The Lion’s Break Crown Semi-Final matches began the October 2, 2020 New Japan Strong episode, after the opening round matches featured throughout the September 25, 2020 event.
However, the marquee match saw the team of former eight-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) Los Angeles (LA) Dojo graduate Rocky Romero, former IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion David Finlay, Jeff Cobb, and Misterioso face the Bullet Club team of “Switchblade” Jay White, New Japan Cup USA 2020 winner Kenta, and Chase Owens.
The highly competitive match saw the Bullet Club team look like an organized unit, despite some speculation that there could be dissension among the group due Evil’s lightning-quick path to the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental ‘Double Championship’ the day after joining the Bullet Club.
Despite Rocky Romero organizing his team, the experience of Bullet was too much as Chase Owens gained the fall on Misterioso at the 11 minutes and 28 seconds mark after Hikuleo used his Gunslinger technique on Misterioso.
The headline match saw NJPW LA Dojo graduate “Alpha Wolf” Karl Fredericks and Original NJPW LA Dojo graduate TJP face the controversial Flip Gordon and Brody King.
In what was a competitive modern style tag team match Fredericks was able to show his unbelievable potential as he took the fight to King throughout the contest. Gordon and TJP also showed their talents during the high paced affair.
Gordon would pin TJP with a Fireman’s Carry Cutter technique at the 11 minutes and 6 seconds mark.
The second of the two Lion’s Break Crown Semi-Final tournament matches saw Danny Limelight and “All Heart” Blake Christian have a battle.
Limelight focused on the hurt ribs of Christian throughout. However, Blake was able to live up to his moniker, refusing to relent despite taking a good amount of punishment to his abdominal region.
After the wrestlers exchanged some innovative offense, Limelight was able to capture the victory after a Small Package Driver technique that looked similar to the Back To The Future technique of former six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Kushida. The match lasted 7 minutes and 54 seconds.
The opening match of the event and first Lion’s Break Crown Semi-Finals contest saw tournament favorite NJPW LA Dojo Young Lion Clark Connors face Logan Riegel.
Riegel was able to weather the intense offensive attack of Connors for the majority of the match, getting several moments to ask Connors questions regarding his place as tournament favorite.
Despite being game, Connors was able to gain the submission fall over Riegel at the 7 minutes and 51 seconds mark with a Full Crab technique.
On the next episode of NJPW Strong, Clark Connors and Danny Limelight face in the Lion’s Break Crown Finals.
