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We are in Los Angeles, California and your hosts are Kevin Kelly, Alex Koslov, Fred Rosser, and Rocky Romero.
Kevin asks Fred what does his work in New Japan in 2020 mean to him. He says he has been doing this for 18 years and he gets nervous. When he is around the crowd, he is at his best in a New Japan ring.
Kevin says it has been a tremendous year for New Japan Strong with a mix of New Japan stars, up and comers, and veterans like Fred. Rocky talks about the Young Lions like Clark Connors.
Alex and Rocky argue over who likes Clark Connors more.
Kevin says each will get a chance to pick their favorite matches from New Japan Strong.
Kevin goes first and his favorite match was, not because he is standing next to him, but it is Clark Connors versus Fred Rosser.
Match Number One: Fred Rosser versus Clark Connors (from Episode 12 [October 23, 2020])
They lock up and Connors sends Rosser to the apron and Fred goes to the floor to regroup. Rosser returns to the ring and they lock up and Rosser with a side head lock take down. Connors tries for a head scissors but Rosser blocks it and he snap mares Connors and hits a shoulder tackle followed by a leg drop for a near fall.
Rosser with a step over toe hold and cobra stretch but Connors gets to the ropes. Rosser kicks Connors in the ribs and then Connors trips Rosser and hits a spear and gets a near fall. Connors kicks Rosser and the referee warns Connors. Rosser with a chop and head butt. Rosser with a chop in the corner but Connors with a drop kick. Connors with forearms to the back but Rosser with a head butt.
Connors with a shoulder tackle and Rosser backs Connors into the corner. Connors with a hard Irish whip and Connors with forearms. Connors with a double wrist lock into a dragon sleeper. Rosser with kicks to the head. Rosser with a head butt and Connors with a knee and forearms. Rosser with an overhead belly-to-belly throw. Rosser with a slam and seated splash for a near fall. Rosser with a kick to the back of the head. Connors with a power slam for a near fall. Connors goes for a Boston Crab and he locks it in.
Rosser gets to the ropes to force the break. Connors kicks Rosser and punches him. Connors with a European uppercut and then he goes to the turnbuckles and comes off into a knee from Rosser. Rosser with a double knee gutbsuter from a fireman’s carry for the three count.
Winner: Fred Rosser
We return to Kevin and he asks Fred about what he learned from that match. He says he wants to elevate talent these days. He got his stuff in and you have to work for the win. He says Connors is very strong.
Rocky Romero’s pick is next.
Rocky says he is a Clark Connors fan and he thought the finals of the Lion’s Break Crown between Danny Limelight and Clark Connors showed the purpose of New Japan Strong in elevating young talent.
Match Number Two: Clark Connors versus Danny Limelight in the Finals of the Lion’s Break Crown (from Episode 10 [October 9, 2020])
Connors with a single leg take down into a front face lock. Connors gets a near fall. Limelight with a kick and front face lock. Connors with a wrist lock and take down. Connors with a cross arm breaker but Limelight gets to the ropes. Connors with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. Connors tells Limelight to get up and Limelight pushes Connors and hits a drop kick. Limelight with a running forearm into the corner.
Limelight with a head scissors off the turnbuckles and Connors goes to the floor. Limelight with a twisting plancha onto Connors. Connors is sent back into the ring and Limelight goes for a double jump move but Connors catches Limelight and hits a power slam for a near fall. Connors sends Limelight into the turnbuckles and connects with shoulders to the back. Connors with chops and Limelight with a chop. Connors with chops and shoulders in the corner. Connors with a snap mare and double chop to the back.
Connors gets a near fall. Connors with a reverse chin lock followed by a suplex. Connors with a forearm and kick to the back followed by a slam. Limelight blocks a slam and hits a few elbows to the neck. Limelight with a kick but Connors blocks a kick and Connors with a double leg take down and he tries for a Boston Crab but Limelight sends Connors into the ropes.
Limelight with kicks to the chest. Limelight sends Connors into the corner and kicks him. Connors with a forearm to the midsection and back of the head. Limelight with a kick to the leg and a kick to the chest. Connors with a POUNCE to Limelight. Connors misses a splash into the corner and Limelight with a kick. Limelight walks the ropes and hits Meteora. Limelight with a half and half suplex. Limelight lands on his feet on a suplex attempt and Limelight with a dragon sleeper followed by Cross Rhodes for a near fall. Limelight pulls Connors into the corner and kicks him a few times. Limelight goes up top and misses a senton. Limelight leap frogs Connors and hits Back to the Future for a near fall. The referee keeps Limelight back while he checks on Connors. Limelight with a kick to the head for a near fall.
Limelight slaps Connors and he misses a double jump move but he hits a kick to the chest. Connors is put on the turnbuckles and Limelight sets for a superplex but Connors blocks it. Limelight with an elbow to the head and Connors with a European uppercut but Limelight lands on his feet. Connors knocks Limelight off the turnbuckles and Connors with a spear from the turnbuckles.
Connors with a Boston Crab and Limelight tries to get to the ropes. Connors pulls Limelight into the center of the ring and he leans back and Limelight taps out.
Winner: Clark Connors
We go to a cleaning and disinfecting break.
We are back and Kevin says we should exchange gifts after the broadcast and Alex is surprised that they had to get gifts. Kevin reminds Alex about the email that he responded to. Kevin asks Alex for his pick for his favorite match.
Alex says it was not any of Rocky’s matches. The fans are still buzzing about Fred Rosser and Tom Lawlor. He never saw a match that gritty. Two gladiators fighting to the death.
Rocky asks how does Fred get two matches and what about him.
Match Number Three: Fred Rosser versus Tom Lawlor (from Episode 15 [November 13, 2020])
Lawlor with forearms as he charges Rosser once the bell rings. They exchange forearms until Rosser takes Lawlor down with a side head lock. Lawlor with a hammer lock and kick to the arm. Lawlor with forearms and chops. Lawlor with forearms and European uppercuts in the corner. Rosser with kicks and head butts. Rosser with an Irish whip and clothesline into the corner followed by a slam and seated splash for a near fall.
Rosser with a front face lock. Lawlor with punches in the corner and he chokes Rosser in the ropes and corner. Rosser punches Lawlor and chops him. Lawlor with a back elbow and more elbows in the corner. Lawlor puts Rosser in the ropes and applies a rear nakes choke and they go to the apron. Rosser with a back drop driver onto the apron. Lawlor comes off the apron with a sleeper but Rosser backs Lawlor into the ring post to escape the hold.
Rosser with knees and hip strikes in the corner. Rosser with a seated splash for a near fall. Rosser with another seated splash for a near fall. Lawlor blocks a seated splash and applies a choke and turns it into a cross arm breaker but Rosser gets to the ropes to force a break. Lawlor with forearms and uppercuts to the left arm. Lawlor with an arm wringer. Lawlor with an arm wringer into a cross arm breaker and Rosser gets to the ropes to force a break.
Rosser with a chop but Lawlor with a kick to the leg and another arm wringer. Rosser with an inside cradle for a near fall and a rollup for a near fall. Lawlor with an arm bar submission and Rosser gets to the ropes. Rosser and Lawlor exchange punches and Lawlor with an exploder. Lawlor with a guillotine and body scissors followed by an elbow drop to the chest for a near fall. Lawlor with a clothesline in the corner and he sets for another one and connects. Lawlor goes for a third but Rosser with a forearm and a second forearm for a near fall.
Rosser with a head butt and punches. Rosser gets Lawlor up but Lawlor counters into a cloverleaf and then turns it into a rear naked choke. Rosser tries to get Lawlor up on his shoulders but Lawlor blocks it. Rosser with a double knee gutbuster but Lawlor stretches Rosser and forces him to tap out.
Winner: Tom Lawlor
Kevin says 2021 promises to be the biggest and best year for New Japan.
Kevin asks Fred for his pick. Fred says it was a toss up between Kratos and Cobb or Romero and White and he had to pick Rocky and Jay White. Jay was talking crap the entire time. He loved the dichotomy of the match and the story it told.
Match Number Four: Jay White versus Rocky Romero (from Episode 12 [October23, 2020])
White has some words for Romero when the bell rings and Romero slaps White and gets a near fall with a rollup. White goes to the floor but returns to the ring. Romero with punches and a crucifix for a near fall. Romero with forearms and chops but White with an Iris whip and he misses a splash. Romero with infinity clotheslines and White moves and hits a reverse atomic drop and DDT.
White with a chop and forearm to the lower back. White with a hammer lock and then he gets Romero on his back and then hits a neck breaker for a near fall. Whte with a forearm and then he connects with forearms to the lower back. White with a hard Irish whip. White with a waist lock. Romero with an elbow but White with a forearm and back breaker. White picks up Romero and Romero drops to the mat. White with a chop.
White turns his back to Romero for a moment but Romero doesn’t take advantage. Romero with forearms but White with a forearm and Romero goes down. Romero with forearms but White with a forearm to send him to the mat. Romero with more forearms and chops. White with a chop and Romero goes down. Romero with a tornado DDT and White goes to the floor. Romero with a forearm to the back and a drop kick to White in the ropes. Romero with a springboard drop kick to White hanging in the ropes and Romero gets a near fall.
Romero with elbows to the arm and he wraps the arm in the ropes. Romero goes to the turnbuckles and hits a knee drop to the arm. Romero kicks White in the corner and the referee warns him. Romero with more kicks in the corner. White avoids a tornado DDT and hits a tilt-a-whirl back breaker. White with a twisting suplex and he gets a near fall.
White with a chop and he puts Romero on the turnbuckles. White goes for a superplex but Romero with an arm bar to stop him. White with an elbow and both men fall to the mat. White blocks a kick but Romero with an uppercut. Romero with a tornado DDT and he tries for a suplex but White blocks it. Romero with forearms and a cross arm breaker. White gets to the ropes to force a break.
Romero with a kick to the arm and he sets for Sliced Bread but White avoids it. Romero continues to work on the arm and White avoids Sliced Bread but Romero with a back slide for a near fall. Romero with an Asai DDT for a near fall. Romero goes for Sliced Bread but White counters with a back breaker. White signals that it is over and he hits Blade Runner for the three count.
Winner: Jay White
Kevin says it looked like Rocky was going to get the victory. Rocky says he got close even though Alex says he lost. Kevin points out that Rocky lasted longer than Okada did.
New Japan Strong will return on January 8th.
Rocky wants to fight with Alex but Alex says we can accept that there are winners and losers and sometimes you are a loser but you are a winner in my heart. They hug.
We go to credits.
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