It’s time for another episode of NJPW Strong! Due to time constraints of a busy weekend, we missed the episode from Autumn Attack tapings last week, but the most notable event was simply that TJP joined The United Empire faction. Tonight, we would see a potential MOTY when Lio Rush faced Taiji Ishimori, and Suzuki-Gun invaded NJPW Strong for a main event clash with Team Filthy.
Rocky Romero & Fred Rosser Make A Solid Tag Team
Kicking off the show was another bit of action from Team Fility, which saw JR Kratos & Danny Limelight take on Rocky Romero & Fred Rosser. On paper, these teams are very similar, with both having one powerhouse and one junior heavyweight. Last time they met, Kratos & Limelight got the win, but tonight they would be caught off guard.
Things started off smoothly as Limelight went move for move with Romero, and with Kratos able to outpower Rosser. However, the moment Rosser got his hands on Limelight and nailed a heavy slam, this one was over. Would be very interesting to see a rubber match for these two teams, perhaps with some extra stakes – as it was a great match!
Lio Rush Takes Taiji Ishimori To His Limits
After this, we would get right into Lio Rush vs. Taiji Ishimori. These are two of the top Junior Heavyweight talents around today, with Ishimori being a legend in Japan, and Rush quickly rising to be a top name in the United States – recently putting pen to paper for a contract in All Elite Wrestling. Still able to appear for NJPW, he was part of these tapings and allowed this dream match to come together.
Things started off more slowly than expected, as both men explored each other with some quick grappling, before Rush picked the pace up. Ishimori did his best to slow things back down, and would take a submission approach on Rush, while still nailing some rapid dropkicks and his signature sliding German Suplex. He would fail to make Rush tap out, take some swift kicks and the Final Hour splash for the loss.
Minoru Suzuki Spikes Royce Isaacs
The main event would see Minoru Suzuki once again come to NJPW Strong, with his last match before this being a great brawl with Fred Rosser. This time, he brought Lance Archer along for a tag team match – matching up with Strong Openweight Champion Tom Lawlor & Royce Isaacs. Suzuki-Gun always starts matches with a brawl, and this was no exception.
They’d start fast and strong, with Isaacs getting isolated. A cheap shot from Lawlor however would turn the tide, and force Suzuki to try to fight off both members of Team Filthy. He’d weather the storm and tag in Lance Archer, who plowed through Lawlor and resisted two separate chokeholds, before tagging Suzuki back in. Archer took Lawlor out with a Blackout, and Isaacs failed to stop a Gotch Style Piledriver, which ended the match on the spot.
This brought the end of the Autumn Attack tapings, and next time we see NJPW Strong – it will be from their tapings in Philadelphia. Suzuki-Gun takes on Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston there, which could be even better than their Dynamite clash.
Does having crowds improve NJPW Strong for you? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
SUBSCRIBE NOW: Get TheOvertimer’s Hottest Stories, Breaking News and Special Features in your email, CLICK HERE!
Remember to stay up to date with the latest news on TheOvertimer. Don’t forget to visit ScreenJuicer for great videos, news, and gameplay!
