New Japan Cup night two results: Hirooki Goto vs. Taichi

The New Japan Cup tournament continued today in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. 

Here are the results and a report on the Cup matches. 

Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI defeated Tomoaki Honma, Gabriel Kidd & Yuya Uemura (10:46)

Suzuki pinned Uemura after a Gotch-style piledriver. Suzuki and Honma face off in a Cup match on tomorrow’s show, while Sabre faces Kidd in a tournament match on Sunday. 

EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, YOSHI-HASHI, David Finlay & Tiger Mask (11:40)

EVIL used a Darkness Scorpion (scorpion deathlock) to submit Tiger Mask. 

EVIL, the 2020 New Japan Cup winner, and Tanahashi as the NEVER Openweight Champion were given first round byes. EVIL will face Jeff Cobb in the second round on March 11, while Tanahashi will take on the winner of Jay White vs. Toa Henare on March 15. 

Will Ospreay, Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Master Wato (9:14)

Cobb pinned Wato after hitting a Tour of the Islands. 

Cobb eliminated Kojima in the first round of the Cup yesterday. Ospreay vs. Tenzan is the main event of Sunday’s show. 

New Japan Cup first round match: Toru Yano defeated Bad Luck Fale by countout (5:50)

This was a Fale vs. Yano match. They’ve had funnier matches, but this was fine for the comic relief that it was. 

Fale attacked during Yano’s lengthy ring introduction and tried to roll him up. The ref counted even though the opening bell had not sounded. Yano kicked out. 

Yano rolled to the floor to try to escape. Fale sent him into the barricade repeatedly. They did a countout tease, but Yano beat the count back in at 19. 

Yano tried a slam, but Fale reversed it for a near fall. They traded forearm strikes. Fale ran into an exposed buckle. Fale hit two slams, then missed an elbow drop. Yano rolled back to the floor. Fale sent him into the barricade again. Fale missed a charge into the barricade. Fale posted Yano. 

Yano produced a roll of tape. Fale intercepted and taped Yano’s wrists together around the post. Yano kicked Fale low, then climbed back into the ring with his hands still taped and stole the countout win. 

After he was freed, Yano cried because Fale broke his KOPW trophy. 

Yano advances and will face Great-O-Khan on March 11.

New Japan Cup first round match: Hirooki Goto defeated Taichi (w/Zack Sabre Jr.) (22:43)

This built well and turned into a heck of a match by the end. 

They locked up a couple of times and Goto broke cleanly against the ropes. They locked up a third time and Goto grabbed a side headlock. Taichi threatened a backdrop suplex, but Goto slid out. After locking up again, Taichi refused to break cleanly and choked Goto in the ropes. 

The fight spilled outside Taichi sent Goto into the barricade and choked him with a camera cable. Goto beat the count back in at 19. Taichi continued choking Goto in the ring. Taichi hit some Kawada kicks. Goto fired up with palm strikes to the chest. 

Goto snapped and started choking Taichi in response to Taichi choking him again. Goto hit a lariat, a corner wheel kick and a bulldog for a near fall. Taichi blocked an ushigoroshi attempt and hit a gamengiri. They traded lariats. Taichi hit another gamengiri into a double down. 

Taichi tore his pants off. Goto cut off a buzzsaw kick attempt. Taichi blocked a misdirection lariat. Goto hit an ushigoroshi. Goto hit a reverse GTR for a two count. Taichi blocked a discus lariat and hit a chokeslam. 

Goto missed with a right hand and Taichi hit a backdrop suplex for a near fall. Taichi fired up and called for a last ride. Goto sprawled, but Taichi hit the powerbomb with a stack cover for another two count. 

Taichi went for Black Mephisto. Goto blocked. Taichi hit a rolling elbow. Goto hit a desperation Shouten Kai. Goto hit a mid kick. Taichi fired back with a kick. Goto hit a headbutt. Goto tried for a GTR, but Taichi slid out and hit a high kick. Taichi used a clutch hold for a great near fall. 

Goto blocked a high kick and hit a GTW for a near fall. Goto then hit another GTR and got the pin. 

Goto advances and will face the winner of tomorrow’s Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi match on March 13.