It is time for the true March Madness. It is time for the annual New Japan Cup tournament. The New Japan Cup 2021 right bracket tournament. It is back in its traditional March dates. This year a loaded field of 30 competitors will be facing out in single elimination tournament action over the course of 17 grueling days. The New Japan Cup winner will get a title shot against Kota Ibushi and his newly created IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
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Let us look at the New Japan Cup 2021 First Round for the Bracket match-ups’ Right Side. These matches will occur on March 7, 9, and 10th. Let the first round of the New Japan Cup continue!
Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Will Ospreay
This feud has been building in recent months. Tenzan lost a match to Great-O-Khan at New Beginning in Nagoya and lost the ability to use Mongolian Chops. After a long period of attacks at the hands of United Empire, Tenzan snapped. In a tag team match against United Empire at Castle Attack, he used the Chops yet again to help him pin Will Ospreay. The feud continues in the first round of the New Japan Cup.
Will Ospreay and the United Empire are still looking for a major breakthrough. They have lost their major matches at Wrestle Kingdom and all title opportunities as well. Can the leader of United Empire pick up the win and start a deep run in the New Japan Cup?
New Japan Cup 2021 Right Bracket
Gabriel Kidd vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Gabriel Kidd was a surprise entry in the 2020 New Japan Cup. He lost in the first round of that tournament against Taiji Ishimori. Can the member of the LA Dojo improve on that performance? He has certainly drawn a tough first-round match.
Zack Sabre Jr. is always in a foul mood. He spent a lot of 2020 involved in the tag team division. Can he refocus on singles action starting with the New Japan Cup? We should expect a lot of painful submission moves on Sunday night.
Yota Tsuji vs. Yuji Nagata
It is a Young Lion versus one of the New Japan greats in this first-round match-up. Tsuji was part of the tournament last year when he lost to Togi Makabe. As the Young Lion is getting close to his excursion, can he pull off a huge win in the New Japan Cup?
He will be facing one of the greats in Yuji Nagata. Blue Justice is still going strong, performing in incredible matches at the age of 52. He even won an impressive first-round match in the New Japan Cup last year against Minoru Suzuki. Will Nagata pull off another great tournament performance on Tuesday night?
New Japan Cup 2021 Right Bracket
Tomohiro Ishii vs. SANADA
This could be a standout of the first round. SANADA & Ishii are among the two most talented wrestlers in all of New Japan. Ishii made it to the quarterfinals last year before losing to Hirmou Takahashi. Ishii is also coming off a loss at Castle Attack to Jay White. Can Ishii recapture some magic in the New Japan Cup?
SANADA was a semifinalist in the 2020 New Japan Cup, losing to eventual winner EVIL. He also recently lost to Kota Ibushi for the Double Championships. SANADA has fallen short of glory in the New Japan world on multiple occasions. Can he finally win the big one at the New Japan Cup?
David Finlay vs. Chase Owens
David Finlay competed in the first ever New Japan Cup USA last year. He lost in heartbreaking fashion to KENTA in the finals. What will Finlay do in his first New Japan Cup in Japan itself?
Chase Owens is back in the Cup for his second ever appearance. He is coming off a big loss to Toru Yano for the KOPW trophy at Castle Attack. Will he be ready for the dangerous Finlay on Wednesday night?
New Japan Cup 2021 Right Bracket
YOSHI-HASHI vs. Yujiro Takahashi
It is a battle of New Japan Cup veterans on Wednesday night. YOSHI-HASHI was injured and lost to eventual winner EVIL in last year’s New Japan Cup. After he returned from his injury, he has been on one of the best runs of his career, even winning the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championships. Will he continue that hot streak in the New Japan Cup?
The Tokyo Pimp will be his first-round opponent. Yujiro is looking for a breakout performance in Kyoto. Can the Bullet Club member derail YOSHI-HASHI’s momentum in 2021?
Toa Henare vs. Jay White
Jay White is coming off a major victory against Ishii at Castle Attack. He has declared himself one of the favorites of this year’s New Japan Cup. It is hard to argue against his recent success. Can he back it up in this year’s New Japan Cup?
Toa Henare will certainly be the underdog against Jay White. He missed a lot of in-ring action because of the Pandemic. He really hasn’t been seen since this January’s Wrestle Kingdom. Can he overcome potential ring rust and pull off the biggest of all upsets in tournament history?
Hiroshi Tanahashi
The reigning, defending NEVER Openweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi gets one of the two first-round byes in the New Japan Cup. He is coming off a defense of his title against Great-O-Khan at Castle Attack. Tanahashi is hoping to raise the NEVER Openweight Championship profile in the coming months. Can he win the New Japan Cup and get a shot against Ibushi and gain even more titles? Time will tell but never count out “The Ace.”
