Fighting Spirit Unleashed (2018)

Last updated
Fighting Spirit Unleashed (2018)
NJPW - FSU.jpg
Official event logo
Promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling
DateSeptember 30, 2018
City Long Beach, California
Venue Walter Pyramid
Attendance3,007 [1]
Event chronology
← Previous
Destruction 		Next →
New Japan Road: Ganbaro! Uonuma;
King of Pro-Wrestling
Fighting Spirit Unleashed chronology
← Previous
First		Next →
2019

Fighting Spirit Unleashed was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on September 30, 2018, at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California. It was the fifth event produced by NJPW in the United States and the first under the Fighting Spirit Unleashed branch.

Contents

Wrestlers from U.S. promotion Ring of Honor (ROH) - with which NJPW has a partnership - also appeared on the card.

Production

Background

On July 6, 2018, NJPW announced their return to the United States to host two events in the state of California: Fighting Spirit Unleashed, in Long Beach, on September 30 and Lion's Break: Project 1, in Anaheim, on November 10 and 11. [2]

The event will be broadcast in the United States on AXS TV, airing October 5, 2018 on delay. [3] As the usual AXS TV commentator Josh Barnett will be unable to attend the event, commentary will be provided by Jim Ross and his replacement Kevin Kelly. [4] Worldwide, the event will be streamed live on NJPW's streaming service, NJPW World.

On August 28, 2018, New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced several wrestlers for the event with soon-to-be-announced matches at Fighting Spirit Unleashed. [5]

Storylines

Fighting Spirit Unleashed will feature eight to ten professional wrestling matches that will involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches. [6]

On the final day of the G1 Climax, Cody pinned the IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Juice Robinson and got the victory in a tag team match featuring he and Hangman Page versus Robinson and David Finlay. Afterwards he proceeded to challenge Robinson for his title, setting up the match for this event.

At the G1 Special in San Francisco, Kenny Omega defeated Cody in a singles match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. It seemingly ended the civil war within their stable, Bullet Club, that had originated on the second day of The New Beginning in Sapporo. After the Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson) stepped into the ring to congratulate Omega, the Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) and their father King Haku appeared on the stage and turned on various other Bullet Club members, including Hangman Page, Marty Scurll, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens and Cody, forming a new Bullet Club subgroup in the process: Bullet Club OG. On the final day of the G1 Climax, the Bullet Club OG (Tonga, Loa and Taiji Ishimori) defeated the Bullet Club Elite (Nick Jackson, Matt Jackson and Marty Scurll) to win the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship. The Young Bucks will now defend the IWGP Tag Team Championship against the Guerrillas of Destiny.

At the G1 Special in San Francisco, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi injured his neck in a title defense against Dragon Lee. He was forced to relinquish the title, with a four-man tournament being announced to crown a new champion. Will Ospreay will face Marty Scurll in the second semifinal, with the winner advancing to the final to be held at King of Pro-Wrestling to face the winner of the first semifinal, Kushida or Bushi). [7] With Kushida defeating Bushi at Destruction in Kobe, Marty Scurll will face Kushida in the finals. [8]

Results

No.ResultsStipulationsTimes
1D Clark Connors defeated Alex Coughlin by referee stoppage Singles match [9] 7:33
2 Taguchi Japan (Jushin Thunder Liger, Ryusuke Taguchi and A. C. H.) defeated Roppongi 3K (Rocky Romero, Sho and Yoh) Six-man tag team match [9] 8:55
3 The Addiction (Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian) defeated Bullet Club Elite (Hangman Page and Chase Owens) Tag team match [9] 8:14
4 Jeff Cobb, Chris Sabin and Flip Gordon defeated Chaos (Hirooki Goto, Beretta and Chuckie T.)Six-man tag team match [9] 12:04
5 Suzuki-gun (Zack Sabre Jr., Lance Archer and Davey Boy Smith Jr.) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japón (Tetsuya Naito, Sanada and Evil)Six-man tag team match [9] 9:27
6 Jay White and Gedo defeated Taguchi Japan (Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kushida)Tag team match [9] 8:52
7 Marty Scurll defeated Will Ospreay IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship tournament semifinal match [9] 16:08
8 Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) (with Haku) defeated The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) (c)Tag team match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship [9] 19:21
9 Cody (with Brandi Rhodes) defeated Juice Robinson (c)Singles match for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship [9] 16:45
10 Golden☆Lovers (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi) defeated Chaos (Kazuchika Okada and Tomohiro Ishii)Tag team match [9] 23:06
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match
D – this was a dark match

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Finlay (wrestler)</span> American professional wrestler

David Stephen Finlay III is a German-born Irish-American professional wrestler who performs under the ring name David Finlay. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the current IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion in his second reign, and is the seventh and current leader of Bullet Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marty Scurll</span> English professional wrestler

Martin Scurll is an English professional wrestler. He is known for his work in Ring of Honor (ROH) as the leader of the stable Villain Enterprises, where he was a one-time ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship and a one-time ROH World Television Champion, as well as being a former member of the Bullet Club stable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kota Ibushi</span> Japanese professional wrestler

Kota Ibushi is a Japanese professional wrestler and martial artist who is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is best known for his tenure with New Japan-Pro Wrestling (NJPW).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kushida (wrestler)</span> Japanese professional wrestler

Yujiro Kushida is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, better known by his mononymous ring name Kushida. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tama Tonga</span> Tongan-American professional wrestler (born 1982)

Alipate Aloisio Leone, better known by his ring name Tama Tonga, is a Tongan professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand as a member of The Bloodline. He is the nephew and adopted son of professional wrestler Haku.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bullet Club</span> Professional wrestling stable

Bullet Club, stylized as BULLET CLUB and sometimes shortened to BC, is a professional wrestling stable primarily appearing in the Japanese promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In the United States, the group currently appears on events run by the company's U.S. subsidiary, New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America, as well as U.S. partner promotions Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The group additionally appears on events promoted by Tamashii, NJPW's Australasian affiliate, as well as on events of other Australasian independent promotions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Ospreay</span> English professional wrestler (born 1993)

William Peter Charles Ospreay is an English professional wrestler who is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his eight year tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he held various championships, including the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. He is the leader of the United Empire and a member of the Don Callis Family stable. Ospreay is regarded by fans, peers, and industry journalists as one of the best in-ring performers of all-time.

<i>Los Ingobernables de Japon</i> Professional wrestling stable

Los Ingobernables de Japón, also shortened to L.I.J. or Los Ingos, is a Japanese professional wrestling stable, based in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion and led by Tetsuya Naito. An offshoot of the Mexican stable Los Ingobernables from the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) promotion, the group was formed in November 2015 by Naito, Bushi and Evil, but came to also include Sanada, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, Titán and Yota Tsuji. Through NJPW's working relationship with other companies, they have also appeared in CMLL and in the American Ring of Honor (ROH) promotion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destruction (2016)</span> 2016 New Japan Pro-Wrestling event series

Destruction (2016) was a series of three professional wrestling events promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in 2016; Destruction in Tokyo on September 17, Destruction in Hiroshima on September 22, and Destruction in Kobe on September 25.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Power Struggle (2017)</span> 2017 New Japan Pro-Wrestling event

Power Struggle (2017) was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on November 5, 2017, in Osaka, Osaka, at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. It was the seventh event under the Power Struggle name. The event featured ten matches, headlined by Hiroshi Tanahashi defending the IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Kota Ibushi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrestle Kingdom 12</span> 2018 New Japan Pro-Wrestling event

Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on January 4, 2018, at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. It was the 27th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roppongi 3K</span> Professional wrestling tag team

Roppongi 3K was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Japanese wrestlers Sho and Yoh, active from 2013 to 2021 in the junior heavyweight tag team division of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). They were managed by Rocky Romero from late 2017 until their split.

Strong Style Evolved was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The show took place on March 25, 2018, in Long Beach, California, United States at the Walter Pyramid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall (2018)</span> 2018 New Japan Pro-Wrestling event

Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on June 9, 2018, at the Osaka-jō Hall, in Osaka. It is the tenth event under the Dominion name and the fourth in a row to take place at the Osaka-jō Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G1 Special in San Francisco</span> 2018 New Japan Pro-Wrestling event

G1 Special in San Francisco was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on July 7, 2018, at the Cow Palace in the San Francisco suburb of Daly City, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrestle Kingdom 13</span> 2019 New Japan Pro-Wrestling event

Wrestle Kingdom 13 in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling event produced by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on January 4, 2019 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. It was the twenty-eighth January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the thirteenth promoted under the Wrestle Kingdom name. The event was streamed live on NJPW World and FITE TV and was aired on tape delay on AXS TV.

Destruction (2018) was a series of professional wrestling events promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in 2018: Destruction in Hiroshima on September 15, Destruction in Beppu on September 17 and Destruction in Kobe on September 23. These were events eighteen to twenty in the Destruction chronology.

King of Pro-Wrestling was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling. The event took place on October 8, 2018 at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. This was the seventh event under the King of Pro-Wrestling branding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrestle Kingdom 14</span> 2020 New Japan Pro-Wrestling event

Wrestle Kingdom 14 in Tokyo Dome was a two-night professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on January 4 and 5, 2020, at the Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Japan. It was the 29th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the 14th promoted under the Wrestle Kingdom name; it was also the first time the event was held over two days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FinJuice</span> Professional wrestling tag team

FinJuice was an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of David Finlay and Juice Robinson. The team name consists of Finlay's surname and Robinson’s first name Juice. Trained in the dojo of the New Japan Pro-Wrestling promotion, the two came together as a team, in August 2017. In December 2019, the duo won the 2019 World Tag League, followed by the IWGP Tag Team Championship in January 2020 at Wrestle Kingdom 14. FinJuice have also worked for Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling, where they are former Impact World Tag Team Champions. As of 2023, both Finlay and Robinson are currently members of Bullet Club branches in different promotions, with David Finlay being currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as the leader of Bullet Club War Dogs and Juice Robinson to All Elite Wrestling as a member of Bullet Club Gold.

References

  1. ↑ "Fighting Spirit Unleashed" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Two New Events in USA Announced!". NJPW1972.com. New Japan Pro-Wrestling. July 6, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  3. ↑ Lealos, Shawn (September 7, 2018). "New Japan Pro Wrestling's American event Fighting Spirit Unleashed coming to AXS TV Oct. 5". AXS.com . Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  4. ↑ "AXS TV PREMIERES NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING'S NEXT U.S. EVENT 'FIGHTING SPIRIT UNLEASHED' ON FRIDAY, OCT. 5 AT 8pE/5pP". AXS.tv. AXS TV. August 24, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  5. ↑ "More Wrestlers Announced for Fighting Spirit Unleashed in Long Beach, CA!". njpw1972.com. August 28, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  6. ↑ Grabianowski, Ed (13 January 2006). "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks, Inc. Discovery Communications . Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  7. ↑ "The Junior IWGP throne is vacant. KUSHIDA, BUSHI, Ospreay, and Scurll have all entered the Junior Heavyweight championship tournament!", NJPW1972.com, 20 August 2018. Retrieved on 6 September 2018.
  8. ↑ Renner, Ethan (September 22, 2018). "NJPW DESTRUCTION IN KOBE LIVE RESULTS: OKADA VS. TANAHASHI". F4WOnline.com. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Fighting Spirit Unleashed". NJPW1972.com. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.