Nerd Watch Wednesday: Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 2

Jan 8, 202025 min read

Updated: Jun 3, 2020

For the first time ever, the big New Japan show was over two days this year. Was it a success? It's up for speculation, but as always some of the wrestling was absolutely top tier and WSBF bring you their review of day two.

JUSHIN LIGER RETIREMENT MATCH: LIGER & NAOKI SANO v HIROMU TAKAHASHI & RYU LEE

By Ross Casey

Jushin Liger is probably the Japanese wrestler that I knew most of growing up beyond Yokozuna (Yeah, I bought that he was a Sumo wrestler from Japan, OK). Amongst the dozens of WWF VHS tapes I had, I also had a fair few WCW ones and both Liger and Muta left a great impression on me.

I absolutely love the modesty in this Liger retirement. Two opening main card multi-man matches featuring several of his friends and foes from his decorated career. What is also tremendous is that thanks to his body suit and mask, he never looks out of shape, old or past it like several retirement bound wrestlers.

He moves brilliantly for his age and could easily carry on, but leaves the squared circle without ever embarrassing himself or his fans. He is an absolute one off in terms of character and I implore you to check out his epic matches when you can. There are 3,551 matches, going back 36 years, so when you are ready!

To the match itself and he is partnering with Naoki Sano. Unlike the day 1 match which was full of aging stars past their prime, this was against two of the best junior heavyweights in the world right now in Ryu Lee and Hiromu Takahashi. I was worried Sano would bring this match down, but he didn’t. He knew his limitations and did what he was best at, which is a handful of big spots while leaving the bulk of the work to Liger.

I also loved the symbolism used throughout the match, especially when Hiromu applied a Fujiwara armbar as Liger’s mentor Yoshiaki Fujiwara watched from ringside.

Liger brought his fighting spirit, but was bested by the men in their prime. It came down to Hiromu and Liger. Liger escaped Time Bomb and got a near fall but then took a lariat and a successful Time Bomb. Goosebumps took over everyone watching and complete silence fell upon the Tokyo Dome as the three count came down.

Time caught up with the legend and it is somewhat prophetic that the Time bomb will be the final move he takes as an active competitor. There are very few moments like a wrestler retiring. It has been cheapened by multiple returns, but you get the impression there is a finality to this one.

Of course, this isn’t really the end of Liger. He has made such a mark on us all as professional wrestling fans, that he will live forever as an icon of our times.

WINNERS - HIROMU TAKAHASHI & RYU LEE BY TIME BOMB

IWGP JUNIOR TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: BULLET CLUB v ROPPONGI 3K

By Matt Connolly

So my match this week is the IWGP Junior Tag Championship. The current champions are Bullet Club members El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori. The Challengers are SHO and YOH who collectively are better known as Roppongi 3K. They earned their shot after winning Super Jr. Tag League in October.

ELP and Ishimori have both had decent years in the Junior division. ELP debuted earlier this year and despite not winning singles Gold he had a strong showing in the super juniors in April and came up fractionally short against Champion Will Ospreay at King Of Pro Wrestling in October. Ishimori was claiming the singles prize this time last year at Wrestle Kingdom before dropping it in March. He also had a solid run in the Super Jr's before he and ELP grabbed the tag titles against Roppongi 3k all the way back in June.

As for Roppongi it's been another year of strong development. After coming up short in a 3 way for these belts at the Dome last year they won the titles in March, which saw them become three time champions. They earned their re-match here by winning Super Jr. Tag League for the 3rd time in a row. Should they get the job done here they will join some illustrious company such as Gedo and Jado, Apollo 55 and their manager Rocky Romero's former tag team Roppongi Vice on four title reigns. Still way off the Young Bucks record of seven but there is time yet for these prospects.

First off we get a small promo video which see's 3K sitting on a bench in the middle of nowhere when YOH gets a call on his watch. It's Rocky Romero! Basically he tells them to shake a leg and get to the match. Their theme echo's around the venue as they get moving to the ring, accompanied of course by Rocky wearing his ridiculous Ghost Buster pack. He's rapping the theme aswell because it bangs and he can't help himself.

Bullet Club next out. More serious. The entrance seems way more geared to ELP which isn't a bad thing. Match starts hot with 3K hitting topes on the Bullet Club boys. 3K ain't in a mood to hang around here. Eventually ELP manages to create space and the match turns in Bullet Club's favour. It's SHO who is getting the treatment from Ishimori and the highlight of this is that wonderful sliding German suplex he loves to hit. A really quick and inventive pair these BC boys.

We then enter what is probably the most memorable section of the contest as ELP and Ishimori find a number of ways to hit a back rake. ELP win's the contest by flipping into one of the top rope. I'm very impressed at how ELP can be so flashy but still remain a dick. For me it stays in Show off Dickhead territory as opposed to too cool heel but others may disagree.

More heel work from the Bullet Club as first SHO and then YOH are draped in the corner and given stomps to the nads. What a couple of bastards! SHO does eventually manage to hit a spear with those big broad shoulders he is growing and the tag is made. YOH is running this until Ishimori hits a handstand kick to shift things back in his favour. ELP wants back in but SHO cuts him off and hits some sweet German suplexes. Seriously, has anyone right now got better German's than SHO?

ELP eventually wises up and a small package attempt only gets him a 2. Action starting to boil here now. We get that Moonsault/codebreaker double team from the Champs that is only good for a 2 but on another day would of been enough. This is Wrestle Kingdom though lads! In an act of pure filth ELP and Ishimori call for 3K's finish and I am booing loudly at my screen.

SHO is having none of this though and only hits a bloody destroyer! The finish swings back and forth in typical fashion until ELP decides it's time to go for the old fashioned punch to the groin but we get a twist as SHO has a cup on! Not sure why the groin work hurt him earlier, maybe he feigned injury for this big reveal but anyway ELP's plan has failed miserably.

SHO and YOH run with the momentum and as SHO sets up for the shock arrow finish that he uses in singles matches, YOH adds a double foot stomp into the equation and we have new champions!

Nice to see 3K win not using the 3K to end this. Variety is the spice of life. What a fun match! It might not go down in history as a classic but it perfectly suited it's card placement and the good guys triumphed over the bad guys with the knob punching storyline paying off.

WINNERS - NEW IWGP JUNIOR TAG CHAMPIONS, ROPPONGI 3K BY SHOCK ARROW STOMP COMBO

REV PRO BRITISH TITLE MATCH: ZACK SABRE JR v SANADA

By Matt Brummitt

This review is a bit of a novelty for me as it’s the first one I’m attempting to do live.

If anyone reading this is hoping for a play-by-play, I may have to disappoint as:

i) There is no way that I know the names of all the strange transitional holds that these lads will be doing & if I try it will sound like Danny Dyer summarising Bertrand Russell’s Principia Mathematica

ii) I’m really looking forward to this so will probably be distracted by my own entertainment

This is my second ZSJ review for NWW so I won’t wax lyrical about his sublime noodle grap-porn again. I will say though that I’m glad we’re getting him vs SANADA this year. Gedo & New Japan seem to be high on SANADA as a breakout star of the future so the fact that he’s fighting Zack on such a big show indicates that they think a lot about the latter too.

Also, I bloody love their matches. My favourite is still their first in the New Japan Cup 2018 semi but their G1 match later that year was 10 minutes of joy and their most recent one at Day 1 of the 2019 G1 was a cracker too (that whole day was great if you get a chance to check it out).

It’s currently 2-2 to in singles matches so hopefully the best technical wrestler in the world can get the edge today. Though on the basis that Hiromu won the Jr title yesterday; Shingo, EVIL, & BUSHI have just won the 6 man today; & Naito’s probably going to leave tonight with the IC & the big one, I have a bad feeling SANADA is going to win this & the night will end with every member of LIJ draped in gold.

Right the lads are now coming out & I have NJPW World on the right side of my screen & Word on the left. I should have really done this on 2 screens but it’s early Sunday morning and it’s cold so I’m not getting out of bed.

Match starts as expected with quick mat exchanges. We get a long sequence of pin trading but none long enough for a count. The lads trade strangleholds in increasingly innovative ways. Zack pops outside for a bit of a tantrum.

SANADA has a run on top but he goes for a standing moonsault & Zack grabs an arm. Beautiful. As Zack manipulates SANADA’s limbs, the commentators discuss the strange names of ZSJ’s submissions which leads to a Brass Eye reference on NJPWWorld. Lovely stuff.

ZSJ goes for a PK but it gets caught and he ends up getting dragon screw leg whipped. A nice reversal sequence leads to a skull end moonsault combo which misses & Zack finally lands that PK. Both men down.

Back & forth European uppercuts. More pin trading. This time with counts. SANADA gets the closest. More reversals with SANADA trying different ways to lock in the skull end. More pin trading. SANADA tries the skull end again but Zack reverses it into a bridging pin & gets the 3!

Summary: My SANADA prediction was fortunately incorrect! Glad to see Zacky win here though this was maybe their most underwhelming encounter yet. We still have 5 big matches to go so not a surprise this match didn’t get a long time; though their 2018 G1 match was a very similar length & more entertaining in my opinion. With that said, Sabre SANADA matches are always fun & very happy to see ZSJ retain. Hopefully this is the start to a bright 2020 for him?

WINNER - STILL REV PRO CHAMPION, ZACK SABRE JR BY SABREISM REIGNS SUPREME

IWGP US TITLE MATCH: JON MOXLEY (C) v JUICE ROBINSON

By Nineties Mike

So, these two gentlemen have history, and they both got business done on Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night One. Juice Robinson, who won the battle between these two on Night 18 of the G1 Climax 29, became one half of the NJPW Tag Team Champions with David Finlay by beating title-holders Guerrillas of Destiny. Jon Moxley, who won their original match at Best of the Super Juniors finals, beat Lance Archer to claim the IWGP US title for the second time. So, they’re 1-1 and this is the decider!

Straight to it then, and Juice attacks with a plancha before Moxley can enter the ring, and they battle on the floor. Moxley is whipped into the barrier and slammed onto the floor, but he battles back and posts Juice. He now gets chairs, but Juice drop toeholds him onto one. Juice seats him in the chair, and hits the cannonball. Once they’re both back in, Juice attacks with clotheslines, but Moxley dumps him back out via a big Irish Whip! He follows him and unloads with chair shots.

Back in again, and Moxley smothers Juice with ground and pound, covering for a 2-count. Camel clutch follows but Moxley then transitions to strikes, clotheslines and a lariat for another 2-count. Moxley with chops, but Juice fires back. Moxley starts biting until Juice hits a spinebuster. The Juice Box and a powerbomb follow for his first 2-count. Juice now lays in jabs, building up to a crescendo, but Moxley cuts him off and locks in a figure four. Juice makes it to the ropes, so Moxley posts the knee a couple of times, and then works the vintage ring-post-assisted figure four.

Moxley wraps one of his chairs around Juice’s head but Juice fights him off, punching a chair into Moxley’s face with The Left Hand Of God! Both roll back in, and both slowly climb up top. Juice hits a superplex, rolls through and hits the jackhammer, but only for 2. Pulp Friction is countered by Moxley with a German suplex, but Juice rebounds with one of his own. Lariats from Moxley, but Juice counters Death Rider into a cradle for another 2.

They fight to their feet after a 7-count, and after some goading from Moxley, they trade strikes, lighting each other up. Knee trembler by Moxley, but a Left Hand Of God by Juice, and another put Moxley down. Pulp Friction is countered, a Death Rider follows and another, and Moxley retains!

Now this is interesting! Many people assumed Moxley would be gone after this, what with his AEW ties and all, but he’s still here, and he’s still US champ! Wait, what’s this? The lights go out and… is this… can it be… COULD IT BE?!

It is, it’s Minoru Suzuki! The King of Professional Wrestling wants to have a word with Mox! He strips as he walks the ramp, and this could go off the rails here! Moxley wants it and calls him on! Kaze Ni Nare!

They’re nose to nose, and suddenly punches are being traded, they run the ropes, Moxley goes for a lariat, but misses and Suzuki slaps the rear naked choke on him! He’s fading fast! Gotch Piledriver! Moxley is OUT. Suzuki wants the mic… “Who do you think you’re picking a fight with? I am the King of Professional Wrestling, Minoru Suzuki”. He continues shouting at Moxley and the crowd are eating this up!

Wow. Moxley comes to and he has no idea where or who he is! When these guys meet properly, it’s going to be a WAR! And I can’t wait.

WINNER - STILL IWGP US CHAMPION, JON MOXLEY BY DEATH RIDER

NEVER OPENWEIGHT TITLE MATCH: KENTA (C) v HIROOKI GOTO

By JCH

Goto is usually good for two bangers a year. One in the G1 somewhere and one in the Dome. So I volunteered to take this match as it’s the one time of the year I enjoy him. He’s up against Kenta, my own personal rival from Royal Quest.

The main thing I want to see in this match is Kenta kick Goto.

1. KENTA volleys Goto in the face off the apron

2. KENTA throws Goto into the railing and volleys him in the chest

3. KENTA punt to the back on the ramp, followed by

4. Punt to chest on the ramp. KENTA also DDT’s Goto on the ramp and we get our second count out tease in the opening 4 minutes. Once Goto makes it back in KENTA throws him out of the ring for the 5th time and does the conductor mime as the audience boos him.

5. MASSIVE PK TO THE BACK. Leading Kick so far. Love it.

6. The fake head stomp, back heel to the head. Nice

7. Another big PK to the back. A lovely trifecta of kicks there. Bit of a headlock and some other crap

8. Volley to the chest

9. Volley to the chest

10. Volley to the chest….no Goto Caught the foot. Goto has his first offence since the opening 30 seconds. He’s laying in some big forearms. Its a fun forearm exchange. Exchanging flurries not the usual single shot. Goto then levels KENTA with a single forearm. Top work. Goto on top for a bit before an eye rake and a power slam puts Kenta back in control. KENTA hits a sort of tornado DDT type thing that lands Goto neck first on the top rope. I liked it. KENTA just goading Goto in and sues his angry attack to easily dodge him and hit another DDT. I quite like this. I don’t think it’s quite upper level Goto, but I’m into it more than 98% of his matches and this dichead KENTA is pretty entertaining.

10. Kick to the back of a fallen Goto

11. Another Kenta hits a draping DDT, he’s hit a powerslam already…and just sat on the floor after doing a move. Hang on is KENTA wrestling this match to troll Randy Orton?

12. Awesome hesitation corner dropkick. A RANDY ORTON CHINLOCK from KENTA!!!!

13. Another big PK to the chest. If he goes for an RKO instead of a GTS I will love life. Alas, GTS attempt, big nut from Goto. Channelling his inner Shibata….. We then get an awesome 20 seconds where they just absolute level each other and no sell it, before a huge lariat takes KENTA down. OH THIS IS NOW EXCELLENT! KENTA hit 6 slaps to the face and Goto just walked into them and starts hitting his own. Goto hits his good initial finisher for 2, before the less good initial finisher for 3.

Summary:

The opening 10 minutes is just Kenta beating Goto up, including some great kicks. The last minute and a half is two blokes absolutely twatting each other. Yeah. I liked it. Not too long. Good characters. Solid playoffs and a wildcard round loss. The 2019 Buffalo Bills. See ya this time next year Goto.

WINNER - NEW NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPION, HIROOKI GOTO BY LESS GOOD FINISHER

KOTA IBUSHI v JAY WHITE

By RJF

So here we are, Jay White v Kota Ibushi, when I signed up to write about this match it was branded loser v loser and I had no idea who would be in. Thankfully, Okada won last night so I don’t have to review a marathon match. It’s also bitter sweet as I get to review my favourite New Japan wrestler Jay White, but I was hoping he’d be in the winner takes all title match instead.

A dejected White heads to the ring first accompanied as always by Gedo, now here comes the golden star Ibushi, also very subdued and does not want to be here. Let’s be honest this is like the third place playoff at a World Cup, no one wants to be in that match.

Instant heel tactics from White as he ducks out of the ring and Gedo distracts Ibushi, but Ibushi is too quick for White and gets the upper hand early on. Vicious and quick offence from Ibushi ends with a standing shooting star press, think he wants to be in and out of here as quick as possible.

White fights back and gets Ibushi out of the ring, Ibushi does not care about his body as he basically falls dead weight into the railings. He lies stuck between the stage and the railings as the ref begins the count... he slowly makes his way up and White has seen enough and heads out of the ring to throw Ibushi into more railings.

White brings Ibushi into the ring and begins a methodical wear down of Ibushi. This is White doing what White does best... After a neck breaker, he tries the cover and barely gets a 2 count, it will take a lot more than this to be Ibushi.

White begins to just kick Ibushi in the head, brilliant. He locks in a headlock to wear down Ibushi some more. Finally Ibushi fights back, but White quickly ends the dome back with an elbow chop to the back of the end followed up by some chops.

Ibushi buys some time with a Rana out of nowhere, both men hit the canvas. Ibushi is now getting the upper hand as they head to the outside again. Ibushi breaks the refs count by tossing White back into the ring and begins the beat down of his own. A snap Suplex followed by a moonsault off the second rope leads to a near fall. Some flashy offence now from Ibushi!

White regains the upper hand with a quick DDT just as he had looked to be out of this one. Back to the wearing down of Ibushi. The crowd try to rally Ibushi, White is not amused. White sets up a Suplex but somehow Ibushi reverses it for the piledriver, wow! That could be it! But Ibushi is too worn down to get the cover.

Both men brawl in the middle of the ring, White tries to take out Ibushi with a big right hand, Ibushi is having none of it and just drops White with a right of his own, Ibushi just stares at White down on the canvas. Still subdued, he did not want to be in this match tonight. Great storytelling by both men in this one.

Move vicious right hands from Ibushi as White tries to fight his way back into this. Ibushi is now asking for White to hit him, he has lost his mind, he is pissed. White car barely throw a punch as Ibushi continues to destroy him with rights. This does not look good for Switch Blade.

Ibushi sets up another piledriver but White wriggles out of it and throws the ref into Ibushi, Ibushi pushes the ref away but not another to take him out of it, some foreshadowing perhaps? White hits a German to buy himself some time to recharge.

White makes it to his feet first and takes back the upper hand. They head to the top rope, there brawl in the top turnbuckle for what seems like an eternity, White is really trying to hit the Superplex but isn’t able to as Ibushi keeps blocking. Boom, out of nowhere, White hits what looks like a rock bottom of the top. That could be it, 1...2... no! Kick out at 2 and 5/6th’s!

The pace is picking up now, both men exchange suplex’s and near falls. Finally the exchange ends with both men brawling and White throwing Ibushi into the ref who goes absolutely flying out of the ring. Gedo wastes no time and hops straight into the ring with a chair, it pays to have friends!

Or maybe not, a chair shot to the back of Ibushi does nothing but piss him off! He turns and drops Gedo with a haymaker. Ibushi turns his attention to White, beats him up, hits the sit down last ride (probably has a different name) and gets the visual 3 count but the ref is still down!

Ibushi does and gets the ref back into the ring, hits White with a huge knee, that had to be it, 1...2.... but Gedo pulls the ref out of the ring before 3! It does pay to have friends! Here comes Gedo with the brass knuckles, but is blocked by Ibushi, out of no where White chucks a chair into the face of Ibushi. This time Gedo connects with the brass knuckles.

The ref gets back in the ring, Ibushi is our for the count. Huge DDT by White on Ibushi followed by the blade runner. 1...2...3! This ones over! It paid to have friends! White and Gedo celebrate before White hits another blade runner on Ibushi.

Great story telling throughout, both men not really their usual selfs as they would have rather been in the main event. Lovely stuff!

WINNER - JAY WHITE BY CHEATING AND BLADE RUNNER

CHRIS JERICHO v HIROSHI TANAHASHI

By Daniel Wildash

How the fuck this match is happening? I don't know but it's something I never thought I'd see. This all started back at Dominion when Tanahashi got involved with Jericho after the match to stop Jericho beating the living hell out of Okada. Since then, Jericho has wanted Tanahashi one on one and has that chance tonight.

Tanahashi cosplaying as Jericho's alias in NJPW "The Painmaker" is a definite highlight of this promo video. He looks ridiculous! He says a few bits in Japanese that I cannot translate but the crowd is laughing. Jericho talks about the forbidden portal. If he wins then he gets to challenge for the AEW title. High stakes for sure. Go Ace! Rings around the dome as Tanahashi comes out.

Big fan of his entrance personally. Out next is Jericho. Why NJPW world have dubbed over Jericho's own written entrance song, Judas, is something I want to know. Instead we are treated to a very generic guitar riff as he comes down in full painmaker garb.

Match starts with a few taunts back and forth. Both men testing each other out. Tanahashi gets shown to the outside and Jericho hits his classic springboard dropkick to Tanahashi on the outside. Both men are well into their 40s and are moving like they aren't a shade over 25.

Jericho puts Tanahashi onto the table. Gino Gambino gets told "shut up fat ass" by Jericho and a big DDT lands. We lose the commentary team for a while (which is a godsend because my god are they terrible) they set the tables back up. A big exchange of strikes between the two ends in a backbreaker on Tanahashi. Jericho goes up top and fails to hit a frog splash.

Tanahashi back in this as he hits a slingblade. He looks to carry on his momentum but the wiley Jericho chucks Red Shoes in the way and then low blows Tanahashi. Classic dirty Jericho move. Commentary team are back (booooo) as Jericho takes his weight belt off and whips Tanahashi a few times. Both men are down as Tanahashi plays dirty himself with a low blow.

Sunset flip from Tanahashi ends in a 2 count. Jericho tried to hit a lionsault, gets pushed to the outside and Tanahashi with a huge hi fly flo on Jericho. Big moves coming out slowly for the two. Jericho very nearly does not make the count but I bet he wishes he didn't as a few nasty dragon screws through the ropes land.

Codebreaker gets countered into yet another dragon screw. Jericho looks in agony as Tanahashi goes for the hi fly flo again. Countered and a big lionsault by Jericho. 2 count. This match has been great so far. Both men look like they could win it at any moment.

As I say this Jericho gets the liontamer locked in tight. Tanahashi eventually crawls to the ropes but not before Jericho synched it in for a long while. Eventually Tanahashi gets out and hits another slingblade. Back up top for hi fly flo but gets countered into a nasty codebreaker!

Another close 2 count Jericho calling for the Judas effect, dodged by Tanahashi into his own codebreaker. Wow. Jericho kicks out, Tanahashi hits a twist and shout after countering the liontamer and now a slingblade again.

Jericho kicks out again. He won't give up. Hi fly flo from Tanahashi gets countered into a liontamer. Tanahashi gives it his all but eventually taps out. Le champion is your winner.

WINNER - CHRIS JERICHO BY LION TAMER

IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT & IC TITLE MATCH: KAZUCHIKA OKADA (C) v TETSUYA NAITO (C)

By Pete Hitchcock

I will the first to admit I was not a fan of the two night tournament format to get to this point but we did get Okada vs Ibushi and this match out of it in short succession so in that respect it is a complete success. So here we are. One day of build. Two years on from Naito falling short in the infamous Okada V9. Could it have really gone any other way when they announced the "Double Gold Dash"?

This is my second time watching this match and I cannot wait. The video package is suitably big time, showing Okada winning the IWGP from White in MSG and Naito also winning his IC back from that same Jay White...yesterday. The rest of this second dome show has felt lesser than the first night, albeit with standouts in the NEVER title match and Jericho/Tanahashi but this feels big, really big. The chants for Naito during his entrance and the roar as he comes into view (in a pretty horrendous white suit and coat, all things considered), are pretty extraordinary.

Physically Naito is beat up and you can see it on his face, which sometimes looks like it's melting - see his match with Shingo in the G1 for a great example - and you get the feeling that this really is now or never for him as he prepares to enter the ring. He's normally tranquillo but tonight he's nervous, he's been here before and he got his ass beat. Okada's music hits and he doesn't have the crazy entrance of the Ibushi match but the same amazing white gear returns.

No need to get new gear for this one when that one was basically perfect. Okada is my favourite wrestler and when the lights go out and his gear begins to glow he looks like a work of art but I'm fully Team Naito here, as fun as the V9 memes are. Nogami on commentary hammering in what a big deal Okada is really shows how big the mountain Naito has to climb is. Fun fact: Naito was the first wrestler I ever saw live in person in a match, he entered first in the first match at the first show I ever went to, which was a triple threat against KUSHIDA...and Martin Kirby! (For reference, it was RevPro Global Wars UK 2015 in Reading, one of their finest shows ever and home to the first Ospreay vs Okada match, which got Ospreay signed.)

Naito seems to have gotten in the groove with his customary extra casual strip down to his ring gear and following a final establishing shot of both belts on the line, the bell hits and we are off to the races and oh my god the crowd has gotten so loud. It's impossible to parse the words now, it's just noise for the first minute or so before they even bother to try to lock up. Okada wants to engage as Naito just walks a circle around him, perhaps psyching himself up internally, but he backs off just as Okada gets close enough to lock up...twice. Naito will always be a troll. Third time is the charm and they are really testing their strength, a lot of the time with Okada matches this can feel rote, right down to the chest pat but Okada is really putting his back into it here and it helps they go quick into a ropes, drop down and running elbow sequence quick and then that almost-lazy DDT Okada likes to throw earlier on.

The pace is immediately faster than last night's main and that was breezy for all of its length too! I say that, but Okada now immediately grabs a hold and slows it but he quickly gets Naito to the point that he can prop him up as a target for a running basement dropkick, single leg too it looked like. Okada is bloody crisp. Naito soon gets his own basement dropkick before the slingshot over the ropes dropkick in the corner, which always gets a pop. Naito follows up by giving Okada a draping neckbreaker off the apron onto the floor. Okay then. For me, Naito is at his best when he's going after a body part, usually the neck as a babyface as he is here, but my favourite Naito match ever had him trying to rip Kenny Omega's leg off (the G1 26 B Block final).

Check out the Power Struggle 2018 Naito vs ZSJ match for great Naito neck work that told a smart story. Back in the ring Naito follows with a cool leg-applied neck stretch to lay the pain on Okada. Okada isn't quite getting the absolute shit knocked out of him like Ibushi did to him the night before but he's quite underrated as a top seller of pain and for my money is generally spot on at selling anything above his waist (it's his legs he sometimes has issues with - see the Minoru Suzuki title match from Sapporo).

Okada takes the momentum back with an outstretched big boot to a charging Naito followed by a kip up into a fighting stance and a flapjack! It's all simple stuff but he does it so well that it looks great. You've probably heard me gush in this way if you've read this blog before. Body slam near the corner and Okada goes up top for the diving elbow, which he throws his legs out further than normal on, it looks interesting. Naito fights off the Rainmaker obviously and is able to get a Spinebuster, which I don't remember him using much, to take control again. He props up Okada on the top rope and hits a frankensteiner, which will set up a spot later but Okada elbows his way out of Gloria that follows. Naito fakes an elbow of his own and gets Okada in the gut but Okada counters with a goddamn John Woo and both men are down. The crowd are loud, not like earlier but you can hear the "come on Naito" and indeed "come on Okada" chants at this point, they'll be less partisan later. Naito up on the top rope now but Okada does the standing dropkick and kicks him off the top to the outside!

Always a good spot and Okada follows up by going after Naito's knee for the first time! This was the story of the Naito/White match the night before with White shredding Naito's knee in the TTO - or NTO in this case, which I called before the commentators did. Okada is able to drop Naito knee first onto one of the announcer tables and like an absolute prick tries to win the biggest New Japan match ever by countout, with Naito a long way from the ring at even 17! He gets in at the 20 count and 20 minute mark but it is close and it works, but he comes back in right into a big Okada missile dropkick off the top!

Okada working these semi-heelish heat segment is really working here, in a way that it didn't with Sanada in their title matches. Naito is able to get away with a pretty desperate but crisp tornado DDT off the ropes and the crowd are now pretty pro-Naito again, he's up to his feet, or foot in this case. Naito's selling in this match is great, he's not no selling, his leg still works but it is an issue and he's tender with it even when holding pins, like right now when he sets Okada on the top and hits a spike poison rana that dumps Okada right on his head. Ouch!

Okada fights off the Destino but eats an enzuigiri, he counters the Naito flying forearm once but not a second time and you can see how his neck is bothering him after that poison rana. It wasn't the finish obviously but it's very much dictating the match from here on. Koppo kick and Naito shoots off the ropes into a Dropkick!...but gets right back up and counters with the running Destino for 2. It always gets 2. But I did bite somewhat there and so did the crowd. Speaking of the crowd, it is loud as heck now as Naito goes for the regular Destino but Okada counters with a Rainmaker attempt and is able to drop Naito properly with the Dropkick!

The two of them hoist themselves up to their knees and begin to trade forearms and as they get to their feet Naito manages to get a big loogie of spit on Okada, because he's Naito but his slap and scoop slam attempt that follow just encourage Okada to fuck him up with a discus Rainmaker and a really satisfying smack sound. The crowd are starting to lose it especially as Okada counters a desperation Destino into a Tombstone with a twist and the full extension Rainmaker...but Naito kicks out to a roar of applause!

The thirty minute call goes and Naito desperately fights off a second Tombstone, I really like his scrappy attempt to get out the move because it sells the danger. He does but he's now grounded at the feet of Okada, once again, and as Okada hoists him up, he spits at him and collapses again. What a fuck you. Okada is unimpressed at his petulance and just drops him knee first, twice and is that "booing desu" as the commentators like to say?

A third knee breaker now and Naito's knee has seen better days but it will be over soon, Rainmaker follows, wrist control, another Rainmaker and then the now customary Tokyo Dome roar but Naito counters the final attempt into Destino!!!! But it's only 2! Because there's one more chapter we all know is coming.

A tale as old as time, or at least Wrestle Kingdom 12. Naito grabs Okada and scoop slams him by the turnbuckle, the crowd roars before Okada hits the ground because we know what is next! Naito's original ace in the hole, from before he found tranquilo-ty and Los Ingobernables. There's no hesitation, just the slap of his fist on his chest as he climbs and HITS the Stardust Press corkscrew moonsault. 1...2...OKADA KICKS OUT!

The crowd is nuclear for all this, by the way. I completely bought that as the finish the first time I saw this. It doesn't work because Okada is too good, and Naito isn't that person any more. Naito goes for his killshot in Destino but of course Okada stops him in the middle, but Naito fights out and a Flowsion type manoevre gets Naito just enough space he needs to hit the Destinnooooooooooooo for the 3 count and the win he was owed 2 years ago.

Glorious. A practically perfect match and easily my favourite of theirs, overtaking the underrated Dominion 2016 match that started Okada's legendary reign. Really nice post match moment as Naito grabs the mic and tells Okada that he wouldn't mind doing this again some time and Okada being helped out by the Young Lions throws up the LIJ fist in a really classy show of respect before leaving via his own power more or less. Even nicer moment as JCH's good pal KENTA comes out to pay his respects to the new champ in his own way....hehehehehe.

WINNER - NEW IWGP DOUBLE CHAMP, TETSUYA NAITO BY DESTINOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO