NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship
Giulia vs. AZM
STARDOM Nagoya Big Winter 2023 – Nagoya, Aichi, Japan – 12.2.2023

Giulia has been champion since 7.5.2023 and this is her sixth defense. AZM challenged Giulia after winning a triple threat match against Starlight Kid and Suzu Suzuki on November 18th. AZM defeated Giulia in only 55 seconds during STARDOM’s 5STAR Grand Prix in September, giving her a mental edge over the champion. AZM couldn’t get a quick pin this time, but she did wipe out Giulia on the floor with an escalera dive. Unfortunately for her, Giulia retaliated with a suplex on the floor before bringing her back into the ring. She keeps AZM grounded, damaging her legs, neck, and lower back in various submissions. AZM surprised Giulia with an aggressive barrage of strikes, only for Giulia to shut her down quickly with a Saito suplex. AZM springboard dropkicked Giulia off of the turnbuckles and to the apron, only for Guilia to slam her off of the top turnbuckle and onto the apron with a super snapmare. AZM evaded a rope-assisted neckbreaker and instead brought Giulia back into the ring with a headscissors. AZM becomes irritated when a top rope double stomp doesn’t get her the pin, and again when a swift kick to the head after La Mistica does not work. When AZM attempts a Code Red, Giulia pops her up into a forearm smash, but AZM quickly takes her down with a suplex. Giulia ducks another high kick and knees AZM right in the face. She muscles AZM up into a Falcon Arrow for two. AZM comes close to pinning Giulia with a Canadian Destroyer, so she hits a second and then cradles her with an arm capture, but that also only gets her a two count. Giulia backdrops AZM twice, each time after ducking a high kick. Giulia is shocked when AZM kicks out of the Glorious Buster. AZM cradles Giulia twice after La Mistica, neither time able to keep the champion down. Giulia catches a charging AZM with a Northern Lights Bomb to get the pin at 12:56. The absolute non factor two Canadian Destroyers had on Giulia was tough to ignore, but overall this was a blast to watch. AZM was an unrelenting force, determined to pin Giulia and refusing to stay down for long. Giulia made sure she couldn’t get much sustained offense, and even still, it took surprising AZM with a finisher to walk away with the title. AZM has been someone I’ve become a fan of in 2023, and she and Giulia have great chemistry. A little more time to breathe would’ve done wonders, but this was still a really good match. ***½

Megan Bayne began touring with STARDOM over the Summer. It was announced on December 14th during a press conference that she would challenge Giulia for the STRONG Women’s Championship, stemming from a challenge Bayne made to Giulia after they wrestled to a 15:00 time limit draw on November 26th.

NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship
Giulia vs. Megan Bayne
STARDOM Dream Queendom 2023 – Tokyo, Japan – 12.29.2023

Giulia has been champion since 7.5.2023 and this is her seventh defense. Bayne has the most significant size advantage of Giulia’s opponents yet, and shows her power by spinning Giulia around by her hair extensions. Giulia dropkicks her knee to take that advantage away, only for Bayne to take her down with a Samoan Drop. Bayne continues to overpower Giulia until Giulia takes her down with a DDT. Bayne powers Giulia up to the top turnbuckle from the mat to escape a triangle choke, and then suplexes Giulia when she jumps down for an attempted Flying DDT. Giulia lands a flurry of knee strikes on the apron to Bayne back inside the ring, and while Bayne is dazed, Giulia comes off the top with a dropkick. Bayne remains standing from the attack, but succumbs to a wheelbarrow facebuster from the champion for a two count. Bayne shuts down the champion with a pop-up powerbomb to buy some recovery time. Giulia then suplexes Giulia in from the apron using the bottom rope for leverage. Giulia would counter an F5 with a DDT and Saito suplex Bayne for two. Bayne impressively kicked out of a Northern Lights Bomb, so Giulia locked her in an Omoplata, which Bayne used the ropes to escape. She would also drop Giulia in a tombstone piledriver for a two count, and successfully pull off her second F5 attempt for another two count. Bayne brought Giulia up to the top turnbuckle, only for Giulia to bring her down with a super sunset bomb. Bayne missed a moonsault, and Giulia gave her a knee strike and a modified brainbuster for two. Giulia then locked in a Guillotine choke, figure sevening Bayne’s legs in the process. Bayne’s arm dropped three times in the hold, giving Giulia the win by referee stoppage at 17:02. This is easily Giulia’s best defense of her reign. A key reason is Bayne was the most believable threat to Giulia so far. Giulia wisely went with a submission game to neutralize Bayne’s size advantage, but she also took advantage of every opening Bayne gave her to score a big offensive maneuver. While I’m glad Giulia did not lose, Bayne was very impressive, and is clearly a stand out of the STARDOM roster in many ways. If she were to ultimately end Giulia’s reign, she would be a worthy successor. ***¾

A video played after the match where Trish Adora challenged Giulia to a title match. Trish had previously approached Giulia backstage at “Fighting Spirit Unleashed”, promising to show Giulia her fighting spirit, and while Giulia was impressed by Adora’s physique, she was not aware of who she was, and said she’d give her challenge some thought. This time, Giulia accepted Adora’s challenge, and on January 5th, the match would be made official for Battle In The Valley.

On November 11th, Tony Khan announced an AEW tournament called the Continental Classic, a twelve person two-block tournament, with the winners of each block squaring off on the World’s End PPV on December 30th. The winner of the tournament would become the inaugural AEW Continental Crown Champion, a championship which encompasses the ROH World Championship, the NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship, and the newly created AEW Continental Championship. Jon Moxley won the Gold League, and Eddie Kingston, who entered the tournament as both the ROH World and NJPW STRONG Openweight champions, won the Blue League.

AEW Continental Classic Finals – AEW Continental Crown Championship
Jon Moxley [Gold League Winner] vs. Eddie Kingston [Blue League Winner]
AEW World’s End – Long Island, NY – 12.30.2023

This is Kingston’s seventh defense of the ROH World Championship and his eighth defense of the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship. This is their fourth singles match. Moxley won the previous three matches, defeating Eddie Kingston in ICW New York in 2011, again on Dynamite in September of 2020 to retain the AEW World Championship, and then again at AEW Full Gear 2020 to retain the AEW World Championship in an I Quit match. Moxley’s partner Bryan Danielson is on commentary. Kingston usually sports the black and yellow for his idol Toshiaki Kowada, but tonight he took the tribute one step forward with yellow kick pads.

Moxley fires up Kingston with a kick to the spine, and Kingston damn near wipes himself out when he suicide dives onto Moxley and goes head first into the barricades. Moxley capitalizes on that by giving Kingston a Paradigm Shift on the floor. Kingston shakes out his shoulder and head before heading back into the ring. Kingston also hurts his hand when Moxley covers up from a chop and his hand hits Moxley’s forearm bone. Moxley gives Kingston a piledriver for two. Kingston bites Moxley’s hand to escape an STF, and also brings Moxley down to his knees during a chop exchange. This evolves into a clothesline exchange, ending with a Northern Lights suplex from Kingston. Moxley’s knee is visibly tweaked as he turns around into a Backfist from Kingston. Kingston has to take a moment to get his bearings instead of going for a cover. Kingston chops up Moxley in various corners. Moxley gives him a DDT, and Kingston comes back with a Backfist. Moxley uses the ropes to land the king kong lariat. Kingston counters a Paradigm Shift with a Northern Lights Bomb for two, and then applies a bulldog choke. Moxley counters into his own Bulldog choke, and as a last ditch effort, Kingston lunges to the ropes to get Moxley to break the hold. Moxley gets the better of a headbutt exchange, but he allows Kingston to get up to his feet. They throw open hand shots until Kingston surprises Moxley with a Backfist and gets the pin at 17:16. I don’t know how I feel about the ROH and STRONG titles being lumped in with another title as a Triple Crown of sorts – time will tell how this works out. I do, however, think the match was a letdown. The emotion just didn’t feel as strong as it did when Eddie won the ROH title from Claudio. The way the match ended didn’t make it feel like Kingston had overcome an obstacle. I also just think Kingston and Moxley have better chemistry as allies than opponents. Don’t get me wrong – I am pleased Kingston will continue on as ROH and STRONG champion and look forward to his reign, but this fell short of the “instant classic” tag some have placed on it. ***¼

Both the STRONG Openweight Tag Team champions and IWGP Tag Team Champions were in Block B of the 2023 World Tag League. The champions met on the first night of B Block action, with STRONG champions El Phantasmo and Hikuleo defeating IWGP champions Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI. Both teams would make the semi-final round, winning their respective matches against their A Block counterparts, and meet once again in the finals. After a grueling 40 minute match, which saw Bishamon put Hikuleo through a table with Shoto off of the ring apron, they would pin Phantasmo with Naraku to win the tournament for a record third time. Since they won the tournament, Bishamon got to choose their challengers for Wrestle Kingdom. Bishamon made the challenge to GoD for a threematch at Wrestle Kingdom, but with both sets of tag titles on the line. The GoD were quick to accept.

STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship & IWGP Tag Team Championship
Guerrillas of Destiny (El Phantasmo & Hikuleo) vs. Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI)
Wrestle Kingdom 18 – Tokyo, Japan – 1.4.2024

The Guerrillas of Destiny have been STRONG Openweight Tag Team champions since 10.9.2023 and this is their third defense. Jado is in their corner. Bishamon have been IWGP Tag Team Champions since 6.4.2023 and this is their third defense. June 4th was also the last time both sets of tag titles were on the line in the same match, and Bishamon was successful. There is no better example of the size differential between these teams than the moment where Bishamon double suplexed ELP, and then Hikuleo double suplexed Bishamon on his own. YOSHI-HASHI escaped to the floor after taking a side slam/elbow drop combo, which enabled him to grab ELP’s leg to prevent him from hitting Sudden Death on Goto. Goto took out Hikuleo with a spinwheel kick, leaving Phantasmo to be double teamed by the Tag League winners. Phantasmo would end up sending Goto crashing into YOSHI-HASHI with a Frankensteiner, giving him the space to tag Hikuleo back into the contest. After taking out both of Bishamon with a double clothesline, GoD had YOSHI-HASHI set up mid-ring, but YOSHI-HASHI maneuvered it so that ELP would errantly land Sudden Death on Hikuleo. Bishamon had ELP down with Shoto, but Hikuleo saved his partner from being pinned at the last minute. Phantasmo headscissors his way out of Naraku and wipes out YOSHI-HASHI with a suicide dive. Hikuleo was able to kick out of a cradle from Goto after taking an Ushigoroshi, and then blocked the GTR. ELP successfully landed Sudden Death on Goto before wiping out YOSHI-HASHI on the floor with a Bermuda Triangle. Goto kicked out after Godsend and a Thunder Struck combo, so after ELP gave him an arm capture piledriver, then decided to try Thunder Struck again, but this time with Hikuleo landing the top rope splash rather than ELP. This got them the win and the IWGP Tag Titles at 9:47. I do like that after such a long match at the World Tag League finals they followed up with a quicker, faster paced bout. It is wonderful to see how embraced GoD has been by New Japan’s home fans, and that acceptance resulted in a genuine feel good moment when they came out on top. Hikuleo is the most improved wrestler in New Japan this year, and ELP has been top tier for awhile, and I am very excited to see what their respective title reigns produce. ***½

After Will Ospreay successfully defended the IWGP United States Championship against Shota Umino at “Power Struggle”, he called Jon Moxley, Umino’s mentor who was ringside for the bout, into the ring. Ospreay and Moxley were face to face, with Ospreay admonishing Moxley for making the U.S. title irrelevant in 2020, when David Finlay blindsided both of them with a shillelagh attack. After reminding us of his promise to end Ospreay, Finlay would then smash both the IWGP US title belt, as well as the IWGP UK title belt that Ospreay created as an extension of the US title, right in front of his eyes. Shortly after this, a three way match would be made for Wrestle Kingdom between Finlay, Moxley, and Ospreay. New Japan announced on December 11th that the winner of the match would become the inaugural IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion, and that the IWGP United States Championship would be retired. Although I do not plan to cover the IWGP Global Heavyweight Title’s complete lineage the way I did the U.S. title, I did feel it was important to cover the Wrestle Kingdom three way, as the match officially puts the U.S. title to rest.

IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
David Finlay vs. Jon Moxley vs. Will Ospreay
Wrestle Kingdom 18 – Tokyo, Japan – 1.4.2024

The winner of this match becomes the inaugural IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion. During the Wrestle Kingdom press conference, Ospreay proposed and Moxley agreed to a five minute truce to start the match where they only attack Finlay. Somewhat surprisingly, they kept their word, teaming up to beat down Finlay on the Tokyo Dome floor. They were satisfied after putting Finlay through a table ringside and ended their truce inside of the ring. When they fought to the apron after a few minutes, Finlay sent Moxley face first into the ring post and used the shillelagh to assist with a neckbreaker to Ospreay onto the apron. A bloody Moxley wiped out Finlay on the floor with a suicide dive, and Ospreay moonsaulted onto both of them from the top turnbuckle. Ospreay kicked out of the Death Rider, getting his shoulder up very clearly so the end of their “Windy City Riot” match would not come to pass again. Finlay looked to intercept, and ended up being piledriver onto Ospreay’s ribs. Finlay would deliver a receipt with a Dominator to Ospreay onto Moxley. Finlay tossed Ospreay to the floor when he hit Moxley with a Hidden Blade to try and steal the pin, but only got a two count. We also had another nearfall when Ospreay landed the Hidden Blade onto Finlay and he landed in a pin onto Moxley. Finlay showed that unlike the previous BULLET CLUB leader Jay White, he faced Ospreay and Moxley head on, flipping them off and fighting back against them as best he could. After Moxley and Ospreay had beaten him down, BULLET CLUB War Dogs Alex Coughlin and Gabe Kidd ran in and attacked both men. Kidd set up two tables ringside as Coughlin choked Moxley out, telling him he had not forgotten about their Bloodsport match. Ospreay and Moxley were forced to work together again to neutralize the former STRONG tag champions, with Ospreay putting them through tables with a Swanton Bomb to the floor. Moxley took out Finlay with two Death Riders, and Ospreay then cracked Moxley with two Hidden Blades and a Storm Breaker. Finlay snuck in with Into Oblivion on Ospreay for two. Finlay used his knee to drive Ospreay face first into the match and then introduced his new finisher, Overkill, an elevated front face lock into a knee strike, for the pin at 22:17. This big win was needed for Finlay to cement himself as a BULLET CLUB leader in-line with the leaders of the past. Despite them being bigger stars, Finlay came off as an equal to both of the other challengers, especially in the moment where he stood up to both of them mid-match. The structure of the match also made you forget when one person was away from the ring for a little bit. They burned hot and fast and the crowd was into it, and all three guys worked their asses off, establishing the perceived importance of the Global right off the bat. ****

AEW Continental Crown Championship
Eddie Kingston vs. Trent Beretta
AEW Collision #29 – Charlotte, NC – 1.6.2024

Kingston has been the Continental Crown Champion since 12.30.2023. This is Kingston’s first defense of the AEW Continental Championship, his eighth defense of the ROH World Championship, and his ninth defense of the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship. Beretta earned this title match by winning a fatal four way on Dynamite three days prior. Kingston chopped Beretta in the face, breaking his nose. Kingston showed no mercy, giving Beretta a Saito suplex on the show while blood poured down his face. Beretta’s mother Sue appears in the front row to cheer on her son, who is able to take down the champion with simultaneous clothesline. Kingston facewash kicks Beretta right before the commercial break ends. Beretta hops to the middle turnbuckle, but Kingston swipes his leg and the back of Beretta’s head comes crashing down on the top turnbuckle pad. Beretta cuts off Kingston with a jumping knee strike. He dropkicks Kingston to the floor and follows with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Beretta scores with a sit-out sunset bomb for two. Kingston avoids the Dudebuster with a suplex, following up with an enzuigiri and DDT for two. Beretta musters the strength for three German suplexes, but has to use the ropes to pull himself up to his feet. He nails a Busaiku knee and pulls off a GSP on Kingston, but that still wasn’t enough to keep the champion down. Beretta half-nelson suplexes Kingston. Kingston retaliates with one of his own after ducking a Busaiku knee. He then lands a Backfist and Northern Lights suplex, and the crowd roars when Beretta kicks out. Kingston, who is in disbelief, uses a stalling Northern Lights suplex to finally keep Beretta down at 15:13. Just like he did against Shingo last month, Beretta delivers when called upon for a big singles title bout. One concern I have about Kingston is his finishers are starting to be watered down. It takes upwards of four Backfists and now two Northern Lights Bombs to keep his opponents down, and it dilutes the power of those moves when it happens in nearly every title match in which this happens. You would also need several matches where Kingston won with just one backfist or one Northern Lights Bomb for this to be effective. All of this is to say that while I do like Beretta, for where he stands in the AEW pecking order, Kingston should have been able to put him a way a little easier, especially since Beretta had a broken nose. ***½

AEW Continental Crown Championship
Eddie Kingston vs. Wheeler Yuta
AEW Rampage #127; Homecoming 2024 – Jacksonville, FL – 1.12.2024

Kingston has been the Continental Crown Champion since 12.30.2023. This is Kingston’s second defense of the AEW Continental Championship, his ninth defense of the ROH World Championship, and his tenth defense of the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship. Yuta called out Kingston on Dynamite two days prior, taking umbrage with Kingston calling him a “young boy” just before he met Moxley at World’s End. He mentions being on a hot streak on Rampage of late, and actually, you have to go back to January of 2023 to find his last loss on Rampage (to Hangman Page). Yuta disrespects the champion as he attempts to keep him grounded. When that fails, he sends Kingston into the barricade with a suicide dive and then snaps his arm across the top rope before wiping him out with a high crossbody for two. Kingston evades a corner splash and lands rapid fire chops on Yuta. Yuta elbows Kingston to cut off a charge and drives his right shoulder and elbow into the canvas. Yuta focused his attack on Kingston’s right shoulder after this, finding more success in keeping him grounded. When he gets cocky and kicks Kingston in the back, Kingston wakes up and throws his own kick to Yuta’s back. When he looks for a chop, Yuta grabs his arm and throws him back down to the mat. Not learning his lesson, Yuta slaps Kingston twice, and the champion tosses his overhead with a butterfly suplex. Yuta sends Kingston shoulder first into the corner. Kingston catches Yuta coming off of the top turnbuckle and throws him across the ring with an exploder suplex. Kingston gets two with a DDT, and a few moments later, Yuta also gets two with a diving DDT, with Kingston getting his hand on the bottom rope to avoid the pinfall. Kingston also gets the ropes to escape a modified Fujiwara armbar. Yuta lands a top turnbuckle splash after the Pain Thriller, and then a double wristlock when Kingston kicks out from that. Kingston peppers Yuta in the face with strikes after blocking a boot to the shoulder. After a suplex, he clobbers Yuta with a Backfirst. A half-nelson suplex and Northern Lights Bomb gets Kingston the pin at 17:13. Yuta controlled the match for too long in the beginning and they lost my interest. The intensity just wasn’t there to make it interesting, which was also an issue in their STRONG Openweight Title match back in September. Things picked up by the end but this would’ve been a lot better with five or so minutes cut from earlier in the match. ***

Wouldn’t have guessed the tag and women’s titles would overshadow the main STRONG title in match quality, but here we are. I’d recommend Giulia vs. Bayne and the two Wrestle Kingdom matches for sure. Mileage will vary on the Kingston bouts.