NJPW reveals New Japan Cup 2022 bracket and schedule

NJPW unveiled the 48-man field, schedule, and bracket for the 2022 New Japan Cup at a presser today.

The field consists of virtually every active main roster member, plus CIMA, who will return to the company after appearing at Wrestle Kingdom in January.

Kota Ibushi is also set to return to action on this tour, with his first match back taking place at the 50th Anniversary event on March 1. Ibushi has been out since dislocating his shoulder in the G1 final in October 2021.

There will be 16 first round matches, with 16 competitors receiving byes.

The field:

  • Kazuchika Okada
  • El Desperado
  • Master Wato
  • Toru Yano
  • Taichi
  • Hiroyoshi Tenzan
  • Yuji Nagata
  • Hirooki Goto
  • Dick Togo
  • CIMA
  • TAKA Michinoku
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi
  • YOH
  • Bad Luck Fale
  • Tetsuya Naito
  • Yujiro Takahashi
  • Gedo
  • Togi Makabe
  • Jeff Cobb
  • Satoshi Kojima
  • Tomoaki Honma
  • YOSHI-HASHI
  • Kosei Fujita
  • Kota Ibushi
  • Great-O-Khan
  • Taiji Ishimori
  • Ryohei Oiwa
  • Zack Sabre Jr.
  • DOUKI
  • Yuto Nakashima
  • Aaron Henare
  • SANADA
  • BUSHI
  • Will Ospreay
  • El Phantasmo
  • Tomohiro Ishii
  • Shingo Takagi
  • Tanga Loa
  • Chase Owens
  • Jado
  • Tiger Mask
  • Ryusuke Taguchi
  • EVIL
  • Tama Tonga
  • Hiromu Takahashi
  • SHO
  • Minoru Suzuki

Minoru Suzuki, Tama Tonga, Tiger Mask, Tanga Loa, El Phantasmo, SANADA, DOUKI, Taiji Ishimori, Kosei Fujita, Satoshi Kojima, Gedo, Bad Luck Fale, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Dick Togo, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, and Master Wato will receive first round byes.

Here are the announced lineups for the tour:

Wednesday, March 2 —

  • New Japan Cup first round: Kazuchika Okada vs. El Desperado
  • New Japan Cup first round: Tetsuya Naito vs. Yujiro Takahashi
  • New Japan Cup first round: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. YOH
  • New Japan Cup first round: Toru Yano vs. Taichi
  • New Japan Cup first round: Togi Makabe vs. Jeff Cobb
  • New Japan Cup first round: Yuji Nagata vs. Hirooki Goto
  • New Japan Cup first round: Tomoaki Honma vs. YOSHI-HASHI
  • New Japan Cup first round: CIMA vs. TAKA Michinoku

Sunday, March 6 —

  • New Japan Cup first round: Kota Ibushi vs. Great-O-Khan
  • New Japan Cup first round: Will Ospreay vs. BUSHI
  • New Japan Cup first round: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ryohei Oiwa
  • New Japan Cup first round: Aaron Henare vs. Yuto Nakashima
  • Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano & YOH vs. Shingo Takagi, SANADA, Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & SHO
  • Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma, Yuji Nagata & Tiger Mask vs. Bad Luck Fale, Chase Owens, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo

Monday, March 7 —

  • New Japan Cup first round: Shingo Takagi vs. Tomohiro Ishii
  • New Japan Cup first round: Hiromu Takahashi vs. SHO
  • New Japan Cup first round: Ryusuke Taguchi vs. EVIL
  • New Japan Cup first round: Chase Owens vs. Jado
  • Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano, Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & YOH vs. El Desperado, Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
  • Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & Aaron Henare

Wednesday, March 9 —

  • New Japan Cup second round: Master Wato vs. El Desperado/Kazuchika Okada
  • New Japan Cup second round: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Taichi/Toru Yano
  • New Japan Cup second round: Dick Togo vs. Hirooki Goto/Yuji Nagata
  • New Japan Cup second round: Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. CIMA/TAKA Michinoku

Thursday, March 10 —

  • New Japan Cup second round: Bad Luck Fale vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi/YOH
  • New Japan Cup second round: Kosei Fujita vs. YOSHI-HASHI/Tomoaki Honma
  • New Japan Cup second round: Gedo vs. Tetsuya Naito/Yujiro Takahashi
  • New Japan Cup second round: Satoshi Kojima vs. Jeff Cobb/Togi Makabe

Saturday, March 12 —

  • New Japan Cup second round: El Phantasmo vs. Will Ospreay/BUSHI
  • New Japan Cup second round: SANADA vs. Aaron Henare/Yuto Nakashima
  • New Japan Cup second round: Taiji Ishimori vs. Kota Ibushi/Great-O-Khan
  • New Japan Cup second round: DOUKI vs. Zack Sabre Jr./Ryohei Oiwa

Sunday, March 13 —

  • New Japan Cup second round: Minoru Suzuki vs. Hiromu Takahashi/SHO
  • New Japan Cup second round: Tama Tonga vs. EVIL/Ryusuke Taguchi
  • New Japan Cup second round: Tiger Mask vs. Jado/Chase Owens
  • New Japan Cup second round: Tanga Loa vs. Shingo Takagi/Tomohiro Ishii

Monday, March 14 —

  • New Japan Cup third round match
  • New Japan Cup third round match

Tuesday, March 15 —

  • New Japan Cup third round match
  • New Japan Cup third round match

Thursday, March 17 —

  • New Japan Cup third round match
  • New Japan Cup third round match

Friday, March 18 —

  • New Japan Cup third round match
  • New Japan Cup third round match

Sunday, March 20 —

  • New Japan Cup quarterfinals match
  • New Japan Cup quarterfinals match

Monday, March 21 —

  • New Japan Cup quarterfinals match
  • New Japan Cup quarterfinals match

Saturday, March 26 —

  • New Japan Cup semifinals match

Sunday, March 27 —

  • New Japan Cup finals