Super J Cup

The Super J Cup is a professional wrestling tournament featuring junior heavyweight wrestlers from all over the world. The tournament was originally conceived by Japanese wrestler Jushin Thunder Liger as a showcase for promotions from Asia and North America, including Liger's home promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling (who hosted the first tournament in 1994), Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, Wrestle Association R, Michinoku Pro Wrestling, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, and the Social Progress Wrestling Federation.

In the following years, wrestlers representing Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) would also participate in the tournament. After 1995, the tournament took a five-year hiatus before returning in 2000 (this time hosted by Michinoku Pro Wrestling).

Since that time, the tournament has only taken place three times (in 2004, 2009 and 2016). The original Super J Cup, held in 1994, is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestling shows of all time. Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, called the 1994 Super J Cup "the most incredible single night of wrestling ever".[1]

List of winners

Year Winner Total won
1994 Wild Pegasus 1
1995 Jushin Thunder Liger 1
2000 Jushin Thunder Liger 2
2004 Naomichi Marufuji 1
2009 Naomichi Marufuji 2
2016 TBD N/A

1994

Super J Cup 1994 was a professional wrestling tournament hosted by New Japan Pro Wrestling on April 16, 1994 at Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.[2][3][4] The tournament was conceived and produced by New Japan Pro Wrestling's Jushin Thunder Liger and was originally intended to be a one-time event.[5] The tournament utilized wrestlers from various promotions to compete in it, in an invitational style. This was critical for promoting young, new wrestlers (Chris Benoit, Great Sasuke, and Eddie Guerrero), as well as getting less-prominent promotions recognized by the public more. The promotions involved were: New Japan, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, Wrestle Association R, Michinoku Pro Wrestling, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, and Social Progress Wrestling Federation.[2]

This was a single-elimination tournament with four rounds. Wild Pegasus and Great Sasuke had byes to the quarterfinals.[3]

Results
  Round 1 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
                                     
        
   Wild Pegasus Pin  
     Black Tiger  
 Black Tiger Pin
 Taka Michinoku  
   Wild Pegasus Pin  
   Gedo  
 Gedo Pin  
 Dean Malenko  
   Gedo Pin
     Super Delfin  
 Shinjiro Otani
 Super Delfin Pin  
   Wild Pegasus Pin
   The Great Sasuke
 Ricky Fuji Pin  
 Negro Casas  
   Ricky Fuji
     Jushin Thunder Liger Pin  
 Hayabusa
 Jushin Thunder Liger Pin  
   Jushin Thunder Liger
   The Great Sasuke Pin  
 Masayoshi Motegi  
 El Samurai Pin  
   El Samurai
     The Great Sasuke Pin  
 
Notes

1995

Super J Cup 1995 was the following year's tournament to determine the top junior heavyweight of the world for that year. It was held on December 13, 1995 at Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan and was produced by Último Dragón and hosted by Wrestle Association R.[5][6][7][8] Like the first year, it brought in wrestlers from all over the world from promotions New Japan Pro Wrestling, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, Social Progressive Wrestling Federation, Wrestle Association R, and Extreme Championship Wrestling. This did not do as much for many wrestlers as the prior years tournament, but it established Jushin Thunder Liger's dominance in Japan, as he and 1994 winner Wild Pegasus received byes to the quarterfinals.

Rey Mysterio vs. Psicosis was also featured on the card as a special attraction match, occurring prior to the final of the tournament.[6] Mysterio picked up the victory following a hurricanrana.

Results
  Round 1 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
                                     
   
   Jushin Thunder Liger Pin  
     Gran Naniwa  
 Damián 666
 Gran Naniwa Pin  
   Jushin Thunder Liger Pin  
   Último Dragón  
 Shinjiro Otani Sub  
 Masaaki Mochizuki  
   Shinjiro Otani
     Último Dragón Pin  
 Shoichi Funaki
 Último Dragón Pin  
   Jushin Thunder Liger[7] Pin
   Gedo
 Gedo Sub  
 Masayoshi Motegi  
   Gedo Pin
     Dos Caras  
 Dos Caras Pin
 El Samurai  
   Gedo Pin
   Wild Pegasus  
 Lionheart Pin  
 Hanzo Nakajima  
   Lionheart
     Wild Pegasus Pin  
 

2000

Super J Cup 2000 was a two-night professional wrestling tournament hosted by Michinoku Pro Wrestling on April 1 and April 9, 2000 at Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.[9][10] The tournament utilized wrestlers primarily from Michinoku Pro, and featured 1994 quarter-finalist Ricky Fuji, 1994 finalist The Great Sasuke and 1995 winner Jushin Thunder Liger. This was a single-elimination tournament with four rounds; the first round occurred on April 1, with the remaining rounds and the 10-man tag team match occurring on April 9.

A bonus 10-man tag team match occurred between Tiger Mask IV/Minoru Tanaka/Masaaki Mochizuki/Shinya Makabe/Ricky Marvin and Kendo Kashin/El Samurai/Judo Suwa/Super Boy/Chabinger prior to the final of the tournament.[9]

The commercial release features highlights from two other matches which took place on the tournament's second night. Abismo Negro defeated El Oriental, and Chaparita Asari successfully defended her WWWA Super Lightweight Championship against Hiromi Yagi.

Results
  Round 1 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
                                     
   Cima Pin  
   Ricky Marvin    
     Cima Pin  
       Onryo    
   Curry Man  
   Onryo Pin  
     Cima Pin  
     Naoki Sano    
   Naoki Sano Pin  
   Judo Suwa    
     Naoki Sano K.O.
       Great Sasuke    
   The Great Sasuke Pin
   Kaz Hayashi    
     Jushin Thunder Liger Pin
     Cima  
   Jushin Thunder Liger Pin  
   Tiger Mask IV    
     Jushin Thunder Liger Pin
       Men's Teioh    
   Katsumi Usuda  
   Men's Teioh Pin  
     Jushin Thunder Liger Pin
     Gran Hamada    
   Gran Hamada Sub.  
   Shinya Makabe    
     Gran Hamada Pin
       Ricky Fuji    
   Sasuke the Great  
   Ricky Fuji DQ  

2004

The 2004 Super J Cup was held on February 21, 2004 at the 16,000 seat Osaka Castle Hall, hosted by Osaka Pro Wrestling.[11] It was a single elimination tournament with three rounds.

Results
Round 1 Semifinals Final
         
Naomichi Marufuji Pin
Jun Kasai
Naomichi Marufuji Pin
Garuda
Garuda Pin
Goa
Naomichi Marufuji Pin
Takehiro Murahama
Wataru Inoue Sub
Kazuya Yuasa
Wataru Inoue
Takehiro Murahama Pin
Takehiro Murahama Pin
Taichi Ishikari

2009

Jushin Thunder Liger announced on November 1, 2009 that the originator of the world famous Super J Cup, New Japan Pro Wrestling, will revive the concept at Christmas! New Japan presents "Super J-Cup 5th Stage" at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo over two nights on December 22 and 23. The tournament winner would challenge Tiger Mask IV for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome on January 4.

Results
Round 1 Round 2 Semifinals Final
            
Atsushi Aoki
Prince Devitt Pin
Prince Devitt Pin
Danshoku Dino
Danshoku Dino Pin
Jado
Prince Devitt Pin
Yamato
Gedo Pin
Kota Ibushi
Gedo
Yamato Stp
Akira
Yamato Sub
Prince Devitt
Naomichi Marufuji Pin
Gentaro
Ryusuke Taguchi Pin
Ryusuke Taguchi Sub
Koji Kanemoto
Koji Kanemoto Sub
Fujita Hayato
Ryusuke Taguchi
Naomichi Marufuji Pin
Taichi
Tigers Mask Sub
Tigers Mask
Naomichi Marufuji Pin
Jushin Thunder Liger
Naomichi Marufuji Pin

2016

After a seven-year break, NJPW announced on March 3, 2016, that the Super J Cup would return on August 21. The tournament will feature outside participants from Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, Dragon Gate, Kaientai Dojo, Pro Wrestling Noah, Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and Ryukyu Dragon Pro Wrestling.[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Molinaro, John F. "History of the Super J-Cup". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2014-02-02.
  2. 1 2 Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). "Japan; New Japan Super Junior Heavyweight (Super J) Cup Tournament Champions". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 375. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  3. 1 2 "Super J Cup Tournament 1994". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  4. ↑ "Sumo Hall 4/94". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  5. 1 2 Jericho, Chris (2007). "Calgary Kids". A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex. Grand Central Publishing. p. 149. ISBN 978-0-446-58006-9.
  6. 1 2 "Sumo Hall 12/95". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  7. 1 2 Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). "Japan; WAR Super Junior Heavyweight (Super J) Cup Tournament Champions". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 386. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  8. ↑ "Super J Cup 2nd Stage". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  9. 1 2 "Sumo Hall 2000". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  10. ↑ "Super J Cup 2000". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  11. ↑ "Super J Cup 2004". Pro Wrestling History. Archived from the original on 2008-03-04. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  12. ↑ 木谷オーナーが発表！ 柴田、エルガンが選手契約！『Super J-Cup 2016』開催！「タイガーマスク」アニメ化企画進行中！. New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
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