Alex Windsor is the new NJPW Strong Women’s Champion.
She defeated Syuri for the title on Sunday at Pro Wrestling EVE’s WrestleQueendom 8 from indigo at The O2 in London, England.
The finish of the match saw Syuri fight to get to the ropes while in a sharpshooter, only to be hit with a series of lariats and the Made in Japan by Windsor for the pin.
Windsor is also the current RevPro Undisputed British Women’s Champion after defeating Mercedes Moné for the title at the December 17 AEW Collision taping in Manchester.
Syuri’s reign ends after 63 days and zero title defenses. She won the championship in a title-for-title match against Saya Kamitani at Wrestle Kingdom 20. Syuri most recently defended her IWGP Women’s title against Athena at New Beginning in USA on February 27.
Windsor becomes the eighth champion in the title’s lineage, which dates back to Willow Nightingale becoming the inaugural champion when she defeated Mercedes Moné at NJPW Strong Resurgence 2023 in a match where Moné suffered a significant leg injury.
SYURI & ALEX WINDSOR BEAT THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF EACH OTHER.
Mercedes Mone’s reign as Strong Women’s Champion has come to an end.
AZM is the new champion, defeating Mone and Mina Shirakawa in the main event of NJPW Resurgence. The finish had Shirakawa throwing Mone out of the ring as AZM gained the advantage and attempted several pinfall attempts, eventually succeeding and pinning Shirakawa to win the match and the title, ending Mone’s run after nearly one year.
After the match, a stunned Mone quickly centered her anger on Shirakawa, blaming her for the title loss. The two argued as Mone then shoved Shirakawa, who fled the ring as Shirakawa chased her to the back. In the ring, AZM closed the show by saying she was very happy and celebrated with the title, declaring it was now “AZM time.”
Mone remains the AEW TBS Champion and the Undisputed British Women’s Champion for RevPro. She will face Jamie Hayter at AEW’s Double or Nothing event later this month that will determine Toni Storm’s challenger for the AEW Women’s title at July’s All In event.
A three-way match for the Strong Women’s Championship is set for next month.
AZM and Mina Shirakawa faced off at Windy City Riot on Friday to determine a number one contender for Mercedes Mone’s championship. Both women were down on the floor after Shirakawa hit AZM with a tornado DDT outside of the ring. Neither were able to make it to the 20 count, forcing the referee to stop the match and declare a double count out. Both women were angry about the decision after the match, leaving Mone’s opponent for Ontario, California unclear.
Shortly before the main event, announcer Veda Scott said that Rocky Romero had made a decision, and the Strong Women’s title match at Resurgence would be a three-way with both Shirakawa and AZM challenging.
Mone is no stranger to either woman. She defeated Mina Shirakawa at Wrestle Dynasty back on January 5 at the Tokyo Dome for Shirkawa’s Undisputed British Women’s title. At Sakura Genesis 2023, Mone defeated AZM and Hazuki to retain the IWGP Women’s title.
Another match was set up for Resurgence during Windy City Riot. The Young Bucks appeared via video and issued a challenge to the War Dogs, saying they’d be coming with “a couple of OG friends.”
A double title match has been confirmed for Forbidden Door.
During AEW Dynamite, it was confirmed that TBS Champion Mercedes Mone will defend her newly-won title against NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer. The winner of the match on June 30 will leave New York as a double champion.
The match came about after Vaquer made a surprise appearance on last week’s Dynamite. After Mone successfully defended the TBS title against Skye Blue, Vaquer entered the arena stage and had a staredown with Mone, who remained in the ring.
On Wednesday, AEW teased revealing a QR code surprise during Dynamite involving Mone. The code ended up giving fans access to exclusive special merchandise as well as a chance to win a special meet & greet with Mone.
AEW also confirmed the Women’s title match for Forbidden Door between champion Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa. The two ended up having a confrontation on Dynamite after Shirakawa made the save for Mariah May, who attempted to keep the peace between the two.
Here is the updated lineup for Forbidden Door:
AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland defends against Will Ospreay
Ladder match for the vacant TNT Championship: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mark Briscoe vs. TBD
Title for title: TBS Champion Mercedes Mone vs. NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer
AEW Women’s Championship: Toni Storm defends against Mina Shirakawa
An NJPW Strong Women’s title bout is one of several new matches confirmed for Windy City Riot.
Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer will defend her title against AZM in a new match set for the Windy City Riot pay-per-view on Friday, April 12. Vaquer has held the title since winning it from Giulia at Stardom’s Cinderella Tournament last month.
An NJPW World TV title match has also been confirmed for the show, with Matt Riddle to defend against former champion Zack Sabre Jr., with the match made official following Riddle issuing a challenge Monday.
Two matches are also set for Windy City Riot’s kickoff show, with Mina Shirakawa & Viva Van vs. Trish Adora & Alex Windsor, plus Matt Vandagriff vs. Zane Jay in a Strong Survivor match where NJPW Academy trainees will battle for the right to compete on future cards.
Windy City Riot will stream on NJPW World pay-per-view for $19.99 on Friday, April 12.
The updated card:
Tetsuya Naito vs. Jon Moxley
Hiromu Takahashi vs. Mustafa Ali
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Nic Nemeth
Jack Perry vs. Shota Umino
Four corners open challenge: NJPW Strong Tag Team Champions Hikuleo & El Phantasmo defend against Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls, Tom Lawlor & Fred Rosser, and Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson
Riot Rules tornado tag: Eddie Kingston and three partners to be announced vs. Gabe Kidd and three partners to be announced
NJPW World Television Champion Matt Riddle defends against Zack Sabre Jr.
NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer defends against AZM
Mina Shirakawa & Viva Van vs. Trish Adora & Alex Windsor
A new NJPW Strong Women’s Champion has been crowned.
CMLL’s Stephanie Vaquer defeated Giulia at Sunday’s Stardom event at Korakuen Hall to win the championship for the first time, pinning the former champion with a roll-up. This ends Giulia’s run with the title after 243 days, defeating first-ever champion Willow Nightingale at NJPW Strong Independence Day back on July 5 of last year.
The title change comes as Giulia’s run with Stardom is coming to an end. Tokyo Sports reported last month that Giulia would not be renewing her Stardom contract when it expires later this month. Instead, she will be part of Stardom founder Rossy Ogawa’s new promotion before eventually heading to WWE.
Vaquer started wrestling for CMLL in 2019, where she is the current CMLL Women’s Champion and Women’s Tag Team Champion with Zeuxis. Last April, she made her debut at NJPW Strong’s Resurgence event to crown the first-ever Strong Women’s Champion, losing to Mercedes Mone in the opening round. On November 10 at Lone Star Shootout she was unsuccessful in challenging Mayu Iwatani for the IWGP Women’s Championship.
Giulia’s first defense of the NJPW Strong Women’s title will take place in Philadelphia next month.
NJPW will present shows from the 2300 Arena on Friday, August 19 & Saturday, August 20. The Friday show with be the All-Star Junior Festival featuring the top junior heavyweight wrestlers from across the globe. Saturday’s show will be jointly promoted with Impact Wrestling as Multiverse United 2.
Our own Dave Meltzer noted on today’s Wrestling Observer Radio that Giulia will defend her newly won title on one of those two shows.
Meltzer said:
“Giulia will be on the New Japan show on August 19, I believe, in Philadelphia. One of the New Japan shows in Philadelphia, she will be on the show. That will be her first defense of the New Japan Strong Championship.”
The plan is for Mercedes Mone to eventually challenge Giulia for the belt. However, Meltzer noted there is still no timetable for Mone’s return from the foot injury she suffered at NJPW Resurgence. She was spotted using crutches at Impact Wrestling’s tapings in Windsor this weekend. Mone was there supporting her friend Trinity, who won the Knockouts title on Saturday’s pay-per-view.
Giulia came fourth place in the voting for Women’s Wrestling MVP in the 2022 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards. She received 138 votes for first and finished behind only Syuri (455), Bianca Belair (201), and Jamie Hayter (146)
Willow Nightingale is the first-ever NJPW Strong Women’s Champion.
Nightingale defeated Mercedes Mone in a tournament final in the main event of Sunday’s NJPW Resurgence pay-per-view to claim the title.
Nightingale scored the pinfall victory in the main event after an apparent leg injury to Mone seemed to cut the match short. Mone appeared to injure her right leg after jumping from the top rope to the floor while dropping Nightingale’s neck across the top rope, as Mone seemed unable to put any weight on her leg after the move.
Video of the apparent injury:
This must be the spot that caused Mercedes being injured with her leg you can even see her not putting weight on it with the submission #njpwresurgencepic.twitter.com/SRGriUsCOM
Mone climbed back into the ring and attempted to continue the match, but the match quickly came to an end shortly after. Nightingale hit one powerbomb to Mone, who did not kick out of a pinfall, but the referee held up his count.
Immediately following the first powerbomb and the stopped count, Nightingale connected with a second powerbomb, this time for the finish.
Mone was carried out of the ring after the match.
Both Nightingale and Mone competed earlier in the evening in the one-night tournament, with Mone defeating Stephanie Vaquer, and Nightingale defeating Momo Kohgo.
A one-night tournament to crown the inaugural Strong Women’s Champion headlines tonight’s NJPW Resurgence event.
Mercedes Mone vs. Stephanie Vaquer, and Willow Nightingale vs. Momo Kohgo kick off the main card in tournament bouts. The winners will meet in the show’s main event to crown the first NJPW Strong Women’s Champion.
In the semi-main, Will Ospreay faces Hiroshi Tanahashi in a bout to determine who faces Lance Archer at NJPW Dominion to crown a new number one contender to Kenny Omega’s IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship.
IWGP United States Championship number one contender’s tournament match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Will Ospreay
Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta & Shota Umino vs. Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Rocky Romero
NJPW Strong Championship: Hikuleo defends against KENTA
Street Fight: Fred Rosser vs. Juice Robinson
Zack Sabre Jr. & Bad Dude Tito vs. Barbaro Cavernario & Virus
NJPW Strong Women’s Championship tournament first round: Willow Nightingale vs. Momo Kohgo
NJPW Strong Women’s Championship tournament first round: Mercedes Mone vs. Stephanie Vaquer
Pre-show match: Bateman vs. The DKC
Pre-show match: Christopher Daniels vs. Alex Coughlin
Our live coverage begins with the pre-show at 7:20 p.m. Eastern time.
**********
The DKC defeated Bateman
This was a nothing match. The dozens of people who were already in the building didn’t really care.
Throughout the match, Bateman utilized his size, forcing DKC to use his speed. DKC won the match by turning a submission into a quick pin.
Alex Coughlin defeated Christopher Daniels
This was a fine little match, but the lack of a crowd really hurt.
Daniels used heelish tactics, stepping on toes and taunting, early on, but Coughlin used his size to take advantage. Daniels repeatedly wrestled Coughlin to the mat before attempting the Angel’s Wings. Coughlin reversed before hitting a belly-to-belly and a pair of gut-wrench suplexes.
Daniels escaped a German and hit the Angel’s Wings, but Caughlin kicked out at one. Coughlin then hit a German and a jackhammer to win the match.
Virus & Barbaro Cavernario (CMLL) defeated Zack Sabre Jr. & Bad Dude Tito (TMDK)
This was a fantastic opener to the main card. The crowd, now filling the seats, was into it from bell to bell.
ZSJ opened the match by taking Virus to the mat. Virus held his own, prompting a double tag. Tito and Cavernario squared off, with Tito gaining an upper hand. Virus involved himself to turn the match around, setting up more interference from both sides for the rest of the match.
Tito gained a significant advantage over Virus, leading to a Cavernario hot tag. Cavernario led the match until the tag reached ZSJ, which initiated an extended back-and-forth between all four competitors.
The closing sequence saw Tito land an impressive Blue Thunder Bomb before Cavenario caught him in Cavernaria for a sudden submission victory for the CMLL pairing.
After the match, ZSJ and Virus had an exchange involving the NJPW World Television belt, perhaps setting up a title match in the future.
This was another match on the ever-growing list of great Mone matches. That’s not to say it was all Mone because Vaquer looked very good throughout this match.
Before the match could begin, the crowd showered Mone in cheers. Once the match actually began, Mone and Vaquer had a prolonged back-and-forth sequence, with neither woman gaining much of an advantage.
A sudden arm drag and crossface from Mone allowed her to establish the first lead in the match, which she used to set Vaquer on the top rope. Vaquer took advantage, securing an armbar from the top and stealing control from Mone.
It took running knees from the apron to the floor for Mone to reverse momentum back in her favor. Another pair of flying knees on the inside scored Mone a nearfall. Growing desperate, Mone landed a cross body, but Vaquer reversed into a crossface. After Mone escaped, she locked in her own crossface but failed to close.
Mone attempted a Mone Maker but couldn’t connect. In response, Vaquer landed a DDT and a backbreaker for a nearfall that took the wind from the building.
Vaqour kept up the pressure, landing a barrage of offense. Mone avoided a leg drop to put Vaquer on the backfoot. She then landed a lung blower and the Mone Maker to win the pinfall.
This was another great match. Both women were fantastic throughout. Kohgo winning over an unfamiliar/adversarial audience was terrific.
Willow was the clear crowd favorite from the beginning. She was quick to establish a lead, using her strength to catch Kohgo at every turn. It took a quick head-scissor, 619, and dropkick all in succession for Kohgo to turn the match around. Willow tried to cut off Kohgo’s advance, but Kohgo caught her with a pump kick and a suplex, which earned her the support of the crowd.
A strike exchange left Willow back in control, but when she attempted a powerbomb, Kohgo reversed. A crucifix driver forced Willow to utilize the ropes to stay alive. Willow answered with a spinebuster, but Kohgo kicked out.
Kohgo powered through a lariat but was immediately dropped from the fireman’s carry and finished with a powerbomb.
Street Fight: Juice Robinson defeated Fred Rosser
Juice and Rosser opened the match with some heavy strikes, but it didn’t take long for the fight to spill to the floor. Rosser attempted a driver on the entranceway, but Juice reversed, dropping him on the flat of his back. Juice then took this opportunity to attack Rosser, choking him with a belt before dragging him back in the ring.
Inside the ropes, Juice whipped Rosser with the belt. Juice attempted a Left Hand of God with a fist full of quarters, but Rosser sidestepped the strike and drove Juice through a door positioned in the corner. Rosser then whipped Juice with the belt before choking him over the top rope.
Rosser attacked Juice with a trashcan, a chair, and a stop sign, drawing a river of blood from Juice. To continue his attack, Rosser launched Juice into a ladder and salted his wound with potato chips from the trashcan. Rosser put Juice’s upper half in the trashcan and beat him with chains and a chair.
After Rosser choked Juice with a chain from the tree of woe, Juice retreated into the corner to beg for mercy. While he was begging, Toni Storm hit the ring and attempted a low blow on Rosser. Rosser didn’t budge before revealing he was wearing a cup. Instead of attacking Toni, Rosser forcefully kissed her. After the kiss, Rosser lifted Toni onto his shoulders, opening the door for a low blow from Juice. Juice landed the shot because Rosser dropped his cup after surviving the first attack to his nethers. Toni then dropped Rosser with a driver, buying Juice a nearfall.
Rosser locked in a chicken wing which Toni was unable to break up. Rosser threw Juice into Toni before landing a gut buster and locking in the crossface again. This time, Toni broke up the submission with a beer bottle across the head of Rosser. Juice followed up with a spear through another door. Toni then landed a stop sign-assisted flying hip attack, setting Juice up for a DDT onto a chair. This was enough for Juice to win the match.
Aussie Open Relinquishes IWGP and NJPW Strong Tag Titles
Kyle Fletcher came to the ring to announce that, due to a Mark Davis injury, they would have to relinquish both of their pairs of tag belts.
Hikuleo opened the match with a sudden boot that forced KENTA to retreat to the floor. Once KENTA was back in the ring, he bumped the ref and attempted a low blow. Hikuleo blocked the low blow somehow and forced KENTA back to the floor.
On the outside, Hikuleo beat KENTA past the curtain, leaving the audience bling. KENTA emerged from the curtain first, but a limping Hikuleo maintained his pursuit. The pair continued to meander around the ring for quite some time, trading momentum multiple times.
The referee recovered just as Hikuleo and KENTA tried to climb the stairs into the crowd. Hikuleo bumped the referee, buying KENTA enough time to overwhelm Hikuleo and throw him over the guardrail, sending him crashing through a table 10 feet below. After this, the referee initiated the ring-out count. KENTA made it back in the ring late into the count, but Hikuleo’s fall left him unable to return to the ring. KENTA is the new STRONG Openweight champion via count out victory.
After the match, an Eddie Kingston video played to challenge the new champion. KENTA answered by saying he doesn’t understand Eddie’s accent, but he’ll defend the belt, anywhere, anytime.
This was another excellent match in the “Okada vs. unruly children” that has been the highlight of 2022 NJPW.
Shota tried challenging Okada as the match began, but Okada was uninterested in the fight. Instead, Ishii stepped up. While squaring off with Ishii, Shota taunted Okada before knocking him off the apron.
An irritated Okada tagged into the match and dropped Shota with a boot. Okada then took the fight to the floor, slamming Shota into the barricade and pouring a beer across his back. Inside the ring, Okada dropped Shota with a flapjack and tagged back out.
Yuta and Rocky traded momentum for a while before Moxley tagged into the match. Okada tried breaking up a hold from Moxley, but Shota took the opportunity to rush Okada again. This led to a brief, but intense, struggle.
Shota and the BCC worked to isolate Rocky. A DDT from Rocky to Moxley resulted in a match breakdown. Once order was restored, Shota and the BCC continued their tactic of isolation, this time on Ishii. Ishii powered through, hitting Moxley with a brainbuster to tag out to Okada.
With Okada and Shota legal again, Okada wasted no time regaining control for CHAOS. Shota responded with a backdrop and a DDT to put Okada on the backfoot, but he couldn’t hit the Deathrider. Instead, Okada landed the air raid crash and a flying elbow drop.
Okada hit the rainmaker pose, but Moxley interrupted with a pair of middle fingers and a flurry of strikes. Okada answered with a dropkick, sending Moxley to the floor. This distraction bought Shota enough time to attempt the Deathrider once more, but the rest of CHAOS made the save.
After an extended brawl between teams, Okada dropped Moxley with the rainmaker. Umino made the save, hitting Okada with Deathrider. Shota then dropped Rocky with Deathridder and pinned him to win the match for his team.
IWGP United States Contenders Tournament: Will Ospreay defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi
The match opened with both men playing to the audience, but it didn’t take long for Ospreay to take the lead. He sent Tanahashi to the floor, where he landed a giant crossbody to secure the lead. Back in the ring, Ospreay continued to pick apart Tanahashi with deliberate offense.
A quick forearm from Tanahashi opened the door for a momentum shift, but Ospreay was able to maintain control. A leaping forearm and a strike to the back of the head dropped Tanahashi.
As Ospreay tried for hidden blade, Tanahashi sparked up, dropping Ospreay with a dropkick to the knee, followed by a leg whip and a cloverleaf.
A strike exchange left Osperay in a strong position. He climbed to the top where he landed a forearm to the back. When Osperay attempted Stormbreaker, Tanahashi reversed into a sling blade. After a second sling blade, Tanahashi hit a high fly flow, but Osperay rolled trough. A double stomp to the chest opened Tanahashi up for an OsCutter, Hidden Blade, and a Stormbreaker. Osperay then pinned Tanahashi to advance, leaving him even closer to a rematch with Kenny Omega, but Lance Archer still stands in his way.
While the finish was awkward, this match was awesome. Willow is a star; there’s no way around it. Mone is the best in the world.
The match opened with an extended ovation for both women. The action started when Willow used a handshake to work Mone to the mat. This upset Mone, who tried working Willow down in response. Willow answered with a nasty pounce that sent Mone crashing into the ropes.
Willow controlled the pace for quite some time. A step-up enziguri left Mone grounded, allowing Willow to take the back. Willow then hit Mone with a spinebuster and locked in a deep Boston crab. Once Mone escaped, Willow hoisted her on the top rope and landed a brutal superplex for a nearfall.
Mone began to fight back with a bunch of strikes. She then climbed to the top rope, where Willow met her again. This time, Mone dropped Willow against the top rope, buying her some time. Mone then locked in the crossface, but Willow powered out, hitting Mone with a brutal powerbomb. Mone didn’t kick out of the pin that followed, but the referee stopped his count at two. Mone seemed to be genuinely rocked, but the match went on. Willow hit a second powerbomb and pinned Mone to win the match.
In one of the biggest shocks in recent memory, Willow Nightingale pinned Mercedes Mone to become NJPW Strong Women’s champion.
After the match, Mone was carried out of the ring.
Willow cut the show closing promo with tears in her eyes. She thanked everyone, including Mone. This is only the beginning of Willow Nightingale.
NJPW has unveiled the Strong Women’s Championship title belt.
During Saturday’s NJPW Resurgence press conference, the championship was displayed for the first time. The first champion will be determined in a one-night tournament that takes place at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California on Sunday.
Four women will compete in the tournament. One semifinal will have AEW’s Willow Nightingale take on Momo Kohgo, while the other will have Mercedes Mone take on CMLL’s Stephanie Vaquer. The winners of those matches will then meet in the main event, where the first champion will be crowned.
Here is the full lineup for Sunday’s Resurgence event:
NJPW Resurgence, Sunday, May 21, main card 8 p.m. Eastern time on NJPW World pay-per-view, pre-show begins at 7:20 p.m. Eastern time —
NJPW has announced a one-night tournament to crown the first Strong Women’s Champion.
Mercedes Mone, Willow Nightingale, Momo Kohgo, and Stephanie Vaquer will take part in a tournament at Resurgence on Sunday, May 21 in Long Beach, California to crown the inaugural NJPW Strong Women’s Champion.
In first round matches, Mone will take on Vaquer, while Nightingale will face Kohgo. The winners of the first round bouts will meet later in the evening to determine the first NJPW Strong Women’s Champion.
Mone’s initial NJPW/Stardom contract was set to expire after Stardom’s All Star Grand Queendom event on April 23, where she dropped the IWGP Women’s Championship to Mayu Iwatani. Mone reportedly agreed to a contract extension, the length of which has yet to be determined.
After losing to Iwatani, Mone stated that her next stop would be Resurgence, and NJPW officially announced her for the event on Monday.
Vaquer works primarily for CMLL in Mexico and holds one half of the promotion’s Occidente Women’s Tag Team Championship.
Kohgo is a Stardom talent who appeared on the All Star Grand Queendom pre-show in the Yokohama Rumble.
Nightingale is signed to AEW/ROH, and challenged Athena for the ROH Women’s title on Ring of Honor TV on the March 9 episode.
Resurgence will air live on NJPW World pay-per-view for 2,290 Yen (approximately $22.30).
May 21, when Resurgence hits the iconic Walter Pyramid, watch LIVE in English on @njpwworld PPV!
