By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “New Japan Cup”
March 15, 2025 in Aichi, Japan at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
Streamed live on New Japan World
We are down to eight competitors, and this show features the four quarterfinal matches. The venue is an arena and the lights are low over the crowd so it’s hard to estimate crowd size. Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton provided commentary.
1. Yoshi-Hashi and Tomohiro Ishii vs. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Hartley Jackson and Ryohei Oiwa. Y-H and Oiwa opened. Hartley entered and hit a double shoulder tackle. Oiwa hit a gut-wrench suplex on Yoshi-Hashi; Y-H popped up and hit a Headhunter. They have started at a rapid pace. Hartley hit a shotgun dropkick on Ishii at 2:30 but he missed a senton. Oiwa hit a back suplex on Ishii, and Hartley hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. Ishii nailed a German Suplex on Hartley at 4:00. Hartley took Ishii’s head off with a clothesline, then he hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall! Ishii hit a sliding clothesline on Hartley for a nearfall, then a brainbuster for the pin. WOW, that was a five-minute sprint and a great way to start the show.
Yoshi-Hashi and Tomohiro Ishii defeated Hartley Jackson and Ryohei Oiwa at 5:17.
2. Toru Yano, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Boltin Oleg, and El Phantasmo (w/Jado) vs. “United Empire” Jakob Austin Young, Callum Newman, TJP, and Great-O-Khan. A nice pop for Tanahashi, who opened against O-Khan. Yano entered at 1:30 and immediately removed a corner pad but O-Khan hit him with it. Young entered and battled Yano. Oleg entered at 3:30 and hit some shoulder tackles and he flipped Young around in his arms like a rag doll. Walker talked about the great Oleg-Shingo match a day ago. Callum entered and hit a basement dropkick on Oleg. ELP and TJP entered and traded quick kicks, and TJP locked him in an Octopus Stretch. This match has the same added speed to it as the opener. Young hit an enzuigiri on Tanahashi. Oleg hit a double shoulder tackle at 6:00. TJP snapped off a huracanrana out of nowhere and pinned ELP! “He just pinned the TV champ!” Charlton shouted.
Jakob Austin Young, Callum Newman, TJP, and Great-O-Khan defeated Toru Yano, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Boltin Oleg, and El Phantasmo at 6:25.
3. “Bullet Club War Dogs” Gabe Kidd, Sanada, and Chase Owens vs. “House of Torture” Sho, Ren Narita, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru. Friday’s war between these two factions was a mess to describe. The HoT came out first and got in the ring. Ren charged up the ramp to fight Kidd, and I started my stopwatch at first contact, as all six brawled in the crowd. Charlton again talked about how Sanada isn’t committed to the BCWD faction. We got a bell at 1:22 as Kidd and Ren entered the ring. The HoT worked over Kidd in the ring; I don’t even see his partners. Kidd hit repeated forearm strikes on Ren in the corner and he pushed the ref aside. Kidd clotheslined them both to the floor and they fought at ringside, and the ref counted everyone out. Thus, Chase and Sanada were technically never in the match, as they never got in the ring.
Gabe Kidd, Sanada, and Chase Owens vs. Sho, Ren Narita, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru went to a double count-out at 4:17/official time of 2:55.
4. “Los Ingobernables de Japon” Tetsuya Naito, Bushi, and Yota Tsuji vs. EVIL, Dick Togo, and Yujiro Takahashi. Naito and Yujiro opened. EVIL tripped Bushi and crotched him in the corner at 2:00, and the HoT began working over Bushi. Togo untied the mask and was booed. EVIL choked Bushi with a chain. Yota entered at 4:30 and hit a huracanrana on EVIL, then a splash to the mat for a nearfall. Togo hit his knife-edge chop to Tsuji’s groin at 6:30 and he choked Yota with his steel wire. Bushi hit a dive to the floor. Yota cut Togo in half with the Gene Blaster (spear) for the pin. Another fast-paced match.
Tetsuya Naito, Bushi, and Yota Tsuji defeated EVIL, Dick Togo, and Yujiro Takahashi at 7:18.
5. Shingo Takagi vs. Drilla Moloney in a New Japan Cup quarterfinal tournament match. Shingo attacked from behind and we’re underway! They traded shoulder blocks with neither man going down, so they switched to forearm strikes. Moloney hit a spinebuster at 2:30. Shingo hit a senton for a nearfall. Drilla hit a brainbuster, then a Gore for a nearfall at 6:00. They went to the floor, where Shingo hit a Death Valley Driver onto the thin mat. In the ring, Drilla hit a Made In Japan (Shingo’s move!) for a nearfall. Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber clothesline at 9:30. Moloney set up for the Drilla Killa — no one has kicked out of it yet! — but Shingo escaped. Shingo hit a Last of the Dragon, then a Pumping Bomber for a believable nearfall at 11:00; I thought that was it. Shingo hit a second Last of the Dragon (modified DVD) for the pin. Very good match.
Shingo Takagi defeated Drilla Moloney at 11:13 to advance to the semifinals.
6. Jeff Cobb vs. Shota Umino in a New Japan Cup quarterfinal tournament match. Cobb jawed at Shota before locking up. Shota tried several shoulder blocks but couldn’t budge Cobb. He hit a dropkick. Stewart acknowledged there are “rumors” about Cobb’s future (possibly WWE-bound?). Cobb hit some shoulder blocks to the gut in the corner at 2:30 and took over. Cobb hit a pumphandle back suplex and made a cocky cover, and he ‘surfed’ on Shota’s back. Shota hit a swinging neckbreaker and a dropkick on the knee and he tied up Cobb on the mat. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Cobb hit a senton at 6:30.
Cobb hit a Spin Cycle back suplex. Shota hit a springboard tornado DDT and they were both down. Cobb hit a diving forearm but he missed a standing moonsault, but he hit a dropkick. Cobb hit an F5 Slam for a nearfall at 8:30! Shota got a rollup for a nearfall; Cobb popped up and hit a clothesline. Shota hit a half-nelson suplex and they were both down. Shota hit a stiff clothesline for a nearfall as the 10:00 call was a bit early. Shota hit a Shining Wizard, then his version of a Snow Plow driver and got the pin! A really good match.
Shota Umino defeated Jeff Cobb at 10:25 to advance to the semifinals.
7. David Finlay vs. Yuya Uemura (w/Taka Michinoku) in a New Japan Cup quarterfinal tournament match. Walker talked about Finlay being removed from last year’s tournament due to illness or injury. Yuya hit some deep armdrags in the first minute. They have split two prior meetings. Finlay dropped him throat-first on the top rope and hit a Russian Legsweep at 2:30. He whipped Yuya back-first into the corner and Yuya sold the pain in his back. Yuya went for a cross-armbreaker on the mat, but Finlay reached the ropes at 5:30. Yuya hit a twisting uranage for a nearfall. Finlay snapped him throat-first across the rope for a second time, and Yuya fell to the floor. Finlay slammed him into the guardrail at 7:30. In the ring, Finlay hit a Dominator swinging faceplant for a nearfall.
Finlay stood behind Yuya and hit some crossface blows and was in charge. Finlay set up for Overkill, but Yuya blocked it, and Yuya hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 10:00. Yuya set up for the Deadbolt, but Finlay escaped and hit an Irish Curse backbreaker over his knee, then a Buckle Bomb. Yuya got a huracanrana for a nearfall. He again set up for Deadbolt but Finlay escaped. Finlay hit some discus forearm strikes. Yuya hit a Dragon Suplex with a high bridge for a believable nearfall, and they were both down at 13:00. Yuya hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Yuya hit a headbutt; Finlay hit one, then a standing powerbomb for a nearfall. Finlay hit the Oblivion neckbreaker over his knee. This crowd was at a fever pitch. Finlay nailed the Overkill pop-up knee strike to the sternum for the pin. That was tremendous.
David Finlay defeated Yuya Uemura at 14:59 to advance to the semifinals.
8. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Taichi (w/Taka Michinoku) in a New Japan Cup quarterfinal tournament match. Former Suzuki-Gun teammates collide! The bell rang but they stayed in opposite corners. Taichi looked upset and emotional about facing Zack; Sabre yelled at him to engage him. This crowd is hot and split, and they finally locked up at 1:15 and traded forearm strikes, and Taichi hit a pump kick to the chest, then a back suplex that sent Sabre to the floor. Taichi whipped Sabre into the guardrails. In the ring, Taichi was in charge and hit some kicks and kept Sabre grounded. Sabre hit a stiff kick to the spine at 4:30, then he snapped Taichi’s neck between his ankles. Sabre tied him in a knot on the mat. He hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 6:30.
Taichi hit a Helluva Kick, then a spin kick to the jaw. He laid in some stiff kicks and was now in charge; he ripped off his tear-away pants at 9:00. Sabre grapevined a leg on the mat; he stood up and stomped on Taichi’s knee. They got up and Sabre hit some European Uppercuts. Taichi fired back with a roundhouse kick to the chest at 12:00, then a few more, and they traded roundhouse kicks until Taichi dropped him. “It’s like the crack of a bat on a home run pitch,” Charlton said. Sabre switched to an Octopus Stretch, but Taichi escaped and applied a Stretch Plum at 14:00! Sabre eventually reached the ropes.
Sabre nailed a Zack Driver at 16:00 and they were both down. Taichi hit a Black Mephisto sideslam for a nearfall. They traded clotheslines. Taichi hit a back suplex for a nearfall and they were both down at 18:00. Sabre hit a Gotch-style Piledriver! Sabre hit a second Zack Driver for a nearfall, and he immediately applied a cross-armbreaker, then he switched to a Figure Four; the 20:00 call was spot-on. Sabre switched to a grapevine of the leg but Taichi reached the ropes. Taichi hit a Black Mephisto (this one looked more like a regular Air Raid Crash) and they were both down. This crowd was really into this one. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Taichi hit an enzuigiri and they were both down at 24:30.
Taichi got up and hit a second enzuigiri; with the 25-minute call, Walker reminded us there is no time limit. Sabre hit a running Penalty Kick. Taichi hit a superkick for a nearfall, but Sabre got a foot on the ropes. Sabre got a rollup, then an O’Connor Roll, leaning back for added leverage, and scored the pin. Fantastic. They met in the center of the ring, forehead to forehead, and talked, then hugged. A really nice moment. Yeah, no way the main event is topping that one.
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Taichi at 26:27 to advance to the semifinals.
9. Hirooki Goto (w/Yoshi-Hashi) vs. Yuji Nagata for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. The crowd was hot at the bell. Nagata again has a wrap on his left thigh. They traded reversals on the mat and had a standoff. Yuji is 56; Goto is 45. Goto knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Yuji applied a Fujiwara Armbar; Goto got to the ropes at 2:30 and went to the floor to regroup. In the ring, Goto stomped on the knee. They got up, but Goto kicked at the damaged limb. Yuji hit some roundhouse kicks at 6:30, then an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall. Goto hit a clothesline and they were both down. Nagata dragged him to the mat and cranked back on the left arm at 9:00, while rolling his eyes into the back of his head.
Yuji snapped the left arm over his shoulder. Yuji hit a second-rope Exploder Suplex for a nearfall at 11:00. He hit a release German Suplex, then a back suplex for a nearfall. Goto hit a clothesline and they were both down. The crowd was totally into this. Yuji hit a Helluva Kick. Goto hit a GTW slam for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Goto dropped him with a headbutt at 16:00. Goto hit a swinging sideslam for a nearfall. Goto hit a running penalty kick, then the GTR slam for the pin. That was on the high end of my expectations, and a hot crowd really helped.
Hirooki Goto defeated Yuji Nagata to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at 17:37.
* Goto got on the mic and thanked everyone for coming. He said Yuji was ‘damn tough.’ Next up is whoever wins the New Japan Cup, but he vowed he would retain his title.
Final Thoughts: A really strong show with some great action. The Sabre-Taichi match was a great back-and-forth bout; I liked it a lot but I never once thought Taichi was winning, so that hurt it a bit. So, I will narrowly go with that hot Finlay-Uemura match for best ahead of Sabre’s match. A good Cobb-Shota match takes third. As I noted, the main event topped my expectations and they sure didn’t wrestle like a combined age of 101.
No rest for the wicked! The semifinal of Finlay vs. Sabre is on Sunday. The other semifinal of Umino vs. Takagi is on Monday.
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