This is a ratings-heavy edition, as most of it has to do with the NJPW STRONG event over the weekend. I watched a fair amount of the matches, not all, and most of what I saw was fine-to-good. I have no strong feelings on anything I saw there. Scroll down for the ratings and for the one match I had something to say about.
Ratings
Just 5 Guys vs Los Ingobernables de Japon (NJPW Super Jr. Tag League Road To Power Struggle 2023 Night 7)
Rating: ***1/4
Intergalactic Jet Setters vs Ichiban Sweet Boys (NJPW Super Jr. Tag League Road To Power Struggle 2023 Night 7)
Rating: ***1/4
El Desperado & Master Wato vs Catch 22 (NJPW Super Jr. Tag League Road To Power Struggle 2023 Night 7)
Rating: ***1/2
Satoshi Kojima vs Fred Rosser vs Jeff Cobb vs Alex Coughlin (NJPW STRONG Fighting Spirit Unleashed 2023)
Rating: ***
Atlantis, Atlantis Jr, Mistico, & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Tiger Mask, Soberano Jr, Rocky Romero, & Adrian Quest (NJPW STRONG Fighting Spirit Unleashed 2023)
Rating: ***1/4
NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship: Giulia (c) vs Hyan (NJPW STRONG Fighting Spirit Unleashed 2023)
Rating: ***
NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championships: Hikuleo & El Phantasmo (c) vs Lance Archer & Alex Zayne
Rating: **1/2
NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship: Eddie Kingston (c) vs HENARE (NJPW STRONG Fighting Spirit Unleashed 2023)
Rating: ***1/4
Reviews
Alpha Academy vs The Creed Brothers (WWE Monday Night Raw 10/30/23)
I was looking forward to this one on the competitors alone, and it’s certainly a fine first outing for the Creeds on the main roster, but they’re still rather unrefined and not always in an endearing way. On commentary, Michael Cole compared the Creeds to the Steiners which is only apt in that both teams had collegiate backgrounds and often had moves or sequences that make me grimace with worry. There’s a lot of potential there athletically and as personas for the Creeds, and this match has some fun, big spots, but they feel underdone in terms of how to put a match together and even when it comes to safety in the ring at times. Moves like these from NXT to main roster are no longer a sure bet thanks to the developmental third brand being the rockiest it’s ever been, and I hope this isn’t an official call-up for the Creeds just yet.
Rating: ***
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