Between Capital Collision and this event, all three STRONG titles were defended, across three different companies to boot:

NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship & AEW TBS Championship
Mercedes Moné vs. Emi Sakura
AEW Dynamite #262; Title Tuesday – Spokane, WA – 10.8.2024

Moné has been NJPW STRONG Women’s champion since 6.30.2024 and this is her second defense. She has been the AEW TBS champion since 5.26.2024 and this is her eighth defense. Kamille is in Moné’s corner. Sakura overwhelms Moné with chops. Moné uses a chinbreaker to stop her the first time, and then a stunner onto the middle turnbuckle the second time. Moné gains firm grasp of the match with a Meteora onto the floor. Kamille also chokes Sakura on the middle rope. Moné gets two with a back cracker thanks to Sakura getting her foot on the bottom rope. Sakura moves out of the way of a facewash kick, which sends Moné crashing to the floor. Sakura holds up Moné in a double underhook and uses her feet to kick Kamille away. She then splashes Moné’s ribs onto the barricades and then both her and Kamille into the barricades. Sakura gives Moné a double underhook backbreaker back in the ring, but Moné rolls to the apron before she can go for a pin. Moné kicks Sakura to the ropes when Sakura comes after her. Kamille trips Sakura as she hits the ropes, and Moné rolls her into the Statement Maker. Sakura taps out at 10:10. This was painfully mediocre. I like Sakura and appreciate that she got this match but nobody bought her as a credible challenger and the crowd’s tepid responses reflected that. The ending was also anticlimactic, despite Moné wearing down Sakura’s neck and upper back for most of the match. Just a bland, boring bout. **

NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship
Gabe Kidd vs. Anthony Henry
ROH on HonorClub #85 – Toledo, OH – 10.10.2024

Kidd has been champion since 5.11.2024 and this is his third defense. BEEF is in Henry’s corner. Henry answered an open challenge from Kidd for this title opportunity. Henry must have known that Kidd was a Mad Man, because he instantly dropkicked him to the floor and leg lariated him into the barricades at the bell. Back in the ring, Kidd evaded his top rope double stomp, but Henry knocked him loopy with an enzuigiri and got a two count with a German suplex. Kidd blocked a tornado DDT and pushed Henry off of the top rope to the floor. Kidd gets on the microphone and trash talks the crowd as he stomps Henry back in the ring. BEEF gets the crowd behind Henry as he engages in a strike exchange, and also prevents Kidd from getting a weapon from underneath the ring. Kidd knocks down BEEF with a forearm strike, but that distraction gives Henry the opening to suicide dive onto him. Henry gets in his double stomp to Kidd’s shoulder blades and then delivers double knees in the corner. Henry gets two with a brainbuster and then delivers a swift kick to the head before attempting another pin, which also gets a two count. Kidd halts Henry on the top turnbuckle and brings him down with a superplex. He gets two with a Saito suplex and also a lariat. Henry tries his hardest to fight free, but ultimately succumbs to Kidd’s piledriver for the pin at 8:07. The match started hot and more or less kept the intensity throughout the entire eight minutes. BEEF’s involvement augmented the match as well, as he helped the crowd get more into Henry. Kidd struggling to keep him down and even get him up for the final piledriver also hit home that he was a worthy challenger, despite not actually being so. If you’ve got a New Japan World subscription anyhow, this is on there, and I think it’s worth your time. Let’s get Henry (and Drake and heck even BEEF) on some STRONG cards. ***

NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship
TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomohiro Ishii
NJPW Royal Quest IV – London, England – 10.20.2024

TMDK have been champions since 6.9.2024 and this is their second defense. Tanahashi and Ishii won a #1 Contendership match at Capital Collision to earn this title bout. The crowd is very upset that Haste stomped on Tanahashi’s air guitar. TMDK isolated Ishii early the same way they did Virus last month – Nicholls tripping him into a baseball slide dropkick from Haste, and then slamming Ishii sternum first into the ring frame. Ishii side steps an attack from Haste, resulting in Haste knocking Nicholls to the floor, and then Saito suplexes Haste before making the tag to Tanahashi. He gets in a few shots on Haste, but Haste dropkicks Tanahashi when he goes for the Sling Blade. Tanahashi takes down Nicholls with a dragonscrew leg whip and puts him in a sharpshooter. Ishii not only prevents Haste from breaking the hold, but also puts Haste in a sharpshooter. Nicholls is able to make his way to the ropes on his own. Tanahashi then pulls off the Sling Blade on Nicholls for two. Tanahashi also fights free of the Olivia Newton Bomb, resulting in Nicholls powerbombing his partner. Tanahashi takes out Nicholls with Aces High, only for Haste to get his knees up to block the High Fly Flow. Nicholls gets in a basement clothesline before tagging out to Haste. Ishii instantly gives Haste a brainbuster upon entering the match. Haste does end a strike exchange with a release Regal Plex and then Fire Ant style kick for two. Tanahashi saves Ishii from the Tankbuster and drops both TMDK members with Twist and Shout. Haste falls to a High Fly Flow/brainbuster combo, but Nicholls disrupts the pin count just in time. Tanahashi takes them both down with Twist and Shouts, leaving Haste to Ishii for a lariat and yet another two count. Haste escapes another brainbuster from Tanahashi and elbows him into Nicholls’ grasp. TMDK lay out Ishii with the Tank Buster. Tanahashi disrupts the pin, and for his troubles is taken out with a tandem Power Bottom. Ishii fights back as he is peeled off of the mat. The crowd erupts when Ishii kicks out of a second Tank Buster. Haste climbs to the second turnbuckle and TMDK delivers a flying Tank Buster on Ishii for the pin at 15:58. Sometimes all it takes to make titles feel important is putting them against main event talent in a semi-main event spot. It helps tremendously that Tanahashi and Ishii work very well together and fight as if winning the titles meant something to them. TMDK had to work hard and smart to keep them down and when the match was over, it felt like they had earned the titles all over again. If you happen to follow the U.S. New Japan shows as closely as I do, be sure to check this out. ***¾

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Lowell, MA – 11.8.2024

Commentary is provided by Walker Stewart & Veda Scott

Kickoff Match
Matt Vandagriff vs. Seabass Finn

This match is billed as a “STRONG Survivor Match”, pitting prospects from the NJPW Academy against one another on a bigger, more visible stage. This is the seventh STRONG Survivor Match, and Vandagriff has won the previous six. Bass controls the incumbent with a front facelock, sending him to the apron with a half-hatch suplex. Vandagriff snaps Bass’ neck across the top rope and nails him with a running clothesline to turn the match in his favor. He drives his knees into Bass’ back and tiger feint kicks him off of the ropes. Bass overhead suplexes Vandagriff off of the top turnbuckle. He pummels Vandagriff in the corner with multiple hip attacks before pulling him up into a German suplex for two. Vandagriff weaves out of a fisherman’s suplex and flips through a lariat attempt. Bass hits the Bate lariat the second time around for two. Bass’ fisherman driver only gets one. Vandagriff counters another fisherman’s buster. A roundhouse kick and Bloody Sunday gives Vandagriff the win at 5:31. Another U.S. show where Vandagriff’s opponent outshines him. Finn was charismatic and technically sound while Vandagriff came off like someone playing wrestler. Mixed bag. **

Vandagriff demands a microphone after the bell. He brags about it being all easier challenges so far. In the ring comes Zane Jay, who Vandagriff defeated at “Windy City Riot.” Since then, Jay has joined the New Japan Dojo, shaved his head, and went to Japan. He’s a different man than he was in Chicago and wants another shot at Vandagriff. Vandagriff says he’ll drop Jay on his head again and grants him the rematch. Vandagriff attacks Jay from behind and leaves him laying with a Bloody Sunday to near silence. Hopefully Jay ends this streak.

Kevin Knight vs. David Finlay

Knight defeated Finlay in six man tag team action at “Capital Collision”, and won the IWGP Junior Tag Team Titles from Finlay’s fellow War Dogs at “King of Pro Wrestling.” Knight wears out Finlay right from the bell. Finlay cuts him off with a Hot Shot onto the guardrails and aggressively shoves him into the crowd. Finlay continues attacking Knight’s back when they’re in the ring. Knight reverses a whip and nails Finlay with a dropkick. He slams Finlay into a standing frog splash for two. Knight also gets two with a jump-up super Frankensteiner. Finlay counters Knight’s jump-up DDT by depositing him over the top rope and to the floor. Knight avoids being thrown into the ring post. He leapfrogs over Finlay’s charge, sending Finlay into the guardrails, and Knight then uses the ring frame to springboard dropkick Finlay into them! Finlay ducks a springboard in the ring. He suplexes Finlay into Into Oblivion for two. Knight fails to pin Finlay with a jackknife pin and a cradle. After the Rydeen Bomb also fails to get the job done, Knight tornado DDT’s Finlay for yet another two count. Finlay blocks another DDT and Buckle Bombs Knight. After another powerbomb, Finlay pins Knight with Overkill at 9:29. This match kept a quick, energetic pace throughout, which is not usual for Finlay these days. Knight tried to force him to wrestle his match, but Finlay ultimately overpowered him and persevered. The exact kind of fun, spirited match you want starting a show. ***

NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship
TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson)

TMDK have been champions since 6.9.2024 and this is their third defense. The only other time we saw GYV in New Japan was failing to earn a shot at these titles. So why are they getting a shot? TMDK are also just four days removed from losing the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Titles at Power Struggle. Even still, they seem to be in good spirits as they take turns pummeling Gibson. Gibson pulls Haste to his corner so he can tag in Drake, who drop toe holds Haste into a basement dropkick from Gibson. They also give Haste a tandem backbreaker on the ground. Haste backdrops Gibson and dropkicks Drake to get the opportunity to tag in Nicholls. He gets two on Drake with a sliding clothesline. Nicholls backdrops Drake into a neckbreaker from Haste, and Haste then muscles Drake up into a Falcon Arrow for two. Gibson takes out Nicholls on the floor as Haste gives Drake an inverted exploder suplex. Drake takes down Haste with a dragonscrew leg whip after blocking a Shining Wizard. Nicholls jumps in to save Haste from being pinned by Gibson’s back cracker. TMDK come back with a tandem Power Bottom on Drake and a Tank Buster on Gibson. Gibson fights out of a super Tank Buster attempt as Drake pulls Nicholls to the floor. Drake chokes Haste with his towel behind the referee’s back. GYV then wiped out Haste with a lariat/leg sweep combo (Grit Your Teeth) for the pin and the titles at 9:56. I had a feeling after TMDK lost one set of the titles the second were soon to follow. I don’t have a problem with GYV being champions, maybe that gives them something to do in AEW now that they’ve seemingly lost interest in them already, but I do have a problem with them getting the title shot out of thin air. The match was good, not great, definitely a far cry from the Tanahashi and Ishii defense. It kind of felt like both teams were going through the motions, which is fortunately still a pretty competent match. ***

Lio Rush vs. Mustafa Ali

This is a rematch from “Windy City Riot”, which came about when Ali attacked Lio Rush backstage at “Capital Collision” and asked for the rematch. The pace is ridiculously fast at the start thanks to Rush’s initial clothesline. Ali slows things down with a roll-up neckbreaker. When Rush tries a headscissors, Ali sits down into a Boston Crab and transitions into a STF. When Rush tries to Come Up moments later, Ali dropkicks him in the neck and gets two with a bridging German suplex. Rush victory rolls his way out of a slam from Ali and back handspring kicks him to the floor. Rush then suicide dives Ali into the entrance stairs twice. Ali spikes Rush with a DDT on the floor and dumps him back in the ring. Rush rolls out of a 450 Splash and gets two with a Spanish Fly. When Ali tries another roll-up neckbreaker, Rush counters into a sit-out powerbomb. Ali responds with a Liger Bomb of his own. Ali misses the 450 Splash, crashing a burning this time. Rush pounces quickly with a frog splash to the back, and then an Aces High for the pin at 10:08. This was such an improvement from their first match. It was much more exciting, and wrestled like it was two men trying to prove they were the best rather than just an exhibition. Best of all, Rush left his spooky persona at home. This was a blast. ***½

Best Two out of Three Falls Match
Dirty Work (Fred Rosser & Tom Lawlor) vs. The West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs)

This is a threematch, with WCWC defeating Dirty Work at “Resurgence” and Dirty Work defeating WCWC in a Street Fight at “Capital Collision.” Also at Capital Collision, WCWC attacked Dirty Work during their post match promo and challenged them to this two out of three falls bout to settle the rivalry. The first fall is a Tables Match. The teams brawl around the building, and eventually, Lawlor lands a diving forearm smash off of the entrance stage to Nelson through a table at 4:59, winning the first fall for Dirty Work. The second fall is a Submissions Match. Rosser wants his signature crossface chickenwing on Isaacs but can’t get it hooked. He and Lawlor trap Isaacs in a double Fujiwara armbar. Nelson pulls Rosser to the floor and throws him into the guardrails. Isaacs also pounces Lawlor into the guardrails. Rosser fights out of Nelson’s ankle lock, but he’s busted open by Isaacs’ heavy forearm strikes. Isaacs swings Rosser out of the corner into a Scorpion Death Lock. Nelson adds a crossface. Lawlor hops on Isaacs’ back, putting him in a sleeper and partially freeing Rosser. Lawlor fights off both of the WCWC while his partner is in dire straits. Rosser still attempts a chicken wing on Isaacs as Lawlor has Nelson in a key lock. Nelson reverses into a rear-naked choke. Just as Rosser’s arm is about to drop for a third time, Lawlor releases his hold to try and save Lawlor. Still, Nelson takes out Lawlor, and the referee calls the second fall for the WCWC at 13:15 as Rosser is nearly passed out.

The Third Fall is a Last Man Standing Strap match, with Isaacs attached to Rosser and Lawlor attached to Nelson, though Isaacs attacks before he can be connected. After WCWC beats them down for several minutes, Lawlor throws Nelson into Isaacs, and Rosser fires up on them. Rosser connects himself to Isaacs and the third fall officially begins. Rosser and Lawlor beat the WCWC so bad that they almost get counted down for ten. The only saving grace is that they rolled to the outside to get on their feet. Lawlor and Nelson fight on the apron with a table looming underneath them. Isaacs tries to attack Lawloer from behind, but Rosser pulls him down into the crossface chicken wing. Nelson wraps Lawlor up in the strap and puts him through the table on the floor with an Ace Crusher off of the apron. Lawlor is counted down for ten, leaving Rosser. Nelson pulls his strap off of the incapacitated Lawlor and cracks Rosser in the back with a chair. A spike piledriver on the chair knocks Rosser out for the count of ten, ending the match at 15:33 (26:37, unofficially), with the WCWC winning the match 2 falls to 1. This was quite a brawl, but had a lot a lulls to the action. If they just made this a Last Man Standing Strap match to begin with, it would’ve been an epic feud ending bout. The two falls before it watered the match down. I like that WCWC come out of this looking like monsters and hope that finally they can move on to bigger and better things. Why neither team is in World Tag League is beyond me. ***¼

Nelson immediately calls for the Grizzled Young Veterans. Drake and Gibson make their way to the stage. Nelson says they have nothing against them, but they hold what they want, and say that on December 15th, the titles will belong to them. GYV hold up the titles, accepting their challenge for Long Beach. That should be good.

NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship #1 Contendership Match
Anna Jay vs. Hazuki vs. Koguma vs. Trish Adora

Jay is of course with AEW, but competed in STARDOM’s 5Star Grand Prix this past August. Both Koguma and Hazuki are tag partners in STARDOM as part of the STARS faction. We see that play out early on when Jay and Adora form a loose partnership to fight Koguma and Hazuki. Unfortunately for them, Koguma and Hazuki’s years of experience as a team causes them to best Adora and Jay with tandem offense quite handily. Jay ends the partnership by sending Adora crashing into the corner with both Hazuki and Koguma, and Adora makes her pay for the betrayal with a Cerebro Lock and Boss Man Slam backbreaker. Koguma and Hazuki stand toe-to-toe after ridding of Jay and Adora, and aggressively reverse a victory roll looking for a pin. A misdirection allows for Koguma to drop Hazuki with an Ace Crusher. Adora lays both of them out with a double lariat. Adora forearms Koguma onto Jay and then lays out Hazuki with an Air Raid Crash for two. Hazuki unloads a barrage of forearm strikes to Adora’s neck. She runs into a kneeling German suplex from Adora, and then a bridging German suplex for two. Lariat Tubman misses, and Hazuki Magistral cradles Adora for the pin at 8:57. Very surprised to not see Adora or Jay take this one, but also delighted. Hazuki and Koguma definitely impressed, and Hazuki had just a little more star power in her presentation. I thought they would have a hard time following the lengthy brawl that preceded it, but they kept the energy high and had a totally different, but really fun match-up. ***¼

Mercedes Moné herself emerges from the back and makes her way to the ring. A Boston native herself, Moné shouts out Lowell to start. She congratulates Hazuki for her impressive victory, but says she will be going against the greatest of all time on December 15th. Hazuki snatches the microphone out of Moné’s hand and tells her that the belt will be hers. She then shoves the microphone back in her chest. Moné strikes Hazuki and they get in a strike exchange. Moné ends it with a backbreaker.

Los Ingobernables de Japón (Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji) vs. The Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)

The LIJ duo was announced for World Tag League this week. Who better to warm-up against than a pair of former IWGP World Tag Team Champions? This is Bennett and Taven’s first tag match in NJPW since the 2015 World Tag League tournament. They isolate Tsuji pretty early on with a springboard enzuigiri and the Boston Bayonet. Tsuji gets his legs up to block Taven’s lionsault and tags in Takagi, who gets two on Taven with a snap DDT. Taven gives Takagi the Kick of the King after evading his Sliding D. Takagi retaliates with a dragonscrew leg whip. Bennett also falls victim to Takagi’s snap DDT. Tsuji kicks Bennett to the corner and follows in with a splash and shoulder tackle. Taven snaps Tsuji’s neck on the top rope to stop his spear, and Bennett shimself pears Tsuji for a two count. A Death Valley Driver and Just The Tip get the Kingdom two thanks to Takagi’s interjection. Takagi and Tsuji pummel Bennett back and forth between them. They double headbutt Bennett before Tsuji gives him a curb stomp. Takagi lays out Taven with a Pumping Bomber and Tsuji tackles Bennett with the Gene Blaster for the pin at 10:55. As I said, this was a good way to get Takagi and Tsuji, an uncommon duo in their faction, some momentum heading into World Tag League, and giving the hometown crowd some returning favorites at the same. Nothing mind blowing, but perfectly competent and enjoyable. ***

After the match, a video airs of someone making a homemade blade and stabbing it through a photo of Yota Tsuji. When it ends, Jack Perry blindsides Tsuji from behind and throws him into the guardrails and ring post. He lays out Tsuji with the Glass Jaw in the ring. He tells Tsuji that he put aside January 5th to challenge him at Wrestle Dynasty in the Tokyo Dome. I like that match-up.

Ryohei Oiwa vs. KENTA

Oiwa returned to New Japan and joined TMDK at “King Of Pro Wrestling” in October. This is his very first match in the United States. KENTA damages Oiwa’s left shoulder for a long time. KENTA’s tornado DDT on the top rope leads to a diving lariat for two. KENTA calls for the Go 2 Sleep after Oiwa kicks out from a double stomp. Oiwa evades it and knocks down KENTA with a clothesline. He muscles KENTA into a Doctor Bomb for two. Oiwa puts KENTA in a sleeper hold. He then tries for his discus lariat but KENTA ducks. He pokes Oiwa in the eyes and cradles him, but Oiwa reverses the cradle to pin KENTA at 9:26 An angry KENTA tries to attack Oiwa after the match but is thwarted. This was very basic, but a needed comedown before we get rolling into the final three big matches. It also got Oiwa in front of the U.S. fans which is important for helping to establish him as a player. I sense big things for him. Hopefully bigger than KENTA singles matches. **½

Shota Umino & Tomohiro Ishii vs. TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr. & Bad Dude Tito)

This week, it was announced that Sabre would defend the IWGP World Heavyweight Title against Shota Umino at Wrestle Kingdom 19. Their opening exchange would lead to a stalemate, resulting in Tito and Ishii meeting in the ring as they did in “Capital Collision.” Ishii wins the suplex battle, but when he does, Sabre tries to interject. Ishii knocks him down into a somersault senton from Umino. Tito takes down Ishii with a flying Blockbuster. He and Sabre wear down The Stone Pitbull to the dismay of the Lowell crowd. Ishii refuses to stay down and Saito suplexes Tito to catch his breath. Umino tags back in alongside Sabre, knocking down the champion with a running back elbow. Ishii saves Umino from a cross armbreaker. Sabre kicks away Umino’s arm to stop a clothesline, so Umino lands a jump-up enzuigiri. Sabre penalty kicks Umino before collapsing. Tito drops Umino with both a spinebuster and Death Valley Driver, and once again Ishii saves his partner. Ishii pops up from Tito’s brainbuster and German suplexes him. Umino then shotgun dropkicks Sabre into a German suplex from Ishii. Umino exploder suplexes Tito into Ishii’s Sliding Lariat. Umino’s Ignition neckbreaker leads to a pin attempt, which Sabre quickly breaks by grabbing an ankle lock. Ishii brings Sabre to the floor. Umino hits Tito with the Blaze Blade. Sabre comes back in just in time to save Tito from a Death Rider. Umino escapes the Zack Driver and drops Sabre with the Death Rider. Tito lariats Umino twice after taking out Ishii with a jump-up enzuigiri. Umino however counters a spin-out Death Valley Driver into the Death Rider for the pin at 13:27. I was glad to see Umino, who generally has mixed feelings from the crowd, be received quite positively by this crowd. He and Ishii had great team chemistry and it makes me sad that Umino is teaming with Honma in Tag League instead. Like Viva Van, it’s a shame Tito has been relegated to the fall guy every time he’s in a tag match, as he’s very good no matter who in TMDK he is partnered with. Another solid tag match. Umino hands Sabre his IWGP World Heavyweight title from inside the ring. ***¼

Jon Moxley then appears on the video screen. He wonders what’s gotten inside of Umino’s head. He is disappointed with who he has become, that he seems to care what the fans think. Instead of accepting Umino’s wishes to face him at the Tokyo Dome, Moxley is going to send an emissary to the Tokyo Dome to continue his lessons and mold him into the man he wants to be. Umino says he doesn’t care who it is, he will beat whoever Moxley sends at the Tokyo Dome. He gives an emphatic “fuck you, Jon Moxley!” before heading to the back.

AEW International Championship
Konosuke Takeshita vs. TJP

Takeshita has been champion since 10.12.2024 and this is his second defense. TJP is all painted up in white with face paint, an evolution of his Aswang character, I guess. He attacks Takeshita before the match begins and sprays red mist in his face. Takeshita pulls TJP up by his shoulders to halt his sunset flip attempt. TJP slithers his way into a leg lock and bites Takeshita’s hand. Takeshita escapes a shoulder snap and pops TJP up into a sit-out powerbomb. Takeshita deadlifts TJP into a Gory Special. He then whips TJP so hard into the corner that the momentum carries TJP over the top rope and to the floor. Back in the ring, TJP cuts off Takeshita with the Final Cut. He facewash kicks Takeshita. When Takeshita rolls away from the Mamba Splash, TJP pivots into a Magistral driver. Takeshita ducks TJP’s double knees and German suplexes him into the corner. TJP tornado DDT’s Takeshita, leaving both men laying. Takeshita pulls TJP into the Blue Thunder Bomb for two. TJP mists Takeshita again when the referee is distracted and hits him with the Hidden Blade for two. The Mamba Splash also only gets him two. Takeshita lariats TJP to cut off his double knees attempt. Takeshita also counters a headscissors into the Komoritsui Driver. TJP does some more bullshit and then is finally pinned by a super Falcon Arrow at 14:13. When does someone eventually tell TJP to stop the Aswang bullshit? The fans don’t like it and it makes his matches worse. It instantly takes the crowd out of the match. And how does he get so much offense and kickouts in these featured bouts? Between this and the Naito match, I’m ready to call it quits on the TJP singles experiment. He and Francesco Akira are an incredible tag team, let’s just be happy with that. I was optimistic about this, because Takeshita kicks ass, but this match did not. **

Takeshita says he wants to defend his title in the Tokyo Dome and asks “who’s next?” Please be Shingo Takagi. OH MY GOD IT IS SHINGO. I AM SO HAPPY. They’re gonna steal Wrestle Kingdom. Tomohiro Ishii points at them both and then walks to the back. Please keep this a singles match.

NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship
Gabe Kidd vs. Kosei Fujita

Kidd has been champion since 5.11.2024 and this is his fourth defense. Fujita has the momentum of winning the 2024 Super Junior Tag League four days earlier heading into this match. His left shoulder is bandaged. He shotgun dropkicks Kidd out to the floor and delivers a PK from the ring apron. Kidd catches Fujita’s moonsault attempt and gives him a brainbuster on the floor. Kidd also Beele tosses Fujita onto one of the production tables. Kidd does some trash talking to the fans as Fujita recovers. Fujita crawls back into the ring just before the twenty count, but is clearly damaged goods. Kidd senton splashes onto Fujita’s ribs and also talks trash on the microphone to Kenny Omega, who he had an altercation with in Osaka the same night as Fujita’s tournament victory. Fujita goes chop for forearm with Kidd, which further gets the crowd behind Fujita. Kidd bites Fujita and slams him to end the exchange. Kidd spits in Fujita’s face, and Fujita lays him out with one open-handed strike. Fujita stomps and strikes Kidd down in the corner, getting so out of control that he knocks the referee down twice. Kidd throws a clothesline which Fujita ducks and German suplexes him. Fujita does it a second time. Fujita deadlifts Kidd into a third German suplex for two. Another strike exchange leads to Kidd turning Fujita inside out with a lariat. Fujita blocks Kidd’s Busaiku Knee with a lariat of his own. He goes for Abandon Hope, which Kidd counters into a brainbuster. Fujita though counters Kidd’s second brainbuster into Abandon Hope. Fujita’s flying chest kick sends Kidd to the floor. Fujita’s moonsault press works this time. Back in the ring, Fujita delivers Abandon Hope for the second time, but Kidd gets his foot on the bottom rope to break his pin. Fujita goes for it again. Kidd powerbombs Fujita and gets a one count. Kidd’s Busaiku Knee gets him two, as does the two piledrivers. The Mad Man Bomb does the job, getting Kidd the pin at 18:40. When this match was announced, I thought there was no way Fujita was winning, but the Junior Tag League tournament win made me think it could be possible. And then the way the match was laid out, I bought into the possibility even more, and was heartbroken in a good way when Kidd pulled out the victory. It makes me feel good seeing two younger members of the roster, from-scratch NJPW dojo talent, have a killer main event in front of a receptive crowd, makes me feel good about New Japan’s future. ****

After the bell, Kidd looks to give Fujita another piledriver. Ryohei Oiwa comes to his rescue and knocks out Kidd with a forearm smash. KENTA runs in and attacks Oiwa from behind. Oiwa fights them both off and challenges Kidd for the STRONG Openweight championship. Well, Oiwa did beat a former title holder tonight, so that has to count for something.

We need to condense these U.S. shows, because nearly four hours is too much. It was fine when STRONG was broken up into weekly hour long episodes, but it is a lot for one sitting. It definitely was better paced than the D.C. show, and the crowd was also better, but until the last match we didn’t have anything really worth going out of your way to see. But, December is looking strong (pun intended) and I very much appreciate the coherence between the U.S. and Japan shows becoming more prominent.