First New Japan Cup 2026 quarterfinal matchup set
The second round of New Japan Cup 2026 began on Tuesday with Yuya Uemura and Shingo Takagi booking their spots in the quarterfinals.
Uemura and Takagi advanced with respective victories over Drilla Moloney and Don Fale. The first quarterfinal matchup of the tournament is now set, with Uemura and Takagi scheduled to face off against each other on March 15. The winner of that then advances to the March 20 semifinals.
So far in the tournament, Uemura has notched victories over Great-O-Khan and Moloney. Takagi’s win against Fale was his first of the tournament due to receiving a first-round bye.
New Japan Cup 2026 runs through March 21. An IWGP Heavyweight Championship opportunity is at stake with the winner earning a title shot against Yota Tsuji in the main event of Sakura Genesis on April 4.
Here is the updated schedule for the remainder of the tournament:
Second round —
Thursday, March 12:
- Ren Narita vs. Satoshi Kojima
- Oleg Boltin vs. HENARE
Friday, March 13:
- Callum Newman vs. Hartley Jackson
- Jake Lee vs. Hirooki Goto
Saturday, March 14:
- Yujiro Takahashi vs. Shota Umino
- Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ryohei Oiwa
Quarterfinals —
Sunday March 15:
- Yuya Uemura vs. Shingo Takagi
- TBD
Tuesday, March 17:
- TBD
- TBD
Semifinals —
Friday, March 20:
- TBD
- TBD
Finals —
Saturday, March 21:
- TBD
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.