NJPW Resurgence 2023

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On May 21, New Japan Pro-Wrestling presented NJPW Resurgence from Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California.

The results are as follows:

Kickoff Match: Bateman vs. The DKC
Bateman and DKC lock up and feel each other out. DKC gains the advantage, and Bateman heads to the outside to regroup. Back in the ring, Bateman overpowers DKC. and takes control. Batemate slams DKC and keeps him grounded. DKC rallies with some strikes and charges into Bateman with a cannonball. Bateman gains the upper hand again, but DKC gets a two count with a crucifix driver. DKC gets the win with a crucifix pin.
Winner: The DKC

Kickoff Match: Alex Coughlin vs. Christopher Daniels
Coughlin and Daniels battle for positioning early on. Coughlin overpowers Daniels, but the veteran takes control. He drops Coughlin with a clothesline. Daniels keeps Coughlin grounded and controls the action. Daniels hits a Flatliner and transitions into the Koji Clutch, but Coughlin reaches the ropes. Coughlin powers his way out of the Angel’s Wings and drills Daniels with some stiff shots. Coughlin showcases his power with a gutwrench suplex and dead-lifts Daniels for another one. He suplexes Daniels again, and both men are down. Daniels hits Angel’s Wings, but Coughlin kicks out at one. Coughlin gets the win with the Jackhammer.
Winner: Alex Coughlin

Fred Rosser comes to the ring and hypes up NJPW Academy.

TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr. & Bad Dude Tito) vs. Virus & Barbaro Cavernario
Sabre Jr. and Virus start the bout and trade technical holds. They go back and forth, and Sabre Jr. gains the upper hand with a neck twist. Tito and Cavernario tag in and square off. Cavernario does some push-ups. Tito isn’t fazed by shoulder blocks from Cavernario. Tito trucks over Cavernario, who fires up with a flurry of offense. They keep battling it out, and Tito slams Cavernario. The TMDK duo isolates Virus and grounds him. Virtuus rallies and tags Cavernario. Sabre Jr. chokes Cavernario on the apron, but Virus takes him out. Cavernario and Virus double-team Tito.
Sabre Jr. and Cavernario are both down after a hammerlock suplex. Sabre Jr. traps Virus in a submission hold and goes for an ankle lock, but Virus escapes.
They trade blows. Virus drops Sabre Jr. with a clothesline. Tito and Sabre Jr. tag in and exchange strikes. Tito gets a two count with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Cavernatio wrenches Tito’s neck in a submission, and Virus prevents Sabre Jr. from breaking it up until Tito taps out.
Winners: Virus & Barbaro Cavernario

A video package highlights the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship Tournament.

NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship Tournament: Mercedes Moné vs. Stephanie Vaquer
Moné and Vaquer feel each other out early on. Vaquer gains an early advantage. Moné fights back and traps her in a crossface, but she breaks the hold. Moné hits an acrobatic wristlock takeover. Vaquer locks Moné in a hanging arm-bar in the ropes. Vaquer gets a two count with a takedown and takes control. A dragon screw gives Vaquer more momentum. Moné hits a Meteora on the outside and gains the upper hand. Vaquer headbuts Moné and goes for a knee attack in the corner, but Mercedes moves. Moné goes for a crossbody, but Vaquer counters and locks in a crossface. Moné locks in a crossface of her own, but Vaquer reaches the ropes.
Vaquer counters the Moné-maker and drops Mercedes with a backbreaker for a two count. Vaquer drills Moné with a forearm. Moné rolls through a pin attempt and goes for the Mone-maker. Vaquer counters, but Moné hits the lung-blower. She follows it up with the Moné-maker for the win.
Winner: Mercedes Moné

NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship Tournament: Willow Nightingale vs. Momo Kohgo
Willow and Momo square off, and the match is a stalemate early on. Nightingale dumps Kohgo with a slam and hits a crossbody. Willow gets a two count with a sidewalk slam. Nightingale remains in control, and she hits a fallaway slam. Kohgo hits a crossbody and catches Willow with a headscissors takedown. She hits a 619 and a springboard dropkick. Momo hits a Fisherman suplex for a two count. Willow slams Momo again, and both women are down. Willow hits a cannonball in the corner. Momo counters a powerbomb into a hurricanrana. Momo plants Willow with a spinning DDT.
Kohgo gets a two count with a crucifix driver. Willow dumps Momo with a spinebuster. Nightingale hits a Death Valley Driver for a two count. Willow gets the win with a powerbomb.
Winner: Willow Nightingale

Street Fight: Juice Robinson vs. Fred Rosser
NJPW Academy students come out before Rosser’s entrance, and they stand at ringside as he makes his way to the ring. Rosser and Robinson take the fight to each other. Rosser goes below the belt with the claw. He clotheslines Robinson over the ropes. Rosser sends Robinson into the ringside barricade. Robinson crawls up the ramp, and Rosser stops him. Robinson counters a piledriver into a back body drop on the floor. “Rock Hard” hits a senton and slams Rosser throat-first into the barricade. Robinson chokes Rosser with a belt. He whips Rosser with the belt and continues to control the action.
Rosser dumps Robinson over the ropes as he chokes him with a belt. He empties a trash can on Robinson and hits him with it. Rosser hits Robinson with a chair. “Rock Hard” is busted open as Rosser hits him with a chair again. He hits Robinson with a stop sign. Rosser hits Robinson with a kendo stick. He launches Juice into a ladder and forcibly feeds him some cake from the trash can. Rosser hits Robinson with a steel chain while he’s trapped in a trash can. He blasts him with a chair multiple times. Rosser chokes Robinson with a chain while he’s hung upside down in the ropes. Toni Storm enters the ring and tries to hit Rosser below the belt. He reveals that he’s wearing a cup. Rosser grabs Toni and kisses her. He puts Storm in an airplane spin, but Robinson hits him below the belt. Storm hits Rosser with the Storm Zero, and Robinson gets a two count.
Rosser traps Robinson in a chokehold, and Storm tries to break it up. Rosser shoves Robinson into Storm and locks Juice in a crossface. Storm breaks a bottle on Rosser’s head. Robinson sends Rosser through a door. Storm hits a running hip attack with a stop sign. Juice drops Robinson with a DDT onto a chair for the win.
Winner: Juice Robinson
Toni Storm celebrates with Robinson after the match.

Kyle Fletcher, one-half of the IWGP Tag Team Champions, comes to the ring and notes that Aussie Open has been on a tear this year. He reveals that Mark Davis is injured, and he is unable to wrestle. As a result, Aussie Open will be unable to defend the IWGP Tag Team Championship at NJPW Dominion. Fletcher says they want to be fighting champions, and they wouldn’t feel right holding onto the titles if they couldn’t defend them. He announces that Aussie Open is relinquishing both the IWGP Tag Team Championship and the NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champions. He announces that both titles will be on the line at NJPW Dominion, where House of Torture will face Bishamon. Fletcher vows to come back “sooner than you think”, and they will get the titles back.

NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship: KENTA (c) vs. Hikuleo
Hikuleo blasts KENTA with a big boot and controls the action early on. The referee gets knocked down, and KENTA goes for a low blow, but Hikuleo has it scouted. Hikuleo sends KENTA to the outside. They brawl up the ramp, and KENTA gets knocked behind the curtain. Hikuleo follows him backstage. KENTA emerges by himself, and Hikuleoslowly makes his way out as well. It’s unclear what happened, but he can barely walk. They keep fighting at ringside. Hikuleo slams KENTA back-first into the barricade, and he grabs a table. They brawl into the crowd. KENTA sends Hikuleo over the railing and crashing through a table below.
KENTA makes his way back to the ring, about Hikuleo fails to answer the 20-count.
Winner and new NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion: KENTA

Eddie Kingston appears in a video message and issues a challenge to the NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion, whoever it may be. KENTA grabs a microphone and says he’s ready to fight anytime and any place.

A video package announces that NJPW STRONG is coming to Japan for a two-day event in July.

Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta & Shota Umino vs. CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Rocky Romero)
Ishii and Umino start the bout and battle for positioning. They trade blows, and Umino takes a cheap shot at Okada, who tags in. Umoino takes the fight to Okada, but the former world champion gains the upper hand. Okada grounds Umino, and Romero tags in. Yuta tags in and squares off with Romero. The former ROH Pure Champion grounds Romero. Romero fires up with a flurry of offense. Moxley tags in and takes control. The match breaks down as the two teams brawl. Moxley slams Romero onto the barricade, and Umino grounds the veteran. Moxley and Umino get a two count with a Hart Attack.
Ishii tags in and takes the fight to Moxley. The former AEW World Champion gets a two count with a cutter. Moxley wrenches Ishii in a headlock. Ishii fires up with a suplex and drops Moxley with a brainbuster. Okada tags in and takes control. Umino catches Okada with a DDT. Okada gains the upper hand and slams Umino. A diving elbow drop gives Okada more momentum. Moxley squares off with Okada. They trade blows, and neither man goes down.
They keep battling, and Okada sends Moxley to the outside with a dropkick. Umino hits a neckbreaker, but Ishii drills him with a lariat. Okada and his partners gang up on Umino. Yuta dumps Romero with a German suplex. They go back and forth. Moxley clotheslines Romero. Ishii and Moxley trade blows. Okada hits Moxley with the Rainmaker. Umino pints Romero with the Deathrider.
Winners: Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta & Shota Umino

In an interview, Mercedes Moné looks forward to the main event and vows to win the title.

IWGP United States Championship Tournament: Will Ospreay vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Ospreay and Tanahashi square off and feel each other out. They both play air guitar as the match is still in its early stages. Ospreay takes control with a diving crossbody to the outside. He grounds Tanahashi and maintains the advantage. Tanahashi rallies with a slam and dives onto Ospreay for a two count. Osprray drills Tanahashi with a forearm. Tanahashi counters the Hidden Blade and targets Ospreay’s legs. They trade blows, and both men are down. Ospreay hits a diving forearm to the back of the head. Tanahashi counters the Storm-Breaker. He floors Ospreay with the Slingblade.
Ospreay hits Tanahashi with a double stomp. Ospreay gets a two count with an Os-cutter. He hits the Hidden Blade and gets the win with the Storm Breaker.
Winner: Will Ospreay

After the match, Ospreay mocks Kenny Omega’s “bang” taunt.

Backstage, Willow Nightingale shares her thoughts ahead of the main event.

NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship Tournament Finals: Mercedes Moné vs. Willow Nightingale
Willow and Mercedes square off and feel each other out. They go back and forth, and Moné dodges a splash. Willow trucks over Moné with a pounce and takes control. Mercedes hits a chop block, but Willow maintains the advantage. Willow drops Mercedes with a cartwheel kick. Nightingale continues to overpower Moné and slams her to the mat. Willow locks in a Boston crab, but Mercedes reaches the ropes. Willow plants Mercdes with a superplex. Moné rallies, but Willow fires back and hits the Doctor Bomb for a near fall. Willow hits a second Doctor Bomb for the win.
Winner and new NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion: Willow Nightingale
After the match, Nightingale grabs a microphone and expresses her gratitude. She notes that she has fought her years to get to a stage like this. Nightingale says what’s next is not lost on her. She thanks everyone in the tournament and the fans. Nightingale says this is only the beginning.

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