Super J-Cup: 5th Stage – Land of Confusion was the fifth Super J-Cup professional wrestling single-elimination tournament produced by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). It was a two-night event taking place on December 22 and December 23, 2009 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The interpromotional tournament featured junior heavyweight wrestlers from various Japanese promotions, marking its return after a five-year hiatus, last held in 2004. This was the second time that NJPW was hosting the event, the first time being the inaugural tournament in 1994, while the 1995, 2000 and 2004 editions were hosted by different promotions.

Super J-Cup: 5th Stage
Tournament winner Naomichi Marufuji
VenueKorakuen Hall
LocationTokyo, Japan
Start dateDecember 22, 2009 (2009-12-22)
End dateDecember 23, 2009 (2009-12-23)
Champion
Naomichi Marufuji

2004 winner Naomichi Marufuji defeated Prince Devitt in the final round to win the 2009 Super J-Cup, thus winning his second consecutive Super J-Cup tournament. The winner of the tournament would receive an IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship opportunity at Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2010.[1][2]

Background

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Jushin Thunder Liger announced at the 2009 G1 Tag League Finals on November 1, 2009, that the originator of the Super J-Cup, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, would 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.[3][4] The tournament winner would challenge Tiger Mask for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2010.[2]

Participants

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Name: Promotion: Championship held:
Akira New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Atsushi Aoki Pro Wrestling Noah
Danshoku Dino Dramatic Dream Team
Gedo New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Gentaro Pro Wrestling Freedoms Independent World Junior Heavyweight Championship
Hayato Fujita Michinoku Pro Wrestling
Jado New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Jushin Thunder Liger New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Koji Kanemoto New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Kota Ibushi Dramatic Dream Team
Naomichi Marufuji Pro Wrestling Noah
Prince Devitt New Japan Pro-Wrestling IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Ryusuke Taguchi New Japan Pro-Wrestling IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Taichi New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Tigers Mask Osaka Pro Wrestling
Yamato Dragon Gate

December 22

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Super J-Cup: 5th Stage
 
Korakuen Hall
PromotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling
DateDecember 22, 2009
December 23, 2009
CityTokyo, Japan
VenueKorakuen Hall
AttendanceDecember 22:
2,020
December 23:
2,020
Tagline(s)Land of Confusion
Super J-Cup chronology
← Previous
Super J-Cup: 4th Stage
Next →
Super J-Cup: 6th Stage

The first round of the Super J-Cup: 5th Stage was held at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan on December 22, 2009.

In the opening match of the tournament, Tigers Mask took on Taichi. Taichi hit a front high kick to send Mask out of the ring. Tigers Mask returned to the ring and executed a back kick to slow Taichi's momentum and then Taichi countered with a Brainbuster. After a back and forth action, Tigers Mask executed a Tigers Suplex Hold on Taichi and applied a grounded octopus stretch to win the match by submission.[5]

Ryusuke Taguchi followed by defeating Gentaro after executing a Dodon. Yamato won the third match by making Akira submit to a double kneelock. Danshoku Dino defeated Jado in the next match by pinning him with a Gedo Clutch. Jado's tag team partner Gedo, the 1994 semi-finalist and 1995 runner-up of the Super J-Cup, participated in his third Super J-Cup as he defeated Kota Ibushi by pinning him with a Gedo Clutch. Prince Devitt defeated Atsushi Aoki in the next match by hitting a Reverse Bloody Sunday. Junior heavyweight veteran Koji Kanemoto entered his first Super J-Cup by taking on Hayato Fujita, whom he defeated by making him tap out to an ankle hold. The main event and the last match of the first round featured two-time Super J-Cup winner and creator Jushin Thunder Liger taking on previous tournament winner Naomichi Marufuji. After a back and forth match, Marufuji executed a Pole Shift on Liger to qualify for the quarter-final.[1]

Results
No.ResultsStipulationsTimes[1]
1Tigers Mask defeated Taichi via submission2009 Super J-Cup tournament first round6:41
2Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Gentaro2009 Super J-Cup tournament first round10:39
3Yamato defeated Akira via submission2009 Super J-Cup tournament first round8:13
4Danshoku Dino defeated Jado2009 Super J-Cup tournament first round10:14
5Gedo defeated Kota Ibushi2009 Super J-Cup tournament first round14:15
6Prince Devitt defeated Atsushi Aoki2009 Super J-Cup tournament first round10:51
7Koji Kanemoto defeated Hayato Fujita via submission2009 Super J-Cup tournament first round13:45
8Naomichi Marufuji defeated Jushin Thunder Liger2009 Super J-Cup tournament first round16:21

December 23

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The second night of the Super J-Cup: 5th Stage was held on December 23, 2009 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, where the quarter-final, semi-final and final rounds of the Super J-Cup were determined. In the first match of the quarter-final round, Yamato was able to qualify for the semi-final by defeating Gedo via referee stoppage. The match was followed by Prince Devitt taking on Danshoku Dino, which Devitt won by hitting a diving double foot stomp on Dino. Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Koji Kanemoto by making him tap out to a heel hook. In the next match, Naomichi Marufuji defeated Tigers Mask by hitting an Australian Suplex.[2]

Next was the semi-final round of the Super J-Cup, in which Prince Devitt defeated Yamato in the first match by executing a Reverse Bloody Sunday on Yamato. In the next semi-final, Naomichi Marufuji defeated Ryusuke Taguchi by hitting a Shiranui on Taguchi to qualify for the final round. The match was followed by a special eight-man tag team match, in which all the competitors participated, who were eliminated from the first round of the Super J-Cup, as a refresher for the finalists to take rest. The team of Jushin Thunder Liger, Akira, Kota Ibushi and Taichi defeated the team of Jado, Atsushi Aoki, Gentaro and Hayato Fujita when Akira pinned Jado with a La Magistral.[2]

In the final round, Naomichi Marufuji defeated Prince Devitt by hitting a Pole Shift to win the 2009 Super J-Cup, thus winning his second consecutive Super J-Cup tournament and earned a title shot for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome.[2]

Results
No.ResultsStipulationsTimes[2]
1Yamato defeated Gedo via referee stoppage2009 Super J-Cup tournament quarter-final8:36
2Prince Devitt defeated Danshoku Dino2009 Super J-Cup tournament quarter-final5:49
3Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Koji Kanemoto via submission2009 Super J-Cup tournament quarter-final10:14
4Naomichi Marufuji defeated Tigers Mask2009 Super J-Cup tournament quarter-final6:36
5Prince Devitt defeated Yamato2009 Super J-Cup tournament semi-final8:41
6Naomichi Marufuji defeated Ryusuke Taguchi2009 Super J-Cup tournament semi-final10:57
7Jushin Thunder Liger, Akira, Kota Ibushi and Taichi defeated Jado, Atsushi Aoki, Gentaro and Hayato FujitaEight-man tag team match17:41
8Naomichi Marufuji defeated Prince Devitt2009 Super J-Cup tournament final18:06

Aftermath

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Due to winning the 2009 Super J-Cup, Naomichi Marufuji received a title shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Tiger Mask at Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2010, where he defeated Tiger Mask to capture the Junior Heavyweight Championship.[6] The tournament would then be revived by NJPW after a seven-year hiatus in 2016.

Tournament brackets

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Round 1 Round 2 Semifinals Final
            
Prince Devitt Pin
Atsushi Aoki 10:51[7]
Prince Devitt Pin
Danshoku Dino 5:49[8]
Jado Pin
Danshoku Dino 10:14[7]
Prince Devitt Pin
Yamato 8:41[8]
Gedo Pin
Kota Ibushi 14:15[7]
Gedo Stp
Yamato 8:36[8]
Akira Sub
Yamato 8:13[7]
Prince Devitt Pin
Naomichi Marufuji 18:06[8]
Jushin Thunder Liger Pin
Naomichi Marufuji 16:21[7]
Naomichi Marufuji Pin
Tigers Mask 6:36[8]
Taichi Sub
Tigers Mask 6:41[7]
Naomichi Marufuji Pin
Ryusuke Taguchi 10:57[8]
Koji Kanemoto Sub
Hayato Fujita 13:45[7]
Koji Kanemoto Sub
Ryusuke Taguchi 10:14[8]
Ryusuke Taguchi Pin
Gentaro 10:39[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "[Results] New Japan "Super J-Cup 5th Stage", 12/22/09". Strong Style Spirit. December 22, 2009. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "[Results] New Japan "Super J-Cup 5th Stage", 12/23/09". Strong Style Spirit. December 22, 2009. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
  3. ^ "[Results] New Japan, 11/1/09 & NJ announces Super J-Cup 5th Stage!". Strong Style Spirit. November 1, 2009. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
  4. ^ "Super J Cup: 5th Stage". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
  5. ^ "第1試合 無制限1本勝負 Super J-Cup トーナメント1回戦". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. 2009-12-22. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  6. ^ Kevin Wilson. "Wrestle Kingdom IV at the Tokyo Dome". Puroresu Central. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "Super J-Cup 5th Stage". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Super J-Cup 5th Stage". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved July 20, 2016.