Thrilling bouts close out Strong Style Evolved series
The main event of NJPW STRONG this week saw the conclusion of the Strong Style Evolved series, as Jay Lethal faced Ren Narita. The young Narita had clearly done his homework when preparing for Lethal, denying the AEW and ROH star Figure Fours in the early going, and countering Hail To The King with a crucifix pin that nearly upset the veteran.
Lethal would slow the younger wrestler with powerful slams targeting the back, but Narita would keep fighting, getting a half hatch for two and locking Narita Special #3. Giving Lethal a taste of his own medicine, the Figure Four scored had Lethal in pain, and Narita, bloodied after a blow to the nose, would pepper strikes and chops before being rocked with the Lethal Combination.
Despite Narita’s best efforts to stay on the mat, Lethal muscled the young man into a big suplex, and then hit the Hail To The King. The former ROH World Champion would then get the Figure Four, but Narita would refuse to lose, and would counter the Lethal Injection with a sleeper and then the Cobra Twist. When Lethal refused to submit, narita looked for an O’Connor Roll, but a roll up reversal would lead to the Lethal Injection for the win.
TJP would face Mascara Dorada in a spectacular junior heavyweight clash. Expert mat work from both men picked up steam before Dorada was first to hit big with a quebrada out to the floor. As the masked man continued to strike in combination though, high impact offense would backfire. TJP would dropkick Dorada out of midair, and created an opening in the back of the luchador, one that was exploited with a Scorpion Deathlock and Muta Lock.
Dorada would find his way back in the match, going big with a hurricanrana delivered over the ropes to the floor. Following up with a rope walk elbow drop, the tecnico would counter a Pinoy Stretch attempt as well from TJP, but would be planted with a swinging DDT. Returning to the back and neck, TJP landed a back suplex before a Cobra Stretch Driver, but Dorada stayed in the hunt, and would find the Dorada Screwdriver out of nowhere to pick up the win. After the match though, TJP would get rip the mask from Dorada’s head, as this issue seemed set to continue.
STRONG started off with an LA Dojo derby as The DKC defeated Kevin Knight. Knight showed his athleticism and energy as ever, but it was submission work among the strikes from DKC that saw him to victory, with a modified double armbar getting the win.
