Double champ records third defence of STRONG belt

Before a scheduled double ROH World Championship and NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship match against Katsuyori Shibata October 1 at AEW’s Wrestle Dream event, one half of that equation was under threat when Kingston put the STRONG gold on the line against Rocky Romero. 

Rocky would punch above his weight with an attempted tackle in the opening moments, but the King of Sneaky Style was able to take the champion to the floor with a tijeras; there Romero went for a hat trick of topes suicida, but the third dive was caught and turned into a vertical suplex on the floor.

The challenger would fire back in the ring with a tornado DDT, and a Cobra Twist. Romero followed back with kicks, but the strikes would anger Kingston who replied with brutal chops. Switching gears, Romero hit Sliced Rocky for two, but an uranage and short arm lariat crunched the challenger.

Romero would find a dropkick in the ropes and went for Sliced Rocky again, landing the move off the corner for two.  Rocky had designs on Forever Clotheslines, but would be cut off with a perfectly timed backfist; Kingston followed up with a Kawada-esque Stretch Plum and the tap out came soon after.

Eddie Kingston’s next defence of the STRONG Openweight Championship comes together with the ROH World title Sunday October 1 in Seattle at AEW’s WrestleDream card.