Lineup And Bracket Announced For NJPW New Japan Cup 2023
The field is set for New Japan Cup 2023.
The New Japan Cup is set to begin on Thursday, March 5, and concludes on March 21. The full bracket can be seen here. The winner will receive an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship opportunity at NJPW Sakura Genesis on April 8.
KENTA (2020 New Japan Cup USA winner), Chase Owens, Jeff Cobb, Hirooki Goto, Tama Tonga, Great-O-Khan, Will Ospreay, and Zack Sabre Jr. (2022 New Japan Cup winner) have been given first-round byes.
Lineup for New Japan Cup 2023 (per NJPW):
March 5
– Taichi (6th entry, 6th consecutive) vs SANADA (6th entry, 6th consecutive, 2019 finalist)
– Winner faces: KENTA (on March 11) (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 (on March 11) (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 (on March 13) (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. (on March 15) (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 (on March 13): Jeff Cobb (3rd entry, 3rd consecutive)
– Toru Yano (18th entry, 18th consecutive) vs Mark Davis (debut entry)
– Winner faces: Will Ospreay (on March 13) (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 (on March 12) (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 (on March 12) (5th entry, 2nd consecutive, NEVER Openweight Champion)
Fightful will have results from each night of the New Japan Cup following the conclusion of each event.
