Mox & Kingston tall after elimination main
October 27 saw the Night Before Rumble on 44th Street in New York’s Palladium Times Square a mystery card saw a raft of surprises, none more impactful than in the main event, as BULLET CLUB’s Jay White, Juice Robinson and El Phantasmo joined forces with Tom lawlor, Royce Isaacs and Jorel Nelson of Team Filthy- only to be stunned by the appearance of Jon Moxley and the Amazing Red alongside YOH, Homicide, Kazuchika Okada and Eddie Kingston.
After NYC got a taste of the January 4 Tokyo Dome main event, Okada tagged out to Homicide, who rejected the West Coast Wrecking Crew (in full ‘Sister Act’ garb)’s attempts to ‘exorcise’ Homicide, before an all out pitched war took place in the ring. When referee Jeremy Marcus finally got one in five out from each side, it would be El Phantasmo with a disrespectful display to Amazing Red; after ELP was worked over for his trouble, he was able to create distance, and the chance to bring YOH into the BULLET CLUB corner.
YOH was able to fire back up in the face of the opposition with a parade of body slams, but would be pitched over the top rope to give BULLET CLUB the 6v 5 advantage. With a series of quick fire eliminations, Jorel Nelson, Amazing Red and Royce Isaacs would all suffer elimination, before Homicide was legal with Lawlor; thanks to an assist from Nelson on the floor, Homicide would be pitched over the top rope and Eddie Kingston would be in the wrong part of town thanks to a Jay White chop block.
Kingston was worked over until Moxley could stand no more and raked the back of ELP; Kingston made use of the distance to tag in Mox who pitched Phantasmo out and brought the match to three on three. As the match broke down again, a piledriver from Moxley almost ended Lawlor’s night, before Death Rider did officially. Now in a two vs three handicap, Jay White and Juice Robinson fought to keep Moxley from Okada and Kingston. A double DDT brought Okada inside with a Rainmaker to Robinson, but it was White legal, and a toss over the top rope ended the G1 winner’s evening.
Moxley quickly capitalized on the Rainmaker to get a pinfall on Juice; for a time, it was a wild collision of the AEW and IWGP World Champions, but as White was focussed on Mox, he had forgotten the presence of Eddie Kingston. With an Uraken assist, Moxley and Kingston pitched White out and picked up the win.
Shingo Takagi would have a hard hitting heavyweight clash with Jake Something in the semi main event. The two big men collided center ring before Takagi gained the upper hand, burying an elbow to Something, but a hard slam and sleeper wore down Shingo, who was nearly beaten with an impressive Falcon Arrow.
Takagi found the Ryu-Kon lariat, but with the damage done early in the match, couldn’t hoist Something up for Last of the Dragon, instead using his foe’s momentum against him for a pop up DVD. Made In Japan would connect for two, but Something would battle back with a DVD of his own; after a collision of lariats, Something would get a near fall with a massive swinging clothesline but a powerbomb was denied by a Pumping Bomber. A second soon followed for three.
Home town star ‘Hot Sauce’ Tracy Williams made his return from injury at Night Before, but had a terrifying test in Minoru Suzuki. Williams took Suzuki to the mat effectively but drawing the King into a strike exchange proved to be an error. Williams was able to gamely escape a Fujiwara armbar, and negotiated a half crab on Suzuki, before getting in the face of the King with a powerful strike exchange; after dropping Suzuki into the corner with a DDT, Williams tried for his own Gotch Style Piledriver, but the original would end the night for Hot Sauce.
An incredile four way match saw Speedball Mike Bailey in four way action with Mascara Dorada, and local House of Glory stars Mighty Mante and Smiley. Bodies flew in all directions, with bailey having the upper hand thanks to a triangle quebrada to the floor- only to be met with a somersault stage dive from Smiley. In response, Bailey stacked both Mante for moonsault double knees, but the H.O.G representatives were determined to take center stage, and innovative offense of their own almost sealed the match for them. Ultimately though, it was the Ultimate Weapon that scored for bailey on Mante.
STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champions Aussie Open were stunned with the sudden appearance of Joel and Jose Maximo, the legendary S.A.T tag team. After early control from Mark Davis and Kyle Fletcher, Los Maximos were able to combine with the ‘spot monkeys’ that had accompanied them round ringside for an assisted double suicide dive. The classic Spanish Fly landed on Fletcher, but Davis made the save, and Corealis soon landed on Jose Maximo for the win.
Fred Rosser took on veteran and WCW alum Crowbar. Unprepared for his competition, Rosser was worked over by the powerful Crowbar, but Mr. No Days Off was able to land his apron suplex. As the fight spilled to the floor, Crowbar would use a chair to escape a potential slingshot outside, and kept up the pressure with a lariat off the apron and a Frankensteiner in ring for two. With trademark guts, Rosser brawled back into the match, and landed his Gutcheck before the Emerald Flowsion to claim victory.
Post match, Rosser reiterated his open challenge for Rumble on 44th Street, and was answered by Jonathan Gresham! The Octopus admitted his admiration for Rosser and his fight, but stated that he had his own fighting spirit. Gresham said that Rosser would have to ‘outwrestle and outclass the best wrestler in the world- but you won’t’
The opening bout of the night saw The DKC and Kevin Knight meet with the surprise reunion of the Forever Hooligans! Alex Kozlov teamed with Rocky Romero for the first time in the best part of a decade. Kozlov surprised Knight as he stayed on top of Knight before the LA Dojo side rallied back. The Hooligans were able to separate Knight for a time, but when there was a little rust in the double team works, a tag was made to DKC, and Knight rallied with a spectacular superplex. The Hooligans were able to hit the Contract Killer, but it was a quick rollup from Knight that secured victory.
