We’ve the New Japan Cup USA 2021 semi-finals on this week’s strong, as the finalists were determined for next week’s New Japan Strong Openweight title final.
Quick Results
Misterioso, Barrett Brown, Adrian Quest & Jordan Clearwater pinned Kevin Knight, The DKC, Karl Fredericks & Alex Coughlin in 10:37 (**¾)
New Japan Cup 2021 USA Semi-Final: Tom Lawlor pinned Hikuleo in 8:58 (**½)
New Japan Cup 2021 USA Semi-Final: Brody King pinned Lio Rush in 7:38 (***)
We open with the video of last year’s two New Japan Cup winners… Kevin Kelly and Alex Koslov return to run through the card today, as we’ve an eight-man tag also padding out today’s show.
Misterioso, Barrett Brown, Adrian Quest & Jordan Clearwater vs. Karl Fredericks, Kevin Knight, The DKC & Alex Coughlin
Barrett Brown’s been on a losing run lately, and he starts with Coughlin, trading holds in the opening stages.
DKC has different ideas against Clearwater, as everyone gets a brief moment in the ring before a crucifix from DKC led to a brief count on Adrian Quest… before a submission attempt was broken up by Brown. A tag brings Brown in to try and get a pin on DKC, but Coughlin kicks it apart… and it’s Misterioso who manages to regain the advantage, choking DKC into the corner. Clearwater’s back to stomp a mudhole in DKC, who’s just kept isolated for so long here… and of course that’s the cue for DKC to make the tag out as Karl Fredericks cleared house. A spinebuster drops Clearwater, ahead of a back suplex and a leaping elbow for a two-count, before Clearwater’s neckbreaker gets him back in it.
Brown’s back with elbows before Kevin Knight tagged in to light him up with uppercuts. Kicks from Brown stop that ahead of a tiltawhirl backbreaker that gets Knight a two-count… a diving shoulder tackle and a standing splash gets a similar result. A Parade of Moves breaks out between Coughlin and Quest, leading to a springboard senton to Quest on the floor… that draws in Misterioso, who takes DKC to the floor for a similar senton. Barrett tries to add to the dives, but Knight cuts him off and eats a single-leg dropkick for a two-count. Misterioso tags in after Brown ran into a dropkick, and after countering the backbreaker ends up hitting a superkick and the MSO backcracker for the win. Barrett Brown’s on the winning team but doesn’t get the fall – which might lead to a match between he and Misterioso down the line. **¾
New Japan Cup 2021 USA Semi-Final: Tom Lawlor vs. Hikuleo
It’s a big test for Hikuleo, who beat Fred Rosser to get to this point.
Lawlor charges at Hikuleo at the bell, coming in with elbows and kicks as he got pushed aside. A low dropkick staggers Hikuleo, but a drop toe hold’s blocked… as was a Dragons crew. Hikuleo picks up Lawlor and takes him to the corner, but a charge misses as Lawlor chop blocks the knee out and eventually pulls Hikuleo into a crossface. After getting free, Hikuleo manages to stomp away on Lawlor, then choked him by the ropes. Back-and-forth chops keep Hikuleo ahead, as this time he splashes Lawlor in the corner ahead of a powerslam. Lawlor tries a leglock, but Hikuleo chokes his way free and tosses Lawlor onto the apron, as we get more strikes before Lawlor got posted.
They continue to trade strikes as the ref’s count continued, with Lawlor getting thrown into the ring apron. Lawlor beat the count and traps Hikuleo in the ropes for a series of kicks to the legs, which led to a Dragon screw and a knee bar as a submission looked to follow. Hikuleo manages to break via the ropes, before he dragged Lawlor outside… and powerbombed him into the ring post. Lawlor returns with a chop block as he took out Hikuleo… who chokes out of a Figure Four on the floor before he tossed Lawlor into the guard rails. Both men make it back to the ring regardless, after an ankle lock from Lawlor, before an inside cradle dragged Hikuleo through the ropes for the pin. This had some good flashes, with Lawlor outsmarting Hikuleo for the finish. **½
New Japan Cup 2021 USA Semi-Final: Lio Rush vs. Brody King
Winner faces Lawlor in the final – and given ongoing storylines, I don’t fancy Lio’s chances…
King’s knee is taped up after his match last week, but he gets in Rush’s face early as Lio tried to stick and move. Brody throws him into the corner, but takes a pratfall as Rush’s low dropkick couldn’t even force a one-count. Lio low bridges King to the outside for a tope… but he’s caught and turned into a chokeslam on the apron before a big boot back inside keeps King on top. A splash in the corner and a Beele throw sees King dominate, before he chucks Rush chest-first into the corner. Rush gets stretched in a neck crank, with crossface punches following for a two-count, before the match headed onto the apron with King teasing an apron Ganso bomb, only for Rush to slip out and handspring kick King to the floor.
Rush heads up for a crossbody, which takes King down on the floor. Rush has trouble picking up King, so he heads back inside to try and take the count-out… and waits for Brody to come back in so he could meet him with a frog splash for a two-count. Lio picks up King, but couldn’t do much as he instead kicks away at Brody… but a springboard cutter’s blocked and turned into a release German suplex. From there, Rush is dumped with a lariat, then finished off with a Ganso Bomb as Brody booked his spot in the finals. A perfectly fine David vs. Goliath match, but with little to write home about given the length. ***
Next week: Brody King vs. Tom Lawlor in the New Japan Cup USA 2021 final, with the winner also getting the NJPW Strong Openweight title. Another steak, no-sizzle episode, as the focus was heavily placed on the cup matches – both of which were kept surprisingly short. I do wonder, as this show progresses, what the end-game is – does NJPW Strong keep going behind closed doors, or are there plans to have fans present and keep the long tapings format? Time will tell – as we inch closer to NJPW Strong perhaps evolving…