While CIMA was unable to win the New Japan Cup, Stronghearts were able to prove without a doubt they’re a tough unit. With El Lindaman & T-Hawk in his corner tonight, they’re ready for a trios match against Hirooki Goto, Tiger Mask IV & Tomoaki Honma. CIMA got an upset win over Goto during the tournament, and could get a second tonight.
STRONGHEARTS Get A Major Win Over Some NJPW Mainstays
Fans have really gotten attached to STRONGHEARTS lately, which is helped by them being an outside name on a rather stale NJPW roster. Goto would start with CIMA, and they’d trade wrist locks in the ring. CIMA would get a touch fired up and he’s still beat up from his match with Okada, so El Lindaman would take the ring to face Tiger Mask.
Tiger Mask hit a shoulder tackle and backbreaker, before Honma hit the ring. Goto would hit a hip toss before Honma would rush in with a Kokeshi, before T-Hawk would get the tag and chop Honma to the mat. CIMA would apply a neck crank on Honma, but was unable to get the tap out.
Goto once again hit the ring, but the speed of STRONGHEARTS cut him down. Tiger Mask would tag and tried to match the speed, before catching T-Hawk with the double armbar. CIMA made the save, before Tiger Driver would land. T-Hawk would be able to fire back with Nightride for the victory.
United Empire are out of the running for the New Japan Cup, but Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb could bounce back with some tag team gold. Having a win over YOSHI-HASHI already gives Cobb a good chance at a title shot, but tonight as he takes on YOSHI-HASHI & YOH in tag team action – he could double down on this claim.
Cobb would start with YOSHI-HASHI, but it wouldn’t be easy to just take him down to the mat. A shoulder tackle would send YOSHI-HASHI flying however, before blocking a sunset flip and missing the leg drop. YOH would get the tag, but was quickly dropped before all the weight of Cobb settled onto his back.
Cobb & Great-O-Khan would simply be toying with YOH, with Great-O-Khan forcing him to kiss his boot. YOH would try and fire up, and nailed a picture perfect dropkick. YOSHI-HASHI would get the tag, before driving Cobb into the barricade on the floor.
Cobb would fight back with a dropkick of his own, but YOSHI-HASHI would remain in control. Great-O-Khan got the tag alongside YOH, and YOH would show some judo skills with a swift takedown into a near fall.
YOSHI-HASHI & YOH would work to take Great-O-Khan down, before YOH hit Drop The Needle. Cobb would send YOH flying with a German Suplex, before YOSHI-HASHI tried to make the save. Great-O-Khan booted YOSHI-HASHI down, before nailing Eliminator for the win.
Will Ospreay Doesn’t Want A Tag Team Match
Will Ospreay still claims that Zack Sabre Jr didn’t tap him out in their quarterfinals match in the New Japan Cup, but what’s done is done. Tonight, the Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion will team with Aaron Henare, as they take on the L.I.J duo of BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi.
Will Ospreay would hit the ring and say this tag team match is cancelled. He did not tap out, and he’s in his ring gear for the match with Shingo Takagi. Ospreay would apologise to Hiromu & BUSHI, before taking a dropkick to the face, before Hiromu dove onto him.
BUSHI would take Ospreay into the ring, but Henare & Ospreay took this one to the outside again. Ospreay would keep ranting while beating down BUSHI, before tagging out to Henare and trying to find his head. The moment would help, and Ospreay hit the ring to nail a backbreaker on BUSHI.
Hiromu would get the tag, and would send his old rival flying with a hurricanrana. Ospreay would be able to cut Hiromu down with an enziguri, before looking for a powerbomb. Hiromu slipped free, and blocked the Oscutter into a German Suplex.
Henare would hit the ring with BUSHI, and was dropped with a quick dropkick. Rampage Tackle took BUSHI down, and Ospreay would take Hiromu out. Streets Of Rage was blocked, but a shot to the midsection and kick would claim the win. After the bell, EVIL would attack Hiromu Takahashi – potentially setting up a rematch for his NEVER Openweight Championship. EVIL had lost in the New Japan Cup to his own finisher from Hiromu. Dick Togo choked Hiromu out, and EVIL just watched in a state of bliss.
Did Ospreay tap out? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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