New Beginning USA kicks off on STRONG
This week’s NJPW STRONG will see the New Beginning USA series get underway, with big time matches highlighted by Clark Connors and TJP’s years long issues coming to a head in Seattle.
Watch NJPW STRONG Saturdays at 8/7c on NJPW World!
Main event: Clark Connors vs TJP
Singles record: 2-1 TJP
Clark Connors and TJP will go head to head in the first main event of the New Beginning USA series. With TJP being a graduate of the original LA Dojo, and Connors a part of the modern Dojo’s first intake, it was natural that a mentor and student relationship would form between the two. After TJP defeated Connors in the 2019 Super J-Cup, he took the future Wild Rhino under his wing for a tour in Japan during the Super Junior Tag League that year. Then in the US, as NJPW STRONG emerged from the chaotic pandemic US scene, TJP would be a bigger brother to the LA Dojo set, helping the young stars flourish.
Yet frustration and jealousy mounted. When Connors denied TJP a place in last year’s New Japan Cup USA, TJP was furious, but held things together. When Will Ospreay came to the US at Resurgence, and decried the Dojo’s lack of killer instinct, a switch was flipped. Turning his back on the Dojo, he joined United Empire and embraced his status as the Public Enemy.
The enemy of the public is a well deserved label, but so is his status as an enemy of Clark Connors. As the furious Connors demanded answers, TJP instead inflicted injury on top of insult, attacking and torturing Connors’ knee while stealing a victory over his former friend in Philadelphia. Now the Wild Rhino is determined to get results in front of his home Seattle crowd, but with knee issues still lingering, does he have the base from which to gore his opponent?
2nd Match: Roppongi Rush (Rocky Romero & Lio Rush) vs West Coast Wrecking Crew (Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson)
Spectacular tag team action is on deck this week as Lio Rush and Rocky Romero tag against Team Filthy’s West Coast Wrecking Crew. ‘Roppongi Rush’ might be a new team, but it’s one with limitless potential and championship credentials to their name. Yet their opposition in West Coast Wrecking Crew is arguably qat the very top of the tag team mountain on NJPW STRONG. For now, Romero will have to adjust his focus from Black Tiger to different elements in Team Filthy, but can he put his anger to one side, and come up with the necessary chemistry with Rush to take out Nelson and Isaacs?
1st Match: Yuya Uemura vs Brody King
Kicking off the action on the New Beginning series in violent form, Yuya Uemura goes head to head with Big Bad Brody King. Uemura has been making waves on his US excursion, and has impressed crowds across the country in STRONG and further afield. Yet he may have bitten off more than anyone can possibly chew when it comes to Brody King. Will Uemura have a counter to the limitless violence Brody possesses? Find out Saturday night!
