28 participate in the 2024 Cup; winner gets shot at Sakura Genesis

The bracket has been revealed for the 2024 New Japan Cup, with matches starting at Anniversary on March 6 and running over two weeks to the final March 20 in Nagaoka. This year, a 28 man field will see 24 in first round competition, and four prior winners of the tournament receiving byes to the second round. Here’s how the brackets will play out.

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Ota Bracket: First round March 6

MATCH 1: YOSHI-HASHI vs KENTA

YOSHI-HASHI: 11th entry, 10th consecutive. Career PB: Quarter Finals (2019, 2020)

KENTA: 3rd entry, 2nd consecutive. 2020 New Japan Cup USA winner. IWGP Tag Team Champion. Career PB: Quarter Finals (2021)

The long standing rivalry between YOSHI-HASHI and KENTA has often centered itself around YOSHI-HASHI’s Bo-staff and KENTA’s strange… affinity to it. This year the headhunter will likely be interested in KENTA’s hardware though, and the recently acquired (thanks to Taiji Ishimori) IWGP Tag Team Championship he possesses could be added motivation, if nay were needed in the first round of the New Japan Cup. 

WINNER MEETS

SANADA: 7th entry, 7th consecutive, 2023 New Japan Cup winner 

After coming up short in a direct rematch for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at New Beginning in Sapporo, a second consecutive New Japan Cup win for SANADA isn’t something champion Tetsuya Naito would relish at all. Yet with the quiet confidence of the former champion, and the added self belief that comes from knowing what it takes to win the single elimination tournament. A year after leaving Los Ingobernables De Japon and starting the biggest run of his career, could he get to the front of the line yet again?

MATCH 2: Shota Umino vs Jack Perry

Shota Umino: 3rd entry, 2nd consecutive. Career PB: Quarter Finals (2023) 

Jack Perry: Debut entry

At Battle in the Valley in San Jose, mere days after a high profile Tokyo Dome loss for Shota Umino to Ren Narita, Jack Perry assaulted the Roughneck before tearing up his AEW contract and donning an armband with the slogan ‘SCAPEGOAT’. Fast forward another month, and 24 hours after a crushing NEVER Openweight Championship defeat to EVIL and HOUSE OF TORTURE, Perry delivered a video message to further prey on Umino while he was at his most vulnerable mental state. Implying that people had been let down by Umino, Perry seeks to add to that disappointment with a win in his NJPW debut at Anniversary.

WINNER MEETS VICTOR OF MATCH 3: Toru Yano vs Yujiro Takahashi

Toru Yano: 19th entry, 19th consecutive. Career PB: Semifinals (2008, 2011, 2013, 2016)

Yujiro Takahashi: 14th entry, 5th consecutive. Career PB: Second round (2010, 2013, 2015)

While both of these athletes may be in the record books as being the elder statesmen of the tournament, and indeed Toru Yano is the ultimate New Japan Cup ironman having been in every running of the tournament bar its inaugural year in 2005, that’s where the positive stories end. Someone’s streak of losing in the first round will end this year, and with Yujiro having the unenviable record of being bounced in the first every single year from 2015 on, it’s a good bet that the Tokyo Pimp will be knocked out in his home prowling ground. 

Korakuen bracket: First round March 7

MATCH 4: TJP vs David Finlay

TJP: Debut entry

David Finlay: 3rd entry, 2nd consecutive. Career PB: Runner-up (2023)

In the wake of Will Ospreay’s departure to AEW, TJP has volunteered himself to take the lead if needed within United Empire, and has pledged to be an openweight competitor. That means entering an NJPW heavyweight tournament for the first time in his career, opposite the ‘GOAT slayer’ David Finlay. For Finlay, the ecstasy of victory over Ospreay in the Dog Pound Cage Match in Osaka was replaced by agony of defeat at the hands of Nic Nemeth and the loss of the IWGP Global Championship in Sapporo. After Finlay defeated TJP in a hard fought battle in San Jose in January, he will be looking to make a forceful statement in the Cup, but could this be the upset special of the first round?

WINNER MEETS VICTOR OF MATCH 5: Tanga Loa vs Great-O-Khan 

Tanga Loa: 3rd entry, 1st in two years. Career PB: n/a 

Great-O-Khan: 4th entry, 4th consecutive. KOPW 2024 holder. Career PB: 3rd round (2022)

Both competitors in this Korakuen contest will be motivated by recent exits. For Tanga Loa, bidding farewell to his brother Tama Tonga in Sapporo has the Silverback considering his own future within NJPW, and the chance for a Cinderella run in this year’s Cup could convince him of a bright future still to come. Great-O-Khan was furious at the way in which Kazuchika Okada made his exit from New Japan and is determined to prove that the Rainmaker has left because he was scared to face the Dominator and his own vision of NJPW’s future. Whose will proves stronger?

MATCH 6: Tomohiro Ishii vs Chase Owens

Tomohiro Ishii: 16th entry, 9th consecutive Career PB: Semifinals (2017, 2019)

Chase Owens: 5th entry, 4tth consecutive. IWGP Tag Team Champion. Career PB: 3rd round (2022)

While Chase Owens recent championship victory has required the strength of numbers, a win in Osaka securing the IWGP Tag Team Championships alongside KENTA, and only then with the aid of Taiji Ishimori, one cannot count the Crown Jewel out in singles tournament settings, nor in the hallowed Hall. Owens can lay claim to big wins over Hiroshi Tanahashi and Juice Robinson in Korakuen on his resume, as well as a G1 victory over his opponent on March 7 in Tomohiro Ishii. As Ishii will reset following Kazuchika Okada’s departure and breakup of his NEVER Openweight 6 Man Championship team, singles glory will be a tantalizing prospect, but Owens is a tough first round draw.

WINNER MEETS:

Hirooki Goto: 16th entry, 6th consecutive. 2009, 2010, 2012 New Japan Cup winner  

A decade ago, three time Cup winner Hirooki Goto had the mantle of Mr. March thanks to his run of success in the annual tournament. 12 years removed from his last victory, his status as a former Cup winner gives him a berth in the second round, and a match either with his CHAOS mate Ishii, or holder of a title he feels belongs back with Bishamon in Chase Owens.

Yamanashi bracket: First round March 8

MATCH 7: Hikuleo vs Boltin Oleg

Hikuleo: 2nd entry, 1st in five years. Career PB: n/a

Boltin Oleg: Debut entry

A hoss fight in Yamanashi will see Hikuleo take on Boltin Oleg. While Hikuleo was part of the field in 2019, we can consider this a de facto double Cup debut, and one where opportunity knocks for both men. Hikuleo has mixed emotions, but still undeniable momentum, having had the Guerrillas of Destiny torch passed to him by big brother Tama Tonga in Sapporo. For Boltin meanwhile, a Cup debut comes right as his progress in ring advances at an impressive rate. The Kazakh is well used to the single elimination format of the New Japan Cup from his massive success in the amateur ranks; can he translate that success to victory over G1 Climax 33 quarter finalist Hikuleo?

WINNER MEETS:

EVIL 8th entry, 6th consecutive. NEVER Openweight Champion. 2020 New Japan Cup winner

Another bye falls to EVIL, thanks to his victory in the 2020 tournament. That tainted Cup run would set the table for the eventual foundation of HOUSE OF TORTURE, and years down the stretch his position as NEVER Openweight Champion this March. Four years ago, EVIL converted his victory into double IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championship gold. Could he be a double IWGP World Heavyweight and NEVER Openweight Champion come April?

MATCH 8: Shingo Takagi vs Yuya Uemura  

Shingo Takagi: 5th entry, 5th consecutive. Career PB: Runner-up (2021)

Yuya Uemura: 2nd entry, 1st in four years. Career PB: n/a

In Shingo Takagi’s home prefecture of Yamanashi, a battle for the Dragon against Yuya Uemura that sees two men who are looking to bounce back from sore losses. For Shingo, hard fought defeat to Taichi in Sapporo stings, but for Uemura, a loss to Yota Tsuji at new Beginning also marked the loss of his hair, and a very different Uemura enterign the spring classic. Homefield advantage meant very little for Takagi in 2023, when he was defeated by HENARE; will this year be any different?

WINNER MEETS VICTOR OF MATCH 9: Callum Newman vs Gabe Kidd

Callum Newman: Debut entry

Gabe Kidd: 3rd entry, 1st in two years. Career PB: n/a

The aforementioned HENARE continues to recover through the New Japan Cup from wounds he sustained in Osaka on February 11. That is news Gabe Kidd will hear with great delight as he heads to face countryman Callum Newman. With the personal approval of Will Ospreay, Newman has the biggest opportunity of his young career opposite Kidd, and should not be looked over. Should Kidd be War ready enough though, either former Dojo mate Yuya Uemura, or a clash with Shingo Takagi- denied to RevPro UK fans thanks to his own post Osaka injuries- is on the cards. 

Hyogo bracket (First round March 10)

MATCH 10: Yota Tsuji vs Jeff Cobb

Yota Tsuji: 3rd entry, 1st in three years. Career PB: n/a

Jeff Cobb: 4th entry, 4th consecutive. Career PB: Quarterfinals (2022)

A first round match sure to get tongues wagging, Yota Tsuji vs Jeff Cobb should be a hard hitting battle well worth the conversation. After a victory in his Hair vs Hair match with Yuya Uemura in Sapporo, Tsuji promised victory in the New Japan Cup and a battle with stablemate Tetsuya Naito at Sakura Genesis in Ryogoku. To enact that plan though, he must first defeat the Imperial Unit in an immensely tough first round battle.

WINNER FACES VICTOR OF MATCH 11: El Phantasmo vs Mikey Nicholls

El Phantasmo: 3rd entry, 3rd consecutive. NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champion. Career PB: n/a

Mikey Nicholls: 2nd entry, 1st in five years. Career PB: Second round (2019)

Tag team specialists collide in the first round when El Phantasmo takes on sole TMDK representative Mikey Nicholls. While focused on the tag team ranks, both men have shown the will and the results to succeed as singles players, and will look to do so in Hyogo.

MATCH 12: Taichi vs Ren Narita

Taichi: 7th entry, 7th consecutive. Career PB: Quarterfinals (2020)

Ren Narita: 2nd entry, 2nd consecutive. Career PB: n/a

Fresh off a big win over Shingo Takagi in Sapporo, Taichi will be looking to push past Narita, who suffered a first round exit last year at the hands of now teammate EVIL. Years ago, the New Japan Cup unlocked the prideful fighter within Taichi, and perhaps the tournament will do the same to revive a competitive spirit lost to the ‘true Strong Style’ of H.O.T.

WINNER FACES

Zack Sabre Jr. (7th entry, 7th consecutive. 2018, 2022 New Japan Cup winner)

Two time New Japan Cup winner gets the final bye into the second round, where he will either face the man he beat at Wrestle Kingdom 17 to become the first NJPW World TV Champion, or his former Dangerous Tekkers Tag Team partner Taichi. After defeating Bryan Danielson in Osaka and then Yuji Nagata in Sapporo, ZSJ has been on a tear since losing that WOrld TV Championship on January 4; will he ride that wave to his third cup, and maybe this time convert to World title gold?