First quarterfinal set in New Japan Cup
The 2024 New Japan Cup has its first quarterfinal set, after second round action got underway in Ehime on March 11.
The first of the two second round matches on the night pit Jack Perry, after his HOUSE OF TORTURE assisted win against Shota Umino, against Toru Yano, who beat Yujiro Takahashi in the first. With a Tshirt over the head, an exposed buckle, low blow and school boy, Yano tried to finish Perry off fast, but was stalled by a dropkick from Perry; Yano rolled to the outside where Yujiro Takahashi served as an unofficial lumberjack, and back in Yano was hoisted by his own petard with a shot into the exposed buckle. The Snare Trap followed for Perry as Yano struggled to the ropes and then outside where Yano turned the tables.
Sending Perry crashing over the guardrails, Yano handcuffed an interfering Yujiro to the railings on the other side, and brought his foe back in for a front suplex. The NU clutch didn’t get three, but a massive slingshot sent Perry crashing into the exposed buckle, and after a chop block, a rollup got a very near fall out of Marty Asami. With clear and present danger for Perry, the house had to intervene, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru headed down to ringside; Yano took care of the Heel Master, but not Yunjiro who had the key to his cuffs all along. The running knee from Perry scored in the confusion and the Scapegoat had advanced to the Elite Eight.
The main event of the evening saw YOSHI-HASHI looking to follow up on a first round surprise win over KENTA when he faced 2023 New Japan Cup winner SANADA. The two combatants felt one another out with a classical mat based opening to a standoff, but it would be SANADA getting the first advantage with the Paradise Lock. The Headhunter went not to the head but the knee to slow SANADA, a basement dropkick bringing the former World Champion to the mat at the five minute mark, and a vicious run of chops, punctuated with a rope hung dropkick had YOSHI-HASHI in full control. SANADA’s response, a plancha that brought the crowd on side, was brief as YOSHI-HASHI found a sit out powerbomb and the Butterfly Lock, but a TKO from the 2023 winner finally shifted the mood in Ehime.
On the back foot, YOSHI-HASHI was forced to counter multiple Skull End attempts, but eventually found himself in the hold with the hooks in deep. Smartly repositioning the hold as the Headhunter neared the ropes, SANADA had the match in hand at the 15 minute mark, but a small package from YOSHI-HASHI got himself free and buried knees knocked the stuffing out of Cold Skull. Resetting, the two men traded stiff elbows as Ehime encouraged both comabatants; SANADA’s elbows proved stronger than the Headhunter’s, but YOSHI-HASHI’s chops had SANADA floored.
Still, a Magic Screw saw SANADA find his second wind. Landing a Shining Wizard, SANADA found Deadfall denied, but a second Shining scored, as did a Moonsault for a near fall. The match hitting 20 minutes, SANADA tried for Deadfall again only to be knocked flying with a roaring lariat from YOSHI-HASHI. The strikes kept coming from both men before SABNADA got 2.9 from an O’Connor Roll and YOSHI-HASHI came close to three with his own double knees. Another crashing lariat had Ehime believing in YOSHI-HASHI, and Kumagoroshi scored dead center, but SANADA barely rolled the shoulder; Karma seemed sure to seal the deal, but a split second counter saw Deadfall victory for SANADA.
