By Colin McGuire, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@McGMondays)
NJPW Strong
Taped September 11, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada at Sam’s Town Live
Streamed October 22, 2022 on New Japan World
Ian Riccaboni checked in on commentary with Alex Koslov to run down the card. This is the Autumn Action tour. We are on the third week of it.
1. Greg Sharpe and Jakob Austin Young vs. “West Coast Wrecking Crew” Royce Isaacs and Jorel Nelson. The WCWC had a new video for their entrance, which was fun. Isaacs and Sharpe began the match and Isaacs took Sharpe down multiple times. Isaacs tried to slam Sharpe, but Sharpe countered with a wrist-lock takeover. Young tagged in and the two kicked Isaacs. Eventually, Nelson tagged in and the WCWC worked over Young’s leg.
Isaacs and Nelson slammed Young and Sharpe and then posed. Nelson kept control over Young until the two traded chops. Isaacs tagged in and cut Austin off from getting the tag. Isaacs landed a gut-wrench suplex and tagged in Nelson, who landed a European Uppercut for a two-count. Young hit the ropes and hit a running Flatliner before getting the hot tag to Sharpe.
Sharpe tried to clothesline Isaacs, who didn’t sell it. Sharpe landed a German Suplex for a two-count. Sharpe and Young hit some splashes in the corner on Isaacs. Nelson tagged in before long and the WCWC hit their finisher for the win.
“West Coast Wrecking Crew” Royce Isaacs and Jorel Nelson defeated Greg Sharpe and Jakob Austin Young via pinfall in 6:02.
McGuire’s Musings: This was what you would expect and hope it to be. After losing to Aussie Open a few weeks ago, it was nice to see WCWC get the win. I continue to think Strong has only really scratched the surface with them and you could do a lot worse than making them main players in the Strong tag division. Meanwhile, I really like Young and Sharpe. Riccaboni did a good job playing up their past success in China and it makes me wonder if those two might stick around, moving forward. I hope so because they have a strong upside and Young, especially, is a very good seller.
We got a backstage promo from Alex Zayne calling out Blake Christian. Zayne brought Mistico with him. Mistico spoke in Spanish for a little bit and Zayne just said “exactly” to end the segment. From there, we got a video recapping the ups and downs of Daniels and Uemura.
2. Christopher Daniels vs. Yuya Uemura. Daniels cut a promo before the match calling the crowd morons and meth addicts. Daniels said he’s the king of Southern California. Daniels said he’s the most important pro wrestler to ever come out of Southern California. Daniels said the La Dojo is not putting out top talent. Daniels called Uemura a failure. Daniels said he’s going to burn the LA Dojo to the ground.
Uemura ran to the ring to start the match and Uemura pounded on Daniels. Daniels rolled to the outside and Uemura followed him, rolling him back into the ring and pounding on him. Uemura took off his trunks and choked Daniels with them (Uemura had trunks underneath the trunks). Uemura landed a Flapjack before clotheslining Daniels over the top rope. Uemura jumped onto Daniels and continued to beat him up on the outside.
Uemura tried to suplex Daniels into the ring, but Daniels countered with a neck-breaker. Daniels landed a clothesline to Uemura’s back. Daniels was bleeding from the arm. Daniels hit a knee for a two-count. Uemura tried for a dropkick, but Daniels held onto the ropes and Daniels kept control as Uemura missed. Daniels chopped Uemura’s back and then hit a series of punches to Uemura’s neck.
Daniels hit a neck-breaker for a two-count. Daniels placed Uemura on the top rope and went for a super-plex, but Uemura fought back with a headbutt. Uemura then hit a shotgun dropkick from the second rope. Uemura landed a running forearm and then hit a bulldog from the second rope for a two-count. Uemura went for leap-frog, but Daniels caught him for a Spicoli Driver and a two-count. Daniels jawed at the referee before running at Uemura, who caught Daniels with a kick. Daniels went for Angel’s Wings, but Uemura rolled Daniels up and got the win.
Yuya Uemura defeated Christopher Daniels via pinfall in 9:49.
After the match, Daniels attacked Uemura and hit a tombstone, laying Uemura out. Daniels then got a chair from under the ring and hit the Angel’s Wings on the chair. Daniels jawed at Uemura.
McGuire’s Musings: Nearly 10 minutes of action. Add in the pre-match promo and the post-match attack and this filled out the body of this week’s Strong episode very nicely. Daniels is really good as a hell in this role on Strong, considering his experience and clout within New Japan. I might have waited to put Uemura over in the same way they made Fred Rosser lose 4,023 times to Tom Lawlor before finally getting the win, but the post-match angle suggests we’re in for at least one more match. And that’s a good thing, considering how Uemura is still learning and Daniels is a hell of a teacher. For as much fire as Uemura showed coming into this, I’m curious to see how fired up he is for their next interaction because I didn’t think anyone could be more fiery than he was here. Overall, this was really pretty good.
3. Rocky Romero vs. Shingo Takagi. Romero chopped Takagi, but Takagi came back with a boot. With Takagi on the outside, Romero hit two suicide dives. Romero landed a chop on the outside before rolling Takagi back into the ring. Romero landed a loud chop and Takagi came back with an elbow. Romero hit a kick to Takagi’s back before hitting a series of kicks to Takagi’s body. Takagi came back with a lariat and then he clotheslined Romero over the top to the outside.
Takagi beat up Romero on the outside and slammed him onto the apron. Back in the ring, Takagi drove a knee into Romero’s midsection. Takagi suplexed Romero and then worked a leg-scissors. Takagi landed a slam/Senton combination. Takagi toyed with Rocky. Romero responded by standing up to Shingo and the two traded slaps. Romero hit an enzuigiri and both wrestlers were down. Romero went for the Forever Clotheslines, but Takagi broke it up.
Romero clotheslined Takagi. With Shingo draped over the second rope, Romero hit a Strong Zero for a two-count. Romero landed a series of chops and yelled at Shingo. Romero hit a Tornado DDT and a Falcon Arrow for a two-count. Romero went for an arm-bar, but Takagi made it to the ropes for a break. Romero worked Takagi’s arm, but Takagi came back with a choke attempt. Romero came back from that with a sleeper hold. Takagi got out of it by driving Romero into the ground.
Takagi hit some back elbows and a DDT. Takagi hit Made In Japan for a two-count. Takagi got the crowd fired up, but Romero rolled Takagi up for a couple two-counts. Romero hit a knee and his finisher, but only got a two-count. Takagi had Romero on his shoulders and slammed him. Shingo landed the lariat, hit another one, pinned Romero and then pulled his head up. From there, Shingo went for his finisher, but Romero spiked him and sank in an arm-bar. The arm-bar turned into a triangle choke, but Shingo lifted Romero and hit Last Of The Dragon for the win.
Shingo Takagi defeated Rocky Romero via pinfall in 15:49.
Takagi walked up the ramp to end the show.
McGuire’s Musings: As good of a main event as you’re going to get on Strong. This was one of those matches that sneaks up on you. The five-minute mark was fine. The 10-minute mark was very good. The 15-minute mark was great. Kudos to Romero, who is the unsung MVP of New Japan Strong. He had me believing the upset might actually happen – and for that matter, Shingo did, too. This was lots of very good stuff with a methodical pace and a lot more hope spots than I planned on seeing. Everyone deserves a thumbs up for it and though he lost, I think Rocky comes out of this looking even better than he did going in.
All told, this was a very good episode of Strong. I’d continue to wax poetic about it, but I need to record my audio review before Jason sends someone to break my ankles because of how late this is. Tune in for it because as always, I’ll have more to say for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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