The pilot episode of New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) Strong premiered Friday night on New Japan World and featured the four opening round matches of the New Japan Cup USA 2020 Tournament.
Karl Fredericks, who is a recent graduate of the NJPW Los Angeles (LA) Dojo took on Bullet Club member Kenta in the first-ever match in NJPW Strong history.
Fredericks has held bitter feelings towards Kenta since the latter turned on Katsuyori Shibata during the middle of 2019. The two were meant to meet during the first round of the 2020 New Japan Cup earlier in the year, but that match was canceled due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus, 2019) wreaking havoc throughout the world.
Karl came out of the blocks hot and kept the pressure on Kenta throughout the contest, despite enduring a good deal of punishment from the veteran.
While Kenta’s ever-present swagger was present, he had to work for his eventual victory. He would defeat Fredericks at the 9 minute and 59-second mark with the Go2Sleep to advance to the semi-final round.
Despite his defeat, Karl Fredericks continues to come across as a future bankable draw for NJPW. Everything about his approach and development matches the prototype of what the company looks for.
Questions surrounding Kenta’s motivations after not being too receptive of Evil winning the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental ‘Double Championship‘ from Tetsuya Naito (which Kenta failed to do) will continue in the upcoming weeks on New Japan Strong.
Going forward, Kenta is the likely favorite to win the New Japan Cup USA and face Jon Moxley at a later date for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship.