New IWGP World Hvt. Champion Crowned at Dominion, first challenger confirmed

By Sean Radican, PWTorch Columnist (Twitter: @SR_Torch)

NJPW Dominion matches announced
PHOTO CREDIT: Tokyo Sports

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Shingo Takagi is your new IWGP World Hvt. Champion after he beat Kazuchika Okada at the Dominion PPV. Takagi becomes the third person to hold the title, which was introduced by Kota Ibushi earlier this year.

Takagi beat Kazuchika Okada to win the title in a grueling match that went over 36 minutes in a match contested for the vacated IWGP World Hvt. Championship. Will Ospreay had to vacate the title on May 20 due to a neck injury he suffered wrestling against Takagi at Wreslting Dontaku: Night 2.

Takagi worked on Okada’s back during the first half of the match before transitioning the target of his attacks to Okada’s mid-section. The second half of the match saw the pace pick up and it was Shingo, who wore down Okada with stiff Rainmakers to counter a couple of Okada Rainmaker attempts during the late stages of the match.

Takagi, who lost to former IWGP World HVt. Champion Will Ospreay last month with the title on the line at Wrestling Dontaku: Night 2, was strong down the stretch, as he put Okada away with an emphatic Last of the Dragon to win the match.

After the match, Takagi cut a promo and challenged Kota Ibushi to a match for the IWGP World Hvt. Championship. Ibushi accepted the challenge, but a date for the match has not been announced yet by New Japan.

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