NJPW Strong
From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
| NJPW Strong | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Professional wrestling |
| Created by | Takami Ohbari |
| Written by | Gedo |
| Directed by | Logan Chegwidden |
| Presented by |
|
| Starring | New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America roster |
| Country of origin |
|
| Original languages |
|
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 126 (as of January 28, 2023[update]) (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera setup |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | |
| Release | August 7, 2020 – January 28, 2023 |
| Related | |
| NJPW World Pro Wrestling | |
NJPW Strong is a brand name utilized by Japanese professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). NJPW Strong also refers to the former professional wrestling television series produced by NJPW's New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America (NJoA) subsidiary.[3]
The Strong weekly TV series debuted on August 7, 2020, airing on Saturdays at 8 pm ET on NJPW World and FITE TV until its final episode aired on January 28, 2023. After the program's end, NJPW Strong became the branding for NJPW events held in the United States. These events are distributed live via PPV under the NJPW Strong Live banner, and are later distributed as weekly instalments of the NJPW Strong on Demand series.
History[edit]
Background and Early format[edit]
On November 24, 2014, AXS TV announced that it had acquired a thirteen-episode series featuring matches from New Japan Pro Wrestling under the AXS TV Fights banner. The series was an English-language adaptation of NJPW's own television series, NJPW World Pro Wrestling, produced by TV Asahi. The series premiered on January 16, 2015, airing on Friday evenings.[4] This was the first time NJPW had been aired on an American television network since its formation in 1972.[5] NJPW content would continue to air on AXS until December 2019.[6][7] Prior to this, on October 21, NJPW announced the formation of an American subsidiary called "New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America" (NJoA).[8]
On July 31, 2020, NJPW announced a new weekly series titled NJPW Strong, with its initial episodes to feature matches from the inaugural New Japan Cup USA tournament. As part of NJPW's expansion into the United States, the series would be produced by NJoA.[9]
The premiere episode of Strong aired on August 7, 2020, broadcast live from NJPW's training dojo in Los Angeles, and streaming on NJPW's service NJPW World.[10] The event was held with no spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] On August 19, NJPW announced that Strong would be streaming on FITE TV in conjunction with NJPW World.[12]
Change in format[edit]
On January 6, 2023, Hiroshi Tanahashi announced on his blog that the January Strong tapings would be the last, and that "overseas tournaments" would be held in a different format in the future.[13] On January 30, NJPW announced that all of the promotion's future American events would be branded under the NJPW Strong name and be available for purchase via pay-per-view (PPV) providers.
Beginning with Battle in the Valley on February 18, the NJoA PPVs began airing as NJPW Strong Live, with Strong ceasing to be its own show with exclusive content. These PPV events will later air on NJPW World in hour-long installments known as NJPW Strong on Demand.[14]
Events[edit]
Roster[edit]
Commentators[edit]
| Language | Commentators | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | Katsuyori Shibata, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Shigeki Kiyono Katsuyori Shibata/Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shigeki Kiyono | August 7, 2020 – October 24, 2020 November 28, 2020 – December 18, 2020 January 8, 2021 – April 30, 2021 May 21, 2021 – August 20, 2021 September 25, 2021 - October 2, 2021 November 6, 2021 - November 13, 2021 November 20, 2021 - January 8, 2022 January 22, 2022 - June 25, 2022 July 16, 2022 – August 27, 2022 October 29, 2022 - November 5, 2022 November 26, 2022 - December 17, 2022 January 8, 2023 - January 28, 2023 |
| Japanese | Katsuyori Shibata, Hirooki Goto, and Shigeki Kiyono | October 31, 2020 – November 21, 2020 |
| Japanese | Togi Makabe and Shigeki Kiyono | May 7, 2021 – May 14, 2021 |
| Japanese | Satoshi Kojima and Shigeki Kiyono | August 27, 2021 - September 18, 2021 |
| Japanese | Yuji Nagata and Shigeki Kiyono | October 9, 2021 - October 30, 2021 July 2, 2022 - July 9, 2022 September 3, 2022 September 24, 2022 - October 1, 2022 October 1, 2022 - October 22, 2022 |
| Japanese | Katsuyori Shibata/Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata, and Shigeki Kiyono | September 10, 2022 - September 17, 2022 October 9, 2022 |
| Japanese | Takami Ohbari and Shigeki Kiyono | January 15, 2022 |
| Japanese | Hiroshi Tanahashi, Takami Ohbari and Shigeki Kiyono | November 12, 2022 - November 19, 2022 |
| Japanese | Katsuyori Shibata, Takami Ohbari and Shigeki Kiyono | December 24, 2022 |
| English | Kevin Kelly and Alex Koslov | August 7, 2020 – October 2, 2021 December 4, 2021 - January 29, 2022 January 8, 2023 - January 28, 2023 |
| English | Alex Koslov and Matt Rehwoldt | October 9, 2021 - November 27, 2021 |
| English | Ian Riccaboni and Alex Koslov | February 12, 2022 - March 26, 2022 May 13, 2022 - June 4, 2022 July 9, 2022 – December 24, 2022 |
| English | Ian Riccaboni and Matt Rehwoldt | April 2, 2022 - April 30, 2022 June 11, 2022 - July 2, 2022 |
| English | Kevin Kelly and Matt Rehwoldt | May 7, 2022 |
Ring announcers[edit]
| Language | Ring announcers | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| English | Adnan Kureishy | August 7, 2020 – January 28, 2023 |
| Japanese | Takuro Shibata | August 7, 2020 – January 28, 2023 |
See also[edit]
- List of major NJPW events
- List of professional wrestling television series
- 2020 in professional wrestling
References[edit]
- ^ Thompson, Andrew (August 5, 2020). "Alex Koslov returning to NJPW to do commentary for NJPW Strong". Post Wrestling. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- ^ "Home, David Marquez Productions". David Marquez Productions. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ Radican, Sean (August 5, 2020). "NJPW Strong details announced for NJPW World, new weekly show will debut with NJPW Cup USA tournament". Pro Wrestling Torch. TDH Communications LLC. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- ^ "AXS announces New Japan TV deal, official details, time slot, debut date and more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. November 24, 2014. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014.
- ^ Meltzer, Dave (July 27, 2015). "July 27, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: The Undertaker returns at Battleground, NXT/ROH insanity with Liger booking, and more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California. p. 24. ISSN 1083-9593.
- ^ Nason, Josh (December 27, 2019). "NJPW NO LONGER AIRING ON AXS TV". F4WOnline. Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- ^ "New Japan Pro Wrestling Won't Air in American TV In 2020". Uproxx. Warner Music Group. December 27, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- ^ "NJPW Announced New Japan Pro Wrestling of America Subsidiary". f4wonline. October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
- ^ "New Japan Cup USA announced for NJPW STRONG debut 【NJoA】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Bushiroad. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- ^ "2020.08.07 NEW JAPAN CUP 2020 in the USA". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Bushiroad. August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- ^ Vishwakoti, Anish (August 8, 2020). "8/7 NJPW Strong results: Anish V's review of Kenta vs. Karl Fredericks, Jeff Cobb vs. Tanga Loa, David Finlay vs. Chase Owens, and Brody King vs. Tama Tonga in New Japan Cup USA first round matches". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Last Row Media, LLC. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- ^ "Watch NJPW STRONG on FITE! 【NJoA】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Bushiroad. August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
- ^ "棚橋弘至『クライマックス今回』". 棚橋弘至 オフィシャルブログ powered by Ameba (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-01-18.
- ^ "NJPW of America, STRONG transform in 2023 【NJoA】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. January 30, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
