The most exciting event to kick off the summer has returned with big live crowds, It’s time for NJPW Dominion 2022.
Six-Man Tag Team Match | TJP, Aaron Henare, & Francesco Akira [United Empire] Vs Rysuske Taguchi, Master Wato & Hiroshi Tenzan
While there is no IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match tonight, this gives TJP and Francesco Akira the opportunity to size up their competition. They do have a championship match coming up and if the United Empire want to be one of the greatest factions in New Japan then they need to take the junior heavyweight division.
This is a fun little match that is fast-paced and shows off everyone’s skills. Master Wato looks good here as does Toa Henare while Tenzan rolled back the years in a fantastic display of hard chops while he moved around the ring like a man half his age. A great opening match as always from New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Time: 10m 31s
Winner via Submission: Aaron Hanare [United Empire]
Rating: ***.5
Six-Man Tag Team Match | BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito [L.I.J.] Vs Ace Austin, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo [BULLET CLUB]
This is the warm-up match before the big main event on 21st June 2022. Holding off on the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match is a great idea, allowing for the champion and winner of the BOSJs to do battle in the main event spot. L.I.J. and Bullet Club have a long history of tensions with Naito and Jay White having one of the best feuds in the last five years.
Time: 8m 04s
Winner via a CRII: El Phantasmo [BULLET CLUB]
Rating: ***.5
Toru Yano [CHAOS] Vs Doc Gallows [BULLET CLUB]
This Doc Gallows’ first New Japan match since 2015’s G1, where these two faced off with Gallows getting the victory over Yano. Will tonight be the same? Well, this match is short and sweet with some fun spots and a good amount of comedy. These two are also no slouches when it comes to grappling. Despite Gallows having the upper hand throughout the match, Yano won via a roll-up/pin combination, after a low blow, in classic Toru Yano fashion.
Time: 4m 05s
Winner via a NU3: Toru Yano [CHAOS]
Rating: ***
NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Championship Match | Zack Sabre Jr, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado [Suzuki-Gun] Vs EVIL, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi w. Dick Togo [BULLET CLUB]
Time: 9m 26s
Winner via Shock Arrow: SHO [BULLET CLUB]
Rating: ***.25
IWGP Tag Team Championship Match | Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens [BULLET CLUB] Vs Jeff Cobb & Great O-Kahn [United Empire]
Time: 11m 52s
Winner via a Tour of the Islands: Jeff Cobb & Great O-Kahn [United Empire]
Rating: ****
AEW Interim Championship Elimination Match | Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs Hirooki Goto [CHAOS]
Time: 12m 40s
Winner via a High Fly Flow: Hiroshi Tanahashi
Rating: ****.5
KOPW 2022 | Taichi [Suzuki-Gun] Vs Shingo Takagi [L.I.J.]
This was a really fun match at NJPW Dominion and is a really great take on the Iron Man stipulation. this match has a smaller time frame, with just 10 minutes to play with and instead of the points being counted by a fall, it is counted by how many counts the person is pinned for. This makes the match more intense, fast-paced, and exciting. This is honestly one of the best matches of Taichi’s career.
Time: 10m
Winner via [11/10]: Shingo Takagi [L.I.J.]
Rating: ****.75
Never Openwight Championship Match | Tama Tonga [Guerrillas of Destiny] Vs Karl Anderson [BULLET CLUB]
Winner via a Gun Stun: Karl Anderson [BULLET CLUB]
Rating: ****.25
Will Ospreay [United Empire] Vs SANADA [L.I.J.]
You have never seen two smoother competitors inside a New Japan ring than Ospreay and SANADA. Both men are extremely talented and have been through illness and injuries with SANADA having never lost the belt. The United States Championship has a long history for a belt that is so new, with a supposed curse on it and whoever wins tonight will need to break that curse. Whoever has their crowning moment tonight at NJPW Dominion will have a lot to live up to and lots of traveling ahead of them.
Winner: Will Ospreay [United Empire]
Rating: *****
NJPW Dominion Main Event | IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Match | Kazuchika Okada [CHAOS] vs Jay White [BULLET CLUB]
Kazuchika Okada and Jay White have had a long-running feud for many years, with the two being close before the shocking betrayal that has led to this main event at NJPW Dominion in Osaka Jo-Hall.
White has always been a slippery guy, you never quite know where you stand with him, after all, he is the smartest man in the room, but the betrayal that hurt more was that of Gado. Okada and Gado were friends and confidants, so when he turned and aligned with White and the Bullet Club in 2018, it created one of the most storied rivalries in years. But that’s a story for another time.
This match is incredible with two of the best in the business going at it. As with both of these men’s style of match, it starts slow, both choosing to feel the other one out. Yes, they have faced off many times but Okada is smart to be wary of The Switchblade and it seems White feels the same about his opponent.
Using words like cerebral and methodical might make you think of the long boring slogs we have seen from the likes of HHH vs Randy Orton, but there is something a little bit more magical in the execution here. When it comes to The Rainmaker and the Switchblade they know one another so well and know exactly when to up the intensity. Plus it helps that fans of Japanese wrestling are used to variety and a slow build in an Okada match.
This match is a classic for the two of them, from moments of brilliance, the classic Okada comeback, and the shit-talking interference from Gado. Jay White truly shines here and this is a must-watch for any Japanese wrestling fans. Also, White does call some interesting people out after the match.
Winner via a Bladerunner: Jay White
Time: 38m 04s
Rating: *****
