Sunday’s New Japan Cup card featured two matches from the second including one of the best of the tournament, so far.
Will Ospreay and Zack Sabre Jr. had a phenomenal main event that was every bit the level you would expect these two to hit.
Sabre was the babyface technician, a role he’s leaned into over the past few months with Taichi while Ospreay was the cocky heel attempting to outwrestle Sabre.
The beginning was tremendous with a blistering pace set focusing on counters and the idea the two knew each other and all their tricks. In one spot, Ospreay teased the Space Flying Tiger Drop before sliding to the floor and proclaiming, “I don’t do that anymore”.
Sabre attacked Ospreay’s right elbow and arm. There was a tremendous sequence where Sabre used La Mistica, moved to a triangle, and into a Zack Driver for a big near-fall the audience gasped for. During these exchanges, Ospreay’s nose was busted open and there was a fair amount of blood throughout the closing minutes.
After a flying armbar off the top turnbuckle, Sabre hyperextended the injured arm with the rope saving Ospreay. The final minutes saw the two trade a PK and superkick, the Zack Driver was stopped as Ospreay drilled Sabre from behind to set-up the Storm Breaker and won.
Afterward, Ospreay’s nose was wrapped up as they handled his injury and he gave a brief speech.
This match was off the charts and I’d go so far as to say it would only be second to Kazuchika Okada and Shingo Takagi from the first round.
SANADA advanced in the other tournament match, pinning Yuji Nagata after eighteen minutes.
It was all SANADA for the first half of the match until he missed the moonsault off the top turnbuckle. Nagata attacked with the step-up knee in the corner and a top rope exploder. SANADA sold his right shoulder after using the rope to break out of the Nagata Lock.
When locked in the Skull End, Nagata had a unique counter applying an ankle lock forcing SANADA to lose his grip. SANADA returned to the submission moments later, released it to hit the top-rope moonsault, and pinned Nagata.
It was a solid match but not in the upper echelon of tournament matches nor the level of SANADA’s match with Tomohiro Ishii in the first round but nothing to complain about either.
Ospreay and SANADA will meet this Thursday in Shizuoka.
The second round wraps up Monday at Korakuen Hall with Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jay White, and YOSHI-HASHI vs. David Finlay.
Here are the full results from Sunday’s show in Hyogo:
*Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano & YOSHI-HASHI over David Finlay, Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura in 10:57
*KENTA, Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens over Minoru Suzuki, Taichi & DOUKI in 7:24
*Kazuchika Okada, SHO & Hirooki Goto over Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI in 10:02
*Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson & Toa Henare over Jay White, EVIL & Yujiro in 13:41
*New Japan Cup Second Round: SANADA over Yuji Nagata in 18:18
*New Japan Cup Second Round: Will Ospreay over Zack Sabre Jr. in 21:23
