Chris Dickinson left conflicted after Ton Lawlor puts the Dirty Daddy’s loyalty to the test
The main event of NJPW STRONG on Friday April 2 saw Team Filthy victorious as Chris Dickinson and Tom Lawlor get set for competition in New Japan Cup USA, but actions after their victory over Brody King and the Riegel Twins had Dickinson second guessing his teammates.
ROH’s 19th Anniversary card last week ended with Dickinson aligning with first round opponent Brody King as King’s gun for hire, an action that Tom Lawlor took exception to in advance of the night’s main event. If there was a conflict of interests though, it didn’t affect Dickinson in the early going as he quickly snuffed the Riegel’s double team momentum with his own double dropkick. When Sterling Riegel was able to get the tag to Brody King, the Dirty Daddy would knot up King’s knee with kicks and brought in JR Kratos.
A pump kick from King would put Kratos on his back, but the Most feared easily side stepped a plancha from Sterling Riegel, leveling him with a tackle outside and granting full control of the match to Team Filthy. Lawlor would punish Sterling, tying him in knots as he tried to reach out to his brother or mentor to no avail.
With Sterling trapped in the wrong corner, Kratos continued the pressure with heavy blows to the neck and left arm, Dickinson keeping up the pressure before Riegel’s last burst of adrenaline led to a slam and a tag to King. Lawlor would try to guillotine the big man, but wound up getting squashed with a senton for two and a cannonball in the corner, but a double team was intercepted in mid air by a charging Kratos, who powerbombed Brody.
As the match broke down, Dickinson hit the ring against Sterling, but the already weakened twin would get quickly caught by a Dickinson elbow. The referee would call the match a knockout, but Lawlor wasn’t done. Wanting a test of Dickinson’s loyalty, Lawlor demanded that the Dirty Daddy break Sterling’s arm, something Dickinson refused to do. Instead it was Kratos stomping the extended limb of Sterling, with Logan and Brody rushing to his aid.
Team Filthy left the ring in celebratory mood, but is Dickinson now doubting his allegiances?
