While at face value, a mixed tag team match of Tom Lawlor & Syuri vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Giulia isn’t anything special. However, Lawlor & Syuri are both former MMA fighters – and Syuri also holds the top championship in Stardom, and Giulia is her next challenger, having won the 5 Star Grand Prix tournament. Add in them being former stablemates, with Syuri breaking off from Donna Del Mondo to form God’s Eye – and this one is a step in a bitter rivalry. Syuri was ranked #1 in the PWI 150 for a very great reason. Add in the technical wizard of Zack Sabre Jr, and you have a potential classic in the making.
Zack Sabre Giulia Claim Win In Mixed Tag Team Action
Lawlor had the God’s Eye logo painted onto his smaller jorts. ZSJ would get the instant takedown on Lawlor in the ring, while Giulia would take Syuri to the floor for a brawl. Lawlor & ZSJ would battle over control of a kneebar, with the result being them rolling out of the ring and up the ramp. To break this up, Syuri would body slam Giulia onto ZSJ – before hitting a kick to the spines of their opponents.
Lawlor & Syuri would run to the stage and pick up speed for running kicks to the spine. Back into the ring, ZSJ would be locked into a cravat before Lawlor used the ropes to move into a front chokehold. ZSJ was able to counter into a choke of his own, before a kick to the arm. Syuri & Giulia would hit the ring, trading stiff palm strikes to the face. When Lawlor tried to get involved, they’d team up to beat him up.
Syuri would nail a German Suplex, before a kick right to the head – with Giulia hitting a stiff headbutt in response. Lawlor & ZSJ would trade blows, with Lawlor slamming ZSJ down and applying the Anaconda Vice – with ZSJ slipping to the ropes. PK would be avoided, with ZSJ locking in the Cobra Twist. Giulia & Syuri would battle into the ring, with the Spider Web applied.
An ankle lock from Lawlor was blocked, before the uranage slam would see Giulia break the pinfall up. Nasty Knee On The Brain would be blocked into a pinfall, before ZSJ & Lawlor traded strikes. ZSJ would work his way into the European Clutch, and this one was over three seconds later as Syuri & Giulia would continue to trade blows on the floor.
El Desperado & Starlight Kid Bring Out Mixed Masks
It’s not often we see factions in NJPW fight each other, but that is the case as Suzuki-gun meet in eight man tag team action – with handpicked Stardom partners. Taichi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru had their eyes on MelTear, the duo of Natsupoi & Tam Nakano – who came together after a vicious singles feud built mutual respect. Meanwhile, El Desperado & DOUKI were an instant match with the dark hearted Starlight Kid & Momo Watanabe, better known as Black Desire.
El Desperado & AZM would even wear a mixed mask, combining their styles into one.
Taichi & MelTear’s entrances would blend into an idol performance, which Black Desire tried to break it up, before Momo would call out to start with Taichi – ignoring the rules of a mixed tag. Instead, Natsupoi & SLK would start things up – picking up where their feud in 2021 left off. It was lightning quick, with Natsupoi caught with a springboard crossbody.
Desperado would get a tag, and would drag Natsupoi by her hair – until she tagged in Kanemaru. The tag partners would battle for control in the middle of the ring, with Kanemaru applying a tight headlock. SLK would trip Kanemaru up, before DOUKI would throw him into the barricade with Oedo Tai ganging up on Kanemaru, with Momo especially getting some blows in.
Things Break Down Into Chaos
Momo would be legal in the ring, wanting to keep going with Kanemaru, but settled for blocking the referee while Desperado, DOUKI & SLK got damage in. DOUKI got a two count off a running stomp, before Kanemaru hit the satellite DDT. Tam & Momo would meet in the middle of the ring, with Tam thrown into the ropes before a 619 from SLK. Natsupoi would make the save, hitting running strikes to Momo & SLK on the ropes.
DOUKI & Desperado tried to block, but Taichi & Kanemaru took them down before helping Tam & Natsupoi for a double dive. Double German Suplexes in the ring would follow, before Momo would catch Tam with a suplex. Tam came back with a kick, with Momo hitting one of her own before collapsing. DOUKI & Taichi got the tag, with DOUKI pushing his speed before blocking a chokeslam and hitting a DDT.
Taichi would take a double stomp from the top rope, before Daybreak DDT was set – with Taichi blocking into the sumo toss and Axe Bomber. Desperado slid into the ring, helping to set up the DOUKI CHOKEY on Taichi, before everyone started applying submissions. Natsupoi would end up in the ring with Desperado, with SLK hitting the ring to assist.
SLK & Tam would meet in the ring, with Tam hitting Twilight Dream. Momo hit the ring with a bat, the referee gone – before Natsupoi & Kanemaru hitting the whisky spray before Black Mephisto on DOUKI for the win. It was utter chaos, which was just what this match needed to be.
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