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The New Japan Cup (often abbreviated NJC) is an annual single-elimination tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling. Originally intended for every April, it was rescheduled to March in 2007. Though NJPW also runs the annual G1 Climax tournament, the NJC is different in that it is single-elimination, whereas the G1 is a round-robin. Like the G1 however, the winner of the tournament receives a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship; this stipulation was added in 2006. In 2014, the winner was given the right to choose whether to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight or the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. The following year, the winner could have also chosen to challenge for the NEVER Openweight Championship.

Tournaments

Event Winner Championship match
2005 Hiroshi Tanahashi N/A
2006 Giant Bernard Lost to Brock Lesnar for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
2007 Yuji Nagata Defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
2008 Hiroshi Tanahashi (2) Lost to Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at New Dimension.[1]
2009 Hirooki Goto Lost to Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestling Dontaku 2009.
2010 Hirooki Goto (2) Lost to Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at New Dimension 2010.
2011 Yuji Nagata (2) Lost to Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at New Dimension~Pray,Hope,Power~.
2012 Hirooki Goto (3) Lost to Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestling Dontaku 2012.
2013 Kazuchika Okada Defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Invasion Attack 2013.
2014 Shinsuke Nakamura Defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship at Invasion Attack 2014.
2015 Kota Ibushi Lost to A.J. Styles for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Invasion Attack 2015.
2016 Tetsuya Naito Defeated Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Invasion Attack 2016.
2017 Katsuyori Shibata Lost to Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis 2017.
2018 Zack Sabre Jr. Lost to Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis 2018.

Results

2005

The 2005 New Japan Cup was held from April 19 to April 24. The first two rounds were held on individual nights, with round one taking up the entire card on April 19.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
   Hiroshi Tanahashi DQ  
   Yuji Nagata 24:12  
     Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
 
     Koji Kanemoto 17:38  
   Koji Kanemoto Pin
   Ryushi Yanagisawa 8:19  
     Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
     Hiroyoshi Tenzan 19:45  
   Minoru CO  
   Osamu Nishimura 16:47  
     Osamu Nishimura† Sub
 
     Hiroyoshi Tenzan 20:47  
   Hiroyoshi Tenzan Pin
   Jushin Thunder Liger 15:54  
     Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
     Manabu Nakanishi 19:21
   Kendo Kashin Pin  
   Shinsuke Nakamura 8:55  
     Kendo Kashin Pin
 
     Yutaka Yoshie 15:48  
   Yutaka Yoshie Pin
   Scott Norton 9:07  
     Kendo Kashin Pin
     Manabu Nakanishi 10:20  
   Tiger Mask Pin  
   Masahiro Chono 10:29  
     Masahiro Chono Pin
 
     Manabu Nakanishi 14:16[2]  
   Hirooki Goto Pin
   Manabu Nakanishi 7:34  

† Minoru was forced to pull out before his Round 2 match, due to suffering severe dizziness, and was replaced by Osamu Nishimura, who he beat in Round 1.

2006

The 2006 New Japan Cup was held from April 16 to April 30. Giant Bernard, the winner of the tournament, went on to fail in his challenge against IWGP Champion Brock Lesnar on May 3.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
   Giant Bernard Pin  
   Toru Yano 8:19  
     Giant Bernard Pin  
 
     Riki Choshu 9:11  
   Black Strong Machine Pin
   Riki Choshu 6:46  
     Giant Bernard Pin  
     Manabu Nakanishi 16:43  
   Manabu Nakanishi Pin  
   Takashi Iizuka 11:31  
     Manabu Nakanishi Pin
 
     Ryoji Sai 14:56  
   Ryoji Sai Pin
   Naofumi Yamamoto 13:59  
     Giant Bernard Pin
     Yuji Nagata 19:40
   Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
   Masahiro Chono 25:12  
     Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
 
     Hiroyoshi Tenzan 14:27  
   Hiroyoshi Tenzan Pin
   Scott Norton 12:30  
     Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
     Yuji Nagata 18:49  
   Togi Makabe Pin  
   Tatsutoshi Goto 1:24  
     Togi Makabe Pin
 
     Yuji Nagata 10:50  
   Yuji Nagata Pin
   Tomohiro Ishii 9:57  

2007

The 2007 New Japan Cup was a 14-man tournament held from March 3 to March 21. Giant Bernard and Hiroyoshi Tenzan received byes to the second round, due to their victories in the 2006 New Japan Cup and G1 Climax respectively. Shinsuke Nakamura was injured in a non-tournament match on March 13, giving Tenzan an additional pass to the semifinals. The winner, Yuji Nagata, went on to defeat Hiroshi Tanahashi for the championship on April 13, beginning his second reign with the title. He also became the first person to reach the NJC finals twice, and the first to win both the New Japan Cup and G1 Climax.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
   Togi Makabe Pin  
   Travis Tomko 9:29  
     Togi Makabe Pin  
       Takashi Iizuka 11:32  
   Tomoaki Honma Sub
   Takashi Iizuka 14:06  
     Togi Makabe DQ  
     Hiroyoshi Tenzan 12:27  
   Shinsuke Nakamura Pin  
   Toru Yano 10:16  
     Shinsuke Nakamura Forf
       Hiroyoshi Tenzan  
   
     
     Togi Makabe Pin
     Yuji Nagata 20:05
   Tomohiro Ishii Pin  
   Yuji Nagata 12:12  
     Yuji Nagata Pin
       Masahiro Chono 17:25  
   Masahiro Chono Pin
   Riki Choshu 8:44  
     Yuji Nagata Sub
     Giant Bernard 18:22  
   Shiro Koshinaka Pin  
   Manabu Nakanishi 10:03  
     Manabu Nakanishi Pin
       Giant Bernard 13:05  
   

2008

The 2008 New Japan Cup was a 16-man tournament held from March 9 to March 23. The winner, Hiroshi Tanahashi, became the first two-time winner of the NJC and went on to fail in his challenge against IWGP Champion Shinsuke Nakamura on March 30.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Tomohiro Ishii Sub  
 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 13:03  
   Hiroyoshi Tenzan Pin1  
 
   Togi Makabe 18:07  
 Takashi Iizuka Pin
 Togi Makabe 10:27  
   Togi Makabe Pin  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi 12:11  
 Hirooki Goto Pin  
 Hiroshi Tanahashi 20:32  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
 
   Ryusuke Taguchi 13:42  
 Jushin Thunder Liger Pin
 Ryusuke Taguchi 11:33  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
   Giant Bernard 18:24
 Koji Kanemoto Sub  
 Karl Anderson 9:05  
   Koji Kanemoto Pin
 
   Giant Bernard 9:45  
 Giant Bernard Pin
 Tomoaki Honma 10:43  
   Giant Bernard Pin
   Toru Yano 10:44  
 Milano Collection AT Pin  
 Toru Yano 11:25  
   Toru Yano Pin
 
   Rhino 11:21  
 Manabu Nakanishi Pin
 Rhino 10:17  

1This match originally ended in a double countout at 2:35, but it was restarted with Makabe winning via pinfall in 14:49.

2009

The 2009 New Japan Cup was a 14-man tournament held from March 8 to March 22. Giant Bernard and Yuji Nagata, the winners of the Cups of 2006 and 2007, received byes in the first round of the tournament. The eventual winner of the tournament, Hirooki Goto, went on to lose the IWGP Heavyweight Championship match to Hiroshi Tanahashi on May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2009.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Hirooki Goto Sub  
 Karl Anderson 11:10  
   Hirooki Goto Pin  
 
   Shinsuke Nakamura 19:00  
 Shinsuke Nakamura Pin
 Togi Makabe 15:32  
   Hirooki Goto Sub  
   Yuji Nagata 14:51  
 Yuji Nagata Bye  
   
   Yuji Nagata DQ
 
   Takashi Iizuka 14:49  
 Takashi Iizuka Pin
 Tomoaki Honma 10:53  
   Hirooki Goto Sub
   Giant Bernard 18:18
 Milano Collection AT Pin  
 Toru Yano 09:50  
   Milano Collection AT Pin
 
   Giant Bernard 9:13  
 Giant Bernard Bye
   
   Giant Bernard Pin
   Yutaka Yoshie 08:56  
 Yutaka Yoshie Pin  
 Manabu Nakanishi 20:29  
   Yutaka Yoshie Pin
 
   Tomohiro Ishii 13:38  
 Tomohiro Ishii Countout1
 Wataru Inoue 12:33  

1This match originally ended in a double countout at 3:18, but it was restarted with Inoue winning via countout in 9:15.

2010

The 2010 New Japan Cup was a 15-man tournament held from March 14 to March 22. As the previous winner of the Cup, Hirooki Goto received a bye in the first round of the tournament. With his victory Goto became the second two-time winner of the tournament and the first to win it back-to-back. Goto went on to challenge the IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinsuke Nakamura on April 4, but would once again fail in his attempt to win the title.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Hirooki Goto Bye  
   
   Hirooki Goto Pin  
 
   Yujiro Takahashi 15:04  
 Yujiro Takahashi Pin
 Yuji Nagata 13:41  
   Hirooki Goto Pin  
   Masato Tanaka 11:15  
 Wataru Inoue Pin  
 Giant Bernard 7:39  
   Wataru Inoue Pin
 
   Masato Tanaka 13:05  
 Masato Tanaka Pin
 Manabu Nakanishi 18:01  
   Hirooki Goto Pin
   Togi Makabe 21:42
 Togi Makabe Pin  
 Tomohiro Ishii 11:46  
   Togi Makabe Pin
 
   Toru Yano 14:26  
 Toru Yano Pin
 Tomoaki Honma 10:34  
   Togi Makabe Pin
   Tetsuya Naito 15:52  
 Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
 Strong Man 8:37  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
 
   Tetsuya Naito 23:17  
 Tetsuya Naito Pin
 Karl Anderson 9:52  

2011

The 2011 New Japan Cup was a 16-man tournament held from March 6 to March 20. The winner, Yuji Nagata, went on to unsuccessfully challenge Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on April 3.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Manabu Nakanishi Pin  
 Yujiro Takahashi 9:50  
   Manabu Nakanishi Pin  
 
   Shinsuke Nakamura 8:49  
 Hirooki Goto Pin
 Shinsuke Nakamura 13:45  
   Shinsuke Nakamura Pin  
   Togi Makabe 9:55  
 Karl Anderson Sub  
 MVP 12:20  
   MVP Pin
 
   Togi Makabe 10:41  
 Togi Makabe Pin
 Satoshi Kojima 16:01  
   Shinsuke Nakamura Pin
   Yuji Nagata 14:44
 Wataru Inoue Pin  
 Toru Yano 10:17  
   Toru Yano Pin
 
   Hiroyoshi Tenzan 11:09  
 Hiroyoshi Tenzan Sub
 Takashi Iizuka 12:50  
   Toru Yano Sub
   Yuji Nagata 7:27  
 Tetsuya Naito Pin  
 Masato Tanaka 13:03  
   Masato Tanaka Pin
 
   Yuji Nagata 16:33  
 Yuji Nagata Pin
 Giant Bernard 11:32  

2012

The 2012 New Japan Cup was a 16-man tournament held from April 1 to April 8. With his win, Hirooki Goto, became the first three-time winner of the tournament.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
 Toru Yano 17:25  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
 
   Tetsuya Naito 18:21  
 Satoshi Kojima Pin
 Tetsuya Naito 17:53  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
   Karl Anderson 12:36  
 Hiroyoshi Tenzan Pin  
 Karl Anderson 8:00  
   Karl Anderson Pin
 
   Shinsuke Nakamura 15:22  
 MVP Pin
 Shinsuke Nakamura 9:45  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
   Hirooki Goto 25:25
 Togi Makabe Pin  
 Lance Archer 8:47  
   Togi Makabe Pin
 
   Minoru Suzuki 13:34  
 Yuji Nagata Pin
 Minoru Suzuki 15:31  
   Togi Makabe Pin
   Hirooki Goto 9:22  
 Hirooki Goto Pin  
 Yujiro Takahashi 9:55  
   Hirooki Goto Pin
 
   La Sombra 9:51  
 La Sombra Pin
 Yoshi-Hashi 9:41  

2013

The 2013 New Japan Cup was a 16-man tournament held from March 11 to March 23.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Togi Makabe Pin  
 Yujiro Takahashi 10:45  
   Yujiro Takahashi Pin  
 
   Davey Boy Smith Jr. 11:43  
 Shinsuke Nakamura Pin
 Davey Boy Smith Jr. 13:06  
   Davey Boy Smith Jr. Pin  
   Hirooki Goto 8:14  
 Satoshi Kojima Pin  
 Tomohiro Ishii 13:37  
   Tomohiro Ishii Pin
 
   Hirooki Goto 18:46  
 Hirooki Goto Pin
 Tama Tonga 9:37  
   Hirooki Goto Pin
   Kazuchika Okada 23:52
 Hiroyoshi Tenzan Pin  
 Karl Anderson 8:42  
   Karl Anderson Pin
 
   Kazuchika Okada 15:27  
 Kazuchika Okada Sub
 Lance Archer 10:14  
   Kazuchika Okada Sub
   Toru Yano 10:42  
 Yuji Nagata Pin  
 Minoru Suzuki 10:24  
   Minoru Suzuki Pin
 
   Toru Yano 10:14  
 Manabu Nakanishi Pin
 Toru Yano 6:18  

2014

The 2014 New Japan Cup took place between March 15 and 23. The winner of the tournament got to choose whether to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight or the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Togi Makabe Pin  
 Bad Luck Fale 9:36  
   Bad Luck Fale Pin  
 
   Tetsuya Naito 11:29  
 Tetsuya Naito Pin
 Tomohiro Ishii 12:55  
   Bad Luck Fale Pin  
   Shelton X Benjamin 4:13  
 Katsuyori Shibata Sub  
 Karl Anderson 9:14  
   Katsuyori Shibata Pin
 
   Shelton X Benjamin 10:06  
 Yujiro Takahashi Pin
 Shelton X Benjamin 6:21  
   Bad Luck Fale Pin
   Shinsuke Nakamura 15:20
 Hirooki Goto Pin  
 Doc Gallows 6:59  
   Hirooki Goto Pin
 
   Minoru Suzuki 12:27  
 Toru Yano Pin
 Minoru Suzuki 8:01  
   Minoru Suzuki Pin
   Shinsuke Nakamura 13:12  
 Shinsuke Nakamura Pin  
 Davey Boy Smith Jr. 14:59  
   Shinsuke Nakamura Pin
 
   Prince Devitt 10:23  
 Prince Devitt Pin
 Lance Archer 7:57  

2015

The 2015 New Japan Cup took place between March 5 and 15. The winner of the tournament got to choose whether to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight, IWGP Intercontinental or the NEVER Openweight Championship at Invasion Attack 2015 on April 5.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
 Toru Yano 2:47  
   Toru Yano Pin  
 
   Kota Ibushi 2:44  
 Kota Ibushi Pin
 Doc Gallows 8:49  
   Kota Ibushi Pin  
   Tetsuya Naito 14:14  
 Tetsuya Naito Pin  
 Karl Anderson 12:10  
   Tetsuya Naito Pin
 
   Bad Luck Fale 12:51  
 Kazuchika Okada Pin
 Bad Luck Fale 16:34  
   Kota Ibushi Pin
   Hirooki Goto 17:31
 Togi Makabe Pin  
 Tomoaki Honma 10:10  
   Togi Makabe Pin
 
   Yujiro Takahashi 10:13  
 Yoshi-Hashi Pin
 Yujiro Takahashi 8:02  
   Togi Makabe Pin
   Hirooki Goto 8:11  
 Yuji Nagata Pin  
 Hirooki Goto 11:24  
   Hirooki Goto Pin
 
   Katsuyori Shibata 17:18  
 Satoshi Kojima Pin
 Katsuyori Shibata 8:53  

2016

The 2016 New Japan Cup took place between March 3 and 12. The winner of the tournament would once again get to choose whether to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight, IWGP Intercontinental or NEVER Openweight Championship at Invasion Attack 2016 on April 10.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
 Bad Luck Fale 13:55  
   Bad Luck Fale Pin  
 
   Michael Elgin 10:10  
 Hiroyoshi Tenzan Pin
 Michael Elgin 8:22  
   Michael Elgin Pin  
   Hirooki Goto 9:28  
 Togi Makabe Pin  
 Tama Tonga 7:40  
   Tama Tonga Pin
 
   Hirooki Goto 9:24  
 Yuji Nagata Pin
 Hirooki Goto 11:28  
   Hirooki Goto Pin
   Tetsuya Naito 20:15
 Tomoaki Honma Pin  
 Satoshi Kojima 11:50  
   Satoshi Kojima Pin
 
   Toru Yano 5:41  
 Toru Yano Countout
 Yujiro Takahashi 1:13  
   Toru Yano Pin
   Tetsuya Naito 2:32  
 Tomohiro Ishii Pin  
 EVIL 15:20  
   Tomohiro Ishii Pin
 
   Tetsuya Naito 16:21  
 Yoshi-Hashi Pin
 Tetsuya Naito 13:42  

2017

The 2017 New Japan Cup took place between March 11 and 20.[3] Unlike previous years, this tournament was held across eight events in 10 days.[4] On March 7 it was announced that due to Tomoaki Honma's injury he was unable to compete and Yuji Nagata was set to be his replacement..[5]


  Round 1
March 11, 12
Round 2
March 13, 14, 15, 17
Semifinals
March 19
Final
March 20
                             
 Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
 EVIL 22:55[6]  
   EVIL Pin  
 
   Yuji Nagata 13:33  
 Yuji Nagata Pin
 Tanga Roa 11:45[6]  
   EVIL 12:44  
   Bad Luck Fale Pin  
 Michael Elgin Pin  
 Bad Luck Fale 10:32[6]  
   Bad Luck Fale Pin
 
   Toru Yano 8:33  
 Toru Yano Pin
 Tama Tonga 3:46[6]  
   Bad Luck Fale Pin
   Katsuyori Shibata 18:48
 Katsuyori Shibata Pin  
 Minoru Suzuki 19:44  
   Katsuyori Shibata Pin
 
   Juice Robinson 11:23  
 Juice Robinson Pin
 Yujiro Takahashi 10:21  
   Katsuyori Shibata Sub
   Tomohiro Ishii 22:32  
 Tomohiro Ishii Pin  
 Kenny Omega 29:45  
   Tomohiro Ishii Pin
 
   SANADA 14:02[7]  
 Yoshi-Hashi Sub
 SANADA 13:57  


2018

The 2018 New Japan Cup is scheduled to take place between March 9 and 21.[8] This tournament will feature the heavyweight debut of Taichi, as well as the returning Hiroshi Tanahashi, who returned from an injury.

  Round 1
March 9, 10, 11, 12
Round 2
March 14, 15
Semifinals
March 16, 18
Final
March 21
                             
 Michael Elgin Pin  
 Tomohiro Ishii 29:02  
   Michael Elgin Pin  
 
   Juice Robinson 17:04  
 Juice Robinson Pin
 Yujiro Takahashi 16:08  
   Juice Robinson Pin  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi 29:52  
 Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin  
 Taichi 23:53  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi CO
 
   Bad Luck Fale 14:36  
 Bad Luck Fale Pin
 Lance Archer 11:02  
   Hiroshi Tanahashi Sub
   Zack Sabre Jr. 34:02
 Yoshi-Hashi Pin  
 Kota Ibushi 22:23  
   Kota Ibushi Sub
 
   Zack Sabre Jr. 21:02  
 Tetsuya Naito Sub
 Zack Sabre Jr. 22:43  
   Zack Sabre Jr. Sub
   SANADA 25:35  
 Toru Yano CO  
 Davey Boy Smith Jr. 12:52  
   Toru Yano Sub
 
   SANADA 4:51  
 Chuckie T. Pin
 SANADA 21:31  


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