STRONG Openweight Championship, Matt Rehwoldt In Action On 2/26 NJPW STRONG

The lineup is set for Saturday’s NJPW STRONG. 

NJPW announced that Tom Lawlor will defend the STRONG Openweight Championship against Taylor Rust on the February 26 episode of NJPW STRONG. 

Plus, Matt Rehwoldt battles El Phantasmo and Karl Fredericks takes on ETHAN HD. 

From NJPW: 

Main event: STRONG Openweight Championship: Tom Lawlor vs Taylor Rust

Tom Lawlor seeks to make his seventh defence of the STRONG Openweight Championship in our main event this week against Taylor Rust. Over one year ago, Lawlor unceremoniously dumped Rust from team Filthy after a losing performance on NJPW STRONG, leading to the ‘Sultan of Submissions’ honing his skills in WWE and then ROH while Lawlor became the first STRONG Champion. 

After his sixth defence in Riverside at the end of 2021, Rust made his shocking return to STRONG, first embracing his former team leader, before striking him with Perfect Circle, and declaring himself the next challenger. The Filthy era of STRONG has seemed all but unstoppable, but with submission skill that could even rival the champion, and with a finishing blow that can come from absolutely anywhere, could Tom Lawlor’s time as champion finally be running out?

2nd Match: Matt Rehwoldt vs El Phantasmo

First time singles action will see the Drama King Matt Rehwoldt take on El Phantasmo. 

Rehwoldt has been openly critical of Phantasmo on commentary for his nefarious tactics through 2021, from humiliation of his opponents to the now revealed secret of Sudden Death. Yet with a long history of activity in the Pacific Northwest, ELP might be in the rare position of fan favourite tonight in Seattle. How will the Drama King adapt himself to the always wily Phantasmo?

1st Match: Karl Fredericks vs ETHAN HD

Starting the evening’s action will be Karl Fredericks taking on ETHAN HD. Neither man is a stranger to the Seattle crowd, but as ETHAN HD makes a NJPW debut many years in the making, will he be impossible to deny against the Alpha Wolf Karl Fredericks on home STRONG turf?

You can find results from past NJPW STRONG events at Fightful’s results section.