New Japan Cup Night 6: Britania All the Way?

Toru Yano vs. SANADA

SANADA defeated Toru Yano in a short and modest 4:51 affair. The briefest match of the tournament thus far – I can’t see that anyone was complaining, as the heavyset Yano isn’t built for long, drawn out brawls – began with a rapid, pre-bell assault by SANADA which was needed in order to give this slog at least some bite, because it wouldn’t pack much of a punch going forward.

Doing the absolute best he could with the restricted Yano, SANADA utilized his Paradise Lock but when that failed, a stiff boot sent the heaviest of the pair tumbling to the outside. The action was uninspiring. A short brawl on the arena floor was followed by a repeat of the spot Yano used in his first round match with Davey Boy Smith Jr. – yes, they were running out of ideas in a bout which wouldn’t break the five minute barrier – when SANADA attempted to tie his foe’s feet together with the camera cables which earned him a heavy punt into the crowd, and the bout an admittedly edgy moment when it appeared the rock star-esc star wouldn’t make it back before the official reached 20. Timing it perfectly, SANADA returned to the squared circle at 19. For a worrying moment I thought they were putting Yano through.

Yano choked SANADA with his shirt, SANADA fought back with a flying headscissors and plancha once the action returned to the outside. It was difficult to shake the feeling that we were being kept for the main event to come. Moments after the last, another countout spot was teased when Yano missed a chair shot into the ring post. Needless to say he made it back inside in time as a cool breeze circulated Tokyo from the collective sigh of tedium from the audience. This really wasn’t very good at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A17SFW5-7c

Slipping into character in the hopes of reviving an insensible crowd, Toru brought his heel persona bubbling to the surface by snatching a handful of SANADA’s trademark mohawk for an inside cradle. When the pinfall attempt didn’t work, it was time to play dirty and remove the turnbuckle pad which exposed the steel beneath and both men crashed into thanks to a double missed charge. Thankfully things would pick up in the final minute and a half as we were all left wondering how four minutes and fifty one seconds could feel so long.

Using the buckle he’d exposed previously, Yano hurled SANADA into the steel with a slingshot but found his last ride attempt wanting when one half of the current IWGP Tag Team Champions reversed into a code red for a heated near fall. This was more like it. Doing all he could to advance, Yano went low with a hard shot which he followed up with a cradle but SANADA, using his ring awareness, caught referee Marty Asami’s arm mid-flight as it came down for the match deciding stroke. It was the best moment of the entire bout. With the referee nursing his arm, SANADA tore a page out of Yano’s playbook with a low blow and synched in the skull end for the submission victory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMZSi2R2770

For the time allocated, this was just fine even if it touched on the unmoving. However, considering it was cut drastically short to hide Yano’s flaws, both men could have done a lot more and packed it to the brim with a near falls and tense submissions. It had neither. There was plentiful heat and an interesting finale, but apart from that it had the feeling that both knew they could not outdo Ibushi and Sabre Jr. who were up next, so they just didn’t bother trying at all.

• ROH Mayhem in Manhattan
• Ren Nartia
• Yujiro Takahashi
• Tetsuhiro Yagio
• Juice Robsinson
• Taichi
• David Finaly
• Killer Elite Squad
• Toa Henare
• Shota Umino
• Tomohiro Ishii
• Tetsuya Naito
• YOSHI-HASHI
• hangman page
• Tanga Loa
• Tomoyuki Oka
• kota ibushi
• Yuji Nagata
• El Desperado
• Bad Luck Fale
• New Japan Cup
• Hiroshi Tanahashi
• Chase Owens
• Zack Sabre Jr
• Kazuchika Okada
• Michael Elgin

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