03/06/24 Results from New Japan's Anniversary Event , New Japan Cup Round 1 From Ota City, Tokyo, Japan:
1 - Tanga Loa and Tomoaki Honma vs. Jeff Cobb and Great O-Khan
Cobb pins Honma after a Tour of the Islands.
Tanga Loa and O-Khan brawl after the match. They will face each other tomorrow in the New Japan Cup.
2 - Hikuleo and El Phantasmo vs. Zack Sabre Jr. and Mikey Nicholls
ZSJ trapped Hikuleo in a modified Dragon Sleeper. Nicholls hit a Mikey Bomb on ELP.
Nicholls pins ELP.
3 - Boltin Oleg, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii and El Desperado vs. Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi and BUSHI
Desperado pins BUSHI with El Es Culero.
After the match, Chase Owens attacks Ishii from behind. He drops Ishii on his head with a Package Piledriver. Goto saves Ishii and Owens escapes the ring.
4 - TJP, Francesco Akira and Callum Newman vs. Gabe Kidd, Gedo and David Finlay
Akira hits a Speed Fire on Gedo. Catch 22 hits 2X2 on Gedo.
Akira pins Gedo
United Empire stands over Gedo's body. Finlay and Kidd tell the referee to get Gedo out of the ring. United Empire looks strong despite War Dogs winning the Cage Match a month ago.
5 - SANADA, Taichi, Yuya Uemura and DOUKI vs. Dick Togo, Ren Narita, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and EVIL
Uemura comes to the ring with a shaved head dyed red.
Uemura pins Togo with the Deadbolt Suplex.
NEW JAPAN CUP - Round 1 - 6 - Toru Yano vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Pieter is back!! She accompanies Yujiro to the ring.
Yujiro attacks Yano and they go to the floor. Yujiro handcuffs Yano to the guardrail. Referee begins the count. Yano was able to take apart the guardrail and get free to break the count. Yano rolls back to the floor and pulls out another pair of handcuffs. Yujiro tries throw Yano into the guardrail but Yano reverses. Yano grabs a ring official and throws him into Yujiro. Yano handcuffs Yujiro's arms around the ring official then hits a low blow on Yujiro. Referee is counting. Yano gets back in the ring.
Yujiro is counted out.
Toru Yano advances to the next Round.
7 - YOSHI-HASHI vs. KENTA
KENTA sneak attacked YOSHI-HASHI. They fight to the floor. They exchange strikes. YOSHI-HASHI knocks KENTA into the Bo Staff that YOSHI-HASHI brings to the ring. KENTA attacks the back of YOSHI-HASHI against the guardrails. KENTA takes it back to the ring and drops a knee and a neck breaker. KENTA throws several stiff kicks to YOSHI-HASHI's spine. Two count. YOSHI-HASHI hits a Stunner and a suplex. KENTA is draped over the rope and YOSHI-HASHI hits a dropkick to the spine. YOSHI-HASHI with a basement dropkick. KENTA kicks out at two. YOSHI-HASHI hits a Headhunter and a sit-down powerbomb. Two count.
YOSHI-HASHI hits a superkick and two lariats. Two count. YOSHI-HASHI goes for Karma, but KENTA reverses into a small package. Two count. KENTA hits a Green Killer, but he is unable to make the cover. KENTA with a running dropkick and a double stomp. YOSHI-HASHI kicks out at two. KENTA goes for a GTS, and YOSHI-HASHI counters into a small package. Two count. YOSHI-HASHI with strikes and a superkick. YOSHI-HASHI comes off the ropes for an attack but KENTA pushes the referee into his path. KENTA pushes the referee out of the way and hits an open hand strike that sounded like a gun shot. KENT with a Psycho Knee. Two count.
KENTA picks up YOSHI-HASHI for a GTS. YOSHI-HASHI hits a Crucifix Bomb.
YOSHI-HASHI pins KENTA.
YOSHI-HASHI advances to the next Round to face SANADA
8 - Shota Umino vs. Jack Perry
Perry comes to the ring in a giant goat mask, hyping the scapegoat label. He is even announced as "Scapegoat Jack Perry". He looks like Juice Robinson's younger brother.
The announcers kept trying to explain the "scapegoat" nickname without mentioning the events at All In at Wembley Stadium, which was difficult because Perry only appeared at Battle in the Valley in New Japan storylines.
They started brawling quickly. They fought to the floor and Perry hit DDT off the apron. They exchanged reversals. Umino hits a DDT on the apron. The crowd pops and Umino gets fired up. Umino hits a dropkick to the face and reverse DDT. Perry kicks out at two. They trade strikes. Perry with a Poisonrana. Umino quickly hits a Blaze Blade. Umino hits Ignition. Two count. Umino hits a DDT and pumps up the crowd, as he his about to hit Death Rider.
Yoshinobu Kanemaru jumps into the ring and the referee stops him. Ren Narita hits Umino with his push up board and hits the Double Cross. Perry hits a running knee.
Perry pins Umino
Jack Perry advances to Round Two.
Jack Perry will face Toru Yano in Round Two.
The rest of House of Torture comes out. EVIL gives a H.O.T. shirt to Perry. Perry puts on the shirt and House of Torture poses over Umino.
Jack Perry joining House of Torture is a smart move. He already has heat from AEW's All In. House of Torture is the most hated group in Japan. Perry will get experience with working with New Japan wrestlers and their style. If he lacked discipline in AEW, then the New Japan roster will mold him into what he needs to be. Perry just needs to listen, keep his mouth shut and learn from the training he receives.
Main Event: 9 - Tetsuya Naito vs. SHO
SHO tells the crowd that Naito will voluntarily forfeit the IWGP World Title when he loses.
SHO attacks Naito on his way to the ring. Massive pop for Naito on his way to the ring. SHO attacks Naito's left arm and hits a knee breaker off the ring apron. SHO attacks his leg with strikes and submission attempts. Naito hits a Frankensteiner which tweaks SHO's neck. Naito attacks SHO's neck to set up his finisher. Naito hiptosses SHO, who falls neckfirst onto Naito's knee. Ouch.
Naito goes for a kick which SHO blocks. SHO throws his leg into the referee's gut who takes a bump to the floor. SHO grabs a chair and smashes Naito in the knee. SHO wraps Naito's knee around the ring post and SHO hammers it with a chair. SHO keeps hitting Naito's leg on the floor. SHO puts the referee in the ring and demands he count out Naito. Naito makes it back to the ring just before the 20 count. SHO goes for another leg submission. Naito gets the rope break.
SHO hits a Power Breaker. Two count. SHO with a lariat. SHO hits a Cross Arm Piledriver. Naito kicks out at two. SHO goes for a Shock Arrow. Naito reverses out and hits a Destino, but he cannot make the cover.
Naito hits a hurricanrana off the top rope. Naito hits strikes to the neck. Naito hits a tornado DDT. Two count. SHO pushes Naito into the referee. House of Torture attacks Naito. Los Ingobernales de Japon makes the save. SHO grabs his wrench and misses Naito. Naito kicks him in the groin. Naito hits Valencia on SHO. Naito follows with Destino.
Naito pins SHO.
Naito thanks the fans for coming and celebrating their 53rd year of New Japan. He hopes he will see Shingo Takagi or Yota Tsuji in the ring as the winner of the New Japan Cup. Naito recites the Los Ingobernales de Japon Roll Call to a massive pop.
Thanks for reading.
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