New Japan Pro-Wrestling has announced the bracket for the 2023 New Japan Cup. The 16-day tournament will kick off on March 5 and conclude on March 21. The winner of the tournament will earn a shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis on April 8.
The announcement, courtesy of NJPW’s official website is as follows:
The New Japan Cup kicks off on March 5, 2023. The annual spring tournament brings a slice of March madness to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, with the prize being a shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis in Ryogoku on April 8. After a 50 man field in 2022, a high barrier to entry in 2023 will see 24 compete in an intense 16 day tour culminating March 21 in Nagaoka. Here are your first round matches and byes:
March 5:
- Taichi (6th entry, 6th consecutive) vs SANADA (6th entry, 6th consecutive, 2019 finalist)
- Winner faces: KENTA (2nd entry, first in two years. New Japan Cup USA 2020 winner, STRONG Openweight Championship number one contender)
- Tetsuya Naito (11th entry, 3rd conseuctive, 2016 winner) vs El Phantasmo (2nd entry, 2nd consecutive)
- Winner faces: Chase Owens (4th entry, 3rd consecutive)
March 6
- David Finlay (2nd entry, first in two years) vs Tomohiro Ishii (15th entry, 8th consecutive)
- Winner faces: Great-O-Khan (3rd entry, 3rd consecutive, British Heavyweight Champion)
- Shota Umino (2nd entry, first in four years) vs Yujiro Takahashi (13th entry, 4th consecutive)
- Winner faces: Zack Sabre Jr. (6th entry, 6th consecutive, 2018, 2022 winner, NJPW World TV Champion)
March 8
- Ren Narita (debut entry, NEVER Openweight 6 man Tag Team Champion) vs EVIL (7th entry, 5th consecutive, 2020 winner)
- Winner faces: Jeff Cobb (3rd entry, 3rd consecutive)
- Toru Yano (18th entry, 18th consecutive) vs Mark Davis (debut entry)
- Winner faces: Will Ospreay (4th entry, 3rd consecutive, 2021 winner)
March 10
- Kyle Fletcher (debut entry) vs YOSHI-HASHI (10th entry, 9th consecutive, IWGP Tag Team Champion)
- Winner faces: Hirooki Goto (15th entry, 5th consecutive, 2009, 2010, 2012 IWGP Tag Team Champion)
- Shingo Takagi (4th entry, 4th consecutive, KOPW 2023 holder) vs Aaron Henare (4th entry, 3rd consecutive)
- Winner faces: Tama Tonga (5th entry, 2nd consecutive, NEVER Openweight Champion)
WrestleZone will have coverage of the tournament as it progresses.
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