Super J-Cup (2019)

**Super J-Cup: 7th Stage** was the seventh Super J-Cup professional wrestling single-elimination tournament produced by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The seventh Super J-Cup tournament was promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling. It was a three-night event that took place on August 22, 2019, August 24, 2019 and August 25, 2019. This was the first time that the tournament was held in the United States. The first round was held on August 22 and took place at the Temple Theater in Tacoma, Washington, while the next two rounds took place on August 24 at the San Francisco State University Student Life Event Center in San Franciso, California. The finals were held on August 25 at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California. The tournament featured interpromotional matches between junior heavyweight wrestlers from Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and Ring of Honor (ROH).

## Background

After a three-year break, NJPW announced on June 10, 2019, that the Super J-Cup would return on August 22. This was the first time that the tournament was held in the United States. It was announced three nights for the tournament, with the first round being held on August 22, the second round and semifinals being held on August 24 and the finals would be held on August 25. It was later announced that both NJPW sold out both first and second nights of the tournament.

## Participants

It was announced that the tournament would feature participants from promotions around the world; from Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and Ring of Honor (ROH). On July 26, it was announced three participants for the tournament, one from NJPW (with one spot designated to the CHAOS stable), one from Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and one freelancer, which on July 31, it was also announced three more participants for the tournament, one from CMLL and two from NJPW (with one spot designated to the Bullet Club stable). On August 8, it was also announced three more participants for the tournament, one from CMLL, one from ROH and two from NJPW (with one spot designated to the Young Lions). The full list of participants was revealed on August 13.

## Super J-Cup: 7th Stage (Day 1)

Promotional poster featuring the participants of the 2019 Super J-Cup

## Information

### City

Tacoma, Washington, U.S

The first round of the *Super J-Cup: 7th Stage* was held at the Temple Theater in Tacoma, Washington, United States on August 22, 2019. The show kicked off with a non-tournament tag team match featuring Jushin Thunder Liger teamed with NJPW L.A. dojo representative Karl Fredericks taking on NJPW's Japan's Young Lions Shota Umino and Ren Narita. After a back and forth match, Fredericks won the match for his team after submitting Narita.

The following match, featured Soberano Jr. taking on Rocky Romero in the first round of the Super J-Cup. In the end, Soberano performed the *Tornillo* on Romero to win the match, passing into the second round. In the third match, TJP faced NJPW L.A. dojo representative Clark Connors. The end featured, TJP submitting Connors with the *Pinoy Stretch* to win the match, passing into the second round.

The fourth match saw Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre representative Carístico taking on *Los Ingobernables de Japón* representative BUSHI. The end of the match featured Carístico performing the *Avalanche Spanish Fly* on BUSHI to win the match, passing into the second round. The fifth match saw NJPW representative Ryusuke Taguchi taking on Ring of Honor representative Jonathan Gresham. The end feauted, Taguchi pinning Gresham with a rolling cradle to win the match, passing into the second round.

The following match featured Bullet Club representative El Phantasmo taking on CHAOS representative Robbie Eagles. Near the end, Phantasmo performed Eagles a low blow followed by the *Horizontal Cradle* to win the match. In the sixth match, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre representative Dragon Lee took on CHAOS representative Yoh. In the end, Lee performed Yoh the *Desnuncadora* to win the match.

In the semi-main event, CHAOS representative Sho faced Bullet CLub representative Taiji Ishimori. In the end, Sho performed the *Shock Arrow* on Ishimori to win the match. In the the main event, CHAOS representative Will Ospreay faced Amazing Red. In the end, Ospreay performed the *Oscutter* followed by the *Storm Breaker* to win the match. Afterwards, the two embraced and Ospreay and offered an opportunity for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.

## Super J-Cup: 7th Stage (Day 2)

Promotional poster featuring the participants of the 2019 Super J-Cup

## Information

### Venue

San Francisco State University Student Life Event Center

### City

San Francisco, California, U.S.

The quarter-finals of the *Super J-Cup: 7th Stage* took place at the San Francisco State University Student Life Event Center in San Francisco, California, United States on August 24, 2019. The show opened with a non-tournament singles match, featuring Alex Coughlin taking on Jonathan Gresham. Gresham had been previously eliminated from the Super J-Cup in the first round. After a back and forth match, Gresham pinned Coughlin with an *Inside Cradle* for the win.

The second match was also a non-tournament match, featuring Clark Connors taking on Robbie Eagles, with both Eagles and Connors being eliminated from the Super J-Cup in the first round. In the end, Eagles submitted Connors with a reverse *Figure Four Leglock* for the victory. In the third match, BUSHI faced Shota Umino. After a back and forth match, BUSHI performed two consecutive *MX*s on Umino to win the match.

In the fourth match, NJPW's Japan's and LA Dojo's Young Lions Karl Fredericks and Ren Narita faced Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori and Gedo). In the end, Ishimori submitted Narita with the *Yes Lock* for the win. In the fifth match, Amazing Red and Jushin Thunder Liger took on Roppongi 3K (Yoh and Rocky Romero). The end featured, Red performing the *Code Red* on Romero for the victory.

During the event, it was announced NJPW announced a new event called New Japan Showdown which would take place on November 9 at the San Jose Civic in San Jose, California.

Following the non-tournament matches, the sixth match featured the first quarter-final match between both CMLL representatives, Carístico and Soberano Jr. In the end, Carístico performed the *Avalanche Spanish Fly* on Soberano for the victory. In the seventh match, Bullet Club representative El Phantasmo faced TJP. In the end, Phantasmo performed a low blow, followed by a *Horizontal Cradle* on TJP to advance to the semifinals.

In the semi-main event, CMLL representative Dragon Lee took on NJPW representative Ryusuke Taguchi. In the end, Lee performed the *Rodilla Dragon* on Taguchi for the victory, advancing to the semifinals. In the main event, both CHAOS representatives Will Ospreay and Sho took on each other. In the end, Ospreay performed the *Storm Breaker* for the victory to win the match, advancing to the semifinals.

## Super J-Cup: 7th Stage (Day 3)

Promotional poster featuring the participants of the 2019 Super J-Cup

## Information

### City

Long Beach, California, U.S

The semi-final and final rounds of the *Super J-Cup: 7th Stage* took place at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California, United States on August 26, 2019.

#### Semifinals

In the first semi-final match, both CMLL representatives, Carístico and Dragon Lee took on each other. After a back and forth match, Lee won the match after pinning Carístico with the *Desnucadora* to advance to the final.

In the next semi-final, El Phantasmo competed against Will Ospreay. Before the match started, Phastasmo attacked Ospreay during his entrance. Near the end, Ospreay was going to perform the *Storm Breaker* on Phantasmo, but his Bullet Club stablemate Taiji Ishimori interfered in the match and prevented Ospreay from performing the *Storm Breaker* and executed the *Bloody Cross* on him, leading Phantasmo to perform the *CR II* for the victory, advancing to the final.

#### Non-tournament matches

In the third match of the show and the first non-tournament match, NJPW L.A. dojo Young Lion Alex Coughlin faced NJPW Japan dojo's Young Lion Shota Umino. In the end, Coughlin performed a *Boston Crab* on Umino for the win.

The following match, Jonathan Gresham took on NJPW L.A. dojo Young Lion Clark Connors. After a back and forth action, Gresham performed the *Octopus Strench* on Connors to win the match. In the fifth match, Soberano Jr. took on NJPW Japan dojo Young Lion Ren Narita. Soberano performed the *Tornillo* for the win. In the sixth match, Juice Robinson faced NJPW L.A. dojo Young Lion Karl Fredericks. Robinson won the match, after submitting Fredericks with the *Boston Crab*.

Next it was a eight-man tag team match, where CHAOS (Yoh, Sho, Rocky Romero and Robbie Eagles) took on Jushin Thunder Liger, Ryusuke Taguchi, Amazing Red and TJP. After a back and forth action between the two teams, TJP executed the *Detonation Kick* on Romero for the win.

Next was the penultimate match of the event, in which Bullet Club (Jay White and Taiji Ishimori) faced *Los Ingobernables de Japón* (Tetsuya Naito and BUSHI). In the end of the match, White performed the *Blade Runner* on BUSHI to win the match for his team. Afterwards, White attacked Naito and challenged him to a match for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, proclaiming he would become the first IWGP Intercontinental and Heavyweight Champion at Wrestle Kingdom 14 on January 4, 2019.

#### Final

Dragon Lee took on El Phantasmo in the final round of the 2019 Super J-Cup tournament. During the match, Phanstasmo put Lee through a table, leading later in the match Lee busting open Phantasmo, causing him to bleed. In the end, Lee was going to perform the diving double foot stomp, while Phantasmo was held in the tree of woe, but he pulled Lee's mask and the referee followed by a low blow and a Argentine backbreaker rack Neckbreaker and the *CR II* on Lee to win the tournament. After the match, the creator of the Super J-Cup Jushin Thunder Liger handed him with the Super J-Cup trophy, leading Phantasmo to kick it and afterwards he demand Liger to put the golden jacket on him, but Liger refused, leading Phantasmo to mock him and wear the golden jacket. Afterwards, he called out Will Ospreay, leading him to be attacked by his Bullet Club stablemate Taiji Ishmori and Phantasmo and he also challenged to match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. Ospreay's CHAOS stablemate Robbie Eagles made the save and the two challenged Phantasmo and Ishimori to a match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.