Las Vegas, NV – 10.28.2023

Commentary is provided by Veda Scott & Walker Stewart. It was announced on October 4th that Stewart would become the new lead U.S. commentator for New Japan Pro Wrestling, replacing Kevin Kelly who has been part of the AEW Collision show since its debut in June. This is Stewart’s first live show, with his NJPW commentary debut taking place on post-production of Night 4 of the Road to Power Struggle tour.

Kickoff Match
Matt Vandagriff vs. Buck Skynyr

This match is billed as a “STRONG Survivor Match”, pitting prospects from the NJPW Academy against one another on a bigger, more visible stage. Skynyr went for the Dojo’s signature Boston Crab early, then went after Vandagriff’s neck when he resisted the hold. Vandagriff flipped over a clothesline attempt and sent Skynyr into the corner with a BUckle Bomb. Skynyr quickly cut him off with a big boot and muscled him up from a gutwrench into a Cutter. Vandagriff dropkicks Skynyr off of the middle turnbuckle and to the floor and follows him out with a moonsault. He then lands a 450 splash in the ring for the pin at 5:37. This was kept pretty basic, and while both guys were competent, nothing really stood out aside from Skynyr’s general appearance. It was totally fine. **

Kickoff Match
Team Filthy (Danny Limelight, Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs) vs. Bailyan Akki, Jakob Austin Young & Titus Alexander

This is the NJPW debut for both Akki and Alexander. Alexander is a West Coast wrestling standout, while Akki is a freelancer who gained notoriety with Gatoh Move in Tokyo. He also made his CMLL debut in August. The less experienced trio gets the better of Team Filthy to start. That changed when Limelight caught Young with a flying Blockbuster and Isaacs followed up with a backbreaker. Young cuts off Nelson with a Complete Shot to escape their grasp and tags in Alexander, who takes down Limelight with an upkick before rolling him into a back handspring Ace Crusher for two. Alexander also put Isaacs in position for a coast-to-coast dropkick from Akki. Titus had Limelight pinned with a Chaos Theory, but Nelson came to his rescue. Limelight takes out Alexander with a PK and then clears house on Young and Akki with a twisting splash to the floor. Isaacs takes down Alexander with Hush Money (a full nelson into a German suplex), and Nelson follows up with California Love (a leaping Ace Crusher) for the pin at 6:54. That was very fun, and another reminder that Team Filthy should be a more consistent presence in New Japan at large. I was really impressed with their opponents too, especially Akki. A really strong way to end the kickoff show, pun intended. ***

NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship #1 Contenders Match
Satoshi Kojima vs. Fred Rosser vs. Jeff Cobb vs. Alex Coughlin

The winner of this match receives a future STRONG Openweight Championship title match. Rosser is a former champion himself, and Kojima unsuccessfully challenged Tom Lawlor for the title in July of 2021. Coughlin takes down Kojima outside of the ring as Rosser takes down Cobb inside of the ring. When Coughlin enters the ring, he takes down Rosser with a Boss Man Slam, but then is lit up by rapid fire chops from Kojima in the corner. Cobb mocks Kojima by using his own rapid fire cops and Mongolian chops against him. Coughlin and Cobb kick at each other before they drop Cobb and Rosser with stereo vertical suplexes. Kojima ends up getting all three of his opponents in the corner, lighting each of them up with chops individually. Coughlin pushes Kojima into Cobb to avoid a Koji Cutter, sending Cobb to the apron. Coughlin muscles Koima up into a powerbomb, and Rosser jumps in to break up the pin just before the three count. Rosser gives Coughlin the Gut Check, and Coughlin rolls outside before Rosser can go for a pin. Rosser rolls up Kojima after Kojima lariats Cobb. Rosser drops Kojima with the Emerald Flowsion for two, and then applies a crossface chickenwing. Kojima fights out and gives Rosser a brainbuster for two. A lariat from Kojima puts down Rosser for the pin at 9:51, with Cobb just missing his chance to break up the pin. Kojima was the most popular person in the match, and pinning a former champion gives him the most momentum possible, so all of that is good. A perfectly cromulent opening match. **¾

Lluvia & Johnni Robbie vs. Stephanie Vaquer & Zeuxis

Robbie is another NJPW Academy prospect, and the other three competitors are CMLL representatives. Vaquer & Zeuxis are the current CMLL World Women’s Tag Team champions, and Vaquer is also the CMLL World Women’s champion. Robbie had the support of the crowd as she fought an uphill battle against the more experienced duo. With Lucha rules in place, Vaquer and Zeuxis made the most of the tag rules, pulling in the other opponent when their partner went to the floor, and utilizing a lot of tandem offense. Robbie almost had Vaquer pinned after a V-Trigger, and then almost pinned Zeuxis moments later with a German suplex. Vaquer took exception to Robbie’s trash talk and immediately DDT’d her into a prawn hold. Lluvia saved her partner and trapped Vaquer in the ropes before dropkicking her in the chest. Zeuxis dropkicks Lluvia to the floor and dumps her into the crowd, with Vaquer wiping her out with a springboard dive. Back in the ring, Zeuxis took down Robbie with a Spanish Fly, and a package backbreaker from Vaquer gave her team the win at 7:40. As soon as you saw these teams enter the ring, there was no doubt who was walking away victorious. That said, with the exception of a couple rough spots early on, this was really good. Robbie and Vaquer were for sure the stand outs, and I think both of them could help foster a real division for NJPW in the U.S. Vaquer challenged Mayu Iwatani for her IWGP Women’s Title after the match, and the match would be made official for Lonestar Shootout in two weeks. ***

Tom Lawlor vs. Gabe Kidd

Lawlor has a DEFY Wrestling title with him, which he apparently stole from Schaff. Lawlor made a bit of a show over the control he had over Kidd, giving him a PK in the crowd and then firing them up before giving him a chop ringside. Soon after, Kidd would shove Lawlor into the ring post and then belly-to-belly suplex him onto the floor. Lawlor is able to regain footing in the ring, but when he tries a leaping enzuigiri as Kidd is seated on the top turnbuckle, Kidd blocks it and applies an ankle lock. He then hoists up Lawlor into a guillotine choke. Lawlor lunges to the ropes to escape a half crab. Lawlor backdrops his way out of a piledriver attempt and overhand whips Kidd into the opposite corner. He shoulder tackles Kidd in the corner after whipping him across the ring. He swiftly kicks Kidd in the side of the head after tossing him down out of waist hold for a two count. Kidd blocks NKOTB and gives Lawlor a brainbuster for two. Kidd low blows Lawlor to escape a sleeper hold and clocks him with the DEFY championship behind the referee’s back to get the pin at 12:30. This had the intensity I wanted from these two, and it was interesting to see Lawlor in the position of fighting from underneath which he doesn’t have to do too often. The ending was lame, but at least the ride to get to that point was interesting. ***

Atlantis, Atlantis Jr., Hiroshi Tanahashi & Mistico vs. Rocky Romero, Tiger Mask, Soberano Jr. & Adrian Quest

This match is billed as Atlantis’ 40th Anniversary match. I’m sure Las Vegas in front of 800 people is exactly how he intended to celebrate. Romero’s team attacks Atlantis’ team as they all pose for photos with roses in hand. They boast and celebrate as they beat down each of their opponents one-by-one. Atlantis ducks a corner attack from Romero, resulting in Romero chopping his own partners by mistake. Atlantis gives Romero, Soberano, and Quest backbeakers, and when they retreat to the floor, he calls for Atlantis Jr. to dive onto all three of them. Tanahashi goes on a tear, giving everyone dragonscrew leg whips, getting so caught up that the referee almost falls victim. Atlantis flapjacks Romero onto Quest, and then headscissors Romero to the floor after Romero accidentally chops Soberano. Atlantis Jr. then monkey flips Soberano across the ring twice. Mistico overcomes the two-on-one attack from Romero and Quest, sending both of them to the floor with headscissors. He back handspring elbows Mask out with them, and then runs up the ropes to send Soberano outside with a wrist clutch armdrag. Atlantis Jr. sends Soberano crashing into the entrance steps with a suicide dive. Misitico delivers the same dive to Romero. Mask is poised to dive, but Tanahashi cuts him off with a Sling Blade. Atlantis spikes Quest on his head with a modified slam and then powerbombs him into a pin at 10:20. The opening of this match with the sneak attack and the Rudos ruling the roost really hooked me. That team got to show a lot of personality and it helped make clear who was on which team. Then, it turned into basically every Lucha multi-man match. It was fun, and I have no issue seeing these now and again, though the overwhelming support for Tanahashi and Rocky does send a message about what the fans attending these shows want – actual New Japan people. ***¼

A promo airs of an unknown person taking shots in a bar and throwing darts at a picture of Toru Yano on a dart board. The person is revealed to be Joey Janela, and he will face Yano at “Lonestar Shootout” on November 10th. Sure why not?

NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship
Giulia vs. Hyan

Giulia has been champion since 7.5.2023 and this is her fifth defense. Hyan challenged Giulia via video after Giulia’s successful defense against Ami Sourei. The crowd is very pro Giulia, though they give Hyan respect when she escapes a side headlock and mows down the champ with a running shoulder block. Giulia responds by hairmaring Hyan across the ring. Hyan uses the ropes to escape a Cobra Twist, and then knocks down Giulia with a clothesline. Giulia backdrops her way out of a powerbomb and nails a modified Sick Kick, following that up with a top rope dropkick for two. Hyan fights out of the Glorious Bomb and looks for a suplex, but Giulia counters that into a DDT and applies a STF. Hyan rolls to the apron after using the bottom rope to break the hold. Giulia sits down on her slingshot sunset flip attempt, but Hyan launches Giulia to the floor in response. Hyan follows up with a suicide dive. The two of them fight on the top turnbuckle. Giulia ends up bringing Hyan down with a super tiger suplex, though Hyan gives her a Falcon Arrow, leaving both women laying. Hyan takes the exchange they have when they get to their feet, giving Giulia a backbreaker before successfully pulling off a powerbomb for a two count. Giulia armdrags her way out of a double underhook and German suplexes Hyan. Hyan comes back with a spear, so Giulia Saito suplexes her and drills her with a knee strike. The Northern Lights Bomb gives Giulia the pin at 12:03. This falls into the same category Giulia’s other title defenses, in that was good but not the top tier match Giulia is capable of. That said, it’s probably the best Hyan match I’ve seen, and they had me biting on a couple of her nearfalls near the end. I hope Giulia does get a top tier opponent to really show out against during her reign. ***¼

NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship
Guerrillas of Destiny (El Phantasmo & Hikuleo) vs. Alex Zayne & Lance Archer

The Guerrillas of Destiny have been champions since 10.9.2023 and this is their first defense. Zayne and Archer first teamed during the STRONG Independence Day weekend back in July. G.o.D. bring with them two gentlemen dressed like Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street, whom they dressed up as during yesterday’s press conference. Archer attacks the costumed men before the bell which kicks off the match. Archer also wins the battle of the big men, eventually taking down Hikuleo with a Thesz Press. He also launches Zayne into Hikuleo in the corner. Zayne connects with a step-up enzuigiri, but Hikuleo backdrops him to counter an oncoming flipping leg drop to the neck. ELP wipes out Archer with a pescado before delivering a slingshot somersault senton and a lionsault onto Archer for two. Archer and ELP end up rope-walking at the same time, meeting in the middle of the ropes on one side of the ring. There, Archer chops ELP to the mat, and the challengers wear him down as Hikuleo recovers from being knocked to the floor. Hikuleo clotheslines Archer to the floor from out of nowhere and then big boots Zayne into a spin-out neckbreaker from ELP for two. Archer step-up knees ELP as he ascends the ropes, giving Zayne space to bring him down with a front-flip Frankensteiner. Archer chokeslams ELP before chokeslamming Zayne into a moonsault (the Monstersault) onto ELP. Hikuleo breaks up the pin, scoop slams Archer, and then drops him with Godsend. ELP superkicks Zayne into Godsend from Hikuleo, and Thunder Kiss ‘88 from ELP gives the champions the pin at 9:25. The lighthearted nature of this bout was a bit surprising yet welcomed. It was kept to a minimum, and the competitive aspect of the bout remained intact, which is all I need. Both teams have become so competent so quickly, and like the ELP/Hikuleo title win, it was fun watching each team evolve as the match progressed. Very fun match. ***½

ELP and Hikuleo are attacked by Jorel Nelson and Roye Isaacs. The West Coast Wrecking Crew is tired of seeing thrown together tag teams get a title shot while they wait for their opportunity. They say they will take the titles at Lonestar Shootout on November 10th.

NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship
Eddie Kingston vs. HENARE

Eddie Kingston has been the NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion since 7.5.2023 and this is his fifth defense. Kingston defeated HENARE during the G1 Climax, and HENARE has been clamoring for a rematch ever since. A brawl ensued between the two of them during the Finals, leading to this match being made. HENARE’s aggressive nature gives him an early advantage, focusing on Kingston’s knee and lower back. Kingston explodes at HENARE with a clothesline after being whipped into the guardrail, but has a noticeable limp as he throws HENARE back in the ring. HENARE shuts Kingston down with body shots and chokes him on the middle rope. HENARE resists a butterfly suplex and knocks down the champion with a headbutt. Kingston kicks out of a senton/PK combo and also evades a running knee strike in the corner. He lights up HENARE with rapid fire chops and exploder suplexes him out of the corner. A strike exchange ends with HENARE cutting off Kingston with the knee strike he looked for moments earlier. He then lands the step-up knee in the corner and takes Kingston down with Rampage for two. He immediately PK’s Kingston for another two count. Kingston blocks the Ultima and Backfists HENARE three times. He collapses onto HENARE and gets a two count from it. The two men once again get into a strike exchange. Kingston is reeling when he lands a Backfist. He ducks a strike and Saito suplexes HENARE, then ducks another attack and half-nelson suplexes HENARE. Two Backfists later, and Kingston pins HENARE at 12:42 to retain the title. This is a match I think could’ve used just a couple more minutes to reach an even hotter climax, as the last few minutes got us to the level of ferocity I think we all wanted. HENARE has had a tremendous 2023, and him besting Kingston for a good portion of the contest, coupled with the fact that it took Kingston five Backfists and several suplexes to keep him down I think is emblematic of his value. HENARE doesn’t appear to love wrestling in the U.S., but I for one would enjoy seeing him at more STRONG events in the future. After the match, Satoshi Kojima tells Kingston he will defeat him at Lonestar Shootout. ***¾

Just 5 Guys (Tetsuya Naito & Yuya Uemura) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi

Since the last STRONG show, Uemura finished his excursion and re-debuted in New Japan as a member of Just 5 Guys, replacing Yoshinobu Kanemaru who defected to the House of Torture group. This is a preview for the Wrestle Kingdom 18 main event, where SANADA puts his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on the line against G1 Climax 33 winner Tetsuya Naito. Uemura shows newfound aggression, tripping Naito before he can hit the LIJ pose, and knocking Takahashi to the floor out of nowhere after taking down Naito with a double chop. LIJ beat him down for his hubris, with Takahashi taunting SANADA as Naito has Uemura in a neck submission. After Uemura escapes by whipping Naito’s arm right into the mat, SANADA embarasses Naito by trapping him in the Paradise Lock. Naito gets revenge with a neckbreaker, and SANADA uses a Russian leg sweep on Takahashi to escape LIJ’s grasp and tag Uemura back in. Uemura ends a sequence with Takahashi by taking him down with a flying crossbody for two. SANADA makes Naito pay for spitting in his face by dropping him with a Saito suplex, and attacks his neck again with Total Anarchy before swinging him around into Skull End. Naito gets the ropes to escape, and Takahashi grabs SANADA’s hair as he looks to climb to the top turnbuckle. Naito throws his elbow into SANADA’s neck several times before taking him down with Esperanza. Uemura dropkicks Naito just as he begins to position SANADA for Destino. Takahashi wipes out Uemura with a lariat and superkicks SANADA into Naito’s grasp. SANADA however step-up enzuigiri’s Naito, dropkicks Takahashi, and then hits Naito with a Shining Wizard. The one minute warning is called as Naito and SANADA trade blows. Takahashi saves Naito from being pinned by SANADA’s Death Valley Ace Crusher at the 30 second warning mark. SANADA pulls Naito into the Skull End and the clock expires at 20:00 while he is in the hold. A draw is pretty cheap for a tag match to build up the WK main event. Naito couldn’t pin Uemura? That said, this was a step-up from their D.C. match. What I found most interesting is it appeared SANADA may have given away his game plan by going after Naito’s neck so much, which Naito can now be aware of heading into Wrestle Kingdom. The action was good, the crowd was with it, and Uemura looked impressive, so I consider this a win even if there was no winner .***½

NEVER Openweight Championship
Tama Tonga vs. Shingo Takagi

Tonga has been champion since 10.9.2023 and this is his first defense. Tonga challenged Shingo to this match after Shingo defeated Tomohiro Ishii at Royal Quest III, looking to rectify their twenty minute time limit draw from this year’s G1 Climax tournament. The champion earns a moral victory, with Takagi rolling to the corner after being knocked down with a running shoulder block. Tonga throws some strikes at Shingo’s neck and left shoulder and lands a jumping elbow drop for two. Takagi wipes out Tonga with a short-arm lariat and clotheslines him to the floor. Takagi DDT’s Tonga on the floor, and decides from there to focus his attack on Tonga’s mid-section back in the ring. Tonga stops Takagi with a dropkick. The vest comes off before he lands a Stinger Splash in the corner and slams Takagi for two. Tonga then puts Takagi in a Scorpion Death Lock, with Takagi twisting himself to try to alleviate pressure as he inches towards the ropes. He does so, and also baits Tonga into a DDT. Takagi holds the ropes when Tonga goes for a dropkick, and when Tonga comes crashing down, Takagi meets him with a Sliding D. Takagi snapmares his way out of a Gun Stun. He and Tonga collide with stereo clotheslines twice, then suplex each other twice. Tonga utilizes a guillotine DDT. Takagi pulls him up into a rolling neckbreaker, leaving them both laying. Tonga Finlay rolls Takagi and quickly capitalizes with the Supreme Flow for two. Takagi blocks another Gun Stun by pulling Tonga into Noshigami, and then busts out Made In Japan for two. Tonga evades the Last of the Dragon and catches his breath by taking down the challenger with the Tongan Twist. The twenty minute mark elapses with both men on the mat. Tonga scores big with an elevated DDT for two after getting to his feet. Takagi backslides Tonga to block a third Gun Stun and folds him up in the Takagi Driver ‘98 for another close nearfall. Takagi goes back to the body scissors and adds a neck crank until Tonga reaches the ropes. Takagi can’t believe it when Tonga kicks out of the Pumping Bomber at one, so he tries Last of the Dragon again. In mid-air, Tonga counters into the Gun Stun for two. Tonga double underhooks Takagi looking for a Jay Driller. Takagi resists and haymakers Tonga. After a headbutt, Tonga goes for it again. Takagi escapes with a Franknestiner. He blocks another Gun Stun and delivers one of his own. The Pumping Bomber gets him on the cusp of a three count, and Takagi finally hitting Last of the Dragon gets him all the way there at 26:58. I truly didn’t expect much from this match. I like Tonga fine, but his longer matches have left me cold. I loved this. I loved the struggle of each competitor connecting with their finisher, I love that their arsenal was based on wearing each other down to make those finishers as effective as possible, and I love that the crowd just got hotter as the match progressed. It reinvigorated my support in Tama Tonga. My adoration for Shingo is sky high and remains there. It felt as close to a true New Japan house style main event as I’ve seen in the U.S. in awhile, and that’s a good thing. Hooray for Shingo having something to do again. ****¼

Shingo tells the crowd he is so happy. He compliments Tonga, but says he won, and that it’s his third reign as NEVER Openweight Championship. He asks who’s next and requests somebody come out, but instead, he receives a challenge via video from Trent Beretta, a four time IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team champion, and a former NEVER Six Man Tag Team champion, for Lonestar Shootout.

This was a bit of an odd PPV, in that it was a PPV that built up another PPV in two weeks, but even on its own merits it stands fairly tall. The production quality was also much better, which I hope remains the case going forward. The main event alone is worth checking out this show, but there’s plenty to enjoy beyond that. I’m very much looking forward to Lonestar Shootout.