By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “Fighting Spirit Unleashed”
November 8, 2024 in Lowell, Massachusetts at Lowell Memorial Auditorium
Streamed live on New Japan World
The venue a concert hall with a really high ceiling and a second level that is mostly empty. The crowd was maybe 600. Lighting was okay; we could see this is not a sellout. Walker Stewart and Veda Scott provided commentary.
1. David Finlay vs. Kevin Knight for the IWGP Global Title. Stewart talked about Sanada’s heel turn last weekend, allowing Finlay to retain his Global Title. Knight hit a baseball slide dropkick as Finlay approached the ring, then a plancha to the floor, then a flip dive over the top rope to the floor. Finlay dropped Knight throat-first on the guardrail, then he Pounced him into the guardrail at 1:30. In the ring, Finlay hit a release suplex, posed, and was booed. Knight hit his picture-perfect dropkick at 3:30 and they were both down. Knight hit some clotheslines and a bodyslam, then his leaping splash for a nearfall. He hit his jump-up Frankensteiner for a nearfall.
Finlay caught Knight and dumped him over the top rope to the floor. Knight leapt onto the apron and hit a missile dropkick at 6:30, all in one fluid motion. Finlay nailed the Oblivion neckbreaker over his knee for a believable nearfall. Knight got a backslide for a nearfall, and they traded kicks. Knight hit a D’Lo-style Sky High, then a tornado DDT for a nearfall at 8:30. Finlay nailed a Buckle Bomb, then a standing powerbomb for a believable nearfall. Finlay then nailed the Overkill (pop-up kneestrike to the sternum) for the clean pin. Good match, and some times, a heel just needs to win clean because he’s better.
David Finlay defeated Kevin Knight to retain the IWGP Global Title at 9:42 (official time is probably closer to 9:30).
2. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Shane Haste and Mikey Nicholls vs. “Grizzled Young Veterans” James Drake and Zack Gibson for the NJPW Strong Tag Team Titles. TMDK just lost their other NJPW tag titles last week to Great-O-Khan and Henare. Haste and Gibson opened. Stewart said this is a first-time-ever meeting, which is rather shocking as these guys were in NXT at roughly the same time! Nicholls hit some loud chops on Zack. GYV began working over Haste on the floor, with Drake hitting a plancha at 2:30. In the ring, they kept Haste in their corner. Nicholls got a hot tag at 5:30 and hit a double clothesline. He hit a sliding clothesline on Drake for a nearfall.
Drake hit an enzuigiri. TMDK hit a team neckbreaker on Drake or a nearfall. Haste hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. Haste went for a Shining Wizard, but Drake caught the leg and hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip. Gibson hit a Lungblower to Haste’s back for a nearfall at 7:30. Nicholls hit a team powerbomb. They nailed the Tankbuster team faceplant on Gibson for a believable nearfall at 9:00. Haste’s knee buckled coming off the ropes. Drake choked Haste with his towel. Gibson hit a clothesline to pin Haste! New champions! TMDK has lost two sets of tag title belts in five days!
James Drake and Zack Gibson defeated Shane Haste and Mikey Nicholls to win the NJPW Strong Tag Team Titles at 9:53.
3. Lio Rush vs. Mustafa Ali. Lio has his “Black Heart” paint on his face and chest; I am admittedly NOT a fan of this Boogeyman/Papa Shango-inspired gimmick. (I fully acknowledge that Rush is really trying to make it work!) They traded quick reversals at the bell. Ali is 2-0 all-time in singles matches, Stewart said. Ali hit his rolling neckbreaker at 1:30, and he applied a hammerlock on the mat to slow Lio down. Lio went for a move but Ali caught the leg and applied a half-crab at 3:00, then he turned it into a crossface. Rush went or his stunner out of the ropes, but Ali kicked him in the back, then hit a German Suplex for a nearfall.
They traded strikes. Lio knocked Ali to the floor, then Lio nailed his dive through the ropes at 6:00. Lio hit a second dive and they both crashed far from ringside. Ali hit a DDT onto the thin mat at ringside. In the ring, Lio hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly for a nearfall at 7:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Lio hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Ali hit a running powerbomb with Lio landing awkwardly. Yikes. However, Ali missed a top-rope 450 Splash. Lio hit a second-rope frogsplash to the back, then a top-rope Final Hour frogsplash for the clean pin. Good match and glad he wasn’t hurt on that running powerbomb. Also glad to report that Lio didn’t do any of the voodoo silliness that is associated with his Black Heart gimmick.
Lio Rush defeated Mustafa Ali at 10:05.
4. Tom Lawlor and Fred Rosser vs. “West Coast Wrecking Crew” Royce Isaacs and Jorel Nelson in a best of three falls match. These teams have been fighting all year. The first fall is a tables match, the second fall is a submissions match, and the third fall is a last man standing STRAP match. All four brawled at the bell and they immediately went to the floor and fought along the guardrails. Jorel pulled out a table at 1:30. Jorel and Lawlor brawled onto the auditorium’s stage. Rosser avoided being put through a table at ringside, and Fred hit a low blow kick on Royce at 4:00. Fred hit a back suplex on the ring apron on Jorel, then one on the floor on Isaacs. Lawlor leapt off the stage and crashed onto Jorel on the table to win the first fall at 4:56.
We had a bell, so it appears we had about a one-minute rest period. They are back in the ring, and Rosser was trying to put on a Crossface Chickenwing on Isaacs; Walker noted “It was handed down by Bob Backlund” to Rosser. Rosser got whipped into a guardrail at 7:30. The WCWC got Fred into the ring and worked him over. Royce hit a German Suplex. Rosser was suddenly bleeding from his forehead at 10:00 and this was unnecessarily bloody. Isaacs applied a Sharpshooter, while Jorel applied a crossface. Lawlor jumped in and made the save before Rosser could tap out. Veda said everyone is covered in blood but it’s only Fred who is bleeding. Fred hit a top-rope superplex on Jorel and he applied a hammerlock move. Isaacs tied up Rosser in a crossface. Who will tap out first? Lawlor tried to make the save, but Fred passed out at 13:10 from the Crossface, and we’re tied 1-1.
We’re supposed to have one guy from each team strapped together, but WCWW put on straps on their wrists and beat down the babyfaces. Isaacs choked Rosser with the strap at 15:00. Isaacs whipped Lawlor across the chest and it made an awful, loud whipping sound. Jorel and Lawlor are tied together, and they went to the floor and fought along the guardrail. In the ring, Lawlor pulled on the strap, sending Jorel into teammate Isaacs. Rosser got in the ring and hit a series of clotheslines at 18:00, and he was fired up. Fred finally put the strap on his wrist, and we have a bell to officially begin the final fall. Fred chopped Royce in one corner while Lawlor hit Jorel in the opposite corner.
Lawlor hit a Death Valley Driver on Jorel. Rosser hit a Lungblower move to Royce’s chest, and both WCWC were down, and the ref counted, but they both got up at 20:00. Rosser hit a Death Valley Driver on Isaacs. Both WCWC guys rolled to the floor and landed on their feet so the match continued. Lawlor and Jorel fought on the ring apron with a table below them on the floor. Lawlor choked Jorel with the strap, but Royce ran over to try and make the save. Jorel hit a stunner off the apron and sent Lawlor crashing through a table on the floor at 23:30. Lawlor was counted out at 24:05 because he didn’t get up before the 10-count. So, the match apparently is continuing as a 2-on-1 match? That’s just weird.
In the ring, Royce stomped on Rosser and the crowd chanted “West Coast sucks!” Jorel hit Rosser across the back with a chair. They hit a Spike Pilediver on Fred, and the ref began counting. The ref reached the 10-count to end the match, as Fred didn’t get to his feet. That was a bit more bloody than I prefer. Jorel got on the mic and demanded GYV come out. GYV stood on the stage with their newly-won tag belts on their shoulders. Jorel challenged them to a match at a show in California next month! GYV appeared like they accepted the challenge, then they turned and left. They needed a short break to clean up all the blood.
Jorel Nelson and Royce Isaacs defeated Fred Rosser and Tom Lawlor at 26:36.
5. Hazuki vs. Anna Jay vs. Trish Adora vs. Koguma in a four-way to become No. 1 contender to the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship. I admittedly don’t know the Japanese talent. Koguma wore teal and orange. Hazuki came out last and she wore a traditional robe to the ring. Koguma tried to get everyone to dance at the bell. Walker laughed but I rolled my eyes. The Japanese talent worked together on Anna Jay early on. Anna hit a running leg lariat into a corner on all three at 3:30. Trish tied Anna in an upside-down Octopus, then Trish hit a uranage for a nearfall. Hazuki hit a missile dropkick. Hazuki and Koguma began trading forearm strikes at 6:00, as Anna and Trish had vanished on the floor.
Koguma hit a running stunner. Trish got back in and hit a double clothesline. Koguma fell to the floor on Anna. Trish got a nearfall on Hazuki in the ring; the cameras didn’t catch the move. Trish hit her low-bridge German Suplex from her knees, then a German Suplex with a bridge for a nearfall on Hazuki. However, Hazuki got a Magistral Cradle out of nowhere to pin Trish. Good match but we really didn’t need that line-dancing sequence at the beginning. (Don’t we want them to be taken seriously? That sequence was not a serious moment.)
Hazuki defeated Anna Jay, Trish Adora and Koguma in a four-way to become No. 1 contender to the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship at 8:54.
* Mercedes Mone came out of the back and she got a big pop. She danced to her CEO song on the way to the ring. “We can’t have New Japan in Lowell without the New Japan Strong women’s champion, Mercedes Mone!” she said. She confronted Hazuki. Hazuki got on the mic and said, “this belt will be mine.” Mercedes struck Hazuki and they traded forearm strikes.
* A commercial aired for the Dec. 15 show in Long Beach, Calif.
6. “Los Ingobernables de Japon” Yota Tsuji and Shingo Takagi vs. “OGK” Mike Bennett and Matt Taven. OGK attacked before the bell. Bennett and Shingo opened. Shingo hit a senton. Taven hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor on Yota at 2:00 and he got a nearfall in the ring. OGK kept Yota grounded. Bennett hit a spinebuster. Taven went for a Lionsault but Yota got his knees up. Shingo tagged back in at 3:30 and he hit some chops and jab punches on Taven in the corner. Shingo hit a double DDT. Taven hit a springboard spin kick on Shingo at 5:00. Shingo hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip on Taven.
Shingo hit a DDT on Bennett and they were both down. Yota re-entered and hit a Stinger Splash and a shoulder tackle for a nearfall at 7:00. Yota hit a Stomp on Bennett. Taven snapped Yota’s neck across the top rope, and Bennett immediately hit a spear on Yota for a nearfall. Taven hit an elbow drop on Yota for a nearfall. Bennett hit a Death Valley Driver, and Taven hit the Just The Tip of the Knee (Shining Wizard). Yota hit a sit-out powerbomb on Bennett for a nearfall at 10:00. Yota hit a superkick. LIJ hit stereo headbutts. Yota hit a Stomp on Bennett for a nearall. Taven hit an enzuigiri on Shingo, but Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber on Taven. Yota immediately hit a Gene Blaster (spear) on Bennett for the pin. Fun match.
Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji defeated Mike Bennett and Matt Taven at 11:03.
* The lights went out. A video aired of a fire and someone stabbing a photo with a spike. Weird video. The lights came back on and Jack Perry attacked Yota from behind! The crowd chanted “F— you, Jack!” Perry hit a running knee to the head. “I didn’t come here for these people, I came here for you,” Perry said. He challenged Yota to a match on January 5 at Wrestle Dynasty at the Tokyo Dome. Shingo ran back to ringside to make the save. (How did he get that far away?)
7. Kenta vs. Ryohei Oiwa. Some basic reversals early on, and Kenta tied up the left arm on the mat. He hit a deep armdrag at 3:00 and went back to the armbar. This match so far has been devoid of action. Oiwa hit a dropkick at 5:30 and was fired up. Kenta hit a top-rope flying clothesline for a nearfall at 7:00. Kenta hit a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall. Kenta set up for Go To Sleep but Oiwa escaped and Ryohei hit a Doctor Bomb/gut-wrench powerbomb for a nearfall at 8:30. They traded rollups and Oiwa got the pin! A basic match that never really got going and didn’t meet my expectations.
Ryhei Oiwa defeated Kenta at 9:25.
8. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Zack Sabre Jr. and Bad Dude Tito vs. Shota Umino and Tomohiro Ishii. Sabre and Shota opened. (On Monday in Japan, the crowd started to boo babyface Shota when he confronted Zack.) They traded quick armdrags and Sabre ducked a Hidden Blade attempt, and they had a standoff at 1:30. Tito and Ishii entered and got a big pop. They charged at each other and hit shoulder tackles, until Tito finally knocked Ishii down. Ishii hit a brainbuster. Shota hit a somersault senton Sabre. Tito hit a second-rope Blockbuster on Ishii for a nearfall at 3:30. He backed Ishii into a corner and hit some rapid-fire chops.
Sabre entered and snapped Ishii’s neck between his ankles, and he applied a leg lock around Ishii’s neck, while also twisting the wrist and fingers. Tito it a snap suplex on Ishii for a nearfall at 6:00. Ishii hit a Saito Suplex on Tito and they were both down. Shota got a hot tag and knocked Sabre down with a running back elbow. Shota hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall at 7:30. Sabre locked in a cross-armbreaker on Umino. Sabe hit several blows to Shota’s left arm, then a Pele Kick on the damaged arm. Shota hit an enzuigiri; Sabre hit a running Penalty Kick, and they were both down. Tito re-entered and he hit a buckle bomb and a spinebuster, then a Death Valley Driver on Shota for a nearfall at 10:00.
Ishii and Tito traded forearm strikes, and Tito hit a suplex, but Ishii popped up and hit a German Suplex. Ishii hit a German Suplex on Ishii. (The 10-minute call was almost a minute late. My time is right.) Shota hit a running swinging neckbreaker on Tito for a nearfall. Shota hit a Hidden Blade to the back of Tito’s head, and he set up for a Death Rider, but Sabre ran in to make the save. Shota nailed the Death Rider double arm DDT on Sabre at 12:00! Sabre rolled to the floor. Shota hit a tornado DDT on Tito. Tito hit a German Suplex on Ishii, then a clothesline on Umino for a nearfall. However, Shota nailed the Death Rider on Tito for the pin. A really good match. Shota got the IWTV title belt but he handed it over to Sabre.
Shota Umino and Tomohiro Ishii defeated Zack Sabre Jr. and Bad Dude Tito at 13:24.
* The lights went out again. On a video screen, Jon Moxley said he’s not mad at Shota, but he’s very disappointed. “We’re going to continue your education. I will send an emissary to the Tokyo Dome and fix this problem.” Moxley said he will continue to mold Shota into a champion. Shota got on the mic and listed Wheeler, Pac and Castagnoli, saying he doesn’t care which one Jon sends him. Shota said he also would fight Moxley. Good short promo by Shota, as I don’t know how much English he speaks.
9. Konosuke Takeshita vs. TJP for the AEW International Title. Champion Takeshita came out first. The lights went out; they came back on and TJP was in the ring, and he sprayed red mist in Takeshita’s eyes. TJP’s body paint makes him look particularly pale and ghostly today, and he attacked Konosuke. TJP’s paint around his mouth is really exaggerated, a bit like DC’s Joker. The bell rang to officially begin at 0:40. Takeshita stalled on the floor. In the ring, TJP tied up Takeshita’s legs and kept him grounded. Takeshita hit a second-rope senton for a nearfall at 4:00. They traded head-scissors takedowns. Takeshita bent TJP in half across Konosuke’s back. He whipped TJP into a corner and TJP fell to the floor at 6:30.
Takeshita shoved TJP back-first into a guardrail. In the ring, TJP hit an inverted DDT and some running Facewash kicks in the corner, and he got a few boos! He hit a Rude Awakening but couldn’t hit the Mamba Splash. Takeshita hit a German Suplex. TJP hit a tornado DDT and they were both down at 10:00. Takeshita hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Takeshita got a rollup, but TJP sprayed more mist in his eyes. TJP hit a Hidden Blade, then a Mamba Splash for a nearfall at 12:30. Takeshita countered with a hard clothesline. Takeshita hit his modified piledriver. TJP hit a Thesz Press for a nearfall. Takeshita hit a second-rope Falcon Arrow for the pin. Good match.
Konosuke Takeshita defeated TJP to retain the AEW International Title at 14:41 (official time of about 14:00).
* Takeshita got on the mic and said he will defend the title in the Tokyo Dome. “Who’s next?” he shouted. “Come and take it!” Shingo Takagi returned to the ring and he was carrying his NEVER Openweight Title! They argued with each other in Japanese. In English, Shingo said, “Wrestle Kingdom, Tokyo Dome.” (Stewart pointed out that these two were in opposite Blocks during G1 Climax a few months ago, so they didn’t meet.) I thought this segment was over, but Tomohiro Ishii then returned to the ring! He pointed, then he left. A man of few words, but I presume Ishii just challenged Takeshita to a match on Jan. 5!
10. Gabe Kidd vs. Kosei Fujita for the NJPW Strong Openweight Title. I’m a big fan of Kosei, but I do question this as the main event. They jawed at the bell and Kidd has a height and thickness advantage. Kosei hit a dropkick at 2:00, and Kidd regrouped on the floor. Kidd hit a brainbuster onto the thin mat at ringside! Kidd whipped Fujita over the guardrail and onto a table on the other side at 4:00. He got on the mic and swore at the crowd. Kosei barely got back into the ring at the 19-count; Kidd hit a senton for a nearfall at 6:00. Kidd again got on the mic to say “F— you, Kenny Omega!” and he stomped on Fujita. Kidd knocked him down with some forearm strikes, but the crowd rallied for Fujita, and that seemed to anger Kidd.
Fujita got up and they traded forearm strikes. Kidd hit a bodyslam at 9:30, and the crowd chanted “F— you, Kidd!” Fujita hit an open-hand slap that stunned Kidd. Fujita hit some blows in the corner, and he actually shoved the ref. Fujita hit a pair of German Suplexes and got a nearfall at 11:30. He hit a third German Suplex with a high bridge for a nearfall. Kidd hit a decapitating clothesline for a nearfall. Kidd hit a back suplex at 14:00, and he peeled down his knee pad. However, Fujita hit a clothesline. Kidd hit a brainbuster. Fujita hit the Abandon Hope pop-up stunner and they were both down.
Fujita hit a spin kick that sent Kidd to the floor, so Fujita hit a moonsault off the apron to the floor. In the ring, Fujita hit a springboard dropkick, then another Abandon Hope stunner for a nearfall at 16:30, but Kidd got his feet on the ropes. Kidd missed a moonsault, and Fujita hit another spin kick. Kidd hit a pop-up powerbomb, then a running knee for a believable nearfall. Kidd hit a piledriver for another believable nearfall at 18:00. Kidd hit a second jumping piledriver for a nearfall, then a Doctor Bomb for the pin. Good match, but again, I never once thought Fujita was winning here. (Unless Omega had showed up to distract Kidd!)
Gabe Kidd defeated Kosei Fujita to retain the NJPW Strong Openweight Title at 18:38.
* Oiwa ran into the ring to save Fujita from a post-match beatdown. Kenta ran in and attacked Oiwa. The ringside bell was going nuts trying to convince these four to stop brawling. Oiwa got on the mic and he challenged Kidd for a match at Wrestle Kingdom.
Final Thoughts: Well, it’s becoming clear that NJPW Wrestle Dynasty on Jan. 5 will have a heavy influence of AEW talent. Ricochet will face Sabre, Kidd will face Kenny Omega, Moxley’s emissary will face Umino, Perry will face Tsuji, and hopefully Takeshita-Ishii. Sabre’s tag match was really good and will earn best match of the show. I’ll go with Shingo-TJP for second, and it was really good, but it had two problems. One, no one thought TJP was winning, and two, Takeshita didn’t turn up his heel personality enough here to get the crowd hating him. A good main event takes third.
I’ve raved about some Kenta matches in the past two months, where he’s hitting some hard spin kicks and some open-hand paintbrush slaps to the face that look and sound devastating. So, I don’t think I can state enough how underwhelming that match was here. They fought on the mat for five minutes, setting a pace that they were going long, then they wrapped up out of nowhere.
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