Strong Style Evolved (2018)

Last updated
Strong Style Evolved
Promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling
DateMarch 25, 2018
City Long Beach, California, U.S.
Venue Walter Pyramid
Attendance4,372 [1]
Event chronology
← Previous
New Japan Cup 		Next →
Sakura Genesis
Strong Style Evolved chronology
← Previous
First		Next →
Strong Style Evolved UK

Strong Style Evolved [2] 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. [3] The event was broadcast on AXS TV in the United States [4] and on NJPW World internationally.

Contents

Production

Other on-screen personnel
Role:Name:
CommentatorsChris Charlton (English-language announcer)
Don Callis (English-language announcer)
Kevin Kelly (English-language announcer)
Ring announcers Makoto Abe
Referees Kenta Sato
Marty Asami
Red Shoes Unno
Tiger Hattori

Background

On November 5, 2017, NJPW announced the follow-up event to G1 Special in USA, the event, titled Strong Style Evolved, would take place on March 25, 2018, at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California. [3] Tickets for the event sold out within 20 minutes of being made available for purchase. [5]

To coincide with the event, NJPW held "Strong Style Saturday" on March 24 at the newly opened NJPW LA Dojo. [6] [7] The event included a fan festival featuring autograph sessions, a contract signing for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship title defense, and in-ring matches. [7]

Storylines

On January 28, 2018, at The New Beginning in Sapporo, "Switchblade" Jay White defeated Kenny Omega to become IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion. [8] Following the match, White was challenged by Omega's Bullet Club stablemate Hangman Page. A championship match between the two was announced for Strong Style Evolved on February 26. [9]

On February 10, 2018, at The New Beginning in Osaka, former WWE wrestler Rey Mysterio Jr. made his NJPW debut in a pre-taped video, challenging Jyushin Thunder Liger to a match at Strong Style Evolved. Liger, who was on commentary, accepted the challenge and the match was later announced for the event. [10] On March 3, Mysterio suffered a bicep injury at a Northeast Wrestling event, [11] leading to Mysterio being replaced by Will Ospreay at Strong Style Evolved.

In July 2008, Canadian wrestler Kenny Omega started his first Japanese tour with the DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT) promotion, where he quickly became friends with Kota Ibushi, [12] with the two forming a tag team named "Golden☆Lovers" in January 2009. [13] On October 3, 2014, Omega announced he was leaving DDT and signing with NJPW, where Ibushi was already a semi-regular. However, with Ibushi having recently moved to NJPW's heavyweight division, Omega stated that the Golden☆Lovers were done as a tag team due to him wanting to remain in the junior heavyweight division. [14] The Golden☆Lovers wrestled their final match together on October 26, 2014, when they defeated Danshoku Dino and Konosuke Takeshita in Omega's DDT farewell match. [15] On January 28, 2018 at The New Beginning in Sapporo, the Golden☆Lovers were reformed, with Ibushi saving Omega from an attack from Cody. [8] Omega and Ibushi teamed for the first time since 2014 at the Honor Rising: Japan 2018 events. At night two of Honor Rising: Japan, the Golden☆Lovers, after a victory over Cody and Marty Scurll, were interrupted by The Young Bucks who announced they were moving up to NJPW's heavyweight tag team division. [16] A match between Golden☆Lovers and The Young Bucks was announced for Strong Style Evolved on February 26. [9]

Results

No.ResultsStipulationsTimes [17]
1 Roppongi 3K (Rocky Romero, Sho and Yoh) defeated SoCal Uncensored (Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky) Six-man tag team match [18] 11:02
2 Taguchi Japan (Juice Robinson and David Finlay) defeated Chaos (Hirooki Goto and Gedo) Tag team match [18] 7:24
3 Killer Elite Squad (Lance Archer and Davey Boy Smith Jr.) defeated Chaos (Toru Yano and Chuckie T.)Tag team match [18] 10:48
4 Bullet Club (Cody and Marty Scurll) defeated Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa)Tag team match [18] 10:45
5 Los Ingobernables de Japón (Tetsuya Naito, Sanada, Bushi and Hiromu Takahashi) defeated Taguchi Japan (Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kushida and Ryusuke Taguchi) and Dragon Lee Eight-man tag team match [18] 12:13
6 Will Ospreay defeated Jyushin Thunder Liger Singles match [18] 10:35
7 Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr.) defeated Chaos (Kazuchika Okada and Tomohiro Ishii)Tag team match [18] 18:50
8 Jay White (c) defeated Hangman Page Singles match for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship [18] 25:00
9 Golden☆Lovers (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi) defeated The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson)Tag team match [18] 39:21
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match

Aftermath

At the show, NJPW announced there will be another G1 Special event taking place in the San Francisco area on July 7, 2018, at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California. [19] The following day on March 26, NJPW announced the follow up to Strong Style Evolved, Strong Style Evolved UK, occurring on June 30 and July 1. [20] [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiroshi Tanahashi</span> Japanese professional wrestler

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler and sports executive. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he serves as the president and representative director of the promotion and is the current NJPW World Television Champion in his first reign.

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

Keiji Takayama is a Japanese professional wrestler and manager, currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) under the ring name Gedo. Gedo has been the main booker of NJPW since the early 2010s. As a wrestler, Gedo is best known for his tag team work with partner Jado, forming a very successful tag team from 1990 through the mid-2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Best of the Super Juniors</span> Professional wrestling tournament

The Best of the Super Juniors is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), typically in May or June. Originally known as Top of the Super Juniors, the first tournament was held in 1988 with annual tournaments taking place since 1991. The wrestlers in the tournament are typically junior heavyweight wrestlers from promotions all over the world. NJPW has held 29 Super Juniors tournaments. Hiromu Takahashi holds the record for most tournament wins with four, while Jushin Thunder Liger and Koji Kanemoto have won three each. Takahashi is also the only wrestler to have won three consecutive tournaments. Kanemoto holds the record for the most final appearances, having wrestled eight finals between 1997 and 2009. Liger has participated in the most tournaments, competing in all tournaments except 1995 and 2000 until his 26th and final Super Junior tournament in 2017.

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

Shoji Akiyoshi is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Jado (邪道). He is best known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as part of a tag team with his partner Gedo. Jado and Gedo's careers have largely paralleled each other, except for a brief period Jado spent in Universal Lucha Libre in 1993, a stint in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) in 1997 where they were on opposing sides, and Jado not having emulated Gedo's tour of North America with World Championship Wrestling. The World Class Tag team has held numerous championships in wrestling, including NJPW's IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, the Universal Wrestling Association's UWA/UWF Intercontinental Tag Team Title, and Dragon Gate's International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, as well as having won NJPW's Super J Tag League once. Jado and Gedo are co-head bookers of NJPW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryusuke Taguchi</span> Japanese professional wrestler

Ryusuke Taguchi is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a former two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, seven-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and three-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion. He was also the winner of the 2012 Best of the Super Juniors.

<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">Kenny Omega</span> Canadian-born professional wrestler

Tyson Smith, better known by the ring name Kenny Omega, is a Canadian-born professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is also an executive vice president. He is currently out of action indefinitely due to diverticulitis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetsuya Naito</span> Japanese professional wrestler

Tetsuya Naito is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion in his first reign. He is also the leader of the Los Ingobernables de Japón stable.

<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">Dominion 6.16</span>

Dominion 6.16 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on June 16, 2012, in Osaka, Osaka, at the newly renamed Bodymaker Colosseum. The event featured ten matches, four of which were contested for championships. It was the fourth event under the Dominion name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Power Struggle (2014)</span> 2014 New Japan Pro-Wrestling event

Power Struggle (2014) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on November 8, 2014, in Osaka, Osaka, at the Bodymaker Colosseum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Invasion Attack 2015</span>

Invasion Attack 2015 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on April 5, 2015, in Tokyo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan and featured nine matches, four of which were contested for championships. In addition to airing worldwide through NJPW's internet streaming site, NJPW World, the event also aired in Japan as a regular PPV through SKY PerfecTV!'s Sukachan service. It was the third event under the Invasion Attack name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destruction in Okayama (2015)</span> Professional wrestling event

Destruction in Okayama (2015) was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on September 23, 2015, in Okayama, Okayama at the Momotaro Arena. The event featured nine matches, four of which were contested for championships. It was the tenth event under the Destruction name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Elite (professional wrestling)</span> Professional wrestling stable

The Elite is a professional wrestling stable currently appearing in the American professional wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The group currently consists of Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and "Hangman" Adam Page and are typically accompanied by Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa. Omega also makes appearances for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a two-time IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion.

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

Golden☆Lovers is the professional wrestling tag team of Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi. The team was formed in January 2009 in the Japanese DDT Pro-Wrestling promotion, where, over the next five years, they won the KO-D Tag Team Championship on two occasions. The team also made appearances for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where they won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship once. The team disbanded when Omega left DDT in October 2014. Omega and Ibushi reunited at The New Beginning in Sapporo in January 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supercard of Honor XII</span> Professional wrestling pay-per-view event

Supercard of Honor XII was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by American promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), which took place Saturday, April 7, 2018, at the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. Wrestlers from New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) – with whom ROH has a partnership – also appeared at the event. Also, wrestlers from the Japan based women's promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom appeared on the show as part of the tournament to crown the inaugural Women of Honor Champion – ROH's first women's championship.

<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. The event was broadcast on AXS TV in the United States.

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, instead of taking place solely on January 4.

References

  1. ↑ "ホーム 大会結果一覧 STRONG STYLE EVOLVED". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. March 26, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  2. ↑ "STRONG STYLE EVOLVED". New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Currier, Joseph (November 5, 2017). "NJPW returning to Long Beach, California in March". Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  4. ↑ Jim Varsallone (February 9, 2018). "AXS to broadcast NJPW's U.S. event Strong Style Evolved". Miami Herald . Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  5. ↑ Dave Meltzer (January 29, 2018). "NJPW STRONG STYLE EVOLVED TICKETS SELL OUT WITHIN 20 MINUTES". Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  6. ↑ "STRONG STYLE EVOLVED Pre-Show Event at the NJPW Dojo![la325]". New Japan Pro-Wrestling . March 8, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  7. 1 2 SoCalUncensored Staff. "NJPW Strong Style Saturday in Carson, CA". SoCalUncensored. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  8. 1 2 Dave Meltzer (January 27, 2018). "NJPW NEW BEGINNING IN SAPPORO NIGHT TWO LIVE RESULTS: OMEGA-WHITE". Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  9. 1 2 "Huge matches made for Strong Style Evolved! White v Page for US Title! Mysterio v Liger! Golden Lovers v Young Bucks!! [la325]". New Japan Pro-Wrestling . February 26, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  10. ↑ Sean Rueter (February 10, 2018). "Rey Mysterio is headed to New Japan". Cageside Seats. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  11. ↑ RaJ Prashad (March 4, 2018). "Rey Mysterio May Have Suffered An Injury At An Indie Show". Uproxx . Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  12. ↑ ＤＤＴから新日移籍…オメガが日本を愛する理由. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). October 27, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  13. ↑ ケニー・オメガ. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 24, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  14. ↑ 「新日本に100パーセント集中したい」ケニー・オメガが10月でDDTとの契約終了、"主戦場"を新日本プロレスへ！【会見全文】. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). October 3, 2014. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  15. ↑ オメガ有終星「新日本行き応援して」. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Kobe Shimbun. October 27, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  16. ↑ Bryan Rose (Feb 24, 2018). "NJPW-ROH HONOR RISING NIGHT TWO RESULTS: OMEGA-IBUSHI VS. CODY-SCURLL". Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Strong Style Evolved". New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Strong Style Evolved". NJPW1972.com. New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  19. ↑ Gagnon, Joshua (March 25, 2018). "NJPW Announces Next US Show At Tonight's Strong Style Evolved". Wrestling Inc. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  20. ↑ Jake Jeremy (March 26, 2018). "NJPW/Rev Pro Announce Strong Style Evolved: United Kingdom". SES Scoops. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Strong Style Evolved UK". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved March 26, 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.