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The first match of the 2022 on Impact would be an interesting trios contest between The Kingdom and the Bravo Brand with both Maria Kanellis and John E. Bravo very much involved themselves in the contest to try and give their teams an advantage. There would be elements of comedy throughout the contest, but it would be Matt Hardy who would deliver the victory by hitting Shark Boy with the Twist of Fate to claim the victory.
Winners: The Kingdom (Matt Taven, Mike Bennett & Matt Hardy) w/ Maria Kanellis
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- Christian Cage would appear backstage with a smug look on his face having recently been announced as having returned to TNA. Christian would make his intentions known that as part of his contractual signing agreement, he would debut by challenging James Storm for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Destination-X and that the Cowboy was going to need a lot more than beer money to survive this one.
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- Carmela the current TNA Women’s NEX GEN Championship would come out to the ring and announce that at Destination-X a five women Ultimate-X match would take place and that the winner of the match would earn the next shot at her championship belt and that currently she wasn’t cleared by a doctor to compete for over a month, so that the fans would simple have to settle for a number one contender’s match and that the first qualifier would happen next.
Yuka and Kayla were two shining examples of everything that the NEX GEN Division is all about and although the contest was short and sweet with Yuka winning the qualifier after going aerial with the Magical Girl Splash.
Winner: Yuka Sakazaki
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- Shane Taylor the current figurehead of La Facción Confederada de América [LFCA] would offer a shout out to Shingo Takagi and very much confirm that he had watched Dynamite last night and would offer a global congratulations from the entire fraternity that stretched around the world.Taylor would then confirm that he also had some business that he wanted to deal with and that was why tonight he was sending Chriis Dickinson and Tony Deppen to the ring to take on The Osirian Portal as it had been decided in the group chat that they were making of a mockery of the art of lucha libre.
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The second qualifier of the night had a very different tone than the first match largely due to the very different styles of both women and it felt like a bit of a clash. Vanzant looked like she was on the ascendancy only to lose his concentration after a distraction from fellow Aussie Jessie McKay that would allow McKenzie to hit Paige with the Shaztastic Stunner to advance. It was also clear that Vanzant was fuming and would chase Jessie backstage after she had recovered.
Winner: Shazza McKenzie
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- Go Shiozaki would announce that he and six other Japanese wrestlers had formed a new unit called Inferno that would see him introduce Amakusa, HAYATA, Manabu Soya, Kenoh, Masahiro Takanashi and Katsuhiko Nakajima. Shiozaki would sell the unit as something similar to Bullet Club, but that they were the foreigners and they had every intention of sticking the flag of the rising sun right in the middle of the United States of America.
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The Bully Squad (Tony Deppen & Chris Dickinson) would very much have an agenda of doing The Osirian Portal as much damage as possible and it looked like less of a wrestling match and more of a public beatdown and it was fairly clearly they cared less about the result and more about putting Amasis and Ophidian in the hospital. For reasons unknown at the time FinnJuice would come to the pairs end that would result in the match being ruled a no contest as Juice Robinson and David Finlay would start scrapping with The Bully Squad before the two teams would be pulled apart by a whole army of security workers.
Result: No Contest
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Blake and Edwards would clash in the third qualifies of the evening and despite the fact that Edwards was a lot of more popular with the fans, Blake would win the fans over with her skills and ability would leave Alisha fuming when Blake would claim the victory and be met with rapturous applause at the bell.
Winner: Brittany Blake
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- KENTA would cut a quite passionate and visibly annoyed promo about not getting an invite of any sort from Shiozaki or any member of the Inferno unit to join them and it was clear he was annoyed as he would vow to set things right and form a unit of his own that would blow them out of the water.
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The final match of the night would be an explosive X-Division between champion BUSHI and his challenger Leon. The masked man had been the champion for just a couple of months and was continuing to showcase his explosive cross-style ability. Although Dante would put up a great challenge the Japanese talent would end the match and retain the belt by hitting the MX (Diving double knee facebreaker).
Rampage #22 [Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey]
The night's opening contest would see The Jericho Appreciation Society (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager & Daniel Garcia) would feature in quite a tasty trios match with Stablehausen (Danhausen, Warhorse & Effy) and despite the fact that J.A.S. seemed to have the upper hand for the most part at every moment Danhausen could he would pull of his hilarious shenanigans. The contest would end with Jake slamming Warhorse down onto the canvas with the Hager Bomb, whilst the other four were battling each other at ringside.
Winners: The Jericho Appreciation Society (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager & Daniel Garcia)
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Rhea Ripley and Emi Sakura would feature in quite the spectacle with the match being a high quality match that would really remind wrestling fans that Ripley really was one of the hottest female talent and would really showcase her talent against the veteran Sakura. The match would end on the floor with Rhea forcing the Japanese veteran to tap out by locking Emi up in the Prism Trap (Standing Inverted Texas Cloverleaf) that despite her best efforts Sakura wouldn't be able to escape from.
Winner: Rhea Ripley
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The Dream Tag Team Tournament would continue with Ashley Vox and Delmi Exo a.k.a. Sea Stars taking on arguably the biggest two names of their careers in Mercedes Banks and Davina Rose. The match was an interesting contest, but Rose and Banks were very much in control throughout with the match ending by Davina nailing Exo with the Rose Plant (Headlock Driver) to advance to the next round of the tournament.
Winners: Davina Rose & Mercedes Banks
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The first Rampage main-event of 2022 would feature in a high intensity battle between Tom Lawlor and Hook with the FTW Championship up for grabs. The match would involve a great blend of mat/submission wrestlers as well as a lot of stiff and hard hitting shots from both men. Hook would lock in REDRUM and it looked certain that the champ was going to retain the strap only for Lawlor to successfully escape the hold and transition it into a Koji Clutch that would force the young gun to tap out.
Winner: Tom Lawlor
- Lawlor would look incredibly happy with himself as he was presented with the FTW Championship by the match official as Rampage would come to a close.
- In the days following EVIL’s loss to Bray Wyatt, it would be confirmed that on the third night of WrestleKingdom at the Yokohama Arena that a a best of five series would take place between House of Torture and a representative team of All Elite Wrestling. As well as the already confirmed matches between Malakai Black/Jeff Cobb and Konsoke Takeshita/Kaito Kiyomiya, it was also announced that Timothy would defend the KOPW Provisional Trophy for the first time against KOPW legend Toru Yano. With the championship match to open the show.
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1ST MATCH
Timothy Thatcher (c) vs. Toru Yano
Toro Yano was left frustrated on Night Two as he was handcuffed by Thatcher, O-Khan and Kingston and from that point onwards was forced to watch on, unable to escape and actually have a chance of winning the KOPW Trophy. Yano would seem almost unhinged as the match would begin and would be very reckless from the get go and almost blind side Timothy like like a dozen cannons being fired from the broadside. This would result in a few nearfalls and Yano looked as if he was far from being interested in relying on his charismatic comedy moments and instead was really lasered in taking Thatcher out. Thatcher would compose himself though and remind everyone he was no slouch and use his methodical wrestling stye to bring Yano to the mat before managing to lock in the Thatcher Stretch (Chickenwing over the shoulder crossface) and force his foe to tap.
Winner: Timothy Thatcher
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2ND MATCH
Malakai Black vs. Jeff Cobb
- There had been a clear level of frustration on both men’s minds that had led to the confrontation in which Cobb had taken on the responsibility of facing Black in his NJPW debut match. Cobb had everything to lose and nothing to gain from the contest if he were to fall short, especially after the declaration that Ospreay had made after unifying the IWGP Intercontinental and ROH World Championship at the conclusion of night one. Malakai Black had come to Japan with his entire House of Black unit with clear intentions of establishing themselves abroad and the entire unit would accompany him to the ring. There was a certain level of excitement from the fans about Malakai finally making his in-ring debut.
- Cobb and Black would battle with purpose, although it was clear that the House of Black were intent on playing a part in the contest and would play interference and distraction at every turn which would noticeably begin to annoy Cobb. So much so that Jeff could bring Malakai down hard with the F-5000 (Fireman's carry facebuster) but before he would capitalize, Julia Hart would clamber onto the ring apron and distract the match official to prevent pin count from occurring which would give Black enough time to recover.
- Eventually enough would be enough and Cobb would have United Empire reinforcements of Great O-Khan, Aaron Henare and TJP come to the ring to offer some balance although it wouldn’t take long for a scrap to take place at ringside. This would still work in favour of Malakai who would wrap a chain around his fist and nail Cobb with a punch that would be unseen by the referee before leveling him with Black Mass to end the contest and win his debut match.
Winner: Malakai Black
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- Tequila Saya (NJPW Joshi Commissioner) and Kenta Kobashi (NJPW General Manager) would come out from the back and announce that for the very first time the Triangle Derby would begin tomorrow night on NJPW World and that it would be a six-woman tag competition with the winner being crowned the new Artist of Stardom Champions. It would be confirmed that a total of twenty trios would feature in the competition and would be placed into four pools made up of five teams each with the top two teams from each pool advancing. Tequila would reveal the pools that had been determined by a random draw earlier on in the day:
Pool A Dark Attraction: Julia Hart, Jacy Jayne & Gigi Dolin
Damage CTRL: Dakota Kai, Io Shirai & Tegan Nox
Beautiful People: Angelina Love, Allysin Kay & Tayi Conti
E-DM: Giulia, Thekla & Maki Itoh
The Way (Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell) x Great Sakuya
Pool B STARS: Mayu Iwatani, Saya Iida & Momo Kohgo
MaiMaiHime: Maika, Himeka & Mai Sakurai
God's Eye: Syuri, Mirai & Ami Sourei
Wild Thing: Momo Watanabe, Unagi Sayaka & Tomoka Inaba
Cream SODA (Billie Starkz, Nanae Takahashi & Yuu)
Pool C US OPEN: Sky Blue, Rok-C & Cora Jade
Lady Mayhem : Scarlett Bordeaux, Serena Deeb & Miyu Yamashita
Queen’s Quest: Utami Hayashishita, Hikaru Shida & Taya Valkyrie
Cosmic Angels: Tam Nakano, Alexa Bliss & Natsupoi
Oedo Tai: Starlight Kid, Natsuka Tora & Bea Priestley
Pool D Prominence: Risa Sera, Suzu Suzuki & Hiragi Kurumi
Cosmic War Party: Kris Statlander, Heidi Howitzer & Max the Impaler
The Clinic: Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, & Tenille Dashwood
Queen’s Club: Hikari Noa, Mandy Rose & Xena
Club Venus: Mariah May, Xia Brookside & Mina Shirakawa
It was confirmed that the Triangle Derby would feature heavily as part of the New Years Golden Series with the conclusion of the competition taking place at the NJPW 50th Anniversary show on 1st March 2022.
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3RD MATCH
Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kaito Kiyomiya
- The tension between Konosuke Takeshita and Kaito Kiyomiya had been simmering ever since their disastrous tag match at WrestleKingdom night two, where their frustration with each other had cost Kento Miyahara the match. What had started as an exhibition match to showcase Japan’s rising stars against international talent had been twisted by the mind games of Jay White and MJF, who goaded the two into proving who was truly the superior wrestler. Now, at Night Three of Wrestle Kingdom 16 in Yokohama Arena, Takeshita and Kiyomiya had the chance to settle things.
- As soon as the bell rang, they charged at each other, throwing wild forearms and refusing to back down. Takeshita’s raw power gave him the early advantage, tossing Kiyomiya around with a Blue Thunder Bomb and a Turnbuckle Brainbuster, but Kaito’s speed and precision kept him in the fight. A well-placed dropkick sent Takeshita tumbling outside, and Kiyomiya wasted no time launching himself with a no-hands Tope Con Hilo, crashing into his rival as the crowd roared.
- Back in the ring, the match became a war of attrition. Kiyomiya took control, targeting Takeshita’s neck with sharp suplexes and nearly ending things with a perfectly timed Tiger Suplex. But Takeshita, ever resilient, kicked out and fired back with a brutal Running Knee, only for Kaito to stagger to his feet and blast him with the Shining Wizard for an agonizing near-fall. The crowd was on its feet as both men, drained but unbroken, exchanged heavy shots in the center of the ring. Takeshita dodged a second Shining Wizard, countering with a desperate Zahrai Driver, but Kiyomiya somehow kicked out at 2.9, stunning the arena. Undeterred, Takeshita dragged him up and delivered a second, more emphatic Zahrai Driver, finally keeping Kiyomiya down for three
Winner: Konsuke Takshita
. The Yokohama crowd applauded both men’s efforts, but the animosity lingered. Takeshita extended a hand waiting to see if Kiyomiya would take it. After a long pause, Kaito rolled out of the ring walking up the ramp without looking back. The score had been settled, but the rivalry was far from over.
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- Katsuyori Shibata would make his way out from the back and announce that in order to celebrate that NJPW Strong was now part of Japanese weekly programming a new belt was being introduced, the Strong Openweight Championship. For some it seemed unclear where this belt would sit in the championship hierarchy, especially with belts like the NEVER Openweight Championship, Pure Championship and KOPW Trophy also seen as lower order belts.
- It was announced that twelve men would take part in the Strong Openweight Series and their starting ranks had been determined by an exclusive panel of experts. With rankings from this point onwards determined by wins and losses, with big gains and big drops to occur after every match. The twelve starting men and their determined rankings are shown below:
Summary (Ranked Order): 1) Tiger Mask IV
2) Kushida
3) Prince Puma (Ricochet)
4) Tommaso Ciampa
5) Pete Dunne
6) Orange Cassidy
7) Buddy Matthews
8) Darby Allin
9) Wheeler Yuta
10) Mustafa Ali
11) Ren Narita
12) Alex Zayne
- Shibata would confirm that come the 50th Anniversary show the highest four ranked individuals would feature in a special match to crown the inaugural champion.
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4TH MATCH
Yujiro Takahashi vs. Broc Rochensteiner
- The match begins with both men testing each other’s strength and ring positioning. Rochensteiner, a powerhouse from AEW, tries to establish control early, using his size and strength to overpower Yujiro. He lands a series of big shoulder tackles that send Yujiro reeling. However, Yujiro’s experience shines through, and he quickly turns the tide with a series of calculated chops and strikes. Rochensteiner answers back with a gut-wrench suplex, lifting Yujiro high into the air and slamming him to the mat.
- Yujiro, recognizing Rochensteiner’s power, starts to slow down the match, using underhanded tactics like eye rakes and subtle low blows behind the referee’s back. He then focuses on Rochensteiner’s back with a series of backbreakers, wearing him down. Rochensteiner fights back, hitting a German Suplex and nearly putting Takahashi away.
- With the referee distracted by Dick Togo of House of Tortur, Yujiro takes advantage of the moment, hitting Pimp Juice (Reverse DDT) on Rochensteiner for the pinfall. The crowd is frustrated as Yujiro claims the victory, taking the first point for House of Torture.
Winner: Yujiro Takahashi
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5TH MATCH
Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Otis Bogojevic
- From the outset, Kanemaru uses his veteran craftiness to frustrate the powerful rookie, Otis Bogojevic. Kanemaru quickly moves into a more technical style, using wristlocks and evasive maneuvers to keep Bogojevic on his heels. Otis, however, is no slouch and starts to show his brute strength, tossing Kanemaru with belly-to-belly suplexes and body slams that shake the ring. Kanemaru tries to ground Otis with a few well-timed strikes to the legs, but the young powerhouse continues to power through.
- Kanemaru looking frustrated uses his experience to target Otis’s legs, locking him in various submission holds including a Dragon Screw and a Single Leg Crab. He works to wear down Otis’s mobility, slowly taking the wind out of his sails.
- Kanemaru locks in the Figure-Four Leglock, and despite Otis’s best efforts to break free, Bogojevic finally taps out. Kanemaru secures the second point for House of Torture.
Winner: Yoshinobu Kanemaru
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6TH MATCH
SHO vs. HOOK
- The match is a technical showcase with both SHO and HOOK having contrasting styles. SHO known for his dirty tactics, immediately tries to level the playing field by attacking HOOK before the bell rings. He blindsides HOOK with a Dropkick, sending the AEW star tumbling into the corner. SHO looks to capitalize, working over HOOK with clubbing blows and stiff strikes. However, HOOK is calm and collected, showing his composure even under pressure.
- SHO tries to bring weapons into the match, throwing a steel chair into the ring, but HOOK doesn’t flinch. He avoids SHO’s strikes with smooth counters, locking in a series of armbars and submission holds. SHO continues to cheat, grabbing the ropes and using low blows behind the referee’s back, but HOOK remains steadfast, showcasing his submission expertise.
- HOOK counters a DDT attempt by SHO and locks in the Redrum and despite SHO’s struggles, he’s forced to tap out, giving HOOK the victory. The AEW team secures their first point, but House of Torture still holds the lead.
Winner: HOOK
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7TH MATCH
Ren Narita vs. Daniel Garcia
- Both men begin with a classic mat-based wrestling sequence, exchanging holds, countering each other’s moves with technical precision. Narita’s power is evident as he dominates early with shoulder tackles and a series of suplexes. Garcia counters with his quick strikes, but Narita’s agility is a step ahead, keeping Garcia on the defensive. Garcia begins to target Narita’s legs, locking in an Indian Deathlock to wear him down.
- Narita battles back with his trademark Sleeper Hold and an explosive Powerslam, showcasing his resilience and raw strength. Garcia, ever the technician, looks to keep Narita grounded, but Narita continues to fight out of submissions.
- The two men reach a fever pitch, both struggling to get the advantage. After a series of counters, Narita locks in a Sharpshooter only for Garcia to counter into a schoolboy roll up to claim the victory from the jaws of defeat. The crowd roars with excitement, appreciative of both men’s efforts. AEW fans or rather anti-House of Torture fans erupt as the score is tied meaning that the series will be determined by the results of the night’s main-event.
Winner: Daniel Garcia
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MAIN EVENT (Night Three)
Finn Balor vs. EVIL
- With the series tied 2-2, the tension inside Yokohama Arena is at its peak. House of Torture stands at ringside, barking orders at EVIL, while the AEW contingent watches from the ramp, waiting to see if Finn Balor can bring home the win. The moment the bell rings, EVIL rolls out of the ring, smirking as he stalls, forcing Balor to chase him. When Balor follows, EVIL strikes blindsiding him with a lariat on the floor, slamming him hard against the barricade. The referee warns EVIL to get back into the ring, but he’s already digging under the apron for weapons.
- Balor barely gets to his feet before EVIL hurls a steel chair at him. Balor ducks, grabs EVIL, and whips him into the barricade in retaliation. Balor then climbs onto the apron and hits a running penalty kick straight to EVIL’s chest, sending him crashing to the floor. Balor wastes no time, rolling EVIL back inside and laying into him with quick, snapping forearm strikes that drive EVIL into the corner.
- EVIL, dazed, tries to slow the pace by grabbing the referee and using him as a shield. With the ref distracted, Dick Togo hops onto the apron and slips a kendo stick into the ring. EVIL swings for Balor’s ribs, but Balor ducks and responds with a sling blade that flattens him. Balor grabs the kendo stick and swings it at EVIL, but the referee pulls it away, refusing to let Balor fight dirty. EVIL takes full advantage, lunging at Balor with a low blow from behind. The crowd erupts in boos as EVIL smirks, dragging Balor up and planting him with a Fisherman Buster for a near fall.
- Frustrated, EVIL signals for Everything is EVIL, but Balor counters, spinning out of the attempt and landing a double stomp to the chest. With the crowd rallying behind him, Balor hoists EVIL up and hits a 1916 DDT, spiking him onto the mat. Before he can go for the pin, SHO and Yujiro Takahashi rush the ring, trying to interfere. Balor knocks down SHO with a shotgun dropkick, sending him flying into the turnbuckle. Yujiro charges, but Balor ducks under his lariat and sends him tumbling over the top rope.
- With House of Torture neutralized, Balor scales the top rope, the crowd rising to their feet in anticipation. He soars through the air and nails the Coup de Grâce, his boots crushing EVIL’s chest. Balor hooks the leg, and the referee counts one, two, three! The match is over—AEW wins the series, 3-2! The AEW team storms the ring, hoisting Balor onto their shoulders as he raises his arms in victory whilst House of Torture looks furious, with EVIL rolling out of the ring in pain while Dick Togo yells at the referee.
Damage CTRL: Dakota Kai, Io Shirai & Tegan Nox
vs
Beautiful People: Angelina Love, Allysin Kay & Tayi Conti
The Beautiful People used their experience and underhanded tactics to gain an early advantage, isolating Nox and working her over with frequent tags. However, a hot tag to Shirai turned the tide, as she used her speed and high-flying offense to take control. Kai followed up with a devastating GTK to Conti, and after neutralizing Kay and Love on the outside, Shirai finished things off with a picture-perfect Moonsault on Love to secure the victory for Damage CTRL.
Winners: Damage CTRL
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2ND MATCH
MaiMaiHime: Maika, Himeka & Mai Sakurai
vs
God's Eye: Syuri, Mirai & Ami Sourei
From the opening bell, both teams showcased their signature styles - MaiMaiHime relying on their power and teamwork, while God’s Eye brought a mix of technical prowess and brute force. Maika and MIRAI had a standout exchange of lariats, neither woman backing down, while Syuri and Himeka reignited their past rivalry with stiff strikes. In the end, Syuri’s experience proved crucial as she countered a Sakurai roll-up into a brutal Buzzsaw Kick, allowing her to lock in a White Tiger submission for the tap-out victory.
Winners: God's Eye
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3rd Match
US OPEN: Sky Blue, Rok-C & Cora Jade
vs
Cosmic Angels: Tam Nakano, Alexa Bliss & Natsupoi
The youthful energy of the US OPEN trio gave them an early edge, with Rok-C controlling the pace against Natsupoi while Cora and Sky hit tandem offense on Bliss. However, the experience and chemistry of the Cosmic Angels turned the tide, as Tam and Natsupoi overwhelmed Sky with their striking combinations. In the end, Bliss dodged a diving knee from Cora and nailed her with a Twisted Bliss, securing the victory for Cosmic Angels in an exciting and competitive bout.
Winners: Cosmic Angel
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4TH MATCH
Lady Mayhem : Scarlett Bordeaux, Serena Deeb & Miyu Yamashita
vs
Queen’s Quest: Utami Hayashishita, Hikaru Shida & Taya Valkyrie
Queen’s Quest looked dominant early, with Utami overpowering Scarlett and Shida going strike-for-strike with Yamashita. Deeb’s technical prowess briefly gave Lady Mayhem an opening, but the experience of Queen’s Quest kept them in control. However, the tide turned when Scarlett caused chaos at ringside, allowing Yamashita to level Utami with a devastating Skull Kick. With Shida neutralized, Bordeaux seized the moment, rolling up Valkyrie with a handful of tights to steal a shocking victory for Lady Mayhem, leaving Queen’s Quest stunned in defeat.
Winners: Lady Mayhem
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5TH MATCH
Cosmic War Party: Kris Statlander, Heidi Howitzer & Max the Impaler
vs
The Clinic: Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, & Tenille Dashwood
The Clinic tried to keep things technical early on, with Baker and Hayter working over Howitzer with crisp strikes and tandem offense. However, once Max got the tag, the match turned into a brawl, as they bulldozed through The Clinic, forcing them to retreat. Despite The Clinic’s attempts to isolate Statlander, the powerhouse fought back, leading to an all-out slugfest between Hayter and Max. In the end, a miscommunication between Baker and Dashwood allowed Statlander to hit the Saturday Night Fever on Dashwood, securing a hard-fought victory for Cosmic War Party.
Winners: Cosmic War Party
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6TH MATCH
Dark Attraction: Julia Hart, Jacy Jayne & Gigi Dolin
vs
E-DM: Giulia, Thekla & Maki Itoh
From the outset, Giulia and Julia Hart had a tense staredown, drawing excitement from the crowd before trading stiff strikes. Thekla’s unorthodox offense kept Dark Attraction off balance, while Maki Itoh’s resilience frustrated Jayne and Dolin. Despite Dark Attraction’s underhanded tactics, E-DM’s chemistry proved too much to overcome. After a wild brawl on the outside, Thekla took out Jayne with a diving double stomp, leaving Giulia to plant Dolin with the Glorious Driver for the decisive victory.
Winners: E-DM
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7TH MATCH
STARS: Mayu Iwatani, Saya Iida & Momo Kohgo
vs
Wild Thing: Momo Watanabe, Unagi Sayaka & Tomoka Inaba
Wild Thing set the tone early, with Watanabe using her brutal striking game to wear down Kohgo, while Inaba’s vicious kicks kept Iida on the defensive. Unagi added her unpredictable flair, nearly catching Mayu with a surprise flash pin. However, STARS fought back with their signature teamwork, as Iwatani’s high-speed offense turned the tide. In the closing moments, Iida powered through Inaba’s kicks and leveled her with a brutal lariat, allowing Mayu to seal the win with a Two-Stage Dragon Suplex on Unagi for the three-count.
Winners: STARS
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8TH MATCH
Prominence: Risa Sera, Suzu Suzuki & Hiragi Kurumi
vs
Queen’s Club: Hikari Noa, Mandy Rose & Xena
From the start, Prominence looked to assert their dominance, with Sera and Suzuki using their brutal strikes to control the tempo. However, Queen’s Club showcased their resilience, with Noa and Xena’s high-flying offense keeping Prominence on edge. The match turned into a back-and-forth battle, with Suzuki and Mandy Rose having a heated exchange, which saw Rose avoid a death-defying dive from Suzuki. In the closing moments, Rose seized the opportunity, catching Suzuki with a surprise roll-up after a devastating knee strike from Xena. Rose then delivered a picture-perfect Kiss of Death for the pin, securing the shocking victory for Queen’s Club on Mandy’s in-ring NJPW debut.
Winners: Queen’s Club
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MAIN EVENT
In a highly anticipated High Speed Championship match, the defending champion Starlight Kid put her title on the line against the rising star Billie Starkz. From the moment the bell rang, both women showcased their incredible speed and technical prowess, with Kid using her agility to zip around the ring, hitting crisp dropkicks and a fast-paced springboard offense. Starkz, however, wasn’t intimidated, using her surprising strength to counter Kid’s quick strikes with powerful suplexes and a near fall from a sharp Northern Lights Bomb.
The match took on an intense, back-and-forth rhythm as Kid seemed to be in control, hitting her signature Tiger Feint Kick followed by a stunning Moonsault, but Starkz refused to stay down. Starkz’s resolve shone through when she dodged a top-rope move from Kid and nearly pinned her with a perfectly executed roll-up. The tension built as Starkz soared through the air with a Shooting Star Press, only for Kid to narrowly avoid the impact, leaving Starkz to crash hard into the mat.
In the final moments, Kid saw her opening, countering a second attempt by Starkz with a Star Crusher, transitioning smoothly into a pin for the three-count. Despite Starkz’s valiant effort, Starlight Kid successfully retained her High Speed Championship in a match full of near falls, high-flying action, and an electrifying pace. The crowd stood in awe of both competitors' determination and skill.
- Strong would begin with the unified IWGP Intercontinental Championship Will Ospreay standing backstage with a microphone in his hand and a smug look on his face. Will would offer high praise to the Joshi Division and make it known the Triangle Derby was proving to already be quite the spectacle and that perhaps in the coming weeks some of the girls would be invited to join the fold to the strongest empire in professional wrestling.
- Will would offer high praise for Kota Ibushi for his victory over Brock Lesnar and that he felt that there was no doubt in most people’s mind that if anyone was worthy of challenging Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship Ibushi was at the moment a standout name, so that is why he fully intended on taking Kota’s spot and the only way to do that by claiming a victory over him in the ring. Will would be frank in stating that it didn’t matter where or when, because the result would be the same no matter what. A win for the United Empire.
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1ST MATCH
Zayne’s high-flying offense gave him the early edge, landing a shooting star press for a near fall. Ali turned the tide with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and grounded Zayne with sharp strikes. A Crunchwrap attempt was countered into a DDT, and Ali sealed the win with a 450 Splash, climbing the STRONG Openweight rankings
Winner: Mustafa Ali
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2ND MATCH
Narita aimed to control the pace with his grappling, but Allin’s relentless speed and unpredictability kept him on edge. A brutal strike exchange saw Narita take over, wearing Allin down with stiff forearms and a deep Boston Crab. Allin fought back, countering a suplex into a stunner before launching himself to the outside with a reckless dive. Narita nearly secured the win with a bridging exploder, but Allin escaped and landed a Coffin Drop to score the hard-fought victory.
Winner: Darby Allin
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- The Foundation unit would be in the locker room area backstage, with Gresham holding the Pure Championship and Thatcher holding the KOPW Trophy as Josh Alexander would step forward and decide to speak first. He would congratulate both champions on their successes during the WrestleKingdom festivities before focusing on himself and his intentions for 2022. Alexander would offer high praise for the match between Marufuji and Tanahashi and declared his desire to have his own chance to face Tanahashi in singles competition, but was a man who believed in earning opportunities and therefore would call out Naomichi Marufuji to face him next week on NJPW World.
- Wheeler Yuta would then step forward and wish Tommaso Ciampa the best of luck ahead of their Strong Openweight Ranking match later on tonight and that he fully intended on bringing home the bacon and showing that in glorious competition The Foundation was the true backbone of NJPW.
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3RD MATCH
Ciampa’s power and aggression clashed with Yuta’s technical finesse in a hard-fought battle. Yuta used his speed and chain wrestling to keep Ciampa off balance early, but a stiff lariat turned the tide, allowing Ciampa to take control with methodical strikes and a punishing backbreaker. Yuta fought back, countering the Fairy Tale Ending into a Seatbelt Clutch for a close near fall. However, Ciampa cut off his momentum with a running knee and sealed the win with a devastating Fairy Tale Ending.
Winner: Tommaso Ciampa
- After the match Ciampa would openly mock Yuta and declare the The Foundation were nothing more than a bunch of wrestling nerds that were nothing more than underachievers that were destined to be nothing more than coat holders and shoe cleaners for the real talent in New Japan.
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- Utami Hayashita the current World of Stardom Champion would cut a frustrated promo expressing her annoyance of Queen’s Quest losing to Lady Mayhem last night in the Triangle Derby and would be fierce in saying that the likes of Yamashita and Deeb had got lucky in gaining a victory over her, but that moving forward there was no way that her team would suffer another loss.
- MIyu would interrupt the promo and offer Utami the chance to put her money where her mouth was and face tonight in a non-title match right here on Strong. Utami laughed at the suggestion until Yamashita called the champion a coward, which would lead to a heated face-to-face confrontation with Hayashishita agreeing to the match up.
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4TH MATCH
KUSHIDA looked to dictate the pace with technical wrestling, targeting Cassidy’s arm to neutralize the Orange Punch. Cassidy, in his usual laid-back style, frustrated KUSHIDA early but was forced to get serious after a barrage of stiff kicks and a Hoverboard Lock attempt. Cassidy fought back with a tornado DDT and a near fall off a diving crossbody. KUSHIDA countered the Orange Punch into a rolling kimura, but Cassidy escaped, surprising KUSHIDA with a Beach Break for the victory
Winner: Orange Cassidy
- After the final rankings match of the evening, the leaderboard would be updated:
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- The new IWGP United States Champion Kevin Owens would be very pleased with himself and state that beating Cody Rhodes has been a truly career defining moment for him, but the entire world knew the level of nonsense that the Rhodes family were capable of creating when things didn’t go their way so he wasn’t going to allow Cody to pull any shit. That is why he proposed that the very man he had beaten for the strap, would be the first person he would defend the US belt against and it didn’t matter where or when, because the result would be the same. One, Two, Three. KO Wins!
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5TH MATCH
Top Flight’s speed kept House of Black off balance early, with Dante and Darius using fluid teamwork to control the pace. Brody’s sheer power turned the tide, leveling Darius with a lariat before he and Buddy isolated him with punishing strikes. Dante’s hot tag brought a burst of energy, nearly pinning Matthews with a sunset flip. As Top Flight looked to finish Buddy with a double-team move, Julia Hart struck, grabbing Dante’s foot mid-springboard. The distraction allowed Brody to crush him with a discus lariat, setting up All Seeing Eye (Cradle Shock) for the win.
Winners: House of Back (Brody King & Buddy Matthews)
- The lights in the arena would suddenly go out. When they came back on again House of Torture (EVIL, Dick Togo, SHO and Yoshinobu Kanemarua) were in the ring and would proceed to start beating the shit out of Brody and Buddy with kendo sticks. It wasn’t clear why they were attacking the pair, but as soon as Malakai Black would emerge from the back the attackers would be quick to flee the ring with EVIL shouting profanities in English towards Malakai Black.
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6TH MATCH
In a special singles match, World of Stardom Champion Utami Hayashishita faced off against "The Pink Striker" Miyu Yamashita in a hard-hitting battle of strength versus striking. Utami used her power early, controlling the pace with suplexes and a devastating torture rack, but Yamashita’s elite kickboxing kept her in the fight, landing sharp kicks to wear the champion down. As the match neared its climax, Utami countered a Skull Kick into a thunderous BT Bomb, but just as she went for the finish, Serena Deeb appeared at ringside, causing a crucial distraction. The momentary lapse allowed Yamashita to recover and blast Utami with a match-ending Crash Rabbit Heat, securing a huge victory over the Stardom champion.
Winner: Miyu Yamashita
- Miyu would pick up the red belt and would just have a massive smile on her face before dropping it down on top of the fallen Hayashishita before making her way to the back alongside Women of Honor Champion Serena Deeb.
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- ‘The Icon’ Sting would be standing in a dark room wearing his signature attire, but his baseball noticeably had ‘FIENDISH’ emblazoned on it in blood red characters. Sting would keep it short and sweet and offer high praises for Bray Wyatt and that he had personally formed a collective to offer Bray as much support as they could and hoped that Wyatt would accept their love and join them on an official level.
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MAIN EVENT
In a bruising battle for the NEVER Openweight Championship, Tomohiro Ishii defended against veteran powerhouse Satoshi Kojima in a match built on pure grit and heavy strikes. The two warriors traded stiff lariats and blistering forearm shots, neither willing to back down. Kojima gained an early edge with his signature machine-gun chops, but Ishii absorbed the punishment and fired back with a thunderous back suplex. Kojima nearly won the belt after countering a lariat into a Koji Cutter, followed by a crushing Western Lariat for a near fall. However, Ishii refused to stay down, powering through Kojima’s strikes and leveling him with a brutal lariat of his own. With momentum on his side, Ishii delivered a devastating Sheer Drop Brainbuster, securing the hard-fought victory to retain the NEVER Openweight Championship.
