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More context for the show! Time: 12:00am PST/3:00am EST/4:00pm JST Link: https://njpwworld.com/ New Japan's traditional second biggest show of the year takes place from a sold out Osaka Jo Hall. Over the past several years, Dominion has gained a reputation for being, if not the best in-ring show of the year, among the very best. It's a key show that sets the table for G1 and Wrestle Kingdom the following year. This event is no different - top to bottom, this is an exceptionally strong show, anchored by a double main event with real stakes, both on a creative level and a business level. The Card Double Main Event 1 IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada(c) vs. Kenny Omega https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTSKzT5FfVE The Story: This match feels like a moment. The best in-ring rivalry of this generation gets its next chapter and is a genuine rubber match. Okada and Omega are 1-1-1, and to settle the score will meet in a 2 out of 3 falls, no time limit match. Kenny has been training like a madman, acknowledging that while Okada is the better wrestler, he has more stamina and has prepared like there is no tomorrow. Okada, on the other hand, has been fishing and eating, taking the match in stride and speaking confidently that this will be just another successful defense. But it's the metastory here that is truly fascinating. Does New Japan finally pull the trigger and belt Omega, ushering in a new era of focused international expansion? Do they stand pat on what has been a winning hand in Okada's reign? Can these two pull off another classic despite the difficult stipulations and all the pressure of living up to their past bouts? And after the dust settles, who can challenge next? Prediction: A real toss up to me. I'm sticking with Okada and rooting for Kenny. Double Main Event 2 IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Tetsuya Naito(c) vs Chris Jericho https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyPnPThZHO4 The Story: After suffering a loss against Omega at Wrestle Kingdom, Jericho surprised (well, sort of) everyone by showing up at New Years Dash and attacking Naito. Fast forward to Wrestling Dontaku, and Jericho again showed up to beat the hell out of Naito. It's Chris Jericho in New Japan, so there's been a lot of blood and swearing, and it's been awesome. Naito, for his part, has dismissed Jericho as a superstar and remained tranquillo through all of this. A Jericho win virtually guarantees he will have more matches in New Japan, and if that's the case, it's a win for everyone. Prediction: Jericho is in for at least two more matches and takes this one. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay(c) vs Hiromu Takahashi  The Story: Takahashi, the 2018 winner of the Best of Super Juniors, is coming off a legit MOTYC with Bone Soldier and coming into his own as one of the best workers in the world. Ospreay is having a tremendous stretch in his own right and is a current frontrunner for most outstanding wrestler of the year. These two met before earlier this year, with Ospreay getting the win, so there is a subtle revenge angle at play here as well. The work of both men has elevated the junior title to its most important point in a long time. Also, Ospreay is a cat and Hiromu wants to eat him. Prediction: Takahashi has a ton of momentum right now and feels like a good time for a change. Special Six Man Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jushin Thunder Liger and Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Bullet Club (Cody, Hangman Page and Marty Scurll)  The Story: Rey finally makes his NJPW debut after being sidelined with an injury that kept him out of Strong Style Evolved in Long Beach. During the final day of BotSJ, Liger and Tanahashi combined to fend off Scurll and challenged Bullet Club to a six man with their partner from the 619. The pairing off here will be something to watch for, as it could have implications for the Cow Palace show. Prediction: I think Bullet Club wins with Cody pinning Tana or Scurll pinning Liger to set something up for Cow Palace. IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Evil and Sanada(c) vs The Young Bucks  The Story: After years of begging New Japan to let them compete in the heavyweight division, the Bucks finally get a chance to step up and challenge for the titles straight away. Evil and Sanada have been champs for a while, but due to Evil's injury haven't defended much and the reign hasn't felt long. The company could belt the Bucks or could go the more traditional route and do a slow build. Regardless, this being the Buck's first major match in the heavyweight division and a career milestone probably means they will be motivated to go all out Prediction: Evil and Sanada. Too soon for the Bucks. NEVER Openweight Championship: Hirooki Goto (c) vs. Michael Elgin vs. Taichi  The Story: Goto is Goto and Elgin is Elgin. We live in a world where most of us are pulling for Taichi. Prediction: Tough to say. Taichi as a champion would be different. Elgin, if he's set up for a longer tenure, makes the most sense to me. Special Tag Match: Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano vs. Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr.  The Story: Ishii and Suzuki have been going at it in multi-mans for a little while now and could be starting to heat up a rivalry. ZSJ makes his return to NJPW after winning the New Japan Cup and losing to Okada in a great run. Yano is there probably to take the fall. Should be fun because Suzuki and ZSJ as a team are really entertaining. Prediction: ZSJ taps Yano. [b]Special Tag Match: Juice Robinson and David Finlay vs Jay White and Yoshi-Hashi  The Story: Not much to this one. This match exists to heat up Juice vs Switchblade, which could be a title match at Cow Palace. Juice and White have been going at it in promos and have done good work building their own feud, which will hopefully get more fleshed out here. Prediction: White pins Finlay. [b]IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Championship: El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru(c) vs Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh)  The Story: Sho and Yo are back to challenging for the titles after they each had strong runs in BotSJ. El Desperado also had a nice tournament. Kanemaru... is good! These two teams are probably destined to wrestle a bunch more times. Prediction: Feels like there's been a lot of hot potato with these belts, but Sho and Yoh are the new standard-bearers for the division so it makes the most sense to me to put the belts back on them and either keep the program going or build up new challengers. sigmachiev fucked around with this message at 03:20 on Jun 9, 2018 |
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Jun 9, 2018 02:55
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brothers I haven't posted but this show is cool and this match is dope and I'm real happy.
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Jun 9, 2018 10:27
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Un. loving. real.
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Jun 9, 2018 10:29
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Just ridiculous. God bless
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Jun 9, 2018 10:33
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Time for some blood boys
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Jun 9, 2018 10:38
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STINK, YOUR WRONK
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Jun 9, 2018 10:42
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Hahahaha gently caress you Naito. This is great already
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Jun 9, 2018 10:46
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That eye is nasty
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Jun 9, 2018 10:55
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Osaka is just the best for booing Naito
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Jun 9, 2018 10:56
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Holy poo poo. This has been great, but Naito is paying the price.
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Jun 9, 2018 11:03
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This is so loving awesome
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Jun 9, 2018 11:08
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So that was a legit ****+ match by the way.
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Jun 9, 2018 11:10
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Well folks, it's time. Most important match of the year right here right here
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Jun 9, 2018 11:11
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LETS loving GO
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Jun 9, 2018 11:18
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Kenny 100% has the crowd already.
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Jun 9, 2018 11:19
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oh my god its finally time. Strap in here we go
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Jun 9, 2018 11:22
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Kenny looks in tremendous shape and is doing some transitions with a level of smoothness he's never done. Dude has been training his rear end off.
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Jun 9, 2018 11:27
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That was sick and thankful for replay because made it clear it was a clean move.
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Jun 9, 2018 11:31
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Kenny is a friggin madman jesus
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Jun 9, 2018 11:39
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This is an unbelievable pace
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Jun 9, 2018 11:45
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OH MY GOD
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Jun 9, 2018 11:51
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Two minute break, nice touch. Get some water guys
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Jun 9, 2018 11:52
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Whats the time? 40 mins?
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Jun 9, 2018 12:04
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...oh my god here we go
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Jun 9, 2018 12:13
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We have achieved fan crying
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Jun 9, 2018 12:16
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RAINMAKER INEFFECTIVE
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Jun 9, 2018 12:25
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THIS loving poo poo WHAT
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Jun 9, 2018 12:31
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Greatest match of all time. Full stop.
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Jun 9, 2018 12:32
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Welp there it was, the best match and moment in wrestling I'm going to get this generation. Just no question in my mind where this stands. And glad everyone seems OK and Golden Elite confirmed.
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Jun 9, 2018 12:50
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I was really, really hoping we would get this picture https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DfQsPLnW0AAazmB.jpg:large
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Jun 9, 2018 20:13
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Does anyone have a translation for the Japanese pbp at the end of the match? I'm having trouble with the references to Okada and IWGP. Rest is easy ("it's a new champion!" etc)
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Jun 10, 2018 04:11
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Akiyama in the G1 would be real drat cool.
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Jun 11, 2018 03:12
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 17:02 |
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Presser is going on. Matches for G1 Special: Young Bucks vs Evil/Sanada Jay White vs Juice Okada/Ospreay vs Naito/Bushi Kenny vs Cody
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Jun 11, 2018 04:13
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