Csonka’s NJPW New Japan Cup (Night 5) Review 3.14.18

Csonka’s NJPW New Japan Cup (Night 5) Review 3.14.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Non-Title Match: Champions Desperado & Kanemaru defeated Tetsuhiro Yagi & Ryusuke Taguchi @ 9:00 via submission [**¾]
– David Finlay, Toa Henare, & Ren Narita defeated Shota Umino, Tomoyuki Oka, & Yuji Nagata @ 7:25 via pin [**½]
– Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr. defeated Tanga Loa & Yujiro Tahahashi @ 8:47 via pin [**]
– Chase Owens & Kota Ibushi defeated Taka Michinoku & Zack Sabre Jr.@ 10:47 via pin [**¾]
– Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, & Chuckie T defeated BUSHI, SANADA, & Tetsuya Naito @ 8:43 via pin [**½]
– YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto, & Kazuchika Okada defeated Taichi, Takashi Iizuka, & Minoru Suzuki @ 14:14 via submission [**]
– New Japan Cup 2018 Quarterfinal Match: Juice Robinson defeated Michael Elgin @ 17:10 via pin [***½]
– New Japan Cup 2018 Quarterfinal Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Bad Luck Fale @ 14:30 via countout [***½]

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– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– You can read reviews of night one here, night two here, night three here, and night four here.

– You can read my round one breakdown at this link.

Champions Desperado & Kanemaru vs. Tetsuhiro Yagi & Ryusuke Taguchi: Yagi & Desperado to begin. They work some back and forth, Yagi looks to ground things with a nice crisp headlock that Randy Orton would approve of. Desperado finally cuts him off and dumps the youngster to the floor so that Kanemaru can beat on him. Desperado takes out Taguchi as the champions have taken control. Back in and Kanemaru works the crab on Yagi as Desperado fights off Taguchi, dumping him to the floor. Yagi finally hits a desperation dropkick and tags in Taguchi. He’s a house of fire, hitting ass attacks on the champions. The three amigos follow, and then the ankle lock on Kanemaru. Taguchi now sets for bum a ye, but gets dropkicked in the ass. He manages to take out Desperado with an ass attack and Yagi tags back in, takes out Kanemaru and that allows he and Taguchi to double team Desperado, and Yagi hits a suplex for 2. The small package follows for 2. Desperado cuts him off with the spinebuster, and the stretch muffler finishes it. Champions Desperado & Kanemaru defeated Tetsuhiro Yagi & Ryusuke Taguchi @ 9:00 via submission [**¾] This was a pretty god match, with clean and crisp work until the inevitable loss by Yagi, who’s been putting in good work on this tour.

Shota Umino, Tomoyuki Oka, & Yuji Nagata vs. David Finlay, Toa Henare, & Ren Narita: Umino and Finlay to begin. They work a quick back and forth before tagging Oka and Narita in. Oka hits a shoulder tackle and slam, covering for 2. Oka grounds things with an STF, but Finlay breaks that up. Nagata tags in and just kicks the shit out of Narita. Nagata starts to attack the arm, and Umino tags back in. Oka quickly tags in and attacks the arm, grounding Narita. Narita fires up and hits a dropkick, and tags Finlay in. Finlay runs wild with uppercuts, covering Oka for 2. Oka fights him off with a belly-to-belly and Nagata tags in, laying in kicks on Finlay. The corner boot follows, and Nagata takes out the knee, but Finlay catches him with a back breaker. Nagata counters back with an XPLODER. Wholesale changes to Umino and Henare, Umino hits the dropkick and flying forearm. In breaks down as Umino hits a missile dropkick, covering for 2. He looks for an arm bar, but Henare counters out and kills him with a lariat. The rest brawl to the floor and Henare hits a Samoan drop for the win. David Finlay, Toa Henare, & Ren Narita defeated Shota Umino, Tomoyuki Oka, & Yuji Nagata @ 7:25 via pin [**½] This was a solid match, with Henare picking up an important pin, when usually, Finlay would be getting it.

Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Tanga Loa & Yujiro Tahahashi: KES attacks before the bell, and takes the fight to the floor, taking immediate control. Archer works over Yujiro as Loa works over Smith. They work back into the ring, and work shoulder tackles. Loa then lays in rights and head butts, and follows with a double sledge off the ropes. Archer cheap shots Loa, allowing Smith to take control. Archer takes Yujiro to the floor. Smith works knee strikes back in the ring, and then grounds the action. The suplex follows as Archer tags in and hits a big shoulder tackle. He knocks Yujiro to the mat, and continues to work over Loa. Smith back in and they double-team Loa, and Smith covers for 2. Smith now chokes out Loa in the corner, and hits a slam for 2. Smith dumps Yujiro again. Archer in and Loa cuts him off with a dropkick and then a RANA. Yujiro tags in and hits a bulldog, takes out Smith and hits the big boot on Archer. He follows with a suicide dive onto Smith. Loa back in and they double-team Archer; the fisherman’s buster gets 2. It breaks down, Smith tosses Loa and the Hart attack gets 2 on Yujiro. The killer bomb finishes him. Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr. defeated Tanga Loa & Yujiro Tahahashi @ 8:47 via pin [**] Between the layout and execution, this felt like a lazy WTL match. KES gets a consolation win after failing in tournament action.

Chase Owens & Kota Ibushi vs. Taka Michinoku & Zack Sabre Jr.: Ibushi & Zack too begin, teasing their upcoming tournament bout. Zack immediately grounds the action, but Ibushi is game and works counter grappling. Owens tags in and works over Zack with strikes, and hits a neck breaker for 2. Zack then attacks the arm and tags in Taka. He eye pokes Owens and then Owens eye pokes him. Taka hits a dropkick and knocks Ibushi to the floor. Zack tags back in and grounds Owens, working the arm. He knocks Ibushi to the floor and Taka tags back in. He and Owens trade strikes, Taka hits the corner knee strike and Zack is back in. he lays in uppercuts, and locks on a guillotine. Owens powers out into a suplex and both men are down. Ibushi gets the tag, hitting a double PELE and then working over Zack with strikes in the corner. The snap slam follows and then a standing moonsault for 2. Ibushi follows with rapid-fire strikes. Zack counters the standing moonsault into an arm bar for a good submission attempt. They trade strikes center ring, and Zack follows with a PK. Taka tags in and Ibushi cuts him off with kicks. Owens tags in and they work double teams, picking up a near fall. Taka hits a jumping knee strike and superkick for 2. Owens fires back with a big lariat for 2. Ibushi flies in and takes Zack to the floor, following with a plancha. Owens hits the package piledriver on Taka for the win. Chase Owens & Kota Ibushi defeated Taka Michinoku & Zack Sabre Jr.@ 10:47 via pin [**¾] This was a pretty good match, although it didn’t feel as if the crowd was into it all that much. Owens & Ibushi have quietly become a really fun tag team.

– Zack attacks Ibushi post match, but Owens makes the save.

Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, & Chuckie T vs. BUSHI, SANADA, & Tetsuya Naito: Yano immediately goes for the buckle pad, but SANADA cuts him off and looks for a paradise lock. Chuckie now tags in and they work some back and forth with Chuckie getting a cradle for 2. BUSHI breaks that up and Chuckie maintains control, until Naito trips him up and LIJ rushes the ring and clears it out for some floor brawling. Naito tags in and takes control, working over Chuckie. BUSHI tags in and locks on an STF. Chuckie makes the ropes, Naito in and Chuckie fights him off and follows with a missile dropkick. Ishii tags in and hits a suplex. Naito fires back, hits a reverse neck breaker in the ropes and covers for 2. They trade strikes, but Naito cuts off Ishii with a neck breaker and basement dropkick. SANADA & Yano tag in, with SANADA working the tumbleweed for 2. The paradise lock follows, SANADA then dropkicks Yano in the ass. Yano pulls the hair into a cradle for 2. BUSHI tags in and hits a missile dropkick, and LIJ triple team Yano. It breaks down, Yano pulls the ref in the way of MX, pulls BUSHI’s shirt over his head and cradles him for the win. Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, & Chuckie T defeated BUSHI, SANADA, & Tetsuya Naito @ 8:43 via pin [**½] This wasn’t bad, just very average and obvious that everyone was in night off mode.

YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto, & Kazuchika Okada vs. Taichi, Takashi Iizuka, & Minoru Suzuki: Suzuki-gun attack before the bell, it breaks down, floor brawling. Taichi works over HASHI in the ring, but HASHI quickly fights back, hitting the blockbuster. HASHI lays in some chops, but Iizuka cuts him off with a chair shot. More floor brawling. HASHI eventually beats the count back in and then gets triple teamed. Iizuka take control, biting and stomping away at HASHI. Suzuki back in and kicks the shit out of HASHI, covering for 2. HASHI tries to fire up, fails and Suzuki drops him with a wicked chop. Taichi tags back in, daring HASHI to fight back and maintaining control. HASHI fights off the powerbomb but Taichi cuts him off. HASHI hits a desperation enziguri and tags in Goto, Goto runs wild on Taichi & Iizuka, the spin kick and Saito suplex follows for 2. Taichi grabs the ref to save himself, fires back with kicks and covers for 2. The pants are off. Goto counters the superkick into ushigoroshi. Hot tag to Okada, he and Suzuki battle back and forth until Okada hits the DDT. Suzuki cuts him off, hits the PK and locks on a knee bar as the others brawl on the floor. Okada makes the ropes. They trade strikes, Suzuki locks on the sleeper, and now Suzuki-gun triple team Okada. Iizuka uses his little rope to choke out Okada, but Goto makes the save. Iizuka gets the iron fingers, but HASHI hits a superkick as it completely breaks down. Okada hits a dropkick and another on Iizuka, the cobra clutch follows and Iizuka gives up. YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto, & Kazuchika Okada defeated Taichi, Takashi Iizuka, & Minoru Suzuki @ 14:14 via submission [**] This was your tired and played out Suzuki-gun tag match formula, lots of floor brawling, largely disjointed, and felt like it lasted a year.

Michael Elgin vs. Juice Robinson: Juice looks to ground the action to begin, but Elgin quickly powers out and they work into a standoff. Juice hits a dropkick, but Elgin hits a shoulder tackle. Juice fires right backup, hits a belly to back suplex but Elgin cuts him off, hitting a slingshot blockbuster. The suplex follows for 2. Elgin then mows over Juice with a running back elbow. He follows with chops, but Juice battles back with jabs. Elgin cuts him off with a slam, and then misses the slingshot splash. Elgin to the floor and Juice follows with a plancha. Back in and Juice hits an electric chair slam, covering for 2. Elgin battles back with forearm strikes, but Juice just kicks him in the face, and the toss up gut buster follows for 2. Elgin fires up and hits the Blu-ray, and follows with chops. Elgin takes him up top, follows, and the superplex follows for 2. Juice fights of the powerbomb, but Elgin drops him with strikes. Elgin again looks for the powerbomb but hits a tiger driver for 2. Elgin heads up top and MISSES the big senton attempt. Juice fires up, but is immediately cut of by a high angle spinebuster. They trade clotheslines and Elgin hits a superkick and German. Juice fires back with a big lariat, and hits a powerbomb for 2. Elgin fights of pulp friction and hits a side effect for 2. Juice keeps firing back with strikes and both men are now down. Juice looks for pulp friction again, but Elgin counters out and hits a huge lariat. The buckle bomb connects, but Juice counters the Elgin bomb into a cradle for the win! Juice Robinson defeated Michael Elgin @ 17:10 via pin [***½] This was a very good back and forth match, easily the best thing on the show, with Elgin playing subtle heel in order to let Juice’s babyface abilities to shine through. Elgin looked for his big finish, but was a bit too comfortable, allowing Juice to score the cradle and advance. It’s another big win for Juice, and one that the crowd loved. He’s such a great babyface.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bad Luck Fale: They lock up and Fale shoves down Tanahashi. Tanahashi looks to ground things, but fails. Tanahashi now works an abdominal stretch, but Fale easily tosses him to he floor. Fale follows; Tanahashi slides back in and hits a baseball slide dropkick. Tanahashi to the apron and Fale trips him up and then they fight into the crowd. Fale starts throwing plastic barricades on Tanahashi, leading to a countout tease. Fale hits a big slash on the apron, leading to another countout tease. Fale grounds the action, slowing things to a crawl. Tanahashi starts to fire back, but Fale juts mauls him in the corner with strikes. Tanahashi again looks to fire up, laying in strikes and uppercuts. Tanahashi counters out of a slam and hits dropkicks. He then slams Fale. Tanahashi then runs into a Samoan drop for 2. The big splash follows for 2. Tanahashi counter out of the bad luck fall, but Fale levels him with a clothesline. Tanahashi counters bad luck fall into a sunset flip for 2. Tanahashi fights off the grenade and hits a German. Sling blade follows. Tanahashi clotheslines Fale to the floor, heads up top and hits the high fly high cross. BIG MATCH TANA. They work to the apron with Fale hitting a clothesline. Fale looks for the bad luck fall on the floor, Tanahashi counters out and send shim over the barricade, and sneaks back in for the countout victory. Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Bad Luck Fale @ 14:30 via countout [***½] This was another very good match, with Tanahashi again knowing how to work very well with Fale and getting the best out of him. I liked the countout victory here, it protects Fale, it reminds fans that it can happen at any time and most importantly, these fans went crazy for it because the hero beat the monster.

– Fale tries to attack post match, but Tanahashi takes him out with a dragon screw leg whip and stands tall.

– Where we stand…
* Semifinal Match: Juice Robinson vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
* Quarterfinal Match: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Kota Ibushi
* Quarterfinal Match: Toru Yano vs. SANADA

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.1

The final score: review Average

The 411

This was an overall average show, and one of the weaker shows of the tour so far. Thankfully the tournament matches delivered very good outings, saving the card from being rather bad. If cherry-picking matches, check out the tournament matches and skip the rest.