NJPW New Japan Cup: Night 12, Tournament Final Night Results – 24/03/2019
Niigata, Japan
Aore Nagaoka
Commentary Team: Kevin Kelly, Rocky Romero and Excalibur
To recap the journeys so far Okada had to go through Michael Elgin and then fellow CHAOS members Mikey Nicholls, Will Ospreay and Tomohiro Ishii.
While SANADA went through Hirooki Goto, Minoru Suzuki, Colt Cabana & Hiroshi Tanahashi.
KAZUCHIKA OKADA vs. SANADA:
SANADA takes him down and works on the knee, but Okada counters, SANADA blocks a Juji-Gatame, SANADA pulls back on the ankle, Okada grabs his arm and they’re both back to square one, SANADA tries a Bow & Arrow, Okada counters into a pin, SANADA kicks him off and again a stalemate, SANADA ties Okada in The Paradise Lock then breaks it with a Dropkick to the ass, Okada sends him to the floor and goes after him with a Pescado, back in the ring, Neckbreaker for a 2 count, SANADA with a Back Elbow then a Standing Moonsault, Okada evades, but SANADA lands on his feet and hits a Dropkick for a 2 count, Okada charges, but SANADA low-bridges him then hits a Cannonball off the apron to the floor, back in for a 2 count, Okada with a DDT for a 2 count, Okada jumps into a Jackknife pin then holds on into the Air Raid Crash Neckbreaker for a 2 count, Body Slam, up top, Diving Elbow Drop, Rainmaker Pose, SANADA blocks it and slides to the apron, Springboard Missile Dropkick, they trade Forearms, SANADA comes back with a European Uppercut, TKO blocked, Okada sets him up top and sends him to the floor with a Dropkick, Okada sends him into the guardrail then hits an Elevated DDT off the rail to the floor, SANADA back in at 18, Okada up top with a Diving Shotgun Dropkick for a near fall, SANADA counters the Tombstone, he tries Skull End, Okada counters back, but SANADA counters into a Tombstone of his own, Backdrop Driver for a near fall, Skull End, he opts for a Bridging Tiger Suplex instead for a near fall, Backbreaker, up top, Mutoh Moonsault, but Okada gets the knees up, Backslide Wrist Capture into a Short Rainmaker, he tries another, SANADA ducks, but Okada with a Dropkick then a Tombstone, Rainmaker countered into an Asai DDT flip into Skull End he tries to get the hooks in, but Okada holds on, SANADA ducks a Rainmaker, Okada ducks a Rainmaker, Okada with a Skull End of his own, he tries to get the hooks in, but SANADA rolls through into his own Skull End, Giant Swing and the hooks are in and SANADA locks it in tight, Okada pushes the shoulders down for a near fall, SANADA locks it back in deep, SANADA thinks he’s out and goes for a cover for a near fall, up top, Mutoh Moonsault, but Okada rolls out of the way, Okada avoids the charge, SANADA uses the turnbuckle to flip back, but Okada with a Shotgun Dropkick, but SANADA is right back up, Rolling Rainmaker countered with a Rolling Elbow, TKO, but only gets a near fall, Backbreaker, but Okada grabs the ankle to prevent SANADA from going up, SANADA stomps him free, Okada grabs his boot laces, SANADA again kicks free, up top, Backflip and lands into Skull End, but Okada uses the turnbuckle and flips out of it still holding onto SANADA, That’s Incredible, Rainmaker blocked, but Okada still holds onto the wrist, SANADA with kicks, Okada looks for it again, but SANADA counters, Shiranui, but Okada ducks and hits the Rolling Rainmaker then picks him up and hits a final Rainmaker for the win. Okada wins the New Japan Cup and goes to the Garden to face Switchblade for the IWGP Title.
Winner: KAZUCHIKA OKADA
Okada celebrates with the New Japan Cup, he loves the fans of New Japan and asks if they enjoyed the tournament this year and thinks NJPW is the best in the world. SANADA gave him the fight of his life and after Madison Square Garden he’d love to face him again. He will beat Jay White in the Garden.
This brings out “Switchblade” Jay White and Gedo. Gedo congratulates Okada on winning the New Japan Cup and says Okada will send to hell in Madison Square Garden. He says Jay White is the strongest IWGP Champion.
Switchblade says he bets Okada never thought that this would happen, the two of them in the ring, but it’s Switchblade as Champion and Okada the sorry soul trying to prove that he’s worthy of a shot at Switchblade and his belt. He reassures Okada that this is very real this is his reality and the reality of everybody lives in now, he congratulates Okada on winning the New Japan Cup and he’s earned the right to step in the ring with Switchblade again, but this time it will be at Madison Square Garden in New York City, he fought hard for this and he’s sure Okada will fight hard in New York, but it’s too bad his efforts will be for nothing because Okada can’t beat him, Okada has never beaten him and he never will, especially not for the belt. He’s better than Okada and Okada knows it. He will walk into Madison Square Garden IWGP Champion and walk out the same way, he will beat Okada for the 3rd time in a row and Okada will be left laying in the World’s Most Famous Arena and he will Breathe With The Switchblade because it’s HIS New Era.
Jay White and Gedo take their leave.
Okada says Switchblade isn’t on his level and he’ll go to the Garden and become the new IWGP Champion as the show ends.