NJPW Super J-Cup 5

[nWoHulkster]

Jushin Thunder Liger announced during the November 1st New Japan show that the originator of the world famous Super J-Cup, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, will revive the concept at Christmas! New Japan presents “SUPER J-CUP 5th STAGE” at Tokyo Korakuen Hall over two nights on December 22nd and 23rd. As highlights of past J-Cups played on the big screen today, Liger, with microphone in hand, said many of those great wrestlers are burned into his mind. He said Christmas is the perfect time to revive such an event and is excited to host it after 15 years. Liger is the most respected junior heavyweight in professional wrestling with contacts in virtually every company so expect a very colorful and diverse cast that hopefully makes up for the disappointing J-Cups of 2000 and 2004 that sent the concept into half a decade’s worth of hibernation.

NJPW “SUPER J-CUP 5TH STAGE ~Land of Confusion~”, 12/22/09

Tokyo Korakuen Hall

NJPW “SUPER J-CUP 5TH STAGE ~Land of Confusion Final~”, 12/23/09

Tokyo Korakuen Hall

Днес:

14 of the 16 participants for the Super J-Cup 5th Stage have been announced. Not exactly what everyone expected, with New Japan wrestlers the overwhelming majority and some notable absences including the highly touted Kota Ibushi. There are two remaining spots and one may be for a CMLL wrestler while speculation points to the ZERO1 junior tournament winner getting the other, but time will tell.

1. Taichi (New Japan)

2. Tigers Mask (Osaka Pro)

3. GENTARO (Pro Wrestling FREEDOMS)

4. AKIRA (Freelance)

5. Jado (CHAOS/New Japan)

6. Gedo (CHAOS/New Japan)

7. Prince Devitt (Apollo 55/New Japan)

8. Ryusuke Taguchi (Apollo 55/New Japan)

9. Fujita “Jr.” Hayato (Michinoku Pro)

10. YAMATO (DRAGON GATE)

11. Atsushi Aoki (Pro Wrestling NOAH)

12. Danshoku Dino (DDT)

13. Koji Kanemoto (New Japan)

14. X

15. X

16. Jushin Thunder Liger (New Japan)

[nWoHulkster]

Pro Wrestling NOAH superstar Naomichi Marufuji and DDT’s wonderkid Kota Ibushi are the final two entrants for the Super J-Cup 5th Stage, completing the cast of sixteen for this month’s junior festival. The two were announced today with the surprise being that CMLL did not take one of the remaining slots, as it was thought to be certain they would. Supposing Marufuji, the 2004 J Cup winner, was to win the tournament, then he would challenge Tiger Mask in a forbidden junior dream match at the Tokyo Dome, pushing that bout into the planned NJ/NOAH 5 vs. 5 series. Ibushi is very highly regarded across Japan and after his impressive showing in this year’s Super Jr. tournament, he is back hungry for more.

And so it begins… with Liger vs. Marufuji headlining day one, the match some have waited years to see!

NJPW “SUPER J-CUP 5TH STAGE ~Land of Confusion~”, 12/22/09 (Samurai! TV)

Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Taichi vs. Tigers Mask

2. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Ryusuke Taguchi vs. GENTARO

3. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: AKIRA vs. YAMATO

4. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Jado vs. Danshoku Dino

5. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Gedo vs. Kota Ibushi

6. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Prince Devitt vs. Atsushi Aoki

7. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Koji Kanemoto vs. Fujita “Jr.” Hayato

8. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Naomichi Marufuji

NJPW “SUPER J-CUP 5TH STAGE ~Land of Confusion Final~”, 12/23/09 (SXW)

Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. SUPER J-CUP - Round 2: Winner of Taichi/Tigers vs. Winner of Liger/Marufuji

2. SUPER J-CUP - Round 2: Winner of AKIRA/YAMATO vs. Winner of Gedo/Ibushi

3. SUPER J-CUP - Round 2: Winner of Jado/Dino vs. Winner of Devitt/Aoki

4. SUPER J-CUP - Round 2: Winner of Taguchi/GENTARO vs. Winner of Kanemoto/Hayato

5. SUPER J-CUP - Semi Final:

6. SUPER J-CUP - Semi Final:

7. SUPER J-CUP - Final:

[nWoHulkster]

NJPW “SUPER J-CUP 5TH STAGE ~Land of Confusion~”, 12/22/09 (Samurai! TV)

Tokyo Korakuen Hall

2,020 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

1. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Tigers Mask beat Taichi (6:41) with a ground Octopus hold.

2. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Ryusuke Taguchi beat GENTARO (10:39) with the Dodon.

3. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: YAMATO beat AKIRA (8:13) with a modified double kneelock.

4. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Danshoku Dino beat Jado (10:14) with a Gedo clutch.

5. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Gedo beat Kota Ibushi (14:15) with a Gedo clutch.

6. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Prince Devitt beat Atsushi Aoki (10:51) with a vertical drop DDT.

7. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Koji Kanemoto beat Fujita “Jr.” Hayato (13:45) with an ankle hold.

8. SUPER J-CUP - Round 1: Naomichi Marufuji beat Jushin Thunder Liger (16:21) with the Pole Shift.

[nWoHulkster]

Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Naomichi Marufuji today conquered the fifth Super J-Cup and in doing so earned the right to challenge New Japan’s strongest junior and IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Tiger Mask, at the Tokyo Dome on January 4th. Marufuji was the heavy favourite to win this tournament but the ever emerging Prince Devitt threatened to beat the odds by advancing to the final along with Marufuji. This was Devitt’s third junior tournament final of the year after narrowly missing out on the Super Jr. tournament and ZERO1’s own junior tournament. In what was described as a blockbuster finale, Devitt’s stock again rose in a big year for the Irishman but for the third time running he fell short, as Marufuji unleashed the Pole Shift to down him. Much like Makabe in the past, Devitt finds himself as a Mr. #2 but Makabe was able to go one better this year and Devitt will be hoping for likewise in 2010. Marufuji now marches on to the Tokyo Dome, his match with Tiger Mask entering the New Japan vs. NOAH series and creating an unrealized junior dream match between two of the biggest name juniors in Japan.

NJPW “SUPER J-CUP 5TH STAGE ~Land of Confusion Final~”, 12/23/09 (SXW)

Tokyo Korakuen Hall

2,020 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

1. SUPER J-CUP - Round 2: YAMATO beat Gedo (8:36) by referee stop.

2. SUPER J-CUP - Round 2: Prince Devitt beat Danshoku Dino (5:49) with a diving footstomp.

3. SUPER J-CUP - Round 2: Ryusuke Taguchi beat Koji Kanemoto (10:14) with an achilles tendon hold.

4. SUPER J-CUP - Round 2: Naomichi Marufuji beat Tigers Mask (6:39) with an Aussie suplex hold.

5. SUPER J-CUP - Semi Final: Prince Devitt beat YAMATO (8:41) with a vertical drop DDT.

6. SUPER J-CUP - Semi Final: Naomichi Marufuji beat Ryusuke Taguchi (10:57) with the Shiranui.

7. SUPER J-CUP Special 8 Man Tag: Jushin Thunder Liger, AKIRA, Taichi & Kota Ibushi beat Gedo, Atsushi Aoki, GENTARO & Fujita “Jr.” Hayato (17:41) when AKIRA used a la magistral on Gedo.

8. SUPER J-CUP - Final: Naomichi Marufuji beat Prince Devitt (18:06) with the Pole Shift.