Browsing: New Japan of America

Coming off the first Road to Showdown event that went live on October 30th, New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) continues the New Japan of America (NJoA) tour later tonight with three matches that features an NJPW debut and a return to NJoA.

The October 30, 2020 episode of New Japan Strong introduced the New Japan of America (NJoA) Showdown tour. The ‘Road to’ events will lead to a tour finale, in the same vein as the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) tours that take place in Japan.

Finlay is chasing an opportunity to face Kenta for the right to make the V3 challenge of the second reign of IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley. He could guarantee his position by gaining a fall over Kenta in the marquee.

Former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion (as Black Tiger) Rocky Romero faced former IWGP Heavyweight, IWGP Intercontinental Champion, IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion, and Bullet Club member “Switchblade” Jay White in the marquee.

The marquee match of the NEVER Night 1 tour October 17, 2020 episode of New Japan (New Japan Pro Wrestling) Strong saw former IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion David Finlay team with former NEVER Openweight Champion Jeff Cobb against the Bullet Club team of former NEVER Openweight Champion/New Japan Cup 2020 USA winner Kenta and Chase Owens.

With the history of Switchblade turning on CHAOS always in the forefront, can Rocky Romero defeat the decorated by less experienced heavyweight?

The move also has nothing to do with the wrestling operation side of the company. The creative team of Gedo and Jado have full autonomy regarding the direction of the on-screen product with NJPW living by a strict ‘separation between church and state’ policy regarding the business and wrestling sides of the company. Bushiroad employs the same strategy regarding World Wonder Ring Stardom (Stardom).

A potential match of Moxley against Kenta would capture attention from wrestling fans across the globe, which would bring eyes to the NJPW Strong brand as NJPW attempts to make the program attractive to television networks in the United States.

PJ Black, Alex Zayne, and Blake Christian did well for themselves and could likely become fixtures on New Japan Strong in the upcoming months.

Tama will go on to face David Finlay on next week’s episode of NJPW Strong in the semi-final round of the tournament.