Tom Lawlor makes second defence of the STRONG Openweight title; Kojima names himself the next challenger 

The main event on this week’s NJPW STRONG saw the STRONG Openweight Championship defended for the second time in the main event, as champion ‘Filthy’ Tom Lawlor faced the challenge of Karl Fredericks. 

Lawlor was confident to the point of arrogance in the wake of Fredericks’ challenge, and that confidence showed in the early going, coming up with the arm after Fredericks’ initial takedown. Fredericks would quicken the pace however, and Lawlor would quickly bail to the floor, making his challenger wait as he took advice from JR Kratos. 

The strategy meeting paid off, as Lawlor met an incoming Fredericks with a knee that brought the wind out of the challenger’s sails. Fredericks again tried to bring the pace to the champion, but paid dearly as Lawlor elevated the Alpha Wolf over the top turnbuckle and all the way to the floor. Following Fredericks outside, Lawlor sent his challenger crashing over the guardrails on the floor, before getting back inside and waiting out a 20 count from the referee, but the count was stopped at 16. 

Lawlor found a cravate and delivered sharp knees; though Fredericks would block a PK attempt, a follow-up spinebuster would be blocked with a Lawlor front chancerie. The challenger was in severe trouble; a brief flurry came in the corner, but his Shibata-ist corner dropkick would too be stopped. An overhead kick though, and Fredericks finally had some much needed time and space. 

Fredericks hit a corner splash and the corner dropkick before converting a spinebuster into an STF. Lawlor would make the ropes and a few moments later the rope would come to the champion’s aid once again; Fredericks scored with the MD, but Filthy Tom just barely put his foot on the bottom strand before the referee’s hand hit the mat for the third time. 

Looking to push his advantage, Fredericks seemed to want another MD off the top rope, but would be met by the champion who instead connected with a DDT out of the corner. A vicious PK followed, and Lawlor had made his second defence. 

After the match, Lawlor and Kratos made a faux show of respect to Fredericks, only to put the boots to the challenger in a vicious assault. Satoshi Kojima would make the save however, and stated that he was going to challenge next; just where and when will that match take place?  

Also this week on STRONG, a wild brawl after tag team action between Clark Connors and Rocky Romero led to a hard fought singles contest. Connors was eager to show that he was no longer a Young Lion being taught by a veteran, and one upped Mr. Azucar along the way. Romero targeted the arm of Connors, but in the end fell to a powerful spear, powerslam and the Trophy Kill.

In the night’s opener, Fred Yehi and Wheeler Yuta returned to take on the DKC and Kevin Knight. This preview match between two teams enetered into July’s Tag Team Turbulence saw the LA Dojo duo aggressively challenging any misconceptions of them being rank outsiders in the single elimination tournament. The two connected well to have Yehi and Yuta in danger in spurts, but a Knight splash would meet the knees of Yuta and a cradle sealed the deal.