By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “Strong Style Evolved”
December 15, 2024 in Long Beach, California at Walter Pyramid
Streamed live on New Japan World
This looks like a small college’s gym. Veda Scott and Walker Stewart provided commentary; the sound isn’t ideal. The stands were fairly empty as the pre-show match began.
1. Matt Vandagriff vs. Zane Jay. These are perhaps the top two students at their training academy right now. They charged at each other at the bell and brawled. I noted last week that Jay is now bald and looking more serious, and he hit a Pounce ealy on. Walker talked about the demeanor change in Zane that goes with the bald look. Matt hit a snap suplex on the floor, but Jay got back in the ring at 2:00. Zane hit a bodyslam. Matt tied him in the ropes and snapped an arm, then he hit three consecutive butterfly suplexes. Matt hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 5:30 and a dropkick. Zane hit a vertical suplex and they were both down.
Zane hit a dropkick and he was fired up. Matt hit a 619. Zane hit a fallaway slam at 9:00. Matt knocked Zane from the turnbuckles to the thin mat at ringside. Matt then hit a 450 Splash to the floor! He then hit a frogsplash for a believable nearfall in the ring. Matt hit a Buckle Bomb and a Shining Wizard for a nearfall. Jay hit a D’Lo Sky High powerbomb, then a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall. Matt kicked him in the head. Zane locked in a Boston Crab, and he pulled Vandagriff to the center of the ring, and Matt tapped out. Good action; this was no basic NJPW-style Young Lion match. Zane is really one to watch.
Zane Jay defeated Matt Vandagriff at 13:26.
The main show is now underway but the risers across from the hard camera are only half full. Sadly, this crowd is maybe 800 in a building that can probably seat 2,000 for this setup.
2. Mina Shirakawa vs. Johnny Robbie. Robbie recently returned to action after missing maybe six months with a serious neck injury, and she was in charge early on. Mina hit a springboard spin kick at 2:30. They traded forearm strikes. Mina began kicking at Johnny’s left knee and working over her leg. Johnny hit a Northern Lights Suplex and a fisherman’s suplex. Mina applied a Figure Four, but Johnny got to the ropes at 6:00. Mina dropped her with a spinning back fist, then a second-rope neckbreaker for a nearfall. Mina hit a bodyslam move for the pin. Decent action.
Mina Shirakawa defeated Johnny Robbie at 7:38.
3. “Grizzled Young Veterans” Zack Gibson and James Drake vs. “West Coast Wrecking Crew” Royce Isaacs and Jorel Nelson for the NJ Strong Tag Team Titles. GYV just beat TMDK to win these belts. Denver native Isaacs wore a Nuggets jersey. Drake and Isaacs opened. Zack and Jorel got in and traded European Uppercuts. Royce entered, picked up Gibson, and did several deep squats before hitting a gut-wrench suplex at 3:30. The GYV hit some quick team offense on Royce and worked him over and kept him in their corner. Royce finally hit a German Suplex and tagged in Jorel at 7:00. Jorel repeatedly chopped both GYV in a corner and he was fired up. He hit a top-rope crossbody block onto both heels.
Royce hit a double clothesline, then a release suplex on Drake. He clotheslined Zack to the floor. Drake hit a Flatliner at 9:00 on Royce and applied a sleeper hold on the mat. They all got up and traded punches. Royce hit a Falcon Arrow. Jorel hit a pop-up powerbomb on Gibson. Royce hit a Death Valley Driver onto Jorel’s knees for a nearfall at 11:30. Royce hit a Superman’s punch on Gibson. Drake put his scarf around Royce’s neck and yanked him to the mat and was loudly booed! Royce rolled up Drake and scored the pin! New champs! I admittedly didn’t expect that, as GYV just won these belts!
Royce Isaacs and Jorel Nelson defeated Zack Gibson and James Drake to win the NJ Strong Tag Team Titles at 12:43.
* A late arriving crowd, as it is much fuller now than when this match began. I’ll put attendance closer to 1,200 now. Rocky Romero came to the ring in a suit jacket; he is not dressed to compete. He thanked the crowd for coming out. He congratulated WCWC on their big win. Rocky said he and Yoh are challenging them for those belts on Jan. 11. Royce nodded yes, but then he grabbed Rocky and hit a German Suplex!
4. TJP vs. Kushida vs. Kosei Fujita vs. Clark Connors in a four-way. All four of these guys were in Best of Super Juniors last spring. The three babyfaces attacked heel Connors to open. Connors whipped Kushida into the ring post as they brawled on the floor. TJP hit a backbreaker over his knee on Fujita in the ring at 1:30. Connors entered and hit a sideslam on Fujita, then some chops on TJP. Connors hit a powerslam on TJP at 4:30. Fujita hit a springboard double dropkick. Connors hit a spear that sent TJP to the floor. TJP hit a tornado DDT on Kushida at 6:30. Connors hit a Pounce on Kushida and a powerslam on TJP and was loudly booed. TJP applied a double Pinoy Stretch, but Kushida made the save.
TJP hit a Thesz Press. Kosei hit a German Suplex. Kushida applied a cross-armbreaker on Connors, but TJP hit a Mamba Splash at 10:00 to break it up. Kosei applied Jack Perry’s Snare Trap on Connors. However, TJP rolled up Kushida and pinned him before Connors tapped out! Really good juniors matchup.
TJP defeated Clark Connors, Kushida, and Kosei Fujita in a four-way at 10:27.
5. Lio Rush vs. Hechicero. Standing switches to open, and the crowd was fully behind Hechicero. They took turns playing to the crowd and Lio was loudly booed! Hechicero hit a dropkick at 3:00 that sent Lio to the floor. In the ring, Lio did his misdirection offense. Hechicero snapped Lio’s neck on the ropes. They hit stereo Mafia Kicks on the ring apron at 5:00. Hechicero hit a crossbody block in the ring for a nearfall, and he tied up Lio’s legs. Hechicero hit a backbreaker over his knee at 7:30. Lio hit a top-rope crossbody block. His knee buckled, but he hit a series of forearm strikes. Hechicero stood up and peeled down the straps of his singlet. Lio dove through the ropes and barreled onto Hechicero at 9:00.
Lio hit the Rush Hour stunner out of the ropes. He got some rollups and a tornado kick from the mat, but he couldn’t hit the Final Hour frogsplash. Hechicero immediately hit a flying knee to the sternum in the corner, then a head-scissors takedown and a rollup for the pin. Good action.
Hechicero defeated Lio Rush at 11:28.
6. “Los Ingobernables de Japon” Hiromu Takahashi and Titan vs. “United Empire” Jakob Austin Young and Templario (w/TJP). Yes, they just announced Templario is a member of UE. Hiromu and Jakob opened. Templario wore green pants and mask, with a black T-shirt. Hiromu hit running crossbody blocks on each opponent on the floor. In the ring, Titan hit some spin kicks on Jakob’s thighs, then tied up his legs. Jakob hit an enzuigiri on Hiromu at 3:30. Templario entered and began working over Hiromu’s left leg. Jakob hit a missile dropkick for a nearfall. Hiromu hit a Falcon Arrow on Young at 6:00. Titan and Templario entered and traded quick lucha reversals; Veda said they have fought each other more than 100 times! Titan hit a top-rope moonsault to the floor on Templario.
In the ring, Templario hit a double-knee gutbuster for a nearfall at 8:30. LIJ hit some quick kicks on Young. Hiromu hit a powerslam on Templario. Titan hit a springboard frogsplash on Templario for a nearfall right at the 10:00 call (which was spot-on.) Templario hit a Lumbar Check backbreaker on Titan and scored the pin! That wrapped up quickly. TJP jumped in the ring and put the UE flag around Templario’s shoulders.
Templario and Jakob Austin Young defeated Titan and Hiromu Takahashi at 10:33.
7. Gabe Kidd vs. Ryohei Oiwa for the NJ Strong Openweight Title. Kidd jawed at the crowd before locking up with Oiwa. Basic reversals early on. Oiwa was flipped to the floor; he finally got back into the ring at the 14-count at 5:00, but Kidd stomped on him and was fully in charge. They traded chops and Oiwa hit a German Suplex, then a back suplex at 8:00, then another German Suplex for a nearfall. Kidd hit a stiff rebound lariat for a nearfall, then a brainbuster for a nearfall. Kidd slapped him in the face several times. Oiwa nailed a Doctor Bomb for a visual pin at 11:30, but Clark Connors pulled the ref to the floor! Kosei Fujita ran to the ring, hit a springboard dropkick on Connors, and those two brawled to the back. Kidd and Oiwa hit simultaneous clotheslines. They traded rollups. Kidd hit a piledriver for a nearfall at 14:30. He then hit a powerbomb for the pin. Good action.
Gabe Kidd defeated Ryohei Oiwa to retain the NJ Strong Openweight Title at 14:35.
* Kidd got on the mic and berated Kenny Omega, saying “he is a bitch for taking a year off with a little stomach illness.” He looked beyond Omega and issued a challenge to Tomohiro Ishii for the belt, so he clearly believes he will retain it against Omega on Jan. 5.
8. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Zack Sabre Jr., Shane Haste, and Bad Dude Tito vs. Tom Lawlor, Fred Rosser, and Shota Umino. Shota (supposedly) twisted an ankle during World Tag League but it appears to be a pretty minor injury as he only missed one show; Walker brought up the ankle injury as I wrote this. Sabre and Umino opened and they traded European Uppercuts. Haste and Lawlor entered at 2:00 and had a feeling-out process, and Haste snapped Lawlor’s suspenders. Rosser and Tito got in at 4:00 and traded chops and shoulder blocks. Tito hit a spinebuster and stomped on Fred. Sabre snapped Fred’s neck between his ankles, as TMDK worked over Rosser and kept him in their corner. Haste hit a Falcon Arrow at 7:30. On the floor, Sabre tied up Umino in an Octopus Stretch.
Tito and Shota traded blows in the ring. Shota hit a dropkick on Haste and got a pop. Walker noted that Shota has gotten a lot of boos recently but is cheered here. Haste hit a dropkick on Shota and they were both down at 10:00. Sabre got back in and twisted Shota’s left arm and hit a Pele Kick on it. He went for a cross-armbreaker but Shota quickly got to the ropes. Tito hit a Death Valley Driver on Shota, and Sabre again applied the cross-armbreaker on Shota. All six were suddenly in the ring as ref Scarlett Donovan had lost control. Sabre hit some spin kicks on the damaged arm, then he slapped Shota in the face. Shota hit a release suplex and a tornado DDT and they were both down at 13:00. Rosser hit a powerslam on Tito. Lawlor slipped and fell off the top turnbuckle but the crowd was forgiving. Lawlor climbed back up and hit a top-rope elbow drop on Tito for a nearfall right at the 15:00-call.
Tito nailed an F5 Slam on Tito. Umino hit a shotgun dropkick on Haste. Rosser slammed Haste back-first on the apron. Shota hit a forearm on Sabre, but Sabre nailed the Zack Driver on Shota! Umino rolled to the floor to avoid being pinned. Lawlor hit a jumping knee on Tito, then a front guillotine choke. However, Tito escaped and hit a piledriver to pin Lawlor. As expected, nothing was resolved in the Sabre-Shota feud. Good match.
Zack Sabre Jr., Shane Haste, and Bad Dude Tito defeated Tom Lawlor, Fred Rosser, and Shota Umino at 16:46.
9. Jack Perry and Konosuke Takesita vs. “Los Ingobernables de Japon” Yota Tsuji and Shingo Takagi. A fairly audible “CM Punk!” chant could be heard as Perry walked to the ring. Perry and Yota opened, but Jack stalled on the floor and generated a lot of heat. Shingo and Takeshita locked up at 2:00. They all brawled at ringside. Tsuji and Perry traded chops on the floor. Takeshita and Perry briefly jawed at each other at 5:30, so they aren’t fully on the same page. Perry hit a snap suplex on Yota and there were some “Oh, cry me a river!” chants. Tsuji hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker over his knee. Shingo pushed Perry into Takeshita. Shingo and Konosuke traded forearm strikes, and Takeshita dropped him. (A reminder those two were in different G1 Climax Blocks so they didn’t have a singles match.) Takeshita hit a second-rope senton splash for a nearfall at 8:30 and he applied a leg lock around Shingo’s waist.
Perry entered and hit a basement dropkick on Shingo. Shingo hit a DDT on Jack at 11:00. Tsuji tagged back in and worked over Perry, hitting a Stomp for a nearfall. Perry hit a Rude Awakening standing neckbreaker and he tagged in Takeshita. Shingo also tagged in and they traded clotheslines in opposite corners, and Shingo hit a suplex for a nearfall at 13:30. Shingo hit a Gory Special faceplant. Takeshita hit a German Suplex on Shingo, then a Blue Thunder Bomb for a believable nearfall. They got up and traded more forearm strikes. Takeshita nailed a Poison Rana; Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber clothesline; Takeshita hit a running knee, and they were both down at 17:00. Great sequence. Perry and Tsuji tagged back in, and Yota hit a headbutt that dropped Jack, but he couldn’t hit the top-rope doublestomp. Perry hit a low blow uppercut, then a running knee to the side of Yota’s head for the cheap pin. Best match of the show so far.
Jack Perry and Konosuke Takeshita defeated Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji at 17:43.
* The heels continued to beat up LIJ, so Hiromu Takahashi ran into the ring for the save. However, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson jumped into the ring and hit the EVP Trigger knee strikes on Hiromu. (The Young Bucks will face Hiromu and Tetsuya Naito on January 5.) Matt got on the mic and said they are the most successful tag team in New Japan history. He said it was great to be back in Long Beach. He asked the crowd if they remember when the Young Bucks faced Kota Ibushi and Kenny Omega in this building. They joked that those two are injury-prone. They vowed they will win the IWGP Tag Team Titles again.
10. Mercedes Mone vs. Hazuki for the NJ Strong Women’s Title. Mone brought two belts to the ring. Standing switches to open; Mone has a couple of inches on Hazuki, who wore a green top and bottom. Mone hit a headscissors takedown at 2:30. Veda reminded us that these two had fought in a three-way before. Mone locked in the Statement Maker (Bank Statement crossface) but Hazuki reached the ropes and rolled to the floor to regroup. In the ring, Hazuki hit a dropkick and took control. Mone hit some running knees in the corner at 5:30. Hazuki hit a DDT and a bodyslam. She hit a running kick to the side of the head as Mercedes was in the ropes and got a nearfall at 7:30. Mercedes hit a mid-ring Meteora for a nearfall. Hazuki hit a DDT on the ring apron at 9:30. Hazuki hit a dive through the ropes onto Mone and two male security guards, and she hit two more!
Mone dove back into the ring at the 19-count, but Hazuki immediately hit a senton, then a springboard dropkick for a nearfall, and now she applied a crossface at 12:00, but Mone escaped and she re-applied the Statement Maker. They got up and traded forearm strikes, then they traded slaps to the face! Mone hit the Three Amigos rolling suplexes at 15:00 as the crowd chanted “Eddie!” Mone hit a frogsplash for a nearfall; it was a bit too cocky of a cover. Mone went back to the Statement Maker. They traded blows on the ropes. Hazuki hit a second-rope superplex at 18:00 for a nearfall, and she went back to the Crossface, but Mercedes reached the ropes. Hazuki missed a top-rope senton splash. Mone hit a sunset flip into the corner, then a Meteora in the corner, then a second-rope Meteora for a nearfall at 20:30.
Hazuki hit a Mafiak Kick and a running back elbow, then a Lungblower to the chest. She finally hit the top-rope senton for a believable nearfall! “I can’t believe this!” Walker Stewart shouted. She hit a flying Lungblower to the chest off the ropes for another nearfall, as the crowd chanted, “That was three!” Mone hit her own Lungblower to the back for a nearfall. She hit a second and third Backstabber, then a standing powerbomb for a nearfall. She hit the Mone Maker swinging faceplant, but Hazuki got a foot on the ropes at 25:00, and Mercedes was in disbelief. Hazuki got a Magistral Cradle for a believable nearfall. Mone nailed a second Mone Maker for the pin. That was fantastic.
Mercedes Mone defeated Hazuki to retain the NJ Strong Women’s Title at 26:34.
* Mercedes got on the mic. She talked about breaking her foot in this building a year ago, but she’s back and on top. She is now looking ahead to Wrestle Dynasty on January 5, and she made an open challenge. This brought out Mina Shirakawa! She carried her Rev Pro women’s title. They agreed to the match. They both danced to the “CEO” song; I kept waiting for one of them to attack the other, but no punches were thrown.
Final Thoughts: Anyone who doubts Mone’s in-ring skills needs to watch this one. They had the crowd fully involved with a great back-and-forth match. The nearfalls had me thinking an upset was possible, too. Easily best match of the night; I just wasn’t prepared for them to put in such a great match.
The Young Bucks appearance was the least surprising thing about this show, but it sure got a great pop. Shingo/Tsuji-Perry-Takeshita takes second, while TMDK vs. Shota’s team takes third. Not a bad match here. My only complaint is I wish the crowd had been bigger.
Be the first to comment