Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. Set for NJPW New Japan Cup 2018 Final

Zack Sabre Jr. will battle Hiroshi Tanahashi in the final of the 2018 New Japan Cup after tapping out Sanda in the semifinals Sunday.

The Brit has utilized a punishing, torturous submission arsenal to defeat some of the most talented stars in New Japan en route to his showdown with Tanahashi and will look to deny the beloved Ace of New Japan Pro-Wrestling his third cup.

Sabre's victory came at the top of a card that also featured his upcoming opponent in action.

Tanahashi teamed with David Finlay to battle IWGP heavyweight champion Kazuchika Okada and Chuckie T in the night's penultimate match, picking up a big win and sending messages to both Sabre and Okada in the process.

Elsewhere on the card, the Chaos and Suzuki-gun factions battled in multiple tag team matches, while Los Ingobernables got the last laugh following a big win in Six-Man tag team action.

Relive everything that went down Sunday morning on New Japan World with this recap of the New Japan Cup Night 8.

Shota Umino vs. Ren Narita

The young lions were in action against each other for the first time over the course of the eight-night tournament, as Ren Narita and Shota Umino battled in singles competition.

The competitors traded strikes, with neither gaining sustained control.

Umino came closest, but Narita cut him off every time.

Then came the late flurry, which included a running forearm and missile dropkick and ended with the Boston Crab, as Umino scored the submission victory over his fellow rookie.

Result

Umino defeated Narita.

Grade

C

Analysis

An energetic opener, it was a nice showcase for the green wrestlers but hardly anything beyond the average match.

Tomoyuki Oka, Toa Henare and Togi Makabe vs. Bullet Club

Bullet Club's Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi and Tanga Loa battled Tomoyuki Oka, Toa Henare and Makabe in the night's second match.

The action spilled to the arena floor early. Back inside, Bullet Club isolated Henare, building heat as they punished him. A shoulder tackle by Henare allowed him to make the hot tag to Makabe, who exploded into the match and took the fight to the opposition.

Loa momentarily halted the momentum of the veteran, but Makabe answered with a lariat and tagged in Oka.

All hell broke loose late, with the wrestlers delivering their signature moves before Takahashi defeated Oka with a short DDT.

Result

Fale, Takahashi and Loa defeated Oka, Henare and Makabe.

Grade

C+

Analysis

It was interesting to see Oka get the hot tag that put him in line to finish the match, though it makes sense he would be sacrificed in the finish rather than Makabe and Henare.

Another somewhat formulaic tag team match in a long line of them over the past eight days, the right team went over, and the fans were entertained.

Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii vs. Taichi and Takashi Iizuka

Suzuki-gun's Taichi and Takashi Iizuka looked to pick up an upset victory of sorts Sunday, as they squared off with the team of Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii, representing Chaos.

Taichi and Iizuka attacked before the bell, instigating a brawl on the arena floor. Back in the ring, they attempted to isolate Ishii from Yano, but the Stone Pitbull fired off a hard-hitting comeback, only to have Taichi manipulate the referee while Iizuka tripped him up.

Another brawl on the floor ensued, and more isolation of Ishii continued as the heels built heat.

The hot tag to Yano eventually came, and the action broke down thereafter.

Just as it appeared as though Ishii and Yano were poised for victory, Taichi kicked the official to break his count and earn a disqualification.

Result

Yano and Ishii defeated Taichi and Iizuka via disqualification.

Grade

C+

Analysis

Taichi is going to be a star in the heavyweight division for many years to come, but Ishii is a star now and should be earning victories in matches like these. The tenacious underdog cannot seem to build momentum for himself through consistent wins, though, and settled for a DQ here.

Perhaps it was decided Taichi and Iizuka needed protecting while Ishii and Yano needed a win, but this felt like a flat way to conclude what became a fairly intense tag team match between Chaos and Suzuki-gun.

Michael Elgin and Juice Robinson vs. Chase Owens and Kota Ibushi

Juice Robinson has been on fire, particularly after a match with Hiroshi Tanahashi that many are calling the best of the 2018 New Japan Cup. Sunday, he teamed with quarterfinal opponent Michael Elgin to battle Chase Owens and Kota Ibushi in tag team competition.

Bad Luck Fale initially accompanied Ibushi and Owens to the ring before joining Kevin Kelly on commentary.

Robinson and Elgin controlled the match early, working over Owens, but Bullet Club seized control. Owens and Ibushi cut Robinson off from Big Mike and tried wearing him down. It worked until the charismatic gaijin delivered a stiff lariat to Owens.

Elgin tagged in and utilized his power to down Owens.

Ibushi then entered and wiped out Elgin at ringside using a high cross-body block. He rolled late, but as he wiped out Elgin at ringside, Owens and Robinson were left as the two legal competitors.

Owens tried for the package piledriver, but Robinson fought out and delivered Pulp Friction for the big tag team victory. 

Result

Elgin and Robinson defeated Owens and Ibushi.

Grade

B

Analysis

Ibushi's reunion with Kenny Omega as The Golden Lovers has brought him closer to Bullet Club, and it shows in every one of these tag team matches he has competed in with Owens. They have won some but have also fallen in some, leaving one to wonder how much longer Ibushi will be willing to sacrifice his win-loss record for the sake of teaming with Omega's buddies.

The match was every bit the energetic romp, with Robinson again starring.

The NXT alumnus has been as good as any other wrestler over this eight-night stretch and figures to be one of the big stars of New Japan Pro-Wrestling's immediate future. If management opts to go all-in with him, that is.

Yoshi-Hashi and Hirooki Goto vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer

Credit: New Japan Pro Wrestling

The Killer Elite Squad of Lance Archer and Davey Boy Smith Jr. has been on a roll of late, scoring wins in multi-man tag bouts in recent nights. Sunday, they returned to traditional tag team action, battling Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi in another match pitting Chaos against Suzuki-gun.

Smith and Archer, no strangers to heat, built some for themselves by working over the smaller Hashi throughout the bout. Hashi was able to catch Smith with a heel kick, though, and score a hot tag to Goto.

After a flurry of offense from the NEVER openweight champion, Hashi returned to the ring and frustrated Archer with his speedy onslaught.

Goto and Hashi attempted the Magic Killer, but Smith broke it up. With Goto out of the picture, Smith and Archer scored the victory following the Killer Bomb on Hashi.

Result

Killer Elite Squad defeated Goto and Hashi.

Grade

C+

Analysis

They may not be the most talented workers on the card, but Smith and Archer are excellent as the irreverent heels of the New Japan Pro-Wrestling tag team division. They respect no one, they make kids cry and are brutally and delightfully devious.

Their win here represented another step toward regaining the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships they lost to Sanada and Evil back at Wrestle Kingdom 12 in January.

Los Ingobernables de Japon vs. Suzuki-gun

Credit: New Japan Pro Wrestling

The war of factions continued Sunday, as Tetsuya Naito, Bushi and Hiromu Takahashi of Los Ingobernables de Japon battled Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru in a big Six-Man tag team match.

Los Ingobernables controlled the match early, utilizing a few double-teams and choking Kanemaru with a shirt. Suzuki and Desperado weren't having any of the underhanded tactics if they were not the ones executing them, and a brawl erupted on the arena floor.

Suzuki tagged in and proceeded to beat the ever-loving hell out of Bushi before trapping him in a kimura.

A hot tag to Takahashi brought renewed energy to the match. Hiromu wore the opposition down and tagged in Naito, who engaged Suzuki. That further teased an IWGP Intercontinental Championship bout between them in the near future.

The action soon broke down once more, and Naito was able to catch Desperado with Destino for the win.

Result

Los Ingobernables de Japon defeated Suzuki-gun.

Grade

B

Analysis

Every time the grizzled vet Suzuki steps through the ropes, there is an impending sense of danger and doom that follows and adds drama to the match. His exchange with Naito here only created more anticipation and excitement for an eventual match between the two for Suzuki's title.

Takahashi was essential to picking up the pace and helping the heat of this one down the stretch.

This was a quality match that served as the background for more build to Naito vs. Suzuki and a showcase for Hiromu.

David Finlay and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada and Chuckie T

Credit: New Japan Pro Wrestling

Hiroshi Tanahashi turned in another age-defying performance Thursday, as the 41-year-old Ace of New Japan Pro-Wrestling defeated Juice Robinson to advance to the final of the New Japan Cup. Sunday, he teamed with David Finlay to battle IWGP heavyweight champion Kazuchika Okada and Chuckie T in tag team action.

Takahashi and Okada, no strangers to each other in high-profile bouts, started the match for their respective teams.

Finlay eventually tagged in, but it was not long before the second-generation star found himself isolated from his partner, the victim of a concentrated attack by the heels. Tanahashi made the tag and immediately fought off both Okada and Chuckie T.

After tagging back into the match, Finlay and Chuckie paired off while Okada and Tanahashi focused on each other. Finlay countered Chuckie's Awful Waffle finisher with a backslide to score the win.

Result

Tanahashi and Finlay defeated Okada and Chuckie T.

Grade

B

Analysis

Considering Okada and Tanahashi's star power, it was nice to see Finlay get to feature a little. Often the most undervalued member of any match he is in, he is a solid wrestler whose best days are still ahead of him. He shone here and even picked up the win in what was his most impressive showing of the past eight days.

With that said, the booking here hinted at Okada vs. Tanahashi, potentially indicating who will win the New Japan Cup and challenge for the top prize in NJPW.

New Japan Cup Semifinal Round Match: Sanada vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Credit: New Japan Pro Wrestling

On the heels of an impressive victory over Kota Ibushi via referee stoppage in the quarterfinals, Zack Sabre Jr. would look to continue his winning ways as he battled one-half of the IWGP heavyweight tag team champions, Sanada, for the right to advance to the final of the 2018 New Japan Cup tournament.

Sabre picked up where he left off, grounding Sanada and chain wrestling the tag team champion. Determined not to let Sabre dictate the pace of the match, Sanada countered his opponent, sending the Brit to the floor for protection as Sanada looked on confidently.

But as a cerebral assassin and calculated punisher, Sabre targeted Sanada's arms in an attempt to take from him his ability to adequately apply the Skull End.

The Brit's joint manipulation continued to keep Sanada on the defensive, writhing in pain as his arms continued to be the target of Sabre's concentrated attack.

But Sanada then came from out of nowhere with a comeback, trapping Sabre in the Skull End. The Brit responded, countering into a rollup for two. Sanada reapplied the finisher, but Sabre again slithered out and applied a triangle choke.

Sanada delivered a TKO as the people came to their feet, hoping their favorite would win and advance to the final. But a moonsault by the babyface ended with him trapped in another submission.

Relentless, Sabre pulled at his opponent's arms, looking to force either a submission or referee stoppage.

Sanada submitted, and Sabre earned a spot against Hiroshi Tanahashi in the New Japan Cup final.

Result

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Sanada.

Grade

B+

Analysis

Not quite the level of match Sabre had with Ibushi, this was still a phenomenal display of the Brit's strengths, as he grounded Sanada and cut off any attempt at sustainable offense with his vast and painful submission arsenal.

His narrative has been that of a disrespected and underestimated competitor. He has shed every doubt and criticism, knocking off Sanada, Ibushi and Tetsuya Naito on his way to the final. He looks like the most dangerous competitor in the tournament and a legitimate threat to end Tanahashi's quest for a third New Japan Cup.

This tournament has been about two stories: Sabre's dark-horse run and Tanahashi's redemption. One of those stories will end in fairytale fashion. The other, disappointment.

We will find out which is which Wednesday.