NJPW New Japan Cup 2020
Night 9 – Finals
Event Date: July 11, 2020 (17:00 JST)
(aired live on NJPW World)
#njcup
City: Chuo, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
Venue: Osaka-Jo Hall
Attendance: 3,318 (limited attendance)
Series: New Japan Cup 2020
Commentary (Japanese): Milano Collection AT, Jushin Thunder Liger, Koki Yamazaki (1, 3, 5), Shinji Yoshino (2, 7), Shinpei Nogami (4, 6), Katsuyori Shibata (7)
Ring Announcer: Makoto Abe
Video
The intro video welcomes fans back to attendance and previews tonight’s matches.
Match 1
Yuya Uemura & Yota Tsuji vs Tomoaki Honma & Togi Makabe
(referee: Kenta Sato)
Result: Togi Makabe pins Yuya Uemura with a bridging German suplex
Time: 9:15
Match Thoughts
Good match. I think everyone was excited to performing in front of a live crowd again, and this match felt like it had a lot of good energy. Also Honma and Makabe work really well together as GBH, and the young lions are always fired up. Both Uemura and Tsuji played to their strengths well, and they gave GBH a good fight.
Match 2
Gabriel Kidd & Hirooki Goto vs Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
(referee: Kenta Sato)
Result: Satoshi Kojima pins Gabriel Kidd after a lariat
Time: 9:57
Match Thoughts
Good match. Tencozy (Tenzan & Kojima) looked really good tonight. They were having fun and working well together. Gabriel Kidd put up a valiant effort and even did pretty well against Kojima late in the match, but Tencozy pretty much dominated tonight. It felt like Goto knew he had his work cut out for him, so his role mostly seemed to be to try to set up Kidd to succeed as well as he possibly could. This was a fun match.
Match 3
Douki vs Master Wato
(referee: Kenta Sato)
Result: Master Wato wins via pinfall after RPP
Time: 7:46
Match Thoughts
Good match. This was essentially an exhibition for Master Wato (which is what I expected it to be), but Douki had me starting to question whether or not Wato would win. Douki cheated early and often, and he hit a slingshot DDT on Wato that looked as pretty as it was brutal. I really thought Wato was hurt after that, and it took him a while before he started back into his kicking and striking offense. I liked the way the match went, because Douki provided a stronger challenge than I expected, and that forced Wato to show tenacity and perseverance rather than just coming out to the ring and showing off all his cool moves (which is what the match easily could have been). I like Wato, and even though the gimmick of a “grand master” seems funny to me for a returning young lion, I think it can work for him. He looked good in this match, and I’m excited to see how he grows in the ring from here.
Ring Area
After the match, Yoshinobu Kanemaru attacks Master Wato from behind. Before Kanemaru can do too much damage, Hiroyoshi Tenzan runs out to chase Kanemaru away. Tenzan helps Wato get to his his feet.
Ring Area
The ring is sanitized during a brief intermission.
Match 4
Taiji Ishimori & Yujiro Takahashi vs BUSHI (NEVER 6-Man Tag Champ) & SANADA
(referee: Marty Asami)
Result: Yujiro Takahashi pins BUSHI after Pimp Juice
Time: 9:20
Match Thoughts
Good match. It was kind of low stakes, but it was nice seeing Bullet Club represented well since they haven’t been a prominent part of the New Japan Cup shows (since a lot of their members can’t make it to the shows, and those who can were eliminated fairly early). My favorite parts of this match were when SANADA was fighting Ishimori, but the whole match was fun overall. SANADA has had a rough few shows though. I hope he can break out and start getting good momentum before the end of the year.
Match 5
Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado & Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi vs Ryusuke Taguchi & Yuji Nagata & Kota Ibushi (IWGP Tag Champ) & Hiroshi Tanahashi (IWGP Tag Champ)
(referee: Marty Asami)
Result: El Desperado pins Ryusuke Taguchi after Pinche Loco
Time: 12:43
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Suzuki Gun started this match in a way that was as close to opposite of what they usually as it could be. Instead of attacking their opponents before the bell (which they could have because Tanahashi again turned his back on everyone as he posed for his ring announcement), every member of Suzuki Gun left the ring in unison before the match started. Suzuki Gun made their opponents wait, and that led to a bit of shuffling and calming down in the opposite corner. Tanahashi ended up starting the match, and once again Suzuki Gun tried to tear his knee apart. They did a pretty good job of it too. The match became more evenly fought after Tanahashi was able to tag out, but Suzuki Gun still retained a sense of control for most of the duration. Overall, this was a good preview of tomorrow’s tag title match.
Ring Area
After the match, Taichi and ZSJ take the tag title belts. Ibushi slides into the ring, so Taichi and ZSJ beat up up a bit. Tanahashi enters the ring, and he and Ibushi fight off their challengers for tomorrow night.
Match 6
Sho (IWGP Jr. Tag Champ) & Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii vs Hiromu Takahashi (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champ) & Shingo Takagi (NEVER 6-Man & Openweight Champ) & Tetsuya Naito (IWGP IC & Heavyweight Champ)
(referee: Red Shoes Unno)
Result: Tetsuya Naito pins Toru Yano with a jackknife cover (after a triple-team attack including an inverted atomic drop from Naito, a superkick from Takahashi, and the Pumping Bomber from Takagi)
Time: 15:00
Match Thoughts
Very good match. The best bits were between Shingo and Sho, and they gave us another good preview of what is sure to be a great NEVER Openweight Title match tomorrow night. This whole match was a strong performance from LIJ. Their teamwork was was highlighted throughout the match, and even in the finish. Many matches like this end with what is essentially a one on one scenario, but the finish here was the direct result of overwhelming teamwork. I thought it was great.
Ring Area
Katsuyori Shibata joins the Japanese commentary table as the ring is sanitized during a brief intermission.
Video
A look at the journey to the New Japan Cup 2020 final match.
Match 7
New Japan Cup Final Match
EVIL (NEVER 6-Man Champ) vs Kazuchika Okada
(referee: Red Shoes Unno)
Result: EVIL wins via pinfall after EVIL (and a low blow)
Time: 31:50
Match Thoughts
Very good match. EVIL continued to be a total bastard in this year’s New Japan Cup, and he fought against Okada with strong strikes and a whole lot of cheating. The match was maybe a bit slower paced than I expected (especially towards the end), but I still liked it quite a lot. The biggest takeaways are that EVIL will do absolutely anything to win (including cheating at every opportunity and hitting low blows as many times as possible), and that Okada apparently has a lot of enemies. In the later stages of the match, Gedo came out to the ring to distract Red Shoes Unno, and Yujiro Takahashi entered the ring to slam Okada. It was interesting that Bullet Club interfered while the rest of LIJ stayed in the back. Was their attack against Okada because they hate him, or was it for EVIL because they like him? Or maybe both? I did think the finish of the match was done well for what they were trying to accomplish, and I enjoyed it.
Ring Area
After the match, EVIL calls Tetsuya Naito out to the ring. Naito walks out, dragging his two title belts as he enters the ring. Naito holds up his fist in the LIJ salute. EVIL raises his fist as well, but his fist turns into a “too sweet.” EVIL hits Naito with his EVIL STO, and Jado, Gedo, Taiji Ishimori, and Yujiro Takahashi head to the ring. Joining with Bullet Club, EVIL and his new friends stomp Naito.
Hiromu Takahashi, BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, and SANADA run out to the ring, chasing Bullet Club away. Bullet Club celebrates as they strut away from the ring. Naito is helped away from the ring by the rest of LIJ.
Show Impressions
This was a fun show. For the most part it was a preview for tomorrow night, and as a preview, it was very good. The focus of tonight’s show was all on the main event, and even that was a preview for tomorrow. And you know, I’m not upset that EVIL joined Bullet Club. I was noticing that BC had a not-so-great showing in the New Japan Cup, and they could use a boost. Plus, after Evil’s match with SANADA, it definitely felt like they’d have a hard time beig on the same team. They’ve fought and made up before, but EVIL has been especially dirty and cheaty lately. I think the move makes sense.
So now we have some new questions. Will EVIL be more outgoing and smile more now that he’s in Bullet Club? Will he change his gear to be just black and white? Will Milano Collection AT still support EVIL? I’m sure we’ll find out sooner than later.
Match of the Night
EVIL vs Kazuchika Okada
I think tomorrow’s match will be better (and I don’t even think this was my favorite match in the New Japan Cup), but this was still a very good match.
Official Results (Japanese): https://www.njpw.co.jp/tornament/248170?showResult=1