AEW has announced the signing of Juice Robinson, who will challenge for the ROH World Television Championship at Final Battle on December 10.
Robinson cut a promo on Friday’s AEW Rampage episode, issuing a challenge to Samoa Joe for Final Battle. Excalibur then noted on commentary that Robinson had signed with the company, and that challenging Joe was his first act as an official roster member.
Robinson, an NJPW regular and member of the promotion’s Bullet Club, made his AEW debut in September 2022 in a World title eliminator match against Jon Moxley in a losing effort.
Four title matches, plus a tag team bout are now set for Final Battle. The updated lineup:
ROH Final Battle, Saturday, December 10, 4 p.m. Eastern time on pay-per-view —
ROH World Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli — If Jericho wins, Castagnoli must join the Jericho Appreciation Society
ROH Women’s World Championship: Mercedes Martinez (c) vs. Athena
ROH Pure Championship: Daniel Garcia (c) vs. Wheeler Yuta
ROH World Television Championship: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Juice Robinson
Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland vs. Shane Taylor & JD Griffey
The card for next Saturday’s ROH Final Battle continued to take shape during Friday’s AEW Rampage with an ROH TV title match and a former ROH TV Champion returning to issue a tag team challenge.
ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe will defend his title against the newly-signed Juice Robinson. Robinson appeared via a taped promo and issued the challenge, saying he wants to be the new king of TV. It will be Joe’s second title match of the week and he will defend the TNT title against Darby Allin on Wednesday’s AEW Rampage.
The other addition will see the returning Shane Taylor & debuting JD Griffey against Swerve in our Glory.
During a backstage promo with Keith Lee, Taylor walked in and questioned Lee for leaving him six years ago and also leaving Swerve Strickland two years ago.
Taylor than challenged Lee and a partner of his choice to take on himself and Griffey at Final Battle. Strickland then walked in behind Lee and smiled, non-verbally offering his services. Lee moaned, “Oh my god. Can I even trust you?” and walked away.
Taylor is a former ROH TV Champion and ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champion while this will be Griffey’s ROH debut. He has appeared three times on AEW Dark: Elevation, AEW Dark, and AEW Dynamite as one of the security guards Wardlow defeated in his 20-on-1 challenge.
This will be Lee & Strickland’s first match since Lee walked out on Strickland in their challenge of AEW Tag Team Champions The Acclaimed at Full Gear.
Here’s the current lineup for next Saturday’s pay-per-view from Dallas, Texas:
ROH World Champion Chris Jericho defends against Claudio Castagnoli
ROH Women’s Champion Mercedes Martinez defends against Athena
ROH Pure Champion Daniel Garcia defends against Wheeler Yuta
ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe defends against Juice Robinson
NJPW Strong’s Detonation series kicks off this Saturday with a Juice Robinson vs. Blake Christian headliner.
In Saturday’s main event, Bullet Club’s Robinson takes on Strong regular Christian in a singles bout. Christian attacked Robinson on last week’s episode after Robinson took on Jake Something.
In another singles bout set for Saturday, former ROH World Champion Homicide will face Team Filthy’s Danny Limelight.
A unique tag team match will kick off Saturday’s episode, as Rocky Romero and Adrian Quest take on Atlantis Jr. and Virus under lucha rules where partners can enter without tags as long as their teammate has left the ring.
Strong’s Detonation episodes were taped Sunday, November 20 in Los Angeles.
Here is Saturday’s lineup:
NJPW Strong, Saturday, December 3, 8 p.m. Eastern time on NJPW Strong —
Juice Robinson vs. Blake Christian
Homicide vs. Danny Limelight
Lucha Rules tag match: Rocky Romero & Adrian Quest vs. Atlantis Jr. & Virus
A main event tag match has been announced for NJPW Rumble on 44th Street.
In a bout announced late Wednesday, Kazuchika Okada will team with AEW’s Eddie Kingston against IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White and Juice Robinson in the main event of Rumble on 44th Street at the Palladium Times Square in New York City.
Okada is the 2022 G1 Climax winner, while White made his final successful title defense before the Tokyo Dome earlier this week against Tama Tonga. White defending the IWGP World title against Okada is officially the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4, 2023.
Also set for Rumble on 44th Street, Shingo Takagi will defend the provisional KOPW 2022 trophy against El Phantasmo. The two faced off in a “Who’s Your Daddy” match at Declaration of Power earlier this week, where Shingo won and ELP was forced to call Shingo “his daddy.” After the match, ELP hit Shingo with a low blow and destroyed the KOPW 2022 trophy.
NJPW will run New York City on consecutive nights on October 27 and 28, with a mystery lineup on the 27th, and Rumble on 44th Street on the 28th. A FITE TV bundle for both nights will be available, and the shows will be available for standalone pay-per-view purchase on FITE as well.
The lineups:
NJPW The Night Before Rumble on 44th Street: A Halloween Special, Thursday, October 27, 8 p.m. Eastern time on FITE TV–
Mystery lineup
NJPW Rumble on 44th Street, Friday, October 28, 8 p.m. Eastern time on FITE TV —
Kazuchika Okada & Eddie Kingston vs. Jay White & Juice Robinson
Provisional KOPW 2022: Shingo Takagi vs. El Phantasmo
Hey there, happy Wednesday! Join Denise Salcedo and special guest co-host Phil Lindsey as they recap the September 28th edition of AEW Dynamite on Speak Now Pro Wrestling!
Topics include: Back and forth promos between MJF and Wheeler Yuta, the debuts of Juice Robinson and Bandido, Saraya’s first AEW promo, and more!
Jon Moxley will face NJPW’s Juice Robinson in a World title eliminator match on the Wednesday, September 28 AEW Dynamite.
In a bout announced during Friday’s Rampage Grand Slam, AEW World Champion Moxley will face Robinson in a match where Robinson can earn a World title show with a victory. Robinson could potentially join a growing list of potential Moxley challengers, as Hangman Page earned a World title shot on the October 18 Dynamite by winning a battle royale at Grand Slam. Additionally, MJF has a guaranteed World title shot in his grasp by virtue of winning the Casino Ladder Match at All Out.
Also announced for Wednesday’s Dynamite, Saraya will speak. The former Paige made her AEW debut at Dynamite Grand Slam.
The aforementioned MJF will also speak on Wednesday’s Dynamite in a segment announced on Rampage.
A championship celebration for new ROH World Champion Chris Jericho has also been announced for Dynamite.
The lineup for Dynamite so far:
AEW World title eliminator: AEW World Champion Jon Moxley vs. Juice Robinson
Chris Bey and Ace Austin wrestled in two tag team matches at Impact’s last set of tapings from Dallas. They defeated Exodus Prime & JD Griffey on August 26 but then dropped a match to Aussie Open the following night.
This will be Robinson’s first time wrestling in Impact since January.
Impact Victory Road takes place Friday, September 23 from Skyway Studios in Nashville, TN. The countdown show will air on YouTube beginning at 7:30 p.m Eastern time. The main card will air on Impact Plus at 8 p.m Eastern time. The announced lineup for the show is as follows:
Steve Maclin vs. Sami Callihan vs. Moose in a barbed wire massacre match
Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace vs. Max The Impaler in a non-title match
X-Division Champion MIke Bailey defends against Delirious
Mickie James vs. Gisele Shaw
Josh Alexander, Heath & Rich Swann vs. Eddie Edwards & The OGK
Killer Kelly vs. Tasha Steelz
Frankie Kazarian vs. Kenny King vs. Laredo Kid vs. Alex Zayne vs. Mia Yim vs. Trey Miguel vs. Black Taurus vs. Yuya Uemura for an X-Division title
Motor City Machine Guns vs. Vincent & PCO
Bullet Club’s Juice Robinson, Chris Bey, & Ace Austin vs. Jackson Stone, Jack Price, & Jason Hotch (Countdown to Victory Road)
Here are results from night two of the G1 Climax 32 tournament in blank.
Non-tournament matches:
YOSHI-HASHI and David Finlay defeated Filthy Tom Lawlor and Royce Issacs. Finlay pinned Issacs.
El Phantasmo and Bad Luck Fale defeated Lance Archer and Taka Michinoku. Phantasmo pinned Michinoku.
Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, Aaron Henare, and Jeff Cobb defeated EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, SHO, and Dick Togo. Henare submitted Togo with a full nelson.
Jay White and Chase Owens defeated Tama Tonga and Jado. Owens pinned Jado.
Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Hirooki Goto defeated Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, and BUSHI. Tanahashi pinned BUSHI.
Tournament matches:
Taichi defeated Tomohiro Ishii with the Black Mephisto.
Toru Yano defeated JONAH by count out. The finish had Yano low blowing both JONAH and Bad Dude Tito on the outside and making it in before the count of 20.
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated KENTA. Sabre won via submission after an armbar.
Juice Robinson defeated Shingo Takagi following Pulp Friction.
NJPW has stripped Juice Robinson of the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship, and a new title holder will be decided Sunday at Dominion.
NJPW announced on Friday night that Robinson was not coming to Japan to defend the US title as scheduled on Sunday, he would be stripped, and the scheduled Robinson vs. SANADA vs. Will Ospreay three-way at Dominion will now be a SANADA vs. Ospreay singles match, with the winner crowned the new United States Champion.
NJPW stated that Robinson “reneged on [his] agreement” to defend the title in Osaka on Sunday. Their statement reads:
On Friday June 9, New Japan Pro-Wrestling was in receipt of a video from Juice Robinson, in which he stated that he would not be present for his IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship three way match at Dominion.
In fact, Robinson had initially agreed to the championship match Sunday in Osaka Jo Hall. Having now reneged on this agreement and refusing to attend in Osaka, NJPW is hereby stripping Robinson of his champion status and is demanding the return of the championship belt currently in his possession.
As a result of the championship vacancy, the previously scheduled IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship three way is now a singles match that will determine a new champion.
The card change is as follows:
9th Match- IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship Three Way
Juice Robinson vs SANADA vs Will Ospreay ->
9th Match- IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship
SANADA vs Will Ospreay
New Japan Pro-Wrestling apologises to fans who were looking forward to seeing Juice wrestle, as well as for the confusion and inconvenience caused.
With Robinson not making public statements outside of kayfabe promos, it remains unclear how much of this matter is storyline and how much is legitimate.
Robinson missed an NJPW June 3 event where he was scheduled for a non-title match against Tomoaki Honma. It was announced at that show that Robinson was suffering from appendicitis. The manner in which that announcement was made indicated that Robinson’s ailment was legitimate.
On Thursday, Robinson released an in-character promo via NJPW claiming that he would not be at Dominion due to still suffering from appendicitis, but was still advertised for the event for another 24 hours, indicating that perhaps the ailment was storyline.
To further muddy the waters, Robinson appeared on the April 13 Wrestling Observer Live and indicated that his NJPW career had come to an end after his contract had expired. He then returned to the company at Wrestling Dontaku on May 1 and turned heel, joining Bullet Club. That would indicate that his Observer Live appearance was in-character.
Robinson went on to win the IWGP United States title at Capital Collision in Washington DC on May 14.
Here is the updated card for Dominion:
NJPW Dominion, Sunday, June 12, 1 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Jay White
IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay vs. SANADA
NEVER Openweight Championship: Tama Tonga (c) vs. Karl Anderson
KOPW 2022: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Taichi
AEW interim World Championship eliminator match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens (c) vs. Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & SHO vs. Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Toru Yano vs. Doc Gallows
Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Ace Austin
Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Aaron Henare, TJP & Francesco Akira
Juice Robinson claims he will not be in Osaka on Sunday to defend the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship at NJPW Dominion.
In a video released on NJPW’s YouTube channel, Robinson stated that he is still suffering from acute appendicitis and will not be in Japan on Sunday to defend the US title in a three-way against SANADA and Will Ospreay as advertised.
The fact that Robinson is still being advertised for the bout, that the video was released via official NJPW channels, the wording of NJPW’s social media posts, and the absence of an official statement from the company would seem to indicate that this is an angle and not a legitimate issue, and that Robinson will appear.
BREAKING
Juice Robinson declares himself- and the IWGP United States Championship- OUT of Dominion?
IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Juice Robinson missed today’s NJPW Best of the Super Juniors finals show due to a bout with appendicitis.
It was announced at the top of today’s event that there would be a card change, and that Robinson would miss his scheduled non-title bout against Tomoaki Honma due to the ailment. Honma instead faced Ryohei Oiwa.
Later in the show, SANADA returned after missing time with a fractured orbital bone to issue a challenge for the United States title at the June 12 Dominion show. It is unclear whether or not Robinson will be able to defend the title, or whether he will be stripped and SANADA and another contender will square off for the vacant title.
Robinson won the US title in a four-way at last month’s Capital Collision event in Washington DC, defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jon Moxley, and Will Ospreay in a four-way.
After teasing that his NJPW deal had expired, Robinson made a surprise return during Wrestling Dontaku on May 1, aligning himself with Bullet Club and ditching his “The Flamboyant” Juice Robinson gimmick for a new heel persona.
NJPW has confirmed that several big names will be at the Best of the Super Juniors finals on June 3.
The promotion revealed on Friday that members of Bullet Club, the United Empire, G.O.D, and more will be on the show.
Bullet Club’s Jay White, Juice Robinson, Karl Anderson, and Doc Gallows have been confirmed. As have the United Empire’s Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb, and Aaron Henare. The Guerrillas of Destiny, Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa will also be present at the Nippon Budokan for the event. Zack Sabre Jr. has been announced for the show as well.
Many of those scheduled for the BOSJ Finals will have big matches upcoming at NJPW Dominion on June 12. White will challenge Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Championship on the show. Tama Tonga will also defend the Never Openweight Championship against Karl Anderson while Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan will challenge Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships.
Juice Robinson is the new IWGP United States Champion.
The main event of tonight’s Capital Collision event saw Robinson pin Will Ospreay in a four-way match that also featured champion Hiroshi Tanahashi and Jon Moxley. The finish of the match had Robinson pinning Ospreay with a torture rack into a sitout slam. Despite Ospreay getting his foot under the rope, the referee counted to three anyway, giving Robinson his third IWGP United States title.
This marks the end of Tanahashi’s run with the title after only 13 days. He defeated Tomohiro Ishii back at Wrestling Dontaku on May 1 to win the vacant title after SANADA was forced to forfeit due to injury.
Tonight’s match originally was meant to be a singles match between Tanahashi and Moxley. But after Tanahashi won the title, it was changed to a four-way title match after Robinson attacked Tanahashi at Dontaku, turning heel and joining the Bullet Club. Ospreay, who was originally scheduled to meet Tanahashi at Dontaku for the vacant title, issued a challenge soon after.
