Moxley’s next New Japan match looks to be getting even more hardcore

Jon Moxley’s last match with El Desperado left both men torn up and bloody. After a weekend of hardcore action on the independent scene, Despy called Mox out for a rematch. The AEW star responded quickly, and set up a date for Independence Day (both the holiday celebrating the United States’ founding, and the name of New Japan’s July 4-5 shows in Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall) — a date he’s bringing his old frenemy Homicide to.

That list of things alone would be enough to tell us that there will be blood during Mox’s return to Japan. Okay, Moxley’s name alone was enough to tell us that... but if you had a sliver of doubt left, Desperado’s partner should dispel that. The Super Junior legend has asked deathmatch icon Jun Kasai to team with him at Independence Day.

The 48 year old Kasai is known as “Crazy Monkey” for hardcore matches on both sides of the Pacific. During the deathmatch boom of the aughts he worked with Big Japan Pro-Wrestling, but has mostly appeared for Pro Wrestling FREEDOMS in recent years. In the United States, he won CZW’s Tournament of Death in 2014. Last year, he wrestled three deathmatches for GCW. He’s never faced Mox, but in 2002-2003 did wrestle Homicide in BJW and Zero-1.

Kasai and Desperado have quite a history themselves, including a pair of matches last year for TAKA Michinoku’s JTO promotion. That seems to have created enough mutual respect to set-up an alliance. New Japan hasn’t confirmed their partnership yet, but it’s unlikely they’d be promoting their conversation for the cameras if it wasn’t happening.

Once confirmed, Moxley & Homicide vs. Despy & Kasai will join Clark Connors & Dan Moloney’s IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag title defense against TJP & Francesco Akira on night one of Independence Day. Eddie Kingston is challenging KENTA for the Strong Openweight title on night two.