This was for Omega’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
In what has to be one of the most pleasantly surprising developments in recent NJPW history, this was one of the most interestingly worked main events in NJPW in what seems like forever. Did it have its flaws? Oh yea. Was it a mixed bag? OH YEA. It was still interesting though for the ideas utilized, and the way they worked together which is a great improvement upon the past couple of years.
The first part of the match was all about establishing that Kenny Omega was infinitely better than Okada. He dominated the match with ease. If anything, he did it so casually that it was kind of boring to watch. The silver lining though was that it set up things for later in the match in a meaningful way.
A key difference between Tanahashi and Omega was showcased during this portion of the contest. Omega was willing to less “civil” things to win pro wrestling. He did not follow the proper “etiquette” of how one is expected to conduct themselves in a Wrestle Kingdom main event.
The key point that illustrated this was that Kenny pulled out a table to use. Tanahashi ended up being the person to have the opportunity to use it. He looked at the table. But he could not bring himself to use Chekhov’s table early on. Even with being as overmatched as he was, he still could not use it.
Tanahashi sensed that the usual would not do though. He desperately hung onto Omega’s leg to connect on a gnarly dragon screw (and of course, Omega had to sell the knee like it was going for to fall off at first only to be doing deadlift powerbombs a few minutes later – he really is so annoying sometimes). He even brought back his Styles Clash for the first time since 2014 (heavy shot at Taube for saying he doesn’t do cool movez).
And then in the big moment, he was even willing to use that table that was set up earlier in the match. Because a table that is set up in the first act of match will surely have someone go through said table before it is all said and done.
Omega was placed on the table that was on the floor. Tanahashi set up for the High Fly Flow. He went for it. But Kenny got off the table, and Tanahashi crashed through it instead. For Tanahashi, using a table in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom while competing for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship would just be rude. He recognized that he had to do that though if he wanted to win and paid the price. It was beautiful.
From there though, things still managed to be more even. Omega had lost the firm advantage he had going for him for so long. Tanahashi built up momentum, and he eventually managed to put Omega away with one of many High Fly Flows.
The match was not all that it could be and ending up in a situation where Tanahashi fucking wins the belt back in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom is so groan-inducing. It was mostly interesting to watch play out though and clearly exceeded rational expectations of what these two would do together. (***1/4)
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