Rosser retains title, TJP up to challenge next

The main event on NJPW STRONG this week saw Fred Rosser look to make his second defence of the STRONG Openweight Championship as her faced the challenge of Fred Yehi in Charlotte. It was an intense and aggressive bout, as Rosser wasted no time striking at Yehi, who responded by targeting the arm of the champion. Yehi continued to pile on the pressure, cinching in a tight choke and guarding against Rosser’s strikes, until a clothesline knocked the challenger down. 

Rosser battled through the pain to hit repeated corner lariats. Yehi wanted to go back to the rear naked choke, but got popped with a rolling elbow. Yehi tried to bite his way out of a Crossface Chickenwing, but couldn’t resist Rosser’s version of the Emerald Flowsion that got three. 

Post match, Rosser threw out an open challengefor the STRONG gold, answered by TJP. Rosser recounted that it was the Public Enemy that got the ball rolling for him to come into NJPW and STRONG, but TJP retorted that he would be the one to end Rosser’s title reign. 

Eddie Kingston faced Jake Something this week on STRONG. Something looked to use a size and strength advantage to try and smother the brawling Kingston, with a big body slam cutting the Mad King’s strikes off, but an enzuigiri and lariat got Kingston back into the match. Something responded with a Falcon Arrow, and a big plancha to Kingston outside, but it was an Uraken from the AEW representative that got the victory. 

STRONG kicked off with local hero Lucky Ali facing John Skyler. Charlotte was firmly behind Ali, who outclassed Skyler in the opening portion of the match, but Skyler was able gain an advantage with a knee to the back that sent Ali to the floor. Following up, Skyler connected with a Tiger Driver, and as Ali tried to swing momentum his way on the apron, a big spear. Ultimately, Ali met a slingshot spear with a head kick and went for the Snowbunny Splash, but Skyler avoided disaster and hit a Finlay Roll off the top for the three.