Yuji Nagata prepares for his IWGP United States title shot next week, with a tag team main event against Chris Dickinson and Jon Moxley.
Quick Results
Adrian Quest & Barrett Brown pinned Kevin Knight & The DKC in 8:32 (**½)
Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson pinned Jordan Clearwater & Misterioso in 10:21 (***)
Jon Moxley & Chris Dickinson pinned Ren Narita & Yuji Nagata in 9:18
Cue titles, as we’re back at the unnamed building with Kevin Kelly and Alex Koslov on the call… apparently the Collision tour will be the “longest, biggest tour” (that doesn’t tour)…
Kevin Knight & The DKC vs. Adrian Quest & Barrett Brown
Barrett Brown’s still in a funk over his recent string of losses, but this match presents his best chance yet to get in the winning column.
Brown looked to out-wrestle DKC early on, but there’s not much in the early going as both men tag out. Quest looked to have some luck against Kevin Knight, countering a leaping shoulder tackle into an armbar, before a tornillo got Quest a pinning attempt in. A tag brings Brown in as he gets a two-count on Knight from a low dropkick, before a gamengiri took Knight to the floor…
…but Brown hesitates on a dive and gets caught as Knight slid in for a dropkick. DKC tags in to keep Brown grounded, but Quest’s able to tag back in and take DKC up top. Brown tries to give some advice, but he just distracts Quest who almost lost to a flying leg kick off the top. DKC tries to stretch Quest into submission, but the hold’s escaped as Quest threw DKC with a German suplex. Tags bring us back to Knight and Brown, with Barrett’s dropkick taking Knight into the corner for another one. A satellite DDT plants Knight for a near-fall, while DKC and Knight went on to gang up on Knight. Brown blocks DKC with a backfist after that all calmed down, before Quest’s tag in saw him capitalise on Brown’s diving kick, hitting a running shooting star press on Knight to get the win. Brown’s far from happy at that, but a win’s a win from a fairly frantic opener. **½
Post-match, Brown attacks Quest in the aisle and threw him back into the ring for a beatdown, including a backfist. Heel turn, complete.
The West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs) vs. Jordan Clearwater & Misterioso
It’s a debut for the WCWC, with commentary noting Isaacs as a former NWA tag team champion…
Isaacs and Clearwater start off, but it’s Clearwater who pulls ahead early with a bulldog for a two-count. Misterioso’s in to try and capitalise, but Isaacs makes a blind tag out as Jorel Nelson came in and caught Misterioso from behind. A splash traps the masked man in the corner, but Misterioso’s rolling dropkick turns the tables. Clearwater’s back to whip Nelson into the corner, before Isaacs caught Clearwater with a running knee on the apron as Nelson distracted the referee. Misterioso gets knocked off the apron as Nelson went for a cover… and kept Clearwater isolated as the WCWC began to dominate proceedings.
Isaacs and Nelson make quick tags and keep wearing down Clearwater. Jordan tries to fight back with right hands, but has more luck with a leaping neckbreaker after avoiding some of Nelson’s shots… but Isaacs quickly tags in to stop Clearwater… only to lose him as Misterioso also tagged in. Headscissors from Misterioso take Isaac outside ahead of a tope con giro into the WCWC. Back inside, kicks keep Isaacs in the corner ahead of running double knees, following up with a springboard senton atomico for a near-fall. Isaacs tries to fight back, but took a Finlay roll and a springboard moonsault from Misterioso as Nelson had to make the save.
Clearwater tags back in to hit a double back elbow, but his running clothesline accidentally caught Misterioso as a running Dominator/neckbreaker combo took out the Golden Boy. Misterioso tries to fight back, but he’s just tossed to the outside a la Jay White, with a Nelson tope keeping the masked man on the outside. Back inside, Isaacs has Clearwater in a Fireman’s carry… Nelson steps up off of Clearwater to hit an elbow drop on Misterioso, before Isaacs’ death valley driver dropped Clearwater onto Nelson’s knees for the win. A fun debut for the WCWC, who look to add some zip to a rather murky tag division on Strong. ***
Add thyme. The LA Dojo lads still love their cleaning cloth…
Ren Narita & Yuji Nagata vs. Chris Dickinson & Jon Moxley
Well, if you were wondering why Yuji Nagata had been off of the Japan tours lately, you got your answer last week. He was away getting a sweet new entrance robe!
Moxley and Nagata start us off, with Nagata throwing the first strikes before Nagata’s front kicks earned him a short elbow from the US champion. An early Death Rider’s blocked as Nagata works the arm instead, backing Moxley into the corner to tag in Narita as the pair put the boots to the former AEW champion. Moxley rolls out of an attempt at the Narita Special #3, with Dickinson instead coming in to light up Narita with some chops and elbows. Narita ducks an elbow and charges down Dickinson before Moxley got hold of him and threw the Young Lion into the guard rails.
Narita’s rolled back inside as Dickinson followed in with a snap suplex before Moxley returned to club away on Narita with some crossface punches. A running kick has Narita in the ropes as Dickinson tags in – again, looking to keep the veteran Nagata out of the equation. Dickinson’s running clothesline and a kick to the back keep Narita down ahead of a half crab, but Narita escapes and manages to catch Moxley with a belly-to-belly. Tags bring us to Dickinson and Nagata, with the latter laying in some kicks as a butterfly suplex gets him a two-count. The pair trade elbows, but another Nagata kick’s caught and turned into a Dragon screw as Moxley tagged back in to pick his spot. Nagata escapes a Death Rider and exchanges more elbows, this time with Moxley, leading to a leaping enziguiri that took Moxley into the ropes.
Moxley returns with a short clothesline for a two-count, before a bulldog choke looked to force a stoppage… but Nagata escapes and hits an Exploder. Narita tags back in as Moxley’s double-teamed in the corner, leading to a spinning heel kick from Narita for a two-count. A belly-to-belly from Narita gets another two-count, but he tries again and gets caught as Moxley headbutts free and came back with a German suplex. Nagata’s knocked off the apron as Dickinson proceeds to ground him on the outside, which meant the finish was pretty elementary when Moxley landed a Death Rider for the win. A brief, but fun tag match that served its purpose to build for the title match on Dynamite on Wednesday. ***
Post-match, Moxley and Nagata exchange slaps, before Nagata pulled Moxley into a Nagata Lock II crossface… Dickinson and some ringside attendants struggle to separate the pair.
This week’s Strong had a bit of a weird vibe to it – with the remote commentary perhaps being the most jarring. Still, Strong likely drew some new eyeballs with the spotlight main event this week – and with the remainder of New Japan likely being iced for the rest of May, they need the US strand of the show to deliver as they build to Dickinson vs. Lawlor at the end of the month.