Mox & Nagata send messages ahead of Dynamite clash

New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s biggest shows in Japan may be on hold for at least the rest of May, but the company has one marquee feud playing out in the United States. And ahead of their IWGP United States championship match next Wednesday (May 12) on Dynamite, Jon Moxley and Yuji Nagata threw down in tag team action on last night’s episode of NJPW Strong.

The champ teamed with Chris Dickinson, while the challenger’s partner was Ren Narita. Mox and Nagata started things off in the May 7 show’s main event. Each man landed some strong style shots...

... but they missed on bigger moves. Mox went for Death Rider, but Nagata slipped free and started working for an armbar. It was then that Narita tagged himself in. Most of the match featured the Young Lion in peril, and made fans hope for a future single match between Dickinson and Blue Justice (the Dirty Daddy has a date with Tom Lawlor for the Strong Openweight belt coming up on May 28, but any time before or after that is fine by me).

Nagata and Moxley were the legal men for a stretch near the end of the match, too. There they connected with some of the stuff they teased earlier, like a Mox lariat and an exploder suplex from the 53 year old legend. Narita was back in for the finish, and got a nearfall on Mox with a suplex off the ropes. But while Nagata and Dickinson brawled on the floor, he took a Death Rider, and the pin.

A post-match staredown got physical when the champ slapped Nagata. It then took a crowd to save Mox before the show went off the air.

It was a good way to give the veteran some shine heading into a title fight he’s almost certainly losing. NJPW Strong also have us just enough of a taste of what these heavy hitters will give us to make you want to see the real deal on Dynamite.

And in case that’s not enough for you, New Japan reminded us about Mox’s kick ass promo from last Wednesday’s show.

Ready for Moxley/Nagata?