Night nine of the New Japan Cup tournament saw a pair of excellent matches.
First up was Tomohiro Ishii defeating YOSHI-HASHI, with the match-up turning into a war featuring forearms and slaps. YOSHI-HASHI gave up a strong effort, but Ishii walked out of another fight victorious.
In the main event of the show, Kazuchika Okada defeated Will Ospreay in a tremendous bout between two top notch talents. The match was a strong back-and-forth display showcasing the strengths of both men, with several strong and believable near falls. In the end, the NEVER Openweight champion was unable to beat the former IWGP Heavyweight champion.
Ishii and Okada are expected to face off in the semi-finals, which will surely be another tremendous match-up to look forward too.
Here are the next bouts in the quarterfinals on March 21:
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Colt Cabana vs. SANADA