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Welcome to PWInsider.com’s coverage of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Super J-Cup 2020 “live” from Thunder Studios in Los Angeles. The show is being broadcast at www.FITE.TV.
Your announcers are Kevin Kelly and Alex Kozlov.
The winner of this year's tournament gets to wear a "golden jacket."
Super J-Cup Opening Round - Clark Connors vs. Chris Bey
Connors is from the New Japan LA Dojo. Bey is representing Impact Wrestling.
Lots of very good mat wrestling early on. Connors rode Bey to the mat and worked over his arm, but Bey used the ropes to flip and escape the hold. Connors grabbed a side headlock but Bey grabbed the hair in order to force a reversal. Bey was sent off into the ropes but bounced off Connors hard when they connected. They began testing each other. Bey went for a leapfrog as Connors rebounded off the ropes but Connors shifted and tackled Bey.
Connors missed a charge in the corner and was dropkicked hard in the face. Bey nailed a hard chop in the corner and nailed him with a pair of double stomps. Bey locked on an abdominal stretch variation and drilled him in the ribs. Bey followed up with a series of stomps. Bey drilled him with a series of kicks to the chest.
Connors finally snapped after absorbing the punishment and cleaned house. He nailed a Pounce that sent Bey flying high. Connors worked him over in the corner and drilled a hard chop across the back for a two count. Connors went for another Pounce but Bey leapfrogged him. Bey went for the Ultimate Finesse but Connors slipped out of it.
They continued to battle with a series of back and forth chops. Bey caught him with a backslide for a two count, then nailed a nice underhook powerbomb for another near fall. They continued to battle until Bey nailed the Ultimate Finesse stunner off the ropes and scored the pinfall.
Your winner, Chris Bey!
A very well worked opening bout with some really good, physical wrestling and hard hitting strikes and chops. Connors is going to be a major star one day and Bey really shined.
Super J-Cup Opening Round - TJP vs. ACH
They went through a feeling out process early on, trying to gain the advantage. ACH nailed a suplex for a two count. ACH cartwheeled out of a maneuver and they battled back and forth, trying to go for a takedown until ACH scored a two count. ACH nailed a rana for a two count. ACH caught him in a Muta Lock and then grabbed ACH’s arms, torquing them to increase the pressure. He flipped ACH up and drilled him down across TJP’s knees for an awkward slam, scoring another two count.
TJP scored a Russian Legsweep and tied ACH up like a pretzel (or any other cliche you prefer) on the mat. ACH was whipped into the ropes but held on and drilled TJP with an elbow as TJP charged. ACH nailed a dropkick, sending TJP to the floor. ACH nailed a pescado and tossed TJP back into the ring. ACH nailed a running roaring clothesline into the buckles and scored a two count with a fisherman’s suplex.
ACH grabbed him for a German suplex but TJP kept blocking it and went for an Octopus. ACH slipped out and went for a suplex but they kept going back and forth reversing attempts. TJP finally scored with a springboard DDT off the ropes for another two count. TJP went to the top but ACH moved. TJP rolled through and was drilled with a roaring forearm, then hit with a German suplex for a two count.
They continued to battle back and forth. ACH nailed a back elbow and went to the top. They battled until ACH dove off the ropes with TJP on his shoulders and nailed a gutbuster for a close two count. ACH followed up with a 450 splash and scored the pin.
Your winner, ACH!
A very smooth, easy to enjoy back and forth match.
ACH vs. Chris Bey is set for the semi-finals.
Super J-Cup Opening Round: Blake Christian vs. Rey Horus.
Christian is representing Game Changer Wrestling. Horus is representing Ring of Honor.
Like the other bouts, they spent some time working over each other, trying to wear their opponent down. Christian worked over Horus’ arm, but Horus was able to reverse it and really wrenched in a hammerlock. They went back and forth with exchanges and kipped up at the same time, then faced off.
Christian used a rollup for a two count then spun around with a double mule kick on the lucha star. He nailed a standing moonsault for a two count. Christian peppered Horus with a series of forearms. Christian began working over Horus’ elbow and followed up with several European uppercuts. He trapped Horus in the corner with chops.
Horus knocked him away and used a springboard armdrag off the ropes. He nailed a leg lariat, sending Christian to the floor, then hit a great looking running senton dive over the corner to the floor, the first truly major highspot of the evening. They were almost counted out (they are doing a ten count, as opposed to the usual 20 in NJPW) but Horus rolled in the ring to break it. He brought Christian back and nailed a rolling clothesline in the corner. He followed up with a rebounding dropkick for another two count.
Horus went for a brainbuster but Christian reversed it into a traditional suplex. Christian nailed a splash but Horus kicked up. Christian, who was bleeding from the nose, nailed a DVDR into a kick for a two count. Christian began drilling Horus with big offensive maneuvers but was caught in the corner and kicked in the face. Horus ducked a clothesline and nailed an overhead suplex into the corner.
Horus tied up Christian’s legs and turned him over into an inverted figure four leglock submission. Christian made it to the ropes. Horus nailed a rana into the ring. Christian keeps fighting but is obviously spent. Horus went to the ropes for a moonsault but Christian followed up and nailed an inverted Spanish Fly with it looking like he almost landed on his own head. Horus kicked up but Christian nailed a top rope frog splash for the pin.
Your winner, Blake Christian!
Christian worked the show with a banged up elbow, busted up his nose, nearly wiped himself out on a Spanish Fly and wrestled his ass off, and won. Hell of a Cinderella story here, even if he doesn’t advance past the Semi-Finals. Horus looked really good for someone who hasn’t wrestled since February!
This was the best match of the first round thus far.
They announced Christian broke his nose and is being looked at by the medical professionals.
Super J-Cup Opening Round: Lio Rush vs. El Phantasmo
Phantasmo is the defending champion as he won last year’s Super J-Cup. They did a deal where he came out and his music was muted, which usually happens due to NJPW not having the rights to music internationally. Instead, the announcers said Phantasmo created his own new theme and refused to grant the rights to NJPW. That's an interesting way to get heel heat.
Lio mocked Phantasmo after he blew several early attempts to take him down. Phantasmo was very verbal early on, complaining. Rush used his speed and looked crisp and awesome early, nailing a great dropkick.
Lio went for a leaping clothesline but Phantasmo ducked and nailed a high cross bodyblock. Rush nailed a leaping rana off the ropes that sent Phantasmo to the floor. Lio went for a dive but Phantasmo moved and Rush bounced off the ropes, playing mind games. Lio told him he was on Rush’s time and to stop wasting it. Phantasmo walked around on the floor, playing Larry Zbyszko.
Phantasmo returned to the ring asking “Mr. WWE” is he thought he was tough and called him a midget. Hey, he said it, not me. They went nose to nose. Phantasmo took down Rush and attacked the hand, stomping it and manipulating the fingers before snapping them. Phantasmo went for a springboard move but slipped off the ropes, landing outside on the apron. Rush nailed a flip kick, sending him to the floor.
Rush followed and went for a rana but was caught and nailed with a Styles Clash on the floor. Phantasmo sent him hard into the buckles. They battled back and forth. Rush nailed some damn nice offensive strikes and kicks. Phantasmo caught him on the top and tied him to the tree of woe. Phantasmo teased a running dropkick to the face but instead stepped on his nether-regions. Ouch!
Phantasmo pulled Rush back to the mat and raked his back slowly and deeply. Rush tried to fire back but Phantasmo maintained control. He used his boot to try and smother Rush in the corner. He maintained control until Lio nailed a reverse rana. Phantasmo was sent to the floor where Lio nailed a crazy fast tope suicida through the ropes, then hit a quebrada to the floor.
Rush nailed a missile dropkick for another two count. Phantasmo claimed his nose was broken so the referee would check on him. Rush blocked a low blow and nailed a clothesline. He drilled Phantasmo with a Falcon Arrow for a two count. Phantasmo cut him off and scored a two count, but Rush got his shoulder up at the last second. Rush was selling that his finger was broken from the snap earlier.
They battled back and forth with forearms and elbows. Rush went down after an elbow. Phantasmo told him this was New Japan and kicked him, mocking him. Rush fired up and nailed some great looking strikes, Phantasmo kicked him hard in the gut. He went for CR2 but Rush small packaged him for a two count. Rush went for a springboard cutter and a jackknife cover for a two count.
Rush, trying to get feeling back in his hand, took his time before going for a frog splash. Phantasmo pulled his knees up and the referee got knocked over. Phantasmo lowblowed Rush and rolled him up for the pin.
Your winner, El Phantasmo!
Rush looked damn good here and Phantasmo played the biggest heel we’ve seen thus far tonight, just trash talking.
Blake Christian vs. El Phantasmo is set for the semi-finals.
More coverage on Page 2!
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