NJPW Dominion Review 06/11/17

OK, so those unfamiliar this is NJPW’s second biggest non-tournament show and they show that with a stacked card of amazing matches. Let’s get started!

Jushin “Thunder” Liger, Manabu Nakanishi, and TenKoji vs Tiger Mask IV, Tiger Mask W, Togi Makabe, and Yuji Nagata.

Just quick note I missed the first young boy match but i’m not too bothered by it but I got on just in time for this match. This was the usual random tag match that I didn’t have too much interest in if i’m being honest. It is always cool to see Tiger Mask W aka Kota Ibushi wrestle but I just wish he wasn’t stuck under that gimmick. Match ended with Makabe picking up the win for his team here.

Match Rating: **

NEVER Open weight Six Man Tag Team Championship Gauntlet Match: BUSHI, EVIL and SANADA (c) vs. Bad Luck Fale, Hangman Page and Yujiro Takahashi vs. Juice Robinson, Ricochet and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano and YOSHI-HASHI

This was a huge gauntlet consisting of all the stables in NJPW so it’ll be a long one. The Bullet Club guys is in there with the CHAOS crew to start off this massive gauntlet. CHAOS advances with Yano advancing his team. Next up is the Suzuki-GUN group who dispose of CHAOS quickly when Sabre Jr. helps move them on. Up next is Taguchi Japan. This was solid seeing Taguchi advance with the help of Juice Robinson. While Taguchi Japan awaits the last members of the gauntlet, the champions, Los Ingobernables de Japon Sabre slaps on an Octopus hold on Juice rendering him laid out by the time LIJ get to the ring. But Taguchi Japan is very resilient and they were able to keep themselves in the match. In the end, LIJ was too much as they take the win and retain their 6-Man Titles. Solid work here in that last match-up and made for an enjoyable match.

Match Rating: ***1/2

Roppongi Vice (Beretta and Rocky Romero) vs The Young Bucks

This is a rematch from Wrestle Kingdom 11 (one of a few on this show) where RPG Vice took the belts from the Young Bucks. This was another solid match from both teams here on a big stage. The Bucks didn’t allow RPG Vice to tag frequently and cut off the ring very well. This coupled with their use of the sharpshooter got them the win here and they become 6 time IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.

Match Rating: ***1/2

War Machine (Raymond Rowe and Hanson) vs G.o.D (Tama Tonga and Tanga Roa)

I was very excited for this as both teams put on good matches in the multi man tag matches on the BOSJ shows. This match was alright but I was hoping for a bit more but some cool spots in this match that made it redeemable. G.o.D take the win here and I couldn’t be any more displeased.

Match Rating: ***

“American Nightmare” Cody vs Michael Elgin

I don’t care for either of these guys that much if i’m being honest but this is big as the winner could be getting a title shot. Solid working here but I just wasn’t feeling it. Cody gets the win here which has him near the top of the food chain.

Match Rating: ***

KUSHIDA vs Hiromu Takahashi

This match was crazy from the start where both men traded forearms, even spilling out to the outside and continuing the forearms and rolling back still with forearms. They then went into a chop battle. This whole match was a wild brawl and just so brutal to watch at times. These two, in my eyes are the two greatest Jr. wrestlers going today. They never fail to disappoint me whenever they get in the ring they just go out and say “top that”.

Match Rating: ****

Minoru Suzuki vs Hirooki Goto

This match was a Lumberjack Death match. Don’t get too scared, in NJPW they call any gimmick match besides a ladder match a death match. This match was a chaotic brawl though and I loved every bit of it. Suzuki is one of the most unique wrestlers right now as I think he can pull off even the wildest of gimmick matches. He even went at it with Liger who was on commentary. Goto is no slouch either as he took it to Suzuki, but at the end of the day Suzuki-GUN was too much for CHAOS as Suzuki retains his belt but seems to have a new challenger in YOSHI-HASHI. That match will be great and I can’t wait for it!

Match Rating: ***3/4

Tetsuya Naito vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

They tore it down the last time they met at Wrestle Kingdom 11 and I expect the same here. Well I wouldn’t say it was as good but that could be blamed on the fact that Tanahashi returned too quickly from his bicep injury. It showed too as he just wasn’t the same Tanahashi as he used to be which is a bummer. The whole story behind this match was what was gonna happen with the Intercontinental Title. Naito had destroyed it beyond repair and he said if he loses Tanahashi will get the belt. If Naito wins, he would relinquish the belt because he hate the belt. Well Naito got his wish as he lost to Tanahashi and was rid of the title. Not as good as their last effort but still a good match.

Match Rating: ***1/2

Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada.

I have no words for this match. What has already been said about this match has summed it up perfectly but I will try my best. Omega and Okada did what many thought impossible, they topped their previous encounter at Wrestle Kingdom 11. They put on one of the greatest matches I have ever seen. The chemistry between these two guys is honestly off the charts. Any person that claims to be a fan of professional wrestling needs to watch this match including aspiring wrestlers. The story told in this 60-minute epic is one of a kind.

Match Rating: ******