The NJPW STRONG COLLISON 2021 Tour is coming to a head after a month long, four episode tour. NJPW STRONG Episode #42 – COLLISION Day 4 airs Friday May 28th on New Japan World at 10PM EST and we will now break down the three match card.
MATCH #1: Clark Connors Vs AJZ (Singles Match, 15 Minute Time Limit) – Back at COLLISION Day 2, both Clark and AJZ had a big night. Clark Connors was called up from being a LA Dojo Young Lion to a full-fledged NJPW wrestler. On that same show, AJZ made his NJPW debut and survived 11 minutes with NJPW veteran wrestler Rocky Romero. In fact, it would take a backslide roll-up for Rocky to beat AJZ in his debut. Now, at COLLISON Day 4 both these men will clash and try to get momentum rolling in their favor.
MATCH #2: El Phantasmo Vs Wheeler Yuta (Singles Match, 20 Minute Time Limit) – Not much of a story to this one. This is ELPs first match back on STRONG since losing at COLLISION Day 2 with fellow Bullet Club member Hikuleo to the team of Fred Rosser & Lio Rush. This is Wheeler’s 2nd NJPW STRONG appearance, with his first match being a loss to Rocky Romero at STRONG Episode #37. ELP will perhaps be looking for a victory here to send a statement to Lio Rush as a rematch between the two lingers closer.
MATCH #3 | MAIN EVENT: “Filthy” Tom Lawlor (C) Vs “Dirty Daddy” Chris Dickinson (Singles Match For The NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship, 60 Minute Time Limit) – Flashback to NJPW STRONG Episode #37, NJPW Cup USA 2021 Finals. Tom Lawlor Vs Brody King. Perhaps the biggest match of either man’s career. Tom Lawlor won the match, and in doing so he won both the NJPW Cup USA 2021 tournament and became the inaugural NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion. Tom immediately proclaimed there wasn’t a man in the back who could stand toe-to-toe with him but Tom’s friend and stablemate Chris Dickinson took umbrage to these claims and laid down a friendly challenge. This was a mostly standard stablemate Vs stablemate build until Tom kicked Chris out of Team Filthy and the entire stable jumped Chris in the center of the ring. Will Chris get his revenge? Will Tom prove his claims? What about Karl Fredericks and Fred Rosser, two men with legitimate claims at contendership. This entire tour has been building to this match, the first ever defense of the NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship!
You can catch all three of these matches Friday May 28th at 10PM EST On New Japan World. Check back here after the show for a review of the matches.