It is time to determine the 16th annual New Japan Cup Champion! This is the New Japan Cup 2020 final.
This is undoubtedly a New Japan Cup like no other. The New Japan Cup tournament field was announced in early March. Then the Pandemic shut down New Japan and the entire world. After nearly a four-month break, New Japan came back with thirty-two competitors for this unique New Japan Cup with no fans. That will change this Saturday night in Osaka Jo Hall for the final.
For the very first time since February, a New Japan Pro Wrestling show will have a live audience. How will that change the feel of the tournament? It is hard to say, but it will provide that sense of normality we have all been missing. And the fans in Osaka will get an enjoyable show as well.
Let us look at the New Japan Cup 2020 Final card. What will occur this time around, and how will it set up the big Dominion show?
Great Bash Heel (Tomoaki Honma & Togi Makabe) vs Yuya Uemura & Yota Tsuji
The first match with fans in nearly five months is an old stand by opener for New Japan. It is Young Lions versus the Veterans in a tag match. Uemura and Tsuji both competed in the New Japan Cup in losing efforts. Tsuji lost in an excellent matchup to Makabe in the first round.
The problem is the Young Lions are facing Great Bash Heel, the former IWGP Tag Team Champions and two-time World Tag League winners. Honma and Makabe are out for revenge after their New Japan Cup losses. Will they take it out once again on the Young Lions?
New Japan Cup 2020 Final
Tencozy (Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan) vs. Hirooki Goto & Gabriel Kidd
Hirooki Goto gets to take a chance to take another younger talent, Gabriel Kidd, under his wings in this tag match. Goto is likely still upset after losing to EVIL in the New Japan Cup second round. Can he get back on track with a member of the NJPW LA Dojo?
The problem is they are facing the six-time IWGP World Tag Team Champions in Kojima & Tenzan. Both Kojima and Tenzan were involved in lengthy matches in the New Japan Cup. Can one of the great tag teams in New Japan history continue their good fortunes on Saturday night?
Master Wato vs. DOUKI
This is undoubtedly the most unique match on the card. During the New Japan Cup semifinals, Master Wato made his debut and was immediately attacked by DOUKI and his steel pipe. Master Wato has angered his NJPW debut was ruined. He demanded this match on Saturday night.
This match will undoubtedly be a mystery. This will be Master Wato’s first match in New Japan since returning to the company for CMLL. What can he show us in Osaka? After all, you only have one chance to make a first impression.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (SANADA & BUSHI) vs BULLET CLUB (Yujiro Takahashi & Taiji Ishimori)
SANADA must be in a bad mood. He lost in a crushing defeat to his long-time tag partner Evil in the New Japan Cup semifinals. He didn’t only lose, but he lost when his friend hit him with low blows and chair shots to defeat him. Will SANADA be distracted in Osaka?
They tag team opponents are Bullet Club. Bullet Club is missing a lot of its member’s thanks to the Pandemic. Can they take advantage of a distracted LIJ to pull off an upset here?
New Japan Cup 2020 Final
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Yuji Nagata & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Suzuki-Gun (Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., Minoru Suzuki & El Desperado)
We have a lot of storylines heading into this match-up. Taichi has to be feeling pretty confident. He defeated both Tanahashi and Ibushi in the New Japan Cup. With the upcoming Tag Team Championship match between Tanahashi/Ibushi and Sabre/Taichi on Sunday night, this will be the last chance for each side to gain some momentum before the title is on the line.
We also have another chance to see Nagata step in the ring with Suzuki. They had a classic first-round match in the New Japan Cup that Nagata won. Suzuki will be out for some revenge in this eight-man tag match. It is Suzuki-Gun after all, we will have a lot of cheating.
CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano & SHO) vs Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi)
Takahashi has to be heartbroken. He fell just short of defeating Okada in the New Japan Cup semifinals. Hiromu was supposed to have a match-up with LIJ teammate Naito at the NJPW Anniversary show before the Pandemic canceled it. Can he let that disappointment go and focus on this six-man tag match?
We also will have a NEVER Openweight Championship preview as well. SHO and Takagi had an excellent match in the New Japan Cup. SHO has the momentum, but can he keep it heading into Dominion?
Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL (NEW Japan Cup 2020 Final)
It will be quite the main event. Will it be Okada, the defending New Japan Cup winner or EVIL looking for that breakout moment? The prize is the New Japan Cup and a shot for the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championship against Tetsuya Naito. The stakes couldn’t be any higher.
EVIL seemed to be more vicious in this New Japan Cup. He hit a low blow to defeat Hirooki Goto. EVIL injured YOSHI-HASHI. He threw away his friendship with his LIJ teammate SANADA with a series of low blows and chair shots to win. EVIL seems to be on a win at all cost mode in this New Japan Cup.
Okada had taken a different route. He has focused on a more submission based offense as he has defeated Gedo, Yuji Nagata, Taiji Ishimori, and Hiromu Takahashi. That is an impressive tournament and he is hungry for a Wrestle Kingdom rematch with Naito.
It will be the fifth time that Okada has fought EVIL in a singles match. Okada holds a 3-1 advantage over EVIL. However, EVIL did pick up his lone victory against Okada in Osaka. Can it happen again on Saturday night?
