[2024-03-18-NJPW-New Japan Cup] Yota Tsuji vs EVIL

[Superstar Sleeze]

Yota Tsuji vs EVIL - NJPW 3/18/24 New Japan Cup Semis

Same crowd as Sanada & Goto, a bit more energy for this match particularly Yota who I have never seen or heard of before. Is Yota a candidate to be the next Ace? He seems solid. Between him & Sanaa’s I don’t see a huge difference, Yota may be a bit more charismatic. Never EVIL before but heard of him. 
 

I liked this better than Sanada/Goto but it wasn’t without its faults. This one told a clear story: the dude named EVIL is well Evil. He pulls hair, he exposes turnbuckles, he ball shots, he has friends (is that Dick Togo? It is Dick Togo) beat up Tsuji. So Tsuji has to fight from underneath and overcome the odds and has his own friends help him out. The issue was with the execution. A lot of it felt heatless like they were just going through motions like it was a dress rehearsal. Both beatdowns at the beginning and the end were atrocious. I’d be ashamed to be apart of that. Both some oomph behind those stomps, sneer, do something. The crowd clearly liked Yota but the match did him little favors.
 

Once the match was officially started after the first beat down. There was a buzz to Yota’s offense. EVIL stymied that with a HARD shove into the railing that toppled the ring announcer. I like the hair pulling and the exposed buckles but the way Yota was going into them was ginger. Yota got his hope spots in with a couple stomps. EVIL took back over don’t remember much and I just watched the match. EVIL took the Bret Bump into the exposed buckles which I LOVED! EVIL hit him hard. This should led to fiery comeback but they pissed around with a terrible strike exchange. Yota hit his big finish but nailed the ref with it. Here comes Evil’s boys and this beat down sucks too. They focus on Tsuji’s testicles but Evil can’t pin him. SHINGO I believe comes out cleans house and Yota wins. This could have been great all the pieces were there but it was so heatless in execution.