(Amagasaki, Japan)– The New Japan Cup Tournament wrapped up yesterday in Amagaski. Hirooki Gotoh won the tournament defeating the Great Bernard in the finals for his first New Japan Cup title. Gotoh adds the New Japan Cup to his quickly growing trophy cabinet, as he also won New Japan’s most prestigious tournament, the G1 Climax, last year, defeating Togi Makabe in the finals.
The New Japan Cup is a single elimination tournament held annually. The winner is awarded a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Gotoh is set to challenge the winner of the Hiroshi Tanahashi v. Kurt Angle championship match, that will take place at the “Resolution ’09” pay per view at the Sumo Hall in Tokyo on April 5th. Gotoh’s title match will be taking place in Fukuoka on May 3rd.
NJPW, 3/22/09 (Samurai! TV)
Amagasaki Memorial Park Gymnasium
5,300 Fans – No Vacancy
0. Kazuchika Okada beat Nobuo Yoshihashi (5:50) with a crab hold.
1. Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari (9:00) when Devitt pinned Ishikari after a Dodon & Prince’s Throne combination.
2. Manabu Nakanishi, Tiger Mask & Jushin Thunder Liger beat Karl Anderson, Black Tiger & Jado (10:01) when Nakanishi used an Argentine backbreaker on Jado.
3. New Japan Cup – Semi Final: Giant Bernard beat Yutaka Yoshie DRADITION (8:56) with a horizontal cradle.
4. New Japan Cup – Semi Final: Hirooki Goto beat Yuji Nagata (14:51) with a modified armlock.
5. Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono & Super Strong Machine beat Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomoaki Honma (12:21) when Choon used a Shining Yakuza kick on Honma.
6. New Japan Cup Special Tag Match ~ Soul of AMAGASAKI: Shinsuke Nakamura & Wataru Inoue vs. Togi Makabe & Tomohiro Ishii went to a draw (13:22) when Nakamura & Makabe were counted out.
7. New Japan Cup Special Singles Match ~ Soul of AMAGASAKI: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Val Venis (12:50) with the High Fly Flow.
8. New Japan Cup – Final: Hirooki Goto beat Giant Bernard (18:18) with a modified armlock.