New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) presents their second biggest show of the year, Dominion. Three massive singles matches were scheduled and helped dramatically change the landscape of NJPW moving forward. Here are the NJPW Dominion results with analysis and match ratings as well.
NJPW Dominion Results & Match Ratings (6/7/21)
— CHAOS (SHO, YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto) & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bullet Club (El Phantasmo, Taiji Ishimori, Chase Owens, Yujiro Takahashi, & EVIL)
Winner: Bullet Club
Rating: 2.50 (**1/2)
— Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, SANADA, & Tetsuya Naito) vs. Suzuki-gun (DOUKI, Zack Sabre Jr., & Taichi)
Winner: Los Ingobernables de Japon
Rating: 3.00 (***)
— IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado (c) vs. YOH
Winner: El Desperado
Rating: 4.00 (****)
— Kota Ibushi vs. Jeff Cobb
Winner: Kota Ibushi
Rating: 3.50 (***1/2)
— IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi
Winner: Shingo Takagi
Rating: 4.50 (****1/2)
NJPW Dominion Results In-Depth Match Analysis
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi
A NJPW staple for many years. This match went over 30 minutes in what was a meticulously fought battle between “The Rainmaker” and “The Dragon.” Kazuchika Okada was the clear favorite going into this match as the multi-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the staple of NJPW. Shingo Takagi has more to lose in this match than maybe anyone who has ever challenged for the gold in New Japan. A loss would end his dreams of ever holding the top prize that said “IWGP.” So he went into this one more ready than ever. Takagi showed a different side of him in this match that he never had shown before. He was taking everything that Okada was giving him and at times shaking it off. Not only was it not affecting him, but it was a clear sign that this very well could be his moment.
Okada, as he does, never faltered in finding ways to affect and hurt Takagi back. He looked to be on the top of his game, something that has felt as though it’s been a long time since seeing out of “The Rainmaker.” He applied the Money Clip on numerous occasions, hit the Tombstone Piledriver multiple times, but it was not enough. What felt necessary was that Okada needed to hit the Rainmaker to win the match, something that he has never done in either of his two battles prior with Takagi. That proved to be the case again in this one.
Ultimately, it was Takagi’s moment to shine on top for NJPW. He pinned Okada in the middle of the ring to become the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and will be able to paint the title in his colors moving forward. This was a moment that Takagi was worthy of and NJPW finally ran with. Takagi was a loss away from legitimately never getting a shot again. It felt important, it felt special from beginning to end. These two made every moment of the match feel important, feel special. The pace for some may have been slow, but everything had meaning. Every strike they hit was harder than the last. Every maneuver they attempted had more meaning behind it. And in the end, the right man came out on top.
The future of NJPW is going to be a special one to follow. Takagi now has the opportunity to make it his own.
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