New Japan Pro Wrestling presented Strong Style: Evolved on Sunday Night. Because it was not available to North American viewers that didn’t have AXS TV, here’s a spoiler-free match listing. The event will be available for VOD on NJPWWorld.com. Each match has a Need To Watch Rating of 0.0-10.0
FIRST MATCH: Roppogi 3K (Sho, Yoh & Rocky Romero) vs. SoCal Uncensored (Christopher Daniels, Kazarian & Scorpio Sky)
A rough start to the show. Both teams are very talented and Scorpio Sky makes a good impression in his New Japan debut, but there was something lacking to this match. After the match Josh Barnett drops an f-bomb on a live mic, so at least watch for that.
Need To Watch Rating: (1.0)
SECOND MATCH: David Finlay & Juice Robinson vs. CHAOS (Gedo & Hirooki Goto)
Robinson and Finlay continue to improve as a tag team. If they’re not in this year’s World Tag League, I’ll be shocked. Gedo and Goto have interesting chemistry, but it’s nothing like Yoshi-Hashi and Goto. Solid tag match.
Need To Watch Rating: (3.5)
THIRD MATCH: CHAOS (Chuckie T & Toru Yano) vs. Killer Elite Squad (Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr)
Fun tag match. Chuckie T and Toru Yano have excellent chemistry as a comedy duo. Killer Elite Squad continue to their water spewing, snot kicking ways.
Need To Watch Rating: (3.9)
FOURTH MATCH: Guerrillas Of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) vs. Bullet Club (Marty Scurll & Cody)
A match that means more in storyline than it does on the canvas. Both teams are solid but it feels like all four men could’ve been put to much better use on this card. Still the storyline repercussions are important.
Need To Watch Rating: (4.5)
FIFTH MATCH: Taguchi Japan (Ryusuke Taguchi, Hiroshi Tanahashi, KUSHIDA & Dragon Lee) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, SANADA, Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi)
The first great match of this show. Dragon Lee continues his bitter rivalry with Hiromu Takahashi. KUSHIDA continues his bitter rivalry with Hiromu Takahashi. Taguchi continues his bitter rivalry with Hiromu Takahashi. Naito and Tanahashi come to blows. SANADA is also there.
Need To Watch Rating: (8.0)
SIXTH MATCH: Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs. Will Ospreay
For a replacement match, this was stellar. Quite possibly one of Jushin Liger’s last great matches. Ospreay’s first great match with Liger, as their BOSJ matches have never reached this intensity. If you were disappointed that Mysterio was injured, this will make you better. Seek. Out. This. Match.
Need To Watch Rating: (10.0)
SEVENTH MATCH: CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii & Kazuchika Okada) vs. Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr.)
Okada and Sabre give a tantalizing preview of Sakura Genesis. Also Ishii makes a case for IC Title contention. Definitely a good tag match, though not as necessary as other matches on this card.
Need To Watch Rating: (7.5)
EIGTH MATCH: IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship Match: Champion Jay White vs. Hangman Page
Very simply, both men try to kill each other. This match is hard to watch at times but definitely surpasses all expectations. Page’s first great singles match in NJPW, by this author’s estimation.
Need To Watch Rating: (9.1)
MAIN EVENT: THE GOLDEN LOVERS (Kota Ibushi & Kenny Omega) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson)
More emotional than Omega’s work with Okada. More cerebral than anything The Bucks have done before. Simply put, Seek. Out. This. Match. This is Necessary Viewing for every fan of New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Need To Watch Rating: (10.15)
