Global Wars 2018 was a professional wrestling tour co-produced by the American Ring of Honor (ROH) and Japanese New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotions. The tour’s four events took place on November 7 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine, November 8 at Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts, November 9 at Buffalo RiverWorks in Buffalo, New York and November 11 at Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This was the fifth year in which ROH and NJPW co-produced shows under the Global Wars name. Plenty of this roster would go and become AEW Stars.
Date: November 11, 2018
Arena: Mattamy Athletic Center
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Kaitlin Diemond vs. Karen Q
Combat with well executed blows but that did not generate great enthusiasm. In fact, it wasn’t expected to generate either, which makes its choice for opener questionable . After a Full Nelson Slam , Karen Q achieved the victory by making Kaitlin Diemond tap out with a Boston Crab .
Winner : Karen Q
Rating : 4/10
Global Wars 2018 – Adam Page vs. Chuckie T
Balanced and divided combat. After taking a Lariat , Chuckie T countered with a vicious Spike Piledriver . Afterwards, both desperately tried to achieve victory, with this one smiling at Adam Page following a Rite of Passage .
Winner : Adam Page
Grade : 6/10
The Kingdom (Vinny Marseglia and TK O’Ryan) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito and Bushi)
Regular tag team match, with victory smiling to Tetsuya Naito after a Destino .
Winners : Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito and Bushi)
Grade : 6/10
Global Wars 2018 – Christopher Daniels vs. Matt Taven
Matt Taven was in charge of operations for some time, even managing to neutralize Daniels’ counterattacks after a few seconds. After some time of being hounded, Daniels applied the Angel Wings , but was unable to capitalize. However, and after interference from The Kingdom, Matt Taven secured the triumph following a Climax .
Winner : Matt Taven
Rating : 6.5/10
The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe)
vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Evil and Sanada)
Entertaining combat, with action in and out of the ring, impactful blows and near falls . After the LIJ were well positioned to take the victory, it smiled at The Briscoes, after a chair by Mark and a Jay Driller by Jay on Sanada.
Winners : The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe)
Grade : 7/10
Global Wars 2018 – Jonathan Gresham vs. Flip Gordon
The match was going well until Flip Gordon injured his left knee after a Suicide Dive . Gresham took the opportunity to command operations for several minutes, trying to cause even more damage to Gordon’s left leg. Still, the very limited Flip Gordon achieved triumph after a Flip-5.
Winner : Flip Gordon
Rating : 6.5/10
ROH World Tag Team Championship:
SoCal Uncensored (Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky) (c)
vs. Super Smash Bros (Evil Uno and Stu Grayson)
Very lively tag team match, with the SCU revealing great chemistry and team spirit. Dynamic and flying, they were in very good shape against a Super Smash Bros that rarely resorted to double teams.
Everything seemed to be in favour of Kazarian and Sky, but they were the main contenders who came very close to taking the titles home, after a Swanton Bomb from Evil Uno and a 450 Splash from Stu Grayson in Scorpio Sky. But Sky not only survived but gave his team victory after a double team on Grayson.
Winners : SoCal Uncensored (Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky)
Rating : 8/10
Global Wars 2018 – Juice Robinson vs. (Trent) Baretta
Combat between two very agile and fast fighters. Juice Robinson, speeding, ended up crashing into the protective barrier. Shortly after, he abused his momentum again, this time to hit a post with his shoulder.
At one point, after also having missed some strikes in which he took risks, Baretta applied a Piledriver on the edge of the ring, but he was unable to achieve victory there. In a very divided final straight, both were close to guaranteeing the triumph. After an exchange of slaps and several false finishes, Juice Robinson emerged victorious following a Pulp Friction.
Winner : Juice Robinson
Rating : 7.5/10
The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) vs. Chris Sabin and Kushida
Four who promised a show and delivered: The Young Bucks always fast and furious and the improvised Sabin and Kushida not to be outdone. At one point, Matt and Nick Jackson appeared to have the victory secured after a Meltzer Driver , but it didn’t make it past near fall . It was only a matter of time, as the Young Bucks eventually triumphed, Matt Jackson knocking Sabin out with a Sharpshooter .
Winners : The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson)
Rating : 7.5/10
Global Wars 2018 – ROH World Championship:
Jay Lethal (c) vs. Kenny King
Kenny King wasted no time and didn’t even wait for the bell to sound before attacking the champion. The main candidate was very focused on damaging Lethal, who on his side never allowed his opponent to dominate him for an extended period.
The final stretch was full of false finishes and reverses for both sides, always unsure which side the victory could fall to. Lethal tried several times for Lethal Injection , but without success. Kenny King managed to apply the Royal Flush , but its effects did not go beyond the near fall . Shortly after, Lethal there landed a hit with Lethal Injection , but the settlement that followed didn’t come to an end either.
Frustrated, Lethal lost focus and fell into a pin fall by Kenny King, which was however annulled as the main candidate had his feet on the ropes. The match continued and Lethal took the opportunity to execute the victorious Lethal Injection .
Winner : Jay Lethal
Rating : 8/10