2025 started out as a normal year for New Japan in America. Three shows in the first five months has been par for the course since they ditched the weekly show format in 2023. After Resurgence in May, however, the future of New Japan and the STRONG titles (and brand) was uncertain. No future shows were on the calendar, and as it turned out, Resurgence on May 9, 2025 was the final U.S. New Japan show for the year. It was also the final time that the STRONG titles were defended on U.S. soil, and on New Japan shows, in 2025.

Resurgence would see two new champions crowned – the United Empire of TJP and Templario won the NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Titles, and AZM won the STRONG’s Women Title. TJP and Templario would take the titles to Templario’s home promotion of CMLL, while AZM would defend the title in her home promotion of STARDOM, which is also New Japan’s sister promotion.

Strangely, Tomohiro Ishii would not defend his STRONG Openweight title for the rest of the year. Ishii spent the majority of the Summer in AEW, who have presented STRONG title defenses on both ROH and AEW TV shows in the past. For whatever reason, it was ultimately decided that he would not defend the title in AEW or New Japan during that period, and an injury he sustained in November ensured no title defenses for the rest of the calendar year as well.

With that, below are all of the STRONG Openweight Tag Title and STRONG Women’s Title match defenses that occurred in the back half of 2025:

NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship
United Empire (Templario & TJP) vs. Los Hermanos Chávez (Angel de Oro & Niebla Rosa)
CMLL Viernes Espectacular – Mexico City, Mexico – 6.27.2025

United Empire have been champions since 5.9.2025 and this is their first defense. I have not seen much of Los Hermanos, and just because of their Telenovela good looks I presumed they would be beloved by the crowd. They were not! That’s my lack of CMLL knowledge for you. But also, this United Empire team is not the most beloved. The match was very good, lots of momentum swings and an invested crowd. The stretch of pinfalls leading to the end was very engaging. TJP had Roja on his shoulders, with Templario poised to give him a Doomsday Western lariat. Oro rescued his brother, and Roja scored a close nearfall on TJP with a victory roll. Templario was also taken out with a triangle suplex to the floor, but came back in the ring just in time to save TJP from being pinned by Los Hermanos double pumphandle half nelson driver. TJP and Tempario pulled off their Doomsday Western lariat facebuster on Roja, and Oro broke up the pin just in time. Los Hermanos were hitting running clotheslines on both opponents in the corners. TJP and Templario took them both down. TJP landed a Mamba Splash onto Oro right after Templario landed a lionsault on Roja, and neither move earned the champions the pinfall. The crowd was overjoyed when TJP and Templario kicked out after TJP was dropped onto Templario with a double underhook facebuster from the second turnbuckle onto Templario. TJP locked Roja in an Octopus Stretch while Templairo pinned Oro with a backbreaker powerbomb at 17:37 to retain the titles. A very strong start for the Campeones, pun intended. ***¾

NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship
AZM vs. Bozilla
STARDOM Nighter in Korakuen – Tokyo, Japan – 7.24.2025

AZM has been champion since 5.9.2025 and this is her first defense. With almost an entire foot of height over AZM and nearly double her size, Bozilla easily bullied the champion at the start of the match. AZM made sure to take openings where she could, like getting Bozilla in Christo and also landing a second rope dropkick when Bozilla placed her on the middle rope. AZM also used the ropes to pull off a headscissors on the ring apron, with Bozilla crashing down to the floor. Unfortunately for AZM, Bozilla countered her follow up with a powerbomb onto the ring apron. AZM once again took over by using Bozilla’s offense against her. When Bozilla took her to to top turnbuckle, AZM quickly put her in a submission and then positioned her in place for a tree of woe double stomp. AZM then crushed her with a top rope double stomp for two, quickly transitioning after the kick out into a cross armbreaker. When she transitioned into a triangle choke, Bozilla muscled her up into a one-armed powerbomb, but AZM kept hold of the submission! A second powerbomb would do the trick. With Bozilla’s arm weakened, AZM went on the attack. AZM withstood a pair of clotheslines, dodging a third and taking down Bozilla with La Mistica into a cradle for two. Bozilla would finally get what she wanted off of the turnbuckles, bringing down AZM with a super fallaway slam. She went for broke with a moonsault and missed, but would come back with a Death Valley Driver for two. AZM countered a powerbomb with a spike reverse Frankensteiner for two. However, when AZM went for a flying Frankensteiner, Bozilla countered into a sit-out powerbomb for two. Bozilla attempts another Death Valley Driver. AZM counters into a Destroyer. After Bozilla kicks out of a flying sunset bomb, AZAM hyper extends Bozilla’s arm before pulling her into a cradle for the pin at 15:20. If you’re looking to pull off a David vs. Goliath match in 2025, this is the template to follow. It helps when the two wrestlers are basically the modern equivalent of Sting and Vader in their promotion. This is one of my favorite STRONG Women’s title defenses to date. ****

NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship
United Empire (Templario & TJP) vs. Los Villanos (El Hijo del Villano III & Villano III Jr.)
CMLL Viernes Espectacular – Mexico City, Mexico – 8.22.2025

United Empire have been champions since 5.9.2025 and this is their second defense. A moment that gave me pause was seeing Los Villanos pull out two big moves from the STRONG tag title match that preceded this one – the Doomsday Western lariat that the United Empire utilized, and the double pumphandle half nelson driver from Los Hermanos. That isn’t something you see often. We see people learn from their own mistakes, but why not scout other matches and use what worked in those? Later down the stretch, the United Empire tried the Doomsday Western lariat themselves, and it did not go as planned. Hijo victory rolled TJP and Templario fell right into a springboard somersault senton from Jr. Templario then succumbed to a Gory Special/Complete Shot combo (Dark Order’s “Fatality”) for two. Similar like the previous match, TJP kept one of the participants (Jr.) in an Octopus Stretch while Templario gave the other partner (Hijo) a sit-out powerbomb. In this instance, Jr. pushed TJP into Hijo and Templario to break up the pin. Los Villanos landed stereo moonsaults for a nearfall that had the crowd going wild. Jr. had himself propped up on Templario’s shoulders, possibly for a monkey flop, when TJP intercepted. The champs knocked him down with the Doomsday Western lariat. Incredibly, Jr. kicked out. They went back to what worked in the previous defense, and may have worked earlier in the match were it not for Jr.s’ interjection, with Templario this time giving Hijo a powerbomb onto his knees while TJP put the weakened Jr. in a Cobra Twist. This earned Templario the three count at 17:23. Another super fun and exciting back-and-forth match. The Arena Mexico crowd being vocal from start to end and going crazy for nearfalls just elevates everything. ***¾

NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship & World of Stardom Championship
AZM vs. Saya Kamitani
STARDOM Nighter in Korakuen – Tokyo, Japan – 9.27.2025

AZM has been NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion since 5.9.2025 and this is her second defense. Kamitani has been World of Stardom Champion since 12.29.2024 and this is her sixth defense. Kamitani is in the HATE faction, which is more or less STARDOM’s House of Torture equivalent. The wrestlers are much better in HATE, but they utilize similar tactics. AZM was tripped by one of Kamitani’s partners as she hit the ropes, and Kamitani then wore her down as they brawled up into the Korakuen crowd bleachers. AZM finally turned the tables back in the ring, when she tripped Kamitani as she hit the ropes. AZM then penalty kicked Kamitani and wiped her out with a high crossbody from the top turnbuckle to the floor onto her and her HATE stablemates. After a La Mistica arm breaker, AZM tried a top rope double stomp. Kamitani moved out of the way of the stomp, but AZM was able to position her into a position where she snapped Kamitani’s arm behind her back. AZM was then able to pull off her top rope double stomp, but only for a two count. After positioning for offense, Kamitani pulled off her own double stomp to AZM, and furthered her damage to the mid-section with a dropkick. AZM countered Kamitani’s spinwheel kick in mid-air, pulling her down into a cross arm breaker. Kamitani tried scooping her up into a Blue Thunder Bomb but failed. AZM would keep hold of Kamitani’s arm and pull her into a hyperextended Fujiwara armbar. Kamitani’s height made it so she was able to get her foot on the middle rope to break the hold. Kamitani would then suplex AZM four times before going for the pin, and when she did, AZM only barely got her shoulder up before the three count. Kamitani went for her Star Crusher finisher (a fisherwoman’s buster) and AZM countered into a Destroyer, and the crowd went wild when Kamitani kicked out of the subsequent pin attempt. Kamitani rolled through a backslide and kicked AZM in the head twice. A roundhouse kick stunned AZM long enough for Kamitani to hit her with a tornado enzuigiri for two. AZM would also kick out of Kamitani’s Star Crusher. When Kamitani went for it again, AZM rolled Kamitani into back-to-back cradles to no avail. AZM landed another Destroyer before delivering a double underhook Destroyer. Kamitani got her shoulder up right before the three count. AZM pulled off a super Destroyer, and incredibly, Kamitani kicked out from that as well. AZM grabbed Kamitani’s arm for a Fujiwara, desperation on her face. Kamitani rolled her into a position where she could hyper extend the arm further. What she did though was put herself in a position where Kamitani could roll AZM onto her shoulders, forcing AZM to break the hold by kicking out of the predicament. Kamitani clobbered AZM with a straight punch and headbutted her repeatedly. Kamitani then rolled AZM into a Regalplex, and then pulled her into a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. AZM tries again for Christo, which Kamitani counters into a Michinoku Driver. Kamitani then delivers a Kamigoye before dropping AZM with the Star Crusher for the pin and the STRONG Women’s title at 23:10. I feel bad mentioning HoT earlier because this match was better than everything that faction has produced. Those last five or so minutes had the crowd captivated and hoping that AZM would pull off the upset. It’s so easy to make titles feel important just by fighting so hard for them and this is a prime example of that. AZM’s reign may have only lasted two defenses, but she produced two of the best STRONG Women’s title matches ever, so no shame in that. ****¼

It’s rare to get a non-STRONG New Japan championship defended in the United States, especially outside of a New Japan show. For the first time in nearly two years, the IWGP Women’s Championship in the United States.

IWGP Women’s Championship
Sareee vs. Alex Windsor
ROH on HonorClub #136 – Lakeland, FL – 10.9.2025

Sareee has been champion since 6.21.2025 and this is her third defense. This starts off as a friendly competition between two tag partners. Windsor, though, grew tired of their even match-up and blasted Sareee with a forearm to the face. Windsor attacks her lower back. Sareee gets Windsor in a headscissors while pulling her shoulder out of her socket. Windsor gets to the ropes to escape. She also evades a dropkick from Sareee and dropkicks Sareee to the floor, where Windsor follows with a cannonball senton off of the apron. Sareee clobbers Windsor before Windsor can get back in the ring. She then rolls Windsor into the ring and delivers a missile dropkick. A second rope double stomp earns Sareee a two count. Windsor pulls Sareee off of the middle turnbuckle and into a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Sareee counters a sharpshooter attempt into a small package. Sareee gets the better of both a kick and strike exchange. Sareee successfully blasts Windsor with a dropkick against the bottom rope and lands a top rope double stomp for two. After a pump-handle driver only gets two, Windsor tries a sharpshooter again. Windsor pulls off a twisting super fisherman’s suplex for two. She then gets Sareee locked in the sharpshooter. Despite it being applied deeply, Sareee manages to crawl to the bottom rope to escape. Sareee blocks a clothesline and headbutts Windsor repeatedly, until Windsor is seated. Sareee lands a running double stomp for two. Sareee finally puts Windsor down with a uranage suplex at 13:42. Huge props to both competitors for putting on a mild banger in a company that was largely overlooked in 2025. There was lots of fun back-and-forth, hard hitting action, and a genuine feeling that the title was important to both of them. Four days after this aired, Syuri would defeat Sareee to become the first two-time IWGP Women’s champion.***½

Momo Watanabe won STARDOM’s 5 Star Grand Prix in August. After her HATE partner, Saya Kamitani, defeated AZM for the STRONG Women’s Championship, Watanabe challenged Kamitani to a double title match when STARDOM would return to the same building in Ota City where she won the 5 Star Grand Prix. Watanabe accepted, and the inter-faction battle was scheduled for November 3rd.

NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship & World of Stardom Championship
Saya Kamitani vs. Momo Watanabe
STARDOM Crimson Nightmare – Tokyo, Japan – 11.3.2025

Kamitani has been World of Stardom Champion since 12.29.2024 and this is her sixth defense. Kamitani has been NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion since 9.27.2025 and this is her first defense. This is Watanabe’s seventh attempt at the World of Stardom title, and her second attempt at the STRONG title. The respectful back and forth between the two of them turns sour as they brawl into the vast Ota Ward gymnasium, sending each other careening into rows of chairs. Watanabe ends up in control as they head back to the ring. Watanabe pummels on the double champion until Kamitani pulled the referee in the way as Watanabe came off of the ropes. The distraction allowed for Kamitani to dropkick Watanabe to the floor. When Kamitani looked to dive, Watanabe moved. Kamitani landed on the ring apron, but Watanabe cracked her in the back of the leg with the baseball bat that she brings to the ring for all of her matches. Watanabe also gave Kamitani a Hitodenashi Driver on the apron. When Watanabe came charging, Kamitani cut her off with a Frankensteiner off of the apron and to the floor. They both make it back into the ring at the same time, just before the twenty count, with Kamitani scoring the first blow via spinwheel kick. Watanabe ducked Kamigoye and had Kamitani in a double wrist clutch as she struck her with a kick upside the head. Kamitani initially fought out of a chicken wing, so Watanabe suplexed her out of the chicken wing onto her head. Watanabe delivered running double knees twice to Kamitani before attempting a nearfall and still only came up with a two count. Kamitani would end up bringing down Watanabe from the top turnbuckle with a Frankensteiner for two. Watanabe immediately scrambled to the ropes when she felt Kamitani hook her for the Star Crusher. Watanabe grabbed the white baseball bat she had and clobbered Kamitani with it in the chest as Kamitani came off of the ropes. Two more Hitodenashi Drivers with two separate pin attempts, and Watanabe still came up short. Both women leave each other reeling during a strike exchange. Watanabe ends up on her knees as Kamitani holds onto the ropes to keep her balance. Kamitani rolls Watanabe into a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Kamitani seemed to have the match won after the Star Crusher, but Watanabe surprised her with a victory roll after for two. Watanabe pins Kamitani with the Peach Sunrise for two, and then gives her another for an even closer two count, once in which Watanabe seemed convinced she had won. The crowd chants her name as she looks for Peach Thunder. Kamitani counters into a Peach Sunrise of her own. The Star Crusher puts Watanabe down at 21:30.

Cagematch leads me to believe that this match seemed to disappoint ardent STARDOM fans. I had a blast with it. Commentary did a great job conveying to me the idea that Watanabe had more or less brought Kamitani into STARDOM, and her surpassing Watanabe in accomplishments had Watanabe feeling inferior. This played out in the match, with Watanabe resorting to crowd brawling and utilizing an outside weapon to try and keep the champion down, while Kamitani wrestled a completely clean bout. You could tell the crowd went from being mixed to really wanting Watanabe to pull out the victory. Maybe that time will come for her down the line and maybe it won’t, but if she goes for either of these titles again in STARDOM, the crowd hopefully will be even more invested in her when she does. ****¼

After the match, it was confirmed that IWGP Women’s Champion Syuri and Kamitani would meet in a double title match at Wrestle Kingdom 20. Kamitani would also go on to win the Tokyo Sports overall MVP award for 2025, the first woman in history to do so. Just that fact alone adds a lot of interest and prestige to that title match.

NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship
United Empire (Templario & TJP) vs. Los Hermanos Chávez (Angel de Oro & Niebla Rosa)
CMLL Viernes Espectacular – Mexico City, Mexico – 11.14.2025

United Empire have been champions since 5.9.2025 and this is their third defense. Los Hermanos utilized their size advantage in this match to turn things in their favor. Roja caught TJP on the floor as he was coming off the apron and slammed him into the barricades. Oro then caught Templario mid-air with a superkick. Los Hermanos ruled the ring against both Campeones with relative ease, filling them with a cockiness that the crowd did not appreciate. The Empire turned things around with flying armdrags and subsequent dives to the floor. Back in the ring, they had Roja put away with a double stomp backbreaker, but Oro broke up the count just in time. TJP also had to save Templario from a spinebuster/slingston senton combo from Los Hermanos. Templario did a cartwheel from the entrance ramp and into the ring with a moonsault onto Oro. Roja punt kicked Templario to break his pin attempt. Roja pump-handled TJP into a Gourd Buster. Just as he locked his legs, Templario came charging, so Roja suplexed Templario, snapping TJP’s legs in the process. Oro passes Templario up to Roja on the second rope. Oro Michinoku Driver’s TJP, and Roja drops Templario out of a double underhook slam onto TJP. Los Hermanos grow frustrated when that is not enough to pin the opposition. Templario powerbombs Oro onto Roja, and TJP follows with a Mamba Splash for two. United Empire had Oro poised for the Doomsday Western Lariat. Oro victory rolled TJP into a parachute stretch, while Roja kept Templario at bay in a heel hook. TJP quickly made it to the ropes to escape. TJP took out Roja with the Cobra Twist, and looked to do the same to Oro. However, Oro counted TJP’s into a Parachute Stretch. As he converted into a pendulum stretch, TJP verbally submitted at 15:02, making Los Hermanos Chávez the new STRONG Tag Team champions at 15:03. Templario would also be taken away on a stretcher after the match, unsure from what. This makes the STRONG Tag Titles the first STRONG titles to change hands in three different countries I think this was a little more focused than their first match but a little less exciting because of it, possibly because the fans found it harder to get excited for a match where the Rudos were fairly dominant. I anticipate they will lose them during Fantasticamania, but maybe not! Hopefully they get a handful of defenses underneath them on that tour. TJP and Templario’s run will be seen by relatively few, but it was kind of neat that it was exclusively done in CMLL, and was fun while it lasted. ***½

We had quality over quantity with our STRONG title defenses in the back half of the year. My main takeaway is that I need to watch more CMLL and STARDOM in 2026. If you have New Japan World, all of the Women’s STRONG matches are on there to check out, and I recommend doing so.

It was announced on October 17th that New Japan would return to the U.S. on February 27th in Trenton, NJ with The New Beginning USA. No STRONG branding is attached to the event, which makes me wonder if these STRONG titles are not long for this world. It would be easy for them to have the STRONG Women’s title absorbed into the IWGP Women’s Title at Wrestle Kingdom. Ishii’s title could neatly fold into the NEVER Openweight title. The STRONG Tag Titles are their only Openweight tag titles, so if they were to be absorbed, it would likely be into the Heavyweight. You could rebrand them NEVER Tag Titles if you wanted to maintain an Openweight tag title. Time will tell. I am really interested in what that show will look like and what the future of the STRONG titles holds.