KENTA is your new NJPW Strong Openweight Champion.
Tonight’s NJPW Battle In The Valley pay-per-view saw KENTA defeat Fred Rosser to capture the NJPW Strong Openweight Title. The match saw KENTA deliver the GTS to Rosser while CM Punk watched from the crowd. KENTA’s Bullet Club stablemate Juice Robinson ran down at the end of the match to hit Rosser with a roll of quarters, allowing KENTA to hit a second GTS for the pin to win.
This is KENTA’s first reign with the title as he is just the third wrestler to hold the belt. Rosser won the title on the June 25, 2022 edition of NJPW Strong, taped on May 15, by defeating inaugural champion Tom Lawlor. Rosser held the strap for 239 recognized days.
Below are several shots of tonight’s title change from the San Jose Civic Center in San Jose, CA:
Will Kenta Become #AndNew? #njbitv pic.twitter.com/6vKPtu80EL
— FITE (@FiteTV) February 19, 2023
No days off for the champ! #njbitv pic.twitter.com/TbZafsOGTM
— FITE (@FiteTV) February 19, 2023
Kenta KICKS Fred Rosser over the railing. Doing whatever it takes to win the title. #njbitv pic.twitter.com/N5ohjKqFZ2
— FITE (@FiteTV) February 19, 2023
Kenta feels confident he will look TOO SWEET as the new OpenWeight Champ! #njbitv pic.twitter.com/vSEamDVJaX
— FITE (@FiteTV) February 19, 2023
Fred Rosser has turned the tide#NJBITV LIVE NOW