Andrew’s NJPW Strong Ep. 9 Results & Match Ratings: 10.2.2020

Second round action of the Lion’s Break: Crown tournament. As I’ve said in previous shows, this concept of mostly independent wrestlers and not a lot of big names, makes this a hell of a struggle to watch weekly. Even with decent matches, I have nothing tangible to get interested in.

Maybe the changes? Maybe that gets worse?

I guess we’ll find out tonight, since at least the main event has KENTA, Jay White and Jeff Cobb.

Let’s go!

Ratings:

• LBC Semi-Final: Logan Riegel vs Clark Connors: Connors wins via Boston Crab – *** 1/4
• LBC Semi-Final: Danny Limelight vs Blake Christian: Limelight wins via Small Package – ***
• Brody King & Flip Gordon vs TJP & Karl Fredericks: Flip wins via TKO – ** 1/2
• Misterioso, Rocky Romero, Jeff Cobb & David Finlay vs KENTA, Jay White, Hikuleo & Chase Owens: Chase wins via Gunslinger – ***

Results:

LBC Semi-Final: Logan Riegel vs Clark Connors

One of the few reasons to care, is to see Clark’s growth. Riegel has also proven to be more than just a lost half of a tag team as well, but this is all about Clark.

The match starts a little back and forth until Clark changes direction and Pounces Logan into next week. From that point Logan was trying desperately to find an opening. Clark peppered him with strikes and suplexes, but Logan did have a few flashes, including a very similar Roll-Up that won him the last round, but Clark kicked out. Logan attempts a Moonsault, Clark moves, Logan lands on his feet but jams his knee, short range Spear and then the Boston Crab forces a very fast tap out, after the visible knee injury.

Violent, bursty and hard hitting; just like Clark’s matches should be. 

LBC Semi-Final: Danny Limelight vs Blake Christian

Blake continues to sell the rib injury from last week, and Limelight takes the direct heel approach of just wrestling him down and striking directly at the injured section. Blake does himself no favors, since he still tries to execute his high flying offense, which makes life easy on Limelight; when all he has to do is hit the ropes and send him tumbling.

Alex Koslov has a great line, since Blake is “All Heart Blake Christian”; Koslov calls him All Heart and No Lungs. Almost on cue, Limelight hits a Powerbomb onto his knees, but Blake kicks out. Even with every strike and malicious intent directed at the ribs, Blake gets a near fall when he hangs Limelight on the rope and hits a 450 Splash onto the draping body.

Blake crawls up the ropes, still determined to do his usual offense, but Limelight was playing possum. He kips up, Superplex off the ropes, but holds on for a Small Package and picks up the win. The match made Blake look like a great underdog.

Brody King & Flip Gordon vs TJP & Karl Fredericks

This was an odd match, where Fredericks had a lot of moments of proving he could hang with both Brody and Flip, but TJP wasn’t really a huge factor. Early on he wrestled with Flip a little and then switched out when Brody came in. But most of TJP’s moves were countered, blocked or dodged. Fredericks had TJP in the Single Leg Boston, but Brody made the save.

Brody’s size, and TJP’s inability to craft a winning strategy, cost the LA Dojo team because they were out powered. Brody’s lariats proved to be the difference maker in pin break ups and helping to set up Flip’s TKO finisher. A rather basic match, where nothing was bad, and is hopefully just building towards Karl having to overcome a bigger obstacle.

Misterioso, Rocky Romero, Jeff Cobb & David Finlay vs KENTA, Jay White, Hikuleo & Chase Owens

Things start off comically, while Rocky is pushing his team to the corner, saying he’s got the start, no worries; but then he turns and see Hikuleo started for Bullet Club. This gets some chiding from his own team and Jay very sarcastically starts chanting Rocky’s name. This then leads to Hikuleo getting the advantage, driving him to the corner, and each Bullet Club member takes a turn inflicting pain.

When KENTA gets in, Rocky manages to wriggle away to tag in Cobb, and we see if Cobb can exact some revenge. That answer is…mostly no. He hits a few power moves on KENTA, but Kenta slips out of a Brainbuster, kicks the back of Cobb’s leg which leaves him vulnerable for a blindside Big Boot from Hikuleo.

The face team wasn’t without hope though. Finlay had a pretty good back and forth with Jay White, reminiscent of their IWGP US title match two years ago. Rocky also took a page out of Taguchi’s book and called the train play, jumping and bopping exactly like Taguchi; even punctuating the attack with a Flying Hip Attack.

Bullet Club tactics, mixed with having a slightly better team, allowed them to take hold during the usual schmoz at the end. Everyone running in, hitting a signature, ends with Hikuleo hitting the Gunslinger on Misterioso and draping Chase Owens over top of him.

A decent multiman tag, but not exactly main event caliber.

Overall Score: 6/10

While I was less than enthused to cover this to begin with, the combination of decent wrestling and possible potential with Karl, and the Jeff Cobb storyline; those gave me a little bit of hope. I still detest the fact that this is ROH lite and used more to get over West Coast indy talent than New Japan talent, but I suppose given the circumstances of the world, we could see an eventual change.

All in all, the Young Lions look good most of the time, Bullet Club is dominating the finishes and I suppose it has introduced people to lesser known names. That’s about all the credit I’m willing to give it, since the show was alright, and the rating is based more off potential and a little interest than the product that was put out.