Strong Style Evolved UK

Strong Style Evolved UK
Promotional poster for the event, featuring various NJPW and RevPro wrestlers
Information
Promotion	New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro)
Date	June 30, 2018 July 1, 2018
Attendance	Night 1: 2,500 Night 2: 3,000
Venue	Night 1: Planet Ice Arena Night 2: Altrincham Ice Dome
City	Night 1: Milton Keynes, England Night 2: Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England
Event chronology
Previous CEOxNJPW
Next G1 Special in San Francisco
Strong Style Evolved chronology
Previous Strong Style Evolved
Next —

Strong Style Evolved UK was a two-day professional wrestling event co-promoted by the British Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro) and Japanese New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) promotions. The event two nights took place on June 30 at the Planet Ice Arena and on July 1, 2018 at the Altrincham Ice Dome. The event was themed around CHAOS against Suzuki-gun. This first night was headlined by Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr.) defending the Undisputed British Tag Team Championship against CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada and Tomohiro Ishii). The second night was headlined by Tomohiro Ishii defending the British Heavyweight Championship against Minoru Suzuki. The event's name refers to the Japanese Strong style.

Production

Background

The official logo of the event

On March 25, 2018, following the success of the Strong Style Evolved, New Japan Pro Wrestling and Revolution Pro Wrestling announced another version of the event, this time being held in the United Kingdom named "Strong Style Evolved UK", which would take place in two nights, the first on June 30 at the Milton Keynes Ice Arena in Milton Keynes, England and the second night on July 1 at Altrincham Arena in Manchester, England. On July 18, 2015, NJPW announced the "New IWGP Conception", a global expansion strategy centered on their international partnerships with Revolution Pro Wrestling. NJPW had previously partnered with Revolution Pro Wrestling for the 2015 Uprising event, while also co-producing the Global Wars UK. Tickets for the shows were on put on pre-sale on March 27 and 29, with a form having to be filled in order to get tickets. This also led to being put on sale meet-and-greets.

On May 3, it was announced that Kazuchika Okada would be part of the event. RevPro also announced that the first night of the event almost sold out, only being left the £18.70 tickets. RevPro later announced other NJPW wrestlers for the event that are British Heavyweight Champion Tomohiro Ishii, Taiji Ishimori, one-half of the Undisputed British Tag Team Champions Minoru Suzuki, Toru Yano, Yuji Nagata, Will Ospreay, Taichi, IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Jay White, Shota Umino, one-half of the Undisputed British Tag Team Champions Zack Sabre Jr. and Takashi Iizuka.

The two shows would air live through NJPW's and RevPro's internet streaming site, New Japan Pro Wrestling World and RPW on Demand, and would feature English commentary covered by Kevin Kelly, two days after the event was taped. On June 12, RevPro announced the full card for both nights. On June 29, it was announced the first night sold out, leading RevPro to announce it would be making more seats available on the day on the show, while the second night almost sold out with 27 tickets left. Jay White was supposed to face Chris Brookes in the second night of the event, but Brookes had to pull out of the match, due to injury, he was replaced by Kyle Fletcher.

Storylines

Strong Style Evolved UK featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.

Undisputed British Tag Team Champions Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr.) who will defend the titles in the first night of the event against CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada and Tomohiro Ishii).

The CHAOS and Suzuki-gun angle resulted in Strong Style Evolved UK featuring prominent matches between the two stables such as Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr. defending the Undisputed British Tag Team Championship against Kazuchika Okada and Tomohiro Ishii in the main event of the first night and Ishii defending the British Heavyweight Championship against Suzuki in the main event of the second night. On March 21, 2018, Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi in the finals of the 2018 New Japan Cup, and become the number one for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. This led to Sabre becoming the second gaijin to win the tournament after Giant Bernard in 2006. The following day, NJPW officially announced the match between Okada and Sabre as the main event of Sakura Genesis, while also announcing that Sabre and Okada would face in a prelude match at Strong Style Evolved, with Okada teaming with his CHAOS stablemate Tomohiro Ishii and Sabre with his Suzuki-gun stablemate and co-holder of the Undisputed British Tag Team Championship Minoru Suzuki, which Sabre and Suzuki won. On March 23 in a press-conference Sabre stated that aimed to be the first British IWGP Heavyweight Champion and that he wanted to defend the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in England, if he defeated Okada at the event.

British Heavyweight Champion Tomohiro Ishii who defended his title in the second night of the event against Minoru Suzuki.

On April 1, at Sakura Genesis, Sabre unsuccessfully challenged Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Five days later, at Revolution Pro Wrestling's WrestleCon, Ishii defeated Sabre to win the British Heavyweight Championship, ending his 396 days reign as champion. On June 12, RevPro announced that Sabre and Suzuki would face Okada and Ishii in a rematch for the Undisputed British Tag Team Championship, while also announcing that Sabre and Okada would face in a rematch and Ishii would defend the British Heavyweight Championship against Suzuki in the main event of the second night. On June 9, at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall, Suzuki and Sabre defeated Ishii and his CHAOS stablemate Toru Yano. After the match, Suzuki went to attack Ishii into the backstage area.

Results

Night 1

#	Matches	Stipulations	Times
1	The Great O-Kharn defeated Shota Umino	Singles match	10:02
2	Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori and Yujiro Takahashi) defeated Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis)	Tag team match	12:57
3	Tiger Mask defeated David Starr	Singles match	11:01
4	Suzuki-gun (El Desperado, Taichi and Takashi Iizuka) defeated CHAOS (Jay White, Gedo and Toru Yano)	Six-man tag team match	10;40
5	WALTER defeated Yuji Nagata	Singles match	12:27
6	Yoshi-Hashi defeated Chris Brookes	Singles match	9:03
7	Will Ospreay defeated Yoshinobu Kanemaru	Singles match	10:59
8	Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr.) (c) defeated CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada and Tomohiro Ishii)	Tag team match for the Undisputed British Tag Team Championship	25:45
(c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match – refers to the video of that match

Night 2

#	Matches	Stipulations	Times
1	The Great O-Kharn defeated Danny Duggan	Singles match	10:11
2	Yuji Nagata defeated Shota Umino	Singles match	7:39
3	Suzuki-gun (El Desperado, Takashi Iizuka and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) defeated CHAOS (Gedo, Toru Yano and Yoshi-Hashi)	Six-man tag team match	10:46
4	WALTER defeated Yujiro Takahashi	Singles match	8:38
5	Taichi defeated Will Ospreay	Singles match	13:50
6	David Starr defeated El Phantasmo, Taiji Ishimori and Tiger Mask	Four-way match for the British Cruiserweight Championship	11:54
7	Jay White defeated Kyle Fletcher	Singles match	14:24
8	Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Kazuchika Okada	Singles match	18:59
9	Minoru Suzuki defeated Tomohiro Ishii (c)	Singles match for the British Heavyweight Championship	20:28
(c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match – refers to the video of that match

External links

• Strong Style Evolved UK Official Website