New Japan have announced participants and first round pairings for the 2012 New Japan Cup, the eighth edition of the singles elimination tournament. No real surprise entrants besides La Sombra but after some questions about whether he’d remain with New Japan after his first year, MVP is back and battles CHAOS leader Shinsuke Nakamura in the first round. Other notable first round matches include Nagata vs. Suzuki, a rematch from two past Tokyo Dome events, Kojima vs. Naito, and Tanahashi vs. Yano. The winner of the tournament will challenge Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Title on 5/3 at the Fukuoka International Center.

Full cards for the upcoming March series have also been revealed, adding to the title matches already known. The legendary Riki Choshu makes his first appearance in a long time for New Japan on the 3/11 Hamamatsu show.

NEVER’s “ROAD TO THE SUPER JR. 2DAYS TOURNAMENT” returns this year also with the youth-based sub-brand hosting a tournament before the prestigious Best of the Super Jr. that will give one or two young juniors the chance to enter the tournament via another tournament. If the format remains the same as last year, the two day tournament will have eight round one matches then on the second day two sets of semi finals and two finals, with the winners advancing.

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–> “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR ~ NEW JAPAN GLORY 2012” <--

NJPW, 3/10/12 (Samurai! TV)
Nagoya International Conference Hall

1. Takaaki Watanabe vs. Tomohiro Ishii
2. KUSHIDA vs. Hiromu Takahashi
3. Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Rocky Romero, Jado & Gedo
4. Karl Anderson, Captain New Japan & Tama Tonga vs. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & YOSHI-HASHI
5. Togi Makabe, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue vs. Minoru Suzuki, Yoshihiro Takayama, Lance Archer, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Tetsuya Naito & Tomoaki Honma vs. Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura, Masato Tanaka & Yujiro Takahashi
7. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Prince Devitt (c) vs. Davey Richards

NJPW, 3/11/12 (Samurai! TV)
Act City Hamamatsu

1. Wataru Inoue vs. Takaaki Watanabe
2. Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask vs. Jado & Gedo
3. Captain New Japan & Tama Tonga vs. Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka
4. Prince Devitt, Ryusuke Taguchi & KUSHIDA vs. Davey Richards, Rocky Romero & Tomohiro Ishii
5. Togi Makabe, Riki Choshu, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata vs. Minoru Suzuki, Yoshihiro Takayama, Lance Archer, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tetsuya Naito, Karl Anderson & Tomoaki Honma vs. Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura, Masato Tanaka & YOSHI-HASHI
7. IWGP Intercontinental Title: Hirooki Goto (c) vs. Yujiro Takahashi

NJPW, 3/12/12
Tsubame Citizen Gymnasium

1. Tama Tonga vs. Hiromu Takahashi
2. Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Davey Richards, Rocky Romero & Gedo
3. Wataru Inoue, Captain New Japan & KUSHIDA vs. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Jado
4. Togi Makabe, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata vs. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi
5. Tetsuya Naito & Karl Anderson vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & YOSHI-HASHI
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Tomoaki Honma vs. Kazuchika Okada, Yujiro Takahashi & Tomohiro Ishii

NJPW, 3/13/12
Ota Nitta Bunka Center Airys Hall

1. Tama Tonga vs. Takaaki Watanabe
2. Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Davey Richards, Rocky Romero & Jado
3. Wataru Inoue, Captain New Japan & KUSHIDA vs. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Gedo
4. Togi Makabe, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata vs. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi
5. Hirooki Goto & Karl Anderson vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Yujiro Takahashi
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tetsuya Naito & Tomoaki Honma vs. Kazuchika Okada, YOSHI-HASHI & Tomohiro Ishii

NJPW, 3/16/12
Kumagaya Citizen Gymnasium

1. KUSHIDA vs. Hiromu Takahashi
2. Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Davey Richards, Rocky Romero & Gedo
3. Wataru Inoue, Captain New Japan & Tama Tonga vs. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Jado
4. Togi Makabe, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata vs. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi
5. Karl Anderson & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & YOSHI-HASHI
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Tetsuya Naito vs. Kazuchika Okada, Yujiro Takahashi & Tomohiro Ishii

NJPW, 3/17/12 (Samurai! TV)
Aomori Industrial Hall

1. Takaaki Watanabe vs. Tomohiro Ishii
2. Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi & KUSHIDA vs. Davey Richards, Rocky Romero, Jado & Gedo
3. Captain New Japan & Tama Tonga vs. Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka
4. Togi Makabe, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue vs. Minoru Suzuki, Yoshihiro Takayama, Lance Archer, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi
5. Hirooki Goto & Tetsuya Naito vs. Yujiro Takahashi & YOSHI-HASHI
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Karl Anderson & Tomoaki Honma vs. Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura & Masato Tanaka

NJPW, 3/18/12 (Samurai! TV)
Iwate Prefectural Gymnasium

1. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii
2. Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi & KUSHIDA vs. Davey Richards, Rocky Romero, Jado & Gedo
3. Tomoaki Honma, Captain New Japan & Tama Tonga vs. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Yujiro Takahashi
4. Togi Makabe, Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue vs. Minoru Suzuki, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi
5. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Tetsuya Naito & Karl Anderson vs. Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura, Masato Tanaka & YOSHI-HASHI
6. IWGP Tag Team Title: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (c) vs. Yoshihiro Takayama & Lance Archer

NJPW, 3/19/12 (Samurai! TV)
Fukushima National Athletic Meet Gymnasium #2

1. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Takaaki Watanabe
2. Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Davey Richards, Rocky Romero & Gedo
3. Captain New Japan, Tama Tonga & KUSHIDA vs. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii
4. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Wataru Inoue vs. Yoshihiro Takayama, Lance Archer & Taichi
5. Togi Makabe & Yuji Nagata vs. Minoru Suzuki & TAKA Michinoku
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Tetsuya Naito, Karl Anderson & Tomoaki Honma vs. Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura, Masato Tanaka , Yujiro Takahashi & YOSHI-HASHI

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NJPW “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY ~ EXCITING BATTLE IN OKINAWA 2012″, 3/25/12
Okinawa Prefectural Budokan

1. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Takaaki Watanabe
2. Ryusuke Taguchi, Kaijin Habu Otoko & Gurukun Diver vs. KUSHIDA, Menso~re Oyaji & Eisa 8
3. Hirooki Goto & Tiger Mask vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Jado
4. Togi Makabe & Yuji Nagata vs. Minoru Suzuki & Taichi
5. Tetsuya Naito & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Kazuchika Okada & Gedo
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomohiro Ishii

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–> “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR ~ NEW JAPAN CUP 2012” <--

NJPW, 4/1/12
Amagasaki Memorial Park Gymnasium

1. New Japan Cup – Round 1: La Sombra vs. YOSHI-HASHI
2. New Japan Cup – Round 1: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Karl Anderson
3. New Japan Cup – Round 1: Hirooki Goto vs. Yujiro Takahashi
4. New Japan Cup – Round 1: MVP vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
5. Ryusuke Taguchi, Captain New Japan & KUSHIDA vs. Kazuchika Okada, Jado & Gedo
6. New Japan Cup – Round 1: Togi Makabe vs. Lance Archer
7. New Japan Cup – Round 1: Yuji Nagata vs. Minoru Suzuki
8. New Japan Cup – Round 1: Satoshi Kojima vs. Tetsuya Naito
9. New Japan Cup – Round 1: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Toru Yano

NJPW, 4/4/12
Hitachinaka Matsudo Gymnasium

NJPW, 4/5/12 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. New Japan Cup – Round 2:
2. New Japan Cup – Round 2:
3. New Japan Cup – Round 2:
4. New Japan Cup – Round 2:

NJPW, 4/7/12
Yokkaichi Australia Memorial Hall

NJPW, 4/8/12 (WPW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. New Japan Cup – Semi Final:
2. New Japan Cup – Semi Final:
3. New Japan Cup – Final:

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NJPW “NEVER.9 ~ROAD TO THE SUPER JR. 2DAYS TOURNAMENT 1st”~, 4/13/12
Shin-Kiba 1st RING

NJPW “NEVER.9 ~ROAD TO THE SUPER JR. 2DAYS TOURNAMENT Final~”, 4/15/12
Shin-Kiba 1st RING

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–> “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR ~ NEW JAPAN BRAVE 2012” <--

NJPW, 4/21/12
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium #2

NJPW, 4/24/12
Kaikyo Messe Shimonoseki

NJPW, 4/25/12
Shunan Shinnanyo Gymnasium

NJPW, 4/27/12
Kitajima North Park Gymnasium

NJPW, 4/28/12
Kochi Sunpia Chres

NJPW, 4/30/12
Kumamoto City Distribution & Information Hall

NJPW, 5/1/12
Oita Event Hall

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NJPW “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY ~ WRESTLING DONTAKU 2012″, 5/3/12 (WPW/PPV)
Fukuoka International Center

1. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. New Japan Cup 2012 winner

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–> “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR ~ NEW JAPAN LIVE 2012” <--

NJPW, 5/4/12
Hiroshima Industrial Hall West Exhibition Pavilion

NJPW, 5/5/12
Takamatsu City Gymnasium

NJPW, 5/6/12
Okayama Orange Hall