Connors victorious in STRONG main event
The main event on NJPW STRONG this week saw Clark Connors and TJP’s feud come to a head in Seattle. As their singles match kicked off, TJP looked to work over the knee injury he had inflicted on the Wild Rhino in Philadelphia and exacerbated in Riverside, but Connors’ knee proved fine, with a stable base to fire off an Everest German suplex.
As TJP looked to bail to the floor, he was pounced all the way over the guardrail and the timekeeper’s table. In trouble, the Public Enemy went to his deep well of experience though, and targeted his opponent’s arm instead, a single arm DDT and shoulder breaker doing heavy damage. Connors would respond with a Pounce to break up a Facewash attempt, but a springboard single arm would have Clark reeling.
Yet the LA Dojo graduate refused to lose, and kicked out of TJP’s Mamba Splash at two, and the Detonation Kick at zero. Firing up, Connors landed a Mamba of his own before a powerbomb, powerslam and then the Trophy Kill for the biggest win of his career.
Rocky Romero continued his issues with Team Filthy on STRONG this week as he teamed with Lio Rush against West Coast Wrecking Crew. Royce Isaacs and Jorel Nelson were quick to deliver cheap shots to Romero, and took control as a result, an impressive suplex on Isaacs performed in stereo with a Gordbuster delivered to Rush on the floor. Romero would be isolated in the wrong corner until a swinging DDT brought Rush inside.
The Man of the Hour fought with customary quickness and though Nelson would bury double knees into the corner, it wasn’t enough to prevent a tag to a recovered Romero, and ‘Roppongi Rush’ landed a series of Forever Clotheslines. The Wrecking Crew would find some impactful double teams, but with Rush’s support, Romero found the Diablo Armbar for the submission win.
Post match, a beatdown from West Coast Wrecking Crew saw Romero thrashed with Black Tiger’s own kendo stick, a message delivered before the two athletes meet in Hollywood on February 17.
The night’s action started with Yuya Uemura facing the imposing Brody King. Uemura didn’t back down from King at the bell, and tried to use his quickness, but would be flattened with a tackle and senton. Uemura would battle back, landing a dropkick and back suplex, before securing a cross armbreaker, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a lariat and then the Gonzo Bomb for the King victory.
