New Japan Cup

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The New Japan Cup (often abbreviated NJC) is an annual single-elimination professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling. Originally intended for every April, it was rescheduled to March in 2007. Though NJPW also runs the annual G1 Climax tournament, the NJC is different in that it is single-elimination, whereas the G1 is a round-robin. Like the G1 however, the winner of the tournament receives a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship; this stipulation was added in 2006.

Contents

[edit] Results

[edit] List of winners

[edit] 2005

The 2005 New Japan Cup was held from April 19 to April 24. The first two rounds were held on individual nights, with round one taking up the entire card on April 19.

  Round 1
April 19		 Quarterfinals
April 21		 Semifinals
April 24		 Final
April 24
                                     
 Hiroshi Tanahashi DQ  
 Yuji Nagata 24:12  
     Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
 
     Koji Kanemoto 17:38  
 Koji Kanemoto Pin
 Ryushi Yanagisawa 8:19  
     Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
     Hiroyoshi Tenzan 19:45  
 Minoru CO  
 Osamu Nishimura 16:47  
     Osamu Nishimura† Sub
 
     Hiroyoshi Tenzan 20:47  
 Hiroyoshi Tenzan Pin
 Jushin Liger 15:54  
     Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
     Manabu Nakanishi 19:21
 Kendo Kashin Pin  
 Shinsuke Nakamura 8:55  
     Kendo Kashin Pin
 
     Yutaka Yoshie 15:48  
 Yutaka Yoshie Pin
 Scott Norton 9:07  
     Kendo Kashin Pin
     Manabu Nakanishi 10:20  
 Tiger Mask Pin  
 Masahiro Chono 10:29  
     Masahiro Chono Pin
 
     Manabu Nakanishi 14:16  
 Hirooki Goto Pin
 Manabu Nakanishi 7:34  

† Minoru was forced to pull out before his Round 2 match, due to suffering severe dizziness, and was replaced by Osamu Nishimura, who he beat in Round 1.

[edit] 2006

The 2006 New Japan Cup was held from April 16 to April 30. Giant Bernard, the winner of the tournament, went on to fail in his challenge against IWGP Champion Brock Lesnar on May 3.

  Round 1 Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
April 30
                                     
 Giant Bernard Pin  
 Toru Yano 8:19  
     Giant Bernard Pin  
 
     Riki Chōshū 9:11  
 Riki Chōshū Pin
 Black Strong Machine 6:46  
     Giant Bernard Pin  
     Manabu Nakanishi 16:43  
 Manabu Nakanishi Pin  
 Takashi Iizuka 11:31  
     Manabu Nakanishi Pin
 
     Ryouji Sai 14:56  
 Ryouji Sai Pin
 Naofumi Yamamoto 13:59  
     Giant Bernard Pin
     Yuji Nagata 19:40
 Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
 Masahiro Chono 25:12  
     Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
 
     Hiroyoshi Tenzan 14:27  
 Scott Norton Pin
 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 12:30  
     Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
     Yuji Nagata 18:49  
 Togi Makabe Pin  
 Tatsutoshi Goto 1:24  
     Togi Makabe Pin
 
     Yuji Nagata 10:50  
 Tomohiro Ishii Pin
 Yuji Nagata 9:57  

[edit] 2007

The 2007 New Japan Cup was a 14-man tournament held from March 3 to March 21. Giant Bernard and Hiroyoshi Tenzan received byes to the quarterfinals, due to their victories in the 2006 New Japan Cup and G1 Climax respectively. Shinsuke Nakamura was injured in a non-tournament match on March 13, giving Tenzan an additional pass to the semifinals. The winner, Yuji Nagata, went on to defeat Hiroshi Tanahashi for the championship on April 13, beginning his second reign with the title. He also became the first person to reach the NJC finals twice, and the first to win both the New Japan Cup and G1 Climax.

  Round 1 Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Togi Makabe Pin  
 Travis Tomko 9:29  
     Togi Makabe Pin  
       Takashi Iizuka 11:32  
 Tomoaki Honma Sub
 Takashi Iizuka 14:06  
     Togi Makabe DQ  
     Hiroyoshi Tenzan 12:27  
 Shinsuke Nakamura Pin  
 Toru Yano 10:16  
     Shinsuke Nakamura Forf
       Hiroyoshi Tenzan  
 
   
     Togi Makabe Pin
     Yuji Nagata 20:05
 Tomohiro Ishii Pin  
 Yuji Nagata 12:12  
     Yuji Nagata Pin
       Masahiro Chono 17:25  
 Masahiro Chono Pin
 Riki Chōshū 8:44  
     Yuji Nagata Sub
     Giant Bernard 18:22  
 Shiro Koshinaka Pin  
 Manabu Nakanishi 10:03  
     Manabu Nakanishi Pin
       Giant Bernard 13:05  
 

[edit] 2008

The 2008 New Japan Cup was a 16-man tournament held from March 9 to March 23. The winner, Hiroshi Tanahashi, became the first two-time winner of the NJC and will receive a shot at Shinsuke Nakamura's IWGP Heavyweight Championship on March 30.

  Round 1 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
                                     
 Tomohiro Ishii Sub  
 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 13:03  
   Hiroyoshi Tenzan Pin1  
 
   Togi Makabe 17:24  
 Takashi Iizuka Pin
 Togi Makabe 10:27  
   Togi Makabe Pin  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi 12:11  
 Hirooki Goto Pin  
 Hiroshi Tanahashi 20:32  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
 
   Ryusuke Taguchi 13:42  
 Jushin Liger Pin
 Ryusuke Taguchi 11:33  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
   Giant Bernard 18:24
 Koji Kanemoto Sub  
 Karl Anderson 9:05  
   Koji Kanemoto Pin
 
   Giant Bernard 9:45  
 Giant Bernard Pin
 Tomoaki Honma 10:43  
   Giant Bernard Pin
   Toru Yano 10:44  
 Milano Collection AT Pin  
 Toru Yano 11:25  
   Toru Yano Pin
 
   Rhino 11:21  
 Manabu Nakanishi Pin
 Rhino 10:17  

1This match originally ended in a double countout at 2:35, but it was restarted with Makabe winning via pinfall in 14:49.

[edit] Sources

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