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What’s the story?
The 2018 New Japan Cup has culminated in the most surprising way possible and has provided the most unlikely of outcomes. British superstar Zack Sabre Jr. has added his name into the history books following his remarkable win over “The Ace” of New Japan, Hiroshi Tanahashi.
In case you didn’t know…
Zack Sabre Jr. made his New Japan Pro Wrestling debut in 2017 as part of the company’s 45th Anniversary show, during which the “Technical Wizard” challenged Katsuyori Shibata for the British Heavyweight Championship.
Sabre would eventually go on to win the match with the help of Suzuki Gun members Minoru Suzuki and Davey Boy Smith Jr. and would eventually join the Suzuki Gun stable in the process.
The heart of the matter
Zack Sabre Jr. squared off against former seven-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi in the finals of the New Japan Cup 2018—in their third match together in an NJPW ring—having previously squared off against each other at the 2017 G1 Climax and at Destruction in Hiroshima.
Zack Sabre Jr. initially kicked-off the 2018 New Japan Cup with a massive win over the leader of Los Ingobernables de Japon, Tetsuya Naito. The British star then followed it up with two more wins against Kota Ibushi and one-half of the current IWGP Tag Team Champions, Sanada.
Meanwhile, Tanahashi secured his spot in the finale after picking up huge wins over the likes of Taichi, Bad Luck Fale, and Juice Robinson.
After failing to capture the IWGP Intercontinental Title from Hiroshi Tanahashi last year, Zack Sabre Jr. seemed like a cold and calculated man on a mission, as he savagely continued to attack “The Ace” right from the get-go.
However, despite a valiant effort from Tanahashi, he eventually joined the list of Superstars who have tapped out to Zack Sabre Jr., after the British Master trapped Tanahashi in the Orienteering with Napalm Death and earned the victory via submission.
What’s next?
Following his win over Tanahashi, Zack Sabre Jr. became the first ever European wrestler to win the New Japan Cup.
The current Evolve and British Heavyweight Champion challenged “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada to a one-on-one match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at the upcoming Sakura Genesis 2018 pay-per-view, which takes place on the 1st of April.
Author’s Take
Zack Sabre Junior’s New Japan Cup win certainly cemented his status as one of the brightest stars of this generation, and at the age of 30, Sabre has won several accomplishments to his name in some of the biggest wrestling promotions in the world.
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