By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, Impact Wrestling, MLW, ROH, GCW, and other notable live events. If you attend a show, you are encouraged to send a report or even basic results to dotnetjason@gmail.com
NJPW “Battle in the Valley”
Replay available via Fite.TV
February 18, 2023 in San Jose, California at The San Jose Civic
This venue was a small arena that held 2,152 fans and was legitimately sold out.
NJPW Battle in the Valley Pre-Show
The first pre-show match is already underway on YouTube.com. Surprisingly, no commentary for the pre-show.
1. Alex Coughlin defeated JR Kratos at 6:22 shown (About 10:05 estimated time). At the 1:52 mark on my clock, they announced that the match was at the 5-minute mark. Coughlin is like Claudio Castagnoli in terms of having deceptive strength, as he hit a delayed German Suplex, then a massive gut-wrench suplex. Coughlin hit a German Suplex with a bridge for the pin just seconds after the 10-minute call was announced.
2. David Finlay defeated Bobby Fish at 9:57. Finlay carried his shillelagh to ringside. Fish worked the left arm early on. They brawled to the floor, where FIsh hit a dragon screw leg whip, sending Finlay into the barricade. In the ring, Fish stayed focused on the damaged left leg, applying a single-leg crab. Finlay hit a backbreaker over his knee at 6:30, but sold the pain it caused him.
Finlay hit a snap suplex for a nearfall. He hit a spinning sidewalk slam for a nearfall. Fish applied a sleeper but Finlay fought out. Fish hit a suplex into the corner and got a nearfall at 9:00. Finlay hit the Trash Panda/neckbreaker over his knee for the pin. Decent match.
NJPW Battle in the Valley Main Card
Ian Riccaboni and Matt Rehwoldt provided live commentary.
1. Volador Jr., Kushida, Kevin Knight, The DKC defeated Josh Alexander, Rocky Romero, Adrian Quest, and Mascara Dorada at 11:21. Scott D’Amore sat in on commentary for this match. Kushida and Knight teamed together in NJPW’s Super Junior Tag League. Alexander showed off his Impact Title in Kushida’s face, and D’Amore noted they will face each other at Multivere United over WrestleMania weekend. Kushida and Josh started, as the commentary team says they had never touched in the ring before. They each went for anklelocks.
Knight and Quest tagged in at 2:00 and had quicker reversals. Quest hit a huracanrana and a dropkick for a nearfall. Romero tagged in but bailed when Volador tagged in. Funny. Volador and Dorada traded lucha reversals, drawing a pop. Dorada hit his second-rope missile dropkick. DKC entered at 5:00 and hit some kicks on Romero. (The time announcement is right on with my clock.) Alexander and Kushida entered again and fought once more, with Alexander going to the anklelock. Kushida hit a handspring-back-double elbow.
DKC traded offense with Quest, and DKC is wearing trunks with a splash of yelllow; he no longer is dressed as a Young Lion. Dorada hit a top-rope missile dropkick. Volador hit one. Knight hit his dropkick on DKC at 10:00 on DKC as DKC was o Kushida’s shoulders. Incredible jumping skills. Volador hit a flip dive to the floor on Romero.
Dorada hit a moonsault to the floor. In the ring, Alexander went for the C4 Spike on Kushida, but Kushida avoided it and he applied a Hoverboard Lock/Fujiwara Armbar, and it looked like Alexander mgiht tap out. However, Knight hit a DDT on Quest for the pin. (The finish barely happened on camera, as we were focused on Alexander-Kushida.)
* Volador got on the mic, glared at Romero, and spoke in Spanish, making it clear he wants Romero. Ian says Volador wants Romero to put his hair on the line in a future match. D’More left the booth.
2. Kenta defeated Fred Rosser to win the New Japan Strong Title at 16:29. An intense lockup to start. Kenta hit some kicks to the face. Rosser rolled to the floor, climbed over the guardrail, and taunted Kenta to come fight him on the floor, so Kushida abliged. It is a bit dark on the floor, but they did use a spotlight to follow them as they brawled. Back at ringside, Kenta hit a DDT onto the ring apron at 4:00. Kenta was in charge in the ring, peppering him with kicks. He hit a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall at 6:30. Rosser fired back with several hip attack blows in the corner.
Rosser pulled Kenta toward the center of the ring and hit a Whoopee Cushion buttsplash for a nearfall. Kenta hit a DDT at 9:00. They fought on the ring apron, with Rosser hitting a sideslam on the apron, then a seated senton to the floor. In the ring, Rosser hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 11:00. Kenta applied “Game Over” STF hold, but Rosser reached the ropes. Kenta hit his DDT out of the ropes. Kenta nailed his shotgun dropkick in the corner, then a top-rope doublestomp for a believable nearfall at 13:00.
Rosser went for the Crossface Chickenwing, and Ian reminded us that Bob Backlund taught Rosser the move. They began trading stiff forearm shots. Rosser put Kenta on his shoulders, but Kenta grabbed the ref to escape. The ref got bumped. Kenta went for the Go To Sleep, but Rosser blocked it. Rosser applied a chickenwing and a leg submission hold on the mat and Kenta tapped out, but we had no ref! Juice Robinson hit the ring and hit Rosser with a roll of quarters. Kenta nailed the Go To Sleep on Rosser; he woke up the ref, and the ref counted to three. New champ!!
3. “The Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin defeated “West Coast Wrecking Crew” Royce Isaacs and Jorel Nelson at 9:22. The MCMG held both their Impact and Strong tag title belts. The Crew attacked at the bell. Sabin hit a missile dropkick on Nelson. Isaacs walked around ringside, holding Sabin upside down, before hitting a delayed vertical suplex onto the ring apron. Ian said he walked entirely around the ring. Cool spot. The Crew began working over Shelley in their corner. Shelley hit a Flatliner into the corner on Isaacs at 4:30, and Sabin made the hot tag. Sabin hit a top-rope crossbody block on Jorel for a nearfall.
Sabin dove between the ropes on the Crew. The Guns hit a Missile Dropkick & Flatliner combo spot on Jorel. Nice. Jorel leapt off Sabin’s back and hit a stomp down onto Shelley. The Crew hit stereo German Suplexes at 8:00. Jorel hit a Clout Cutter on Sabin for a nearfall, but Shelley made the save. The Guns hit a team swinging powerbomb for the pin on Jorel. That was a really good match, but the end just came out of nowhere.
* A highlight package aired showing the feud between Jay White and Eddie Kingston. It included footage of Hikuleo chokeslamming and pinning White in a “loser leave Japan” match. Of course, there is great speculation that Jay White is headed to WWE, or possibly AEW.
4. Eddie Kingston defeated Jay White in a Loser Leaves New Japan match at 19:11. White bailed to the floor before locking up. He snapped Kingston’s throat over the top rope. In the ring, White hit some basic stomps and blows to the back. Kingston hit a hard chop to the back at 3:30. White hit a DDT, then a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall. Kingston nailed a T-Bone suplex at 6:30 and a series of chops, and White has a busted lip.
They were on all fours and traded JYD-style headbutts. Kingston nailed more hard chops with White laughing in pain; no other way to describe it. White collapsed in the corner at 9:30. Kingston missed a spinning back fist, and White immediately hit the Flatliner, then a German Suplex. White nailed a decapitating clothesline for a nearfall at 11:00. White hit his twisting Rock Bottom uranage for a nearfall. White hit a series of chops; Kingston yanked down the straps of his singlet and allowed White to hit more, as they now traded chops, and the crowd chanted “Eddie!” This exchange went for several minutes.
White nailed a head-capture suplex at 15:00, but Kingston blocked the Blade Runner spinning faceplant. Kingston shoved the ref out of frustration; White hit a low blow, and this time he nailed the Blade Runner, but Kingston rolled to the floor before Jay could make a cover. Jay got him back in the ring but only got a nearfall.
Kingston nailed the spinning back fist for a believable nearfall. Kingston hit two more spinning back fists and White was wobbly. Kingston hit a half-nelson suplex and a fourth spinning back fist, then a Northern Lights Driver bodyslam for a believable nearfall at 18:30, and I thought that was it, and so did the crowd. Kingston hit another Northern Lights Driver for the pin. Give White credit; he put people over strong going out.
* The crowd chanted, “Thank you Jay!” White looked dazed on the mat. Jay got a mic. David Finlay snuck up behind him and nailed White with the shillelagh before White could utter a word. “You had this company by the balls and you let it go?” Finlay said to a knocked-out White. He said he would sit backstage and would kill to have what Jay had. FInlay said, “F— your era and f— California.” He got loudly booed. He said there is no place a savage like him feels more at home.
* A video package aired showing the feud between Homicide and Tom Lawlor.
5. Tom Lawlor defeated Homicide in a no-ropes, no-DQ match at 16:25. Lawlor put on his shoot-fighter gloves; Homicide charged him and hit a clothesline for a nearfall five seconds in. Lawlor hit him over the head with a garbage can lid on the floor. Lawlor charged at Homicide, but Homicide whipped a chair at his head at 2:30. They climbed in the ring, where Homicide whipped Lawlor into the ring post (which is still there but the ropes are gone.)
Homicide went under the ring and got a ladder, drawing a huge pop. Homicide hit Lawlor with a Singapore Cane. He went under the ring again and got a fork. However, Lawlor cloverleafed the legs; Homicide jabbed Lawlor’s foot with the fork at 5:30. Homicide hit a cutter for a nearfall. Lawlor leapt off the apron onto Homicide on the floor. Lawlor hit Homicide with ‘silver’ knuckles to the gut. He fish-hooked Homicide with the rope hanging in the corner, earning a “you sick f—!” chant.
Homicide went under the ring and got a door. In the ring, Homicide hit a stunner for a nearfall. Lawlor slammed Homicide onto a garbage can for a nearfall at 10:00; their clock is right on. Homicide hit two suplexes, but Lawlor hit two German Suplexes. Homicide hit one more; Lawlor hit one more, and they were both down. Lawlor hit a Kota-style Kamigoye kneestrike. In an awesome spot, Homicide hit a rolling Death Valley Driver off the ring apron through the door set up on the floor, earning a “holy shit!” chant. In the ring, Homicide hit a piledriver lying on the mat for a nearfall at 14:00.
Lawlor hit a backbody drop onto a flat ladder, and he whipped a chair at Homicide’s face. Homicide leapt off a ladder onto Homicide for a nearfall at 16:00. He hit the kneestrike to the back of the head, then a sleeperhold on the mat. Homicide gave Lawlor the middle finger, but then he passed out. Ian called it the most violent match we’ve seen under the New Japan Strong banner.
6. Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Clark Connors to retain the NJPW TV Title at 14:06. A reminder TV title matches have a 15-minute time limit. Ian talked about how in WCW, Steve Regal kept retaining a title by getting time-limit draws. ZSJ tied Connors in a knot on the mat early on, and he began twisting the left ankle, then he jammed the knee into the mat. He pulled on the fingers as we hear the 5:00 warning. Connors nailed a Monty Brown Pounce.
ZSJ applied a Dragon Sleeper front facelock, but Clark powered out. Connors hit some stiff forearms; ZJS fired back with European Uppercuts. Sabre hit a German Suplex. Connors went for a spear, but Sabre somehow blocked it and applied a Fujiwara Armbar, and he turned it into a Rings of Saturn in the center of the ring, but Connors reached the ropes as we hear the 10:00 warning. Sabre peppered him with openhand slaps to the face, then a Dragon Suplex for a nearfall.
Sabre hit some Yes Kicks to the chest. Clark hit a spear and a powerslam for a nearfall. He got a jackknife cover, then a standing powerbomb for a nearfall at 13:00. He got a rear-naked choke on the mat. Sabre applied a Triangle Choke, but Clark quickly escaped and applied an anklelock. Sabre applied a Fujiwara Armbar out of nowhere, cranked back, and Connors quickly tapped out. That was fun, but I never thought Connors was winning here.
* Kevin Knight emerged from the back and challenged Sabre. Sabre asked what “the morons” in the crowd thought. He turned to Knight and said he’d think about it as he walked to the back.
* Footage aired of Kairi (Sane) winning the NJPW women’s title and being confronted by the debuting Mercedes Mone (f.k.a. Sasha Banks.) We had quite the entrance with a half-dozen dancers for Mercedes.
7. Mercedes Mone defeated Kairi to win the IWGP Women’s Title at 26:47. Ian pointed out that Mercedes’ ring gear is inspired by the look of the deceased Hana Kimura, who died by suicide in 2020. The crowd was chanting “This is awesome!” before Kairi had even removed her robe. An intense lockup at the bell. Ian said they had fought once before and it ended in a DQ; glad he shared that as I was literally wondering if they had touched before. Mercedes went for a Crippler Crossface at 1:30 and the crowd popped.
They fought while in a knucklelock, with Mercedes bending Kairi over her knee. Kairi hit a headscissors takedown and a dropkick that sent Mone to the floor. She hit a flying forearm off the ring apron. In the ring, they traded chops. Mercedes hit a flying double knees in the corner at 5:00. Mercedes began working over the left arm. She slammed Kairi’s shoulder into the ring post. Mercedes slapped Kairi in the face, and she hit a Divorce Court Armbreaker for a nearfall at 8:00. Mercedes choked Kairi in the ropes, and Kairi rolled to the floor to regroup.
In the ring, Mercedes hit a Lungblower move to the left arm and stayed focused on the limb. She tied Kairi in the Tree of Woe and kicked her in the chest. They fought some more on the floor, and were both down at 11:00; they rolled into the ring before being counted out. Kairi hit a doublestomp to the chest as Mercedes was tied in the Tree of Woe. Kairi hit a diving elbow into the corner, and she applied a leglock around Mercedes’ head, but Mone reached the ropes at 14:30. Mercedes hit a flying double kneestrike from the ring apron to the floor.
Mercedes then hit the Meteora double kneestrike for a nearfall in the ring, and she shreiked at the referee. They traded rollups. Kairi applied a modified Sharpshooter. Mercedes went back to her Crossface move on the mat, but Kairi reached the ropes at 18:00. The crowd chanted, “This is wrestling!” Kairi nailed a spinning back fist for a believable nearfall. Kairi motioned she was going to the top rope, but Mercedes stopped her. Mercedes hit a belly-to-belly suplex for a believable nearfall; Rehwoldt noted it was a nod to her friend, Bayley.
Mercedes hit the Three Amigos rolling suplexes, but on the third one, Kairi countered it into a DDT, and they were both down at 21:00. The crowd chanted, “This is awesome!” They traded forearm shots while on their knees, then from the standing position. The ref got bumped! They brawled to the floor while the ref was down on the mat. They brawled to the top of the ramp. Kairi dove off a ramp, but Mercedes caught her and slammed her arm on a speaker or a large box next to the ramp. Mercedes got a table from under the ramp at 24:00, drawing a huge pop.
Kairi powerbombed Mercedes through the table! The crowd chanted for Kairi, as Kairi dragged Mercedes back into the ring. Kairi went for the Insane Elbow drop, but Mercedes got her feet up to block it, and Kairi sold the pain. Mercedes went for a frogsplash, but Kairi got her knees up. Kairi applied a crossface move on the mat at 26:00; Mercedes bit the hand to escape. Mercedes hit her Money Maker spinning faceplant move for the pin! New champion! I truly didn’t expect the title change. A phenomenally good match.
* A short video of Okada challenging Tanahashi to a title match. Tanahashi came out first; his missing top front teeth have been replaced.
8. Kazuchika Okada defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Title at 21:07. They tied up on the mat early on. Tanahashi hit a deep armdrag at 2:30. Ian said they have been in the ring 336 times together as partners or opponents, which is just insane anyone tallied that. Okada was in charge early on, and he hit a DDT for a nearfall at 6:00, and a standing neckbreaker for a nearfall. They began trading forearm shots. Tanahashi hit his second-rope summersault senton for a nearfall at 9:00, then a basement dropkick to Okada’s knee, followed by a dragon screw leg whip.
Tanahashi hit a top-rope crossbody block to the floor on Okada, and they were both down on the floor. Back in the ring, Tanahashi hit another dropkick on the knee at 11:30. Okada nailed his neckbreaker over the knee for a nearfall. Okada hit a top-rope elbow drop, and he set up for the Rainmaker. Instead, he applied the Money Clip sleeperhold. Tanahashi hit a Sling Blade clothesline for a nearfall at 15:00, then the High Fly Flow frogsplash. He went for a second one, but Okada got his knees up to block it. They traded forearm shots while on their knees, then from the standing position, and Okada went down.
Okada hit a shotgun dropkick and a Falcon Arrow at 19:00. He set up for the Rainmaker, but Tanahashi blocked it. Tanahashi went for a top-rope move, but Okada caught him with a dropkick. Tanahashi got an inside cradle for a believable nearfall. Okada hit a pumphandle slam, then the Rainmaker clothesline for the pin. Very good match, but a step below the women’s match.
* Okada got on the mic. He said in English, “This is wrestling. This is New Japan Pro Wrestling. Thank you for your support.” He said he and Tanahashi showed what pro wrestling is. He said they should bring back their dream tag team and go for the tag titles. It appeared he was signing off, but Mercedes Mone sauntered down to the ring. They posed together holding their respective titles above their heads. She got on the mic and thanked the fans.
Final Thoughts: Mone-Kairi was epically good and topped all expectations. I was at a live Smackdown at the end of July 2021 when Sasha Banks returned after several months off; she was a babyface upon her return but attacked Bianca Belair by the end of the night. I recall thinking that night that her heart just didn’t seem into it, and I felt that way for the next several months, until she started teaming with Naomi in the final months of her run. That wasn’t the case tonight. She was fresh and motivated and was the wrestler who knocked our socks off in her NXT run. In retrospect, it should have been the main event.
I liked Jay White vs. Kingston for second-best; while I was pretty sure White was losing, the nearfalls were so good it had me doubting if we were being swerved. The main event earns third place.
I liked the heel turn by David Finlay. It felt like he had reached the ceiling of where a babyface run could take him in NJPW. Moving to the heel side opens up a lot of fresh matchups for him.
Sabre’s match was good, but I still would have had that second or third on the show. There was no reason to believe that Connors was on the verge of winning his first title, especially being as Sabre just won that belt last month.
Be the first to comment