NJPW Super J-Cup live results: A winner is crowned
Super J-Cup first round: Chris Bey defeated Clark Connors (9:36)
This was a solid opener. There were some small communication issues between two guys who don’t work together much and not everything was smooth as a result.
They began with a feeling out process. Connors tried a takedown and a crab but was denied. Bey took over on offense after hitting a standing dropkick.
Bey used a jumping neckbreaker for a near fall at the five minute call. Connors came back with a pounce and a dropkick for his own near fall.
Bey dodged a spear, while Connors then avoided a springboard cutter attempt. Connors laid in some strikes. Bey answered with a double underhook powerbomb for a two count.
Bey took a bump off a chop. Connors went for a crab but Bey blocked and cradled Connors for two.
Bey then hit his Art of Finesse springboard cutter for the pin.
Super J-Cup first round: ACH defeated TJP (9:52)
The announcers put over right away that these guys have worked together a ton over the years. It showed, as they have great chemistry.
That story also played into the opening minutes of the match as both guys had answers for each other’s offense. They also did a lot of quick counters and reversals.
TJP hit a headscissors takeover out of an electric chair position to set up a Muta lock. TJP attacked ACH’s back and shoulders with strikes. ACH came back with a dropkick and a slingshot plancha. ACH used a fisherman’s suplex for a near fall. TJP hit a springboard DDT for a two count.
After trading near falls, ACH went to the top rope. TJP tried to cut him off with a superplex. Instead, ACH shoved him off to the mat. That was the turning point of the match.
ACH hit a double knee gutbuster for a near fall, then hit a 450 splash for the pin.
Super J-Cup first round: Blake Christian defeated Rey Horus (12:00)
This was the best match on the show to this point. Christian looked great. Horus was excellent.
Christian took the first five minutes of the match, out-wrestling Horus in every facet. Christian scored a couple of early near falls off cradles. They did some lucha spots and Christian got the upper hand there as well.
Christian hit a standing moonsault for a two count. Christian hit a tope con giro. Horus answered with a huge tope, diving over the ring post to the outside. He called for a brainbuster. Christian blocked and hit a splash.
Christian hit a DVD and a standing shooting star for a two count. Christian got a bloody nose somewhere around this point.
Horus hit an overhead release German into the buckle. He slapped on an inverted figure four. Christian forced a rope break at the ten minute call.
Horus teased a super rana off the top. Instead, he transitioned to a cradle on landing for a two count.
Christian hit a Spanish fly off the second rope for a two count. He followed with a frog splash for the pin.
Super J-Cup first round: El Phantasmo defeated Lio Rush (15:16)
There was excellent storytelling throughout this match.
Early, the story was that ELP was rusty after not having a match since February. He was a hair off on his execution and Rush had the early edge.
ELP took control after a Styles Clash on the floor. He worked Rush over, including hitting his trademark stomp in the corner from the tree of woe and back rakes. ELP walked the top rope. Rush pulled ELP off the ropes and hit a poison rana.
Rush hit a tope suicida and an Asai moonsault at the ten minute call. Back inside, Rush hit a top rope clothesline for a near fall. He then connected with a series of kicks. Rush blocked a low blow attempt and hit a falcon arrow for a two count.
ELP hit an airplane spin neckbreaker for a two count. he went for a CRII but Rush blocked and cradled him for a two count. Rush hit a springboard cutter and got another two.
Rush went for a frog splash. ELP got his knees up and shoved Rush into the referee.
ELP then hit a low blow and rolled up Rush for the tainted victory.
JR Kratos & Danny Limelight defeated Rocky Romero & Fred Rosser (12:49)
This was a paint by numbers tag.
Kratos and Rosser began. They did a couple of cool spots, including a leapfrog by Kratos.
Romero and Limelight tagged in. Limelight and Kratos used underhanded tactics to cut Romero off. Limelight and Kratos traded tags and worked Romero over.
Limelight used a rear naked choke that threatened to end the match. Rosser broke up the hold. Romero finally made a hot tag to Rosser. Rosser hit Kratos with a backdrop on the apron.
Rosser hit something resembling a legdrop for a two count. Kratos fired up and hit a suplex into a double down at the ten minute call.
Romero and Limelight got tags. Romero hit a leg slice onto Limelight as he was draped in the ropes. Limelight answered with a series of kicks and a fisherman suplex for a two count as Rosser saved.
All four jumped in as the match broke down. Romero tried a sliced bread on Limelight. Kratos cut him off and hit a powerslam and a German.
Limelight then covered for the pin.
Super J-Cup second round: ACH defeated Chris Bey (8:27)
They didn’t have much time and they did a nice job of quickly establishing the story of the match. ACH sold that his back was hurt from his first round match. Bey went after the bad back.
Bey used an elbow drop as ACH was draped in the ropes. Bey spent the first half of the match working the back over as ACH sold.
ACH came back with a plancha and a double stomp. Bey came back with a destroyer for a near fall. ACH again sold the damage to his back.
They traded strikes. ACH teased a double knee gutbuster off the second rope. Bey reversed into a super hurricanrana for a two count.
Bey called for the Art of Finesse. ACH plucked him out of the air and hit a German.
ACH hit a Midnight Star (450) for the pin.
Super J-Cup second round: El Phantasmo defeated Blake Christian (7:24)
Blake broke his nose in the first round match, so he came out for this one with two swollen eyes and a breathing strip over his nose.
Christian hit a shotgun dropkick at the opening bell. He followed with a series of strikes. ELP cut him off, grabbing at the broken nose. Christian came back with a modified 619 on the apron and a flip dive off the post.
Christian hit a tope to the floor. He went for a shooting star press but stopped himself before landing on his feet, as it looked like ELP was going to get his knees up.
ELP went back to the nose and connected with some hard strikes in the corner. They teased a potential referee stoppage.
ELP used a series of back rakes. He went for a CRII but Christian reversed into a victory roll for a near fall. Christian hit a blue thunder bomb for two.
Christian missed on a shooting star press off the top. ELP answered with a superkick and covered for the pin.
I can’t say enough good things about Christian.
KENTA & Hikuleo defeated Ren Narita & Kevin Knight (10:02)
This was pretty much just a showcase for KENTA and Hikuleo and a way to get them a dominant win.
Narita and KENTA began. Narita was quickly cut off and backed into the Bullet Club corner. Hikuleo tagged in and continued hitting strikes.
Knight blind-tagged in. KENTA and Narita fought on the outside as KENTA continued dominating. Hikuleo avoided a Knight dropkick in the ring and sent him into the buckle with a hard whip. Hikuleo used a vertical suplex and tagged out.
KENTA continued the beatdown on Knight. Hikuleo tagged in for more of the same. Knight finally made a hot tag. Hikuleo went for a chokeslam. Narita reversed and used a cobra twist. Hikuleo powered out and tagged out.
KENTA and Narita were the legal men. Narita hit a series of strikes and a suplex for a two count. Knight tagged in and hit a series of uppercut strikes for a near fall. KENTA gave Knight and Narita a fair amount of offense before killing them.
KENTA hit a kitchen sink and used a crab on Knight. Narita jumped in to break up the hold. Hikuleo took out Narita with a chokeslam.
KENTA then went back to a full Boston crab on Knight, who tapped out.
Super J-Cup final: El Phantasmo defeated ACH to win the 2020 Super J-Cup (16:11)
This was a good main event with a lot of drama.
ELP attacked as ACH made his entrance. ELP kicked ACH down the ramp, then used the J-Cup trophy as a weapon. The trophy was destroyed. Referees tended to ACH.
The match finally began. ACH had his back taped up from his earlier matches. ACH used an immediate backslide for a near fall, then sent ELP to the outside with a hurricanrana. ELP dropped ACH on the apron, sweeping out his leg.
ELP repeatedly sent the injured back into the ring frame. They teased a countout, but ACH made it back in. ELP continued his attack by tying ACH to the tree of woe and stomping on his crotch.
Outside, ELP hit a suplex on the ramp. Again they teased a countout. ACH made it back in at 19. ELP did his rope walk spot. ACH shoved him off to the apron and ELP dropped to the floor. ACH hit a soccer kick from the apron. Back inside, ACH hit a slingshot cutter for a two count. He then connected with a snap German for another near fall.
ACH went to the top rope, but was cut off with a jumping high kick. ELP then hit a super hurricanrana and a top rope splash for two.
ELP called for CRII. ACH rolled through. ELP cut off the attempted reversal and hit a Styles Clash for a near fall.
ELP hit a v-trigger and shouted Kenny Omega’s catchphrase. He teased a One-Winged Angel. ACH blocked and hit a brainbuster for his own near fall. Both men were down as they neared the 15 minute call.
ACH teased a Midnight Star off the top. Instead, ELP crotched him on the top rope. ELP went for a top rope Spanish fly. ACH blocked and hit a gutbuster off the top.
ACH went for Midnight Star. ELP got his knees up and threw ACH into the ref. With the ref recovering, ELP hit a low blow. He rolled ACH up — but ACH kicked out.
ELP hit a superkick, then followed with CRII and got the pin, winning the Super J-Cup for the second straight year.
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The NJPW USA representative charged with presenting ELP his broken trophy and jacket after the match had an unenviable task.
ELP kicked him out of the ring. He finished smashing the trophy and threw the jacket on the mat. He also spat on the jacket.
ELP then cut a promo. He said the Jr. Heavyweight division is his. He said the only one in his way is “Mr. Best of the Super Jrs.”
ELP said he watched the tournament and he’ll see the BOSJ winner at Wrestle Kingdom.