–> “CIRCUIT 2009 NEW JAPAN CUP ~SOUL ON THE RING~” <--
Hirooki Goto today moved one step closer to the top, following up on his shocking G1 Climax win last August by capturing the fifth annual New Japan Cup. A hot crowd in Amagasaki saw Goto do the seemingly impossible and beat two of New Japan's upper tier. Before that, Giant Bernard ended Yutaka Yoshie's good run in the tournament, cradling him to reach his third NJC final. The other semi final then saw Goto avenge his Sumo Hall loss with a huge win over Nagata, using the modified armlock he has been favouring recently for the win.

This set up the final of Goto vs. Bernard, a match with history as you might recall, AFTER Goto won the G1 last year, Bernard scored two successive wins over him in what remained of the year. Goto again had trouble with the bigger and stronger gaijin ace, but his improving submission techniques made a big difference, as he got Bernard in a cross armbreaker and transitioned into the same modified armlock for the tap and win! Goto has now earned a shot against the winner of Tanahashi vs. Angle for the IWGP Heavyweight Title on May 3rd at the Fukuoka International Center. Tanahashi, ahead of his match with Angle, defeated another American star in the form of former WWE Intercontinental Champion, Val Venis, landing the High Fly Flow in this non-title match.

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 (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.

Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Takashi Sugiura and on-fire youngster Go Shiozaki have demanded that Nakamura & Goto, the team that bested Misawa & Sugiura on 1/4, battle them on March 1st at NOAH’s Tokyo Nippon Budokan show. President Sugabayashi has responded to that with a refusal but compromise, saying he doesn’t think Goto’s knee is in the right condition so instead has proposed sending Milano Collection AT to team with Nakamura. He expects Milano can easily match Sugiura’s ground techniques, and look for this match to be determined any day now.

All participants for the New Japan Cup have been announced and it is mostly a home-based cast with the exception of old favourite Yutaka Yoshie, who again returns to his old haunt for special participation. The ongoing Hirasawa vs. Honma feud will culminate with a singles match at Korakuen on 2/28 with the winner getting the last spot. The other participants are: Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi, Shinsuke Nakamura, Wataru Inoue, Hirooki Goto, Milano Collection AT, Togi Makabe, Toru Yano Takashi Iizuka, Giant Bernard, Tomohiro Ishii, Karl Anderson, and Yutaka Yoshie.

NJPW, 3/8/09
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium

1. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Winner of Hirasawa/Honma vs. Takashi Iizuka
2. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Milano Collection AT vs. Toru Yano
3. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Wataru Inoue vs. Tomohiro Ishii
4. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Hirooki Goto vs. Karl Anderson
5. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Manabu Nakanishi vs. Yutaka Yoshie
6. New Japan Cup - Round 1: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Togi Makabe

New Japan also announced the first landing of Val Venis, the former WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE European Champion, WWE Tag Team Champion, among others. He will join GBH as a recruit by his old friend Giant Bernard. Black Tiger also arrives as another new member of GBH, filling the void recently left by Low Ki.

Finally, the full card for the 2/28 standalone show at Korakuen…

NJPW “NEW DIMENSION”, 2/28/09 (SXW)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Nobuo Yoshihashi
2. New Japan Cup Participant Match: Mitsuhide Hirasawa vs. Tomoaki Honma
3. Tiger Mask & Kazuchika Okada vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & Koji Kanemoto
4. Manabu Nakanishi & Taichi Ishikari vs. Jado & Gedo
5. AKIRA vs. Takashi Iizuka
6. New Japan Cup Special 6 Man Tag Match: Shinsuke Nakamura, Wataru Inoue & Milano Collection AT vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii
7. New Japan Cup Special Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yuji Nagata vs. Masahiro Chono & Hirooki Goto