Csonka’s NJPW NJ Cup (Day 11) Review

Csonka’s NJPW NJ Cup (Day 11) Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– NJ Cup Tournament Match: Kazuchika Okada defeated Tomohiro Ishii @ 21:11 via pin [****½]
– NJ Cup Tournament Match: SANADA defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi @ 24:15 via submission [****¼]

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– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– In the first round, I got five picks wrong, you can check that out at this link.

– Night 1 review here.
– Night 2 review here.
– Night 3 review here.
– Night 4 review here.
– Night 5 review here.
– Night 6 review here.
– Night 7 review here.
– Night 8 review here.
– Night 9 review here.
– Night 10 review here.

Kazuchika Okada vs. Tomohiro Ishii: They lock up and Okada works him to the ropes and they trade strikes an then shoulder tackles. Okada finally takes him down. Elbows follow, and then a kick to the head. This jut pisses Ishii off, who fires up with strikes and then a shoulder tackle. They trade and Okada dumps him and follows but runs into a powerslam on the floor. Back in and Ishii follows with chops, just lighting Okada up. Okada is down and Ishii lays in little kicks, Okada is up and eats more chops. Okada manages a desperation DDT, follows with running elbows and Ishii rolls to the floor. The plancha follows, and back in they go. Okada hits a slam; heads up top and Ishii makes him drop back down. Okada follows with strikes, focusing on the neck. Ishii now just absorbs the strikes, and starts firing back and pummels Okada in the corner. Okada now starts walking through them, they trade and Okada misses the dropkick, they work into counters and Okada hits the neck breaker. The slam follows; Okada up top and the elbow drop connects. Ishii pops up but runs into the flapjack. Okada back up top and the missile dropkick follows for 2. Ishii counters the tombstone and hits a powerbomb for 2. The German follows and then the lariat connects for 2. Okada now cuts him off with the dropkick, Ishii fights off the tombstone, but Okada counters back and hits it. The rainmaker is countered by a head butt and lariat and both men are down. Ishii follows with clotheslines, takes Okada up top and follows him up and the superplex follows for a great near fall. The sliding lariat follows for 2. Okada counters the brainbuster, and hits the dropkick. The rainmaker follows, maintains control and looks for another but Ishii no sells it and hits head butts. German by Okada, he transitions into a rainmaker, but Ishii counters into an arm bar! Okada barely makes the ropes. The crowd is totally into Ishii now, hits an enziguri, but Okada hits a dropkick. Ishii pops up and Okada hits John Wooooooooooooooooooo. Ishii cuts him off with a lariat for 1. Hits another and that gets a great near fall. Okada fights off the brainbuster and hits a dropkick. The rainmaker is countered again into lariats, but Okada hits the tombstone and the rainmaker finally finishes Ishii. Kazuchika Okada defeated Tomohiro Ishii @ 21:11 via pin [****½] This was an absolutely excellent match and gave me everything I wanted when it was set. The match was an absolute war, with both guys delivering, telling a great story with callbacks to the G1 match that Ishii won, and the crowd was completely invested. The final 10-minutes were really amazing, with the added story of them knowing each other so well with all of the counter work, violence, and near falls. This was simply excellent and one of the best matches of the tournament.

SANADA vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi: They play to the crowd, with the crowd behind SANADA in his hometown. They lock up and Tanahashi backs him off, and they work to the ropes and break. Lock up again, they work into counters and Tanahashi works the arm. SANADA counters out and they work to the mat, with Tanahashi controlling. SANADA escapes and starts working the legs. Tanahashi counters out and transitions into a side headlock and then cravat. SANADA escapes and they both go for dropkicks and end in a stalemate. SANADA now takes him down but Tanahashi counters paradise lock into a cradle for 2. He grounds things, attacking the leg of SANADA. Tanahashi stays focused on the leg, SANADA looks to scoot to the ropes and they trade grounded strikes. SANADA finally makes the ropes, and then follows with a dropkick and plancha. Back in and Tanahashi hits a dragon screw in the ropes. The slam and senton follows for 2. SANADA counters sling blade, and they trade dragon screws. Both are slow to their feet, SANADA misses the missile dropkick and Tanahashi hits a dragon screw but SANADA counters the cloverleaf. Tanahashi counters the RANA and locks on the cloverleaf. SANADA fights, but Tanahashi maintains the hold and sits down on it until SANADA makes the ropes. SANADA follows with strikes, but Tanahashi dropkicks the knee. They trade uppercuts, SANADA fights off the dragon suplex and locks on skull end. Tanahashi counters out into twist and shout, hits a second and then rolls for the third but SANADA hits the anarchist suplex. SANADA then hits the tiger suplex for 2. Skull end follows, he drops down with the hold and Tanahashi is fading. SANADA releases, heads up top and hits the moonsault. The second eats knees and Tanahashi cradles him for 2. They fight to their feet, SANADA moonsaults into skull end but Tanahashi cradles him for 2. They work into counters and another cradle by Tanahashi gets 2. SANADA fights off the dragon suplex, counters into skull end and swings him around but Tanahashi hits sling blade. He follows with another and that gets 2. SANADA counters the dragon suplex, and Tanahashi gets the rolling clutch until SANADA counters into skull end. Tanahashi fades, tries to fight, but has to tap. SANADA defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi @ 24:15 via submission [****¼] This was a great match in a completely different way than the previous one. This one was more of a back and forth wrestling match than a hard hitting war, with great counter work, callbacks to previous matches, and the odes to Muta tossed in. Add in Tanahashi smartly playing subtle heel, due to SANADA having the hometown support and it all clicked together extremely well.

– The finals tomorrow are…

* Kazuchika Okada vs. SANADA

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 5. On today’s show, 411’s Larry Csonka is joined by longtime friend Jeremy Lambert Jr III. On the show, the guys discuss Kofi Kingston’s booking, WWE cooling off Braun Strowman, Asuka’s road to WrestleMania, Rey vs. Joe at WrestleMania, John Cena not having a match yet, the women’s tag title scene in WWE, Allie signing with AEW & the company’s business model, New Japan Cup & G1 Supercard thoughts, and their excitement for WrestleMania weekend. The show is approximately 83 minutes long.

* Intro
* Kofi: 3:40
* Braun Strowman: 9:00
* Asuka: 14:50
* Rey vs. Joe: 20:15
* John Cena: 25:20
* The WWE Women’s Tag Title Picture: 31:00
* Allie signs with AEW & AEW Business Model: 35:45
* New Japan Cup & G1 Supercard thoughts: 56:00
* WrestleMania excitement: 60:10

You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the
above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher

8.5

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Night 11 of the NJ Cup was an absolutely great night of action with both matches delivering at a high level and the finals being set.