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NJPW STRONG REPORT

 

We are in Los Angeles, California and your announcers are Shigeki Kiyono and Hiroshi Tanahashi (in Japanese) or Kevin Kelly and Alex Koslov (in English).

Match Number One: Barrett Brown versus Misterioso

They lock up and Misterioso with a clean break. They lock up and Misterioso with a wrist lock and Brown with a wheelbarrow into an arm drag. Misterioso with an elbow and side head lock. Brown tries to send Misterioso off the ropes but Misterioso holds on to the head lock. Misterioso with a shoulder tackle. Brown with a rana and he goes to the apron and kicks Misterioso away. Misterioso catches Brown on a moonsault attempt and sends him to the floor.

Brown returns to the ring and Misterioso with a kick and accordion slam followed by a slingshot senton. Misterioso kicks Brown and connects with a forearm and clotheslines in the corner. Misterioso with a running double knee strike for a near fall. Misterioso gets another near fall. Brown with forearms and Misterioso with a boot to the chest. Misterioso runs into boots in the corner. Brown hip tosses Misterioso into the turnbuckles and gets a near fall. Brown goes to the apron and connects with a shoulder. Brown goes up top and is caught on a rana attempt but Brown counters with a sunset flip for a near fall. Brown goes up top and tries for a swanton but lands on Misterioso’s knees. Misterioso gets a near fall. Misterioso with forearms to the back and he tries for a power bomb but Brown escapes. Misterioso with a super kick. Brown with a poisonrana followed by a Victory Roll Faceplant for a near fall.

Brown goes up top and Misterioso crotches him. Misterioso with a reverse superplex for the three count.

Winner: Misterioso

After the match, Misterioso is in the back and he says that is how the year should begin. He is making waves in New Japan and 2021 is my year.

Kevin Kelly is with Fred Rosser.

Kevin asks Fred how he is feeling. Fred says he is feeling great. He says he is happy to be here and to have Kevin call his matches. He says he has been watching his matches and Kevin is making him look like a million bucks. He hopes to have this spot for a long time.

Kevin asks how does Fred turn on the switch when the bell rings.

Fred says you are a dope if you don’t steal from the greats. He takes from the best. He says this ain’t ballet.
Fred is asked about facing the Bullet Club and how could it be different.

Fred says the story does not change. He says he does this for the love of the business. What you see is what you get.

Match Number Two: TJP versus Adrian Quest

They lock up and TJP with a waist lock take down but Quest with a front face lock. They lock up and Quest with a hammer lock but TJP with a reversal into a wrist lock. Quest with a take down and a wheelbarrow into an arm drag. TJP gets Quest on his shoulders but Quest with a rana for a near fall. Quest with forearms and elbows followed by a suplex for a near fall. Quest with an Irish whip and TJP puts Quest on the turnbuckles and Quest kicks TJP. TJP puts Quest in the tre of woe and hits a baseball slide. TJP gets a near fall.

TJP with a back elbow and a rear chin lock. TJP with a drop toe hold and drop kick for a near fall. TJP with a hammer lock and he traps the other arm to get a near fall. Quest escapes the hammer lock and TJP with a Mutoh Lock. TJP surfboards the arms and then he uses the leg for a hammer lock and he hyper-extends the arm and leg. TJP with a back breaker and he goes to the apron for a slingshot senton and he gets a near fall.

TJP with a Gory Special and he gets a near fall. TJP misses a kick and Quest with a back heel kick and Asai Moonsault. Quest with a springboard head scissors take down and clothesline into the corner. Quest with a shooting star press for a near fall. Quest goes for a suplex but TJP blocks it. TJP with a knee and he floats over in the corner and goes for a tornado DDT but Quest lands on his feet. Quest with a rana for a near fall. Quest goes to the turnbuckles and TJP crotches him. TJP goes to the turnbuckles and Quest with an elbow. TJP goes for a superplex but Quest sends TJP face first to the mat. Quest misses a corkscrew moonsault and TJP hits a frog splash for the three count,.

Winner: TJP

After the match, TJP says he almost got him. So close, but not quite there yet. I have been watching you for years. You are not quite here yet. You keep getting better and better, but it ain’t about how good you are. Today wasn’t your day but tomorrow might be. You are not quite there yet.

Match Number Three: Hikuleo, KENTA, and El Phantasmo versus ACH, Fred Rosser, and Blake Christian

ACH and Hikuleo start things off, but they need to do the Bullet Club deal first. Phantasmo tags in once the bell rings and he offers his hand and ACH kicks it away. They lock up and ACH with a wrist lock. Phantasmo with a reversal and he takes ACH to the mat. ACH with a snap mare and a crucifix for a near fall.

ACH with a drop kick and then he gives KENTA a drop kick and one to Hikuleo but Hikuleo with a boot. KENTA and Phantasmo attack Rosser and Christian on the floor while Hikuleo connects with a forearm across the chest as ACH hangs over the apron. Phantasmo with a catapult into the bottom rope and KENTA tags in. KENTA with an elbow drop for a near fall. KENTA with a snap mare and kick to the back.

KENTA goes after Rosser on the apron and then he taunts Rosser and Christian. Hikuleo tags in and he chops ACH. ACH with forearms but Hikuleo with an elbow and he sends ACH chest first into the turnbuckles and gets a near fall. Hikuleo sends ACH into the turnbuckles and boots from Phantasmo and KENTA. Phantasmo tags in and does a slow back rake. KENTA tags in and he does a slow back rake. Hikuleo tags in and he does a back rake as well.

Hikuleo chokes ACH and the referee warns him. Hikuleo goes for a suplex but ACH lands on his feet and ACH tags in Rosser. Rosser with forearms and Hikuleo with an Irish whip but he misses a splash. Rosser pulls Hikuleo to the mat and kicks the back of the leg and then sends the leg into the ring post. Rosser clips Hikuleo and he tries for an STF but Hikuleo with elbows to block the application of the hold.

Hikuleo with a clothesline and he grabs Rosser by the throat for a choke slam but Rosser escapes and tags in Christian. Rosser counters a power slam attempt on Christian into a tornado DDT. Christian comes off the turnbuckles and is caught by Hikuleo and is given a choke slam. Rosser with a rollling elbow and ACH sends KENTA into the turnbuckles. ACH with a pescado onto KENTA. Phantasmo with a frog splash on Christian for a near fall.

Christian with a back body drop into a near fall. Phantasmo pulls the referee in front of him and then Phantasmo with a super kick for the three count.

Winners: Hikuleo, KENTA, and El Phantasmo

After the match, Phantasmo says it was too easy. Should we be scared of Lio Rush making his debut in New Japan Strong. He asks KENTA and Hikuleo are scared. Phantasmo says he already beat Lio Rush in the Super J Cup. This is Bullet Club country.

Next week, Ren Narita will face Bateman.

We go to credits.

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