First two wrestlers advance to New Japan Cup quarterfinals

By Joseph Currier
Published: 11 Mar 2023, 08:29

The first two wrestlers have booked their spots in the New Japan Cup quarterfinals.

The second round of the New Japan Cup got underway in Aichi on Saturday. Two Los Ingobernables de Japon members were able to advance to the next round of the tournament. SANADA defeated KENTA, while Tetsuya Naito defeated Chase Owens.

SANADA and Naito will face off in a quarterfinal match on Friday, March 17.

In the first round of the tournament, SANADA defeated Taichi and Naito defeated El Phantasmo.

The New Japan Cup continues with its next show taking place on Sunday. Here’s the remaining quarterfinal schedule:

Sunday, March 12 —

Hirooki Goto vs. Kyle Fletcher
Tama Tonga vs. Aaron Henare

Monday, March 13 —

Will Ospreay vs. Mark Davis
EVIL vs. Jeff Cobb

Wednesday, March 15 —

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Shota Umino
David Finlay vs. The Great-O-Khan

The tournament concludes with the finals taking place in Niigata on Tuesday, March 21. The winner receives an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship shot against Kazuchika Okada at Sakura Genesis.