Final set as Brody King or Tom Lawlor will become the first STRONG Openweight Champion
Brody King and Tom Lawlor will face off in the New Japan Cup USA 2021 final next Friday night on NJPW STRONG, with the winner becoming the first ever STRONG Openweight Champion, after semifinal action this week saw Hikuleo and Lio Rush crash out in the face of stiff competition.
First to take his spot in the final was Tom Lawlor. After Hikuleo shot out the gates against Fred Rosser last week, Lawlor tried to use the Young Gun’s strategy against him, by shooting in at the opening bell. Hikuleo struggled to create distance and use his reach to his advantage, and even though the big man was able to block Lawlor’s Dragon Screw attempt, the Filthy One was able to evade Hikuleo’s charge in the corner and go down to the mat with a crossface.
Hikuleo was able to finally create offensive opportunities, landing a big time Tongan Drop that drove the wind out of Lawlor. A stinging chop and powerslam would follow, before the Young Gun took the professional shooter to the floor. Lawlor would taste the ringpost steel, but when he was able to get back into the ring, he was able to get the drop on Hikuleo’s knee, getting the Dragon Screw he wanted early in the match and following with a Figure 4.
Hikuleo would again bring the fight outside, and sent Lawlor hard into the ringpost again, but Lawlor would respond, hitting a chop block and then again locking in the Figure Four on the entrance ramp. lawlor was clearly trying to hobble the Young Gun enough to garner a countout victory as he got in and tried to wait out the referee’s count; Hikuleo beat the count of 20 but not the count of three, as the leg damage meant he could not escape from an inside cradle that put Lawlor into the final.
The second semifinal saw Lio Rush attempt to overcome the superheavyweight Brody King. Rush had a tall task in front of him, as he tried to wrestle with the biggest size difference in NJPW STRONG history; the Man of the Hour relied on his speed early, and after a low bridge sent King to the outside, a tope suicida would follow.
The suicide dive would be followed by a murderous chokeslam from Brody King that sent Rush crashing into the apron. A big boot would also connect for King, and as Brody opened up and used his power on Rush, Lio couldn’t find an answer. Big Bad Brody would look to finish off his opponent with a big bad powerbomb onto the apron, but the desperate Rush was able to work himself free and landed a big dive to the floor, before a splash to the back of King back inside would grant a nearfall.
As momentum built for Rush, the junior heavyweight attempted to finish the job with Rush Hour, but King would put a halt to his opponent. A massive German suplex, a lariat and a Gonso Bomb later and Brody king had made the finals in convincing form. King versus Lawlor will determine the STRONG Openweight Champion on April 23 at 10/9c on STRONG.
