NJPW Strong Independence Day - July 4th and 5th, 2023

[Chris]

Independence Day night 1 (July 4) full preview​

First of two loaded cards in Koprakuen revealed

July 4 and 5 will see NJPW STRONG’s roster make a long awaited trip to Japan as they mix it up with Japanese regulars for an incredible pair of nights in what is sure to be a rowdy Korakuen Hall card.
Order both nights on NJPW World PPV (separate purchase required. No subscription necessary)

Main event: Doomsday No DQ Tag Match: Jun Kasai & El Desperado vs Jon Moxley & Homicide

An incredible Korakuen Hall main event ‘Crazy Monkey’ Jun Kasai will join El Desperado to face Homicide and Jon Moxley in a Doomsday No DQ Match. El Desperado’s recent trip to GCW over in the United States reawakened his hardcore bloodlust, and Despe called out Jon Moxley as a result, eager for revenge from last summer in Nashville. Moxley responded that he would bring Homicide to Korakuen if Desperado could find a partner, and after an invitation was responded to by the hardcore legend himself, the match was official. ‘Kasai plus Korakuen Hall equals bloodshed and violence’ is a simple enough equation to be printed in elementary school textbooks, and Moxley and Homicide will be more than willing to respond in kind for what’s being dubbed an ‘exciting encounter’ in a Doomsday No DQ environment.

7th Match: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships- Catch 2/2 (Francesco Akira & TJP) vs BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney)

Top of the title matches night one in Korakuen, Drilla Moloney and Clark Connors will be challenging Catch 2/2 for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag team Championships. After Moloney’s violent betrayal of the United Empire and subsequent violent statements made by the Drilla and new partner Connors to Catch 2/2, will the War Dogs follow through on their promises to bring gold to the Club, or will Catch 2/2 have other plans?

6th Match: NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championships: Bishamon (YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto) vs BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Alex Coughlin & Gabe Kidd)

Also on the line tonight are the NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag team Championships. Representing the BULLET CLUB War Dogs, Alex Coughlin and Gabe Kidd will be challenging Bishamon. Coughlin and Kidd made their presence felt at Dominion after Bishamon defeated HOUSE OF TORTURE and Aaron Henare and Great-O-Khan to win both the STRONG and IWGP Tag Championships; attacking Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI in Osaka and then every stop on the New Japan Road tour since, the War Dogs demanded to challenge for first the STRONG titles July 4 and then the IWGP gold July 5. Could we be saying ‘and new’ twice this week?

5th Match: Willow Nightingale & Momo Kohgo vs Donna Del Mondo (Giulia & Thekla)

Ahead of Willow Nightingale putting the STRONG Women’s title on the line July 5 on night two of Independence Day, she joins with Momo Kohgo to take on her challenger Giulia and the Toxic Spider, Thekla. In the tournament to crown the first STRONG Women’s Champion, Kohgo was impressive in one of her finest singles performances to date; though an underdog, her fighting spirit was not in question, making for a perfect tag team partner for Willow. But Giulia has no time for ‘KoMoMo’ and the DDM duo will look to make short work of Kohgo before going for the Babe With the Power, Nightingale.

4th Match: Rocky Romero & Eddie Kingston vs BULLET CLUB (KENTA & Gedo)

Ahead of Eddie Kingston challenging STRONG Openweight Champion KENTA on July 5, a tag team preview sees Kingston pair with Rocky Romero to face KENTA and Gedo. Kingston finally makes a long desired for Korakuen Hall debut, and he looks to send a message to KENTA in the process.

3rd Match: Kosei Fujita vs Tom Lawlor

Singles action will see Kosei Fujita face Tom Lawlor. Lawlor’s long running beef with Fujita’s mentor Zack Sabre Jr. now sees the youngest member of the TMDK fold look to fight on behalf of himself, ZSJ, his team, and, buy some considerable extension, late great crooner George Michael.

2nd match: Ryohei Oiwa, Alex Zayne & Lance Archer vs Team Filthy (JR Kratos, Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs)

Six man action will see the return of Alex Zayne to Japanese rings, where the much beloved taco evangelist will team with Lance Archer and Ryohei Oiwa to face Team Filthy’s Royce Isaacs, Jorel Nelson and JR Kratos. Opposite Team Filthy is a very disparate team indeed, but with Oiwa’s Young Lion energy, Zayne’s dynamism, and Archer’s power, might they get the job done?

1st Match: The DKC vs Bad Dude Tito

Joining Kosei Fujita in flying the flag for TMDK in Korakuen Hall will be Bad Dude Tito. In competition with DKC, a clash of power versus speed and technique will be a thrilling one to watch.

Kickoff Match: Ryusuke Taguchi, Oskar Leube & YOH vs Kengo, Takahiro Katori & Dragon Libre

A special bonus kickoff match will setthe pace in Korakuen, with NJPW staples Ryusuke Taguchi and YOH joined by Young Lion Oskar Leube to face a trio of independent representatives. 24 year old Takahiro Katori represents one of Japan’s longest running indies in Pro-Wrestling Eagle, while Dragon Libre represents the Jun Kasai founded Pro-Wrestling FREEDOMS, a company where Kengo has often appeared. Can this trio surprise the NJPW faithful in Korakuen?​

 

[Chris]

Independence Day night 2 (July 5) full preview​

Night 2 in Korakuen this July sees more big matchups

On July 4 and 5, Independence Day will see a pair of incredible cards from Korakuen Hall. With the variety of competition that only STRONG brings to the table, and American stars making their first appearances in NJPW rings in Japan, it’s set to be an incredible two night event, and the additions just made to the night two card make it just as loaded as the first.
Order both nights live in English on NJPW World PPV!

Main Event: Final Death- El Desperado vs Jon Moxley

After El Desperado’s tag team with Jun Kasai to face Jon Moxley and Homicide on July 4, things will escalate even further when Mox wrestles Desperado one on one July 5. Their last singles encounter last summer at Music City Mayhem was a bloody hardcore battle, and it’s likely that these two men won’t be meeting for a scientific grappling affair on this night. Strap in for a violent war on July 5 in the Hall, as Moxley has demanded the ominous sounding environment of ‘Final Death’ rules!

8th Match: STRONG Openweight Championship- KENTA vs Eddie Kingston

In the first match to be announced for Independence Day, KENTA will defend the STRONG Openweight Championship against Eddie Kingston. Temporarily relieved of STRONG Openweight gold at Dontaku, KENTA was quick to regain his championship in Long Beach at Resurgence. Yet Eddie Kingston would be quick to issue his own challenge, and gets his title shot in the hallowed halls of Korakuen. Incredibly wrestling his first singles match in the Hall, Kingston is sure to be fired up in a bid to win his first NJPW championship.

7th Match: IWGP Tag Team Championships- Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) vs BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Gabe Kidd & Alex Coughlin)

After demanding that they face Bishamon over two consecutive nights in a bid to win two sets of championships, Gabe Kidd and Alex Coughlin of the BULLET CLUB War Dogs will face Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI for the IWGP Tag titles on July 5. Making a big wave all the way through the New Japan Road, and preparing themselves for their first G1 Climax, will we see double champions on Coughlin and Kidd coming out of Independence Day?

6th Match: STRONG Women’s Championship: Willow Nightingale vs Giulia

Willow Nightingale seeks her third defence of the STRONG Women’s Championship when she faces Giulia. Former World of STARDOM Champion and leader of the dominant Donna Del Mondo faction, Giulia is a tough challenge indeed for the Babe With the Power, and one hungry to use the STRONG goild to burst onto the worldwide scene. Yet Nightingale thrives against tough competition- can she still be the Babe With the Gold after tonight?

5th Match: Tomohiro Ishii, Hiroshi Tanahashi & The DKC vs Team Filthy (Tom Lawlor, Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs)

Two thirds of the NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champions, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tomohiro Ishii join with the DKC to face Team Filthy on July 5. Any Team Filthy combination is a hard one for other teams to beat, but though Ishii and Tanahashi certainly have their differences, their champion status, and DKC’s energy and dynamism will provide difficult competition indeed. Could Lawlor and the West Coast Wrecking Crew be playing for a future NEVER title shot tonight?

4th Match: Alex Zayne & Lance Archer vs TMDK (Bad Dude Tito & Kosei Fujita)

TMDK get represented by Bad Dude Tito and Kosei Fujita at Independence Day and will be looking to make a show of power and athleticism. That’s quite a tall order opposite two men who are the embodiment of both in Lance Archer and Alex Zayne. If the ‘Murder Sauce Monsters’ Zayne and Archer can manage to get along, they could be an extremely powerful tag team force in NJPW, but will TMDK bonds be strong enough for them to come away with a victory?

3rd Match: CHAOS (YOH & Rocky Romero) vs BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney)

Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney may be representing the BULLET CLUB War Dogs as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag team Champions come July 5- but whether or not they bear the gold after a challenge to Catrch 2/2 on night one of Independence Day, they’ll be a more than worthy target for the CHAOS side of YOH and Rocky Romero. Can the canny, skilled Roppongi connection overcome the power and brutality of Connors and Moloney?

2nd Match: Ryohei Oiwa & Homicide vs Catch 2/2 (TJP & Francesco Akira)

From teaming with a fellow battle hardened practitioner of violence in Jon Moxley, Homicide will pair with the fresher of face Ryohei Oiwa on July 5. It’s a senpai kohai relationship mirrored in the opposite side of the ring between TJP and Francesco Akira, but there’s a good chance that the arts Homicide may impart to his young partner might be a good bit darker than the ones TJP teaches to the young Fireball.

1st match: Oskar Leube vs JR Kratos

Oskar Leube will take on JR Kratos one on one July 5. Leube’s height and power have made him a formidable Young Lion threat. But can he survive the wrath of the Most Feared?

Kickoff: Ryusuke Taguchi, Boltin Oleg & Master Wato vs Dragon Libre, Takahiro Katori & Rekka

Another kick off match starts at 6:10PM. An NJPW trio once again faces independent competition with Pro-Wrestling Eagle’s Takahiro Katori and FREEDOMS’ Dragon Libre this time joined by indie veteran Rekka. There’s a loaded night of action to look forward to on both nights of Independence Day!​

 

[Alexa]

Willow v Giulia is a harder match to pick who I want to win than it should be

 

[Kairi HoHo]

Despy vs Moxley is the Match I'm looking forward to the most for sure. I'll be at work tomorrow yes work on the 4th so I'll be watching Night 1 later in the day.

 

[Comrade Khan]

new profile pic

 

[Chris]

One PPV price for both shows nice, gonna start D1 soon

 

[Comrade Khan]

tito win

 

[Comrade Khan]

god damn he won with a Steiner Screwdriver

 

[Chris]

Ian and Chris Charlton on commentary for the first time together I think

 

[Chris]

Stuffed bunny play in the kickoff nice

 

[Comrade Khan]

Kratos Archer chop battle nice

 

[Comrade Khan]

lol

Spoiler

Wardogs getting that mega push brother - Gedo

 

[Chris]

Kickoff show was fun

 

[Chris]

lol

Spoiler

Wardogs getting that mega push brother - Gedo

They win the titles? I didn't realize it but they have the same match both days, but one for Strong and one for IWGP tags, I assumed they'd win the Strong ones and lose the IWGP challenge so those belts can be split up again

 

[Chris]

Yoh just bunny hopped all the way backstage with the stuffed bunny he stole