Tonight’s show in Takamatsu features one match with an extremely obvious winner and one with a fairly obvious winner, but the latter match should at least be a lot of fun. The former match? Eh. Let’s-a go.

New Japan Cup: Satoshi Kojima vs. Ren Narita [House of Torture]

Walker Stewart is back in the saddle tonight. Kojima is, of course, substituting for Tomohiro Ishii, as Ishii was injured wrestling in the U.S. a couple weeks ago. Kojima, like a fool, comes to the ring by himself; Narita enters with Dick Togo, Don Fale and Chase Owens. Narita attacks during the ring intros and sends Kojima to the outside, where he’s beaten up by the House of Torture geeks. Kojima turns the tables in the ring, but Narita takes the ref, Marty Asami, and the House attacks to give Narita the advantage. Narita works on Kojima’s knee, but Kojima dodges a charge to the corner to take the advantage. Kojima goes through most of his offense, but Narita blocks a Koji cutter attempt and applies a reverse figure-four for a near-submission. Narita misses Hell’s Guillotine and eats a Koji cutter, but he pulls Asami in front of him during a lariat attempt and then shoves both Kojima and Asami into the ropes, which bumps Asami. Of course, the House comes in and beats up Kojima for some time and prop up a table in the corner, but Kojima fights back and hits Narita with a brainbuster, but Asami is still out. Asami returns and Kojima hits a lariat for a visual pinfall, but Asami is pulled out as he’s counting the pin and the House attacks again. Fale splashes Kojima through the table, and then Narita hits the Double Cross for the pin. This was really dumb. Like, there was nobody from Hontai willing to help Kojima? Really? That’s ridiculous.

New Japan Cup: HENARE [United Empire] vs. Boltin Oleg

This is HENARE’s first singles match since November 15, 2024. These two big meaty men immediately start slapping meat; I would have been disappointed if they hadn’t. Boltin takes an early advantage, but HENARE fights back with chops and a surprising spinning wheel kick. Boltin tackles HENARE through the ropes to the floor, where they continue to brawl. HENARE takes control with a drop onto the guard rail and clothesline into the crowd. HENARE gets some chairs out and tries to suplex Boltin onto them, but Boltin counters and hits a suplex onto the apron. Up on the apron, Boltin tries another suplex, but HENARE reverses into the ring and tackles Boltin off the apron and into the guard rail and the pile of chairs. Back in the ring, HENARE hits a PK for a near-fall. HENARE goes for Ultima (a full nelson), but HENARE counters with a body slam. They battle back and forth until Boltin catches HENARE coming off the middle rope and hits the Boltin Shake. A Boltin Bomb gets two, but HENARE battles out of a Kamikaze attempt and hits a suplex. HENARE gets a near-fall with the Berzerker Bomb and then locks in Ultima, but Boltin eventually makes the ropes. HENARE drops Boltin with some powerful strikes, and then hits the Maori Drop; Boltin fights out with a belly-to-belly, but HENARE counters with a tackle for a near-fall. HENARE hits the Native Knee in the corner, and then hits a superplex for another near-fall. Boltin catches another Native Knee attempt, however, and hits a power bomb for two. HENARE slips out of another Kamikaze attempt, and they have a great chop battle, followed by a forearm battle. HENARE gets near-falls on a lariat and a Southern Cross, but can’t get the job done. Now 20 minutes in, HENARE goes for a power bomb, but Boltin counters into a Landslide for a near-fall. Boltin goes for Kamikaze, but HENARE grabs the corner and pulls himself onto the top rope. Boltin tries to set up a Kamikaze from the middle rope, but HENARE headbutts him out of it. HENARE then flies off the second rope, but is caught by Boltin, who hits a Kamikaze, followed by another one for the pin. That was a lot of fun, and both guys looked very good. I hope NJPW can figure out something to do with HENARE, because if he can stay healthy, he’s got a lot to offer. Boltin cuts a promo in (excellent) Japanese, thanking HENARE and putting over NJPW. So, Boltin faces Narita in the quarterfinals on Sunday in Kofu.

Next up for the tour is tomorrow in Osaka, with Hirooki Goto vs. Jake Lee and Callum Newman vs. Hartley Jackson in second-round action.