The bracket for the New Japan Cup has been revealed.
The yearly tournament will set a new number contender for the IWGP Heavyweight title, with the winner receiving their championship match at the G1 Supercard in Madison Square Garden.
This year’s participants are at 32, with former IWGP Heavyweight champions such as Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tetsuya Naito to past and current New Japan champions like Kota Ibushi (NEVER Openweight), SANADA & EVIL (IWGP Tag Team Champions), Juice Robinson (IWGP US Champion), Will Ospreay (Current NEVER Openweight champion) and many more involved in the competition.
As previously announced, Mikey Nicolls (Nick Miller in NXT) will make his debut for the promotion in the 32-man tournament. The lineups for the opening round of the New Japan Cup are below:
March 8 – Korakuen Hall
Yuji Nagata vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Juice Robinson vs. Chase Owens
Tomoaki Honma vs. Taichi
Manabu Nakanishi vs. YOSHI-HASHI
March 9 – Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
Toa Henare vs. Lance Archer
Will Ospreay vs. Bad Luck Fale
Kazuchika Okada vs. Michael Elgin
Mikey Nicholls vs. HIKULEO
March 10 – Hyogo Baycom Gymnasium
Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. David Finlay
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shota Umino
EVIL vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito
March 11 – Kagawa Takamatsu City General Gymnasium #1
Toru Yano vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Satoshi Kojima vs. Minoru Suzuki
Hirooki Goto vs. SANADA
Togi Makabe vs. Colt Cabana