Universe Cup

Looks like I now have to start talking about MONDAY MAGIC a bit more often. This thing started off in 2023 as an idea by NOSAWA Rongai to host live weekly NOAH shows on ABEMA built around mystery lineups and surprise matches. After the debut season, the series was then added to Wrestle Universe and last year it was quietly spun off into becoming its own brand, although it is still NOAH adjacent. I personally like the idea of treating Monday Magic as its own thing but you’d still be right to label it a NOAH show.

During the most recent season titled “RISING SUN”, it was announced that two upcoming spin-off episodes called “UNIVERSE MAGIC” will host the first ever Universe Cup tournament. It will be an eight man tournament featuring a representative from many different wrestling promotions that can be seen on Wrestle Universe. The wrestlers taking part are:

Naomichi Marufuji (Pro Wrestling NOAH)
Sanshiro Takagi (DDT Pro Wrestling)
The Great Sasuke (Michinoku Pro Wrestling)
Hayabusa (ZERO1 Pro Wrestling)
Isami Kodaka (Pro Wrestling BASARA)
Yumehito Imanari (Ganbare☆Pro Wrestling)
Kuroshio TOKYO Japan (Pro Wrestling Uptown)
Great Mummy (MONDAY MAGIC)

MONDAY MAGIC “UNIVERSE MAGIC 2026”, 09/03/2026
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1. UNIVERSE CUP – Round 1: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Great Mummy
2. UNIVERSE CUP – Round 1: Naomichi Marufuji Vs Kuroshio TOKYO Japan
3. UNIVERSE CUP – Round 1: Isami Kodaka Vs The Great Sasuke
4. UNIVERSE CUP – Round 1: Hayabusa Vs Yumehito Imanari

Alright I get to talk about the new Hayabusa! Actually Bahu did a great job explaining the whole situation with him and ZERO1 recently so I recommend you give his video a watch. The inclusion of ZERO1 to this tournament comes from their repaired relationship with NOAH after the Go Shiozaki fiasco (I knew something was up with him a while back) and that led to Hayabusa recently appearing on Monday Magic so his addition has not come out of nowhere.

One of NOSAWA’s running jokes in Monday Magic is to often book one of the wrestlers to disguise themselves as Great Mummy, a throwback to the mummy gimmicks that were a regular presence around Japan’s sleazier indies decades ago. It’s only fitting that Sanshiro Takagi was chosen to be Great Mummy’s opponent in the first round.

MONDAY MAGIC “UNIVERSE MAGIC 2026”, 06/04/2026
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1. UNIVERSE CUP – Semi Final: X Vs X
2. UNIVERSE CUP – Semi Final: X Vs X
3. UNIVERSE CUP – Final: X Vs X

The match announcement video included an image of a playoff bracket that makes it look like the winners of Matches #1 and #3 will meet in one semi final and the winners of Matches #2 and #4 will face off in the other. However I’m feeling suspicious about something. To put it kindly, NOSAWA is a trickster at heart. Don’t be surprised if he suddenly throws in a swerve or two that could completely change the face of the Universe Cup going into the final rounds.