NJPW Collision - April 15 and 16th, 2023

[Chris]

Two matches set for Collision in Philadelphia 【NJoA】​

ROH Pure Rules match set, Gabriel Kidd and Eddie Kingston pick up where they left off

The first two matches have been made official for Collision in Philadelphia on April 16. With the 2300 Arena rapidly approaching capacity, two hard fought battles perfectly represent the diversity of professional wrestling that made the venue famous, and set the tone for more incredible matches to be announced soon.
Collision in Philadelphia tickets (All seats now SOLD OUT!)

Gabriel Kidd will meet Eddie Kingston in singles action. April 16 will see the two face to face for the second time in an NJPW ring in the States, with their first meeting on NJPW STRONG in January 2022 earning more than a few votes for match of the year from fans for its intensity and hard fought violence. Gabe Kidd’s teachings from Katsuyori Shibata, and influences from Hroyoshi Tenzan earning the nickname of the Young Bull puts him firmly in the camp of Strong Style tradition, while Eddie Kingston true to his name prefers to walk the path of Kawada, Kobashi and Taue. Styles make fights, and this fight is one to be there live for.

Also set for Philadelphia, Alex Coughlin will face Tracy Williams in an ROH Pure Rules match. Part of the Foundation on ROH programming, ‘Hot Sauce’ Tracy Williams hasn’t been seen in an NJPW ring since the Night Before Rumble on 44th Street. Now he faces the power of the Android. Under ROH Pure rules, each competitor has up to three rope breaks that can be used before submissions and pinfalls in the ropes are recognised, closed fist punches to the head are illegal with a referee warning followed by immediate disqualification, and the match will be determined by a panel of judges should it reach its time limit. The rule set in itself implies that this match’s winner could instantly shoot up the rankings for the ROH Pure Championship currently held by Wheeler Yuta; might a new contender emerge from this matchup?​

 

[Marty McFourth]

What?!

 

[Chris]

Bro what the fuck lol

 

[Chris]

 

[Chris]

Okada & Tanahashi to team for STRONG gold at Capital Collision! 【NJoA】​

Tag three way made for Washington DC

Capital Collision April 15 Washington DC TICKETS
Order the Capital Collision & Collision in Philadelphia bundle on FITE!

As Capital Collision rapidly approaches, the April 15 spectacular in Washington DC’s Entertainment and Sports Arena has gotten major additions made, with the STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championships at the center of a lot of speculation coming out of Multiverse United.

After Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Speedball Mike Bailey in the main event of the NJPW and IMPACT card on Thursday night, he was surprised to be interrupted by Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. The Motor City Machineguns showed their respect for Tanahashi, as well as a man with whom they were very familiar from his pre-Rainmaker excursion days, Kazuchika Okada. The Guns extended an invitation to the Dream Team to combine ad challenge them for the tag belts, but were interrupted by Aussie Open.

Mark Davis and Kyle Fletcher made the point that Shelley and Sabin hadn’t beaten them directly for the tag titles last October at Rumble on 44th Street, and demanded they get a shot. Shelley suggested that they defend the titles against both teams at once, and now the three way match is made. At Anniversary, Tanahashi and Okada battled valiantly for IWGP Tag glory, but couldn’t match the team unity of Bishamon. Can they overcome MCMG in DC? Will the champs retain? Or will Aussie Open, coming just shy of IMPACT and ROH tag gold this week, still end April with two sets of tag team titles in NJPW?​

 

[Canadian Dragon]

 

[Canadian Dragon]

NJPW Capital Collision (4/15)

• STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship: Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley) (c) vs. Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) vs. Dream Team (Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada)
• STRONG Openweight Championship: KENTA (c) vs. Eddie Edwards
• Tomohiro Ishii vs. El Desperado
• Los Ingobernables De Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito) vs. Just5Guys (Yoshinobu Kanemaru & SANADA)
• Tomohiro Ishii vs. El Desperado
• NJPW World TV Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Tom Lawlor
• AR Fox vs. David Finlay
• Fred Rosser vs. Juice Robinson
• The DKC, Clark Connors, Lio Rush, Rocky Romero & Chuck Taylor vs. Kevin Knight, Gabriel Kidd, Mike Bailey, Volador Jr. & KUSHIDA

NJPW Collision in Philadelphia (4/16)

• Orange Cassidy vs. Gabriel Kidd
• ROH Pure Rules: Tracy Williams vs. Alex Coughlin
• Bullet Club (KENTA & Chase Owens) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito)
• Lio Rush, Tomohiro Ishii & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. United Empire (TJP, Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis)
• IWGP United States Championship No.1 Contenders Tournament: Lance Archer vs. Juice Robinson
• Rocky Romero & Fred Rosser vs. Just5Guys (SANADA & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
• TMDK (Bad Dude Tito, Shane Haste & Zack Sabre Jr.) vs. Team Filthy (Jorel Nelson, Royce Isaacs & Tom Lawlor)
• Volador Jr. & El Desperado vs. Kevin Knight & Delirious

Kingston last wrestled at ROH Supercard of Honor 2023 on March 31, where he unsuccessfully challenged Claudio Castagnoli for the ROH World Championship. Fightful will provide more information regarding Kingston's injury as it becomes available.

 

[Chris]

Capital Collision (April 15) Full card, preview​

Three title matches headline as full card is set for Washington DC

The full card is now official for Capital Collision on April 15. Washington DC’s Entertainment and Sports Arena will see a stacked lineup on a busy weekend ahead of Collision in Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena Sunday.
Capital Collision, Saturday April 15 TICKETS
Order the Collision bundle on FITE!

Main event: STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championships: Motor City Machineguns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) vs Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) vs Dream Team (Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada)

The main event of the evening will see Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, the Motor City Machineguns seek their fourth defence in a highly competitive four way environment with Aussie Open and Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi. After Multiverse United, the Guns made a direct appeal to Tanahashi for the Ace to challenge alongside his Dream team partner, and a man Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin have history with stretching back to his American excursion, in Kazuchika Okada. That challenge was interrupted however by Aussie Open. The first STRONG Openweight Tag Champions had their reign ended by MCMG, but lost their titles without being beaten in a three way match. Could a similar result see third champions crowned in what’s sure to be a spectacular main event?

7th Match: STRONG Openweight Championship: KENTA vs Eddie Edwards
Singles record: 3-1 KENTA

KENTA will defend the STRONG Openweight Championship for a second time in Washington DC, following up his tainted, but successful defence in LA against Minoru Suzuki with a battle opposite IMPACT Wrestling’s Eddie Edwards. Edwards saw an opportunity to challenge KENTA backstage at Multiverse United, having shared locker rooms and tour buses with the STRONG Champion during his days in NOAH in the early 2010s. That period of development for Edwards saw KENTA set as a clear senior and racking up a 3-1 record over Eddie, but it was Edwards that had the last, long lasting result, defeating KENTA in the 2013 Global League, and now bringing about a title claim a decade in the making.

Edwards was keen to express to KENTA that he is not ‘the young boy you knew’, a claim to which KENTA vehemently disagrees. One or the other will show their in ring superiority tonight, and that man will leave with the STRONG Openweight Championship.

6th Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito) vs Just5Guys (Yoshinobu Kanemaru & SANADA)

Tag team action will see Tetsuya Naito and SANADA make their US return, wrestling in the States for the first time since 2019, but this time in opposite corners. During the New Japan Cup, it was against Naito that SANADA made his break from LIJ, defeating El Ingobernable with the Deadfall and joining Just5Guys. From there it was a hot hand of success for Cold Skull, one that won him the New Japan Cup and then the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis.

What surprised most on a night of dramatic change April 8 was Hiromu Takahashi challenging the new champion- a challenge SANADA accepted on the condition Hiromu defends his IWGP Junior Heavyweight title against Yoshinobu Kanemaru first. The conversation about both titles, and all four men involved in this match has shifted dramatically in the last few days; what will Capital Collision bring?

5th Match: Tomohiro Ishii vs El Desperado
Singles record: 1-0 Ishii

Special singles match action will see El Desperado go up against Tomohiro Ishii. When Strong Style retained the NEVER Openweight 6 man Tag Team Championships opposite HOUSE OF TORTURE in Korakuen Hall on April 3, Narita was not shy in calling out Kazuchika Okada. With Minoru Suzuki’s enthusiastic approval, narita called out Okada to team with a pair of partners to come for the NEVER gold, while Desperado was left mulling over who he most wanted to face. This singles match may kill two birds with one stone when it comes to giving the masked man a fresh opponent, and inspiring an idea for a partner for the Rainmaker somewhere down the line. The last time these two faced was in the empty arena setting of the pandemic struck New Japan Cup in 2020; despite the lack of atmosphere, the fierce struggle was one to remember; now DC has perhaps a match of the year contender on their hands.

4th Match: NJPW World TV Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. vs Tom Lawlor

The NJPW World TV Championship is on the line when Zack Sabre Jr. pursues a fifth defence against Tom Lawlor. Whether against rising prospects in Japan and the US, or against established names like Tomohiro Ishii and now Lawlor, one cannot fault for a second Sabre’s status as a fighting champion, nor a thrilling choice of opponents. Lawlor and ZSJ tangled during the G1 Climax, and then again when Giulia and Syuri joined the fight at Hisotric X-Over. Will 15 minutes be enough to determine a clear victor in this first singles match between the two, as well as an answer to the enduring question of Boy George versus George Michael?

3rd Match: AR Fox vs David Finlay

Neither his interaction at Sakura Genesis with El Phantasmo, nor the presence of Switchblade Jay White in AEW this past week seem to have brought us any nearer closure when it comes to BULLET CLUB controversy of late. As David Finlay and Bloody Hands Gedo’s prospective leadership of BULLET CLUB seems to still be in question, the best way for the Rebel to lead will be by example, and that means producing results. As one of the world’s most gifted high fliers in AEW and ROH’s AR Fox makes his NJPW debut, will those results come tonight?

2nd Match: Fred Rosser vs Juice Robinson

At Battle in the Valley, Fred Rosser’s impressive reign as STRONG Openweight Champion came to an end after defeat to KENTA, but it was Rock hard Juice Robinson that deserved the credit. A surprise interference and loaded first to Rosser earned the wrath of Mr. No Days Off, as well as re-established the BULLET CLUB connections of Juice within New Japan Pro-Wrestling. When Jay White made a shocking appearance in AEW Dynamite last week, he would reunite with Juice, and raise further questions- despite White’s expulsion from NJPW, his finger prints will be in this match, and speculation is sure to follow. Can Rosser make good on his promise to punish Juice for his San Jose transgressions, and lay speculation to rest before it gets started?

1st Match: The DKC, Clark Connors, Lio Rush, Rocky Romero & Chuck Taylor vs Kevin Knight, Gabriel Kidd, Mike Bailey, Volador Jr. & KUSHIDA

Ten man tag team action will kick off the main card in DC, as Rocky Romero and Volador Jr.’s rivalry continues to brew. In a change to the original lineup, and with Tomohiro Ishii wrestling El Desperado later in the night, Rocky gives a Best Friend in Chuck Taylor the callup- could that make the difference opposite a spectacular team led by CMLL’s Skywalker?

Kickoff Match: TMDK (Bad Dude Tito & Shane Haste) vs West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs)

Both the TMDK combo of Shane Haste and Bad Dude Tito, and Jorel Nelson and Royce Isaacs of West Coast Wrecking Crew have had to come to terms with narrow defeats over the IMPACT and STRONG Tag team Championships in recent weeks. Tonight, an opportunity exists for one team to instantly put themselves right back in the tag team mix of whichever division they so choose- who comes away with an all important first win of the night?​

 

[Chris]

Collision in Philadelphia (April 16) Full card, preview​

Iconic 2300 Arena sees loaded card

There will be no time to rest after Capital Collision, as Phildelphia’s legendary 2300 Arena will see Collision hit Philadelphia. Nine matches are set for a stacked lineup as NJPW action returns to the spiritual home of hardcore April 16!
Collision in Philadelphia- 2300 Arena TICKETS (standing room only)
Order the Collision bundle on FITE!

Main event: Lio Rush, Tomohiro Ishii & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs United Empire (TJP, Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis)

After the main event of Capital Collision sees the Dream team of Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada, as well as Aussie Open part of a three way for the STRONG Openweight Tag team Championships, there’s every chance that the new champions will be in action tonight, and every chance that sore losers will be looking for some getback. Adding in the sheer violence of Ishii, and lightning fast technicians who know one another well in Lio Rush and TJP, and there’s much to look forward to in a high paced high impact main event in Philly!

7th Match: IWGP United States Championship No.1 Contenders Tournament- Lance Archer vs Juice Robinson
Singles record: 1-0 Archer

In the wake of Kenny Omega recently just surviving a hard fought challenge to IWGP United States Championship gold from Jeff Cobb on AEW Dynamite, news has broken that a mini tournament will be held between four former US Champions in order to determine the next number one contender at a date to be determined. While Hiroshi Tanahashi will be set to face Will Ospreay down the line, the tournament kicks off in Philly with Juice Robinson taking on Lance Archer.

Back in October 2019, Archer was a last minute replacement for a Jon Moxley delayed and stripped of the US title in the wake of a devastating typhoon. Archer took Juice unawares and captured the title that night; now Rock hard Robinson and the Murderhawk Monster are both primarily representing AEW, but have designs on the red and gold.

6th Match: Los Ingoberables De Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito) vs BULLET CLUB (Chase Owens & KENTA)

Tag team action will see LIJ and BULLET CLUB colliding in Philadelphia, Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi taking on KENTA and Chase Owens. Not like KENTA and Naito need any reason to resume a heated rivalry, but perhaps a defence for KENTA in DC one night earlier will give the BULLET CLUB member a tool with which to taunt (or smack upside the head) Naito in the form of the STRONG Openweight Championship, but will he and Chase’s antics get a rise out of Naito and Hiromu?

5th Match: Gabriel Kidd vs Orange Cassidy

In a replacement for the originally announced match between Gabriel Kidd and Eddie Kingston, Young Bull Kidd will have an opportunity in the wake of Kingston’s injury, instead wrestling Orange Cassidy with the AEW International Championship on the line if Cassidy retains in a scheduled defence at AEW Dynamite. Cassidy has become quite the fighting champion in AEW, but this is his first defence of the title in the NJPW ring that Kidd calls home; this should be a very different style of fight than Kidd was expecting, but he could well be leaving with a rich prize, and one that opens several doors around the world.

4th Match: Rocky Romero & Fred Rosser vs Just5Guys (SANADA & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

An intriguing openweight tag bout will pit two junior heavyweight veterans in Kanemaru and Romero in with rough edged classical heavyweights in Fred Rosser and SANADA. After Sakura Genesis saw SANADA walk out the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, and Kanemaru getting next when it comes to IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champ Hiromu Takahashi, both will be prime targets for Messrs Azucar and No Days Off.

3rd Match: TMDK (Bad Dude Tito, Shane Haste & Zack Sabre Jr.) vs Team Filthy (Jorel Nelson, Royce Isaacs & Tom Lawlor)

Two sets of opponents 24 hours earlier in DC unite again in the ring in Philadelphia as Zack Sabre Jr. and Tom Lawlor pick up where they leave off after the NJPW World TV Championship match Saturday, and West Coast Wrecking Crew will resume their battle with Bad Dude Tito and Shane Haste.

2nd Match: ROH Pure Rules: Alex Coughlin vs Tracy Williams

ROH Pure Rules come to an NJPW ring for the first time in Philadelphia when Alex Coughlin faces Tracy Williams. Under the rules, closed fist strikes to the face are disallowed, wrestlers have a maximum of three rope breaks, and judges will choose a winner should the match go to a decision at the end of the 20 minute time limit. Williams will bring skill and experience to the table tonight, but Coughlin will bring strength and a will to win that has to have only gotten stronger on knowing his coach Katsuyori Shibata is the current ROH Pure Champion. Could this match determine a new contender?

1st Match: Volador Jr. & El Desperado vs Kevin Knight & Delirious

A spectacular start to the night will see a unique combination of Kevin Knight and Delirious. One half of the Jet Setters with KUSHIDA, Knight is without his regular partner who’s competing in Canada this weekend, and now has the intriguing but uniquely difficult task of communicating with the utterly insane Delirious. Opposite them are a combination that teamed very effectively during Fantasticamania and the All Star Junior Festival in Volador Jr. and Desperado. With the Amaerican version of the festival coming soon, might this be a sign of things to come?​

 

[Chris]

Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada have a chance to win tag team gold this weekend.

They will team up to face the Motor City Machine Guns and Aussie Open in a three way match at NJPW Capital Collision on Saturday. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin will be putting their Strong Openweight titles on the line in the match.

During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Tanahashi spoke about what it is like to team with his long time rival.

“I can rely on Okada,” says Tanahashi. “He has that ability to turn the tables when the chips are down, and that fires everybody up, myself included.”

Okada and Tanahashi challenged for the IWGP Tag Team titles last month at NJPW's 51st Anniversary Show as well. They were defeated by then-champions Bishamon, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI. Mark Davis and Kyle Fletcher later defeated Bishamon for the belts at Sakura Genesis. However, Aussie Open will not be putting their newly won titles on the line this Saturday.

“Okada is trying to make New Japan Pro-Wrestling more exciting, whether in Japan, the U.S., singles or tag team division,” Tanahashi continued. “He has the same desire as I do.”

The last time Tanahashi and Okada faced each other was at NJPW Battle in the Valley in February. Okada successfully retained the IWGP World title that night but has since dropped the belt to SANADA.

Tanahashi spoke about his match with Okada in San Francisco that night:

“It had been a long time since I wrestled Okada, and I definitely felt a big gap between me and him,” says Tanahashi. “Okada wasn’t blown up at all during the match; I couldn’t drive him into the wall like I had been able to in the past. That’s what I remember the most from the match.”

NJPW Capital Collision takes place Saturday, April 15, 2023 from the Sports and Entertainment Arena in Washington, DC. The show will be broadcast live on FITE TV.

“I am so thankful for everyone’s support,” says Tanahashi. “Please send your energy to Japan. I will do my best to make wrestling even more exciting in return.”

NJPW Capital Collision 4/15 lineup:

• NJPW Strong Tag Team Champions Motor City Machine Guns defend against Okada & Tanahashi and Aussie Open
• NJPW Strong Champion KENTA defends against Eddie Edwards
• Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru & SANADA
• Tomohiro Ishii vs. El Desperado
• NJPW World TV Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defends against Tom Lawlor
• AR Fox vs. David Finlay
• Fred Rosser vs. Juice Robinson
• Rocky Romero, Chuck Taylor, Lio Rush, Clark Connors, & The DKC vs. Volador Jr, Mike Bailey, KUSHIDA, Kevin Knight, & Gabriel Kidd
• Shane Haste & Bad Dude Tito vs. Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/new-japan/hiroshi-tanahashi-talks-teaming-with-kazuchika-okada-njpw-capital-collision

 

[Canadian Dragon]

so Okada and Tanahashi are in America you say

 

[Marty McFourth]

That 10 man tag looks so damn crazy. I love seeing Speedball on a NJPW card.

Hopefully should be here for the Saturday show. Very hyped for it.

 

[Chris]

I believe AR Fox's match is his NJPW debut as well

 

[Chris]

@Hayterade can we get a chat for this please

 

[Canadian Dragon]

this tonight?