An unexpected duo has joined the tournament for the STRONG Tag Team Championship Tournament.
On June 7, NJPW announced the tournament will begin at NJPW STRONG Ignition and revealed that the inaugural champions will be crowned at NJPW STRONG High Alert.
In a video uploaded to NJPW’s YouTube channel, Karl Fredericks asked Christopher Daniels to team up with him.
“I brought you here in front of this camera Chris because I wanted to ask you in front of the whole world, New Japan has announced the NEVER Openweight Tag Team Tournament. And you told me, you came and you saved me you told me a while back, that if I needed any help, if I ever needed a tag partner, you said that Chris, that you have my back,” said Fredericks. “You said ‘The Fallen Angel’ will be watching over ‘The Alpha Wolf;. I’ve been starving for opportunity on this show for a very long time. I need a partner. So what do you say?”
Daniels responded by saying that, after SCU split up, he never thought he’d have another long-term partner, but now he thinks NJPW STRONG could use a “surprise” in the form of this pairing. He then told Fredericks to give it his all every time they step into the ring together.
“Karl, I gotta be honest man. I mean you put me on the spot in front of the camera, you asked me to be your partner,” said Daniels. “I mean that’s a big commitment, man. After Frankie and I split up, I didn’t think I’d ever have another tag partner for the long term. But now that you mention it, all these other tag teams here, guys like the West Coast Wrecking Crew, all these other guys, Team Filthy, all these people, you know what, maybe what they need is a surprise like you and I tagging for the very first time.
Maybe what they need is a surprise tag team, a monkey in the wrench, made up of my experience and your drive. Maybe that’s what New Japan STRONG needs, is a tag team of Christopher Daniels and Karl Fredericks. So I’ll tell you what. You make me one promise. You promise me that every time we go out to that ring, when the bell rings, you give me not 100%, not 110%, you give me 200%. That same fire that you brought the night you and I wrestled.”
When Fredericks responded that his only speed is “go”, Daniels shook his hand and said, “Let’s win this whole damn thing.”
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