section_path: Professional wrestling career/New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2017–2025)/United Empire (2020–2025)
section_name: United Empire (2020–2025)
paragraph_text: United Empire (2020–2025)
  
  In August 2020, Cobb competed in the New Japan Cup USA where he defeated Tanga Loa in the first round before losing to Kenta in the semi-finals. Cobb was also announced to be competing in the 2020 G1 Climax tournament where he again finished with 8 points, failing to advance to the finals. It was also reported that Cobb had signed a contract with New Japan, officially joining the roster full time. He would join Will Ospreay's United Empire stable (then known as the Empire) at the November 15 show, teaming with Great-O-Khan in the annual World Tag League thus turning heel in the process, though finishing the tournament with 10 points, failing to advance to the finals. At Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome he challenged Shingo Takagi for the NEVER Openweight Championship but lost the match.
  
  In March, Cobb would participate in the New Japan Cup, he defeated Satoshi Kojima in the first round, but was eliminated in the second round by Evil. Over the next few months, Cobb would team with his United Empire teammates in tag team matches against Los Ingobernables de Japon. Cobb began a short feud with Kota Ibushi which culminated in a match between the two at Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall, which Cobb lost. Cobb then began a feud with Kazuchika Okada, which started when Cobb pinned Okada in a tag match. The two would exchange losses and victories over the next few months, with Okada beating Cobb at Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome and Cobb defeating Okada at Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome.
  
  In September, Cobb would enter the G1 Climax 31 and would be in the B-block. During the tournament, Cobb would break records, defeating Chase Owens, Yoshi-Hashi, Hirooki Goto, Tama Tonga, Taichi, Sanada, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Evil, therefore winning his first 8 consecutive G1 matches, the most consecutive wins in the tournament's history. However, on Night 18 in the B-block final, Cobb would lose to eventual G1 winner Kazuchika Okada, failing to advance to the tournament with 16 points, as Okada had also only lost one B-block match to Tama Tonga. On January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom 16, United Empire defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon on night one, but Cobb would lose to Tetsuya Naito on night two the following day.
  
  In March, Cobb would once again enter the New Japan Cup. He defeated Togi Makabe, Kojima and Yoshi-Hashi, but lost to Naito in the quarter final round. Cobb reshifted his focus to tag team competition with Great O-Khan who had been teaming with Aaron Henare. On April 9, O-Khan and Cobb became the IWGP Tag Team Champions for the first time in both men's careers, during the Hyper Battle series. The two lost the titles at Wrestling Dontaku, ending their reign at 22 days. They regained the titles on June 12, at Dominion 6.12 in Osaka-jo Hall.
  
  After losing the titles at Forbidden Door, Cobb was announced to be a part of the G1 Climax 32 in July at Dominion 6.12 in Osaka-jo Hall, where he would compete in the A Block. Cobb finished the tournament with 6 points, failing to advance to the semi-finals. Later that year in October, Cobb participated in a tournament to crown the inaugural NJPW World Television Champion, but was defeated by Yoshi-Hashi in the first round. The following month at Battle Autumn, Cobb and O-Khan faced FTR in a rematch for the IWGP Tag Team titles, but were defeated. On January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom 17, Cobb competed in the New Japan Rambo, but failed to last till the final 4. The following day at New Year Dash!!, Cobb teamed with Aaron Henare in a losing effort to new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada and new IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega.
  
  In March, Cobb competed in the New Japan Cup, receiving a bye to the second round, where he was defeated by Evil. Later that month, Cobb defeated Moose at Multiverse United. In May at Wrestling Dontaku, Cobb challenged Zack Sabre Jr. for the NJPW World Television Championship, but the match ended in a time limit draw, causing Sabre Jr to retain the championship. A rematch was set up the following month at Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall, where Sabre Jr defeated Cobb. Later in the month, Cobb competed on the buy-in of Forbidden Door, where he teamed with United Empire stablemates, Kyle Fletcher and TJP in a losing effort to Los Ingobernables de Japon members, Shingo Takagi, Bushhi and Hiromu Takahashi. The following month, Cobb competed in the annual G1 Climax tournament, where he was placed into the D Block. Cobb finished with 9 points, narrowly missing out on qualifying for a quarterfinal spot. On May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku, Cobb defeated Sabre Jr. to win the NJPW World Television Championship for the first time. On October 14 at King of Pro-Wrestling Cobb lost the World Television title to Ren Narita in a 3-way match that also includes Yota Tsuji. He would compete in a losing effort for the title again at Wrestle Kingdom 19 in Four-way match. On April 4 at Sakura Genesis, Cobb and Callum Newman defeated Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship.
  
  On April 14, NJPW announced that Cobb would be leaving NJPW and the IWGP Tag Team Championship would be vacated, ending Cobb and Newman’s reign at 9 days. On April 19 during the Road to Wrestling Dontaku tour, Cobb wrestled his final match in NJPW, losing to Hiroshi Tanahashi. After the match, Cobb thanked NJPW, his United Empire stablemates, and the NJPW fans, officially ending his near 8-year tenure with the promotion.
  
  In August 2020, Cobb competed in the New Japan Cup USA where he defeated Tanga Loa in the first round before losing to Kenta in the semi-finals. Cobb was also announced to be competing in the 2020 G1 Climax tournament where he again finished with 8 points, failing to advance to the finals. It was also reported that Cobb had signed a contract with New Japan, officially joining the roster full time. He would join Will Ospreay's United Empire stable (then known as the Empire) at the November 15 show, teaming with Great-O-Khan in the annual World Tag League thus turning heel in the process, though finishing the tournament with 10 points, failing to advance to the finals. At Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome he challenged Shingo Takagi for the NEVER Openweight Championship but lost the match.
  
  In March, Cobb would participate in the New Japan Cup, he defeated Satoshi Kojima in the first round, but was eliminated in the second round by Evil. Over the next few months, Cobb would team with his United Empire teammates in tag team matches against Los Ingobernables de Japon. Cobb began a short feud with Kota Ibushi which culminated in a match between the two at Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall, which Cobb lost. Cobb then began a feud with Kazuchika Okada, which started when Cobb pinned Okada in a tag match. The two would exchange losses and victories over the next few months, with Okada beating Cobb at Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome and Cobb defeating Okada at Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome.
  
  In September, Cobb would enter the G1 Climax 31 and would be in the B-block. During the tournament, Cobb would break records, defeating Chase Owens, Yoshi-Hashi, Hirooki Goto, Tama Tonga, Taichi, Sanada, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Evil, therefore winning his first 8 consecutive G1 matches, the most consecutive wins in the tournament's history. However, on Night 18 in the B-block final, Cobb would lose to eventual G1 winner Kazuchika Okada, failing to advance to the tournament with 16 points, as Okada had also only lost one B-block match to Tama Tonga. On January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom 16, United Empire defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon on night one, but Cobb would lose to Tetsuya Naito on night two the following day.
  
  In March, Cobb would once again enter the New Japan Cup. He defeated Togi Makabe, Kojima and Yoshi-Hashi, but lost to Naito in the quarter final round. Cobb reshifted his focus to tag team competition with Great O-Khan who had been teaming with Aaron Henare. On April 9, O-Khan and Cobb became the IWGP Tag Team Champions for the first time in both men's careers, during the Hyper Battle series. The two lost the titles at Wrestling Dontaku, ending their reign at 22 days. They regained the titles on June 12, at Dominion 6.12 in Osaka-jo Hall.
  
  After losing the titles at Forbidden Door, Cobb was announced to be a part of the G1 Climax 32 in July at Dominion 6.12 in Osaka-jo Hall, where he would compete in the A Block. Cobb finished the tournament with 6 points, failing to advance to the semi-finals. Later that year in October, Cobb participated in a tournament to crown the inaugural NJPW World Television Champion, but was defeated by Yoshi-Hashi in the first round. The following month at Battle Autumn, Cobb and O-Khan faced FTR in a rematch for the IWGP Tag Team titles, but were defeated. On January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom 17, Cobb competed in the New Japan Rambo, but failed to last till the final 4. The following day at New Year Dash!!, Cobb teamed with Aaron Henare in a losing effort to new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada and new IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega.
  
  In March, Cobb competed in the New Japan Cup, receiving a bye to the second round, where he was defeated by Evil. Later that month, Cobb defeated Moose at Multiverse United. In May at Wrestling Dontaku, Cobb challenged Zack Sabre Jr. for the NJPW World Television Championship, but the match ended in a time limit draw, causing Sabre Jr to retain the championship. A rematch was set up the following month at Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall, where Sabre Jr defeated Cobb. Later in the month, Cobb competed on the buy-in of Forbidden Door, where he teamed with United Empire stablemates, Kyle Fletcher and TJP in a losing effort to Los Ingobernables de Japon members, Shingo Takagi, Bushhi and Hiromu Takahashi. The following month, Cobb competed in the annual G1 Climax tournament, where he was placed into the D Block. Cobb finished with 9 points, narrowly missing out on qualifying for a quarterfinal spot. On May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku, Cobb defeated Sabre Jr. to win the NJPW World Television Championship for the first time. On October 14 at King of Pro-Wrestling Cobb lost the World Television title to Ren Narita in a 3-way match that also includes Yota Tsuji. He would compete in a losing effort for the title again at Wrestle Kingdom 19 in Four-way match. On April 4 at Sakura Genesis, Cobb and Callum Newman defeated Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship.
  
  On April 14, NJPW announced that Cobb would be leaving NJPW and the IWGP Tag Team Championship would be vacated, ending Cobb and Newman’s reign at 9 days. On April 19 during the Road to Wrestling Dontaku tour, Cobb wrestled his final match in NJPW, losing to Hiroshi Tanahashi. After the match, Cobb thanked NJPW, his United Empire stablemates, and the NJPW fans, officially ending his near 8-year tenure with the promotion.