Windy City Riot (2024) was a professional wrestling event produced by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on April 12, 2024, at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.[1][2] It was the second event under the Windy City Riot chronology.
| Windy City Riot | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Promotion | New Japan Pro-Wrestling | ||
| Brand(s) | NJPW Strong | ||
| Date | April 12, 2024 | ||
| City | Chicago, Illinois | ||
| Venue | Wintrust Arena | ||
| Attendance | 6,028 | ||
| Event chronology | |||
| |||
| Windy City Riot chronology | |||
| |||
Eleven matches were contested at the event, including two on the pre-show. In the main event, Jon Moxley defeated Tetsuya Naito to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. In other prominent matches, Nic Nemeth defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Matt Riddle to win the NJPW World Television Championship, Bullet Club (David Finlay, Kenta, Clark Connors and Gabe Kidd) defeated Eddie Kingston, Homicide and United Empire (Jeff Cobb and TJP) in a Riot Rules match and Stephanie Vaquer defeated AZM to retain the Strong Women's Championship.
Production
editBackground
editIn October 2019, NJPW announced their expansion into the United States with their new American division, New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America (NJoA).[3] On July 31, 2020, NJPW announced a new weekly series titled NJPW Strong; the series would be produced by NJoA.[4] 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, and are later shown as part of the NJPW Strong on Demand series.[5]
On January 5, 2024, during New Year Dash!!,[1] NJPW announced that Windy City Riot will take place on April 12, at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.[2] This is the second Windy City Riot event, with the first taking part in April 2022.[6] It was later confirmed that NJPW would provide English commentary for the event.[7]
Storylines
editThe event featured several professional wrestling matches, which involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds, plots, and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches. Storylines are produced on NJPW's events.[8]
On January 13, during Battle in the Valley, Mustafa Ali issued a challenge to Hiromu Takahashi at Windy City Riot,[9] which would mark Ali's NJPW debut.[10]
At Battle in the Valley, after Jon Moxley defeated Shingo Takagi in a No Disqualification match, Moxley challenged the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito for a match at Windy City Riot.[11] On February 22, Naito stated that he would put the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on the line at Windy City Riot; if he successfully defends the title at Sakura Genesis against Yota Tsuji, which he did.[12]
Also at Battle in the Valley, Eddie Kingston and Gabe Kidd competed in a match that ended in a double countout, where Kingston defended his Strong Openweight, ROH World, and the AEW Continental Championships.[13] As a result, NJPW later announced that Kidd and Kingston would serve as captains in an eight-man Riot Rules tag team match.[14]
Results
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Windy City Riot sees NJPW hit the Wintrust in Chicago April 12! 【NJoA】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. January 5, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Renner, Ethan (January 5, 2024). "NJPW returning to Chicago for Windy City Riot 2024". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ "NJPW ANNOUNCES NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING OF AMERICA SUBSIDIARY". f4wonline. October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
- ^ "New Japan Cup USA announced for NJPW STRONG debut 【NJoA】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Bushiroad. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- ^ "NJPW of America, STRONG transform in 2023 【NJoA】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. January 30, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
- ^ Renner, Ethan (January 31, 2022). "NJPW announces Windy City Riot event for Chicago". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ Wannan, Jack (February 23, 2024). "NJPW World to carry Windy City Riot English feed on PPV". Post Wrestling. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ Grabianowski, Ed (13 January 2006). "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks, Inc. Discovery Communications. Archived from the original on November 29, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
- ^ a b Lambert, Jeremy (January 13, 2024). "Mustafa Ali is Bringing his Campaign to NJPW, Challenges Hiromu Takahashi for NJPW Windy City Riot". Fightful. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ Renner, Ethan (January 14, 2024). "Mustafa Ali vs. Hiromu Takahashi set for NJPW Windy City Riot". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ a b lambert, Jeremy (January 14, 2024). "Jon Moxley vs. Tetsuya Naito Announced For NJPW Windy City Riot". Fightful. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ "SANADA breaks silence in Naito Sapporo confrontation". NJPW. February 22, 2024. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ Tessier, Colin (January 13, 2024). "NJPW Battle in the Valley Results (1/13/24): Okada vs. Ospreay, Jon Moxley, More". Wrestlezone. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Tessier, Colin (February 11, 2024). "Eddie Kingston and Gabe Kidd to Captain Teams in Riot Rules Match at NJPW Windy City Riot". Fightful. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Renner, Ethan (March 21, 2024). "Nemeth vs. Ishii, two more matches added to NJPW Windy City Riot". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
- ^ Renner, Ethan (April 13, 2024). "NJPW Windy City Riot live results: Moxley vs. Naito IWGP title match". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (April 12, 2024). "NJPW Windy City Riot 2024". cagematch.net. Retrieved April 13, 2024.