NJPW Windy City Riot 2024

The Main Event of Madness: NJPW's 'Chicago Riot' Review

April 11, 2024, Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois - In a night that will be remembered for its unpredictable chaos and electrifying action, New Japan Pro Wrestling brought the noise to the Windy City with their Pay Per View event, "Chicago Riot". This star-studded affair saw a mix of established stars and rising talents clash in matches that showcased the best of what NJPW has to offer.

The opening salvo was delivered by Ren Narita, who made a statement by defeating Minoru Suzuki via pinfall in just 7 minutes and 43 seconds. The young upstart's technical prowess was on full display as he outmaneuvered the veteran Suzuki, sending a clear message that he's ready to take on the best of NJPW.

The NJPW STRONG Women's Title changed hands when Stephanie Vaquer defeated AZM in a thrilling match that lasted 10 minutes and 50 seconds. Vaquer's aerial assault was too much for AZM to handle, as she seized the title opportunity with a picture-perfect dive off the top rope.

Next up, TMDK (Mikey Nicholls and Shane Haste) put their NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Titles on the line against Guerrillas Of Destiny (El Phantasmo and Hikuleo), Fred Rosser and Tom Lawlor, and The West Coast Wrecking Crew in a chaotic Four Corner Match. In the end, it was TMDK who emerged victorious, their tag team experience proving too much for the opposition to handle.

Shota Umino continued his winning streak by defeating Jack Perry via submission in 15 minutes and 4 seconds. Umino's grappling expertise was on full display as he wore down Perry with a series of high-impact moves before locking in the decisive armbar.

The first half of the card concluded with Mustafa Ali pulling off an upset victory over Hiromu Takahashi, using his quickness and agility to evade Takahashi's attacks and capitalize on a momentary lapse in concentration to secure the win.

The main event of the evening was a Riot Rules Match that pitted BULLET CLUB (Clark Connors, David Finlay, Gabe Kidd, and KENTA) against Eddie Kingston, Homicide, and United Empire (Jeff Cobb and TJP). This match was an absolute free-for-all, with all eight competitors giving it their all in a 17-minute and 58-second spectacle. In the end, BULLET CLUB emerged victorious, capitalizing on the chaos to pick up the win.

The penultimate match saw Zack Sabre Jr. successfully defend his NJPW World Television Title against Matt Riddle, using his cunning and technical prowess to outmaneuver the challenger in a competitive 15-minute contest.

Finally, Jon Moxley put his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on the line against Tetsuya Naito in a match that lived up to its billing. These two wrestling titans went toe-to-toe for 20 minutes, trading near-falls and showcasing their incredible athleticism before Moxley ultimately emerged victorious, retaining his title in a thrilling conclusion.

In the end, NJPW's "Chicago Riot" was an unforgettable night of professional wrestling that left fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish. With so many outstanding matches and moments to choose from, it's clear that this event will be remembered for a long time to come.

Card Details

Date: 11 Apr 2024
Promotion: New Japan Pro Wrestling
Arena: Wintrust Arena
Type: Pay Per View
Broadcast Type: Live
Broadcast Date: 11 Apr 2024

Matches

Ren Narita defeat Minoru Suzuki in a Singles Match
Match Time: 07:43
Stephanie Vaquer(C) defeat AZM in a NJPW STRONG Women's Title Match
Match Time: 10:50
TMDK (Mikey Nicholls and Shane Haste)(C) defeat Guerrillas Of Destiny (El Phantasmo and Hikuleo), Fred Rosser and Tom Lawlor and The West Coast Wrecking Crew in a NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Title Four Corner Match
Shota Umino defeat Jack Perry in a Singles Match
Match Time: 15:04
Mustafa Ali defeat Hiromu Takahashi in a Singles Match
Match Time: 15:08
BULLET CLUB (Clark Connors, David Finlay, Gabe Kidd and KENTA) defeat Eddie Kingston, Homicide and United Empire (Jeff Cobb and TJP) in a Riot Rules Match
Match Time: 17:58
Zack Sabre Jr.(C) defeat Matt Riddle in a NJPW World Television Title Match
Nic Nemeth defeat Tomohiro Ishii in a Non Title Match
Match Time: 14:07
Jon Moxley(C) defeat Tetsuya Naito in a IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match