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DOMINION 6.9

June 9, 2018

Toru Yano . . . learns that his antics aren’t any matches for the man known as the Technical Wizard.

Will Ospreay . . . show his willingness to take a few years off his career in order to keep the IWGP Jr. Title.

Kenny Omega . . . throws chops like WALTER in his quest to finally wrest the IWGP Title from Kazuchika Okada.

YOSHINOBU KANEMARU/EL DESPERADO © vs. SHO/YOH (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles)

Aside from a few fun moments from the challengers, mostly SHO, this is the usual nothing special match that I’ve come to expect from Kanemaru. He also seems to be teaching Desperado how to be just as uninteresting as he is. The only time the crowd wakes up is when it looks like R3K are going to get the win, such as Kanemaru’s miscue with the mist, or when the challengers outsmart the champions, like YOH dodging the foul. SHO brings virtually all of the good work, such as the double spear after he first tags in, and it’s always fun to watch him show off his suplex skills. Aside from the cradle that Desperado uses to pin SHO after the bottle shot from Kanemaru, there isn’t a single remarkable thing from either of the champions.

JUICE ROBINSON/DAVID FINLAY vs. JAY WHITE/YOSHI-HASHI

Overall, this is too rushed to tell any real story, but, between the intensity of the Juice/White exchanges and the finish, it does its job of setting up a future match for the U.S. Title. The CHAOS team should have stretched out the control segment on Finlay a little longer, especially with how well the false tag to Juice worked. It also would have been nice to see a little more build to the finish. White hits the Blade Runner on Finlay and then turn into Juice’s left-handed punch and gets spiked with the Pulp Friction. Yes, the thing that everyone takes away from the match is the fact that Juice pinned Jay, but, if they worked a couple sequences before the finish, then Juice would look like even more of a viable threat to Jay’s title.

MINORU SUZUKI/ZACK SABRE Jr. vs. TORU YANO/TOMOHIRO ISHII

Between their exchanges during the match, and their brawl afterwards, Suzuki and Ishii both prove just how tough they are for the punishment that they can both dish out and receive. But, it’s the story of Sabre vs. Yano that ultimately decides the match. Sabre can outwrestle pretty much anyone and Yano should be no exception. Only, he is an exception, because he’s able to use his comedy and cheating to throw Zack off his game and force him to adapt. But, part of being one of the best in the world is being able to adapt to different situations, and, once Zack figures out the score, Yano is just like pretty much anyone else. The business with the ref and turnbuckle pad make for amusing stall tactics, and Sabre’s backslide counter and reversal is probably the best moment of the match. The finish is also smart with Yano going for broke with the foul, only for Zack to block it and transition into an armbar to finish him off. Beating Yano isn’t exactly a huge accomplishemnt, but it’s still nice to see Zack get the win on his own, and it shows that him winning the NJ Cup was more than an excuse to feed him to Okada. ***

HIROOKI GOTO © vs. TAICHI ISHIKARI vs. MICHAEL ELGIN (NEVER Openweight Title)

When you take three wrestlers who aren’t all that good and put them in a constricting setting like a three-way match, this is the result. It goes less than fifteen minutes, but it feels a lot longer. The three of them mostly plod around and don’t do much of anything to tell a story. There’s the usual prerequisite three-way spots, like the tower of doom, which add nothing. Elgin showing off his weight loss by busting out a tope and a sunset flip powerbomb is probably the highlight of the match. There’s a couple of nice spots, like Goto countering Ishikari’s superkick into the fireman’s carry neckbreaker, and the finish is somewhat smart with Elgin making sure Goto is out of the picture before he finishes off Ishikari with the Elgin bomb. So, this isn’t completely devoid of good things, but it’s hard to care too much about those few things when the bulk of the match is so dull.

SANADA/EVIL © vs. MATT JACKSON/NICK JACKSON (IWGP Tag Team Titles)

Aside from the fact that Nick did more to work over his injured leg than EVIL or SANADA, this is a rather fun match. It starts off like a typical southern tag, especially after EVIL hits the sidewalk slam and causes Matt’s ongoing back issues to flare up. EVIL and SANADA take advantage by flat bumping Matt and throwing him into the guardrail, which is technically sound, but not exactly interesting, although SANADA pulling Nick off the apron to prevent Matt from tagging him in was great. However, Matt makes up for it with some great selling, and a smart moment where he adjusted a hip toss. But, when Nick gets the hot tag and then kicks the post, the story of the match unfolds, and Los Ingobernables’ big failing of the match is fully on display.

EVIL and SANADA do next to nothing as far as taking advantage of the opening. SANADA’s cheap shot on the apron is their best moment in that regard. But, most of the storytelling is done by Nick himself. Whenever he has to use the foot to do anything, he sells huge. On two separate occasions, Matt gets into position for the IndyTaker, only for Nick to be unable to do his half of the spot. Nick only slips up once, during the finish when he and Matt unleash double superkicks on both opponents. But, it makes sense to think that Nick took things easy, since he had Matt’s help, and Matt would have gone full force. And, after the second one, Nick slumps down in pain. Fortunately, although Nick’s foot injury is the story of the match, the bulk of the match is worked by Matt, and the work is as good (and smart) as just about anything else I’ve seen from the ‘Bucks. It’s nice to see him getting ahead by outsmarting, and outwrestling, EVIL and SANADA, rather than just going spot-crazy. The various counters to the Skull End and EVIL’s STO are great to see, and SANADA ramping up the Skull End after Matt’s previous escapes is a great touch by him, and a reminder that even though he’s the healthier one, Matt isn’t in great shape either.

Considering the shape that they were in, MBFYB is something of a questionable finish, but it winds up coming off just fine. Matt does the heavier lifting, but he does it to SANADA who weights about 20 lbs. less than EVIL. After his springboard issues, there’s plenty of doubt about Nick being able to pull off the 450, and, after he does, he shows exactly how much doing it took out of him. Even with EVIL and SANADA’s shortcomings, this is still a very fun match, and further proof of just how much the Young Bucks have improved over the last year. ***1/4

CODY RHODES/ADAM PAGE/MARTY SCURLL vs. HIROSHI TANAHASHI/JYUSHIN LYGER/REY MYSTERIO Jr.

The only point to this seems to be to show that Rey can still go after so many years (and so many injuries). Aside from the Bullet Club control segment on Lyger, there isn’t much of anything as far as a story goes. Lyger adds a very nice touch when Scurll hits a superkick to the knee, and then runs into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Lyger is near his corner, but sells his knee to explain why he doesn’t tag right away. The heels aren’t that interesting when working over Lyger, but, they make up for it by stooging and selling like crazy for Rey when he tags in, Page’s overdone bumps for the head scissors that sends him into the ropes, and then the 619 are easily the highlights of the match. It’s also nice to see a simple, and clean, finish, with Cody countering Lyger’s brainbuster into the Cross Rhodes. Cody really didn’t need to get the pin here, as both Page and Scurll would have benefitted more from pining Lyger.

WILL OSPREAY © vs. HIROMU TAKAHASHI (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title)

I’m quite sure that both of these two are out of their minds after watching this. At first it seemed like it was going in an interesting direction. They start off fast, with Ospreay taking an overhead suplex into the corner and nearly getting sunset bombed to the floor. But, after Ospreay recovers, he gets Hiromu in the ring, and starts working over his arm, including some nasty looking submissions. It’s just about the last thing that one would expect from Ospreay, but it totally works. It’s a smart way to keep control of things, and it allows him to protect his banged up neck. The other ‘advantage’ (if one could call it that) is that Hiromu had recently started using a Triangle choke as a finish, and having Ospreay sharking on the arm wouldn’t hamper his ability to use it.

Unfortunately, they don’t go that route. Hiromu makes his comeback with a surprise rana and then a dropkick off the apron, and Ospreay just gives up on the arm, and the match turns into the spotfest that one would expect. It’s nice that Ospreay puts over his neck, even after he does something big, like the Space Flying Tiger Drop, but there is no way that he should have been able to kick out after some of the bumps he took, specifically Hiromu’s counters to the Stormbreaker, like the Code Red and Canadian Destroyer. Not to mention, that someone with a bad neck should definitely not be able to do the powerbomb escape of the Triangle choke, which makes the bump Hiromu took unnecessary. And, there is simply no way that Ospreay should be dead lifting Hiromu into a superplex.

As frustrating (and unnerving) as this is to watch, there are some good ideas and smart touches. Hiromu’s German suplex to counter the Oscutter is a very welcome sight. It’s also nice to see Hiromu try to win with the Triangle first, and only resort to the Time Bomb when he feels like he has no other choice. The hanging choke over the ropes was another smart spot that worked over Ospreay’s neck without much in way of risk. But, it’s a shame that they felt the need to take the match in the direction they did, when they showed that they’re capable of better.

TETSUYA NAITO © vs. CHRIS JERICHO (IWGP Intercontinental Title)

This is easily the most intense and hateful match of the night, but it’s got its share of good touches to it as well. It starts off with Jericho jumping Naito on the floor and using a table, but, Jericho’s mistake is that when he gets Naito back into the ring, he’s just as often to be found playing to the crowd as he is trying to win the match. When Naito finally gets his bearings and dishes it out, he shows that he learned from Jericho’s mistake. In addition to being simple revenge spots, the piledriver on the table and Naito clocking Jericho with a broken piece of the table, also wear down the neck and make him more susceptible to the Destino, and Naito also adds two neckbreakers and a spring board dropkick when he gets Jericho back into the ring, to keep that idea in place.

Although the atmosphere makes this more like a fight than a wrestling match, there are also quite a few nice wrestling sequences to be found. The rana counter into the Walls is pretty much vintage Jericho at this point, but, the Codebreaker counter to Naito’s flying forearm, Jericho’s counter of the Destino into a cradle, and the mat sequence that ends with Jericho getting the Walls for the second time are all nice to see. The finishing sequence is also very smooth, with Jericho countering the Destino and giving him the opening to foul Naito, which allows him to hit the Codebreaker for the win.

There’s no doubt that matches like this can be fun to watch, but, this still far away from either man’s best performance. Despite being trapped in the Walls twice, one of which nearly made him pass out, there’s nothing from Naito to show any lasting effects. Naito nearly passing out, only to revive himself and get the ropes comes off cartoony. The Destino near fall was completely unnecessary. Both of the counters from Jericho looked fine, and having him kick out of it, after having his neck softened up, only hurts the move. Hell, they could have used Naito being worn down from the Walls to explain why he can’t hit it. The Okada/Omega series did a great job of protecting Omega’s finisher, even with Omega not winning the first two matches, there’s no reason that they couldn’t have done the same thing with the Destino. Given the overall hate between them, and the way that this match ended, a rematch seems like a certainty, but, it doesn’t seem like they left anything open to address in the second match other than “Can they top the craziness of their first match?”

For twenty-eight minutes, Okada and Omega remind you why their rivalry has been so lauded. The early matwork and the familiarity spots are almost mandatory in a match like this, but, they still have their place. Their exchanges of clean breaks in the corner come off a little too cute. It was fine when Okada did it, he backs Kenny into the corner and rears back like he’s going to light him up, and then gives him a playful slap and breaks. But, when Kenny does the exact same thing a minute later, it looks like he’s just copying what Okada did. The early Rainmaker and One Winged Angel attempts are the same thing, it’s fine the first time around, and it’s not like the Rainmaker needs much setup. But, after he escapes it, Kenny instantly tries to do his own big move, which doesn’t look nearly as credible, and, Kenny actually has to move toward the ropes for Okada to grab them and send them both to the floor.

The fall is pretty much spot-on after they go to the floor. Okada sends Kenny into the guardrail and jumps himself into a V-Trigger to the ribs in order to give Kenny his first real control segment, and Kenny smartly takes advantage of the opening by working over the body, including the nastiest chops this side of WALTER, as well as working some holds. Okada does a great job of selling, and when he takes over the match after Kenny runs himself into a flapjack, he continues selling. Kenny gets too ambitious when he wants to do the Dragon suplex off the top, and gets countered into the Tombstone on the apron, and then when Kenny gets up, Okada levels him with a dropkick into the guardrail, and now it’s Kenny’s turn to sell the midsection, and while he’s more animated than Okada, it’s just as good, and it makes Okada’s diving elbow seem that much more effective.

Some people may take issue with Omega’s pop up in order to do the snap Dragon suplex, but, it’s not even close to the stupidity that Misawa, Kobashi, and Akiyama liked to do. Omega saw Okada signal for the Rainmaker, so he jumped up while Okada was crowd playing to stop him in his tracks, and he sold while he did it. Also, while still selling, Kenny Omega does the most beautiful tope that I’ve ever seen. Their finisher attempts come off much better at nearly thirty minutes in, than they did at five, and Kenny’s near fall from the Croyt’s Wrath to counter Okada’s escaping the One Winged Angel is a great throwback to their August match. It would have been nice to see them work back to the midsection, Okada’s dropkicks and Kenny’s V-Trigger to the ribs would be just as effective if aimed toward the body, although it certainly makes sense for them to be used as KO shots, and it’s nice to see Omega get a near fall from the V-Trigger. Okada wins the first fall by outsmarting Omega, knowing that he’s going to be prepared to try and block and counter the Rainmaker, Okada sets it up, and Kenny takes the bait and counters it, only for Okada to block that, and get the pin on a flash cradle.

If not for a bit of stupidity after the near count out, then this would have been a perfect follow up to the first fall. Okada hits his dropkick off the turnbuckle, catching Omega in the stomach, and then sends him into the guardrail to resume the focus on the body, including a nice segment using the Cobra clutch. Omega’s struggle is perfectly visualized with him chopping at Okada, who stands there defiantly, and then sells after he drops Kenny with a big boot. Omega returns the favor tenfold by throwing a table on top of Okada and then hitting a diving stomp from the apron, and, once again, it’s Okada’s midsection that’s the target, and this time Kenny opts to use more high impact spots like the superplex and Finlay roll.

The table tease is a nice throwback to their first match, especially with Okada trying to duplicate his success from their first match by back dropping Omega through it, although it doesn’t work this time around. It’s just after Kenny’s rana on the floor where this falls apart. Okada’s groggy selling, and losing his balance works perfectly, and it looks for all the world like Omega is going to tie the match with a count out. Just after Okada rolls in, Kenny scores with a V-Trigger and sets up the One Winged Angel, only for Okada to escape it and hit Kenny with a Tombstone, not only blowing off the rana to the floor, but also the V-Trigger. They run through another sequence, which, aside from Omega kicking out of the same cradle that won the first fall, isn’t really all that meaningful. Omega hits his the butterfly piledriver, a V-Trigger, and the One Winged Angel to take the fall, which was a sequence he’d tried two minutes previously that he couldn’t pull off, and shouldn’t even have needed to, since they had the perfect finish set up with the rana on the floor spot.

They start the third fall off by making up for the blunder in the second fall. Omega tries to go for another One Winged Angel, only for Okada to escape and hit the Rainmaker. But, Omega winds up clipping Okada while he’s going down, and it causes Okada to fall and delay the pin attempt. The story of this fall is them putting over the exhaustion and cumulative effect of the match, sometimes their facials are goofy, but they mostly do a good job of it. One of the better moments in that regard is Okada whipping Omega into the ropes for a dropkick, only for Omega to collapse on the way, and as a result Okada crashes on the dropkick. The double KO spot from the Rainmaker is one of those things that’s a good idea in theory, but not so much in execution. It just doesn’t seem right for Okada to be out of energy while he’s doing his finisher. It looked so much better in their broadway, where Omega inadvertently dodges the Rainmaker, and Okada is out of it from the attempt at it. The failed One Winged Angel, because Omega collapses comes off a lot better, and looks more believable. They ape the second fall with the reverse rana to set up the V-Trigger in the ropes, but, this is a case where they do it right. Omega hits the rana, and instead of going right for the kill (as he should have in the second fall), he delays it to continue selling the exhaustion of the match, so when he finally gets ready for it, Okada has also had time to recover and surprises him with the dropkick. And, after all the times Okada escaped the One Winged Angel, Omega gets a little payback when he counters the Rainmaker into a modified version of it, which sets up the running V-Trigger and a proper One Winged Angel gives Omega the victory and the title.

I can’t say this is definitively the best match I’ve ever seen. But, it’s easily the best match that I’ve seen from both Okada and Omega. Okada has always set a high standard and, more often than not, Omega performed up to his level. As cliche as it sounds to say that New Japan spent the last two-and-a-half years building up to this moment, when looking at how Omega rose up the ranks, you can make a case for it. Omega beating Tanahashi (although it should have been Nakamura) to win the Intercontinental Title instantly gave him credibility as heavyweight, and his winning the G-1, and his subsequent performances against Okada added to it. Omega being the first IWGP United States Champion gave the title instant credibility (much more than the Intercontinental Title had to start). Okada was booked as strongly as possible, he was rarely pinned, on those rare occasions that he was, he was able to get the win back (you can even argue that him winning the first fall avenges Omega beating him in August). The booking makes Omega look enormous, he seemingly does the impossible and beats the unstoppable juggernaut twice in a row, after losing the first fall and being in a must win situation. ****½

Conclusion: The main event alone is enough reason to warrant checking this out.