New Japan runs the second half of their weekend mid-Atlantic US doubleheader today at the famed 2300 aka former ECW Arena in Philadelphia. They’re going in with a lot of controversy following yesterday’s Washington, DC event because following his vicious pre-match assault on Fred Rosser, including assaulting a referee, Juice Robinson has been suspended by New Japan immediately until further notice, meaning he’s out of the co-main event and the IWGP US Championship #1 Contender Tournament. That costs him perhaps a shot at Kenny Omega and the title among other things. Rosser is the replacement and it also means Rosser is out of his scheduled tag team match. Homicide is the replacement there. Also out today is Eddie Kingston with what was originally reported as an undisclosed injury. Various news site/dirt sheet reports indicated in the last few days that the injury actually is hernia surgery. Kingston was to have faced Gabriel Kidd. All Elite Wrestling’s Orange Cassidy is the replacement and, because he successfully defended the AEW International Championship Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, that match today is now a title match.
BREAKING: As I was posting this and going back to New Japan’s English website to get the card, more last-minute changes for today have been announced: Hiroshi Tanahashi and TJP are now off today’s event. Tanahashi has suffered an undisclosed injury. TJP is out due to travel issues. Tanahashi will still participate in a pre-event meet & greet. He was to have teamed with Lio Rush & Tomohiro Ishii to face TJP & Aussie Open. That match will now be Aussie Open vs. Rush & Ishii and Aussie Open have agreed to make it for the STRONG Tag Team Championship.
UPDATE: Per a post on his Twitter, Tanahashi said his injury is a broken rib. Out indefinitely.
Today’s event will be held at 2300 Arena (the former ECW Arena) in Philadelphia, PA and can be watched LIVE on FITE in English. The event is available for $14.99 or you can get a combo pack that includes yesterday’s Capital Collision event for $29.99 and save $5. You get today’s live broadcast and unlimited on demand replays with either purchase. This event will not be available live on New Japan World. There is no pre-show scheduled. Even with the changes today it doesn’t really change the match times or how long the event will go, based on yesterday I would plan on the event’s running time being just over 3 hours.
Today’s current lineup (including the above changes):
Volador Jr. & El Desperado vs. Kevin Knight & Delirious
Alex Coughin vs. Tracy Williams in a Ring Of Honor Pure Rules Match
The DKC vs. Clark Connors
Bad Dude Tito, Shane Haste & Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Jorel Nelson, Royce Isaacs & Tom Lawlor
Rocky Romero & Homicide vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru & SANADA
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy vs. Gabriel Kidd for the title
Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito vs. Chase Owens & KENTA
IWGP US Championship #1 Contender Tournament: Fred Rosser vs. Lance Archer
STRONG Tag Team Champions Aussie Open vs. Lio Rush & Tomohiro Ishii for the titles
Refresh this page occasionally for the latest results.
Updates below will begin at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT.
2 PM PT UPDATE: Live updates begin now.
We are LIVE from 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA. Your hosts are Ian Riccaboni, Alex Kozlov & Veda Scott.
The paid attendance will be announced after the event but it’s a legit sellout. This is a much smaller venue than yesterday so probably will be in the range of 800-900 depending on the layout (max capacity for the venue is 1300).
As we start the announcer is mentioning the changes today to the crowd. Then right to the action.
Match 1: Volador Jr. & El Desperado vs. Kevin Knight & Delirious. 20 minute time limit
Result: Volador Jr. & El Desperado beat Kevin Knight & Delirious. Desperado pinned Delirious after Pinche Loco.
Match 2: Alex Coughin vs. Tracy Williams in a Ring Of Honor Pure Rules Match. 20 minute time limit
Result: Alex Coughlin beat Tracy Williams
Match 3: The DKC vs. Clark Connors. 20 minute time limit
Before the match, David Finlay with microphone putting over Connors as the newest member of Bullet Club.
Result: Clark Connors beat The DKC. Glorified squash.
Match 4: Bad Dude Tito, Shane Haste & Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Jorel Nelson, Royce Isaacs & Tom Lawlor. 20 minute time limit(?). The ring announcer said 30 minute time limit though…
Result: Jorel Nelson, Royce Isaacs & Tom Lawlor beat Bad Dude Tito, Shane Haste & Zack Sabre Jr. Lawlor pinned Tito after a straitjacket & knee strike to the back of the head.
Match 5: Rocky Romero & Homicide vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru & SANADA. 30 minute time limit
Rseult: Yoshinobu Kanemaru & SANADA beat Rocky Romero & Homicide. SANADA pinned Homicide with O’Connor Bridge.
Match 6: AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy vs. Gabriel Kidd for the title. 30 minute time limit
Result: AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy beat Gabriel Kidd to retain the title.
Match 7: Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito vs. Chase Owens & KENTA. 30 minute time limit
Result: Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat Chase Owens & KENTA. Naito pinned Owens after Destino.
After the match, Rocky Romero came back out. Naito thought he wanted Takahashi in a title match now. Romero with microphone. He says a while back Takahashi promised US fans an All Star Jr. Festival in the US. And it’s happening in Philadelphia at 2300 Arena on August 19!
Match 8: IWGP US Championship #1 Contender Tournament: Fred Rosser vs. Lance Archer. 1 Hour time limit. Pre-match, Archer with microphone. He suggested the match be changed to a Philly Street Fight and apparently it’s on!
Result: Lance Archer beat Fred Rosser. Despite being suspended until further notice, Juice Robinson showed up and interfered to help Archer win.
Main Event: STRONG Tag Team Champions Aussie Open vs. Lio Rush & Tomohiro Ishii for the titles. 30 minute time limit
Result: STRONG Tag Team Champions Aussie Open beat Lio Rush & Tomohiro Ishii to retain the titles. Kyle Fletcher pinned Rush after Corealis. V1 for the champs.
Afterwards, Aussie Open with microphone for the show-closing promo. Again they call out FTR by taking shots at them before putting themselves over to end the show.
They had a tough task ahead of them topping or at least equalizing yesterday’s event, and it didn’t help that they lost two of the main event participants last-minute. But despite an unexpected screwjob ending in the semifinal match and a usual Orange Cassidy match (Kidd sure showed out though), it was a solid event for the most part and is definitely worth the $14.99 (the matches will also air on New Japan World via STRONG On Demand at a later date). The All-Star Jr. Festival announcement was a great surprise for the Philly fans and I’m excited for it to happen in the US in August.
Overall show grade: B+
End Show.
The next US event is Resurgence on 5/21 in Long Beach, CA. Already set is Hroshi Tanahashi vs. Will Ospreay with the winner facing Lance Archer for the next IWGP US Championship shot…assuming Tanahashi will be ready and recovered from the broken rib in time.
Next up is the Road to WRESTLING DONTAKU 2023 Tour beginning Thursday at Nara Prefectural Convention Center Convention Hall in Nara, Japan. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.
Post-event note: The announced paid attendance was 977, a legit sellout with standing room tickets sold.
