NJPW Resurgence 2023 News: Original Women’s Title Tournament Plans, Mark Davis Injury Update, More News

May 23, 2023

NJPW’s Original Plans for NJPW Strong Women’s Championship Tournament

As noted before, Mercedes Mone suffered a broken ankle injury this past Sunday’s Resurgence 2023 event for New Japan Pro Wrestling in Long Beach, California.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that his sources stated that NJPW officials original plans were for Mone to win the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship tournament and be crowned its inaugural champion at their event. Johnson reported that following Mone suffering an injury, NJPW officials called an audible for Willow Nightingale to win and become the inaugural champion instead.

The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported that his sources also confirmed that Mone was originally planned to win the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship at NJPW’s Resurgence 2023 event. Meltzer reported that the exact nature of Mone’s injury has yet to be confirmed beyond her suffering either a foot or ankle-related injury.

Mark Davis Injury Status Update

This past Sunday’s NJPW Resurgence 2023 event in Long Beach also featured Aussie Open’s Kyle Fletcher announcing that his tag team partner Mark Davis recently suffered an injury and they will be vacating their IWGP Tag Team and NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships as a result.

The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported that his sources stated that Davis’ recently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus injury.

Meltzer reported that the reason why Aussie Open had to vacate both of their tag team titles was due to a rule NJPW has when it comes to advertising a championship match for an event. Meltzer reported that due to NJPW officials currently not having a timetable for Davis’ return and because they had advertised a IWGP Tag Team Championship for next month’s Dominion 2023 event, NJPW officials made the decision to have Aussie Open vacate their titles.

Meltzer reported that those close to Davis stated that he is currently planning to be able to make his return very soon and as early as in six weeks or even sooner.

NJPW Resurgence 2023 News & Notes

This past Sunday’s NJPW Resurgence 2023 event featured Will Ospreay defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi in a First Round match for the #1 Contender’s IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship match. Following the match, Ospreay appeared to be in pain from a potential shoulder-related injury. The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported that those spoken to within NJPW stated that Ospreay’s pain was legitimate and not just him selling the damage he took during the match. Meltzer reported that it is currently not known if Ospreay will be out of action for any length of time due to this shoulder-related issue.

The Mandalorian series actors Katee Sackhoff and Emily Swallow were in attendance at NJPW’s Resurgence 2023 event in Long Beach, California.

Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that most of the talent who worked at this past Sunday’s Resurgence 2023 event had traveled this past Friday to Long Beach in order to get to the venue in time for the event.

Willow Nightingale recently reflected about her NJPW Strong Women’s Championship victory at NJPW’s Resurgence event.

Take a look at what @willowwrestles had to say moments after making history as the first #njpwSTRONG Women's Champion!

Order the #njresurgence replay now!https://t.co/WbC2atcwdP pic.twitter.com/c1vo5iOY2b
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) May 22, 2023

NJPW recently announced two updated matches for the card of their Dominion 2023 event on June 4th in Osaka, Japan:

IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender tournament Finals – Lance Archer vs. Will Ospreay
IWGP Tag Team Championship – Bishamon (YOSHI-YASHI & Hirooki Goto) vs. House of Torture (EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi)

In regards to the Bishamon vs. House of Torture match at Dominion 2023, NJPW announced that this match would only be for the IWGP Tag Team Championship and not for both the IWGP Tag Team and NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship as had been initially announced at this past Sunday’s Resurgence 2023 event.