Yano, Goto advance to second round
Two more first round matchups in the New Japan Cup saw Toru Yano and Hirooki Goto move to the second round, in a pair of battles that tested smarts and heart.
First up was Bad Luck Fale trying to avenge his KOPW 2020 loss to Toru Yano this past December. Fale moved quickly to smash Yano’s trophy and tried to roll-up Yano in the opening seconds, but a kick out later, and Yano was on his horse, a pair of slaps striking Fale’s Dome before he was bowled over with a lariat.
Fale took control on the floor, and exercised his terrifying diaposition to intimidate Yano into almost missing the referee’s count. Though the CHAOS member made it into the ring in time, it was only to eat a stiff bodyslam from the Rogue General, followed by two more.
Yano would bail to the floor, where he tried to assault Fale with a roll of tape, but it was BULLET CLUB’s giant that had the upper hand. Forcing Yano into the ring post, Fale taped Yano’s hands around the post in a bid to get him counted out. Yet Yano fought back with head heart and feet, striking Fale enough times to roll his body in the ring and score a count out victory.
The second cup match of the night saw Taichi try to follow up on an impressive 2020 streak as he faced six time finalist and three time winner Hirooki Goto. A composed start from both men saw Goto push Taichi to the ropes twice for clean breaks; when roles were reversed though, Taichi went for the throat.
Gaining control of Goto outside the ring, Taichi almost secured a countout before putting the boot in on his opponent as he rolled back in. In firm control, Taichi peppered Goto with strikes, and put the fierce warrior on his back before landing a run of Kawada kicks. The strikes only served to fire Goto up however, and Goto would fire back with elbows and a bulldog out of the corner.
Taichi found a response with a powerful Ax Bomber, but couldn’t knock Goto off his feet. The two traded their best lariat shots before colliding center ring time and time again, Taichi connecting with a gamengiri to outsmart the CHAOS member on the fourth time of asking. Goto followed with misdirection of his own though, and stopped Taichi’s rope work and attempt at the Seitei Jujiro with an Ushigoroshi.
A reverse GTR got two for Goto, but Taichi refused to lose to the full version. Drawing on his AJPW lineage, Taichi connected with an Akira Taue-esque Nodo Otoshi, before the dangerous backdrop suplex scored for two. The Taichi Style Last Ride followed for Taichi, with Goto’s head ringing off the mat, but there was still fight in Hirooki Goto with a last moment kickout.
A firm emerald elbow found the mark for the Holy Emperor, but Goto still wouldn’t give in, landing Shoten Kai out of pure instinct and adrenaline. The two men again had repeated violent collisions, with Goto’s head proving harder, but a killing blow still wasn’t coming, Taichi able to secure a Gedo Clutch for the nearest of two counts. Goto scored with GTW for yet another near fall, but this time the finish came, a GTR connecting to put Goto through.
The top left bracket is now complete for round two, with EVIL facing Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan taking on Toru Yano March 11 in Ehime. Hirooki Goto will now face the winner of Shingo Takagi and Kazuchika Okada, with that match taking place tomorrow in Ota.
