Showing posts with label Gabe Kidd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gabe Kidd. Show all posts

11 January 2025

Battle In The Valley Results


Hello everyone.

 

While on the train home, here are the results from NJPW Strong event, Battle In The Valley.  The show was held on Saturday night, January 11th at the San Jose Civic Auditorium.  The action was exciting.  The show was one of the best in history.  A near sellout crowd was boisterous, loud, appreciative and enthusiastic throughout the night.  The show lasted about three hours and 45 minutes.  Hopefully, the results are correct since I'm a little sleepy right now doing this.

 

The highlight of the night was an emotional and memorable match as Japanese women's legend, Sumie Sakai wrestled in her final encounter.  Though she was pinned in the tag team match, she showed the fighting spirit that Japanese women wrestlers are taught and have!

 

Been to three of these now.  The one a couple of years ago that had Okada and Ospreay was really good but overall, this show may have been a little better.

 

Here are the results:

 

Tomohiro Ishii and Gabe Kidd (c) for the Strong Openweight Championship ended up a 30 minute draw.

 

Nelson Isaacs & Jarel Nelson (c) d. Rocky Romero and Yoh for the Strong Openweight Tag Team Titles.

 

Viva Van, Harako, Maika and Nina Shirakawa d. Anna Jay, Trish Adora, AZN and Johnny Robbie in an eight woman elimination match.  Maika threw Anna Jay over the top rope to win.  Several fans sitting next to me mentioned that Viva Van has signed with AEW!

 

Jeff Cobb vs. El Phantasmo (c) ended up a double countout for the IWGP TV Title.  Cobb did not bring the FPW title with him.


Sumie Sakai was pinned by Hiromu Takahashi in a six person intergender match.  Evil and SHO were supposed to be on Sakai's side but turned on her during the match.  Takahashi had Mayu Iwatani and Yuka Sakazaki in his corner.

There was about a 10 minute ceremony afterwards with most of the locker room attending.  It was to honor her 27 year career with congratulations and a 10 count with the timekeeper bell.  This blogger, and most of the fans, did not have dry eyes during the ceremony.  She was given a standing ovation by the fans.  

 

Konosuke Takeshita (c) d. Kushida for the Never Openweight Championship.

 

Zack Sabre Jr. d. Hechecero in a not title match.  After the match, at a future date, the two wrestlers will face one another for the title. 

 

El Desperado (c) d. Taiji Ishinori for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.   

05 January 2025

Battle In The Valley 2025


Hello everyone!

 

Coming off an amazing and memorable weekend of wrestling whether it was in Japan or America or anywhere else, 2025 has started out with a bang.

 

A couple of years ago, after a Battle In The Valley show in San Jose, California, this blogger thought about not ever attending another NJPW show.

 

It wasn't because the show was bad....actually, it was pretty good.

 

The problem was with NJPW officials.  I took some photos from the rafters of the San Jose Civic Auditorium and was not only harassed by NJPW officials, but was escorted out of the building.  They thought I was taking videos though I proved to them it wasn't.

 

Well, it's about two years later.  San Jose is very fortunate to have two wrestling shows in the next week.

 

On Monday, January 13th, WWE RAW will take place at the SAP Center.  It will be the second RAW that will be on Netflix.

 

On Saturday (this coming), I just secured a ticket for New Japan Pro Wrestling's Battle In The Valley.  It will be my first wrestling show since last August when I attended the first PUSO Wrestling show in Quezon City, Philippines.

 

When this blogger saw who was appearing on the show, the decision to go to this event was a lot easier.  Here is the show lineup.....

 

Gabe Kidd (c) vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the Strong Openweight Championship.

Zach Sabre Jr. vs. Hechicero.

West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs) (c) vs. Roppongi Revice (Rocky Romero & ROH) for the Strong Openweight Championship.

Sumai Sakai Retirement Match featuring Team Sakai (Sumai Sakai, Evil and SHO) vs. Team Hiromu (Hiromu Takahashi, Mayu Iwatani and Yuka Sakazaki).

TDMK (Shane Haste & Bad Dude Tito) vs. Fred Rosser & Matt Vandagriff.

 

I'm told that the Main Event has yet to be announced with a few days to go until the show.  Could we possibly see an appearance by Kazuchika Okada or Will Ospreay?  Their battle a couple of years ago was one of the best matches I've eve seen!

 

Looking forward to seeing ZSJ again (2018 was the last time at the G1 Special).

 

I'll have a recap on my blog within 24 hours after the show.

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