NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed streams tonight on NJPW World with an Openweight title match main, and AEW International title match co-main.
In the main event, Gabe Kidd defends the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship against Kosei Fujita in a matchup of two young stars the promotion has high hopes for in the future.
In the semi-main, AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita defends his title against United Empire’s TJP.
Other highlights on the card include a four-way to determine the number one contender to Mercedes Mone’s NJPW Strong Women’s Championship with Anna Jay vs. Trish Adora vs. Koguma vs. Hazuki. The West Coast Wrecking Crew will also face Fred Rosser & Tom Lawlor in a best two out of three falls matchup.
TMDK defend the NJPW Strong Tag Team titles against Grizzled Young Veterans in the show’s other title bout, plus Mustafa Ali and Lio Rush go one-on-one in a junior heavyweight tilt.
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Pre-Show Kickoff
Matt Vandagriff defeated Seabass Finn
Finn immediately had control initially, launching with an impressive tilt-a-whirl suplex. Vandagriff dashed these early hopes, however, using his long limbs, height, and strength to keep Finn down. The smaller competitor snatched the match’s momentum back, delivering a Kiss My Bass and more suplexes. Using Tyler Bate’s Lariat, he earned a 2-count.
Finn set up for another devastating suplex, but the size of Vandagrif countered this. With a Bloody Sunday, Vandagrif slammed Finn down with a resounding clash, earning him a pinfall victory.
– Post-match – After some SpongeBob SquarePants banter with the crowd, Vandagrif was met with a bald and angry Zane Jay, who Vandagrif laid out.
Vandagrif is undoubtedly a character-focused storyteller, but I came out of this a fan of Seabass Finn and would love to see more of him.
– Grizzled Young Veterans declared their grit against TMDK for the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship
– TJP threatened AEW Continental Champion Konosuke Takeshita ahead of their match tonight, complete with Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and a promo evocative of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho
Main card
David Finlay defeated Kevin Knight
Knight struck Finlay before the bell could ring, sending him to the outside. His aerial offense and blinding agility kept the Bullet Club leader down. Finlay found an opening, sending Knight over the steel barricade, and resumed his bullying inside the ring. Hoping to gain a pinfall, he tried a Backbreaker to no avail. Knight fired back, aiming to win with a hurricanrana, which failed. Finlay tossed Knight to the outside and took the fight there, but Knight’s reaction time sent his opponent careening into the barricade.
Finlay opted to close the match with an Oblivion, but Knight miraculously kicked out at two. After a couple of high-impact moves, Knight suffered a powerbomb. Finlay unleashed hell with an Overkill, granting him a pinfall victory.
I’m not going to lie, Finlay’s growing on me again but Knight eclipses him here with his in-ring prowess. Also, I’m pretty sure that someone screamed like Toad from Super Mario Bros after Knight performed a Twister DDT on Finlay.
Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson) defeated TMDK (c) (Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls) for the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship
Gibson and Haste started this match, but Nicholls joined in, isolating the Grizzled Young Veteran from his partner. Drake managed to tag into the action, leading Gibson to slide with a Single-Leg Dropkick to Haste. Drake continued to pick Haste apart like a vulture. Haste managed to crawl to Nicholls, who went on a blazing rampage, demolishing GYV in the process.
While Drake endured TMDK’s offense, Gibson snuck up to Nicholls and pulled him out of the ring. Nicholls broke up a Stundown/Backstabber combination, but the damage to Haste had already been done. During his comeback, Haste’s aspirations were literally choked out by a towel manned by Drake while Gibson distracted the referee, setting them up for a High/Low for the win. Grizzled Young Veterans then became the Strong Openweight Tag Team Champs.
A fine match. TMDK’s double-champ reign, as magical as it was, is over. Grizzled Young Veterans are the perfect holders for these belts outside of Japan. The chemistry shared between these teams is nothing short of exciting.
Lio Rush defeated Mustafa Ali
Ali’s approach, albeit slow, proved a difference-maker, slowing the pace with a Single-Leg Crab and an STF. The velocity at which Rush operated existed as a foil to Ali’s best-laid plans. Ali taunted Rush for being an AEW star while battering Rush down. Tired of the disrespect, Rush sent a flurry of elbows and followed with a Tope Suicida, punctuated with a Lope. Flying high as he must, Rush’s waxen Icarus wings melted with Ali catching him for a DDT on the hardwood floor beneath.
Frantically, Rush escaped the wrath of Ali, with a Running Powerbomb nearly ending the match. Missing with a Moonsault, Ali spent the rest of the match writhing in agony. Rush soared once more, landing with a Frog Splash on Ali and gaining the pinfall.
As awash as I am in 205 Live nostalgia, seeing Rush’s story continue as someone with a place to call home while Ali opting to carve his own path away from a company made for an interesting conflict. Though these two have aged up, they continue to excel in what the human body can do.
West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs) defeated Dirty Work (Fred Rosser & Tom Lawlor) in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match.
Tension had no chance to boil as WCWC and Dirty Work collided head-on. Nelson and Lawlor in particular brawled to the crowd, demolishing a sweet grandmother’s chair in the process. Isaacs meanwhile catapulted Rosser to the ring post and a back suplex onto the unforgiving floor. The grandmother from earlier tagged in Lawlor who proceeded to plunge onto Nelson on the table at the ramp. Lawlor gained the first pinfall immediately after this.
Incapacitating Nelson, Dirty Work pulled a double-submission maneuver on Isaacs, both pulling at his arms and bending his fingers. Nelson broke this up, giving Isaacs a moment of respite. WCWC gained the upper hand, cornering Rosser, who narrowly escaped an Ankle Lock. Isaacs repeatedly punched Rosser’s head, each successive blow pouring blood. Squeezed dry like a mango, Rosser found the strength to keep Isaacs from Lawlor, but only enough to distract from the punishment on Nelson. Try as he might, Lawlor couldn’t prevent Isaacs from passing out from blood loss. West Coast Wrecking Crew gained the second fall.
The third stretch strapped up each team – Nelson to Lawlor and Isaacs to Rosser. That adrenaline could only be matched by the blood-fueled fire burning inside Rosser. The bell at last rung, Lawlor dropped Nelson with a Death Valley Driver while Isaacs had been punctured by Rosser’s Gut-Buster. After much carnage, WCWC nearly lost to a 10-count, had Nelson not rolled meekly to the outside on his feet. Nelson, with a strap around his neck on the top rope, sent Lawlor plummeting through the table. After ten counts, he was eliminated. Rosser had to fend for himself, and he fell prone after a Piledriver combination deemed West Coast Wrecking Crew the winners.
– Post-match – Drowned in boos, WCWC called out Grizzled Young Veterans for their newly won NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship.
As though the FTR vs Briscoes Trilogy took place on an NXT Takeover card under the NJPW banner, this gnarly affair left me giddy with the violence and silliness. The heart displayed by two tag teams who hate each other couldn’t have been done better.
– Mercedes Mone called out the women in the upcoming 4-way match for the NJPW Strong Style Evolved event in December
Hazuki defeated Trish Adora, Anna Jay, Koguma, and Hazuki for the #1 contender to the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship
Koguma heralded this new match with her Kuma Dance, which Jay and Adora joined. Hazuki didn’t seem to like it. Jay and Adora then turned against Koguma. America versus Japan occurred right after, with temporary alliances forged. Jay quickly trounced the STARS teammates, who sent a dazed Adora into them. Koguma and Hazuki overpowered them, leading to a stiff exchange. Adora cleared the field with a Double-Arm Lariat, but her Lariat Tubman was no match for Hazuki’s La Magistra. Hazuki pinned Adora clean for the win.
– Post-match – Mercedes Mone greeted Hazuki after the match, smack-talking her ahead of the Strong Style Evolved match. The pair brawled, with Mone standing tall over the exhausted body of Hazuki.
Anna Jay’s improvements and Koguma’s charming nature made this entertaining, but Adora and Hazuki’s stand-off was a spectacle. This is what I love seeing in women’s wrestling—feral rage.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Yota Tsuji & Shingo Takagi) defeated Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)
Taven and Bennett kept Takagi away from Tsuji and then cornered him too when the match started. Takagi, fresh off a tag, withstood Undisputed Kingdom’s dirty tactics, spiking Bennett on the mat. Tsuji dealt with the painful offerings of the opponents for a while, but Takagi’s stiffness and Pumping Bombers kept his partner’s head above water. With a devastating Gene Blaster, Tsuji pinned Taven. The Undisputed Kingdom celebrated with the victors before leaving.
– Post-match – A mysterious vignette darkened the arena, and when it lit up again, Jack Perry assaulted Tsuji. Perry challenged Tsuji to a match at Wrestle Dynasty on January 5, 2025. Takagi made the save, chasing off Perry as the crowd chanted obscenities at him.
A short sprint, but a fine one nonetheless. The trademark heel approach of Undisputed Kingdom against the powerhouse dynamic of Takagi and Tsuji is what great pro wrestling is made of.
Ryohei Oiwa defeated KENTA
Immediately playing unfairly, KENTA kept Oiwa down and refused to relent in the slow damage of his left arm. With the young wrestler’s arm hampered KENTA’s wily veteran antics and casual offense mocked Oiwa. Though the pain in his arm was great, Oiwa’s will kept him powering through his hurt arm. Moving on from the arm, KENTA double-stomped his opponent’s sternum. A Doctor Bomb by Oiwa brought him close to the end, but no cigar. Rolling on the mat, however, he and KENTA tried pin for pin for any glimpse of victory. Inevitably, Oiwa defeated the Bullet Club member via his small package counter.
Not exactly what I’ve come to expect of Oiwa, but this put him in a different environment. Softening the hard-hitting powerhouse style for a comeback story, this tested his character rather than his strength and power. I’m not as much of a fan of KENTA in 2024, but kudos to him for putting in a quieter story compared to the rest of the card.
Shota Umino and Tomohiro Ishii defeated TMDK (Bad Dude Tito & Zack Sabre Jr.)
Sabre and Umino locked up, with the TMDK frontman benefitting from this technical style. Umino opted for a more grounded style, but the crowd changed the trajectory of the match thereof. Tito and Ishii then replaced their partners, clashing ahead like only a couple of strong bulls could do. Their exchange, which also leveled Sabre and Umino, left the ring a thundering percussive instrument.
Ishii and Tito reddened each other’s chests so violently, a marker of the true test of sport. Sabre then contorted the winded Ishii for further tenderizing by Tito. Umino, fresher than anyone in the match, sped through Sabre’s efforts, but was no match for the technical maneuvers. Coupled with the power of Tito, Umino nearly fell to the Death Valley Driver. Sending Sabre out of the ring with a Death Rider, Umino capitalized by flinging Tito with a Tornado DDT. Umino ended the match via pinfall thanks to another Death Rider on Tito.
– Post-match – Jon Moxley announced his disappointment in Umino while vowing to make him the champion he always wanted Umino can be. He revealed he would be sending an emissary for Umino to face at Wrestle Dynasty. Umino agreed to this while denouncing Moxley.
Tito being so over with the Massachusetts crowd despite being the easy pin is humorous—at least to me. His dynamic style and presence lend so much to matches, yet it’s clear who bookers view as the big choice going forward.
Konosuke Takeshita (c) defeated TJP for the AEW International Championship
TJP spat red mist on Takeshita’s face before the bell. Taking advantage of his blinded foe, TJP picked at any weak point he found. Takeshita, a mighty warrior, kept finding the strength to power out of each attempt. Capturing TJP after one of many aerial moves, Takeshita bent and contorted the smaller competitor over his long body.
A Tornado DDT by TJP laid out both men, equally worn and torn from the battle. A Blue Thunderbomb by Takeshita closely teetered him a win, but TJP miraculously kicked out. Reversing an inside cradle by Takeshita, TJP shielded the referee as he spat more red mist on Takeshita’s eyes. Rattling TJP with an elbow, the Takeshita hoisted him to the top rope and planted him soundly with a Super Falcon Arrow for the pinfall.
– Post-match – Takeshita bemoaned the lack of challengers stepping up to him at Wrestle Dynasty. Shingo Takagi entered, accepting the opportunity, but negotiating it to take place at Wrestle Kingdom instead. Tomohiro Ishii also emerged, throwing his hat into the ring. It appears there will be a triple threat at the Tokyo Dome on January 4.
My match of the night. TJP threw everything he had at an indomitable force of the AEW International Champion. However, the brawn and energy of Takeshit is never to be denied. The clash of equally matched stars made each counter more compelling than the last.
Gabe Kidd vs Kozei Fujita for the Strong Openweight Championship
Kidd wasted no time in taunting and insulting Fujita. After prolonged brawling, a flying Fujita fell loudly from a vertical drop to the wooden floor. Adding to the further chaos, he throws Fujita over the barricade and across the production tables. Bemoaning the crowd and making crude references to their mothers, Kidd waited patiently for Fujita, who struggled back to his feet.
Flesh sounding on flesh echoed through the auditorium as Fujita and Kidd traded chops. The insults and injuries Kidd afforded unto Fajita came back two-fold, pushing beyond what he was normally capable of with unrelenting strikes and a Bridging Suplex. Trading finishers consecutively, Fujita and Kidd staggered. Fujita tried an Abandon Hope, but Kidd laid too close to the ropes, resulting in a break. Another one was attempted, but Kidd knocked the challenger from the height. Kidd released Powerbomb after Powerbomb, eventually resulting in the crumpled Fujita sitting through a 3-count. Kidd won by pinfall.
– Post-match – Despite being the winner, Kidd hoped for another cruel Powerbomb until Ryohei Oiwa charged to the ring to save his fellow TMDK member. KENTA tried aiding Kidd but didn’t succeed. Oiwa cut a promo in Japanese as Kidd implored him to speak English. A future matchup between the two is in the cards.
Oh, this was so close to the Takeshita/TJP match or the women’s four-way. Fujita’s a massively entertaining wrestler in terms of work and Kidd’s unique brawling style and simplicity made for a compelling matchup. Wrestlers like Fujita will be remembered for what they put into their amazing performances while ones like Kidd will rise to the top through his unbridled character work.
Fighting Spirit Unleashed had a lot of substance leading to Wrestle Kingdom and Wrestle Dynasty. Lots to sink one’s teeth into. The matches themselves were entertaining, providing a variety of flavors. But one thing I must point out is how far improved the production quality has been. I’m not watching footage of a monitor playing a vignette, but I’m actually watching high-quality vignettes. Strong tapings are typically a bit better than Royal Quests, but this one I was genuinely pleased by. Standouts include the women’s four-way, the AEW International Championship, and the Strong Openweight Championship matches.
