Chris Jericho sought to continue his takeover of the wrestling world Sunday, following up a victory over Kenny Omega at All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing with an IWGP Heavyweight ...
Jon Moxley Beats Juice Robinson, Wins IWGP US Title in NJPW Debut Match at BOSJ
Jun 5, 2019
In his first match since leaving WWE, Jon Moxley defeated Juice Robinson at the Best of the Super Juniors Finals at Ryogoku Kokugikan Hall in Tokyo on Wednesday to win New Japan Pro-Wrestling's IWGP United States Championship.
Moxley took the fight to Robinson from start to finish and ended the match with a modified version of his Dirty Deeds DDT finisher:
— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) June 5, 2019
While Moxley entered through the crowd much like he did as a member of The Shield in WWE, he had a decidedly different look and feel. The former WWE champion ditched his jeans and tank top in favor of a more traditional look, as he rocked biker shorts during the bout.
He was also far more vicious than he was usually portrayed in WWE. Although the match was a basic singles bout, he used tables and chairs, and he even busted Robinson open, which hearkened back to his indie days prior to WWE.
With the victory, Moxley ended Robinson's 150-plus-day run with the title, and he has some added ammunition in his upcoming feud against Kenny Omega.
Moxley attacked Omega to conclude All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing pay-per-view in his debut for the company, and it seems likely they will clash at All Out on Aug. 31. Moxley has bragging rights over Omega currently since he now holds the title his rival won first in 2017 before dropping it to Jay White.
While Moxley is set to work full time for AEW when its weekly show begins airing on TNT later this year, his win at the Best of the Super Juniors Finals suggests he will be utilized as a top star for as long as New Japan has him.
Dream matches against the likes of Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Kota Ibushi, Tetsuya Naito, Tomohiro Ishii and Minoru Suzuki are all possible in the coming months, but Moxley's next focus is on his first AEW match against Joey Janela at Fyter Fest on June 29.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
Ex-WWE Stars Enzo, Big Cass Invade ROH, NJPW G1 Supercard Ahead of WrestleMania
Apr 7, 2019
WWE.com
Enzo and Big Cass, who formed a WWE tag team from 2013 to 2017, jumped the barricade of the Ring of Honor/New Japan Pro-Wrestling G1 Supercard at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday.
Wrestling Inc provided the footage:
Here’s video of Enzo and Cass jumping the barricade at #G1Supercard only to be attacked by Bully Ray, Briscoes and others. From what we’ve heard on site it sounds like this was planned even though it didn’t air. Not fully confirmed yet though.@WrestlingInc#WINCLY @WIncRebel pic.twitter.com/3zeEsqWQuL
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) April 7, 2019
Joshua Gagnon of Wrestling Inc provided more context to the moment:
"Enzo and Cass jumped the railing, taunted the crowd a bit, and began brawling with The Briscoes. Bully Ray came out and brawled with Enzo until Big Cass also jumped in and fought with them. This is likely a storyline as the two were given a lot of time by security after jumping the rail. However, the screens were blacked out during the incident and it did not air on television."
Enzo Amore, a two-time WWE cruiserweight champion, was released from the company in January 2018. That followed a suspension, which happened after a woman said Amore raped her in October 2017. Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet posted her comments, which she released on Twitter.
Through his counsel, Amore said the woman's account was false. The Phoenix Police Department closed the investigation in May 2018 because of "insufficient evidence," according to his lawyer, Tom Cargill.
Big Cass was released from WWE in 2018. Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated reported the following:
"Big Cass's unexpected release from WWE was due, in large part, to personal conduct issues. Multiple sources told Sports Illustrated that Cass was drinking the majority of the European tour and had attitude issues when drunk. Being intoxicated in public is one of the underlying reasons the WWE office was down on Cass."
Big Cass has made appearances on the independent circuit since his release. Amore has not wrestled, but it looks like that could be changing if their recent appearances are any indication.
Kazuchika Okada Beats Sanada to Win NJPW New Japan Cup 2019
Mar 24, 2019
A trip to New York's famed Madison Square Garden and a date with IWGP heavyweight champion "Switchblade" Jay White awaited the winner of Sunday's New Japan Cup final between Kazuchika Okada and Sanada.
With a spot in the marquee match of New Japan Pro-Wrestling's biggest event in recent years up for grabs, the competitors held nothing back, delivering the action-packed main event fans expected to close out a tournament full of spectacular wrestling.
Would The Rainmaker emerge victorious Sunday, earning a showdown with rival White and a shot at redemption on April 6, or would the upstart Sanada pull off an upset to cash his ticket to the most important match of his career?
Result
Okada defeated Sanada to win the 2019 New Japan Cup
The Match
The main event of Sunday's show began slowly, with the competitors setting the stage for what would likely be a lengthy match. Okada and Sanada took the match to the mat, jockeying for position early. The tag team specialist and underdog utilized his Paradise Lock to frustrate Okada, much to the delight of his hometown fans.
The Rainmaker recovered, though, and delivered a pescado to the arena floor that allowed him to seize control of the bout.
Sanada fought from underneath and unloaded with a flurry of offense on Okada. The established star answered with a back elbow and a DDT for a two-count.
Everything Okada did to try to wrest control of the match from his opponent was met with resistance from Sanada, who dropkicked him from the turnbuckle to the floor.
Okada worked the head and neck area of his opponent, delivering a draping DDT from the guardrail to the floor. He would follow up with a John Woo from the top rope but could not keep down the game Sanda.
The former IWGP champion looked for a Tombstone piledriver, but Sanada countered into one of his own. Sanada followed up with his Skull End submission and then downed Okada with a big suplex. He scaled the ropes for the moonsault, but his opponent got the knees up.
Okada delivered Rainmaker and tried for a second, but the elusive Sanada escaped. He still ate a big dropkick for his troubles. Okada followed with another Rainmaker attempt, which Sanada escaped before applying Skull End. Dueling Rainmaker efforts gave way to Okada delivering his own Skull End.
Sanada would recover and try for a moonsault moments later but, again, ate the knees to the midsection.
Now past the 30-minute mark, exhaustion set in. The action continued with strikes and reversals until Okada delivered The Rainmaker to put away Sanada for good, earning the hard-fought victory and a championship opportunity.
Redemption for Okada
Okada is the face of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, so it makes sense from that perspective that he would head to Madison Square Garden on April 6 to challenge for the promotion's top prize.
He has unfinished business with IWGP heavyweight champion White, who cleanly defeated Okada in stunning fashion at Wrestle Kingdom 13 to halt a return to glory for The Rainmaker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEJfqURR7fw
The main event of G1 Supercard is not just any championship match—it is Okada's shot at redemption.
The Wrestle Kingdom defeat is not the only one Okada suffered at the hands of White.
There was the G1 Climax loss. There were the countless tag team defeats he endured at Switchblade's hands. There was the fact that White conspired with Okada's longtime associate, Gedo, to betray The Rainmaker.
In front of a sold-out American crowd, the NJPW standard-bearer will battle against the leader of Bullet Club in the highest-profile match the company could present, with considerable history between the two competitors helping to intensify the emotion and electricity of the marquee bout.
Okada has spent years establishing himself as this generation of New Japan's brightest star. His epics against Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kenny Omega made Bleacher Report's Jonathan Snowden refer to him as the greatest in his eyes.
The drama he brings to his matches, the manner in which he gets audiences to invest in every move, is masterful. He is an artist, and the squared circle is his canvas. He is also an enormous international star, the likes of which lends credibility to the young champion every time White mixes it up with him.
Their match in New York will not only be about Okada's chance to avenge his January 4 loss to White. It will not only be about the top prize in New Japan. The April 6 match in The Big Apple will be an opportunity for the promotion to present its most visible star, elevate its brightest young one and deliver a main event with long-reaching effects.
Who knows whether Okada will win and regain his title or whether White can replicate the success of Wrestle Kingdom and pin The Rainmaker's shoulders to the mat one more time.
What we do know is that as much as a Sanada upset would have been damn fun to watch, the promotion got the booking of this year's New Japan Cup right and now sets its sights on what may be the most significant event in its long and storied history.
Kazuchika Okada vs. Sanada Set for NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 Final
Mar 23, 2019
The finals of the 2019 New Japan Cup are set after a fantastic semifinal round.
Four of NJPW's finest threw everything they had at each other in an attempt to move on to the next round of competition and, ultimately, a shot at "Switchblade" Jay White's IWGP Heavyweight Championship inside the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden on April 6.
Tomohiro Ishii and Kazuchika Okada squared off first on Saturday, while Hiroshi Tanahashi sought to advance to his second consecutive New Japan Cup finals as he battled the surging Sanada in the main event.
Which two competitors cashed their tickets to Sunday's final, and who should you expect to emerge victoriously?
There was nothing easy about Saturday's semifinal round match for The Rainmaker.
The former IWGP heavyweight champion faced his toughest test of the entire New Japan Cup tournament in fellow Chaos teammate Ishii.
Their match was incredibly physical and a showcase of intestinal fortitude. Ishii dared Okada to dig deep within himself and endure the brutal, stiff, hard-hitting offense The Stone Pitbull threw at him and unleash the same.
Okada did, unloading on his friend in a match that signaled the return of a gutsy competitor that went to war with Kenny Omega in the highest profile bouts New Japan has produced in the last decade; the same competitor who rose to the forefront of the promotion and became its face.
Saturday, Okada withstood the best Ishii had, including an avalanche brainbuster from the top rope that appeared to seep whatever fight he still had from within him. Later, he saw his Rainmaker finisher countered into an armbar that easily could have spelt the end of his journey back to the title he held for 720 days.
Instead, Okada withstood the unforgiving chops to the chest and punishing lariats to pin Ishii and advance.
The match was the best of the tournament thus far. A physical war of attrition that tested the wills of its competitors, it was everything you would expect from two men desperately seeking championship gold.
On the night, Okada was greatness personified. Ishii, though, elevated his star with a performance many knew he was capable of. The double-tough striker went toe-to-toe with one of the measuring sticks in NJPW and took him to the limit. A veteran competitor and the gatekeeper of sorts for Chaos, he made sure Okada earned everything he got.
Now Okada is one win away from a showdown with Jay White.
Earlier this year, on New Japan's grandest stage at WrestleKingdom 13, White used Okada as a stepping stone to the IWGP Heavyweight Championship by defeating The Rainmaker clean in the center of the ring.
The stunning victory propelled the Kiwi into championship contention and furthermore, gave him the credibility necessary to assume leadership of Bullet Club.
Retribution will fuel Okada, but he must pass one last test in the form of Sanada.
Sanada Builds On Last Year's Performance, Advances To Final
A year ago, Sanada unexpectedly found himself in the semifinals of the New Japan Cup, in which he battled with Zack Sabre Jr. in a losing effort. That defeat halted what was an impressive run through the tournament and the first hint that the primarily tag team wrestler could succeed in a singles setting.
This year, he set out to prove that 2018 was no fluke and has done just that as he now finds himself one win away from an IWGP Heavyweight Championship opportunity following his upset victory over Tanahashi Saturday.
In what was the second legitimate Match of the Year candidate of the semifinals, Cold Skull tapped Ace out and cashed his ticket to Sunday's final round and a date with Okada.
Sanada's journey to this point has been an interesting one in that a win over Okada Sunday would have resulted in him defeating the two most visible stars in all of New Japan. Furthermore, it would take him from the realm of tag team wrestling, where he and partner Evil have captured two IWGP Tag Team Championships, and set him up to face White in the biggest event in New Japan history.
Is NJPW really brazen enough to arrive at a sold-out MSG with a title bout of Sanada vs. White when it has Okada awaiting a rematch with Switchblade?
Screw it, The Garden is already sold-out. Let SANADA win the cup and challenge Jay. #njcup
— Ross W Berman IV (Philosopher Pirate) (@RossWBermanIV) March 23, 2019
The same question could have been asked entering Saturday's match with Tanahashi.
Seeking young stars to eventually supplant the old guard, New Japan answered that question with an emphatic "yes," booking the Los Ingobernables de Japon star cleanly over Ace via submission in a match that was more athletic, with counters and reversals defining it rather than hard-hitting strikes. Tanahashi, the wily veteran, assumed the role of low-key heel, letting Sanada shine in the biggest win of his young career.
Sanada may ultimately lose Sunday night, but he has a groundswell of support behind him as he enters his showdown with Okada. Hopefully, he can build on the momentum he has and make the rest of 2019 a banner year.
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 Results: Predictions for Semifinals Bracket
Mar 21, 2019
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 08: SANADA is seen prior to the 8-man match during the King of Pro-Wresting at Ryogoku Kokugikan on October 8, 2018 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
The final four competitors in the 2019 New Japan Cup have been determined following a quarterfinal round that featured some of the best wrestling of the entire tournament, including a high-profile showdown between a former IWGP heavyweight champion and the current NEVER openweight champion.
Which wrestlers advanced in the third round of competition and who can you expect to make it to the finals of the prestigious tournament, inching closer to a shot at "Switchblade" Jay White's IWGP Heavyweight Championship?
One of the better matches of the tournament to date saw Okada defeat Ospreay in just over 20 minutes.
A back-and-forth match between two of the elite stars in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the contest saw neither man garner a sustained advantage. Each cut the other off, preventing them from gaining momentum while trying to negate their strengths.
Despite trying to keep Ospreay from soaring through the air and utilizing his full arsenal of high-flying abilities, The Rainmaker found himself on the receiving end of a Shooting Star Press late that nearly cost him the match.
The ever-alert Okada, though, was able to counter out of Ospreay's famed Oscutter with a nasty dropkick and a tombstone piledriver. The NEVER openweight champion stunned, Okada finished with the Rainmaker to cash his ticket to the semifinals.
Okada continued his rebound from WrestleKingdom 13 earlier this year, shaking off a loss to Jay White at that event. He now finds himself just two wins away from challenging his rival for the top prize in NJPW.
He will battle Tomohiro Ishii in what should be an intensely physical semifinal round math next.
Ospreay, though, was the real winner here.
I gave it my all, there is no shame losing to the best in the game. I’m heartbroken but my journey doesn’t stop here.
— Will Ospreay • ウィル・オスプレイ (@WillOspreay) March 20, 2019
The British-born competitor continued to establish himself as one of the faces of New Japan in the wake of the recent departures of Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and Kushida. He looked on-par with the great Okada and would not have surprised anyone if he had upset The Rainmaker.
That is the sign of a star gaining momentum, establishing his own credibility and setting himself up for greatness in the months to come.
Yes, the loss is a disappointing one from a character standpoint, but Ospreay will be back in many high-profile, marquee matches for many shows to come if he decides to hang around the promotion.
Sanada Continues Impressive Run, Defeats Colt Cabana
With his victory over Colt Cabana Thursday, Sanada advanced to the semifinals of the New Japan Cup for the second, consecutive year.
In 2018, he knocked off Chuckie T and Toru Yano before running into the buzzsaw that is Zack Sabre Jr. Like so many others over the course of that competition, he tapped out to the relentless Brit and saw his dreams of an opportunity at the top singles title in Japan disintegrate.
Primarily a tag team wrestler, he spent the next year partnering with Evil and winning the IWGP Tag Team Championships. Whenever the opportunity presented itself, he competed in singles matches, including the G4 Climax, in which he scored a huge upset over Kota Ibushi.
Hellbent on proving last year was not a fluke, Sanada finds himself in the midst of another run through the New Japan Cup and return to the semifinals.
It was fun watching Colt Cabana stun Togi Makabe, then entertain the masses against Yano in lighthearted round 2 bout but his unlikely journey through the tournament came to an appropriate end against a wrestler who was better than him.
Sanada now advances to the semifinals, where he will battle Hiroshi Tanahashi, who ended Zack Sabre Jr.'s remarkable run in consecutive New Japan Cups Thursday, in the semifinals.
Sanada vs Tanahashi has also been a low key protected match. The last time they wrestled 1v1 from my memory was Power Struggle 2016. So that could be fun. #NJCup#NJPWWorld
It figures to be the most significant singles match of Sanada's career given the fact that Tanahashi is the beloved hero, grizzled veteran and former IWGP heavyweight champion.
He is the measuring stick for wrestlers in New Japan, and a win over Ace would instantly establish Sanada as the most prominent young star on the roster not named Jay White.
Given how much effort has been put into making him look as strong as he has through two of these New Japan Cups, do not be surprised if (and when) Sanada pulls the massive upset.
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 Results: Picks for Quarterfinals Bracket After Round 2
Mar 17, 2019
OSAKA,JAPAN - FEBRUARY 11: Kazuchika Okada enters the ring prior to the match between Kazuchika Okada and Bad Luck Fale during the New Beginning of NJPW at Edion Arena Osaka on February 11, 2019 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
The second round of competition in the 2019 New Japan Cup has come to a close, and as always, New Japan Pro-Wrestling had a few shocks in store for its faithful fanbase, including a relatively big upset for last year's winner.
In the process, it further tipped its hand at the wrestlers who will serve as the foundation of the promotion as it continues to rebuild in the wake of the departures of Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and Kushida.
What are the matchups fans can expect in the quarterfinal round of competition, and which wrestlers should fans expect to advance to the semis?
In 2018, Zack Sabre Jr. rode an unmatched submission arsenal and a thirst for championship gold to the New Japan Cup, tapping out Hiroshi Tanahashi out in close to 35 minutes. He will have another shot at defeating Ace in the tournament in the quarterfinals after submitting Kota Ibushi in one of Round 2's more surprising outcomes.
On the surface, Ibushi looked among the favorites to win the tournament, let alone Saturday's match with Sabre Jr. Unfortunately for Ibushi, he ran into a buzz saw of an opponent seeking to prove that last year's victory was anything but a fluke.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXOzsC0Uq90
The Suzuki-gun member targeted the knee of Ibushi like a shark smelling blood in the water. He sought to pick apart his opponent's injured joint. Whenever Ibushi looked like he might be able to mount some offense and find his way back into the match, Sabre cut him off.
Late in the match, a surging Ibushi tried for a running knee, but Sabre kicked it. Moments later, he trapped the acclaimed star in his Orienteering with Napalm Death submission.
Sabre's greatest test of the tournament may well be Tanahashi, who will be looking to avenge his loss to the Brit a year ago. Considering how kind 2019 has been the veteran, Sabre may face a challenge he is simply not ready for in the former IWGP heavyweight champion.
Ospreay: Giant Killer
NEVER openweight champion Will Ospreay advanced to the second round of this year's tournament by defeating Bad Luck Fale in the first round of competition despite giving up 170 pounds to the Bullet Club member.
To make it to the quarterfinals, he would have to defeat Chaos' Lance Archer despite another significant size disadvantage.
The Englishman would prove size is but a number in a fantastic David vs. Goliath showdown.
Ospreay endured a tremendous amount of punishment from a focused, determined and ruthless Archer. He had his core tested as he was suplexed on the floor and then sent into the guardrail. Ever the resilient competitor, though, he fought back and remained alive in the match.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZUsVMOZRdA
The plucky underdog even withstood Blackout, kicking out to the dismay of his opposition.
Ospreay survived just long enough to finish off Archer with Stormbreaker and continue his path to the New Japan Cup.
Much like compatriot Sabre, Ospreay faces his toughest challenge to date in the quarterfinals when he squares off with former IWGP heavyweight champion, and the face of NJPW, Kazuchika Okada.
The Rainmaker himself was lucky to escape Round 2, having withstood an onslaught from an aggressive Mikey Nicholls.
The question becomes whether the company wants to focus on the tired-and-true (Okada) or take a risk with elevating Ospreay even further than it already has with a signature win over its franchise star.
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 Results: Round 1 Winners, Picks for Round 2 Bracket
Mar 11, 2019
New Japan Pro-Wrestling found itself in a period of transition and adjustment as the 2019 New Japan Cup got underway on March 8.
With staples such as Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and Kushida off to continue building their legacies elsewhere, there is a tremendous opportunity for a young star, unknown commodity or fresh face to leap to the top of the promotion with a win in the prestigious tournament.
The first round featured some surprising results and set up a second round full of competitors ready to step up and challenge Bullet Club leader, and IWGP heavyweight champion, "Switchblade" Jay White for the company's most coveted title.
Who advanced in the first round, and which competitors should you expect to make an impact with victories in the next round of action?
Round 1 Results
Tomohiro Ishii pinned Yuji Nagata
Taichi submitted Tomoaki Honma
Yoshi-Hashi submitted Manabu Nakanishi
Chase Owens pinned Juice Robinson
Kazuchika Okada pinned Michael Elgin
Mikey Nicholls pinned Hikuleo
Will Ospreay pinned Bad Luck Fale
Lance Archer pinned Toa Henare
Hiroshi Tanahashi submitted Shota Umino
Ryusuke Taguchi pinned Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Kota Ibushi pinned Tetsuya Naito
Zack Sabre Jr. submitted Evil
Toru Yano pinned Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Colt Cabana pinned Togi Makabe
Minoru Suzuki pinned Satoshi Kojima
Sanada pinned Hirooki Goto
Owens Over Robinson in 1st-Round Stunner
Perhaps the biggest upset of Round 1 was Chase Owens' victory over current IWGP United States champion Juice Robinson.
Owens, a member of Bullet Club, has always had the potential to be one of the faces of New Japan's future but has never had the momentum to make the most of it. He has typically been relegated to tag matches or is beaten by singles competitors further.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-V35vEV4_c
His win over Robinson, though, suggests his fortunes in NJPW may be changing.
Bullet Club needs to rebuild its credibility in the wake of Omega and the Young Bucks' departures, and pushing Owens, who has waited his turn and bided his time, is a step in the right direction.
A second-round match against Yoshi-Hashi is winnable and could set Owens up for one of the more unexpected runs of the tournament.
Round 2 Predictions
Taichi defeats Ishii
Owens defeats Yoshi-Hashi
Okada defeats Nicholls
Ospreay defeats Archer
Tanahashi defeats Taguchi
Ibushi defeats Sabre Jr.
Yano defeats Cabana
Sanada defeats Suzuki
Kota Ibushi the Favorite to Go All the Way?
Kota Ibushi made headlines recently when theSuper J-Cast podcastreported he had re-signed with NJPW, turning down a contract with All Elite Wrestling. It may have been the best career move for the former Golden Lover, who may be the favorite to win the entire New Japan Cup.
After defeating IWGP intercontinental champion Naito in an opening-round upset, Ibushi squares off with 2018 New Japan Cup winner Sabre Jr., who is capable of tapping him out and sending him packing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HbLTZ4L5GM
If Ibushi gets past Sabre, he faces the unenviable task of battling either Tanahashi or the surging Taichi in Round 3.
The path to the cup and a shot at IWGP heavyweight champion Jay White is not easy, but if he can continue to score victories, not only will a title opportunity be his, he will also step out of the shadow of former tag team partner Kenny Omega and become one of the faces of the new NJPW.
