By Colin McGuire, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@McGMondays)
NJPW Strong
Taped June 19, 2022 in Los Angeles, California at The Vermont Hollywood
Streamed July 23, 2022 on New Japan World
Ian Riccaboni checked in on commentary with Alex Koslov to run down the card. Riccaboni recapped the tag-team tournament bracket. We are on the Ignition tour and this, friends, is the third week of it…
1. Jordan Cruz vs. JR Kratos. Kratos started the match by running full force at Cruz and hitting a shoulder block. Kratos then threw Cruz across the ring. Kratos hit a tough forearm for a one-count. Kratos worked a head-lock. Cruz tried to fight back, but Kratos hit a boot to stop the effort. Kratos then landed a dead-lift suplex for a two-count. Kratos went for a couple elbow drops. But Cruz moved and hot a dropkick before going to the top and hitting a forearm.
Cruz tried a series of clotheslines, but Kratos didn’t sell any of them. Kratos then ran at Cruz and hit a strong kick to the head. Kratos landed a series of clotheslines to take control. Kratos then spun Cruz and slammed him for the win.
JR Kratos defeated Jordan Cruz via pinfall in 4:12.
After the match, Kratos grabbed a mic. Kratos flipped off the crowd and called out Alex Coughlin. Kratos jawed at the crowd and then challenged Coughlin to a Last Man Standing Match. Kratos then left the ring.
McGuire’s Musings: I can’t even count on one finger the amount of times a match went less than five minutes on Strong. So, kudos to everyone for switching it up. Kratos looked like a monster and rightfully so, especially if this means we are trying to heat up his program with Coughlin. I’m into a Last Man Standing match, but I’m also curious about who wins. Do we just get more Coughlin losses because if so, you have to figure out how to take him to the next level if you’re the booker and if you’re the booker … I’m not saying … but I’m just saying that now might be the right time to give the guy some wins. Either way, the squash here was fun.
2. Mascara Dorada, Rocky Romero and David Finlay vs. Adrian Quest, Negro Casas and Lucas Riley. Finlay and Casas started, but not much happened immediately. Finally then worked Casas’s arm. Finlay tagged in Dorada. Quest then tagged in and the two went at it. Quest hit a 630 corkscrew splash. Riley then tagged in, but Dorada planted him for a one count. Romero tagged in and hit a basement dropkick on Riley. Romero hit a chop and went for his Forever Clotheslines, but Riley countered with a suplex.
Casas tagged in and traded blows with Romero. Still, Romero kind of hit his Forever Clotheslines. It didn’t matter because Casas came right back with some kicks and tagged in Riley, who landed a running shooting-star press for a two-count. Riley landed a splash and Quest tagged in for a two-count. Quest hit a clothesline and got a two-count. Casas tagged in and worked Romero’s arm. Casas and his squad stomped on Romero while the ref was distracted. Romero got the tag to Dorada and Dorada and came in to attack Casas.
Casas threw a dropkick to the knee of Dorada. Finlay and Quest tagged in and Finlay went for a slam, but Quest countered with a series of strikes. Finlay came right back and tagged in Romero, who hit a Strong Zero for a two count. Quest hit a super-kick to Romero and tagged in Riley. It ended up with Romero and Riley in the ring and Romero hit his finisher for the win.
Mascara Dorada, Rocky Romero and David Finlay defeated Adrian Quest, Negro Casas and Lucas Riley via pinfall in 11:06.
After the match, Casas came back into the ring and everyone jawed at each other. Romero held and then raised Casas’s hand. From there, we went to break.
McGuire’s Musings: Not much to this. It was good and fun and all of the happy things to see Casas in the ring. That said, we didn’t really get much of an angle from anyone and six-man tag matches on Strong are supposed to, if history serves, set up angles. Or programs. Or feuds. Or just something that makes the whole deal interesting. This match didn’t really have that, outside of some manufactured drama that didn’t quite resonate. I digress. We now move to the main event.
3. Christopher Daniels and Yuya Uemura vs. TDMK. TDMK jumpstarted things and attacked Uemura. Things got a bit more even when the bell rang and Uemura took control over Haste. Daniels tagged in and hit an elbow for a two-count. Daniels stomped on Haste and Uemura tagged in to hit a dropkick for a two-count. Uemura hit an elbow for a two-count. Uemura ran the ropes, but Nicholls tripped him up and TDMK took control.
Nicholls tagged in and tried to rip Uemura’s face off. Uemura’s nose was bleeding and TDMK hit a standing moonsault/fist-drop combination. Uemura tried to fire up, but Haste landed a beautiful dropkick for a two-count. TDMK ultimately hit a tandem slam for a two-count. Haste hit a series of forearms, but Uemura came back with a suplex and then got the hot tag to Daniels.
Daniels beat up both members of TDMK. There looked to be some miscommunication, but Daniels hit a Blue Thunder Bomb and went for the Angles’ Wings, but Nicholls fought out and got a two-count. TDMK then landed a Tank Buster, but Daniels kicked out. Daniels rolled to tag in Uemura, who came in and got the best of TDMK. Uemura landed a beautiful dropkick on Nicholls before hitting a suplex on Haste for a two-count. Uemura went to the top, but TDMK cut him off and hit some version of a powerbomb for a two-count. TDMK lifted Uemura, but Daniels made the save. As a result, TDMK came back, but Uemura rolled up TDMK and actually got the win.
Christopher Daniels and Yuya Uemura defeated TDMK via pinfall in 9:42.
McGuire’s Musings: All right, I don’t have any type of clue when it comes to how this tournament is being booked. I was convinced TDMK would win because TDMK is an actual faction with an actual tag-team that could legitimately be tag-team champs. Instead, the curious case of “Where is Karl Fredericks” continues and Daniels and Uemura advance. Where we go from here, nobody knows – especially me. Still, this was a fine match and the surprising outcomes was enough to make sure that people know NJPW Strong is a very good week-to-week program. I’ll have more to say in my weekly audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
Be the first to comment