NJPW Battle In The Valley Review – February 18, 2023
Alex Coughlin vs. JR Kratos (Pre Show)
JR Kratos charges at Alex Coughlin with a shoulder block then he went for a big corner splash but Coughlin caught him and drove shoulders into him in the corner. Coughlin brought Kratos to the top rope before sweeping his feet out and dropping him neck first on the top rope. Kratos cuts Coughlin off by flinging him into the ropes before launching him with a suplex.
Kratos laid in the shots to Coughlin in the center of the ring, but Coughlin fought back with strikes of his own. A bodyslam attempt didn’t work, and Kratos soon cut Coughlin off with a lariat. A deadlift vertical suplex scored for Kratos for a near fall. Coughlin cut off a charge to the corner before leapfrogging Kratos and trying for a German suplex but Coughlin did muscle Kratos up for a bridging fallaway slam for a near fall.
Coughlin deadlifted Kratos for a gutwrench suplex then Coughlin laid in heavy palm strikes before dropping Kratos with a lariat. Kratos cut off another German attempt with a Pele Kick. Both men recovered and had a strike exchange that Kratos won with a jumping knee and a lariat for a near fall.
Kratos hit a superman elbow in the corner before bringing Coughlin to the top rope. Coughlin escaped a superplex attempt before finally getting Kratos up and over for the Deadlift German suplex for the win.
Winner: Alex Coughlin (10:07)
Rate: 6
David Finlay vs. Bobby Fish (Pre Show)
Match begins with a lock up before David Finlay got the first bit of offense with a dropkick for a quick cover. Bobby Fish took control of Finlay’s arm on the mat before transitioning into a headlock of his own. Fish laid in the knees but Finlay slid out of the way of the inside out senton. Finlay went to the floor after Fish but Fish caught him with a dragon screw into the barricade.
Back in the ring Fish got a near fall off of a sliding lariat. A bodyslam and another dragon screw out of the corner for Fish. Fish did more work on the leg before a running elbow got a nearfall as Fish kept control. Fish locked in a single leg crab in the center of the ring, but Finlay powered out and countered a single leg takedown into a La Magistral cradle for two. Finlay caught Fish with a backbreaker but hurt his own knee in the process.
Finlay ducked a big roundhouse kick and drops Fish with a lariat. Neckbreaker from Finlay scored a two count. Fish grabbed the hair to get out of a side suplex before hammering Finlay with shots, but Finlay took him down with an uppercut. Finlay hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a 2 count and tried to follow it with the Trash Panda, but his knee gave out.
Fish hit a belly 2 belly suplex into the turnbuckle pad for a near fall. Fish applied a sleeper hold, but Finlay rolled Fish in a pin to get out of it. Finlay transitioned a backslide into the Trash Panda for the win.
Winner: David Finlay (10:06)
Rate: 5
8 Man Tag Team Match
Rocky Romero,Adrian Quest,Josh Alexander & Mascara Dorada vs. Volador Jr,The DKC,Kushida & Kevin Knight
Josh Alexander & Kushida started this match off as they are trading submission hold attempts before they locked each other in ankle locks simultaneously. Adrian Quest & Kevin Knight tagged in with Quest taking control with a springboard crossbody and a headscissors for a near fall. Quest tags in Rocky Romero, but Knight tags Volador Jr in.
That sent Romero scurrying to the corner to tag Mascara Dorada, who engaged in a hot Lucha encounter. Dorada walked the ropes to dropkick Volador. Romero blind tags his way in to lay the boots to Volador but Volador took control and sent both men out of the ring. Kushida & Alexander tagged back in with Alexander scoring a near fall with a northern lights suplex.
Kushida got caught in the wrong corner, getting worked on by Team Alexander. Kushida hit a double handspring to Romero & Quest before tagging out to The DKC. The DKC laid in the chops to Quest & Dorada before taking them both out with a dive to the floor. The DKC hits a flying kick to Quest for a 2 count. The match broke down into an 8 way before Kushida & Knight hit a doomsday dropkick with Knight jumping from the mat for a near fall.
A string of dives left Kushida & Alexander in the ring. Kushida caught Alexander in the Hoverboard Lock, which allowed Knight to hit a pendulum DDT to The DKC for the win.
Winners: Volador Jr,The DKC,Kushida & Kevin Knight (11:22)
Rate: 7
After the match Volador Jr & Romero got into a short brawl with Volador Jr sending Romero to the floor then Volador Jr challenged Romero to a Hair vs. Hair match.
Strong Openweight Title Match
Fred Rosser (c) vs. Kenta
Kenta paintbrushes Fred Rosser while breaking an opening waist lock. Kenta gave Rosser some nonchalant kicks in the corner so Rosser got out of the ring and challenges Kenta to a fight in the crowd. Kenta obliged, kicking Rosser hard before booting him over the barricade. Kenta laid in more kicks and laid Rosser out with a DDT on the apron.
Kenta & Rosser traded strikes in the corner before Kenta kicked Rosser square in the back for a two count. Kenta kept baiting Rosser in to take big shots, landing a DDT for another near fall. Rosser fired up, carrying Kenta to the corner and dropping him with chops and hip attacks. Rosser landed a splash for a near fall.
Kenta clawed at Rosser’s eyes before dropping him with another DDT. A lariat off the top rope scored another near fall for Kenta. Kenta sent Rosser to the apron and landed a big boot but Rosser grabs Kenta and dropped him with a backbreaker on the apron. Rosser followed it with a seated senton to the floor. The clothesline in the ring from Rosser got another near fall.
Kenta reversed an STF attempt into Game Over. Rosser got to the ropes, where Kenta promptly dropped him with the Green Killer hanging DDT. Kenta dropped Rosser with a running boot and a shotgun dropkick, before landing the double stomp for a near fall.
Kenta went for the Go 2 Sleep but Rosser slips out and locked on the Crossface Chicken Wing. Kenta grabbed the ref and pulled him into the pile to force Rosser to break the hold. Rosser won a strike exchange with a rolling elbow for a near fall.
Kenta sent Rosser into the referee. Rosser forced Kenta to submit with the STF but the referee was still down. Juice Robinson made his way to ringside and knocks Rosser out with a roll of quarters. Kenta then grabs Rosser and hit Go 2 Sleep to score the win.
Winner & New Strong Openweight Champion: Kenta (16:31) (NEW CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 5
Strong Openweight Tag Team Titles Match
Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) (c) vs. West Coast Wrecking Crew (Royce Issacs & Jorel Nelson)
West Coast Wrecking Crew jumps Motor City Machine Guns to start but the Motor City Machine Guns sent them out of the ring. Motor City Machine Guns followed them, but Royce Isaacs carried Chris Sabin a full lap around the ring in a delayed vertical suplex before dropping him on the apron. Jorel Nelson had suplexes Alex Shelley in the ring, and they both worked on Shelley’s knee while Sabin was down. Nelson made his way to the top rope, but Sabin shoved him to the mat. Shelley fought them both off before tagging out to Sabin.
Sabin was a house of fire, taking out both men before hitting a top rope crossbody on Nelson for a near fall. After Shelley helped sends West Coast Wrecking Crew to the floor, Shelley held open the ropes for a Sabin dive to the floor. A missile dropkick sent Nelson into a Sabin facebuster for a near fall. Sabin booted Shelley by accident allowing Nelson to hit a top rope elbow to Shelley.
A Spicolli Driver into Nelson’s knees got Isaacs a near fall. Isaacs dropped Sabin with a German suplex with Nelson following with a cutter for a near fall. Sabin escapes a double team, which allowed Motor City Machine Guns to hit the Dream Sequence on Isaacs then they hit Dirt Bomb to score the win.
Winners & Still Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions: Motor City Machine Guns (9:21) (STILL CHAMPIONS!!!)
Rate: 6
Loser Leaves NJPW Match
Jay White vs. Eddie Kingston
Jay White stalled early on, baiting Eddie Kingston in to drop his neck on the ropes, but Kingston countered with a heavy chop that sent White to the floor. White came back in and dropped Kingston with a chop of his own before driving him into the corner. Kingston took another heavy chop but fired back with a big STO. Kingston clobbered on White, repeatedly dropping him with heavy chops. White got back in control with a DDT and a suplex into the corner. White hit the Blade Buster for a near fall.
White started toying with Kingston but Kingston fired back quickly before White clawed at Kingston’s eyes. Kingston fought out of a uranage and hit an exploder suplex and a short arm clothesline for a two count. Kingston laid more chops into White, sending him out of the ring with one as the crowd chanted Kingston’s name.
White kept walking into chops with a smile on his face before landing in the corner and taking more chops. White leaned into more chops, but baited Kingston into a Backfist attempt that he ducked. White dropped Kingston with a facebuster and a disgusting high angle German suplex, before scoring a near fall with a lariat.
White hit a nasty uranage for a near fall. White set up for the half & half suplex but Kingston fought out with chops. They battled with chops in the center of the ring before Kingston sent White into the corner and hammered him with the Machine Gun Chops in the corner. White took Kingston into the corner and hit his own Machine Gun Chops but Kingston just kept chopping White.
White had enough and clawed at Kingston’s eyes before dropping him with the half & half suplex. White went for the Blade Runner but Kingston clawed at White’s eyes. Kingston shoved the ref away, allowing White to hit a low blow. White hits the Blade Runner, but Kingston rolls to the floor.
White drags Kingston back into the ring, but only got a near fall. After arguing with the referee, White walked into a backfist from Kingston for a close near fall. Kingston offered White a fist bump, but White spat on him instead. Kingston hit a 2nd and a 3rd backfist, a half & half suplex, a 4th backfist, and a Northern Lights Driver for White to kick out at two to a huge reaction. Kingston brought White up, gave him a hug, and hit another Northern Lights Driver to get the win.
Winner: Eddie Kingston (19:07)
Rate: 9 (Recommend)
After the match, as White was getting Thank You Jay chants, White’s longtime rival David Finlay slid into the ring and nails White with the shillelagh. Finlay cursed White for wasting the opportunity that he had and lamented that he was an outsider no matter where he went in the world. He warned the rest of New Japan that he belonged in the ring as a 4th generation wrestler and that he was coming to take over the wrestling world.
Filthy Rules Match
Tom Lawlor vs. Homicide
Tom Lawlor puts on fight gloves before Homicide hits a lariat for a quick nearfall. Lawlor sent Homicide to the floor and hit a kick from the ring before hitting Homicide with a trash can lid. Lawlor went for a big run down the ramp, but Homicide caught him with a chair to the face. In the ring, Homicide hit an exploder suplex for a nearfall before sending Lawlor into the ring post.
Homicide hit Lawlor with baking trays and a DDT before grabbing plunder from under the ring. He pulled out a ladder, a kendo stick, and several forks. Lawlor recovered and locked Homicide in a cloverleaf, but Homicide stabbed Lawlor in the feet with the fork to get out.
Homicide hit a cutter for a near fall. Lawlor reversed a throw and sent Homicide into the ring post before diving onto Homicide on the floor. Lawlor grabbed a set of silver knuckles and hit several body shots before putting Homicide back in the ring.
Lawlor fish hooked Homicide with one of the turnbuckles, before missing a Superman Punch into the ring post. Homicide drops Lawlor with a neckbreaker for a near fall, but Lawlor dumped Homicide onto a trash can for a near fall of his own. Lawlor teased a move into a door at ringside, but Homicide hit a pair of vertical suplexes. They traded suplexes for a while before Lawlor hit an enzuigiri and a set of knees. Lawlor locked on a choke, but Homicide picked him up and drove him through the door with a Death Valley Driver.
Homicide hit a piledriver onto the door for a near fall. Homicide went for the Cop Killa but Lawlor rolled out and eventually backdrops Homicide into a ladder. A chair to the face followed by a Penalty Kick got a near fall for Lawlor. Lawlor hit Homicide with assorted plunder before hitting a diving headbutt off of a ladder onto a chair on Homicide’s head. That only got a two count so Lawlor hits Nasty Knee On The Brain and locked on a rear naked choke for the win.
Winner By Referee Stoppage: Tom Lawlor (16:22)
Rate: 7
Television Title Match
Zack Sabre Jr (c) vs. Clark Connors
Clark Connors gave a clean break after a lock up then they traded uppercuts. Connors took Sabre down with a shoulder block. Zack Sabre Jr opened himself up for chops from Connors, who obliged with a heavy shot. After more strikes ZSJ countered a hip toss into a Cobra Twist. He transitioned into a neck crank then took his time transitioning into a sideways surfboard before Connors got to the ropes. Connors fought back with more chops before Sabre dropped him with a boot.
ZSJ laid on more arm work but Connors was able to gain some momentum and hit a pounce. Connors hit a spear in the corner but ZSJ came back with a flying front facelock. Connors hit a northern lights throw to get out of it before booting ZSJ in the face for a nearfall. Sabre took a wristlock and quickly dropped Connors to the mat by his arm.
ZSJ cut off a strike exchange with a kick to the arm, but Connors came back with a brainbuster for a nearfall. Connors lines ZSJ up for a spear, but ZSJ hooked Connors’ arm for a Fujiwara Armbar. ZSJ continued to transition but Connors got to the ropes.
Connors caught a Penalty Kick, taking several slaps from ZSJ before hitting a headbutt. ZSJ countered a strike with a big suplex for a near fall. ZSJ hit heavy kicks, but Connors caught him with a spear and a powerslam for a near fall. Connors countered a running European uppercut with a backslide for two. A powerbomb from Connors got another near fall.
ZSJ went for the European Clutch, but Connors caught ZSJ in a choke. Both men transitioned submissions with Connors locking on an Ankle Lock but as soon as the call came, ZSJ pulls Connors into a armbar for the immediate tap out.
Winner By Submission & Still Television Champion: Zack Sabre Jr (14:06) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 6
Women’s Title Match
Kairi (c) vs. Mercedes Moné
Mercedes Mone quickly springboarded into the Bank Statement but Kairi escaped. After a Greco Roman knuckle lock, Kairi caught Mone with a headscissors that sent her to the outside. Kairi followed with a running forearm before sending Mone back into the ring and hammering her with a chop. Mone countered with a flurry of chops and a Lucha armdrag. Mone hit a Meteora in the corner for a near fall.
Mone went for another armdrag, but Kairi cut her off on the top rope and set her down in the tree of woe. Kairi went to the top rope, but Mone cut her off and did a handstand out of the tree of woe. Mone sent Kairi into the post before dropping her chin first on the buckle.
Another post shot from Mone got a near fall once they got back into the ring. Mone talked trash before slapping Kairi in the face. Mone dropped Kairi with a DDT for a nearfall, holding onto the arm on the kickout. Kairi got a rollup for two, but Mone cut her off with a clothesline. Mone stood on Kairi as she was hung over the ropes before dropping the arm over her knees for a nearfall.
Mone sat Kairi in the tree of woe and repeatedly kicked her in the chest. Mone went to send Kairi into the post again but Kairi pulled Mone into the post instead. Kairi dumps Mone into the post again but got greedy and got sent into the post herself. We got a countout tease, before Mone dropped Kairi down by the arm again. Mone sent Kairi to the top rope, but Kairi cut her off and hit a double stomp to Mone’s chest.
Kairi hit a running neckbreaker and the Interceptor spear before hitting the basement forearm. Kairi hit the forearm off the top rope for a near fall. Kairi locked on a submission that forced Mone to the ropes. Mone booted Kairi off the apron and hit a Meteora to the floor. Mone hit another Meteora in the ring, but only got a two count to her shock.
A Bank Statement attempt got countered into a pair of pinfall attempts before Kairi caught Mone In The Anchor. Mone rolled Kairi through into the Bank Statement, but Kairi got to the ropes. Mone hit the ropes and ran right into a Cutlass from Kairi for a near fall.
Kairi hit the Alabama Slam to set up the Insane Elbow but Mone grabbed Kairi’s leg and rolled out to the apron. Kairi hit the ropes, but Mone rolled through and hit a Belly 2 Bayley for a near fall. Mone hit two of the 3 Amigos, but Kairi countered the third into a DDT. A strike exchange ended in the referee getting hit with a Cutlass.
They brawled onto the stage with Mone rolling off of the stage. Kairi went for a running forearm, but Mone caught her and dropped her onto a speaker near the stage. Mone pulled out a table from under the stage and set Kairi up for a suplex off of the speaker, but Kairi slipped under and powerbombed Mone through the table to a huge pop.
Kairi went to the top rope for the Insane Elbow, but flew into the boots of Mone. Mone went to the top herself for a frog splash but caught the knees of Kairi. Kairi locked on a crossface, which forced Moné to bite her way out then nails Kairi to the mat with Mone Maker to get the win.
Winner & New Women’s Champion: Mercedes Moné (26:47) (NEW CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 9 (Recommend)
After the match they shook hands & hug.
IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match
Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
After the opening exchange, Hiroshi Tanahashi caught Kazuchika Okada with the dragon screw out of the corner. Okada came back by getting Tanahashi to the top rope and hitting the big dropkick. Okada sent Tanahashi into the barricade and into the apron with charges. Tanahashi caught Okada with strikes but Okada drops Tanahashi with a DDT on the ramp.
Another DDT from Okada in the ring got a near fall. Okada drops Tanahashi with a neckbreaker. Okada posed over Tanahashi to boos. Tanahashi came back with a running forearm and strikes before hitting the senton off the 2nd rope. Tanahashi countered an Okada boot with a dragon screw that sent Okada to the floor.
Tanahashi hit the Aces High from the top rope to the floor taking both men out. Tanahashi brought Okada back into the ring but got caught with a flapjack from Okada. Okada charged Tanahashi in the corner but Tanahashi dropkicked the leg out from under him.
Okada caught Tanahashi with the neckbreaker over the knee, and after shaking out the knee, he hit the elbow off the top rope. Rainmaker pose but Tanahashi fought out of the hold. Okada locked Tanahashi in the Money Clip but Tanahashi makes it to the ropes.
Tanahashi ducks a clothesline and hit a straight jacket German for a near fall. Tanahashi hit the Slingblade for another near fall. He hit the High Fly Flow to the back but a 2nd one to the front caught knees from Okada. A strike exchange saw both men rise to their feet before Tanahashi caught Okada with a shot that staggered him.
Okada fought back with a shotgun dropkick but Tanahashi came back with a slap. Tanahashi hit the ropes but got caught with a picture perfect dropkick that brought the fans to their feet. Okada hits the Landslide but Tanahashi fought the Rainmaker off before countering it with a Slingblade.
Tanahashi went to the top rope for a High Fly Flow, but Okada dropkicked him out of the air. Okada went for the Rainmaker but Tanahashi caught him with a small package for a close near fall. Okada hit the enzuigiri and the Cobra Flowsion before finally landing the Rainmaker to get the win.
Winner & Still IWGP World Heavyweight Champion: Kazuchika Okada (21:08) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 8 (Recommend)
After the match Okada thanks the crowd for the support before suggesting that he and Tanahashi reform their dream tag team and challenge for the IWGP Tag Team Titles, a suggestion that got a huge pop from the crowd. New Womens Champion Mercedes Mone came out to thank the crowd before suggesting that she & Okada make their own dream team. They posed for the photo op to close out Battle In The Valley.
