The latest WWE and AEW News and Results
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including a full recap of this Saturday’s UFC PPV, the New Japan Hyper Battle Show with Okada vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Rampage with Moxley vs. Yuta, Smackdown, RAW Monday and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: UFC 273 recap
20:59: NJPW Hyper Battle, full lineup for Wrestling Dontaku
36:09: Rampage recap
46:40: SmackDown recap, Raw preview
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the death of Rocky King, WrestleMania line-up, the weekly RAW report, Stardom, Steiners in the Hall of Fame, more from the New Japan Cup, MJF and Tony Khan, and tons more. A packed show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: Death of Rocky King
07:38: WrestleMania 38 lineup
12:04: NJPW Hyper Battle card
23:26: Stardom thoughts
29:43: Ratings
34:40: MJF and Tony Khan
42:13: Steiner Brothers being inducted into WWE Hall of Fame
44:12: MMA star Melvin Manhoef chases off three burglars
47:52: Raw report
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with TONS to talk about from the weekend including Smackdown, RAW tonight, WWE advertising something that’s not happening, NXT 2.0 on Tuesday, New Japan Cup semis and finals, Stardom and so much more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including New Japan Cup finale, Stardom, RAW tomorrow with tons of go-home stuff, Smackdown and Rampage TV notes, Chael Sonnen, UFC this weekend and so much more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: New Japan Cup
8:38: Stardom
14:12: Lashley returning to Raw on Monday, other Raw notes
17:18: More details on Chael Sonnen arrest
23:36: Jake Paul continues to challenge Conor McGregor
26:48: UFC notes
29:31: SmackDown recap
39:55: Rampage recap
50:34: Raw preview
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the WWE vs. MLW lawsuit, ratings, AEW and NXT 2.0 recaps including the Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa cage match and title change, New Japan Cup and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: MLW vs. WWE lawsuit, ratings
14:35: Rampage time change
17:05: NJPW Cup update
24:10: Corrections on Seth Rollins/Brock Lesnar
25:32: AEW Dynamite report
49:25: NXT recap
1:01:01: AEW Rampage spoilers
NJPW Strong: Rivals kicked off tonight in Hollywood. Ian Riccaboni is still subbing for regular NJPW Strong announcer Kevin Kelly, who is calling the New Japan Cup overseas this month.
TJP defeated Brogan Finlay via submission
TJP has a new look and vibe now since he joined United Empire. He goes by “The Public Enemy” and has longer hair and updated ring gear.
Newcomer Brogan Finlay, son of Fit and brother of David, got bullied by TJP. TJP gave Finlay a rough Otani-style face wash in the corner. Later in the match, Finlay channeled his father, Fit, and used a fireman’s carry roll on TJP, which earned him a two-count.
Towards the finish, Finlay decked TJP with a lariat, but both were down for the count. The crowd then started a 60–40 chant in favor of TJP. In the end, TJP connected with a Mamba Splash to Finlay’s back before locking in a modified STF. A number of fans were chanting “Tap! Tap!” at Finlay before he tapped out.
Afterwards, TJP got on the mic and called the crowd a bunch of “Silver Lake 5s” before stating that he is the best junior heavyweight alive. He explained how he’d already won the IMPACT X-Division and WWE Cruiserweight championships in the past, and that when he’d win the IWGP junior heavyweight title he’d be the first-ever “Triple Crown” junior heavyweight.
Before he was finished talking, a video flashed across the monitors with the phrase “KING OF THE ROPES” on it, and Mascara Dorada appeared at the ring entrance. He’s formerly known as Gran Metallik from WWE 205 Live and appeared in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic along with TJP. He got in TJP’s face. They got into it for a second, but TJP slipped out to the floor. Mascara Dorada teased diving onto TJP but instead bounced off the ropes and did a backflip onto his feet. It looks like these two will square off sometime this year on NJPW Strong.
Christopher Daniels defeated Karl Fredericks
This kicked ass. Seriously.
Fredericks was filling in for Gabriel Kidd, who was originally scheduled to wrestle Christopher Daniels.
Daniels offered his hand to Fredericks, who declined.
The crowd was pumped for this one. The two had a great exchange on the mat early on, building slowly to bigger and bigger spots. When Fredericks was gaining ground on offense, Daniels cut him off with a flapjack. He then suplexed the larger Fredericks in the air and brought him down gut-first onto his knee.
Daniels lit Fredericks up with chops. The crowd enjoyed his fire. They loved Daniels as well, and many fans kept shouting “SCU!” at him throughout the match. It wasn’t like this when Daniels faced Jay White at the same venue three months ago, there appeared to be different kinds of fans at this taping.
Fredericks landed a Shibata-style low dropkick, but Daniels responded later with a perfect Blue Thunder bomb. I don’t think I’m doing it justice in this write-up, but the smoothness and chemistry these two had with each other was excellent.
Daniels went for Angel’s Wings but Fredericks reversed it. When Fredericks missed a Stinger Splash in the corner, Daniels laid him out with a standing uranage before sticking a picture-perfect double-jump moonsault on the “Alpha Wolf” for the impressive win in just under ten minutes. For a TV match on a one-hour show, it doesn’t get much better than this. Quality stuff, people.
Daniels grabbed the mic and called Fredericks “a tough son of a bitch.” He said Fredericks had made both the LA Dojo and Mr. Shibata proud, and that if he ever wanted to run the match back he gladly would since Daniels thinks he’s “the future of this business.”
The two shook hands and Daniels thanked the crowd before both headed to the back.
JONAH & Bad Dude Tito defeated FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson)
Both teams brawled at the start. We saw a very “no-nonsense” version of FinJuice, or more so than usual, I guess. Juice connected with a big spinebuster that flattened Bad Dude Tito, then crashed into Tito with a running cannonball in the corner.
When Robinson went for a plancha onto the floor, JONAH caught him mid-air, then slammed him back-first against the ring post.
The finish saw FinJuice go for a Doomsday Device on Tito, but JONAH crotched Finlay on the top turnbuckle, then distracted referee Jeremy Marcus to keep him on the opposite side of the ring. With the ref’s back turned, Shane Haste, who is most recently known as Slapjack from WWE, dashed to the ring from out of nowhere to give Robinson a deadlift Tiger-into-backdrop suplex and disappear. Bad Dude Tito then dove off the top ropes with a frog splash that put Robinson away; Tito & JONAH are your winners.
Shane Haste came back to the ring to celebrate with the two. Haste tossed Robinson out of the ring. David Finlay ran back into the ring and started brawling with all three before they cornered him and took him out as well. Little brother Brogan Finlay, who we caught in the first match earlier on the show, arrived to help out but instead got mauled by JONAH, who crushed him with two big splashes off the top rope, as Tito and Haste held David Finlay on the ground, forcing him to watch JONAH destroy his younger brother. They didn’t formally announce it on the show but this faction seems as though it’ll be the latest iteration of TMDK, the group that Mikey Nicholls was also a member of. He’s the long-time tag team partner of Shane Haste and has been working sporadically for NJPW in recent years.
Final thoughts:
This was a great hour of pro wrestling. I thought Christopher Daniels vs. Karl Fredericks was the stand-out match, but the main event tag team brawl was really good as well and I think myself and many others would like to see more of this FinJuice vs. TMDK feud play out. But Daniels and Fredericks was outstanding, especially for a match that didn’t even go ten minutes.
Next week’s episode features another “U S of Jay” challenge match, plus Kevin Blackwood in his NJPW Strong debut vs. Ariya Daivari, and Bullet Club’s Hikuleo vs. Young Lion Kevin Knight in the opener.
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including Vince McMahon vs. Pat McAfee at WrestleMania, Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns title unification, Smackdown and Rampage TV thoughts, ratings, New Japan restrictions loosening up, New Japan Cup, UFC notes, mailbag and more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Start: Vince McMahon vs. Pat McAfee program starting
8:28: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns is now a title unification match, SmackDown recap
15:58: Rampage recap, AEW heading to LA
30:45: Ratings
36:56: Japan loosens restrictions for travel, Ibushi & Tenzan out of NJPW Cup
44:47: UFC recap
47:06: Raw preview, mailbag
NJPW Strong: The New Beginning in USA 2022 continued from Seattle with Ian Riccaboni on commentary filling in for Kevin Kelly who is still in Japan doing English commentary for the Golden Series tour.
The Midnight Heat defeated Kevin Knight and The DKC
The Midnight Heat (Eddie Pearl & Ricky Gibson) are DEFY Wrestling’s current and longest reigning Tag Team champions. They’ve been active on the Pacific Northwest indie scene for the past couple years.
Gibson and Young Lion Knight started the match off, but as soon as Knight grabbed hold of Gibson for a wristlock, Gibson broke the hold and immediately tagged out to Pearl.
Once Pearl was in the ring, DKC began firing up on the apron and insisted Knight tag him in. He shouted “DK FIRE!” at Pearl upon entrance. How could anyone dislike this guy? His energy alone is infectious.
DKC took Pearl out with a hard karate chop to the chest, knocking him off his feet. Pearl rushed over to Gibson for consolation and hugged him around the waist. Gibson called for a timeout, but the ref did not oblige.
DKC and Pearl grappled on the mat with DKC getting the better of the exchange before tagging Knight back in. The LA Dojo duo double-teamed Pearl, laying him out with a double shoulder tackle. Gibson took a double hip toss from the Young Lions next. DKC chopped Pearl up some more with knife edge karate chops to the neck and chest.
The Midnight Heat made a quick and crafty comeback next, laying the DKC out with Back Sabbath, the team’s side Russian leg sweep/back cracker double team maneuver.
The Heat kept DKC in their corner and continued on with their double-team strategy, constantly tagging in and out while keeping DKC grounded and away from the red corner where a frustrated Knight waited for the tag.
Gibson held DKC in position as Pearl was coming off the ropes with a double axe handle, but DKC shoved Gibson into harm’s way, which led to Pearl accidentally taking out his partner. DKC saw his chance to tag out to Knight, but Pearl ran across the ring and decked Knight, knocking him off the apron to the floor, ruining any chance DKC might have had at tagging out.
Pearl caught DKC with a Bobby Eaton-esque right hand to the face. DKC then caught Pearl running off the ropes with a high leg lariat and finally tagged out to Knight. The crowd was getting louder in support of the Young Lions from here on out.
Knight cleaned house, taking Pearl out with a Stinger splash in the corner and landing a switch-around standing frog splash on Gibson for two. Pearl tried breaking up the pin with an elbow drop, but Knight moved out of the way so Pearl dropped the elbow on Gibson instead. The Midnight Heat were really good at playing the fool for the babyfaces and getting the crowd as into the match as possible.
Knight took Pearl out with a mega-high dropkick. I swear, this guy gets a half inch higher on his dropkicks every time I watch him. I urge anyone who hasn’t caught this guy throw a dropkick yet to do so now. Hops, he has.
The finish saw Knight attempt a sunset flip in the corner, but Gibson trapped his arm while holding the rope for leverage to score a dubious three-count on Knight as the referee didn’t see Gibson cheating. The crowd booed, but the Midnight Heat sure looked happy. This was a fun opener.
Fred Rosser defeated Gabriel Kidd
This match was great, but even I felt sore after watching it.
To say both Kidd and Ross were amped up for this might be an understatement. They jaw jacked at each other during the ring introductions before the bell sounded.
The two locked up after the bell sounded, but neither could gain the upper hand up front. Kidd muscled Rosser to the ropes. They traded shoulder tackles next though neither really budged. Kidd was able to take Rosser out with a backdrop early, but Rosser was up seconds after and laid Kidd out with a running lariat. Both rolled to opposite sides of the floor for a breather.
Back in the ring, the trash talk continued. They bashed each other with forearms and started exchanging stiff open hand strikes where you could see sweat flying off both of their bodies with each shot they threw.
They traded headbutts next before launching into what felt like a never-ending chop-for-chop sequence that had me wincing at times. The violence was relentless.
For those keeping tabs, this match felt like a marker for how far Rosser has strayed from the WWE in-ring style many of us were used to seeing from him. He’s shed pretty much all of what once was “Darren Young” in becoming who he is now: a really big, really tough, really mean dude.
They exchanged more hard strikes in the corner. Kidd got the better of the exchange, fell to the mat and sat cross-legged ala Katsuyori Shibata, his trainer, and shouted at Rosser to bring it on.
Rosser crawled to the center of the ring and sat across from Kidd, declaring the ring was “his house.” The two started slapping each other in the face while seated. Kidd looked to have bashed Rosser in the ear with one of the shots.
Back on their feet, Kidd boxed Rosser into the corner with more palm strikes. Kidd’s wrist tape started flying off. On commentary, Alex Koslov said this match would take years off their lives.
Rosser halted Kidd’s onslaught with pure power, hoisting Kidd into the air with a fireman’s carry and bringing him down with a gutbuster, stopping Kidd’s momentum. Rosser’s wrist tape began coming off, too, when he threw left and right lariats to Kidd’s back and chest. Kidd later answered with a big brainbuster.
Kidd went to the top rope for a moonsault, which looked beautiful, but no one was home as Rosser moved out of the way before Kidd crashed to the mat. He caught Kidd with another big running lariat and scored a near fall from it. Next was a running death valley bomb for another two count. He finally put Kidd down for good with an Emerald Frosion to pick up the hard-earned victory; strong style indeed.
Kidd got on the mic afterwards and, while pointing to the NJPW Lion mark logo, said that it was the reason why everyone had been brought together there. He thanked the crowd before declaring that New Japan was “the best professional wrestling company on the planet.” He thanked DEFY for allowing NJPW into their house and once again declared NJPW the best in the world, and in Japanese, to boot.
“U.S. of Jay” Open Challenge Series: Jay White (w/ Hikuleo) defeated Jay Lethal
White is everywhere these days. Outside of Strong, White has recently appeared on AEW Dynamite and Rampage, has made appearances with Bullet Club on Impact and was even featured on a recent “greatest hits” edition of NJPW on AXS TV which aired his match against Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight title in Osaka in 2020.
White came out to the ring with Bullet Club cohort Hikuleo, who we saw on last week’s edition of NJPW Strong against Cody Chhun.
The next mystery opponent in White’s U.S. of Jay open challenge series turned out to be former ROH Champion and AEW roster member Lethal. The two actually faced off once before in ROH in 2017 when White was on excursion from NJPW with Lethal coming out victorious.
When the bell rang, White walked to the center of the ring and pointed at the NJPW lion mark and shouted that Lethal was now in his house, his territory. Lethal didn’t bite. The crowd was excited as the two circled each other. They didn’t touch for almost a minute or so before locking up.
The two mixed it up on the mat. They traded holds although anytime Lethal grabbed a hold, White would strong arm his way out or at least make things uncomfortable for Lethal as he held control. Fans were chanting “Let’s go, Jay!” but I’m not sure which Jay they were supporting.
Lethal later caught White with a Chris Jericho-style springboard dropkick that knocked White from the apron to the floor. White tried following up with a dive through the ropes, but Hikuleo stood in harm’s way and held his hand out, ordering Lethal to stay inside the ring.
After another exchange in the ring, White was able to catch and drill Lethal with a snap backdrop suplex. He taunted Lethal, mashing his face with his boot.
Lethal was later able to pull off a suicide dive through the ropes that he attempted earlier before rolling White back into the the ring. He went for Hail To The King, his own version of Randy Savage’s diving elbow drop, but White blocked it, using an inside cradle for two.
Lethal used a reverse fireman’s carry roll on White, which I hadn’t seen done before tonight. Imagine Finlay’s fireman’s carry roll but starting from the torture rack position. He connected with the diving elbow on his second try. White took Lethal down with a quick flatliner before planting him with a release german suplex. He used a Blade Buster on Lethal for two.
Later, White would go after Lethal’s knee, stomping at it and wrenching it over his own neck at one point. Lethal connected with a superkick moments later, but he grasped at his knee after landing it, so he wasn’t able to capitalize on the moment.
Lethal called for Lethal Injection, but White blocked it and went for a half-and-half suplex. Lethal blocked that and slapped on a figure four leg lock in the center of the ring. White would eventually make it to the ropes for a break.
They traded more chops next. Lethal wobbled on his injured knee. They traded forearms at a rapid pace until Lethal caught White with a cutter out of nowhere. He went for Lethal Injection, but White rolled out of the way and Lethal sold his knee as though it buckled after he’d bounced off the ropes.
White went for the Blade Runner, but Lethal escaped. He went for Lethal Injection once more, but White used a chop block as Lethal was bouncing off the ropes to take out his worn-out knee.
White spiked Lethal with two half-nelson suplexes before pinning Lethal with the Blade Runner to pick up the win. White is now 2–0 in his open challenge series.
In his post-match promo, he said that he and Lethal were now 1–1 and if they wanted to even the score, maybe they could run it back once more and lightly hinted at it happening in AEW. He said the U.S. of Jay challenge is still open and awaited any of the latest free agents in wrestling to step up and take him on. He finished with his usual Switchblade Era spiel before the show wrapped, capping another solid episode of Strong.
Final thoughts:
This was a top shelf episode of NJPW Strong. Each match had a distinct flavor, completely differing from one and other. The tag team opener was fun and intense, while Rosser vs. Kidd was one of the more violent matches in the show’s short history.
The main event, or the Battle of the Jays, was one of the best main events the show has had, as well. Because of how talented both Lethal and White are, they turned in a quality match that is as good (if not better) than much of NJPW proper’s upper-card. If they do have a rematch in AEW, I assure you they’ll tear the house down.
Next week sees NJPW Strong Openweight champion “Filthy” Tom Lawlor take on former Team Filthy member Taylor Rust.
NJPW has announced the full card for this Saturday’s NJPW Strong. The show will kick off The New Beginning USA series of episodes.
In the main event, Clark Connors will take on TJP. It will be the fourth career singles meeting between the two, with TJP leading the series 2-1.
In the second match, Lio Rush and Rocky Romero will face Team Filthy’s West Coast Wrecking Crew, Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs.
In Saturday’s opener, new AEW signee Brody King will take on Yuya Uemura.
The New Beginning USA episodes of Strong were taped on January 15 in Seattle, Washington. Saturday’s show will also be available on demand immediately following airing.
Here is the full lineup:
NJPW Strong The New Beginning USA night one, Saturday, February 5, 8 p.m. Eastern time on NJPW World–
This week’s NJPW Strong: Nemesis was the fourth and final installment from their tapings from Hollywood, California.
Alex Zayne defeated Ariya Daivari
This was a tighter and better version of the first match they had last year at New Japan Showdown in Philadelphia. When Daivari lost in Philly, he explained after the match that he wanted to stop cheating in his matches (he was a regular heel on 205 Live before he started working in Strong) and changed his overall approach to his game. He wants to be a good guy.
Kevin Kelly made sure to prep us on the storyline before the match got underway. he said that Daivari’s mom was in attendance to watch.
Once the match started, a fan shouted at Zayne: “You look like a can of Monster Energy” which got a pretty loud reaction, actually.
Daivari tried keeping Zayne on the mat. Toward the finish, a number of fans were chanting for Daivari.
Daivari earned a two count after putting Zayne down with a hammerlock DDT. Later, he laid Zayne out with a hard hammerlock lariat. He then connected with the Magic Carpet Ride where he breaks out an actual rug and hits a to rope splash. The crowd loved it, but it only earned another two.
Since Daivari couldn’t seal the deal, he went to the floor, grabbed the ring bell, and brought it into the ring. The reformed heel was tempted to knock Zayne out with the bell until his conscience got the better of him. Maybe his mom being in attendance influenced him, too.
Zayne used that indecisiveness and came back quickly, putting Daivari away with the Taco Driver moments later. This was Zayne’s second win over Daivari in New Japan.
Alex Coughlin Challenge Series: Alex Coughlin defeated JR Kratos
Kratos intensely eyeballed his hecklers as he walked to the ring.
Coughlin and Kratos immediately went hold for hold on the mat as the crowd got really quiet and paid close attention to the hosses inside the ring. Neither wrestler seemed to gain the upper hand as this came off like a realistic grappling bout between two evenly matched competitors.
Coughlin and Kratos faced off a number of times last year in both the NJPW ring as well as Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport. In addition to being Coughlin’s “graduation match,” this could also be looked at as the blow off to a long rivalry that Kratos had gotten the better of.
Coughlin tried suplexing Kratos early, but no dice. Kratos got lots of “good” heat from the crowd. NJPW fans obviously don’t hate him, but they respect him so much that many went out of their way to play along and boo the hell out of him. The atmosphere made this match all the more exciting.
The match spilled out onto the floor. Kratos blasted Coughlin with a hard chop against the guardrail and got back into the ring after laying Coughlin out on the floor as the referee began the count. The crowd got behind Coughlin and cheered him on to get back into the ring which he finally did at the count of 19.
Kratos used a big snap powerslam on Coughlin back in the ring. The crowd was super behind Coughlin at this point.
Coughlin later caught Kratos mid-air and teased suplexing him. The crowd bit. He teased using his signature deadlift gutwrench suplex to Kratos — the same one he did in San Jose in the ten-man tag team match both were in. He couldn’t swing it on the first try, but the second time was the charm and Coughlin suplexed the larger Kratos, driving him into the mat. The crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”
Coughlin took Kratos down with a running shoulderblock. He tried a second time, but Kratos caught Coughlin mid-air and slapped on a Fujiwara armbar. Coughlin slipped out, got behind Kratos and slammed him once more against the mat with a bridging deadlift German suplex to get the sudden three count. The audience erupted as Coughlin looked a bit stunned before dashing to the back almost immediately.
Since Coughlin won his Challenge Series match, NJPW will now graduate him from Young Lion rookie status to the NJPW main roster. He’ll have new ring gear soon, too, as per the tradition and will join his LA Dojo classmates Karl Fredericks and Carl Connors as regular roster members.
Jay White defeated Christopher Daniels
This was Daniels’ first time back in a NJPW ring in three years. He is going by his old “Fallen Angel” moniker and had his own custom titantron entrance video when he came out — a video just like the main roster wrestlers have.
These two are by the books technical, both very smooth and crisp with great match pace. Daniels really knows how to connect with the audience on the spot. He and White were so effective in engaging the live fans that most actually reacted when they shoulderblocked each other.
White trash talked Daniels outside of the ring early, claiming he was teaching Daniels a lesson. White was pretty over with the live crowd, but the character he’s playing complicates the situation a bit; White never deviates from his role and function and never panders as a “cool heel” type and even still, many fans like him anyway.
“Lesson five!” White shouted before planting Daniels with a Saito suplex. He argued with referee Jeremy Marcus a few times over the course of the match. White later would get in between Marcus and Daniels while Daniels sold on the ground as White wanted to send a message.
Later, Daniels would return the attack and go on the offensive. He responded with a death valley bomb followed by a Koji clutch submission.
White used a stun gun over the ropes onto the apron and actually lost a clump of his hair in the ropes. Daniels fired up of that and was able to come back and hit an Iconoclast, CIMA’s signature flipping slam off the top.
Daniels went for Angel’s Wings, but White slipped away and onto the floor. Daniels chased after him and did a tope suicida through the ropes. He tried to peel back the ringside mats in an attempt at payback, but White back body dropped Daniels onto the exposed floor.
In the ring, White earned a near fall after hitting a Blade Buster. Daniels later used Angel’s Wings for his own close two count. Toward the end of the match, the live crowd was split 50/50 between both men.
White went for a Blade Runner, but couldn’t swing it. Daniels stuck a perfect double jump moonsault, but White got his knees up last second to block it. From there, White hit the Blade Runner to finally put Daniels away for the win.
Afterward, White complained about both AEW and Daniels and that he wants an opponent who is “truly elite.” He said it was still “his era” before leaving the ring and heading to the back.
Final thoughts:
Go out of your way to watch Coughlin vs. Kratos and White vs. Daniels. The former is more of a hard hitting strong style type of match with a terrific finish, while the main event was a masterclass on what many would call perfect modern pro wrestling.
The timing and crispness from both Daniels and “Switchblade” and their ability to play off the crowd and build drama was on display in this relatively short match. It wasn’t the best match ever, but it doesn’t get much more solid than what they did in the ring at Nemesis.
Filthy Four Daily with Bryan Alvarez and Filthy Tom Lawlor is back with tons to talk about including some notes from the Strong tapings in Seattle, a very fun episode of Strong on New Japan World this week, Smackdown Sports Entertainment, and more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
The Bryan & Vinny Show is back with tons to talk about including TWO GREAT SHOWS, the AEW Rampage show from Friday night and the New Japan Strong TV tapings on Saturday night in Seattle, an absolutely awesome live show that you’ll be able to watch soon on New Japan Strong. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including more on the Observer Hall of Fame, WWE cries about AEW doing blood after doing blood themselves for decades including recently, New Japan Strong taping results, Rampage and Smackdown reviews, ratings, UFC recap and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Report —
TJP defeated The DKC
The battle of the acronyms.
LA Dojo trainee The DKC came into this match like a fireball. He lit TJP up with chops early on. DKC had a couple of very vocal supporters in the audience and was very over at the venue.
TJP slowed the match down once he took control on offense. He worked over DKC’s knees with a variety of leglocks. The DKC came back with a leg lariat and a flurry of knife-edged chops from all angles. He then used DK Fire on TJP, which is a signature spot of his where he bends his opponent across his knee, almost like a GTR, but then just starts chopping the opponent up.
The DKC is about chops and fire, and I can get behind that.
TJP made a late comeback in this and eventually laid the DKC out with a nice backdrop suplex. Actually, both were out on the mat after that. He’d later catch the DKC in mid-air with a dropkick, then put him away with a big Black Mamba frog splash. Good opener.
Bullet Club (Hikuleo & Chris Bey) defeated Jordan Clearwater and Keita Murray
Murray was subbing for Clark Connors, who had to miss the tapings after he contracted COVID-19.
Bullet Club was pretty popular with the Hollywood crowd. These two have been a semi-regular team lately, not just competing for NJPW Strong but also on IMPACT.
Murray and Bey kicked things off and had a short but sweet exchange. Clearwater and Murray would double-team Bey until Bey tagged out to Hikuleo. These two could be a money feud for Strong in 2022 and beyond.
Murray spiked Bey with a DDT. He and Clearwater double-teamed the larger Hikuleo, but eventually Bey snuck into the ring and took Murray out with a roundhouse kick to the head and a ripcord knee to put Murray away and pick up the win for BC.
Eddie Kingston defeated Gabriel Kidd
The crowd in Hollywood were chanting “ED-DIE! ED-DIE!” before Kingston even walked out. He felt like a big deal, which in turn made the match feel like a big chance for Kidd.
They locked up. Kingston forced Kidd into the corner, then missed an uraken spinning backfist when Kidd parried. Kingston gave Kidd the “this close” gesture.
The two exchanged hard chops and elbows next. Kidd was fired the hell up. He put Kingston on the mat with a big boot. The crowd began booing him. That’s how hot the crowd was for Kingston at the tapings.
Kingston poked Kidd in the eye, headbutted him, then bit him. Kidd threw a penalty kick into Kingston’s back, which apparently woke Kingston up because he immediately stood up and blasted Kidd in the face with two hard palm strikes. His singlet straps came down next. Business time.
They had another pretty insane exchange of strikes on their feet, and again Kingston laid Kidd out with palm strikes. I was actually in attendance for this and wanted to emphasize how physical and brutal, this was. It wasn’t over the top, just physical and very intense.
They traded machine gun chops in the corner. The crowed loved that. By around five minutes into the match it felt like these two had thrown at least 100 chops. Kidd took Kingston down with a hard European uppercut.
Before Kingston stood up, Kidd kicked him, then called him a “motherf*cker.” The crowd immediately began chanting “YOU F*CKED UP!”
The exchanged even more chops next. Both had red & purple chests. They traded really hard palm strikes. Kidd cursed at him again. Kingston responded with another eye poke. Kingston’s mouth was bleeding late in this.
Kidd earned a two count after a backdrop suplex. He next used an exploder suplex, which Kingston was immediately up from. Kingston threw Kidd with his own exploder. Kidd was also immediately back up from Kingston’s suplex.
If this were a video game, both wrestlers’ spirit meters would be flashing like crazy. Kidd plowed Kingston with a two hard lariats and a brainbuster, but he wasn’t able to make it back up to pin Kingston. The ref started a double countout.
Kingston stuck Kidd with a DDT. At the 10-minute mark, he earned a near fall after a sit-out power bomb. He’d connect with the uraken next but Kidd wouldn’t go down. Kidd launched Kingston with a German suplex. Kingston answered with a backdrop suplex of his own.
The crowd was hot for this as it came to a finish. They had yet another palm strike exchange before Kingston spiked Kidd onto his head with a half-nelson suplex before putting Kidd away with the uraken, which he’d attempted at the top of the match.
The crowd chanted for Kingston as he exited. Kidd was helped to the back by ring staff.
Final thoughts:
Good episode of Strong with an absolutely killer main event.
We’ve all seen tons of great wrestling of the past week, but I’d consider Kingston vs. Kidd must-see. Kidd is going to be a big, big deal in the future, while Kingston clearly is a big deal right now.
Next week sees the next installment of NJPW Strong: Nemesis from Hollywood.
Tonight saw the third installment of NJPW Strong: Detonation from Riverside, CA.
The DKC and Kevin Knight defeated Jordan Clearwater and Brogan Finlay
Good opener. Clearwater and Knight kicked things off for their teams. Remember these words: Within the next three years or so, these two will be big names in the industry. Clearwater looks more muscular than he has in the past.
Brogan Finlay, brother of David and son of Fit, had his second match on NJPW Strong. He’s technically the youngest wrestler on NJPW’s roster and has been active for seven months so far.
Clearwater and Finlay worked the DKC over in their corner for a while. Knight was able to make a save late in the match for his partner, connecting with a dropkick that he didn’t get all of. This gave DKC the chance to use a number of karate chops on Finlay. He earned a close nearfall with a crucifix bomb on Finlay, then tapped him out with a Koji clutch variation.
Team Filthy (JR Kratos, Royce Isaacs & Black Tiger) (with Jorel Nelson) defeated FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson) and Rocky Romero
Kevin Kelly referred to this iteration of Black Tiger as the “underground version.” He was brought in a few weeks ago and was hunting Rocky Romero.
Isaacs and Romero started things off, but Black Tiger ambushed Romero just seconds into the match. The crowd booed. They were chanting for Romero pretty loudly throughout the match.
Team Filthy beat on Romero on the floor, but FinJuice made the save. After some bedlam outside the ring, the babyfaces took control on offense and double-teamed Black Tiger. They bodyslammed each other on top of Black Tiger, then dropped a few sentons on him.
Team Filthy gained the upper hand after Jorel Nelson, who was on the floor, got involved. The group posed in the ring at one point, too, but Robinson and Finlay broke it up.
Kratos deadlift suplexed Romero. Isaacs hit a gnarly-looking one-armed power bomb on Romero. Robinson made a tag into the match minutes later and had a good exchange with Kratos. These two are about the same height, actually. I’m sure this would make for a great singles match on the show next year.
Robinson used the Left Hand of God on Kratos but the giant didn’t go down. He laid Black Tiger out with a spinebuster. Finlay was in next to clean house. The ten-minute call sounded while he was in the ring. He tagged Romero in and Romero went to town on Tiger with Forever Clotheslines in the corner. Isaacs got involved and tipped the scales in favor of Team Filthy. Kratos landed a big corner superman punch that knocked Romero cold. Nelson got involved again too, behind the ref’s back, and connected with jumping knees to Romero’s chest in the corner.
FinJuice broke things up and would moments later hit tandem pescados to the floor on Kratos and Isaacs while Romero and Tiger traded submissions in the ring. The two went back and forth until Tiger spiked Romero with a tombstone piledriver, then a tiger driver for the win in just over 15 minutes. Team Filthy beat on the babyfaces a bit more before exiting; the crowd showered them with boos as they walked to the back.
STRONG Openweight Championship match: “Filthy” Tom Lawlor (c) defeated Fred Rosser to retain via TKO
They aired a video package before the match which told the story of what had happened between champion Lawlor and Rosser over the past months. Rosser is actually the first person to pin Lawlor in a NJPW ring, which he did in Philadelphia. Lawlor’s response was to beat Rosser up after the match and shave Rosser’s head.
Lawlor came to the ring with Team Filthy. JR Kratos brought the pair of scissors Lawlor used to cut Rosser’s hair with. When Rosser came out, he had a fresh new look, bald head and new trunks. He charged the ring during the entrances and tried getting into it with “Filthy” Tom early.
When the match was finally underway, Rosser got into Lawlor’s face and slapped him. The two grappled back and forth early on. The slightly bigger Rosser took the advantage and was able to stay over Lawlor, often controlling with armlocks or headlocks.
When they wrestled into the corner, neither man would break their hold, so referee Jeremy Marcus had to literally get in between the two to break them up. Later, Lawlor slipped out to the floor, but Rosser chased after him and whipped the champion into three guardrails. The crowd enjoyed that. Rosser began choking Lawlor with some of his own wrist tape, then bit Lawlor’s face. Rosser then tried back suplexing Lawlor onto the apron, but Lawlor blocked it by using a low blow that the ref didn’t see. He drove Rosser sternum-first into the guardrail on the floor next. He threw himself and Rosser over the guardrail into the crowd with a lariat.
Lawlor was able to get both he and Rosser back into the ring at the count of 16. He cradled Rosser for two. Lawlor threw hard low kicks at Rosser’s chest, but Rosser ate them. They started trading hard elbows. The crowd started chanting “Let’s go, Fred!” Lawlor locked in a guillotine choke but didn’t have luck with that, so transitioned to a cravat, snap-mared Rosser over, then used two sliding lariats—one to each side—to earn a two-count.
Rosser tried fighting back but Lawlor kept shutting him down. He laid Rosser out with a bulldog. When Rosser tried doing his signature gutbuster, Lawlor escaped, then did a double-leg dragon screw leg whip and locked Rosser into a cloverleaf until Rosser grabbed the rope for a break.
Rosser unleashed a flurry of lariats in the corner, a Mail Mary effort, but Lawlor picked him up and slammed him into the middle of the mat with a modified uranage slam. He put him down with a wrist-clutch exploder next, again for two. The fans didn’t give up on Rosser and kept chanting for him. When Lawlor went for a sleeper, Rosser slipped out and laid in a dozen forearms and elbows. At the 15-minute mark, he finally put Lawlor flat on the mat with a hard double ax-handle.
When Rosser tried suplexing Lawlor off the apron onto the floor, Lawlor blocked it by jumping him then locking on a guillotine choke. Rosser shoved Lawlor off, then did a slingshot to Lawlor from the floor into the ringpost, Bret Hart–Shawn Michaels style.
The two traded more heavy blows inside the ring next. Lawlor knocked Rosser down with an enzuigiri kick and the crowd booed loudly. Rosser’s wrist tape had come completely off at this point, which shows how damn serious things were getting between the two. Lawlor locked in another sleeper, but Rosser ran up the ropes and back-cradled him, another Bret Hart-Steve Austin throwback. Lawlor escaped the pin by bridging up and rolling back into the sleeper. Very cool.
Rosser used a running Death Valley Bomb on Lawlor for two. The crowd kept chanting “Fred!” When the 20-minute call sounded, Rosser put Lawlor down with an Emerald Flowsion. Lawlor escaped the pin by putting his foot on the lower rope.
Rosser drove in a number of 12–6 elbows, then locked on his once-signature crossface chickenwing. Lawlor rolled from side to side of the ring trying to grab the ropes for a break. The crowd bit on this and it really felt like they might give the win to Rosser with this.
Lawlor barely escaped the chickenwing, then got dropped back-first on the apron with the back suplex Rosser attempted early on in the match. Rosser then went for a diving Earthquake splash off the apron onto the floor, but Lawlor moved out of the way to lock in a sleeper again, this time on the floor. Wow. The two fought a bit more on the floor before they made it back into the ring.
As they crawled back inside, Rosser was a few feet ahead of Lawlor, and Lawlor still hadn’t gone through the ropes yet, so he dove through the ropes and caught Rosser with a rolling sleeper. I don’t think I’d ever seen that before. Rosser passed out from the sleeper hold and referee Jeremy Marcus stopped the match due to TKO. The crowd cursed at Lawlor and chanted for Rosser afterwards.
Lawlor cut a promo and explained how he was the only one who really deserved the STRONG Openweight champion. He said he’d beaten legends and top contenders and “pretenders, like Fred.” No one came out initially, so he and Team Filthy posed while his music played. This was until the returning Rust Taylor (Tyler Rust in NXT this year) came out. Taylor was actually an original member of Team Filthy last year.
He got into the ring to celebrate with Lawlor, then swerved him and took him out with his finisher, a forward-swinging neckbreaker type deal. If you didn’t know who Taylor is before this segment, it’s OK, because he came off as a somebody. His hair grew out and he got much bigger compared to his first stint on Strong. It looks like he’ll soon challenge “Filthy” Tom for the Openweight title soon.
Final thoughts:
The main event was excellent this week. It was a near-30-minute match that was arguably Rosser’s best match ever, but also one of Lawlor’s, who has been racking them up lately. The funny thing is that when you hear the term “New Japan,” the kind of match these two had doesn’t come to mind. This was a technical or modern brawl. It had good emotion coming from Rosser’s end. It was extremely physical but not in a forced way. Rosser’s transition from WWE to NJPW has worked but it also hasn’t forced Rosser to change his in-ring style at all, and somehow it worked well with Lawlor’s MMA-centric approach.
I imagine if this were in front of the right crowd it’d have blown the roof of the venue, though that’s not to say the Riverside crowd was a detriment in any way. Detonation was an excellent show, but the reality is there aren’t enough eyeballs on the product to measure how good these shows have been lately.
