An F4WOnline Editor since 2019, Ethan has been covering wrestling and MMA since 2011. He has hosted The Wrestling Life Podcast since 2014, and is a former Baltimore Sun TV/Tribune Media contributor. He is also a Baltimore Ravens and Baltimore Orioles fan.
A ten-man tag featuring Strong Openweight Champion “Filthy” Tom Lawlor has been added to Saturday’s NJPW Resurgence card.
Lawlor, JR Kratos, Jorel Nelson, Royce Isaacs and Danny Limelight will take on Lio Rush, Brody King, Chris Dickinson, Fred Yehi and Yuya Uemura.
Rush appears to be next in line for a shot at Lawlor’s NJPW Strong title, confronting him in a backstage segment following Lawlor’s last title defense against Satoshi Kojima.
The match will also mark the beginning of Uemura’s international excursion. He left NJPW last week following a loss to Kazuchika Okada to begin his time abroad.
Resurgence airs on NJPW World and FITE TV on Saturday, August 14 at 11 p.m. Eastern time.
Here is the lineup so far:
NEVER Openweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. David Finlay
IWGP United States Championship: Lance Archer (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Jon Moxley & a mystery partner vs. Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson
Fred Rosser, Rocky Romero & Wheeler Yuta vs. TJP, Clark Connors & Ren Narita
Karl Fredericks vs. Alex Coughlin
Tom Lawlor, JR Kratos, Jorel Nelson, Royce Isaacs & Danny Limelight vs. Lio Rush, Brody King, Chris Dickinson, Fred Yehi & Yuya Uemura
The NJPW Super Junior Tag League began today at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Three tournament matched topped the card, with IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo taking on SHO and YOH in the main event.
The second match featured a tag preview of Tuesday’s NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship match, while the opener previewed the KOPW 2021 match coming up at Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome next month.
The Summer Struggle tour rolls on with shows Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
According to a report, another top WWE NXT name is about to hit free agency.
Fightful Select reported on their Patreon page today that Pete Dunne’s WWE contract is set to expire in the near future. The report cites one source as saying that Dunne’s deal is up after SummerSlam weekend, but clarifies that they are working to confirm that detail.
Fightful’s report also states that they are uncertain if Dunne’s contract situation is similar to Adam Cole’s, in that Cole’s deal reportedly expired last month, but he agreed to continue on through SummerSlam weekend in the form of a short-term extension. Cole’s contract expiration was reportedly a surprise to top WWE brass, as they were under the impression that he was signed for a longer period of time.
Dunne, 27, made his WWE debut in 2017 at the inaugural WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament. He would make it to the finals of the tournament before losing to Tyler Bate in the match that crowned the first WWE United Kingdom Champion.
Dunne was the longest-reigning WWE United Kingdom Champion with a run of 685 days with the title. That title was later renamed the NXT United Kingdom Championship, and Walter would go on to surpass Dunne’s mark.
Dunne would later team with Matt Riddle as the BroserWeights in NXT. They would capture the NXT Tag Team Championship once, in addition to winning the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
NJPW has announced a series of tapings for Strong to be held in the United States in September and October.
Strong will be taped on Saturday, September 25 and Sunday, September 26 in Garland Texas, as well as Saturday, October 16 and Sunday, October 17 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Texas tapings will be held at the Curtis Cullwell Center, while the Philadelphia events will take place at the 2300 Arena.
The Garland shows will be branded as Autumn Attack, while the Philadelphia cards will be presented as New Japan Showdown 2021.
No matches have been announced for the events, but a list of talent appearing has been released and can be seen below.
Tickets for both events will go on sale on Sunday, August 8 at noon Eastern time. Prices will range from $29-$149. Ticket bundles with a merchandise gift will also be available.
NJPW Strong will also be taped in Long Beach, California on August 16. Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tomohiro Ishii have been announced for that sold out event.
Here is the lineup for Garland:
NJPW Strong Autumn Attack, Saturday, September 25, Sunday, September 26, Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, Texas —
Jay White
Tom Lawlor
Juice Robinson
David Finlay
Hikuleo
Lio Rush
Fred Rosser
Brody King
Chris Dickinson
Karl Fredericks
Here is the lineup for Philadelphia:
NJPW Strong New Japan Showdown 2021, Saturday, October 16, Sunday, October 17, 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania —
NJPW has added Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tomohiro Ishii to the lineup for their August 16 NJPW Strong taping in California.
The appearances will mark the first NJPW Strong appearances for Tanahashi and Ishii. Strong has primarily used a United States-based roster in its year of existence. Rare appearances from Satoshi Kojima and Yuji Nagata have been exceptions.
Two days earlier at NJPW Resurgence in Los Angeles, Tanahashi will challenge Lance Archer for the IWGP United States Championship, while Ishii will face Impact Wrestling’s Moose on that show.
The taping will be the first ticketed NJPW Strong taping in history and tickets for the events have sold out.
NJPW released a video message from Tanahashi to promote the Strong appearance. The video can be seen below.
Here is the full talent list advertised for the Fighting Spirit Unleashed episodes of NJPW Strong to be taped on August 16:
A Women’s World Championship match has been announced for the first episode of AEW Rampage.
Britt Baker will defend her AEW Women’s title against Red Velvet on the debut edition of Rampage. The announcement was made during tonight’s AEW Dynamite.
Baker was in the ring for an interview with Tony Schiavone when Velvet appeared to declare her intentions to challenge for the title. Baker stated that she had defeated Velvet in three minutes in the past. Velvet said that she was just an enhancement talent the last time they had face each other, but now Velvet is 22-4 with seven straight wins.
Rebel, Baker’s second, tried to attack Velvet with a crutch after the challenge was issued. Velvet avoided the crutch shot from Rebel, but ultimately fell victim to a curb stomp and a crutch shot from Baker to end the segment.
The first edition of Rampage will air live from Baker’s hometown of Pittsburgh.
AEW Rampage debuts next Friday, August 13 at 10 p.m. Eastern time on TNT.
Wardlow is next up for Chris Jericho in the Five Labours of Jericho series on AEW Dynamite.
The announcement was made on tonight’s episode of Dynamite following the third match in the series. Jericho defeated Juventud Guerrera with a top rope Judas Effect to extend the Labours. Following the match, Wardlow appeared and attacked both Guerrera and Jericho. MJF, who had been on commentary for the match, announced that Wardlow will take on Jericho on next week’s Dynamite.
Additionally, MJF announced that he will be managing Wardlow and will be at ringside to make sure the match is called “fair and square” by the referee.
Jericho defeated Shawn Spears in the first Labour in a match where Spears could use a chair but Jericho could not. Jericho then defeated Nick Gage in a no rules match on last week’s Dynamite, then won against Guerrera this week.
Should Jericho defeat Wardlow, the fifth Labour will be a one-on-one match between Jericho and MJF.
A new match has been announced for NJPW Resurgence at The Torch at LA Coliseum on August 14.
NJPW’s Tomohiro Ishii will take on Impact Wrestling’s Moose at Resurgence. NJPW made the announcement this evening.
This will mark the second singles meeting between Ishii and Moose. They faced off on a 2016 Ring of Honor/NJPW War of the Worlds show in Michigan, a match that Ishii won.
Ishii vs. Moose is the sixth match announced for Resurgence. The show will air on NJPW World and FITE TV on Saturday, August 14 at 11 p.m. Eastern time.
Here is the lineup so far:
NEVER Openweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. David Finlay
IWGP United States Championship: Lance Archer (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Jon Moxley & a mystery partner vs. Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson
Fred Rosser, Rocky Romero & Wheeler Yuta vs. TJP, Clark Connors & Ren Narita
NJPW has announced the lineup for this Friday’s NJPW Strong.
In the main event, Team Filthy’s JR Kratos and Danny Limelight will take on the West Coast Wrecking Crew duo of Jorel Nelson and Royce Isaacs.
In the semi-main, Rocky Romero and Fred Rosser will team against Ren Narita and Alex Coughlin.
In the opener, LA Dojo trainee Kevin Knight will take on CZW and WxW veteran Alexander James. This will be the NJPW Strong debut for James.
This cycle of Strong episodes borrows the Summer Struggle theme from the main NJPW unit. This week’s episode will be night one of Road to Summer Struggle USA.
Strong airs Fridays at 10 p.m. Eastern time on NJPW World and is available on demand shortly after airing.
Here is Friday’s full lineup:
NJPW Strong Road to Summer Struggle USA, Friday, August 6 —
Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs vs. JR Kratos & Danny Limelight
Rocky Romero & Fred Rosser vs. Ren Narita & Alex Coughlin
After their win on Dynamite, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson and Kenny Omega met in their trailer.
Omega said that he forgot to shave off his facial hair again.
The Bucks said that the fans are probably feeling mad at them and empty because their win means they won’t get Omega vs. Hangman and Bucks vs. Dark Order at the PPV.
They all said that they don’t feel bad about making the fans feel bad.
The Elite —
Nick confronted Brandon Cutler for putting Dark Order on last week’s BTE. Nick said that Cutler could only keep putting Dark Order on BTE if he helps The Elite cheat in all their matches and takes pleasure in it. Cutler agreed. No mention of the big reveal that Cutler was a Dark Order creeper at some point.
There was an extended scene of Matt brushing his hair.
The Elite were seen rehearsing their entrance from Dynamite.
Extended footage from Cutler’s camera capturing The Elite vs. Hangman Page & The Dark Order elimination match from last week’s Dynamite made up a large portion of the episode. If you want to see the match again or from a different perspective, check it out.
Miscellaneous bits —
Chuck Taylor, Orange Cassidy and Wheeler Yuta watched film of Yuta’s loss to Darby Allin in their hotel room. Cassidy didn’t know that three counts ended matches, while Taylor kept calling The Coffin Drop “The Coffin Flop.”
Leva Bates and Peter Avalon were having communication issues as Avalon tried to call Bates. They were both speaking Japanese. The TV in Bates’s hotel room kept turning on and off by itself. Abadon appeared on the television at the end of the scene.
This week’s Hollywood Hunk segment featured Ryan Nemeth doing a commercial for a topical cream that promised to heal ailments, but was actually poison.
NJPW has revealed the full lineups for their next eight Summer Struggle shows.
The most notable items from the reveal are the absences of Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi.
Tanahashi will be in the United States to face Lance Archer for the IWGP United States Championship at Resurgence on Saturday, August 14. Okada is still set to face Jeff Cobb at Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome on Saturday, September 4.
A NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship match has been added to the August 10 event, with Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI and Tomohiro Ishii defending against Tetsuya Naito, SANADA and BUSHI.
Most of the top matches for this next leg of the Summer Struggle tour had already been announced, as the Super Junior Tag League will fill a big portion of the cards. The majority of the matches announced are undercard tag bouts.
The shows will be held between Saturday, August 7 and Tuesday, August 17.
Here are the lineups:
NJPW Summer Struggle, Saturday, August 7, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
Super Jr. Tag League: Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo vs. SHO & YOH
Super Jr. Tag League: El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato
Super Jr. Tag League: Robbie Eagles & Tiger Mask vs. Gedo & Dick Togo
Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma vs. Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
NJPW has added a NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship match to their August 10 Summer Struggle event in the Yokohama Budokan.
NEVER Six-Man Champions Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI and Tomohiro Ishii will defend the titles against the Los Ingobernables de Japon trio of Tetsuya Naito, SANADA and BUSHI. The match was set up following the main event of Sunday’s Summer Struggle show.
After Goto, YOSHI-HASHI and Ishii retained their titles with a win over Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. and Minoru Suzuki, Naito, SANADA and BUSHI made their way to the ring to declare themselves the next challengers. Goto and YOSHI-HASHI made it clear in post-match comments that they would accept the challenge, and now the match is official.
A non-title match between IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi and Yujiro Takahashi has also been announced for the August 10 event.
Here is the full lineup:
NJPW Summer Struggle, Tuesday, August 10, 5 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
Shingo Takagi vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Togi Makabe, SHO & YOH vs. EVIL, Gedo & Dick Togo
Toru Yano, Robbie Eagles & Tiger Mask vs. Chase Owens, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo
Tomoaki Honma, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Jon Moxley and a mystery partner vs. The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) has been officially added to the August 14 NJPW Resurgence event.
After Moxley issued a challenge on social media on Friday, Gallows and Anderson accepted the challenge on Sunday in the same fashion in this tweet from the NJoA Twitter account.
Gallows and Anderson are coming off a win in the finals of NJPW Strong’s Tag Team Turbulence tournament,, while Moxley lost the IWGP United States Championship to Lance Archer in a Texas death match in his last outing on the July 21 AEW Dynamite Fyter Fest.
Moxley and partner vs. Gallows and Anderson is the fifth official match for Resurgence. Here is the full lineup to this point:
NJPW Resurgence, Saturday, August 14, 11 p.m. Eastern time on NJPW World & FITE TV —
NEVER Openweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. David Finlay
IWGP United States Championship: Lance Archer (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Jon Moxley & a mystery partner vs. The Good Brothers
Fred Rosser, Rocky Romero & Wheeler Yuta vs. Clark Connors, Ren Narita & TJP
In issuing the challenge, Moxley said that wherever his travels take him in the sport of wrestling, he will settle scores. He said whether it takes hours or years, he will eventually get you. Moxley said that he has a little bit of business with “these Bullet Club-type guys” and laid out the challenge for August 14.
Moxley said that he was planning to meet a buddy for beers in Los Angeles that night and decided to make it a two-for-one. He challenged Gallows and Anderson to meet him at Resurgence and promised them a surprise.
While Moxley’s partner is uncertain, we know for sure that it will not be fellow Death Rider Shota Umino. Umino was pulled from the Resurgence event due to travel restrictions between the United Kingdom and the United States.
Here is the card for Resurgence so far:
NJPW Resurgence, Saturday, August 14, 11 p.m. Eastern time on NJPW World & FITE TV —
NEVER Openweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. David Finlay
IWGP United States Championship: Lance Archer (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Jon Moxley & a mystery partner vs. The Good Brothers
Fred Rosser, Rocky Romero & Wheeler Yuta vs. Clark Connors, Ren Narita & TJP
NJPW has announced that Shota Umino will no longer be a part of the Resurgence event scheduled for Saturday, August 14 in Los Angeles at The Torch at LA Coliseum.
Umino is currently on excursion to the United Kingdom and RevPro Wrestling. NJPW said in their statement that travel restrictions between the UK and the United States have made it impossible for Umino to attend.
Additionally, Umino has been pulled from the NJPW Strong tapings set for California on Monday, August 16. Those tapings will be the first ticketed shows in the history of NJPW Strong.
Umino has not made an appearance in an NJPW ring since leaving for his international excursion in September 2019.
Umino and Jon Moxley made up the short-lived and popular Death Riders tag team in the summer of 2019. Moxley took Umino under his wing in storyline after defeating the Young Lion at NJPW Dominion 2019 in Osaka.
NJPW Resurgence, Saturday, August 14, 11 p.m. Eastern time on NJPW World & FITE TV —
NEVER Openweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. David Finlay
IWGP United States Championship: Lance Archer (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Jon Moxley & a mystery partner vs. The Good Brothers
Fred Rosser, Rocky Romero & Wheeler Yuta vs. Clark Connors, Ren Narita & TJP
