Daily DDT
Fansided

New Japan Cup First Round Preview And Predictions

By Daniel Kuchler

OSAKA,JAPAN - FEBRUARY 11: Kazuchika Okada enters the ring prior to the match between Kazuchika Okada and Bad Luck Fale during the New Beginning of NJPW at Edion Arena Osaka on February 11, 2019 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
OSAKA,JAPAN - FEBRUARY 11: Kazuchika Okada enters the ring prior to the match between Kazuchika Okada and Bad Luck Fale during the New Beginning of NJPW at Edion Arena Osaka on February 11, 2019 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next

MARCH 9TH- AICHI PREFECTURAL GYMNASIUM 

https://twitter.com/njpwglobal/status/1099928823884333056

TOA HENARE VS LANCE ARCHER

Toa Henare avoided excursion and has been a main stay in the mid card of New Japan for the past two years. Henare teamed with Togi Makabe at World Tag League replacing Tomoaki Honma. Lance Archer is back in a singles role while putting his name in the ring with Davey Boy Smith Jr. for the tag team titles.  This match should be pretty good, and the feeling right now is that Archer is going to win.

PREDICTION: LANCE ARCHER

WILL OSPREAY VS BAD LUCK FALE

This match raised eyebrows when it was announced. Ospreay, the current NEVER Openweight Champion, has been on a roll beating Kota Ibushi at Wrestle Kingdom 13 and he’s one of the most versatile wrestlers in the world today. This match plays into Ospreay’s strengths as he’s facing Bad Luck Fale. Fale had his semi main event with Okada at the New Beginning shows and is the monster of New Japan. This match is the first of a few matches that can go either way, but Ospreay as NEVER Openweight Champion doesn’t need the New Japan Cup, and Fale can use the win to set up a title opportunity and a future obstacle for Ospreay to overcome.

PREDICTION: BAD LUCK FALE

MIKEY NICHOLLS VS HIKULEO

Nick…. um Mikey Nicholls is back in Japan for the New Japan Cup. Nicholls was last seen as Nick Miller in WWE NXT as one half of TM61 with Shane Thorne and before that in Japan as one half of TMDK with Shane Haste (same person as Shane Thorne) in Pro Wrestling NOAH. Here he’s facing off with the Bullet Club young boy returning from injury, HIKULEO aka Leo Tonga. He was sidelined with an ACL injury and it’s going to be interesting to see if he gets the rust off at this first round match-up. In the end, Nicholls should win in his NJPW debut.

PREDICTION: MIKEY NICHOLLS

KAZUCHIKA OKADA VS MICHAEL ELGIN

This is another match-up that raised some questions when announced. Elgin, who’s had a bunch of personal and injury issues, returns to NJPW to vanquish an old rival. The former NEVER Openweight Champion had a knee injury that forced him to miss Wrestle Kingdom entirely and the following New Beginning tour. Then you have his old rival, a man who Elgin has great chemistry with, Kazuchika Okada. Okada lost to future IWGP Champion Jay White at Wrestle Kingdom and had his annual victory over Bad Luck Fale in the New Beginning tour. Okada is the odds on favorite to win the tournament. Okada’s winning this match, but it should be a barn burner.

PREDICTION: KAZUCHIKA OKADA

Home/NJPW