NJPW New Japan Cup 2018 Results: Round 1 Winners, Grades from March 12

The first round of the 2018 New Japan Cup wrapped up Monday as Davey Boy Smith Jr. battled Toru Yano, and Chuckie T squared off with IWGP tag team champion Sanada. 

Those matches may have headlined Monday's show, but it was rife with other tag team bouts featuring the top stars of New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

IWGP heavyweight champion Kazuchika Okada teamed with Tomohiro Ishii to take on the immensely popular Kota Ibushi and Chase Owens. IWGP junior heavyweight tag team champions El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru were in action, as were the legendary Minoru Suzuki and Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Were the stars enough to overcome what appeared to be a lackluster show on the surface? Find out with this recap of Monday's show, complete with grades and analysis for each match. 

Round 1 Results

Monday's show featured the final two matches of Round 1 of the New Japan Cup as Davey Boy Smith Jr. battled Toru Yano, and Chuckie T squared off with one-half of the IWGP tag team champions, Los Ingobernables de Japon's Sanada. 

Here is a rundown of the tournament's other first-round matches.

• Michael Elgin defeated Tomohiro Ishii
• Juice Robinson defeated Yujiro Takahashi
• Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Taichi
• Bad Luck Fale defeated Lance Archer
• Kota Ibushi defeated Yoshi-Hashi
• Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Tetsuya Naito

Given the fact Naito won the entire tournament in 2016 and was fresh off a strong showing against IWGP heavyweight champion Okada at WrestleKingdom 12, his loss to Sabre Jr. has to be considered a major upset.

Robinson, formerly known as CJ Parker to longtime fans of NXT, has been a breakout star in New Japan and his win over Takahashi in Round 1 showcased the resiliency and emotion that makes him one of the most intriguing stories to watch as the tournament continues.

Ren Narita and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru

IWGP junior heavyweight tag team champions El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru kicked off Monday's action, squaring off with young lion Ren Narita and Ryusuke Taguchi.

It did not take long for Desperado and Kanemaru to take control of the bout, isolating Narita from his partner and working the young competitor over with a flurry of punishing offense.

The hot tag to Taguchi sparked a babyface comeback as the veteran competitor unloaded a series of hip attacks and a dropkick to the back of Kanemaru.

Narita re-entered the ring and was on roll late but was eventually grounded by Desperado. With Taguchi subdued at ringside by Kanemura, Desperado earned the victory via submission.

After the match, Desperado continued his attack on Narito, laying in some stomps in the corner for good measure.

Result

Desperado and Kanemura defeated Narita and Taguchi

Grade

C

Analysis

The match was good enough to kick the show off and fire up the crowd, but it amounted to nothing more than a showcase for the tag team champions, who had nothing else better to do.

Desperado and Kanemura are solid enough workers but lack the spark of The Young Bucks and Roppongi 3K, the two more prominent teams in the juniorweight tag team division.

Six-Man Tag Team Match

The legendary Yuji Nagata teamed with young lions Tetsuhiro Yagi and Shota Umino to battle Tanga Loa, Bad Luck Fale and Yujiro Takahashi in the night's second match.

While Yagi and Umino took the fight to Takahashi inside the squared circle, Fale used his size and strength advantage to lay out Nagata at ringside. This allowed Loa and Fale to isolate Yagi from his partners and punish him with an array of slams and strikes.

Yagi shook off the onslaught and made the hot tag to Nagata, who unloaded on the Bullet Club opposition, tossing Loa across the squared circle.

Umino continued the babyface roll, taking the fight to Takahashi, who was still reeling following a loss to Juice Robinson on night one of the New Japan Cup tournament.

Just as it appeared as though the heels had regained control, Umino pulled Takahashi in the way of a splash from the massive Fale as the action broke down. Takahashi avoided a dropkick and delivered a fisherman's buster, but Nagata and Tagi broke up the pin.

It mattered not as Takahashi earned the victory via pinfall moments later.

Result

Takahashi, Fale and Loa defeated Umina, Yagi and Nagata

Grade

C+

Analysis

Umina and Yagi had more of a chance to shine here and were impressive as they took the fight to Bullet Club. Nagata was largely wasted, but as a veteran presence on the young babyface team, he was effective enough.

Takahashi picked up a big win after his loss to Robinson on Friday night but beyond that, this was just a showcase for Bullet Club and an opportunity for them to pick up a big, albeit hard-fought, victory.

Tomoyuki Oka and Michael Elgin vs. Yoshi-Hashi and Hirooki Goto

Michael Elgin picked up a huge victory over Tomohiro Ishii in Round 1 of the New Japan Cup. Monday, he looked to continue his winning ways as he partnered with young lion Tomoyuki Oka to battle former NEVER openweight champion Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi.

Predictably and wisely, Hashi and Goto beat down the overmatched Oka, cutting him off from Elgin and working him over with stiff blows and strikes.

Elgin made his way into the match and instantly wreaked havoc on the members of Chaos. He leveled Goto with a slam and shrugged off one clothesline attempt, only to eat a lariat that put him down. Hashi tagged in but almost immediately ate a vertical suplex from Elgin that allowed him to tag Oka back into the match.

Oka held his own against Hashi, trapping him in a Boston Crab, while Elgin had Goto handled at ringside. He even survived a big neckbreaker but ultimately tapped out while Goto trapped Big Mike on the apron.

Result

Goto and Yoshi-Hashi defeated Elgin and Oka

Grade

C

Analysis

This followed the same pattern of the night's first two matches as the young lion teamed with the veteran, was able to get some valuable ring time and even shine against two established opponents but ultimately lose the match for his team.

Oka looked good as he took the fight to Hashi, but the outcome here was never in doubt, something that understandably hurt the drama and excitement of the contest.

Bushi and Tetsuya Naito vs. Taka Michinoku and Zack Sabre Jr.

Suzuki-Gun's Taka Michinoku and Zack Sabre Jr. battled Los Igobernables's Tetsuya Naito and Bushi on the heels of Sabre's upset win over Naito in Round 1 of the New Japan Cup.

Sabre was last seen to more mainstream wrestling fans in 2016's WWE Cruiserweight Classic. Taka is, of course, the former WWE light-heavyweight champion and longtime member of the Kaientai, alongside Sho Funaki.

Sabre, a striker and submission wrestler, worked over Bushi with a series of uppercuts before making the tag to Michinoku, who delivered an eye poke to the masked competitor to retain control for his team.

Sabre and Naito continued to build on their blossoming rivalry, the latter getting the upper hand after countering out of an ankle lock attempt and tagging Bushi into the match.

Michinoku trapped Bushi in a crossface, but Naito broke it up. Sabre countered his interference, and they took the fight to the arena floor. Inside, Taka blasted Bushi with a big superkick but fell prey to a corner dropkick by Naito.

Bushi pinned the veteran Michinoku, earning the victory for Los Igobernables.

Result

Bushi and Naito defeated Michinoku and Sabre Jr.

Grade

B

Analysis

By allowing Michinoku and Bushi to do the majority of the work here, Sabre and Naito's work together was not overexposed. They engaged in an exchange or two but were kept out of the ring enough that if New Japan decides to book them in an extended program, it will not become stale before their big rematch.

Watching Michinoku work is always fun, especially for longtime WWE fans who remember him primarily as one half of the comedic relief Kaientai team.

Eight-Man Tag Team Match

Hiroshi Tanahashi reversed the curse, winning his first New Japan Cup match in years Saturday night against Taichi. Juice Robinson earned a hard-fought victory over Bullet Club's Yujiro Takahashi in Round 1.

Monday night, they teamed up with David Finlay (son of Fit Finlay) and Toa Henare against the aforementioned Taichi, Takashi Iizuka, Lance Archer and IWGP intercontinental champion Minoru Suzuki. 

The action broke down from the opening bell, spilling to the floor. Inside the ring, Robinson and Taichi started for their respective teams.

Suzuki, a ruthless veteran, unloaded on Tanahashi, slamming a guardrail on him and throwing chairs on top of him.

Back inside the ring, Finlay found himself at the mercy of his opponents, his partners laid out around the ringside area.

Suzuki continued his attack on Tanahashi, a madman obsessed with doing as much damage as possible to one of the most celebrated heroes in New Japan Pro-Wrestling history. He eventually halted that attack to turn his attention to the unfortunate Finlay.

Finlay made the hot tag to Tanahashi, who immediately set out to avenge his beating at the hands of Suzuki, taking the fight to the intercontinental champion. Suzuki trapped him in a knee bar, though, doing damage to the former titleholder's right leg.

Suzuki trapped him in a chicken wing and tagged in Archer, who planted Tanahashi with a chokeslam, then dropped an interfering Robinson.

A tag to Henare allowed the babyfaces to make a much-needed comeback. He took the fight to Archer but found himself on the receiving end of a spinning sidewalk slam.

Archer finished the young star with The Blackout as the heels rolled to victory.

Result

Suzuki, Archer, Taichi and Iizuka defeated Tanahashi, Finlay, Robinson and Henare

Grade

B

Analysis

It was interesting to see the heels dominate a collection of babyfaces the way Suzuki-Gun did here. From the beginning, Suzuki and his partners jumped Tanahashi, Finlay, Henare and Robinson and barring brief flurries of offense, controlled this match from start to finish.

It is refreshing, actually, given how Suzuki-Gun is an established faction while the opposition is but a collection of good guys coming together to form a four-man team.

The heels should have won and they did, in impressive fashion.

The interactions between Suzuki and Tanahashi may be playing on the former's victory over Ace for the Intercontinental title but do not be surprised if the two all-time greats mix it up for the gold again.

Tomohiro Ishii and Kazuchika Okada vs. Chase Owens and Kota Ibushi

"Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada, the current IWGP heavyweight champion, teamed with "Stone Pitbull" Tomohiro Ishii to battle Kota Ibushi and Chase Owens.

Okada and Ibushi started the match, thrilling fans with a brief exchange before tagging Ishii and Owens into the bout.

Ibushi and Owens proved formidable early, working over Ishii, but a hot tag to Okada not only proved problematic for the duo, it also increased the pace of the match.

The Rainmaker flattened Ibushi for a nearfall but missed a top-rope dropkick and fell prey to a Pele Kick from Ibushi.

As the action became chaotic, Owens found himself alone with Okada and mocked his rainmaker pose. He tried for a package piledriver but failed to execute it. This brought Ishii and Ibushi back into the match but their fight, again, took to the floor.

Okada again avoided the package piledriver and scored the win with a Cobra Clutch to Owens.

Result

Okada and Ishii defeated Ibushi and Owens

Match

B

Analysis

The finishes to the tag team matches were largely the same, bringing a repetition to the card that is hardly a good thing. One member of a team prevents one of his opponents from breaking up a pinfall or submission attempt by holding on to them at ringside.

Yes, that is strong tag team psychology on most nights but when overused throughout one show, it becomes tiresome and provides look into the creative void that exists around the show.

A fine match but not nearly up to the level one would expect from a match involving Ibushi and Okada.

New Japan Cup Tournament Match: Toru Yano vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.

Davey Boy Smith Jr., the son of the legendary British Bulldog and former IWGP tag team champion, squared off with Toru Yano in the penultimate match in the first round of the New Japan Cup on Monday night.

Yano jumped Smith from the onset, but the third-generation wrestler fought back as the match spilled to the floor and then the stands. Smith tossed chairs at Yano, softening his opponent up before seizing full control of the bout back inside the squared circle.

Smith wedged a chair in the corner and sent Yano back-first into it,  and he delivered a bridging side suplex for a two-count. Disbelief setting in, he applied a crossface, trying to force a tapout from his opponent.

Yano fought back into the match, hanging Smith up on the top rope and retrieving a roll of tape from under the ring. He tried to tie his opponent's feet to the bottom rope, but Smith fended him off and delivered a series of headbutts.

An ill-advised running boot by Smith led to him crotching himself on the guardrail. An alert Yano rolled back into the ring by the end of the referee's 20-count and earned a big upset victory in the tournament.

Result

Yano defeated Smith Jr. via countout

Grade

C

Analysis

The chemistry was not there and though the finish was clever, with Yano scoring a win but not necessarily beating Smith, it was not enough to save a match that paled in comparison to those from earlier in the tournament.

Yano may be a fun character, but it is hard to take him seriously when he wins in such a fluky fashion. Even if it was specifically booked that way.

New Japan Cup Tournament Match: Chuckie T vs. Sanada

Chaos' Sanada squared off with Chuckie T in the final match of the first round of the New Japan Cup on Monday night, wrapping up a tournament that has featured some of the best and brightest stars New Japan Pro-Wrestling has to offer.

A vocal Chuckie T seized control early, fighting Sanada to the ringside area and retrieving a table. He set it up between the ring and guardrail before a nice spot in which the wrestlers teased one of them going through it, only to return to the squared circle where a slugfest ensued.

Chuckie T delivered a Falcon Arrow and applied a Figure Four, grounding Sanada and causing him to scream in pain while trapped in the submission hold. The American continued his attack, completely outclassing his opponent through the heart of the match.

He pummeled his opponent, controlling the match and slamming Sanada back-first onto a steel chair. The current IWGP tag team champion fought back into the match, powerbombing Chuckie T through the table the two had teased earlier in the match.

That comeback was eventually squandered as Chuckie T delivered a Death Valley Driver that scored him a near-fall. A moonsault missed, though, leaving both men reeling.

Chuckie delivered a piledriver out of the corner and nearly scored the win in a strong, dramatic high spot. He proved elusive, escaping an attempt at the Dragon Sleeper by Sanada. He could not a second time, though, and ultimately fell victim to the moonsault, which cashed Sanada's ticket to the next round.

Result

Sanada defeated Chuckie T

Grade

B+

Analysis

This was easily the best match on an otherwise underwhelming show.

Chuckie T was the veteran competitor who made Sanada, already a talented worker in his own right, look as good as he possibly could. A dramatic match, particularly late, it showcased Sanada's toughness and proved he could come from behind to pick up a big win.

There are other, higher-profile wrestlers in the tournament than him but do not be surprised to see the tag team champion advance far in this year's New Japan Cup field.