New Japan Pro-Wrestling has announced the card for the September 10 episode of NJPW Strong.
This week, the NJPW Strong Tag Team Championships are on the line, as defending champs Aussie Open will put the belts up against WCWC in a huge match. Elsewhere on the card, Robbie Eagles will take on Kevin Blackwood in a singles bout, and Mascara Dorada will face off against Misterioso.
The preview, courtesy of NJPW’s official website, is as follows:
Main event: STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championships- Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher) vs West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs)
After a successful initial defence of the STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championships against Destination Everywhere in RevPro this August, Aussie Open are already looking to pick up V2 with the titles they won just four weeks ago.
Their challengers, reunited after Royce Isaacs returns from Japan from the G1 Climax tour, are the West Coast Wrecking Crew. After WCWC lost in the opening round of the STRONG tag title tournament to TMDK, Isaacs headed to Japan, while Nelson sought to avenge his team’s tournament exit against Haste in singles action. Nelson got that win, albeit with a handful of tights assisting, and was quick to make a challenge on behalf of his team to Aussie Open the moment they won the STRONG tag gold.
Davis and Fletcher are very vocal about carrying the STRONG brand on their shoulders to a new level as the tag team champions. Yet Nelson and Isaacs have represented tag team competition on the brand from before fans were even in buildings, and carry the Team Filthy legacy that Tom Lawlor created in his year plus as the first singles STRONG Champion. Both teams will head into the match with a lot of pride, but who will be leaving with the hardware as well?
Misterioso vs Mascara Dorada
A battle of two masked warriors kicks us off on STRONG this week. This singles encounter was sparked when the CMLL icon Mistico was revealed as coming to NJPW STRONG this September as part of Autumn Action in Las Vegas. Misterioso instantly threw his hat in the ring wanting a shot at the global star, but Dorada has his own history with the masked man. Wanting to carve a new chapter with Mistico, Dorada will compete with Misterioso for just such an opportunity as Fighting Spirit Unleashed gets underway.
Robbie Eagles vs Kevin Blackwood
Robbie Eagles has been away from NJPW rings since Best of the Super Jr., but has been representing New Japan worldwide, including in CMLL’s recent Grand Prix match. His position as a standard bearer and representative for New Japan on the global stage makes him a target, and Kevin Blackwood will be taking aim at the Sniper tonight. An extremely promising and technically gifted prospect, Blackwood could give Eagles more than a little trouble, but can he prevail in what would be the biggest win of his career to date?