Tetsuya Naito And SANADA Advance In First Round Of NJPW New Japan Cup

The first two competitors are through in the New Japan Cup. 

Tetsuya Naito and SANADA advanced in the first round of the NJPW New Japan Cup on March 5. Naito defeated El Phantasmo in the first round while SANADA bested Taichi. 

Naito won by countering CR2 into a Polvo De Estrella combination pin. Naito will now move on to face Chase Owens in the second round on March 11. Owens received a first round bye in the tournament. 

SANADA won with a new DDT-type move that commentary stated they had never seen before. SANADA will face reigning NJPW Strong Openweight Champion KENTA who also received a first round bye, in the second round on March 11. 

–NEW JAPAN CUP 2023–(3/5)を公開

『NEW JAPAN CUP 2023』1回戦
闘志剥き出しの激闘–
極限状態の両者、最後まで立っているのはどちらだ

— @seiyasanada × @taichi0319
— #njpwworld で配信中–

–視聴&登録https://t.co/Tj7UBINMhP#njcup #njpw #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/oqTSoA1EPx

— njpwworld (@njpwworld) March 5, 2023

＼本 日 開 幕 !!／
–NEW JAPAN CUP 2023–

『NEW JAPAN CUP 2023』1回戦
内藤危しELPが一気に追い込みをかける–
2回戦へと進むのは

— @s_d_naito × @elpwrestling
— #njpwworld で配信中–

–視聴&登録https://t.co/Tj7UBINMhP#njcup #njpw #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/qkx1euZXpy

— njpwworld (@njpwworld) March 5, 2023

The tournament continues on March 6 with  Yujiro Takahashi vs. Shota Umino and Tomohiro Ishii vs. David Finlay in first round action. 

Fans can find full results from night one by clicking here.