New Japan Cup 2021, Night 11 and 12, Quarter Finals Match Predictions

 




So we've reached the quarter finals and I don't think anyone could have predicted where this tournament would go at this point.  So we're down to eight.  So let's discuss the Quarter final matches as always there will be an updated bracket showing where we are now.




Night 11, Quarter Finals

Evil vs. Toru Yano




If you had told me that not only would Yano be in the quarter finals but he would be the person who eliminated Naito to get there, I would think you were crazy.  It blows my mind.  I'm not a fan of Great O-Khan at all but why would he beat Tetsuya Naito, one of the biggest stars in the entire company and that person goes and loses to freaking Yano.  I've mentioned before Yano is not for me because I'm not really a fan of this kind of comedy in wrestling especially when it comes to the expense of big stars.  EVIL came off a first round bye for winning the tournament last year and defeated Jeff Cobb to get here.  Regardless of all that EVIL and Yano have faced each other three times, EVIL currently has the advantage 2-1, but Yano won the most recent meeting which was in a G1 block match in 2020.  I kind of expected Yano to get to round two but not round three, regardless, this has to be where he finally loses, EVIL wins and moves on to the semi-finals.

Winner: EVIL



Shingo Takagi vs. KENTA




I cannot wait to watch this match.  I fully expect it to be a hell of a match and for everyone to enjoy it.  Shingo is coming off victories against Kazuchika Okada and Hirooki Goto, while KENTA is coming in with victories over Juice Robinson and Minoru Suzuki.  I didn't expect either one of these guys to get this far as I think everyone would expect Okada to go far but I think since he's dealing with an injury Shingo got the the win and that's fine because he deserves it.  I also expected Juice Robinson to beat KENTA.  Shingo and KENTA have never faced each other one on one which is surprising but I think Shingo will be winning.  Shingo needs to go to the finals in my opinion beating Okada is a big deal and if he doesn't go to the finals it's wrong.

Winner: Shingo Takagi



Night 12, Quarter Finals

David Finlay vs. Jay White




These two have a history together, they've faced each other eleven times.  With Jay White having the advantage 10-1, having also won ten in a row.  The most recent meeting was back in 2018 for the IWGP United States Championship, which Jay of course won.  To get here Finlay defeated Chase Owens and YOSHI-HASHI, while Jay defeated Toa Henare and Hiroshi Tanahashi.  I remember enjoying these two working together, and I'm sure this will be a great match, however, I don't think there's any chance of David Finlay winning this match.  From day one looking at this side of the bracket there's only two names that stuck out to be in the finals and they are Jay White and Sanada (spoilers for the next match).

Winner: Jay White



Will Ospreay vs. Sanada




This is another match that I cannot wait to watch.  These two are some of the top workers in the entire company and they've only faced each other one time, mainly because of Ospreay's long stint in the Junior divsion, and Ospreay got the victory in a G1 Block match in 2019.  Sanada has been the guy that I felt needed to get to that next step, I've said this before EVIL got the spot I believe should have gone to Sanada.  Ospreay is great and should be in the finals for sure, but New Japan isn't usually booking heel versus heel matches this late in the tournament, so unless David Finlay pulls off the shock victory over Jay White, Sanada will be winning this one here.  

Winner: Sanada



So that's gonna do it for me, I'll be back to discuss the semi-finals and the finals which will be my prediction instead of discussing who actually makes it like I have been doing.  I've enjoyed writing about New Japan and discussing my opinions of the matches.  Thanks for reading and thanks for supporting me if you have to this point.




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