The NJPW Independence Day was a two-night professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). It took place on July 4 and 5, 2023, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.[3][4] It was the first NJPW Strong-branded event to be held in Japan.
| NJPW Independence Day | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Official logo of the event | |||
| Promotion | New Japan Pro-Wrestling | ||
| Brand(s) | NJPW Strong | ||
| Date | July 4–5, 2023 | ||
| City | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| Venue | Korakuen Hall | ||
| Attendance | |||
| Event chronology | |||
| |||
Production
editStorylines
editThe event features professional wrestling matches, which involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds, plots, and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches. Storylines are produced on NJPW's events.[5]
Night 1
editEvent
editThe first night of the event from July 4 started with the preshow bout in which Oskar Leube, Yoh and Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Takahiro Katori, Dragon Libre and Kengo in six-man tag team action. The match was broadcast live on NJPW's YouTube channel.[6]
In the first main card match, Bad Dude Tito defeated The DKC in singles competition.
Next up, Jorel Nelson, Royce Isaacs and J. R. Kratos outmatched the team of Ryohei Oiwa, Alex Zayne and Lance Archer.
In the fourth bout, Tom Lawlor defeated Kosei Fujita.
In the fifth bout, Rocky Romero and Eddie Kingston picked up a win over Gedo and the Strong Openweight Champion Kenta.
Next up, World Wonder Ring Stardom's Stars unit member Momo Kohgo and Strong Women's Champion Willow Nightingale picked up a win over Mafia Bella (Giulia and Thekla) in an anticipation of Giulia and Nightingale's match for the Strong title from one night later.
Next up, Alex Coughlin and Gabriel Kidd defeated Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi to win the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship, halting the latter team's reign at thirty days and no defenses.
In the semi main event, Drilla Moloney and Clark Connors defeated TJP and Francesco Akira to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, halting the latter team's reign at thirty days and no defenses.
In the main event, Jun Kasai and El Desperado defeated Homicide and Jon Moxley in a No disqualification doomsday match.[7][8]
Night 2
editEvent
editThe second night of the event also started with a preshow match broadcast live on YouTube in which Ryusuke Taguchi, Master Wato and Boltin Oleg defeated Dragon Libre, Takahiro Katori and Rekka in six-man tag team action.[10]
The first main card bout saw Satoshi Kojima defeating Oskar Leube in singles competition.
Next up, TJP and Francesco Akira picked up a victory over Ryohei Oiwa and Homicide.
In the fourth match, Drilla Moloney and Clark Connors defeated Rocky Romero and Yoh to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship short to twenty-four hours after they won the titles the previous night of the event.
Next up, Alex Zayne and Lance Archer defeated Bad Dude Tito and Kosei Fujita.
In the sixth bout, Tomohiro Ishii, Hiroshi Tanahashi and The DKC outmatched the team of Tom Lawlor, Jorel Nelson and Royce Isaacs.
The seventh bout saw Donna Del Mondo stable leader Giulia dethroning Strong Women's Champion Willow Nightingale, ending the latter's reign at forty-five days and two successful defences.
Next up, Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi defeated Alex Coughlin and Gabriel Kidd to retain the IWGP Tag Team Championship for the first time in that respective reign.
In the ninth bout, Eddie Kingston defeated Kenta to win the Strong Openweight Championship.[11]
In the main event, Jon Moxley defeated El Desperado in a Final Death match.[12]
| No. | Results[13] | Stipulations | Times[14][2] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1P | Ryusuke Taguchi, Master Wato and Boltin Oleg defeated Dragon Libre, Takahiro Katori and Rekka | Six-man tag team match | 11:37 | ||||
| 2 | Satoshi Kojima defeated Oskar Leube | Singles match | 5:23 | ||||
| 3 | Catch 2/2 (TJP and Francesco Akira) defeated Ryohei Oiwa and Homicide | Tag team match | 12:09 | ||||
| 4 | Bullet Club War Dogs (Drilla Moloney and Clark Connors) (c) defeated Chaos (Rocky Romero and Yoh) | Tag team match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship | 12:05 | ||||
| 5 | Murder Sauce Monsters (Alex Zayne and Lance Archer) defeated TMDK (Bad Dude Tito and Kosei Fujita) | Tag team match | 9:31 | ||||
| 6 | Tomohiro Ishii, Hiroshi Tanahashi and The DKC defeated Team Filthy (Tom Lawlor, Jorel Nelson and Royce Isaacs) | Six-man tag team match | 13:10 | ||||
| 7 | Giulia defeated Willow Nightingale (c) | Singles match for the Strong Women's Championship | 13:29 | ||||
| 8 | Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi) (c) defeated Bullet Club War Dogs (Alex Coughlin and Gabriel Kidd) | Tag team match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship | 11:29 | ||||
| 9 | Eddie Kingston defeated Kenta (c) | Singles match for the Strong Openweight Championship | 13:30 | ||||
| 10 | Jon Moxley defeated El Desperado | Final Death match | 20:33 | ||||
| |||||||
References
edit- ^ a b Kreikenbohm, Philip (July 4, 2023). "NJPW STRONG Independence Day 2023 - Tag 1". cagematch.net. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
- ^ a b Kreikenbohm, Philip (July 5, 2023). "NJPW STRONG Independence Day 2023 - Tag 2". cagematch.net. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ Rose, Bryan (June 27, 2023). "Willow Nightingale vs. Giulia added to NJPW Independence Day night 2 The Strong Women's Championship will be on the line July 5". f4wonline.com. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ Mohan, Sai (June 27, 2023). "Willow Nightingale Set For Title Defense Against Giulia At NJPW Independence Day". wrestlinginc.com. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ Grabianowski, Ed (13 January 2006). "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks, Inc. Discovery Communications. Archived from the original on November 29, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
- ^ NJPW World (July 4, 2023). 【第0試合のみ配信】7/4(火) NJPW STRONG INDEPENDENCE DAY Night1 / #njpwSTRONG 7/4/23. youtube.com (in Japanese). Retrieved July 4, 2023.
- ^ Thompson, Andrew (July 4, 2023). "New STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champions crowned at NJPW Independence Day". postwrestling.com. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
- ^ Fritts, Chick (July 4, 2023). "NJPW Strong Independence Day night one live results: Doomsday No DQ match Jon Moxley & Homicide vs. El Desperado & Jun Kasai headlines today's show". F4wonline.com. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
- ^ "LEC presents NJPW STRONG INDEPENDENCE DAY TUE. JULY. 4. 2023 / DOOR 17:30 / BELL 18:30". njpw1972.com. NJPW. June 25, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ NJPW World (July 5, 2023). "The Buy-In: NJPW STRONG INDEPENDENCE DAY Night2 / #njpwSTRONG 7/5/23, Korakuen Hall". youtube.com. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ Gibbons, Aidan (5 July 2023). "NJPW STRONG Independence Day Night Two Results All The Results From NJPW STRONG Independence Day Night Two". cultaholic.com. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ Fritts, Chick (July 5, 2023). "NJPW Strong Independence Day night two live results: Moxley vs. Desperado Final Death match Three titles are also on the line on the show". f4wonline.com. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ "INJPW Strong Independence Day night two live results: Moxley vs. Desperado Final Death match". Wrestling Observer. July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ "NJPW STRONG Independence Day Results (7/5): New champions crowned". POST Wrestling. 5 July 2023.