Since last November, Yoshiki Inamura has been on an excursion in NXT from Pro Wrestling NOAH. He formed a tag team with Josh Briggs, which became popular with the fans. Their friendship and teamwork were nice to see. A tag team with genuine friends is always a recipe for success.
But when things start breaking down, cracks start to form. Over the past couple of months, Briggs and Inamura have been chasing the NXT and TNA Championships. Their losses led them to a triple threat match against Oba Femi on the July 22, 2025, episode of NXT.
After both men lost, Briggs attacked Inamura, ending their team. Since then, they’ve been wanting to fight each other. It was announced that they will be participating in a Philadelphia Street Fight at The Met in Philadelphia next Tuesday. With both men needing a win, who needs it more?
A Win Would Get Briggs’ Career Back on Track
Josh Briggs has been through a lot during his time in NXT. He made his debut in the Men’s Breakout Tournament in 2021. He was part of a faction with Brooks Jensen and Fallon Henley that went their separate ways.
Jensen was a one-time NXT UK Tag Team Champion. He had a nice singles run before being partnered with Inamura. After four years in NXT, he’s one of the most senior members on the roster.
Most of the people who were there when he started are either on the main roster or have moved on, either via contract expiration or being released. It’s clear that he has to make an impact real soon, or he’ll be in danger of being cut. After two separate tag team runs, Briggs needs a triumphant win to start a singles run that will hopefully save his NXT career.
Inamura Would Show He Belongs With a Win
Whenever a wrestler goes on an excursion to another promotion or country, they have to prove that they belong. Impressing not only one promotion but another shows that the wrestler is becoming a success. Many Japanese promotions send wrestlers on excursion, with a notable one being Yuya Uemura heading to TNA.
He formed a tag team with Joe Hendry, elevating his status before returning to NJPW. It seems like NXT is taking a page out of that playbook with Yoshiki Inamura. Just like Briggs, he needs a win. But it’s not to save his NXT career, it’s to start his career. So far, he’s been tied to Briggs throughout his whole tenure.
Beating him and showing everyone the capable singles wrestler he is in Japan will impress NXT management. Inamura will start to get many more opportunities if he walks out of Philadelphia with the win.
Both Competitors are Hungry for the Victory
Given that the match is a Street Fight, Briggs and Inamura can do whatever they want to each other without disqualification. Knowing how they feel about each other, it’s going to be a wild fight where neither man will give up for anything.
The August 12, 2025, episode of NXT featured a wild brawl between the two, with multiple security guards having to separate them. Briggs wants to get back to his winning ways, while Inamura wants to show NXT who he truly is. They both worked so well together at the beginning of their partnership.
Fans would’ve never predicted this match months ago. But sometimes a fight needs to happen for cooler heads to prevail. Philadelphia is a city with so much wrestling history. The upcoming Philadelphia Street Fight will add to the state’s rich wrestling legacy.
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