Four titles and more at stake in matches announced so far
Following Windy City Riot in Chicago, and with cards set for the Road to Dontaku, the first matches are set for Resurgence May 9 in Ontario! Five title matches are on deck for what is sure to be an incredible night in the Toyota Arena.
May 9 Resurgence TICKETS
Order on NJPW World PPV!
Match order TBA
Double Main Event: IWGP World Heavyweight Championship- Hirooki Goto vs Zack Sabre Jr.
Singles record: 5-3 Sabre
Three months have passed since Hirooki Goto stunned in Osaka with a win over Zack Sabre Jr. over the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Since New Beginning, Goto has defended his title against veterans in Yuji Nagata and Hiroshi Tanahashi, against a man in Shota Umino just entering his prime, and a man in Callum Newman for whom his prime is yet to come. Now the Goto Revolution once again heads west to Ontario, and sees the champion face the man against whom it all began, and whose prime is very much in the now.
At Dontaku, Newman truly arrived as a contender and pushed the veteran champion to his limits, but it was the GTR Kai that sealed the deal for Goto. Post match, the champion asked for his next challenger to appear, and appear he did. Zack Sabre Jr. praised Goto's incredible reign, but said that it would be he that would end the revolution that had started with the end of his own. Goto readily accepted and now the rematch from New Beginning is made, and all as Shingo Takagi waits in the wings as the next contender.
Double Main event: NJPW STRONG Women's Championship: Mercedes Mone vs AZM vs Mina Shirakawa
NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion Mercedes Mone puts her title on the line against both Mina Shirakawa and AZM in Ontario. Windy City Riot’s number one contender match between high speed queen AZM and new full time AEW signee Shirakwa ended in controversy when both women were counted out on the outside. As both contenders continued to fight backstage, a compromise was made, and both will challenge the CEO for the STRONG gold at Resurgence.
Shirakwa has been bound and determined to get her hands on the CEO ever since she lost her British Women's Championship to Mercedes at Wrestle Dynasty. Indeed, even Mina admits a big factor in the decision for her moving to the US and joining the AEW roster was to get Mone back in the ring. For AZM meanwhile, this is the second time a desired for singles match with the STRONG Women's Champion has been turned into a three way. After big match disappointment of her own twice this year so far, against Mayu Iwatani int he Tokyo Dome at Wrestle Kingdom, and in Yokohama Arena against her stablemate Starlight Kid for the Wonder of STARDOM title, she looks to control her destiny at last.
Always in control of her destiny is Mercedes, who approaches her fifth defence of the STRONG gold. Still undefeated for over two years as a singles wrestler, she wears TBS, STRONG and RevPro gold into Ontario, and seems heavy favourite to win the Owen Hart Cup in AEW as well. As Mone continues to make the world go round, can someone finally stop the champion?
5th NEVER Openweight Championship: Konosuke Takeshita vs El Phantasmo
In the wake of Hiroshi Tanahashi's last match in the US at Windy City Riot, El Phantasmo made his way to ringside to pay his respects to the Ace, only to be involved in an altercation with Konosuke Takeshita. Backstage, ELP reminded the Alpha of an epic bout the two had in Korakuen Hall in last year's G1 Climax, and issued a challenge for Takeshita's NEVER Openweight Championship. That match was made official for Resurgence. In the meantime, Phanatsmo made sure unfinished business was dealt with over the World TV title when he defeated Great-O-Khan to win back the gold. Night one of Dontaku saw ELP and Takeshita face off for that TV title, with the result being a 15 minute draw. Tonight, 60 minutes are on the clock, but in this physical encounter, a knockout blow could well come sooner.
4th Match: STRONG Openweight Championship: Tomohiro Ishii vs Drilla Moloney
Singles record: 1-0 Moloney
Brand new STRONG Openweight Champion Tomohiro Ishii will have his first defence against Drilla Moloney. After a wild rollercoaster of an Ironman Match in Chicago, Ishii finally managed to put away Gabe Kidd to end the Mad Man’s 11 month reign with the STRONG gold and pick up his first singles championship in three years. His business with the War Dogs is not done however, as Drilla Moloney steps up to face the Stone Pitbull. Moloney defeated Ishii during the New Japan Cup as part of a hugely successful transition to the heavyweight ranks; a transition that now sees his first singles championship challenge in NJPW. Can he end Ishii’s reign before it truly gets started?
War Dogs (Gabe Kidd, David Finlay, Clark Connors & Gedo) vs Matthew Jackson, Nicholas Jackson, X & X
NJPW's return to Ontario California was too much of an intriguing opportunity for the Young Bucks to pass up, and Matthew and Nicholas Jackson will return to the cerulean for the first time since New Beginning in Osaka at Resurgence. In the wake of a BULLET CLUB civil war between War Dogs and HOUSE OF TORTURE concluding inside the Dogpound Steel Cage Saturday, the War Dogs remain, undisputedly BULLET CLUB. Yet the Bucks believe their era of BC, or indeed any ventures they get involved with is head and shoulders above the rest. Looking to prove that in eight man action against the Dogs, the Jacksons promised the presence of 'some OG buddies' in Ontario.
2nd Match: NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championships: World Class Wrecking Crew (Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson) vs United Empire (Templario & TJP)
The World Class Wrecking Crew, Jorel Nelson and Royce Isaacs will put their NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championships on the line against Templario and TJP in Ontario. Since claiming the gold last December, WCWC have scored wins over established Japanese teams in Roppongi ReVICE and the Intergalactic Jet Setters, and after facing these Hontai stars now take on United Empire. After Templario challenged for the IWGP junior Heavyweight Championship in Saga at Hizen no Kuni, he looks to apply that NJPW title match experience in the US, and could be the second ever wrestler to hold both NJPW STRONG and CMLL championship gold simultaneously.
1st match: Fred Rosser vs Matt Vandagriff
Absent from Windy City Riot, Fred Rosser is back at Resurgence, and ready to put in the work to teach Matt Vandagriff a lesson. After holding the STRONG Survivor spot for over a year, Vandagriff planned to move upwards by teaming with Fred Rosser at Battle in the valley. Yet the arrogant Vandagriff had little respect for his veteran partner and Academy Coach. Now Rosser is ready to deliver some very physical education to an unruly pupil.
Kickoff Match: STRONG Survivor- Allan Breeze vs CJ Tino
In the kickoff, a new NJPW STRONG Survivor will be determined when CJ Tino faces Allan Breeze. Tino challenged Zane Jay for the Survivor spot at Windy City Riot, with Jay successfully defending. Yet as Jay turns his attention to training in the Noge Dojo and preparing for a Japanese debut, he has vacated the Survivor spot. Who will take the mantle as the next future prospect from the NJPW Academy?
