New Japan Cup 2024 night six live results: Goto vs. Owens

The 2024 New Japan Cup continues today in Ehime with two second round matches. 

In the main event, Hirooki Goto faces Chase Owens. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals round.

In the other tournament bout on the show, Tanga Loa will take on David Finlay for a spot in the quarterfinals.

The winners of today’s tournament bouts will square off in the quarterfinals round on March 16. SANADA will face Jack Perry in the quarterfinals on that show as well.

Today’s undercard will feature six tag team matches, including a Los Ingoernables de Japon vs. Bullet Club six-man. It will be LIJ’s Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi vs. Bullet Club’s KENTA, Gabe Kidd & Taiji Ishimori in that contest. 

Shingo & Kidd will square off on tomorrow’s show in the main event in a New Japan Cup tournament match. 

Today’s show streams live on NJPW World beginning at 6 a.m. Eastern time.

Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, & YOSHI-HASHI defeated Oleg Boltin, Tomoaki Honma, & Katsuya Murashima

This match opened as a test of Murashima. Once he tagged out, the now-typical Oleg rally played out. Murashima eventually tagged back in, challenged Ishii, and submitted to a Boston Crab.

TJP & Francesco Akira defeated El Desperado & Ryuske Taguchi

This was, in a lot of ways, a Taguchi-led match. His normal offense played out, and both Desperado and UE matched his energy. UE eventually overcame the silliness, with TJP hitting a knee and pinning Taguchi. 

Yuya Uemura, Taichi, & SANADA (Just 5 Guys) defeated Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, & Jeff Cobb (United Empire)

This was a totally by-the-book outing for these teams. Everyone had a chance to get in their signature offense. The match eventually broke down, ending with Uemura hitting Newman with the deadbolt suplex to win the match.

Zack Sabre Jr. & Mikey Nicholls (TMDK) defeated BUSHI & Yota Tsuji (Los Ingobernables de Japon)

This was a fun match, especially compared to what was earlier on the card. 

Tsuji matched the styles of both of his opponents before tagging out to BUSHI. BUSHI led an energetic sequence into a match breakdown. ZSJ emerged from the chaos with control, which he used to submit BUSHI.

After the match, ZSJ and Tsuji had a quick scuffle.

House Of Torture (EVIL, Jack Perry, Ren Narita, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Yujiro Takahashi) defeated Guerrillas Of Destiny (El Phantasmo & Hikuleo), Shota Umino, Togi Makabe & YOH

This was an even more over-the-top HoT match than normal. After a runtime full of cheating, Kanemaru spat whiskey in Makabe’s face. EVIL then hit Everything is Evil, winning the match.

After the match, HoT continued to attack Hikuleo. The babyfaces ran them off, ending with a chokeslam to EVIL.

BULLET CLUB (Gabe Kidd, KENTA & Taiji Ishimori) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito)

This was a decent little preview for Shingo/Kidd while it lasted. Kidd’s reckless energy significantly increased my enjoyment of this match.

Hiromu and Ishimori also interacted extensively, teasing a more formal encounter. Ishimori won the match by hitting Hiromu with a low blow and trapping him in a quick pin.

New Japan Cup: David Finlay defeated Tanga Loa

This certainly was a match that happened—not a good match, but a match. Finlay didn’t look horrible, but he never looked good. Loa was horrible, on the other hand.

Loa jumped Finlay at the curtain before the match began. The brawl worked its way into the crowd, with Loa throwing Finlay into barricades and chairs. Once the match worked its way to the ring, Loa maintained the lead he established.

Finlay gained control by taking the match back to the floor. He returned the favor, driving Loa into the barricade and throwing him into the empty floor seats. Between the ropes, Finlay continued picking apart Loa.

When Loa regained the lead, he pushed Finlay back outside and slammed him back into the barricades. He dropped Finlay on the apron before taking the action back inside. During Loa’s follow-up, he fumbled a 619, went for it again, and still hit it in the most awkward way possible. Loa eventually hit a powerbomb for a nearfall.

A relatively high-impact back-and-forth followed. Finlay hit a headbutt and a powerbomb for a near fall. After the kickout, Finlay hit his new finish, “Overkill,” and pinned Loa to end this dreadful match.

Finlay advances to the quarter-finals. 

New Japan Cup: Hirooki Goto defeated Chase Owens

These first two rounds have been pretty bad, and this was another match worth avoiding.

Goto immediately took control, forcing Owens into the corner, and leveling him with heavy offense. In order to challenge Goto, Owens took the fight to the floor, using his environment to establish a lead. Back in the ring, Owens maintained his lead by working Goto on the mat.

Goto eventually hit Owens with a lariat to reset the match. Owens fought back, forcing Goto to hit him with more lariats. Owens answered him with a lariat of his own, knocking Goto to the mat.

Owens tried for C-trigger but missed. Goto followed up with ushigoroshi before initiating a strike exchange. Goto won out and locked Owens in a choke. Goto followed up with a GTW for a nearfall.

Owens tried for a rollup, but Goto kicked out. A short scramble followed, sending Goto to the floor. On the outside, Owens hit a swinging neckbreaker. Owens then removed the protective mat on the floor, exposing the concrete. Owens tried for a piledriver, but Goto reversed into a backdrop. Owens kept up the attack, brutalizing Goto’s arm. Back in the ring, Owens hit a C-trigger and a green killer for a pair of nearfalls.

Owens tried for something off the top, but Goto pulled him off, sending him crashing to the floor. Goto followed up with GTR for a nearfall. Goto then tried for Shoto, but Owens attacked the eyes.

Owens hit an enziguri and a C-trigger to put Goto back on the backfoot. He then landed another C-trigger into the ropes before attempting his piledriver. Goto slipped free and dropped Owens with a pair of headbutts. Goto then hit GTR and pinned Owens to win the match.

This match advances Goto to the quarters to face David Finlay. It also sets up a Bishamon tag title match down the line.