New Japan sold out the San Jose Civic theater on Mercedes Moné (Sasha Banks)’s first match after WWE alone, then they added Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP World Title and revealed the loser of Eddie Kingston vs. Jay White now had to leave New Japan completely. They were additions for PPV buys more than crowd appreciation, but I just know the crowd appreciated them too.
1. KUSHIDA, Volador Jr., Kevin Knight & The DKC vs. Josh Alexander, Mascara Dorada, Rocky Romero & Adrian Quest
Fast-paced showcase for the young guys, the old guys… cool dives, wacky lineup, hot crowd, good start! DKC’s chops and Kevin Knight’s dropkicks stood out. ***1/2
2. STRONG Openweight Title: Fred Rosser [c] vs. KENTA
Fred Rosser was visibly cautious early as they exchanged holds, approaching KENTA like a dangerous legend before getting overwhelmed by some kicks but mostly chinlocks and cheating. He was visibly agitated when KENTA kicked him in the face, and he was visibly ready to kick somebody’s ass when he made the comeback. Some referee comedy and a Juice Robinson run-in halted the integrity a little, but Rosser’s commitment bell-to-bell demanded this was a real championship wrestling match. Better than KENTA/Tanahashi in Japan last week too. ***3/4
3. STRONG Openweight Tag Team Title: Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley [c] vs. Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson
The MCMG in middle-age aren’t delivering classics but they are delivering the kind of good tag with a good young team that can be a good part of a good show. The German suplex by Isaacs into a Cutter by Nelson is a very cool thing. ***1/4
4. Loser Leaves New Japan Match: Eddie Kingston vs. Jay White
Jay White was a New Japan top guy for a little while and their top guys wrestle longer matches than most, which is how I’m telling you I’ve spent time with him. Serious time. The Jay White matches I saw over the last few years weren’t 8-minutes of TV content split by commercial; they were half-hour personal commitments. After a few rough patches he did eventually develop a superstar personality, though despite a bunch of swings he never cracked the case on filling all the time without a bunch of boring bullshit (the technical term).
Jay lost a 25-minute Loser Leaves Japan last week to Hikuleo, a match that exceeded expectations in how well it was able to fill all 25. Here he was wrestling Eddie Kingston though, and there is no time for too sweet or even a headlock when you’re fighting for your job. They beat each other with the front of their foreheads and back of their hands, a backfist to Northern lights driver managing an especially great near fall before Jay was sent officially to AEW. New Bullet Club leader David Finlay attacked post-match and I have a question or two. ****
5. Filthy Rules Fight (No DQ & No Rope Break): Tom Lawlor vs. Homicide
Leglocks. Chairshots. Stabs with a fork, usually found in the kitchen. Death Valley Driver on a door, usually found in a house. Without rules or ropes, stuff happens. ***1/4
6. NJPW World TV Title: Zack Sabre Jr. [c] vs. Clark Connors
Right away Zack Sabre Jr. went for Clark’s arm, his leg — his feet. Later on he countered a spear into a submission hold on all three. Clark kept up and they delivered an all-action match that kept mostly to the mat. ***3/4
7. IWGP Women’s Title: KAIRI [c] vs. Mercedes Moné
Mercedes Moné returned to the ring much like KAIRI did last year for Stardom, wrestling on pay-per-view under a new(er) name following some time away from the ring post-WWE. The crowd’s buzz for the next chapter of Sasha freaking Banks filled the atmosphere with a significance, and they were rewarded with a great wrestling match as well as one of the most compelling pieces of evidence debunking the “ring rust theory.”
For nearly 30-minutes KAIRI and Mercedes alternated between something vicious like an elbow or choke then something beautiful like an armdrag or the Meteora before gliding towards an dramatic finish where they fought for cradles and all their big moves (Bayley’s too). There was a referee bump that was as unnecessary as most of them and a powerbomb through a table near the entrance ramp that could’ve been weaved in a little better; otherwise they (easily) stole the show and made a 1-month old championship feel like the biggest prize in the game. ****1/2
8. IWGP World Heavyweight Title: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
This again? These two legends. This old classic. What else do you want me to say? The newer, ornery Okada of 2023 has been tremendous, but they went back to the old playbook here and had a match that was really good, not quite great, and didn’t make the case for bouncing KAIRI and Mercedes from their main event spot. ***3/4
Happy Thoughts: New Japan USA still doesn’t feel fully realized or connected to New Japan (even with the titles and stipulations), plus the production still feels second-rate… but this show had all sorts of stuff: returns, departures, luchadores, actual doors. Most of the matches were good too, and if they weren’t they were probably close to great. Plus I mean you’ve just got to see this Mercedes Moné… 4.0 / 5.0
