Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
On Sunday night, New Japan Pro Wrestling held their Strong Style Evolved 2022 show from the Coliseum in St. Petersburg. These matches were taped for New Japan Strong on New Japan World, airing on Saturdays at 8:00 PM.
Here are the results:
Match Number One: DKC defeats Kevin Knight
They start off with a series of reversals. DKC gets the first near fall with a crucifix and then gets a few more near falls. They exchange chops and forearms. Knight gets a near fall after a suplex. Knight takes control of the match until he misses a drop kick. DKC gets a near fall after a spinebuster. DKC gets Knight to tap out.
Match Number Two: Hikuleo defeats Andy Brown
Brown starts off with some words for Hikuleo but Hikuleo is not interested and he sends Brown to the mat a few times. Hikuleo takes control of the match using his size and power advantage to work over Brown. They take things to the floor. When they return to the ring, Brown is able to get in some offense and a near fall. Hikuleo gets the win with a choke slam.
Match Number Three: Buddy Matthews defeats Yuya Uemura
Each man tries to get the early advantage but is thwarted by reversals from the other. Uemura sends Matthews to the apron and tries to suplex him on the apron but Matthews blocks it. They exchange forearms and Uemura gets a near fall after a few elbow drops. Matthews continues to block Uemura’s attempts for suplexes. Uemura goes up top and misses a cross body when Matthews moves out of the way. Matthews hits Murphy’s Law for the three count.
Match Number Four: JR Kratos and Black Tiger defeat Rocky Romero and Wheeler Yuta
They start off with Yuta and Kratos fighting on the floor while Romero and Black Tiger are on the other side of the ringside area fighting on the floor. Romero works over Black Tiger once the action gets into the ring. Yuta focuses on Kratos on the apron and that allows Black Tiger to hit Yuta from behind to regain control of the match. Kratos and Black Tiger work over Yuta and get a series of near falls. Yuta hits a missile drop kick and then he is able to tag Romero into the match. Romero gets a near fall after a tornado DDT, but Kratos gets the pin with a pop up uranage.
After the match, Kratos gets on the mic and calls out Alex and says he reminds him of another person who cannot make up his mind and Kratos mentions Tom Brady. Alex Coughlin comes out and gets in Kratos’ face. They exchange forearms and Coughlin gives Kratos a suplex after catching Kratos trying a splash in the corner. Security comes to the ring to separate the two men and Coughlin throws one of the members of security at Kratos.
Match Number Five: Big Damo defeats John Skyler
Skyler has some words for Damo at the start of the match and Damo grabs Skyler. Damo uses his size to work over Skyler. They go to the apron and Skyler spears Damo off the apron. Skyler gets a near fall. Damo counters a Tiger Driver with a back body drop. Skyler hits a slingshot spear from the apron for a near fall. Skyler continues to control the match with a superplex. Damo with an accordion slam followed by a back senton and Vader Bomb for the three count.
Match Number Six: David Finlay and Juice Robinson defeat Jonah and Shane Haste by disqualification
All four men fight in the aisle before the match officially starts. They go into the crowd and continue their brawl. They get back to the ring and the referee starts the match. Finlay and Haste start off the match and then Jonah tags in and takes control of the match. Haste and Jonah continue to work over Robinson. Jonah with a delayed vertical suplex. Finlay hits a tornado DDT on Haste. Robinson with a series of jabs and the Hand of God to Jonah. Robinson hits a spinebuster on Haste. Robinson sets for Pulp Friction and Haste hits Robinson with a chair to cause the disqualification.
After the match, Jonah and Haste continue to attack Robinson until Finlay gets in the ring to fight them off. Robinson gets on the mic and challenges Jonah, Haste, and Bad Dude Tito to a six man Street Fight in Chicago against him, David Finlay, and the partner that they find for the match.
Match Number Seven: Tom Lawlor (with Black Tiger and JR Kratos) defeats Clark Connors to defend the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship
Before the match starts, Lawlor does his usual tiny shorts reveal, only to be matched by Connors. Connors with a spear to get a near fall. Black Tiger pulls Lawlor to the floor to stop Connors’ early momentum. Connors follows Lawlor to the floor and sends the champion into the guardrails. Lawlor with a guillotine followed by a uranage for a near fall. Lawlor returns to the guillotine but Connors is able to avoid tapping out. Lawlor tries another submission route and applies an STF. Connors escapes and hits a power slam. Lawlor goes to the rear naked choke but Connors escapes. Lawlor connects with a series of knees to get the three count.
After the match, Lawlor gets on the mic and he says everyone already knows who is the strongest for the longest. He mentions that he has been champion for almost a year and that he has gone through the best of the Dojo and the roster. Tom says he does not care who comes in to face him if anyone comes over from Japan. Tom says he decides who fights for the belt and he says he is going to take a vacation.
Fred Rosser comes out and he congratulates Tom on his successful title defense. Rosser challenges Lawlor for the title and talks about how he was told no until he got his contract with WWE in Tampa. He mentions that he is the only one who has beaten Lawlor and he says he is the next contender.
Lawlor thinks about it and tells Rosser the answer is no. He can get a title match when he deserves one.
There was an intermission.
Match Number Eight: Mascara Dorada defeats TJP
Both wrestlers try to gain an early advantage and alternate wrist locks and head scissors. TJP goes to the floor and Dorada hits an Asai Moonsault and a springboard cross body. TJP with a back breaker for a near fall. TJP hits a cross body on Dorada in the turnbuckles. Dorada with a rana over the top rope to the floor. TJP with a tornado DDT. Dorada with a super kick but TJP responds with a belly-to-back suplex. TJP misses a frog splash but he gets a near fall after an Octopus Driver. Dorada with a Blue Thunder Bomb for the three count.
After the match, Dorada celebrates his victory but TJP comes up behind him and takes Dorada’s mask and leaves.
Match Number Nine: Josh Alexander defeats Karl Fredericks
The match begins with a series of reversals and counters as each man tries to get the early advantage. Fredericks with a cross body and a flip dive that leads to a near fall when they return to the ring. Alexander gains control of the match with a series of elbows, kicks, and forearms. Alexander gets a near fall after a suplex. Fredericks starts to fight back but Alexander hits a gourdbuster. Alexander tells Fredericks to chop him and Fredericks does it. Fredericks applies an STF but Alexander makes his way to the ropes. Alexander with a power slam on the apron and then he hits a cross body that sends Fredericks to the floor. Alexander blocks a Pele Kick and applies an ankle lock but Fredericks is able to escape by sending Alexander into the turnbuckles. Alexander hits butterfly piledriver for the three count.
After the match, Alexander offers his hand to Fredericks and Fredericks shakes it.
As Alexander goes to the back, QT Marshall makes his way to the ring with Aaron Solo and Nick Comoroto. He tells Fredericks that he knows who they are, but not why they are here. Marshall tells Fredericks he needs more than effort to be a success. He tells Fredericks he is making a mistake aligning himself with the LA Dojo and their overrated sempai, Shibata. Marshall offers Fredericks an opportunity to join the Factory. He tells Fredericks to see what happened to Solo and Comoroto by joining the Factory.
Fredericks tosses the shirt at Marshall and pushes Solo down.
Comoroto with a uranage. Clark Connors and Yuya Uemura make their way to the ring to help out Fredericks.
Fredericks gets on the mic and says that he has no interest in joining the Factory, but he wants to fight them. He makes a challenge for Chicago.
Match Number Ten: Swerve Strickland defeats Blake Christian
Strickland has the early advantage and gets a few near falls. Strickland tries for a spear to Christian through the ropes but Christian flips off the apron to avoid Strickland and they both land on the floor. Christian gets a few near falls but misses a splash into the corner. Strickland gets a near fall after a springboard drop kick. Strickland gets another near fall after a European uppercut off the turnbuckles to Christian’s back. Christian and Strickland go back and forth trying to finish off the other but cannot get the job done. Christian hits a Spanish Fly cross body for a near fall. He follows with a Fosbury Flop plancha onto Strickland followed by a springboard 450 splash. Christian goes back up top and Strickland is able to roll to the other side of the ring. Strickland hits a jumping knee followed by a tilt-a-whirl back breaker and power slam. Strickland hits a brainbuster followed by the jumping back heel kick for the three count.
Match Number Eleven: Jay Lethal defeats Ren Narita
Lethal starts off the match by strutting and then they exchange shoulder tackles. Lethal tries to get Narita in the figure four leg lock but Narita kicks Lethal away. Narita tries for his own figure four leg lock and Lethal tells Narita that is his move. Lethal goes for Lethal Injection but Narita counters with a full nelson. Lethal misses a springboard drop kick and Narita with a rear naked choke. Lethal goes up top for an elbow drop but Narita is able to counter it into a crucifix. Narita works over the leg with a step over toe hold. Narita with a Boston Crab and a figure four leg lock to try to get Lethal to submit but Lethal gets to the ropes to force a break. Lethal hits the elbow drop from the turnbuckles and then applies the figure four leg lock but Narita gets to the ropes. Narita blocks a Lethal Injection and applies a rear naked choke followed by an abdominal stretch. Lethal hits Lethal Injection for the three count.
Match Number Twelve: Eddie Kingston and Fred Rosser defeat Fred Yehi and Daniel Garcia
Garcia and Kingston have to be held back before the match starts so the Freds start things off. Rosser with a swinging neck breaker. Kingston tags in and he goes after Garcia on the apron. Rosser with a slam and seated splash while Kingston and Garcia fight on the floor. Yehi hits Rosser from behind. Kingston goes after Garcia again and the referee sends Kingston back to the apron. Rosser blocks a double suplex and hits a double clothesline. Garcia chokes Kingston in the ropes. Garcia has Kingston in the turnbuckles and bites Kingston. Rosser hits a power slam on Yehi and then he goes after Garcia. Kingston hits an exploder on Garcia. Yehi hits a German suplex on Kingston and he goes after Rosser. Kingston hits a back fist on Yehi and then Rosser hits a double knee gutbuster for the three count.
Match Number Two: Jay White versus Chris Sabin
The match starts off with both men trying to get the advantage and White goes to the floor to rethink his strategy and get into Sabin’s head by teasing a return to the ring but he stays on the floor. Sabin with a suicide dive when White does not return to the ring. Sabin sends White back into the ring but White goes back to the floor. Sabin hits a cannonball off the apron. Sabin goes up top and White crotches him. White chops Sabin off the turnbuckles to the floor. Sabin gets a near fall after a missile drop kick and running heel kick. After exchanging DDTs, Sabin gets a near fall after a tornado DDT. White gets a near fall after a twisting suplex. Sabin goes for Cradle Shock but White escapes. White with Blade Runner for the three count.
After the match, White gets on the mic and he talk about how he has a bit of Bullet Club business to deal with. He says that Bullet Club is cutting the dead weight and he decides who stays and who goes.
Hikuleo comes out and White says he knows why Hikuleo is out here. White mentions that Hikuleo’s brother’s memberships in Bullet Club expired. White tells Hikuleo he is welcome to stay and that Hikuleo is the future of Bullet Club.
Hikuleo takes the mic and he says that he is the future of Bullet Club because Bullet Club is for Life. He says the future starts now.
White takes the mic back and says that Hikuleo has to take it easy because there are levels and Hikuleo is not at his level yet. White says that he will teach Hikuleo how to breathe the air up at the top. White says it is still his era.
Thoughts on Strong Style Evolved:
The show started promptly at 5:00 PM and ran for about four hours for the four episodes they taped.
I thought the best matches on the show were the Swerve Strickland/Blake Christian and Karl Fredericks/Josh Alexander match.
I thought the Ren Narita/Jay Lethal and Buddy Murphy/Yuya Uemura matches were also very good.
The tag match with Kingston and Rosser against Yehi and Garcia had a different feel than the other matches on the show. While there were other matches that had a lot of action outside the ring, this one had more emotion from the crowd and it felt more like a fight than the other matches. They used the issues between Kingston and Garcia from AEW to add to the issues between the teams in the match.
The biggest pop of the night was for Eddie Kingston.
The set up for the show was the same as their 2020 show in St. Petersburg. The only criticism that I would have about the set up is that there were two corners of the building that had light rigs and they were on during the matches and made it difficult to see the action in the ring. I would assume these lights are needed due to the design of the room.
The announcers for these shows were Ian Riccaboni and Matt Rehwoldt.
No date was announced for their return to the venue or area.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
