NJPW Dominion 2018 Review
Hello friends and welcome to New Japan’s Dominion. I know it’s been awhile but it’s been quite a busy time for me. BUT I wasn’t going to miss this incredible card, a show some think could be better than Wrestle Kingdom.
Before the show, we’re introduced to Harold Meij, who is the new President and CEO of New Japan. Harold was born in Holland, grew up a wrestling fan in Japan, went to college in New York, then moved back to Japan for work. He seems like a smart guy and he tells the crowd wants to take New Japan to the next level.
Now onto the show, we’re from the Osaka-Jo Hall in Osaka.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Match
Roppongi 3K vs. El Desperado and Kanemaru(c)
Desperado tries to hit Yoh with the belt before the match but 3K avoid the attack, knock the Suzuki-gun team out of the ring and hit double tope con hilos to the outside.
It doesn’t take long before the match spills out onto the floor. Sho is sent into a row of chairs from Desperado and Kanemaru hits a draping DDT on Yoh from the apron to the floor. Roppongi 3K manage to break the 20 count at the last second.
Suzuki-gun isolate Yoh for a period until he makes the hot tag to Sho. Sho gets some offense for awhile until eventually all four men end up in the match. Kanemaru went to spit the whiskey but accidentally hits Desperado. Sho hits a lung blower to Desperado but Desperado kicks out. Sho goes for a Cross Arrow but Desperado escapes it, they both back up into the referee as Kanemaru hits Sho with a whiskey bottle. Desperado rolls up Sho for the 3.
Winners: Suzuki-gun at 9:29. After the match Rocky gets on the commentary mic and says this isn’t over and Suzuki-gun are a bunch of punk bitches.
David Finlay and Juice Robinson vs. Yoshi-Hashi and Jay White
Winners: Robinson and Finlay at 7:26. Juice pins White with the Pulp Friction. After the match Juice poses with the US title. Looks like a future title opportunity for Juice and you know what, it’s time for him to win it.
Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr. with Taka vs. Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano
Winners: Suzuki-gun at 8:42. When Yano went to low blow Sabre, Sabre quick snapped his legs together trapping the wrist of Yano and locking him in modified butterfly lock for the tap out victory. That was very awesome. After the match, Ishii and Suzuki fight and battle in the ring with chairs. The fight ends up on the outside and both men start slapping each other, eventually the fight is broken up.
NEVER Openweight Championship Match
Taichi with Miho Abe vs. Michael Elgin vs. Hirooki Goto(c)
Early on in the match Taishi is waiting on the outside while Goto and Elgin fight. When Taichi does get in the ring he’s immediately attacked then rolls back out.
Later on Elgin goes for a superplex to Taichi but Goto stops him with a middle rope back body drop. Goto then goes for a superplex but Big Mike is back up. ike goes to the apron, gets to the middle rope then hits a sunset bomb to Goto which also hits a superplex to Taichi, that was pretty impressive. Elgin then hits Goto with a cross arm electric chair drop for a 2.
On the outside, Taichi tosses in Miho, the ref is distracted as Taichi hits both men with the mic stand. Taichi hits Goto with a super kick but only a 2. Taichi hits a buzzsaw kick to Goto, then tries for a pin but Elgin just picks him up and buckle bombs Taichi into Goto who was also in the corner. Elgin then hits an Elgin Bomb to Taichi for the win.
Winner and new NEVER Openweight Champion: Michael Elgin at 13:46.
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Match
Young Bucks vs. Evil and Sanada(c)
Doesn’t take long before the match ends up with all four men in the ring. The Bucks knocked the LIJ team to the outside as Nick hits a corkscrew to the outside.
Back to the outside, Evil sends Matt to the guardrail. LIJ then has Matt isolated. Nick gets the hot tag and takes out both LIJ members. Nick is on the apron and goes to kick Evil who’s on the floor, Evil ducks and Nick kicks the ring post.
LIJ begins to double team Nick until Matt comes in to make the save. The Bucks go for a double superplex but Evil comes in and hits a tower of doom to the Bucks and his partner. Nick manages to hit a few kicks but everytime he does he sells the bad foot.
Matt is tagged in and tries for a Meltzer Driver but Evil pulls Nick off the rope. Matt puts a sharpshooter to Evil but Sanada comes from behind and locks in a Skull End to Matt, then Nick comes off the top and hits a missile dropkick to Sanada.
Matt comes in and sets up Evil for the Meltzer Driver but Nick falls off the top rope because of the bad foot. LIJ hit a Magic Killer to Matt but Nick is able to make the save. Evil tries an STO but Matt backslides him for 2. Sanada is tagged in and goes for a Skull End to Matt, can’t get it. All four men are in, Sanada springboards in but is met with a double superkick. Matt sets up Sanada for the More Bang For Your Buck, and Nick is able to hit it for the 3.
Winners and new IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions: The Young Bucks at 15:03.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jushin Thunder Liger, and Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Cody, Adam Page, and Marty Scrull
The Bullet Club isolate Liger and work over his leg and arm. Rey is finally tagged in and takes out the BC members. Rey tags in Tanahashi who is in there with Page. After a double clothesline both men are down as Cody and Liger are tagged in.
All six men eventually come in, Marty tries to break Rey’s fingers but Rey puts him in the 619 position. Page stops him, but Rey dropkicks him into the ropes too and hits a double 619. Back in the ring Cody hits a Cross Roads to Liger for the win.
Winners: Bullet Club at 11:35. After the match Cody kept attacking Liger but Rey makes the save. Possible Cody/Rey match? I’d be all for that.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Match
Hiromu Takahashi vs. Will Ospreay(c)
The match starts off with both men going right each other with a flurry of offense. The match quickly goes outside as Ospreay hits a running 450 dive from the ramp to Hiromu. Ospreay puts Hiromu back into the ring and starts working him over.
Ospreay is targeting the right arm of Takahashi with various submissions and slamming it into the ring post. On the outside Takahashi takes over and hits a shotgun dropkick from the apron to the floor sending Ospreay into the ring post.
Ospreay goes for the Storm Breaker but Takahashi counters it with a Code Red. Ospreay is able to come back and hits a Burning Star Press followed by a corkscrew shooting star press for 2. Ospreay tries another Storm Breaker but Takahashi wriggles free and locks in a triangle choke. Ospreay tries to power bomb his way out of it but Takahashi still holds on. Ospreay again hoists him up and instead of a power bomb his drops Takahashi on the back of his neck.
Ospreay hits a Robinson Special and goes for an OsCutter but Takahashi shoves Ospreay to the apron then hits a sunset bomb to the previously exposed floor. Back in the ring Takahashi only gets a 2.
Ospreay nails a few head kicks and goes for the Storm Breaker again, Takahashi counters with a triangle choke, Ospreay tries to escape but Takahashi counters that with a butterfly piledriver. Takahashi then hits a Time Bomb into the corner, then a Time Bomb in the middle of the ring for a 3.
Winner and new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion: Hiromu Takahashi at 20:20.
IWGP Intercontinental Championship Match
Chris Jericho vs. Tetsuya Naito(c)
Jericho comes out with an Alex DeLarge from Clockwork Orange inspired outfit/face paint.
Jericho attacks Naito before he can take his suit off on the outside and power bombs him through a table. Jericho then gets Naito ontop of a table and hits a DDT but the table doesn’t break. Jericho then signs an autograph and tosses it at a young boy. The match hasn’t even started yet.
Jericho rolls Naito back into the ring as the bell rings, Jericho pins Naito for 2. Naito is bleeding a bit. Jericho hits a lionsault but only a 2. Jericho continues to attack Naito and goes for the Walls of Jericho but Naito makes it to the ropes.
Naito spits right in Jericho’s face and Naito starts attacking Jericho. Naito hits the slingshot dropkick to Jericho in the corner then hits a neck breaker on the apron. Naito finally manages to take off his entrance attire but we also see blood in the right eye of Naito.
Naito gets a broken pieve of the table and nails Jericho with it, then again. Naito gets Jericho ontop of a table and hits a piledriver but the table doesn’t break.
Back in the ring, Naito hits a springboard dropkick to Jericho. Niato tries a top rope hurricanrana to Jericho but Jericho counters by locking in the Walls of Jericho. Naito manages to roll through and hits the satellite DDT to Jericho for a 2.
Jericho counters a dropkick and then again locks in the Walls of Jericho. Naito manages to crawl over to the ropes as Jericho yells at the ref telling him he tapped out. Naito tries a running Destino but couldn’t get over and Jericho covers the mess up with a cradle for 2. Naito then gets up and hits the Destino as Jericho rolls to the ropes. Naito covers but Jericho gets his hand on the rope. Naito is then shown bleeding from the cheek as well as the right eye. Naito goes for a flying forearm but Jericho catches him with a Code Breaker for 2.
Jericho tries for a lionsault but Naito gets the knees up. Naito hits Jericho with the Gloria and tries for a Destino. Jericho shoves the ref off and hits a low blow to Naito then a Code Breaker for the 3.
Winner and new IWGP Intercontinental Champion: Chris Jericho at 17:16. After the match, Jericho nails Naito with the title belt. Jericho then whips Naito with a leather strap as Evil runs in to make the save. Jericho escapes and gets on the commentary headset and says, “You see what happens Naito? And who the hell are you? (referring to Evil)”
IWGP Heavyweight Championship Match – Best 2/3 falls with no time limit
Kenny Omega with Kota Ibushi vs. Kazuchika Okada with Gedo(c)
There was a video before the match where Ibushi asks Kenny if he’s prepared and what it cost him. They cut to a Bullet Club logo which dissolves, and Kenny says, “Everything.”
The match starts off a bit slow as both men are feeling each other out. Early on, Omega sets up for the One Wing Angel but Okada gets mostly free as both men tumble over the top rope to the floor. Okada boots Kenny over the barricade and goes for the running cross body but Omega throws up a knee and Okada runs into a V Trigger. Omega then slams Okada onto a guardrail and rolls him back into the ring for a 2.
Omega continues the asault on Okada with strikes and a camel clutch. Okada takes back momentum with a flapjack. Okada goes for a cover after a DDT but only a 2. Okada tries for the cobra clutch but can’t lock it in. Omega is sent to the outside as Okada hits a plancha to Omega on the outside.
Omega takes over sending Okada over the guardrail, Omega then springboards over the guardrail and nails Okada. Back in the ring Omega hits a Kotaru Krusher for 2. Omega tries a top rope dragon suplex but Okada gets free and hits a tombtone piledriver to the apron. Okada then hit a shotgun drop kick sending Omega off the apron and flying into the guardrail. Back in the ring Okada hits a missile dropkick for a 2.
Okada hits a top rope elbow drop then the Rain Maker pose but Omega springs up and hits a snap dragon suplex. Okada rolls to the outside as Omega nails the Rise of the Terminator. Back in the ring Omega pins Okada but only a 2. Omega goe for the One Wing Angel but Okada gets free, Omega hits a V Trigger then a German suplex for 2.
Omega hits a V Trigger, tries another One Wing Angel but Okada escapes and nails the dropkick. Okada tries a Rain Maker but Omega comes back with a V Trigger, stacks up Okada for a pin and still only a 2. Omega gets caught in a tombstone from Okada. Oega comes back trying for a crucifix but Okada catches him with a cradle for 3.
Winner of the first fall: Kazuchika Okada
After a 2 minute break the 2nd falls start and Okada is able to send Omega to the outside. Omega tries a moonsault off the guardrail but Okada pushes him off and onto the floor. Okada then hits a draping DDT to Omega. Back in the ring Okada nails Omega with a big boot then locks in the cobra clutch. Omega gets out of it with a stunner.
Both men roll to the outside as Omega sets up a table and just tosses the table on Okada. Omega then does a double stomp from the apron onto the table, crushing the champ. Omega then sets up the table but Okada fights out of it and back into the ring.
Okada comes back with a standing fireman’s carry in the ring then a shotgun dropkick sending Omega into the corner. Okada climbs to the top but Omega stops him with a few chops then drops Okada with a superplex. Omega then hits the rolling senton but Okada gets his knees up for the moonsault. Okada points to the table on the outside and tries to backdrop Omega onto it but Omega counters with a DDT. Okada rolls to the apron and Omega gives chase.
Omega tries a German suplex Okada to the outside but Okada hangs onto the top rope. Omega then goes for a dragon suplex but Okada fights out of it. The fight eventually spills to the floor as Omega ducks a Rain Maker and hits a reverse rana. Okada breaks the count at 19 but runs into a V Trigger. Omega tries a One Wing Angel but Okada counters with a tombstone. Okada tries a Rain Maker but Omega counters with a uranage.
Back in the ring, Omega hits a power bomb, goes for a double underhook piledriver but Okada escapes, Omega fires back with a V Trigger then nails a the double underhook pildriver for a close 2. Omega nails another V Trigger followed by a One Wing Angel for 3.
Winner of the second fall: Kenny Omega
After another 2 minute break, Okada is still down from the One Wing Angel. Omega starts off with a V Trigger and goes for a One Wing Angel but Okada escapes it and nails a lariat for 2. Okada sends Kenny to the ropes for a dropkick but Omega is too tired to even run back and Okada misses. Omega is then able to get Okada up for a Styles Clash but only a 2.
Omega then hits a big T Rigger to Okada in the corner, tries a One Wing Angel but Omega collapses from exhaustion. Omega tries again but Okada escapes and tries for a tombstone, but Omega counters that with a cradle tombstone for 2. Ibushi is then up on the apron and starts talking to Omega. Omega goes up top and tries a Phoenix Splash but Okada moves out the way. Okada hits a dropkick to the back of the head of Omega.
Okada tries a tombstone but Omega escapes and hits a standing knee to the face of Okada. Omega nails another V Trigger, then another, then goes for a third but Okada catches him and hits a dropkick, then another. Okada hits a Rain Maker but didn’t get all of it and both men are down.
As both men get to their knees, Omega hits Okada with a head butt. Both men get to their feet as Okada fires off a Rain Maker from out of nowhere and maintains the wrist control. Okada drills Omega with a second Rain Maker. Okada crawls over to Omega and goes for a third Rain Maker, Omega ducks and hits a German suplex and maintains waist control and hits a second. Omega maintains waist control and goes for a third but Okada escapes and hits a German suplex of his own. Okada grabs the wrist, goes for a Rain Maker, Omega ducks and hits another German suplex. Omega fires back with a reverse rana.
Omega uses the ref to pull himself up and goes for a running V Trigger but runs into a dropkick from Okada. Okada goes for a Rain Maker but Omega pulls him in and hoists Okada up for the One Wing Angel but Omega can’t make it to cover him. Omega gets up and hits another running V Trigger. Omega hoists up Okada for the One Wing Angel for the 3!
Winner and new IWGP Heavyweight Champion: Kenny Omega at 1:04:50. I can’t do justice how awesome this match was and the reign of Okada is over. What an incredible series of matches. I’d say