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NJPW has officially revealed the tournament bracket for the New Japan Cup 2021. The company is set to merge both the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships.
New Japan Pro Wrestling will be undergoing one of their many annual tournaments to crown the first number one contender for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
New Japan Pro Wrestling took to social media, revealing the participants and matches for this year's New Japan Cup. The tournament will feature 2020 winner EVIL and NEVER Openweight Champion, Hiroshi Tanahashi, who will be getting first-round byes in a newly introduced rule.
Other notable names announced for the New Japan Cup 2021 are Jay White, Will Ospreay, Zack Sabre Jr., and KENTA. The obvious highlight of the first-round is the match between Kazuchika Okada and Shingo Takagi.
The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion has promised to make his way back to the title picture and wants to do so by winning this year's NJ Cup.
Here are the matches for the first round of the New Japan Cup 2021:
- Satoshi Kojima vs. Jeff Cobb
- Tetsuya Naito vs Great O-Khan
- Toru Yano vs Bad Luck Fale
- Hirooki Goto vs. Taichi
- Kazuchika Okada vs Shingo Takagi
- Tomoaki Honma vs. Minoru Suzuki
- Juice Robinson vs. KENTA
- Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Will Ospreay
- Gabriel Kidd vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
- Yuji Nagata vs Yota Tsuji
- Tomohiro Ishii vs SANADA
- David Finlay vs. Chase Owens
- YOSHI-HASHI vs. Yujiro Takahashi
- Toa Henare vs Jay White
NJPW will kick-start the New Japan Cup 2021 at the 49th Anniversary Show
New Japan Pro Wrestling has confirmed that two first-round matches for the New Japan Cup 2021 will take place at this week's 49th Anniversary Show. Satoshi Kojima will continue his feud with The United Empire, with the veteran set to face Jeff Cobb.
Meanwhile, Cobb's fellow stablemate Great O-Khan will face Tetsuya Naito in the opening round. On the back of his stellar performance against Hiroshi Tanahashi at Castle Attack, O-Khan will aim to cause an upset in the first round by beating Naito.
However, Naito himself will be aiming to get a victory after his recent loss to Kota Ibushi.
