US fans return at The Torch Saturday night
For the first time since February 2020, fans finally return to NJPW action Saturday August 14 for Resurgence. With a staced lineup to await a capacity crowd in LA, the stage is set for one of the biggest new japan cards ever in the US.
LIMITED SEATING REMAINING- TICKETS
Watch LIVE In English on FITE! (Live Japanese on NJPW World, English to follow)
Double Main Event II- IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Lance Archer vs Hiroshi Tanahashi
Singles record: 3-0 Tanahashi
A unique title match born out of unique circumstances sees the IWGP US Championship defended by AEW’s Lance Archer as he faces Hiroshi Tanahashi for the first time since G1 2019. When Archer captured the red and gold belt for the second time in his career, it was in the first NJPW title change in a non cerulean blue ring since 2013; the Murderhawk Monster defeating Jon Moxley for the title in a Texas Deathmatch on AEW Dynamite.
Wanting to bring the title back to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and just removed from a main event classic in the Tokyo Dome against Shingo Takagi that proved he can still compete on an elite level with the world watching, Hiroshi Tanahashi was quick to challenge. The Ace stated that he would face the winner of Archer’s first defence against Hikuleo, and attempt to add the US title to his ‘championship legacy’.
Speaking of legacy and history, the history between these two men is not kind to the current US champion. Three matches between Archer and Tanahashi in prior G1s have seen the Ace prevail, all in under 12 minutes. Archer has been in phenomenal form in the last two years, and almost defeated Tanahashi in their last meeting before a victory roll saw the Ace escape with the victory; can he leave with the title in LA?
Double Main Event I: NEVER Openweight Championship: Jay White vs David Finlay
Singles record: 10-2 White
Almost five years to the day since they first faced one another in ring as Young Lions, David Finlay and Jay White meet with the NEVER Openweight Championship at stake in the first match of our double main event.
Initially firm friends in their days training in the Noge Dojo, White nonetheless claimed consistent superiority in their black tight meetings, responding to an initial Finlay victory with a string of wins. Yet the dynamic between the two was changed forever when Young Lion Jay White returned from excursion as the devious and ruthless Switchblade.
No longer a friendly rivalry, White and Finlay was defined by arrogance and hate. A further two wins for White in 2018, and Jay would claim Finlay was nowheere near his level; until, more motivated than ever, the Celtic Prince had a Cinderella New Japan Cup story. With a shock upset putting him in the quarterfinals of the cup, Finlay cost Jay White his chance at the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, forcing White to instead refocus on his ‘grand slam’ of singles NJPW titles.
White would win the NEVER Openweight Championship against Hiroshi Tanahashi at Dontaku in May, and instantly nominated Finlay to challenge, vowing to ‘crush his dreams’. After a three month wait, the match is finally set, antagonism only building through the last month on IMPACT Wrestling in backstage attacka and in ring assaults.
Will Jay White prove his superiority once and for all over his challenger? Will Finlay secure his first singles championship in NJPW?
6th Match: Jon Moxley & X vs The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows)
A special tag match at Resurgence will see Tag Team Turbulence winners Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows face Jon Moxley and a mystery partner. The Tag Team Turbulence tournament on NJPW STRONG saw the Good Brothers back in an NJPW ring for the first time in five and a half years, and they didn’t miss a beat on the way to the trophies. After their win, Gallows and Anderson vowed that it would be only a matter of time before they come to Japan to take the IWGP Tag Team Championships, but there was much left undone with Jon Moxley.
Moxley has had a long standing issue with both brothers, and their ELITE allegiance as a whole. Promising that he ‘always settles scores’, Moxley announced that he would come to LA to take care of business, along with a ‘surprise’ partner he was set to ‘meet in LA for some beers’. Who could the Purveyor of Violence’s drinking partner be? And what manner of violence will they bring to the Good Brothers August 14?
5th Match: Tomohiro Ishii vs Moose
Singles record: 1-0 Ishii
An immensely physical war is set for Resurgence when Tomohiro Ishii goes head to head with IMPACT’s Moose. The two combatants have a history stretching back to Ishii picking up a victory over the young Moose in ROH back in 2016. As soon as word got out that Ishii would be able to make the trip Stateside, Moose was going to let no promotional borders get between him and a chance to even that scoreline.
Moose may have a size advantage over the Stone Pitbull, but from singles wars to eight successful defences and counting of the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Championships, Ishii’s fight and pride is enough to overcome any opponent. Who gets their hand raised at the Torch?
4th Match: Juice Robinson vs Hikuleo
The card for Resurgence got a surprise late addition this week on NJPW STRONG, as Hikuleo and Juice Robinson was added to the lineup. Hikuleo has been active on AEW Dark, and Dynamite in recent weeks, where he challenged Lance Archer for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship, but still walked into competition with Fred Yehi this week without a match at The Torch. Taking to the mic after his victory, BULLET CLUB’s Young Gun demanded competition, and Juice returned to Friday nights to respond to the challenge.
Despite returning to IMPACT in recent weeks, Juice hasn’t stepped inside an NJPW ring since the New Japan Cup. Will Saturday see Robinson’s Resurgence, or will Hikuleo continue his ascent?
3rd Match: Lio Rush, Brody King, Chris Dickinson, Fred Yehi & Yuya Uemura vs Team Filthy (Tom Lawlor, JR Kratos, Danny Limelight, Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson)
For the first time since the West Coast Wrecking Crew joined their number on NJPW STRONG this last week, the full five man Team Filthy compete in a massive tag team match against an impressive brace of opponents.
Lio Rush has challenged Tom Lawlor for the STRONG Openweight Championship, but is now looking to solidify his case before a title match is made official. When it comes to leaving a mark on Team Filthy, Brody King and Chris Dickinson know how to do just that, with a lot of previous with Lawlor, as well as Danny Limelight and JR Kratos. Savageweight Fred Yehi has done nothing but impress since his first day on STRONG, and will be the perfect counter to Tem Filthy’s submission wrestling and power strikes, and then there’s the addition of Yuya Uemura.
After an emotional sendoff match saw him bring the fight to none other than Kazuchika Okada, Uemura now begins his excursion. There are no more Young Lion excuses, and the journey truly starts for the young man here. What new attitude will we see out of Uemura in LA?
2nd Match: Rocky Romero, Fred Rosser & Wheeler Yuta vs Ren Narita, Clark Connors & TJP
Six man competition will show more of STRONG’s best at Resurgence. Clark Connors, TJP and Ren Narita represent three different interactions with the LA Dojo. TJP was an original Dojo member, Connors a modern graduate and Narita present on an ongoing excursion. Romero shares TJP’s past in the original LA Inoki ran Dojo, but has recently paired extremely impressively with Rosser, who took a vastly different path to stardom. With skilled independent Wheeler Yuta in the mix, a diverse range of backgrounds will make this a dynamic tag battle.
1st match: Alex Coughlin’s Challenge Match Series: Alex Coughlin vs Karl Fredericks
Singles record: 3-0-1 Fredericks
Alex Coughlin will continue his challenge match series at the Torch in LA. Coughlin has already battled Josh Alexander and PJ Black as he continues to try and prove himself against the world’s toughest, but tonight he tries to tackle a peer in Fredericks he hasn’t beaten yet.
After Fredericks faced Clark Connors at the LA Dojo Showcase on STRONG, Connors was motivated to ditch his black trunks and step out as his own man. Could this match be a similar epiphany for the last remaining member of Katsuyori Shibata’s original class?
