Resurgence (2024) was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling's New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America (NJoA). The event took place on May 11, 2024, at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.
The show was headlined by Jon Moxley defending the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Shota Umino. Another high-profile title match for the show featured Eddie Kingston defending the Strong Openweight Championship against Gabe Kidd in a No Ropes Last Man Standing match. Another title match also featured CMLL's Stephanie Vaquer defending the Strong Women's Championship against Alex Windsor.
The event featured wrestlers from NJPW partnered promotions All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), World Wonder Ring Stardom (Stardom) and Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro).
The show also saw the return of The Young Bucks, who returned to the promotion for one-night only after five years, helping their Elite stablemate Jack Perry to take down Eddie Kingston.
The event aired live on NJPW's streaming service NJPW World as a pay-per-view (PPV) in both English and Japanese commentaries.
Production[]
Background[]
In October 2019, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) announced their expansion into the United States with their new American division, New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America (NJoA). Since February 2020, due to restrictions COVID-19 pandemic imposed in the United States, NJPW began promting events under closed doors, as part of the NJPW Strong. On January 30, 2023, NJPW announced that all of the promotion's future American events would be branded under the "Strong" name. NJoA PPVs have since aired under the NJPW Strong Live banner; these PPV events will later air as part of the NJPW Strong on Demand series.
The event was announced on February 11. Tickets went on sale on February 18 with prices ranging from $29 to $299. On March 22, NJPW announced that IWGP World Heavyweight, Strong Openweight, Strong Openweight Tag Team and Strong Women's Championships would be on the line for event.
Storylines[]
The Resurgence 2024 features professional wrestling matches that involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.
Shota Umino, who challenged for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at the main event
Resurgence (2024) will be main evented by either Jon Moxley defending the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Shota Umino. On April 12, at Windy City Riot, Moxley defeated Tetsuya Naito to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. With his win, Moxley became the first person to hold the WWE Championship, the AEW World Championship and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, and the first "Global Grand Slam Champion". Post-match, Moxley took to the microphone to talk about the legendary figure he beat in the past but in his reign as champion, he wanted to face ‘the young, hungry lions’. Moxley delcared a title match to be his ‘graduation test,’ to his protègè Shota Umino, which he called out. Ren Narita, approched Moxley ducked him with his signature push-bar, Narita chocked Moxley and declared himself as the next number one contender. This led to Umino fend off Narita and save Moxley from an attack. On May 4 at Wrestling Dontaku, Moxley retained the title against Narita, making the match official for Resurgence.
Eddie Kingston, who defended his Strong Openweight Championship against Gabe Kidd
On November 10, 2023 at Lonestar Shootout, Gabe Kidd attacked Eddie Kingston, after he had successfully defended the Strong Openweight Championship against Satoshi Kojima. Both would face each other in a ended in a double count-out at Battle in the Valley, on January 13, 2024, after Bullet Club War Dogs attacked Kingston. Afterwards, Kingston warned that he made dangerous enemies and that he had dangerous friends, leading NJPW to announce a Riot Rules match at the event, where Kidd and Kingston would serve as captains. At the event, Bullet Club War Dogs defeated Kingston, Homicide, Jeff Cobb and TJP. After the match, Kingston challenged Kidd to a No Ropes Last Man Standing match at Resurgence, which Kidd accepted.
Stephanie Vaquer, who defended her Strong Women's Championship against Alex Windsor
Also at Windy City Riot, Stephanie Vaquer sucessfully defended the Strong Women's Championship against Stardom's AZM. After the match, Alex Windsor challenged Vaquer to a title match at Resurgence, which she accepted.
Also, during this time, Team Filthy started to feel frustrated with lack of opportunities and touring in New Japan. After Lonestar Shootout, after failing to win the Strong Openweight Tag Championship, West Coast Wrecking Crew confronted Tom Lawlor. They took issue with Lawlor's loss to rival, Fred Rosser, and that he shook his hand afterwards. Their issues worsened at Battle in the Valley, when Lawlor once again shook Rosser's hand after the match, leading West Coast Wrecking Crew to left Lawlor to figure it out and decide to be with them or Rosser. On April 12, at Windy City Riot, the WCWC, and Lawlor and Fred Rosser failed to win the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships in a in a four corners tag team after a highly miscommunication between both teams. After the match, a bitter and frustrated Nelson and Isaacs attacked Rosser and Lawlor, cutting part of Lawlor's hair and feding it to Rosser, thus disbanding Team Filthy.
On May 4 at Wrestling Dontaku, after Shingo Takagi successfully defended the NEVER Openweight Championship, reigning Provisional 2024 KOPW Champion Yuya Uemura confronted Takagi, during a post-match interveiw, challenging him to a title match which he accepted, after having lost previously to Uemura in the 2024 New Japan Cup.
Also at Wrestling Dontaku, after Jeff Cobb won the NJPW World Television Championship, a video package appeared with Lance Archer congratulated Cobb for his win but also took a shot at the United Empire, asking who the leader was. He would then challenge Cobb to a title match at Resurgence.
Results[]
Buy-in[]
| # | Results | Stipulations | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1P | Matt Vandagriff defeated Adrian Quest | Singles match | 4:27 |
| 2 | Mustafa Ali defeated Lio Rush | Singles match | 6:27 |
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Main Show[]
| # | Matches | Stipulations | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | House of Torture (EVIL, Ren Narita and Jack Perry) defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Rocky Romero and The DKC | Six-man tag team match | 11:29 |
| 2 | West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson and Royce Isaacs) defeated Dirty Work (Tom Lawlor and Fred Rosser) | Tag team match | 11:54 |
| 3 | Guerrillas of Destiny (Hikuleo and El Phantasmo) defeated TMDK (Mikey Nicholls and Shane Haste) (c) | Tag team match for the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship | 10:17 |
| 4 | Stephanie Vaquer (c) defeated Alex Windsor | Singles match for the Strong Women's Championship | 10:53 |
| 5 | Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito and Yota Tsuji) defeated Bullet Club (David Finlay and KENTA) | Tag team match | 14:45 |
| 6 | Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi | Singles match | 12:12 |
| 7 | Jeff Cobb (c) defeated Lance Archer | Singles match for the NJPW World Television Championship | 11:35 |
| 8 | Shingo Takagi (c) defeated Yuya Uemura | Singles match for the NEVER Openweight Championship | 21:00 |
| 9 | Gabe Kidd defeated Eddie Kingston (c) | No Ropes Last Man Standing match for the Strong Openweight Championship | 20:19 |
| 10 | Jon Moxley (c) defeated Shota Umino | Singles match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship | 34:18 |
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