NJPW Strong Independence Day 2023
NJPW Strong Independence Day 2023 event saw NJPW Strong presenting an event in Japan for the very first time. The event took place over two nights on July 4, 2023, and July 5, 2023, at Karakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
TJP & Francesco Akira defended IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship against Drilla Moloney & Clark Connors in the co-main event of night 1. KENTA’s defense of NJPW Strong Openweight title against Eddie Kingston was the co-main event on night 2. Jon Moxley and El Desperado were in the main event over both nights.
EVENT INFO
NIGHT 1 MATCH CARD
- Taguchi, Ryusuke, YOH & Oskar Leube def. Kengo, Dragon Libre & Takahiro Katori – Kick Off Show match
- Bad Dude Tito def. The DKC
- JR Kratos, Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs def. Alex Zayne, Lance Archer & Ryohei Oiwa
- Tom Lawlor def. Kosei Fujita
- Eddie Kingston & Rocky Romero def. KENTA & Gedo
- Willow Nightingale & Momo Kohgo vs Giulia & Thekla
- Bullet Club Wardogs(Alex Coughlin & Gabe Kidd) def. Bishamon(Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) – NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship
- Drilla Moloney & Clark Connors def. Catch 2/2(TJP & Francesco Akira) – IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
- El Desperado & Jun Kasai def. Jon Moxley & Homicide – Exciting Encounter Doomsday No Disqualification match
NIGHT 2 MATCH CARD
- Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi & Boltin Oleg def. Takahiro Katori, Dragon Libre & Rekka – Kick-off Show match
- Satoshi Kojima def. Oskar Leube
- Catch 2/2(TJP & Francesco Akira) def. Ryohei Oiwa & Homicide
- Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney def. YOH & Rocky Romero
- Lance Archer & Alex Zayne def. Bad Dude Tito & Kosei Fujita
- Tomohiro Ishii, Hiroshi Tanahashi & The DKC def. Team Filthy(Jorel Nelson, Tom Lawlor & Royce Isaacs)
- Giulia def. Willow Nightingale – NJPW Strong Women’s Championship
- Bishamon(Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) def. Bullet Club Wardogs(Alex Coughlin & Gabe Kidd) – IWGP Tag Team Championship
- Eddie Kingston def. KENTA – NJPW Strong Openweight Championship
- Jon Moxley def. El Desperado – Final Deathmatch
NOTES & STORYLINES
This was be the first time that NJPW Strong, NJPW’s US Division, presented an event in Japan. The name Independence Day was used since night 1 of the event was on July 4, which is US Independence Day.
Bishamon’s Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI won both IWGP Tag Team Championship and NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship at NJPW Dominion 6.4. After they won the titles, they were attacked by Bullet Club Wardogs Alex Coughlin and Gabe Kidd who joined BULLET CLUB at the event. Bishamon will defend one title at a time. On night 1, they defended the Strong Openweight titles while on night 2, they defended the IWGP titles.
Catch 2/2’s Francesco Akira and TJP won IWGP Jr. Heavyweight titles back at NJPW Dominion 6.4. Clark Connors came out to challenge them after the match. Dan Moloney, who was in Catch 2/2’s corner, turned on them and attacked them from behind. Connors and Moloney then revealed that they had joined Bullet Club. Catch 2/2 then defended the titles in the main event of night 1 of Independence Day.
STARDON’s Giulia challenged NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Willow Nightingale for a title match at Independence Day event At STARDOM SUNSHINE 2023 on June 25. Willow accepted the challenge later in the day via social media. The match was announced to take place on night 2 on July 5. As a preview to this title match, Willow teamed up with Momo Kohgo to take on Giulia and Thekla on night 1 on July 4.
