This Wednesday night on AEW Dynamite, Jon Moxley defends the IWGP United States Championship against the legendary Yuji Nagata. Before we got there however, Moxley & Nagata stopped by NJPW Strong to get a feel for each other in a tag team match. Moxley has Chris Dickinson in his corner, while Nagata chose Young Lion Ren Narita.
Nagata was making his NJPW Strong debut in this one, and despite being 53 years old, his style is proving to be timeless. Dickinson wrestlers a similar style, and won’t take getting to work alongside Nagata for the first time lightly. Add in that Ren Narita is the only man who’s beaten Dickinson in NJPW Strong, adding more drama to this match.
Ren Narita Finds Himself In Deep Trouble
Moxley would be keen to start this one with Nagata, and they’d get a taste for each other with an exchange of strikes in the middle of the ring. Nagata hit some signature running big boots before being dropped by a rolling elbow. He’d dodge the sliding lariat from Moxley, and go for the arm wrench. Moxley was pulled into the corner, and Ren Narita would tag in.
Narita & Nagata stomped Moxley out, before Narita looked to lock in a single leg boston crab. Moxley got a tag to Dickinson, and they’d lock up in the middle of the ring. Dickinson & Narita clashed with shoulder tackles after Dickinson was thrown off the ropes, before they’d trade some forearm blows. Narita countered a running chop with a back elbow, and took Moxley off the arpon.
Dickinson drove Narita into the corner, and Moxley yanked him outside and whipped him right into the barricade, before sending him back into the ring for Dickinson. Dickinson nailed a snap suplex for a two count, before tagging in Moxley who looked for the Regal Stretch in the middle of the ring. He’d pull Narita up for some crossface blows before hitting a PK.
Dickinson took the tag before nailing a lariat in the corner, a snapmare and a hard kick to the back of the neck. Narita was locked in the STF, but was able to get the ropes to break it. Moxley got another tag for some driving forearms across the face, before being hit with a belly to belly suplex. Nagata & Dickinson got tags at this point.
Jon Moxley Was Always Going To Hit Someone With The Death Rider Tonight
Nagata would launch some hard kicks on Dickinson, before hitting the Justice Boot in the corner to set up the Exploder Suplex. Dickinson fought this off but was hit with a double underhook suplex. Nagata had a kick blocked into a Dragon Screw, and Moxley tagged in. He’d look to hit Death Rider on Nagata, but Moxley was foiled.
They’d trade forearm blows and Moxley even threw in a headbutt for good measure, before Nagata hit the jumping enzuguri. Moxley came back with a big lariat before applying the bulldog choke, but Nagata got free. He’d tag in Narita before they’d work together to take Moxley down in the middle of the ring with a spinning heel kick. Dickinson & Nagata would brawl on the outside as Moxley & Narita fought in the ring.
Narita looked for the bridging belly to belly suplex, but Moxley countered into a snap German Suplex before hitting the Death Rider for the win. He didn’t get to pin Nagata, but he will enter Dynamite with a win in the record books over the legend.
A solid preview tag team match. The finish was obvious on paper, as Dickinson is set for a NJPW Strong Openweight Championship match, and neither Moxley or Nagata would be taking a fall ahead of their match on Dynamite. All the same, we got some good hard hitting action from bell to bell. Match Rating: 2.75/5 (** 3/4)
Will Yuji Nagata be able to defeat Jon Moxley on Wednesday? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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