Wild fights early in the San Jose card
Before fans in the San Jose Civic experienced the business end of a loaded Battle in the Valley card, battles were no less competitive in the kickoff, as well as in a gripping eight man opener.
Starting the main card, eight man action saw Josh Alexander, Rocky Romero, Adrian Quest and Mascara Dorada taking on Volador Jr., KUSHIDA, Kevin Knight and The DKC. Alexander and KUSHIDA would start the match, and both would work for ankle locks, neither getting an advantage before tags at both ends to Kevin Knight and Adrian Quest.
Romero meanwhile would be rather more reluctant to tangle with Volador Jr., instead bringing Dorada in for some spectacular exchanges. Rocky would continue to avoid Volador, but was able to redirect KUSHIDA into the wrong corner, the Timesplitter controlled until being able to roll through and tag the newly attired DKC. With a pair of hammerlock takedowns to Dorada and Quest, DKC was able to setup an impressive tope suicida. A refreshed KUSHIDA came in to hoist Quest up for the rocket boot dropkick from Knight, and the match began to break down.
Volador landed a tope con giro to Romero, and Dorada joined the pile with a quebrada, leaving Alexander and KUSHIDA inside. KUSHIDA had Alexander trapped in the Hoverboard Lock, but it was Knight and Quest legal, and a pendulum DDT led to the win.
Headlining the kickoff before the main card got underway was David Finlay looking to build momentum ahead of his New Japan Cup entry against Bobby Fish. Finlay did well to hold his ground with Fish on the mat, but the Team Filthy member would take advantage on the floor as he worked over Finlay’s leg and sent him into the guardrail. Fish would maintain the advantage until a Blue Thunder Bomb saw the Rebel catch a break.
Finlay wanted Trash Panda, but was countered by Fish with an exploder into the corner. Fish tried for a rear naked choke, but would be countered with Trash Panda on the second time of asking for the victory.
The first match to hit the ring in San Jose saw Alex Coughlin and JR Kratos one on one for the first time in over a year. After a powerful open saw Coughlin toss Kratos clear across the ring, Kratos took control. The Android would battle back with rights and a lariat before an explosive left swing took Kratos down, and an incredible gut wrench had the crowd on their feet. As the match passed the ten minute mark, Kratos looked for a superplex, only for Coughlin to escape and land a deadlift German for an incredible win.
