Switchblade’s US Open Challenge sees another success
The U-S-of-Jay Open Challenge was answered on STRONG this week by none other than SW3RVE, ‘The Realest’ making his NJPW debut to face Jay White. White would be pleased by the suprise debut, and even invited SW3RVE into BULLET CLUB, but after a quick and physical rejection, the fight was on.
SW3RVE gave the Switchblade all he could handle, attacking from all directions and forcing the Switchblade to take a breather on the floor. Eventually, the counterpunching offense from White would see him take control with a short DDT, but SW3RVE remained in the hunt, and after landing on his feet from a snap sleeper attempt, kept up the pressure with a cutter.
Following up on the outside, SW3RVE unleashed a diving stomp through Jay White to the floor, and closed in on the win with a brutal arm snap back inside. Desperate, White drew the referee and struck his opposition low, leading to a Bladerunner for his narrowest victory in the open challenge series yet, as he now has to refocus on Chris Sabin in Florida and Mike Bailey in Dallas.
Kevin Blackwood made his NJPW STRONG debut against an Ariya Daivari who was still wrestling with a crisis of identity, and conscience. While Blackwood brought his technical expertise, keeping Daivari grounded and landing an impressive suplex, it appeared that Daivari had the upper hand, and closed in with a hammerlock lariat.
Yet Blackwood still kicked out, and the increasingly frustrated Persian Lion went to grab a chair from ringside. Daiavri hesitated to use the weapon, allowing Blackwood to capitalise with an inside cradle for the win. Post match, Daivari snapped and put the boots to his opponent, before connecting with a Flying Carpet Ride.
Kevin Knight started the evening as he took on Hikuleo. Knight has shown constant improvement in recent months, and brought the fight to Hikuleo out of the gates with a shot gun dropkick and plancha, but a pop-up elbow saw Hikuleo take control. Knight found a way to score with his athletic offense, but it would be a chokeslam from the BULLET CLUB member that ended his night.
