Just as a classic video game like Super Mario World, Street Fighter II or Zelda (which Kenny Omega “The Omega Man” enjoys playing a lot), NJPW Dominion 2018 delivered every bit the excitement, the entertainment and the pageantry. It is now, I believe, officially safe to say that NJPW (New Japan Pro Wrestling) has finally stretched its creative voice and is now being heard echoing around the world. Hey, it could easily be renamed, NWPW (New World Pro Wrestling). I’d buy that.
Unquestionably one of the greatest stories told inside a wrestling ring is Omega vs Okada, Dominion ’18. Check out highlights from the match:
Last night, one of the greatest wrestling entertainers on earth today, “The Omega Man” defeated Kazuchika Okada to realize a dream and capture the IWGP world title for the first time in his illustrious career. If that wasn’t enough, Kenny’s two recently reunited best-friends-till-the-end, The Young Bucks’ Matt and Nick Jackson are delivering the most electrifying tag team wrestling performances today. The Young Bucks realized their dream by defeating Sanada and the most devilish man in NJPW, Evil, to capture the IWGP Heavyweight world tag team titles.
In a six-man tag team match, egomaniacal tyrant Cody Rhodes “The American Nightmare” joined his most-trusted ally Hangman Page and the man who makes Batman’s “The Penguin” shiver in his boots, “The Villian” Marty Scurll. These cut-throat rogues faced NJPW and WCW legend, Jushin “Thunder” Liger, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Rey Mysterio! Yes, Rey Mysterio! This was Mysterio’s NJPW debut, but and alas, Cody spoiled all hopes of celebrations lasting longer than the twenty-minute match.
Rey Mysterio knows how to make an entrance:
In one of the most anticipated matches of the year, the new and possibly demonic, beer-chugging, pot-bellied, cussing rock and roller, Chris Jericho, proved that he does still give a damn when he defeated one of Japan’s finest, Tetsuya Naito, to capture the IWGP Intercontinental championship.
Evil incarnate Chris Jericho makes his debut, Dominion ’18:
By the looks of things, it’s safe to say that Jericho, and possibly Mysterio, are both going to be recurring characters on NJPW cards.
Wow! Let us just take a moment to soak in all this new and thrilling information. Wow!
I humbly believe it is official that a new and perhaps greater wrestling war than was seen in the late nineteen-nineties between WWE and WCW has begun. This time it’s a little more complex. On the one-hand you have WWE, a corporately-controlled US giant. On the other-hand you have NJPW, ROH, Bullet Club, All In and, perhaps CM Punk (I’m still a little confused about him). These “free-radicals” (NJPW, ROH, Bullet Club, All In) have an unquenchable and uncensored passion to entertain.
The question is, will WWE with its corporate creative interference be able to create any form of entertainment capable of surviving this gang-assault? What if “Shark Tank’s” Mark Cuban invests in Bullet Club and or NJPW stock? We’ve heard rumors that Cuban was interested in investing in NJPW earlier this year.
For United States NJPW fans, you can catch all the action Friday nights on AXS. Yours truly has this series set to record on DVR. I urge you do the same.
I am “The Goldmine” Alex Gold.
Follow on Twitter @alexgoldmine