NJPW Strong Episode 23 1/15/2021

NJPW Strong Episode 23 1/15/2021

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2021/01/njpw-strong-episode-21-182021.html

Kevin Kelly and Alex Kozlov are your commentators

 Barrett Brown vs. Misterioso

Brown headsprings out of a wristlock and takes down Misterioso. Misterioso handsprings over him and then pops up Brown, who hurricanrana's him. Brown asai moonsaults Misterioso off the post but he gets spinned around and thrown into the post. Back in and Misterioso puts both knees on the top rope and flips onto Brown.

Brown gets beat up in the corner and Mist puts double knees on him in the corner. Brown comes back with forearms and gets a big boot. Brown hiptosses Mist into the buckles. Brown went for a hurricanrana from the top and Mist blocked it, but Brown turned it into a code red. Brown then made him flip with a flying boot. Brown goes up for a swaton and Mist gets his knees up. Brown hits a flying knee then a springboard poisonrana. Brown then flops over Mist from the wheelbarrow position.

Brown goes up top and Mist does an Ultimo Guerrero reverse slam from the top and wins it. They did way too much and they were doing big moves from the start here without any real story.

Misterioso said he was making waves in New Japan and this is his year.

Fred Rosser was interviewed. He said he was feeling great and he said he is fighting to keep his spot here. He said he is the muscleman and what he does isn't pretty but gets results. 

TJP vs Adrian Quest

Quest does a spinning hurricanrana from the headscissors position then hits a tornillo from the 2nd rope. TJP goes up top and gets put in the tree of woe. TJP then sliding dropkicks him. TJP trips Quest, flips over him and dropkicks him in the face. Quest does a standing hurricanrana and gets caught then TJP turns it into an indian deathlock. TJP grabs his arm and leg in a surfboard position then quickly cranks back.

TJP sentons him from the outside apron to the inside then Gory Special's him. Quest hits a big spin kick to the head then asai moonsaults TJP on the outside. Quest then springboard hurricanrana's him and does a twisting SSP for 2. Perkins does a cartwheel backwards from the 2nd rope and goes for a tombstone. Quest flips out of it and does a hurricanrana for 2. Quest is up top and TJP runs up to him for a superplex, but gets thrown down. TJP then misses a phoenix splash and TJP wins it with a splash from the top. This was just your usual indy match here with a bunch of flying.

TJP said in an interview after that he's been watching Quest for years but he's just not there yet to beat him.

ACH, Blake Christian & Fred Rosser vs. BULLET CLUB (El Phantasmo, Hikuleo & KENTA)

All of the BC takes dropkicks early until Hikuleo hits a big boot on ACH. Hiku then forearms him and stomps him as everyone else fights outside. ACH gets his neck catapulted into the bottom rope. Kenta then holds out ACH's hand to tease ACH's partners with a tag. ACH gets thrown hard into the buckles by Leo.

The BC scratches ACH's back. Fred runs Leo's leg into the post, then clips it. Blake comes in and springboard dropkicks then springboard moonsaults Leo. Blake gets picked up for a slam but Fred whips his legs around to turn it into a DDT. Blake comes off the top and runs into a major chokeslam from Leo. Young spinning forearms Leo and clotheslines him over the top.

After all that happens, ELP does a long flying splash from the top onto Blake. ELP hides behind the ref when Blake comes charging in, Blake tries to move the ref then gets superkicked. ELP then pins him for the win. This had too many people and not enough time and the finish was lame.

ELP said after that it was too easy. He talked about Lio Rush after saying he's not scared of Rush. He said BC runs this. ELP called the town a "bum hick town" in a bad promo.

Overall thoughts: This wasn't anything special with no real great matches and it is not worth seeking out.