Latest Japan Cup 2026 Kicks Off with Key Victories for Fale and Uemura

TOKYO, JAPAN – The New Japan Cup 2026 began on Wednesday, March 4, at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, with House of Torture’s Don Fale and Yuya Uemura securing victories in the first round of the single-elimination tournament. The event, broadcast live on NJPW World, featured a series of compelling matches that set the stage for the upcoming rounds.

Tournament Highlights

Don Fale Defeats Aaron Wolf

In a highly contested opening match, Don Fale of House of Torture defeated Olympic gold medalist Aaron Wolf. The match was marred by interference from other House of Torture members, who attacked Wolf during his entrance and throughout the bout. Despite a moment where Wolf appeared to have the win with an Angle Slam, the referee was prevented from making the count. Fale ultimately secured the victory with his Grenade finisher.

Yuya Uemura Triumphs Over Great-O-Khan

The main event saw Yuya Uemura defeat Great-O-Khan in a hard-fought battle. Uemura clinched the win with a Deadbolt Suplex followed by a high cross, expressing gratitude to the Tokyo crowd after the match.

Second Round Matchups Confirmed

Following these initial victories, the second-round matchups have been set. Don Fale will face Shingo Takagi on March 10 in Okayama, while Yuya Uemura will compete against Drilla Moloney on the same night. Both Takagi and Moloney received first-round byes.

Upcoming Matches at Korakuen Hall

The New Japan Cup 2026 continues at Korakuen Hall on Thursday with two more first-round matches: Taichi vs. Ren Narita and Boltin Oleg vs. El Phantasmo.

Full Match Card – March 4, 2026

• Singles Match: Tatsuya Matsumoto vs Taisei Nakahara
• Tag Team Match: Masatora Yasuda & Shota Umino vs House Of Torture (Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi)
• Tag Team Match: The Phantom & Jado vs Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano
• 8 Man Tag Team Match: United Empire (Callum Newman, HENARE, Jake Lee & Zane Jay) vs Unbound Co. (Daiki Nagai, Drilla Moloney, OSKAR & Shingo Takagi)
• 6 Man Tag Team Match: Master Wato, Taichi & Tomoaki Honma vs House Of Torture (Dick Togo, DOUKI & Ren Narita)
• 10 Man Tag Team Match: TMDK (Hartley Jackson, Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles, Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Saber Jr.) vs Unbound Co. (Gedo, Robbie X, Taiji Ishimori, Yota Tsuji & Yuto-Ice)
• New Japan Cup 2026 Tournament Match – 1st Round: Don Fale vs Aaron Wolf
• New Japan Cup 2026 Tournament Match – 1st Round: Great-O-Khan vs Yuya Uemura

Full coverage of today’s reveal is available here.