cup 2020 Day 2 Results
New Japan Cup First Round Match: Gabriel Kidd vs. Taiji Ishimori (8:53) Gabriel Kidd is a British wrestler who was personally scouted from Revolution Pro Wrestling by Katsuyori Shibata last year. This would be his first singles match against non-young lion opposition. Ishimori channeled his absent tag team partner El Phantasmo with dirty techniques like back rakes and irish whipping Kidd into the outside guardrail. Ishimori went for a springboard rana but Kidd caught his legs and lifted him into a Boston crab, but Ishimori made it to the ropes to force a break. Ishimori hit a springboard kick to Kidd’s face and then applied the Yes Lock to defeat Gabriel Kidd by submission. Ishimori advances to the second round.
New Japan Cup First Round Match: Yoshinobu Kanemaru def. Yuya Uemura (9:32) If Yuya Uemura truly wants to be in the ring one-on-one against Minoru Suzuki like he’s said, winning this match would be the first step towards that achievement. Meanwhile, if Kanemaru wins, his opponent would be Taiji Ishimori.Those two have wrestled one-on-one twelve times and Ishimori has never won. Kanemaru dominated the bulk of the match, but Uemura landed a springboard splash for a near fall and desperately tried to land the arm-trap suplex to no avail. Kanemaru attempted to spit his whiskey in Uemura’s face, but the referee stopped him. Nevertheless, Kanemaru landed a dropkick followed by the diving DDT known as Deep Impact to win and advance to face Taiji Ishimori in the second round.
CHAOS (SHO, YOH, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) def. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Shingo Takagi, EVIL, BUSHI & SANADA) (12:14) The two main themes of this match were LIJ demonstrating their lack of adherence to proper tag conduct by all beating down Goto and YOSHI-HASHI together, and SHO and Shingo delivering a hard-hitting preview to their first round tournament match coming up next week. BUSHI tagged in and went for the M-X, but Goto dodged it and hit the GTR to pin BUSHI for the win.
New Japan Cup First Round Match: Yuji Nagata def. Minoru Suzuki (20:35) Happy birthday to Minoru Suzuki, who turns 52 today. Unfortunately, there was no crowd to chant “Kaze Ni Nare” on this special day. These two old men took their sweet time slapping and forearming each other and jaw-jacking about how they wanted to be hit harder in between. With Nagata’s neck being an appropriate shade of crimson, Suzuki took the match to the outside and hit Nagata with a folding chair so hard that the seat popped off. Back in the ring, Nagata made a comeback by attacking the right arm of Suzuki with kicks and arm wringers. As Nagata went for another, Suzuki applied a sleeper hold and pushed Nagata to the ground. He pinned him for a near fall then lifted him up to apply the Gotch-style piledriver. Nagata blocked it and lifted him into a back body drop. A slap and headbutt from Suzuki got Nagata bleeding from the mouth. Incensed, Nagata delivered an exploder suplex followed by a bridging backdrop driver to win the match and advance to the second round. Minoru Suzuki loses on his birthday.
New Japan Cup First Round Match: Kazuchika Okada def. Gedo (15:30) Gedo entered with his right arm in a sling and got on the microphone to say that he injured himself during practice today, but still wanted to fight in this match. Gedo slowly removed the sling, but hid a can of spray in his hand that Okada slapped away. Okada also found a set of brass knuckles on Gedo’s person and wrenched them away. Gedo then brandished a spanner and hit Okada with it. With Okada laying, Gedo stole the ring announcer’s table and repeatedly bashed it into Okada’s chest, and then did the same with a folding chair. After more than five minutes of this, Okada rallied and went for a diving elbow drop, but Gedo rolled out of the ring and tried to escape. When Okada caught him, Gedo revealed that he had stolen the ring announcer’s bell hammer and attacked Okada with it. Okada came back with the revesre neckbreaker and went for the tombstone piledriver, but Gedo wiggled out of it and pushed Okada into the referee to hit a low blow. Gedo removed part of the ring apron to remove another set of brass knuckles that he had stashed there at some point. He punched Okada with them and applied the Gedo Clutch, but Okada kicked out at two. Gedo even attempted the Blade Runner. Jado then showed up and distracted the referee while Gedo went for another brass knuckle punch, but Okada caught him with a dropkick, knocked Jado off the ring apron, and submitted Gedo with a cobra clutch. Okada will face Yuji Nagata in the second round.
Today, New Japan Pro-Wrestling will hold their first wrestling event in 110 days. Since late February, the promotion has cancelled all events as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. However, with testing of workers and staff, and approval of the Japanese government, that hiatus ends today.
Watch: NJPW World (English Commentary) NJPW World (Japanese Commentary) Note: This show was held in an empty arena.
NJPW Together Project Special Results
Yota Tsuji def. Gabriel Kidd (8:43) Even without a crowd, the fire of young lions often leaps off the screen. The noise of the commentary, the ring, the grunts and growls of the wrestlers, and their hard strikes more than compensated for the lack of an audience to react. Yota Tsuji hit a spear and then submitted Gabriel Kidd with a Boston crab.
Suzuki-gun (El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) def. Tomohiro Ishii & Yuya Uemura (12:57) Yuya Uemura has clearly gained muscle mass over the last several months. Ishii and Uemura attacked the Suzuki-gun junior heavyweights before the bell rang. The main focuses of this match were Suzuki-gun beating down Uemura together, followed by Ishii fending off both of them by himself. Suzuki-gun worked together to attack Ishii’s knee. After taking him out of commission, they systematically dismantled Yuya Uemura in similar fashion. El Desperado submitted Yuya Uemura with a Numero Dos, a stretch muffler.
Ishii did some squats outside of the ring to show El Desperado that his knee wasn’t affected that much. Tomorrow, June 16th, Tomohiro Ishii faces El Desperado in the first round of the New Japan Cup, as does Yuya Uemura against Yoshinobu Kanemaru on June 17th.
Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori, Yujiro Takahashi, Gedo & Jado) def.Hirooki Goto, Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI & Tomoaki Honma (13:20) Toru Yano entered with a disinfectant spray bottle instead of his usual spitting water, as compliant with NJPW safety regulations. YOSHI-HASHI entered with new black and red gear that says “Get Back Up” on one leg, which I’m convinced is a rib. Yano immediately went to remove the turnbuckle, while Jado brandished a kendo stick. They dared each other to drop their weapon first. Honma missing the second-rope Kokeshi was surprisingly impactful considering the lack of reaction, but this gave Yujiro the opening he needed to secure the victory. Yujiro Takahashi pinned Tomoaki Honma with the Pimp Juice DDT.
The New Japan Cup fixtures for this match are as follows: Toru Yano versus Jado (6/16), Taiji Ishimori versus Gabriel Kidd (6/17), and Hirooki Goto versus Yujiro Takahashi (6/23).
During the intermission to disinfect the ring and the ringside area, a vignette played for a new wrestler coming to NJPW. It only referred to them as “The Grandmaster.”
Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Ryusuke Taguchi def. Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI) (13:33) Tenzan and Kojima looked much more well-rested than they did prior to this hiatus. Kojima and EVIL took each other on in a battle of brawn. Failed attempt at the Paradise Lock aside, Taguchi looked surprisingly capable of standing in the ring with SANADA. Notably, SANADA is the only member of Los Ingobernables de Japon who does not possess any championship, and some have postulated that he should be the favorite to win the New Japan Cup. This was a chaotic match involving a lot of teamwork, but TenCozy and Taguchi showed unexpected synergy. Ryusuke Taguchi submitted BUSHI with his ankle lock known as Oh My and Garankle to win.
The New Japan Cup first round matches involving people in this match are Ryusuke Taguchi versus SANADA (6/22), Hiroyoshi Tenzan versus YOSHI-HASHI (6/23), and EVIL versus Satoshi Kojima (6/23).
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Togi Makabe & Yuji Nagata def. Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & DOUKI) (13:04) Hiroshi Tanahashi might have appreciated three months of rest more than anyone. Neither arm of his donned a compression sleeve for what seems like the first time in ages. Suzuki and Nagata defied their combined age of 104 years old with some of the hardest strikes on this whole show while Zack Sabre Jr., the only non-young lion foreign wrestler on this show, squared off against Ibushi at a high rate of speed. Ibushi hit a double Pele Kick on both DOUKI and Zack to stop Suzuki-gun all ganging up on him. Togi Makabe hit the King Kong Knee Drop on DOUKI to win the match for his team. Makabe’s music, a cover of Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song, played in the building. This is unusual, usually a generic dubbed rock song plays when he wins since paying for licensed music is expensive.
Minoru Suzuki goes one-on-one with Yuji Nagata on day one of the New Japan Cup tomorrow while Tanahashi and Ibushi compete against Taichi and Zack Sabre Jr. respectively on June 22.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi) def. CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, SHO & YOH) (14:17) It was amusing watching Okada gesticulate excessively to absent members of the crowd. In what might be a first for Okada, he was the only person in this six man tag team match to not be a Champion. Naito and Okada briefly opened the match with grappling, but it kicked into the next gear when SHO and Shingo Takagi tagged in to batter each other. SHO and Shingo have both stated that their rivalry that began in last year’s Best of the Super Juniors is not over, and they took the fight especially hard to each other. Tetsuya Naito pinned YOH with the Destino to close out the show. Naito and Hiromu fist-bumped each other after the match, but Shingo did not take part.
In the New Japan Cup first round, Kazuchika Okada will face Gedo, Hiromu Tanahashi will face Tomoaki Honma, it’s Shingo Takagi versus SHO, and YOH versus BUSHI. Tetsuya Naito sits out of the New Japan Cup as the reigning IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Champion, set to defend both championships against the winner of the tournament at Dominion next month.
On May 25th, the Japanese government lifted the nationwide state of emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic. New Japan Pro-Wrestling has announced their plans to return to conducting live wrestling events over the next month. To ensure minimal risk of virus propagation, NJPW has been conducting antibody testing on wrestlers, crew, trainers, and other live event staff, and preparation of venues has begun.
The last NJPW event took place on February 26th in Okinawa, Japan. New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s first live event following the end of Japan’s COVID-19 state of emergency will be an empty arena event on June 15th, called the NJPW Together Special. In all, eleven events have been scheduled, including a rescheduled New Japan Cup and Dominion.
The New Japan Cup participants have changed to accommodate international travel restrictions caused by the pandemic. The majority of participants who live overseas have been replaced. As such, the 32-man New Japan Cup, usually a heavyweights-only tournament, now includes a number of NJPW’s junior heavyweight wrestlers. Also, it has been announced that, as previously, Tetsuya Naito will defend both his IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental championships against the winner of the New Japan Cup.
All events will be streamed live on NJPW World. NJPW has also announced that their Summer Struggle 2020 tour, originally scheduled to take place from July 11 to July 19, has been cancelled.
NJPW Event Schedule
June 15: NJPW Together Project Special
Matches unknown
June 16: New Japan Cup 2020 First Round (empty arena)
Togi Makabe vs. Yota Tsuji
Tomohiro Ishii vs. El Desperado
Toru Yano vs. Jado
Tomoaki Honma vs. Hiromu Takahashi
Unknown “special match”
June 17: New Japan Cup 2020 First Round (empty arena)
Kazuchika Okada vs. Gedo
Yuji Nagata vs. Minoru Suzuki
Yuya Uemura vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Gabriel Kidd vs. Taiji Ishimori
Unknown “special match”
June 22: New Japan Cup 2020 First Round (empty arena)
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Taichi
Kota Ibushi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Ryusuke Taguchi vs. SANADA
SHO vs. Shingo Takagi
Unknown “special match”
June 23: New Japan Cup 2020 First Round (empty arena)
Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. YOSHI-HASHI
YOH vs. BUSHI
Satoshi Kojima vs. EVIL
Hirooki Goto vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Unknown “special match”
June 24: New Japan Cup 2020 Second Round (empty arena)
Four New Japan Cup second round matches
Unknown “special match”
July 1: New Japan Cup 2020 Second Round (empty arena)
Four New Japan Cup second round matches
Unknown “special match”
July 2: New Japan Cup 2020 Quarterfinals (empty arena)
Four New Japan Cup quarterfinal matches
Unknown “special match”
July 3: New Japan Cup 2020 Semifinals (empty arena)
Two New Japan Cup semifinal matches
Two unknown “special matches”
July 11: New Japan Cup 2020 Final (Osaka-jo Hall, Osaka, one third capacity attendees)
New Japan Cup 2020 Final match
July 12: Dominion (Osaka-jo Hall, Osaka, one third capacity attendees)
