NJPW New Japan Strong (Nemesis Episode 1) Results – January 7, 2023
Location: Hollywood California
Venue: Vermont Hollywood
Tag Team Match
Bullet Club vs. Alan Angels & Hikuleo
Nobody wanted to start against Hikuleo so instead El Phantasmo challenged Alan Angels to start then the arguments continue at the bell so we got rock, paper, scissors before Angels slaps Jay White then took him down with a dropkick. ELP rushes in but sends himself to the outside as Angels returned his focus to White with a crossbody off the top for a one count.
Hikuleo’s in to chop White down, but a distraction from ELP allowed White in with some right hands before Hikuleo cut him off with a bodyslam. Angels tags in to hit a slam of his own, then some mounted punches in the corner, before White’s half hatch suplex slung Angels into the corner pad.
ELP attacks Hikuleo on the apron then tags in as Alan Angels was kept isolated for some of the wacky back rakes. White spams too sweet ahead of chops to Angels, including one out of the corner. Phantasmo tags in and winds up for a nipple twister but the UFO’s escaped as Angels hit back with an Asai DDT.
Angels tags out to Hikuleo, who boots ELP down, then went after White in the corner, hitting a Snake Eyes and a lariat for a near fall. An eye rake gets White free but ELP’s swatted down after he tagged out Hikuleo stays on White, who chopped out Hikuleo’s knee as he went for a chokeslam on ELP.
A tag brings Angels back, with the former Dark Order man hitting a low pe to White, then a Mistica into a crossface on Phantasmo back inside the ring. Angels rolls them back into the middle of the ring forcing White to break it up, before Hikuleo’s save saw him get low bridged to the outside. A springboard moonsault’s superkicked away by ELP, who then added the UFO whirlibird neckbreaker to get the win.
Winners: Bullet Club (8:47)
We’ve a promo from Jeff Cobb ahead of his match later in the tour with Bad Dude Tito they meet next week with Cobb vowing to throw Tito all over the place.
Strong Openweight Title #1 Contenders 16 Man Strong Survivor Match
Jakob Austin Young vs. Keita vs. Adrian Quest vs. Blake Christian vs. Che Cabrera vs. Guillermo Rosas vs. Cody Chhun vs. Misterioso vs. The DKC vs. Wheeler Yuta vs. Mascara Dorada vs. Rocky Romero vs. Bateman vs. Christopher Daniels vs. JR Kratos vs. Kenta
Everyone filed around the outside of the ring until the bell sounded, JR Kratos taking his time on the outside as everyone tried to chuck everyone else over the top. Guillermo Rosas who was eliminated first via a Keita superkick before Misterioso eliminated Cody Chhun.
Mascara Dorada’s superkick takes care of Keita before Bateman bit and shoved Rocky Romero off the apron for a elimination. Blake Christian climbs the ropes and snapped Che Cabrera’s singlet straps into him for the next elimination while Kratos simply turfed Misterioso out over the top rope.
Wheeler Yuta lifts Dorada onto the apron, then dropkicked him mid springboard for an elimination. Jakob Austin Young’s gone by way of Wheeler Yuta. Everyone gangs up on Kratos then squashed everyone in the corners. There’s a scoop slam on Adrian Quest, who’s then chucked out by Kratos then Bateman gets taken out via a Kratos clothesline while Kratos’ bid to eliminate Daniels backfires as Yuta,Kenta & Christian lifted the big man out instead.
All of the referees are escorting JR Kratos out, so they miss The DKC eliminating Christopher Daniels but he slips back in then lifted The DKC out in front of the refs for the elimination that was called. That leaves us with our final 4 Christopher Daniels,Wheeler Yuta,Blake Christian & Kenta so this now turns into a Fatal 4 Way Elimination.
Christian’s handspring enziguiri knocks down Daniels before Christian had to recompose himself mid Quebrada. Yuta slams and back sentons onto Kenta before Daniels got his knees up to avoid a similar fate. A STO dumped Yuta while Blake Christian’s missile dropkick took down Daniels & Kenta ahead of a series of clotheslines.
Christian misses a charge into the corner, which allowed Daniels to eliminate him with a roll up having his feet on the ropes too. Daniels & Kenta combine on Yuta as they took turns on him with shots. Eventually the Daniels/Kenta unison ends at the hands of Daniels who tried to take the glory only for Kenta hits Daniels with a backfist ahead of a double clothesline from a resurgent Yuta.
A missile double dropkick from Yuta takes the pair down, as did a tope to Kenta on the outside. Daniels is still in the ring and sits down on Yuta’s sunset flip grabbing the ropes for a near fall before a bridging German suplex from Yuta eliminates Daniels. Kenta charges in with a Busaiku knee to Yuta while a wheelbarrow roll up from Yuta gets a 2 count.
Another Busaiku knee from Kenta that gets a near fall before he hits Go 2 Sleep to get the win.
Winner & #1 Contender To The Strong Openweight Title: Kenta (15:45)
