Promotion: New Japan Pro Wrestling
Date: February 18, 2023
City:San Jose, California
Venue: San Jose Civic
Overall Show Score:
TV station/network: FITE TV
Overall Show Score: 7.5/10
Pros: I’m glad I watched Mercedes Mone win her first IWGP Women’s Championship. Having English commentators helped improve my enjoyment of this event, along with the video packages also helped me to understand why they are fighting. My favourite match was Jay White vs Eddie Kingston, and I had a good time watching this show.
Cons: I wouldn’t begin that opening match featuring a certain World champion from Impact Wrestling. I wish that Kenta won that Strong Openweight Title in a far better match & my least favourite match was the Filthy Rules fight between Tom Lawlor and Homicide.
Pre-show:
Matches:
Singles Match:
vs.
Alex Coughlin. Winner: Alex Coughlin Rating: Alright
Singles Match:
vs.
David Finlay. Winner: David Finlay Rating: Average
Main-Show:
Matches:
8-man tag team match:
Máscara Dorada, Josh Alexander, Adrian Quest and Rocky Romero
vs.
Kushida, Volador Jr., Kevin Knight and The DKC. Winners: Kushida, Volador Jr., Kevin Knight and The DKC Rating: DUD
Singles match for the Strong Openweight Championship:
Fred Rosser (c)
vs.
Kenta Winner: Kenta won the Strong Openweight Championship. Rating: Boring
Tag team match for the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship:
The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) (c)
vs.
West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson and Royce Issacs). Winners:The Motor City Machine Guns still the Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions. Rating: Pretty Good
Loser Leaves NJPW Match, Had Kingston lost, he would have needed White’s permission to continue to compete in NJPW.
vs.
Eddie Kingston. Winner: Eddie Kingston Rating: Very Good
vs.
Homicide. Winner: Tom Lawlor. Rating: Not that good.
Singles match for NJPW World Television Championship:
Zack Sabre Jr. (c)
vs.
Clark Connors. Winner: Zack Sabre Jr. keeps his NJPW World Television Championship. Rating: Good
Singles match for the IWGP Women’s Championship:
Kairi (c)
vs.
Mercedes Moné. Winner: Mercedes Moné won her first IWGP Women’s Championship. Rating: Really Good
Main Event:
Singles match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship:
Kazuchika Okada (c)
vs.
Hiroshi Tanahashi. Winner: Kazuchika Okada keep his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Rating: Great