NJPW Battle in the Valley Results (2/18/2023); Mercedes Moné Wins IWGP Women’s Title

New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) presents Battle in the Valley, live from San Jose, California at San Jose Civic with a sold-out crowd of 2,152. On the card tonight is Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Clark Connors for the NJPW TV Title, the women will also make history with Mercedes Moné vs Kairi (c) for the IWGP Women’s Championship as they look to headline the show and so much more. Continue below for the match results.


Pre-Show results:

1st Match- J.R Kratos vs Alex Coughling

Result: Alex Coughlin defeated J. R. Kratos via pinfall win a German Suplex.


2nd Match- Bobby Fish vs. David Finley

Result: David Finlay defeated Bobby Fish via pinfall after Trash Panda.


The show had technical difficulty. It’s back at the 10:50pm.


3rd Match: Máscara Dorada, Josh Alexander, Adrian Quest & Rocky Romero vs Kushida, Volador Jr., Kevin Knight & The DKC –

Result: Kushida, Volador Jr., Kevin Knight & The DKC defeated Máscara Dorada, Josh Alexander, Adrian Quest & Rocky Romero via pinfall as Knight DKC after a DDT while KUSHIDA had Alexander in a Hoverboard Lock. After the match, Volador and Romero brawl it out on the floor and Volador challenged Rocky to a hair match.


NJPW Strong Openweight Championship match: Fred Rosser(c) vs Kenta

Result:  KENTA defeated Fred Rosser via pinfall after a Go to sleep to become the new Strong Openweight Champion.


NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Championship match: The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) (c) vs. West Coast Wrecking Crew

Result: The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) defeated West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson & Royce Issacs) via pinfall after the Dirt Bomb on Issacs, retaining the Strong Openweight Tag titles.


Loser Leaves NJPW match: Jay White vs. Eddie Kingston-

Result: Eddie Kingston defeated Jay White and ending his NJPW career via pinfall with combination of various moves. White got his shoulder during a pin attempt. After the match, Jay White went to address the crowd, but David Finley attacks him. Then Finlay cut a passionate promo about taking charge of NJPW.


Filthy Rules Fight: Tom Lawlor vs. Homicide

Result: Tom Lawlor defeated Homicide via submission when Homicide passed out with his middle fingers in the air while in a rear naked choke that came after being hit in the head with a door and taking a diving headbutt off a ladder.


NJPW Television championship match: Zack Sabre, Jr. (c) vs. Clark Connors Result: Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Clark Connors via submission Kevin Knight comes out to confront Zack Sabre Jr.


The first-time women headline NJPW. IWGP Women’s Championship match: Kairi (c) vs. Mercedes Moné

Result: NEW IWGP Woman’s Champion Mercedes Moné defeated Kairi via pinfall with the Moné Maker. After the match they hug each other, and Kairi puts the title around Mercedes’s waist as a sign of respect and sportsmanship.


IWGP World Heavyweight championship match: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi 

Result: Kazuchika Okada defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship via pinfall with a rainmaker.

After the match, Okada and Tanahashi showed San Jose what New Japan Pro-Wrestling is all about and wants to reform their dream tag team to go after the IWGP Tag titles. He says goodbye when Mercedes Moné new IWGP Woman’s Champion joins Okada.

He can’t help but shake his hips like the Legit C.E.O. does when she holds her belt in the air. Moné also thanks San Jose, then says she heard Okada talking about dream tag teams and wonders if they’re not destined to team-up in the future. The show closes with the two champs posing in the ring and on the stage before exiting.