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OKADA VS. OSPREAY, GIULIA VS. ADORA, KINGSTON VS. KIDD & MORE: NJPW BATTLE IN THE VALLEY 2024 COVERAGE FROM SAN JOSE, CA

NJPW Strong Women's Champion Giulia vs. Trish Adora.

AEW's The Infantry came out with Adora.

The story early on was that Giulia was dismissing the challenger.  They had some nice back and forth ringwork.  Giulia took her to the mat with a snapmare and locked in a side chinlock.  Adora fought her way out and went for a hammerlock.  They ended up in a corner, where Giulia chopper her hard.  Giulia grabbed her in a crucifix submission but Adora fought out.  She turned her into an upside down armbar style submission.  Giulia escaped but Adora dropped a legdop across her arm and controlled her on the mat.  Giulia tried to fight back but was caught in a tiltowhirl backbreaker.

Adora continued to control the champion, nailing a big suplex for a two count.  Giulia fired back with forearms and they exchanged blows.  Giulia locked on a STF but Adora made it to the ropes.  She nailed a big shotgun dropkick.  Adora nailed a back suplex but Giulia rolled through and nailed one.  Adora powered up and nailed another.  Giulia got up a little slower and nailed another.  She went for another suplex but Adora snapped her down to the mat via her arm and hit a senton.

Giulia missed a kick and was slapped.  Adora hit a sit-out Bubba Bomb and went for a Cattle Mutilation but Giulia was able to get to the ropes to force the break.  Giulia went to the floor but Adora followed.    Adora hit a British Bulldog style powerslam on the floor.  They battled to the top, battling over a superplex to the floor.   Giulia nailed some strikes and changed the trajectory, hitting a double underhook superplex but Adora kicked up at ONE.  Giulia nailed a knee strike.  Adora comes back with a pump kick.  Giulia nailed a Northern Lights Bomb and scored the pin.

Your winner and still NJPW Strong Women's Champion Giulia!

The story here was that Trish Adora brought a ton of fire and had one of the best matches of her career, hanging with one of the best heels anywhere.  Really damn good match here.  Giulia showed Adora respect after, shaking her hand and embracing her.  A great night for Adora!

They aired a video from Mustafa Ali announcing he was bringing his "campaign" to New Japan Pro Wrestling.  He knocked Hiromu Takahashi.  They will wrestled 4/12 in Chicago at Windy City Riot.  The building chanted for "Ali."

Matt Riddle and Mystery Partner vs. Zack Sabre Jr. and Bad Dude Tito.

They spoiled the mystery partner for those watching by putting Jeff Cobb's name on a graphic instead of Riddle's.  They were PWG Tag Team Champions together years ago.

Riddle shoved ZSJ as soon as he entered the ring.  They locked up and grappled back and forth at the bell.  ZSJ nailed several elbows while grabbing Riddle in a triangle choke.  Tito and Cobb each tagged in.  They went at it physically with neither budging.  Riddle tagged in and worked over Tito, hitting the Floating Bro for a two count.  Tito forced him back into the wrong corner.  ZSJ drilled Cobb off the apron and nailed a charging uppercut.  They tagged in and out, working over Riddle.  ZSJ nanipulated his toes the way he usually does fingers.  Riddle was beaten for a long time.

Cobb made the tag and manhandled ZSJ but Tito broke up the pinfall attempt.  Cobb slammed him but missed a standing moonsault attempt.  ZSJ and Cobb battled back and forth with some great exchanged.  Cobb looked like a beast and Zack was great trying to neutralize him with technical wrestling and hard slaps.  Riddle and Tito battled back and forth.   Riddle nailed a leaping strike.  Tito fought out of an exploder and nailed a back suplex but Cobb broke up the pinfall. ZSJ taunted Cobb to charge him and dropped down, pulled the ropes with him.  Cobb crashed to the outside, where ZSJ locked on a sleeper.

Tito and Riddle battled in the ring.  Tito nailed a spinning Blue Thunder Bomb for a close two count.  Riddle and Zack battled.  Zack grabbed an anklelock but Cobb scooped upm ZSJ and slammed him.  Tito and Cobb battled.  Cobb was nailed and tossed with an exploder suplex.  Riddle ducked a lariat and nailed a knee strike.  He hit the cradle tombstone (The Bro Derek) on Tito and scored the pin.

Your winner, Matt Riddle & Jeff Cobb!

A lot of really good physical action.  Bad Dude Tito has really leveled up since I last saw his work.   

Zack trashtalked Riddle after, so they are building to a singles match down the road.  Cobb teased the idea of Riddle joining The United Empire faction.

AEW Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston vs. Gabe Kidd

They brawled before the bell with Kidd trying for a piledriver on the floor but getting backropped over.  They fought on the floor with Kingston nailing strikes and shoving him against the railing.  Kidd caught Kingston and nailed a German suplex on the floor, then sent Kingston into the ring post.  He yanked Kingston's shoulder into the post several times.  The referee tried to admonish Kidd but was shoved away.  Kingston swung wildly at Kidd but couldn't see where he was targeting.

Kidd tossed the champ into the ring and they officially rang the bell.  Kingston drilled Kidd and told him to bring it.  They chopped hard at each other for a long, long time.  Kidd attacked and bit Kingston.  Kingston came back with a T-Bone suplex.  Kingston nailed the rapid fire chops in the corner.  Kidd fired back with hard forearm and elbow strikes.  Kidd nailed a back suplex for a two count.    The crowd chanted, "F*** you Kidd" so he flipped them the bird.  Ah, sportsmanship!

Kidd tried to set up for a piledriver but Kingston slipped out and nailed a big backdrop driver style suplex.  He nailed the spinning backfist for a two count.    Kingston acted like he was snapping his shoulder back into place.  He teased a lariat, which elicited a big EDDIE chant.  He went for a suplex but Kidd slipped out and nailed one of his own.  He set up and nailed a tombstone piledriver but Kingston kicked out at the last second.   They battled back and forth with chops and strikes, going nose to nose.  Kidd spit in Kingston's face, which enraged him as the crowd chanted, "You f****ed up."  Eddie lost it, hitting a hard chop and a backfist, but it knocked Kidd out of the ring to the floor.

The crowd chanted for Kingston.  They battled on the floor.  They kept fighting as the referee counted them out.  Kingston nailed a suplex.  He went to get back in the ring but Kidd said he was a "fat b**tch" , leading to Kingston losing it and attacking him, getting them both counted out in the process.  Kingston grabbed a table and tried to nail Kidd with it but there was a massive pullapart brawl.

Kingston started to head to the back but Kidd hit the ring and grabbed one of the title belts.  Kingston hit the ring with a double leg takedown and going to nail him wth one of the titles but Clark Connors and Alex Coughlin attacked.  They triple-teamed Kingston and piledrove him on the title belt.  They left Kingston laying as officials checked over him.  Kingston finally sat up and was walked out.

Fun brawl and a good angle to close it.  I guess Kingston calls Homicide for help?

Coverage continues on Page 3!

 

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