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NJPW STRONG REPORT: CONNORS VERSUS LAWLOR, AND MORE

Your announcers are Ian Riccaboni and Matt Rehwoldt (in English) and Shigeki Kiyono, Katsuyori Shibata, and Hiroshi Tanahashi. (in Japanese)

Match Number One: Rocky Romero and Wheeler Yuta versus Black Tiger and JR Kratos

All four men brawl as the bell rings with Kratos and Yuta going to the floor. Romero punches Tiger and gives him a head scissors followed by a drop kick. Romero kicks Tiger in the ropes and hits a double stomp off the turnbuckles to get a near fall. Romero with a suplex to Tiger and Yuta hits a slingshot senton. Yuta with a springboard arm drag. Yuta with a drop kick to Tiger and then he punches Kratos on the apron.

Tiger hits Yuta from behind and Kratos tags in. Kratos kicks and punches Yuta but Yuta chops back. Kratos with a power slam for a near fall. Kratos with a hard Irish whip followed by a suplex. Tiger tags in and gives Yuta a snap mare followed by a kick. Tiger with a reverse chin lock. Yuta gets a near fall with a sunset flip. Kratos tags in and connects with an elbow drop. They exchange chops until Kratos starts to connect with some punches. Kratos sends Yuta into the turnbuckles and gets a near fall. Tiger tags in and hits a back elbow for a near fall. Tiger pulls Yuta to the mat, but Yuta gets a near fall with a rollup. Kratos tags in and punches Yuta in the ribs. Yuta with forearms. Kratos tosses Yuta into the air and he lands face first on the mat. Yuta with forearms and he slaps Kratos. Kratos sends Yuta into the corner. Yuta sends Kratos to the floor and hits a missile drop kick.

Tiger and Romero tag in and Romero connects with a series of chops. Romero with a Mutoh Lock. Romero gets a near fall with a shiranui. Romero kicks the arm but Tiger with an elbow and knee. Romero with infinity clotheslines to Tiger but Kratos gives Romero a POUNCE to stop him. Tiger with a brainbuster for a near fall. Kratos tags in and Yuta after Tiger. Yuta kicks Tiger and then hits a suicide dive on Tiger. Romero with a knee to Kratos followed by a European uppercut. Romero with a tornado DDT for a near fall. Kratos hits a pop up uranage for the three count.

Winners: Black Tiger and JR Kratos

After the match, Kratos gets on the mic and calls out Alex and says he reminds him of another person who cannot make up his mind and Kratos mentions Tom Brady. Alex Coughlin comes out and gets in Kratos’ face. They exchange forearms and Coughlin gives Kratos a suplex after catching Kratos trying a splash in the corner. Security comes to the ring to separate the two men and Coughlin throws one of the members of security at Kratos.

Match Number Two: Shane Haste and Jonah versus David Finlay and Juice Robinson

Before the match, Haste and Jonah meet Robinson and Finlay in the aisle and the action goes into the crowd with Robinson and Haste squaring off and Jonah and Finlay doing the same. Haste punches Robinson and Robinson sends Haste into the apron. They go into the crowd while Finlay punches Jonah. Jonah with a shoulder to Finlay. Haste sends Robinson into the chairs and he kicks Robinson. Jonah chokes Finlay against the guardrails while Robinson and Haste exchange chops. Finlay with an uppercut to Jonah and forearms and elbows to Haste. Finlay runs Haste into the guardrail. Jonah punches Robinson. Finlay kicks Haste and they exchange punches. Robinson head butts Jonah and then he head butts Haste. Robinson with forearms to Haste and Haste with punches. Robinson with a cannonball to Jonah and Haste with a cannonball to Finlay. Robinson chops Haste and tries for a pile driver but Haste back drops Robinson over the guardrail. Finlay clotheslines Haste over the guardrails.

They make their way back to ringside and Finlay hits a European uppercut on Haste and an atomic drop. Haste with a drop kick and then Jonah tags in and gives Finlay a hard Irish whip. Jonah with a chop and then Haste tags back in and kicks Finlay. Haste sends Finlay into the turnbuckles. Jonah tags in and connects with a shoulder. Haste with a kick and then Jonah hits a senton. Finlay punches Jonah but Jonah with elbows.

Jonah with a delayed vertical suplex and then he taunts Robinson by holding out Finlay’s hand to try to make a tag. Haste tags in and he chokes Finlay. Jonah chokes Finlay while the referee is dealing with Haste. Finlay and Haste exchange European uppercuts. Finlay with an elbow and a tornado DDT. Robinson and Jonah tag in. Robinson with forearms and jabs followed by the Hand of God. Robinson with a clothesline into the corner. Jonah with an Irish whip but he misses a splash. Robinson with a clothesline. Robinson bites Jonah and then hits a cannonball. Haste kicks Robinson and Robinson with a spinebuster. Robinson and Finlay with a double face plant to Jonah. Robinson sets for Pulp Friction on Jonah but Haste hits Robinson with a chair and the referee calls for the bel.

Winners: Juice Robinson and David Finlay (by disqualification)

After the match, Jonah and Haste continue to attack Robinson until Finlay gets in the ring to fight them off. Robinson gets on the mic and challenges Jonah, Haste, and Bad Dude Tito to a six man Street Fight in Chicago against him, David Finlay, and the partner that they find for the match.

Match Number Three: Clark Connors versus Tom Lawlor (with Black Tiger and JR Kratos) for the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship)

The match starts off with Lawlor removing his shorts to reveal tinier shorts. Before they lock up, Connors shows that he can remove shorts as well as the champion. Lawlor struts around the ring and Connors with a spear and forearms for a near fall. Black Tiger pulls Lawlor to the floor. Connors has some words with Kratos on the floor. Connors goes to the floor and sends Lawlor into the guardrails. Connors with chops and Lawlor with punches. Connors sends Lawlor into the guardrails.

Lawlor with a punch and guillotine. Lawlor with a uranage for a near fall. Lawlor with kicks to Connors. Connors with a forearm and Lawlor chokes Connors. Lawlor with a snap mare and a head lock. Connors gets a near fall. Lawlor returns to the guillotine and and then he chops Connors. Connors with chops. Lawlor misses a splash and Connors with a series of shoulders. Lawlor returns to the guillotine and Connors gets to the ropes to force a break. Lawlor with punches to Connors and then he chokes Connors. Lawlor with an STF followed by a boot to the back. Lawlor hits an exploder for a near fall. Lawlor with kicks to Connors.

Lawlor poses on the turnbuckles and Connors hits a splash. Lawlor with a head scissors and he poses again. Connors puts Lawlor on the turnbuckles and then he chops Lawlor and hits a superplex for a near fall. Connors with a full nelson and a full nelson stretch on Lawlor. Kratos pulls Lawlor to the ropes to force a break. Connors goes for a suicide dive but Lawlor moves and Connors takes out Kratos. Connors hits a spear on the apron.

Connors with a coffin drop for a near fall. Lawlor with a rear naked choke. Connors goes for a spear but Lawlor blocks it and applies a guillotine. Connors runs Lawlor into the turnbuckles and hits a power slam for a near fall. Lawlor with a rear naked choke and Connors gets to the ropes. Lawlor with a belly-to-back suplex into the turnbuckles. Lawlor with a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Connors with a clothesline for a near fall. They exchange forearms. Connors goes for a belly-to-back suplex but Lawlor blocks it. Lawlor with a take down and a knee strike for the three count.

Winner: Tom Lawlor (retains championship)

After the match, Lawlor gets on the mic and he says everyone already knows who is the strongest for the longest. He mentions that he has been champion for almost a year and that he has gone through the best of the Dojo and the roster. Tom says he does not care who comes in to face him if anyone comes over from Japan. Tom says he decides who fights for the belt and he says he is going to take a vacation.
Fred Rosser comes out and he congratulates Tom on his successful title defense. Rosser challenges Lawlor for the title and talks about how he was told no until he got his contract with WWE in Tampa. He mentions that he is the only one who has beaten Lawlor and he says he is the next contender.
Lawlor thinks about it and tells Rosser the answer is no. He can get a title match when he deserves one.

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