New Japan Cup Thread
 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DW7jrkFWsAA0utk.jpg:large

On top if the above matches and tournament, the undercard is a little strange. Ibushi is teaming with the Tama/Fale side of Bullet Club so will be interesting to see how that works out storyline wise, or if they go "lol multi man tag matches am i right?"

Kenny is not at these shows, at least in a wrestling capacity. He's taking some time off to rest some neck issues before going to Mania weekend shows and NJPW in Long Beach.

Ibushi is gonna win it. The Golden Lovers angle is the biggest in the company, they'll throw a push behind Ibushi for it.

Could see Cody costing him though. As long as we get Ibushi/Naito or Ibushi/Sabre in the second round, I'm happy.

Speaking of Ibushi, he's teaming with Chase Owens on one of the undercards. Not too crazy seeing as Chase teamed with the Golden Lovers.

But on another undercard he's teaming with Yujiro and HIKULEO. So he's unofficially in Bullet Club for the time being.

Oh Tanahashi you madman, get some rest already. Surprised to see Dustin in there too, guess he was given Greg's spot. Chuck Taylor vs Yano has to happen in round 2, but will they really put Chuck over SANADA just so he can do a comedy match with Yano?

An Ishii / Ibushi final seems like the obvious choice and I think Ishii will actually win, plays perfectly into the Switchblade angle and Ibushi has other things to do.

Fuck that I paid good money to see him for Rev Pro in New Orleans Mania weekend, he can rest up after that.

He probably considers the month off too long and will be back full time again from the cup.

He needs to grow his hair back, and less importantly grow back his bicep. The hair might actually be alright for Mania weekend.

I could see a huge upset and Sabre winning.

He comes up short against Okada, but uses the momentum to take the NEVER Openweight belt off of Goto.

Yeah, that's what I was saying in the first post. I hope they make a story around it, like how he's doing it to get with Kenny's friends. Could be some fun tension.

I went with Naito.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I hurt Greg on purpose at PWG and now I took his spot in this tournament <a href="https://t.co/iC0cyyAINj">pic.twitter.com/iC0cyyAINj</a></p>&mdash; Chuck Taylor (@SexyChuckieT) <a href="https://twitter.com/SexyChuckieT/status/967966285924589568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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I think Chuckie T may have felt like he's already won something based on one of the undercard matches.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="tl" dir="ltr">HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA <a href="https://t.co/Oa7RyPFVXE">pic.twitter.com/Oa7RyPFVXE</a></p>&mdash; Chuck Taylor (@SexyChuckieT) <a href="https://twitter.com/SexyChuckieT/status/968360421689262080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Little Kazu I need gold pants who makes your pants? Help me out here big cat <a href="https://twitter.com/rainmakerXokada?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rainmakerXokada</a></p>&mdash; Chuck Taylor (@SexyChuckieT) <a href="https://twitter.com/SexyChuckieT/status/968371027716771840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My mommy made my pants. <a href="https://t.co/i1XkAZqGWT">https://t.co/i1XkAZqGWT</a></p>&mdash; オカダ・カズチカ (@rainmakerXokada) <a href="https://twitter.com/rainmakerXokada/status/968377861605339136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Big Dust does Japan.

Hopefully Little Kazu's mother hooks him up with some of that CHAOS finery.

https://i.imgur.com/tAM0RC5.gif

GOOD FUCKING GOD TANA, TAKE SOME TIME OFF

https://i.imgur.com/8LTlgQa.gif
https://i.imgur.com/1JEi8E2.gif

AHHHHHH

Even with the gif above I see Tanahashi going to the finals, where he will lose to Kota Ibushi.

He's become the new Ishii for NJPW.

I remember when I started watching more often and every Ishii match for a long while had his shoulder and/or something else taped up.

Will any of the matches on the card be contested under "Handsome Battle" rules?

Only if Ibushi faces SANADA or Tanahashi or Ishii.

I don't see it, but would be extremely happy with it, Sabre is one of my favorites.

Only other thing that would amuse me? If we get a spot where Chuck Taylor attempts his "Grenade" spot, only to take a Grenade from Fale.

Day 1 is live with the multi man matches.

The anniversary show was a lot of fun. The Suzuki/Makabe and Okada/Osperay matches were a lot of fun

Ughhhh ZSJ is so good

"It's a first round cup event that they're not even bothering with English Commentary on. I doubt anything interesting will happen"

Ibushi: "Hold my beer"

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Crazy moonsault from Ibushi!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NJPW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NJPW</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/njcup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#njcup</a> <a href="https://t.co/4ULitIni5Z">https://t.co/4ULitIni5Z</a> <a href="https://t.co/NLpQiZvaiK">pic.twitter.com/NLpQiZvaiK</a></p>&mdash; LARIATOOOO!! (@MrLARIATO) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrLARIATO/status/972421878672478208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Oh and Taichi casually busts out a goddamn Ganso bomb.

wow fans

While Ibushi teams with the Tongan Bullet Club, Kenny Omega was the Drug Free Bear in ROH and cost Cody the title.

This whole story keeps me hooked.

Watch today's tournament matches.

Ibushi is a madman
ZSJ is a sadist and Naito is really flexible

Genuinely pulled out a Cornette face upon the conclusion of Ishii/Elgin

Yeah that's been the only match so far where I felt they went with the wrong guy as the winner.

Only benefit Elgin has left for NJPW is being able to do more dates this year and as the main middle man between NJPW and other indies.

Thank fuck Juice beat that fat midget Elgin.

Think TAKA has done wonders for ZSJ as his hype man, even for non Japanese speakers.

(Japanese speech) He is ZSJ. He is Zack Sabreeeeeeee... JUNIOR(some more Japanese)

JUST

TAP

OUT

Tana and Juice was a fantastic match

"I fight with an underlying hatred of the British Conservative Party."

It feels like ZSJ is going to win for sure, but then that makes it seem like Tanahashi is probably going to take it because Gedo. It's brilliant.

Conversely, DBSJ is the shits.

Tana is so over, girls in the crowd were crying in that match, which is why I can never be too mad he gets the Cena treatment. But yeah, with the injuries Tana has and ZSJ stretching them out, Tana will JUST TAP OUT.

I would think Sanada would have a shot normally, but he's faced Okada recently.

Maybe I just haven't seen enough Taichi, but wasn't expecting a match that good.

Been impressed with Taichi moving up to heavyweight and who he's faced so far. Not just Taichi though, seems like they have a ton of guys making progression and everyone is different and interesting.

I was a bit of a mark for Taichi because I watched Taka and his promotion and he's always good there, but he's really stepped up now he's been given a proper chance.

This tournament has made ZSJ into a star. He's not got the promo skills to transfer to WWE and be a star there, but with Taka doing his mic work (and his own little endearing interviews after matches), it looks like he's going to be a big deal.

He's got to make Tana JUST TAP OUT and then I cannot wait to see some rainmaker counters into stretching Okada out.

ZSJ in WWE would probably be a Daniel Bryan type I believe as far as the character goes. Not saying he'd be a as big a star at all. Of course working heel and not having to say much in Japan is a big help. TAKA is great for him though even if he wasn't heel. His short time in the CWC wasn't very impressive but NJPW has made him into a star like you said.

ZSJ kind of needs to be heel at this point in time, I think.