Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-Jo Hall: Omega vs. Okada IV Recap and Review 6/9/18

Well, here it is. The main event of Dominion. The epic rivalry comes to ahead as the longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada takes on the Best Bout Machine Kenny Omega. Will Omega finally come out on top? Or will Okada retain once again? Let's find out.

Recap

The match starts out fairly simple with a series of rest holds, each man jockeying for position. It’s a chess match at the beginning as each competitor is just trying to find a weakness and gain the advantage. The pace then speeds up rapidly as both Okada and Omega attempt various signature moves. Omega attempts the One-Winged Angel, but Okada counters and sends both men to the outside. On the floor, the two trade clubbing blows.

Okada boots Omega over the guard rail and attempts his signature leaping crossbody, but Omega counters with a knee. After slamming him onto a combination of chairs and guard rail fragment, Omega gets Okada back in the ring and starts hammering him with elbows. Okada taunts him, asking for more and Omega delivers, firmly in control. After absorbing seemingly endless punishment, Okada finally manages to get some offense in with a flapjack.

Okada, attempting to mount a comeback, gets in more offense on Omega as he throws elbows, uppercuts, plants Omega with a DDT and executes a slingshot plancha to the outside. Back in the ring, Omega and Okada jockey for position once again, with Omega coming out on top with a snap hurricanrana. Okada rolls to the outside and Omega delivers a slingshot springboard crossbody. The action goes back into the ring as Omega hits the Kotaro Krusher then the Aoi Shoudou onto the knee.

Omega attempts a V-Trigger; Okada dodges and attempts a german suplex, which Omega flips out of. Omega attempts the V-Trigger again and Okada blocks it this time, but is successful the third time around. He then tries for a reverse hurricanrana, but Okada blocks it and nails Omega with a bridging german suplex. Omega kicks out and backs Okada into the corner, getting him up on the top rope to attempt a dragon superplex. Okada fights out and drills Omega with a tombstone piledriver on the ring apron.

Okada then delivers a front dropkick to Omega, practically shooting him off the apron, seemingly turning the tables and taking control in this match. He then delivers a missile dropkick, then goes up top again for a diving elbow drop. Okada taunts and hits the Rainmaker pose, which allows Omega to deliver a snap dragon suplex, then a somersault tope. Omega follows it up with a brutal missile dropkick. Omega sets up Okada for the One-Winged Angel; Okada slips out only to be met with another V-Trigger.

Omega gets Okada up once again to deliver Croyt’s Wrath, his former finisher; Okada kicks out. Omega nails another V-Trigger and tries for the One-Winged Angel once again. Okada gets out of it, hits two dropkicks and attempts the Rainmaker; Omega dodges and hits the Rain-Trigger. Omega attempts a double underhook piledriver, only for Okada to counter it with a hurricanrana, then delivers another tombstone piledriver.

Okada tries for the Rainmaker, but Omega counters with a crucifix pin, only for Okada to counter with a rana pin for the first fall. After the rest period, Omega starts delivering clobbering blows to Okada, who blocks and dropkicks Omega off the top rope. As the action spills to the outside, Okada is clearly in control. Omega tries to fight back with an attempted moonsault off the guard rail, only for Okada to block it, sending him to the second barricade.

Okada then drills Omega with a rail-hung DDT, also feeling the effect of the match. They get back in the ring, Okada absorbing multiple stiff chops from Omega. Okada boots Omega and puts him in a cobra clutch. Omega breaks out of it, delivers more chops then a back suplex, then another back suplex on the apron. Omega throws a table onto Okada and delivers a double stomp off the ring apron. He then sets back up, only for Okada to counter out of desperation.

Omega attempts for his signature rolling slam/moonsault combo, but Okada counters it with a neckbreaker slam and sends Omega into the corner with a front dropkick. Okada goes to the top rope, only for Omega to counter with a series of chops, then a super Aoi Shoudou. Omega attempts the rolling slam/moonsault combo again, only for Okada to get his knees up and deliver a European uppercut. Okada attempts to send Omega to the outside through the table, but Omega blocks and plants him with a swinging DDT.

Omega then attempts a dragon suplex through the table. Okada blocks and attempts the Rainmaker, but is met with a reverse hurricanrana. Back in the ring, Omega hits another V-Trigger and attempts another One-Winged Angel, but Okada gets out again and attempts another Rainmaker, only for Omega to block that with a uranage. Obviously exhausted, the two men trade strikes; Omega nails another dragon suplex and Okada pulls off another dropkick.

Omega gets off a dropkick of his own, then counters a dropkick with a powerbomb. After another V-Trigger, Omega once again sets Okada up for a butterfly piledriver. Okada counters similarly to the first fall, only for Omega to kick out, deliver yet another V-Trigger and finally plant Okada with the butterfly piledriver. But Okada kicks out yet again; Omega gets another V-Trigger off and finally lands the One-Winged Angel to tie the match up 1-1.

The third round starts up, and Omega immediately goes for the One-Winged Angel. Okada counters and hits the Rainmaker; Omega kicks out. The two men jockey for position; Okada attempts the tombstone piledriver, Omega attempts the gutwrench powerbomb. Both practically running on empty at this point. Okada misses the dropkick and Omega attempts to take advantage with a powerbomb; Okada tries to counter but Omega answers with a Styles Clash.

After another V-Trigger, Omega attempts for another One-Winged Angel, but collapses. After some time elapsed, Omega tries for the One-Winged Angel again, only to be met with a tombstone piledriver attempt. Omega counters it with a cradle version of the tombstone, then attempts a phoenix splash. Okada dodges, then nails a dropkick; Okada tries for another tombstone, but Kenny counters with a V-Trigger. Omega hits two more V-Triggers in a row and attempts for a third, but Okada counters and lands another dropkick.

Okada hits another dropkick, then tries for another tombstone; after another blocked attempt, Okada tries for the Rainmaker and collapses. Both men, at the end of their ropes, throw whatever they can each other at this point. Okada finally nails a Rainmaker, and then another one; he attempts another one, only for Omega to counter with a german suplex. Holding on, he hits another one, only for Okada to counter with a german suplex of his own. Okada tries for the Rainmaker again, only to be met with another german suplex from Omega, then another reverse hurricanrana.

Okada hits another dropkick as Omega attempts one more V-Trigger. Omega hits another One-Winged Angel after countering a Rainmaker. Omega pulls off one last V-Trigger before hitting Okada with the penultimate One-Winged Angel, getting the last fall and becoming the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion, ending Okada’s legendary reign.

Thoughts

There's a reason for why I dedicated an entire recap/review post solely for this match. There's also a reason why smarks (myself, admittedly included) cum their pants anytime somebody evens mouths  the names Okada and Omega. It's because they've proven time and again that against each other, they always produce wrestling gold. And this time around was no different. This match might just be not only the best world title match they've put on together, but the best match they've put on together as a whole. 

Everything just seemed to click here, which I know sounds cliche to say at this point, but it's the truth. The entirety of the match seemed as if had been laid out by an expert scribe ages ago, waiting for once-in-a-lifetime talents to perform it; if that had been the case, then holy fuck Okada and Omega were the absolute perfect choices to do it. Both completely fulfilled what was expected of them and then some.

The spots were too numerous to count, so I'll just say all of them were my favorite. If I literally had to pick a favorite, it'd be the final sequence where Omega hits the One-Winged Angel, then another V-Trigger then the one last One Winged Angel. It was just the perfect ending to an obvious labour of love. If I had to pick another one, it'd be where Omega got his first pin; learning from his previous mistake, he countered Okada's roll-up attempt. Also, seeing him get his finisher off before Okada got his added to the story of the match. Like you knew how it was going to end, but you just HAD to watch it.

And speaking of the story to the match, it played itself out quite well. I love that only pinfall Okada got was from a roll-up counter pin, yet Omega's pinfalls were both from One-Winged Angels. It's like he was a King refusing to accept his kingdom was crumbling, and it would be at the hands of his strongest enemy. The fact it's tied up 2-2 in this rivalry is a possible sign there's going to be ONE final match, ONE last epic encounter to determine who truly is the best in the world. If that's the case, then I'm 1000000% behind it.

10/10. This is the last thing I'm going to say about it. An absolutely perfect match from start to finish. While it was exhausting, the payoff was most certainly worth it. For those who aren't used to the New Japan style, I still say you should give it a shot. If you still don't like it, I understand. I just ask that you understand why I love it so much. Matches like this one are why I'm a diehard NJPW fan, and will stay one for quite some time.