Andrew’s NJPW Strong Ep. 4 Results & Match Ratings 8.28.2020

Okay, so we’re on episode 4, and this is probably the least I’ve cared about watching any show in the history of my fandom. Do I care about PJ Black? No. Danny Limelight, Jordan who the hell cares? This show looks like a local ROH taping and not New Japan product.

Yes I understand it’s making use of the NJPW USA brand, giving some North American talent an avenue to work…sure. But why do I care, even though I can validate it? You turn on New Japan, for New Japan wrestlers and that style of wrestling…not a Super Indy.

Hopefully these guys over perform, because if I wanted to watch ROH, I still wouldn’t.

Ratings:

• Danny Limelight vs Jordan Clearwater: Limelight wins via Triangle Tornado DDT – * 1/2 
• TJP, ACH, Karl Fredericks & Clark Connors vs Misterioso, Barrett Brown, Adrian Quest & Blake Christian: Misterioso wins via Backstabber – ****
• PJ Black vs Chase Owens: Owens wins via Package Piledriver – ** 1/2 

Results:

Okay Jay White is on commentary, and I like that. We know Jay is a great talker…but oh no wait, Koslov is still the second man on commentary. I got a little excited for nothing. Now on to the nobodies opening match!

Danny Limelight vs Jordan Clearwater

So we’ve got one guy who looks like a Boy Scout, against someone they’re trying to position as an up and coming wrestler of interest for Rocky Romero. This is awkward and pretty sloppy.  Clearwater has some height, but no muscle definition. Limelight tries to get cute with playful slaps and misdirection, but trips over his own two feet worse than a drunken stripper.

At the point that Limelight hits an Uppercut and then trips over Clearwater, trying to save it by just going into a nearfall…yeah I checked out of this. I’m glad I didn’t care about this to begin with, because if I was even marginally optimistic I’d be disappointed.

Limelight gives a promo afterward that gives me a stroke. Hell, he’s so arrogant for looking like a burnt doughnut with nerdy tattoos and the speaking capability of a toddler on Adderall. 

TJP, ACH, Karl Fredericks & Clark Connors vs Misterioso, Barrett Brown, Adrian Quest & Blake Christian

Now even with my lack of caring about this show, I’m aware enough of all of these guys to know they can go. Boy, do they go.

Each man got in great offense, great spots, and Barrett Brown took a beating. Commentary added the context that Misterioso will be having a singles match with Karl during Fighting Spirit Unleashed, so this is the New Japan style multi-man building block match. Karl is also dealing with the fact that he’s on a bit of a losing streak after “graduating” from Young Lion.

ACH had some great smooth transitions, TJP applied a nice technical Junior style to the match, and the opponents kept up. Blake Christian is the least impressive looking man in this match, but everything he did was butter. From the bottom rope Tiger Feint to the Springboard 630 into a mass of humanity. This was a lot of fun, fast paced, with everyone looking really good. Clark had some nice spots to show his power and intensity, but he is technically still a Young Lion, so the New Japan trope continues!

Young Lion eats the pin, but it helps to build up Misterioso and keep Karl having something to overcome, without suffering the pinfall. Great great stuff!

PJ Black vs Chase Owens

Now I do usually enjoy PJ Black’s work, I’m just not really interested in this pairing. This match sortuv proved why I wasn’t excited. PJ put on a solid clinic of innovative ways of getting out of moves, nice striking and springboards…but that stopped eventually. After the referee takes one of the lamest ref bumps in the history of ref bumps, the match starts going more at Chase’s pace.

So slow, methodical powdering, heel tactics, and picking spots to make a move. The problem was, that it was too damn slow. Changing the pace seemed to just make PJ’s timing look pretty bad, Chase rolled away from the few times PJ tried to hit his 450, and frustrated PJ. Russian Leg Sweep into the turnbuckles, Jewel Heist and Package Piledriver keeps 2020 moving pretty decently for Bullet Club.

Nothing really offensive, just looked awkward when Chase was in control and like their styles didn’t mesh well.

Overall Score: 4.5/10

Yup – this wasn’t worth the full 45 minutes. Just watch the 8 man tag and trash the rest. If New Japan of the USA or whatever you really want to call it, is going to be more of this, it’s not going to succeed. Limelight needs a lot of work and mentoring from Rocky if they’re going forward with that story, cause so far it’s the drizzling shits.

Just focus on the middle match where all of the talent is, and you’ll be happy. Let’s also be thankful that tomorrow is the Jingu Baseball Stadium show with the most of the proper roster. That should wash out the Strong smell of sweat, anger and shame…Yup.