NJPW DOMINION REPORT (6/15) : Lansdell’s report and analysis of Goto vs Shingo, Tsuji vs Kidd, Finlay vs Evil, and more

NJPW DOMINION REPORT
JUNE 15, 2025
OSAKA-JO HALL
OSAKA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD

Dominion is one of New Japan’s biggest shows of the year, and despite a lack of hype around this year’s instalment there was still a stacked card of title matches, and a hefty crowd on hand to see it. Chris Charlton and Walker Stewart were on commentary.

(A) SHOMA KATO & KATSUYA MURASHIMA vs. DAIKI NAGAI & MASATORA YASUDA

The preshow match was a battle of two different Young Lion classes as the more senior team of Kato & Murashima took on Nagai and Yasuda. Kato and Murashima have been in the system for a while and must be close to going on excursion by now, although Kato was out with injury for a while. There had also been a rare Young Lion feud between Nagai and Kato.

The senior team almost always wins these contests, and this was no exception. However the star of the match was very clearly Daiki Nagai, who showed development beyond what would be expected at this stage.

WINNERS: Kato & Murashima via submission at 8:15. (*¾)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Nothing special about it, but the progress of Nagai was obvious. Kato looked good but the time lost to injury shone through. I think Nagai and Murashima will be on excursion soon, possibly Kato as well, with Yasuda sticking around a bit to keep learning. THat’s not to say he is behind, but Nagai seems to be a prodigy.)

(1) BULLET CLUB WAR DOGS (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney & Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori) vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (Sanada & Ren Narita & Yujiro Takahashi & X)

Naturally, the War Dogs came out first. Charlton suggested that Owens could be the mystery HoT partner, which of course meant it would not be him. Sanada’s outfit could only be described as a mess. An El Gigante body suit, Bad Luck Fale’s cigar, and of course Jeff Jarrett’s guitar. Oh, and sunglasses with small round lenses that had an S on them. Because of course. Familiar music started to play in the arena, and Bad Luck Fale made his entrance, now renamed Don Fale. Well, that was a damp squib.

Owens was clearly shaken by the betrayal of his long-time partner. They started in the ring, Fale choking Owens. The War Dogs took turns trying to attack the big man, each of them being summarily swatted away. Having cleared away the rest of the War Dogs, Fale stood on Ishimori’s back before tagging in Yujiro. He continued the choking and then tagged in Narita. He threw Ishimori to the outside and distracted the referee, allowing Fale and Sanada to continue assaulting Ishimori on the outside.

Back in the ring, Narita covered Ishimori for a two-count. Ishimori avoided a double-team and hit a handspring kick to Yujiro, allowing a tag to Connors. He came in and cleaned house, hitting a suplex on Yujiro for a two of his own. He lined up a Pounce, but Fale dragged him to the floor. Chaos ensued on the outside. Connors found his friend Wheel-san, who he politely introduced to Fale’s head. He rolled back inside and hit a snap powerslam for another two-count. Yujiro caught him with a stun gun but then got waylaid by a Jeep Flip to leave both men down.

Moloney and Sanada both tagged in, and Moloney hit a solid spear. He went for Drilla Killa, Sanada was able to escape but then ran into a spinebuster at the five-minute mark. Moloney went for the Drilla Killa again, but Sanada kicked the referee away and slid out the back. He hit a rope-assisted Magic Killer before going to the outside for his guitar. He lined up the El Kabong, but Owens blocked and grabbed the guitar. He held Sanada in place for Moloney, then pushed Sanada out of the way and kicked Moloney in the groin. OK, the double swerve and turn was well played. One guitar shot later and HoT had the win.

WINNERS: House of Torture via pinfall at 6:44. (*)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: I will give them props for taking the suspicion off Owens at the start, but given the expectations and outlandish suggestions around the surprise partner this felt like a big letdown. The match was an even bigger letdown, with no flow and no excitement. The turn at the end was well-executed but it’s a sign of how little anyone cares about Owens that it was met with little reaction. HoT is now an enormous faction with no natural predators.)

(2) EL PHANTASMO & SHOTA UMINO vs. ZACK SABRE JR & RYOHEI OIWA

I fully expected that Oiwa would be lined up for a shot at ELP, so this match made a lot of sense. The pairing with Umino is a little strange for ELP though, as there was a little tension when Umino went on his little head-shaving isolation stint, but he did don the ELP-style light-up glasses during their entrance.

Oiwa and Umino started things off, but after a quick stalemate exchange they both tagged out. ELP and ZSJ traded arm wringers and acrobatic escapes before they too ended up in a stalemate. They worked a knuckle lock and bridge exchange before ZSJ caught ELP mid-leapfrog and applied a bow-and-arrow lock. Oiwa came in and hit a senton while ELP was still in the hold, which looked very effective. Oiwa tagged in and went to work on ELP’s shoulder. He hit a falling powerslam and a splash for a two-count, then went back to the arm. ZSJ came in (illegally) and both men went on a mini-tour of submission holds around ELP’s body.

After the five minute announcement, ELP blocked a German suplex attempt and made a quick tag to Umino. He flattened both TMDK members with a shoulder tackle, then spiked ZSJ with a tornado DDT. He charged Oiwa in the corner with a back elbow and got a two-count with a northern lights bridge suplex. Umino picked the leg and rolled into an STF in the middle of the ring, only for ZSJ to crank his neck and break the hold. ELP made a blind tag to break up the double-team on Umino. He hit a tope to ZSJ on the outside, then came back in with a springboard senton. Oiwa blocked a lionsault with his knees for a near fall, then hit a teardrop back suplex HBK-style for another near fall. He caught an ELP superkick and just flipped him over onto his face, then nailed a doctor bomb for another near fall. He went for The Grip…ELP countered with a lariat! Both men made a tag, and Umino and ZSJ traded rollups. Umino got the last one for a very near fall. A strike exchange ensued, with Umino staggering ZSJ before running into a sleeper. ELP tried to intervene only to be caught in a sleeper by Oiwa.

Umino and ELP both escaped and hit enzuigiris at the ten-minute mark. ELP went for the UFO, ZSJ escaped it and tried to lock in a cobra twist on Umino. ELP nailed him with Sudden Death and went for CR2, but Oiwa hit a German suplex to break it up. Umino hit a lariat on Oiwa and another on ZSJ for a very near fall. ZSJ countered Second Chapter with a kick to the arm, then they went through another intricate series of rollup reversals. ZSJ got the last laugh with a European Clutch for the win.

WINNERS: TMDK via pinfall at 11:23. (***1/2)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: An excellent match in terms of technical exchanges, though a little annoying in the lack of structure. The finishing reversal sequence was better than words could describe and you should seek it out. The commentary made note of the fact that, once again, Umino had lost a match at a major event. That is definitely not any sort of foreshadowing, of course. I don’t think there was enough here to lead to Oiwa and ELP facing off for the TV title, but there is still time to build that match.)

(3) YUYA UEMURA vs. HIROSHI TANAHASHI

The retirement tour continued in a match with the man whose ring style is probably closest to Tanahashi’s in the new generation.

They started off with a high-speed exchange of headlock takeovers and arm drags. Uemura took control with a shoulder throw, then snapped back Tanahashi’s arm. He locked in a short arm scissors in the middle of the ring, which Tanahashi was in for a while before making it to the ropes. Uemura cut short Tanahashi’s comeback attempt with a standing dropkick but then got dropped with a flying forearm. Tanahashi followed up with a back body drop, a scoop slam, and a second-rope somersault senton at the five-minute mark.

Tanahashi caught a kick and dropped Uemura with a dragon screw. He went for a slingblade, Uemura blocked it and tried to hit the Deadbolt. Tanahashi blocked that and hit the Twist and Shout, then a slingblade for a two count. Tanahashi went to the top rope…Aces High missed! Uemura went to the top in the same style as Tanahashi and went for his own high crossbody… and he missed too! Uemura clutched at his arm, which he injured last year in the G1. They traded elbow strikes with Tanahashi getting the final blow. Uemura avoided a charging Tanahashi and locked in an armbar. Tanahashi got to the ropes, and off the break he hit a stiff dragon suplex. He hit the ropes but got caught in a frankensteiner, into the armbar again! Tanahashi turned towards the pressure and rolled up Uemura! 1…2…3!!!

WINNER: Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall at 9:30. (**)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Well that was unexpected. I am not entirely convinced that was even the planned finish, the positioning was wrong for both men AND the referee and it seemed like a sudden and weird way to finish the match. Uemura really needed a win here, and I am not at all sure what this loss does for him as we head to G1 season. Maybe it’s to justify Tanahashi’s inclusion in the tournament proper without needing to qualify.)

(4) MASTER WATO & YOH (C) vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (Sho & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) – IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match

House of Torture came out first, although Kanemaru had his arm in a sling and was in street clothes. The champions made their entrance without any announcement being made about the status of Kanemaru. Wato had a known knee injury coming into the match, thanks to Kanemaru and their match to end Best of the Super Juniors.

Sho took the mic after the entrances and blamed Wato and his “terrible performance” for the injury to Kanemaru. He said he had recruited a partner, and it was the returning Douki! Well, that was a surprise. I had a momentary pang of terror that it would be Hiromu. Kanemaru and Sho used the distraction to attack the champs from behind, proving of course that Kanemaru’s arm was fine. They attacked Wato’s knee outside the ring, then rolled him back in and continued the assault. Yoh momentarily saved his partner, only to get whipped into an exposed corner. They pushed the referee down, giving Kanemaru an opportunity to come off the middle rope with the Dick Togo-style literal crotch chop.

Douki kept the referee distracted in the ring while Sho and Kanemaru slammed Wato’s knee off the floor on the outside. Finally back inside, Douki locked in a single-leg crab. Wato struggled and crawled and got to the ropes as the commentators speculated that Douki joined HoT because of the Hontai-Just 5 Guys merger that would have put him in the same faction as El Desperado. Wato reversed an Irish whip and hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, but Sho was able to tag in and prevent Wato from tagging Yoh. Wato avoided a double-team and hit a bulldog on both opponents, tagging in Yoh at the five-minute mark.

Yoh took out both men with forearms, then whipped them both into the exposed corner. He hit a slingshot plancha to Kanemaru on the outside and threw him into a barricade, then came back in with a cannonball attack to Sho for a two-count. Sho and Yoh both avoided a collision with that exposed corner, then Sho pulled the referee into Yoh’s path. Yoh pulled up short but then got flattened by a Sho spear. Douki tagged in and hit a corner clothesline and a double stomp to the gut. He knocked Wato off the apron and again slammed his knee on the floor, then set for Daybreak. Yoh avoided it but was tripped by Sho from the outside. Wato returned the favour and tripped Douki, then hit a tope con giro over the top and onto Douki on the outside. He threw Douki back into the ring and tagged in. Yoh hit a falcon arrow, Wato went up top…and Sho attacked the referee from behind. This of course led to House of Torture Shenanigans (TM), or it would have. Kanemaru and Sho tried to use their trademark weapons, Yoh andWato ducked and hit superkicks. They dropped Douki with a tandem superkick, but Douki escaped the Falcon Blow and again pushed Yoh into the referee. Now the HoT Shenanigans (TM) were in full swing as there was a wrench shot, a whiskey spray, and a shot to Wato’s knee with Douki’s old steel pipe from his Suzuki-Gun days. Douki went up top and again hit Wato’s knee with that pipe. Douki applied a modified figure four as the referee came to, and Wato gave in.

WINNERS: House of Torture via submission at 10:52 to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. (*1/2)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: I suppose the third surprise new member makes up for the first two being so lacklustre, but we are now in a situation where HoT has double-digit members. Wato’s knee injury could be severe enough that he needed some time off, assuming it is not a kayfabe injury, which would explain the switch here. Unless this is leading to all of NJPW banding together to beat HoT, I am confused as to the endgame of swelling their numbers to this degree.)

(5) UNITED EMPIRE (Callum Newman & Great-O-Khan) (C) vs TAICHI & TOMOHIRO ISHII – IWGP Tag Team Championship match

Newman and Taichi paired off to start the match. They traded shots, Taichi hit a pair of kicks to drop Newman but Newman popped up and hit a dropkick. He tagged in O-Khan, leading to all four men being in the ring. Newman cut off Ishii’s attempted intervention with a boot, O-Khan hit him with a Mongolian chop and Ishii fled to the outside. Newman mounted Taichi and pummeled him with right hands. As Newman left the ring, O-Khan hit a series of judo throws. He positioned Taichi in the corner and had himself a nice Sit. A Mongolian chop got a two-count for O-Khan. He invited Taichi to fight back, which of course backfired as Taichi hit a hook kick to leave both men down.

Ishii tagged in and whipped the champions into each other. He took Newman down with a tackle, then dropped O-Khan with a suplex. He blistered O-Khan with a pair of chops to the upper chest, but ran into a shoulder throw. O-Khan held Ishii’s arm for Newman to kick, then applied a cross armbreaker. Ishii wriggled his way to the ropes for a break. At the five-minute mark Newman tagged in and hit a PK for a two-count. Ishii fought off a tandem move, ducked a Newman kick that then connected with O-Khan, and threw Newman with a German suplex. Ishii made the tag to Taichi, who hit a running kick in the corner. He turned Newman inside-out with a lariat and gave the people what they wanted by tearing away his pants. Newman ducked a head kick and rolled Taichi up for a near fall, but then got dropped on his fool head with a backdrop driver. Taichi measured Newman for a head kick, but O-Khan spiked him face-first into the mat. Ishii stepped up but got clotheslined right back down.

O-Khan perched Taichi on the top turnbuckle and went for the claw chokeslam off the top. Taichi fought him off but fell victim to a ridiculous dropkick from Newman, sending him to the floor. O-Khan called to the crowd and then hit a plancha to the outside onto Ishii. Newman took a run-up and went over the top, and over Taichi on the floor, with a tope con giro. Taichi was easily 18 inches from the ring, and Newman fully cleared him and landed on his feet. Unreal. Back in the ring, Newman hit a double stomp off the top for a near fall. Newman went for Prince’s Curse, Taichi escaped it and went for another backdrop driver, but Newman escaped that and pushed Taichi into an O-Khan knee. They hit a tandem elbow strike, Newman dropped Taichi with Firebolt…but Ishii broke the cover. O-Khan just barged into Ishii at the ten-minute mark, then lifted Taichi for a tandem move. Newman ran the ropes but got intercepted with a big shoulder tackle from Ishii. O-Khan ran into an Ishii lariat, then they hit a tandem enzuigiri on Newman. They set up for the spike Black Mephisto, but O-Khan broke it up. Newman hit a tornado DDT on Taichi, O-Khan threw Ishii with a German suplex, and Newman hit a V-Trigger on Taichi. Newman ran into a stiff elbow strike but managed to find a Spanish fly for a very near fall.

Newman set for an Oz-cutter but was intercepted in mid-air with a superkick to the back of the head! He lifted Newman for Black Mephisto, Ishii hit a big elbow strike to Newman’s head, then dropped him with a vertical drop brainbuster. O-Khan tried to break up the violence but ate a superkick. Taichi nailed Black Mephisto! 1…2…3!

WINNERS: Taichi and Ishii via pinfall at 12:46 to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship. (***1/2)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: That was the best match of the night, though the competition thus far has been pretty poor. Another zero-defence title change for the tag team belts, a result I did not see coming. I guess it does make the booking of the G1 easier, and boosts the claims of Taichi and Ishii to be in the main draw this year. United Empire continues to crumble, which surely has to lead to something down the road.)

• Taichi stayed in the ring alone to celebrate after his partner went up the ramp, which was unusual but likely not an indicator of anything else.
• The G1 format and competitors were announced.

A Block
Hirooki Goto
Boltin Oleg
Yuya Uemura
Yota Tsuji
David Finlay
Evil
Sanada
Hiroshi Tanahashi

B Block
El Phantasmo
Shota Umino
Shingo Takagi
Zack Sabre Jr
Great-O-Khan
Gabe Kidd
Ren Narita
Konosuke Takeshita

The final two spots in each block will be filled by the winners of a play-in tournament, the competitors in which have not been named. We will have more analysis of the lineup in the coming days, but notable exclusions include Taichi, Tomohiro Ishii, Hiromu Takahashi, Drilla Moloney, and Ryohei Oiwa

(6) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (C) vs. BOLTIN OLEG – Never Openweight Championship match

Last time these two faced off, it was just as physical as you might imagine. Takeshita got the best match out of Oleg that we have seen thus far, and was in his record seventh defence of the title.

As has become tradition with these matches, they started off by just running into each other. Oleg unsurprisingly got the better of that battle, and followed up with a Stinger splash. He went for a second but found only a running high knee from Takeshita. Oleg rolled to the outside, but Takeshita would not give him the respite and hit a hands-free perfect tope con giro to the floor. It is not fair that a man that size who hits that hard can do things like that. Takeshita picked Oleg up for a suplex on the apron, but instead just dumped him in the ring. He connected with senton to Oleg’s back and covered for a two-count. Oleg tried to fight back but a pair of forearm shivers to the back put paid to that plan.Oleg reversed an Irish whip and caught Takeshita mid-flying-shoulder tackle, positioning him for Kamikaze…but instead dumped him to the outside. That was beautiful, Takeshita was in full flight and Oleg just caught him like he weighed nothing.

They brawled up the entrance ramp. Takeshita absolutely starched Oleg with a powerful elbow strike, then took a running start down the ramp for a lariat…only to be met by Oleg and his own lariat. They collided again, then Oleg lifted Takeshita for the Boltin Shake on the ramp! Only one rotation this time, but it was followed by a launch down the ramp that sent Takeshita rolling the rest of the way. The referee finally started to count as Oleg made it back into the ring. Takeshita made it back inside at the count of 14, only to be hit by a Vader Bomb for a two-count at the five-minute mark. Takeshita caught Oleg with a stiff elbow, then dropped him with a second. A blue thunder bomb and a cover got a two-count for Takeshita, who transitioned the kickout into a Boston Crab. Oleg got to the ropes, but then got flattened by a lariat.

Takeshita went for the Burning Fire, but Oleg refused to go up. Instead Takeshita settled for a bridging German suplex for another two-count. He went up top, Oleg went up to join him but Takeshita struck him down. Oleg shrugged it off and went up again, waffling Takeshita with a forearm and hitting a middle rope Attitude Adjustment for a near fall. Oleg tried to follow up with Kamikaze, but the damage to his back prevented it. Takeshita clamped on a guillotine choke at the ten-minute mark. Oleg started to fade, but found the energy to hit a back body drop and break the hold. They ran into each other with clotheslines, then traded elbow strikes. Both men crumpled to the mat, but Oleg stood up with Takeshita on his shoulders…Kamikaze connected! 1…2…no! Again both men exchanged strikes, and although Takeshita looked to have the better of it with a huge elbow strike it was Oleg who found an even bigger one to buckle Takeshita’s knees. A big clothesline leveled Takeshita for a near fall. Oleg again went for Kamikaze…but Takeshita escaped out the back. Dragon suplex by Takeshita! Power Drive elbow! Oleg hit a dropkick out of nowhere, Takeshita came back with a knee strike…Oleg caught the knee! Kamikaze connected! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Boltin Oleg via pinfall at 13:12 to win the Never Openweight Championship. (***3/4)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: It was not the flashiest of matches, though it had some very impressive-looking spots. However it was Oleg’s best match, the match of the night so far, and a great indication of how good Oleg could be if he carries on like this. Takeshita can take a lot of that credit, but Oleg was hardly a passenger here. Takeshita did not look remotely weak in defeat, but it was a clean victory that will do wonders for Oleg and his standing in the pecking order. Something of a surprise outcome, but I think getting the title away from Takeshita is a wise move in the long run.)

(7) EVIL vs. DAVID FINLAY – Dog Collar Match

A feud that really should have ended with the faction cage match was supposed to actually end with this match, but with the announcement that Finlay and Evil are going to be in the same block of the G1 I have my doubts. Evil came out with a small army, basically all of House of Torture. Finlay had…Gedo. Fortunately Finlay had the sense to get the rest of the War Dogs (except Gabe Kidd, who had a match after this), but it was still ten against five. That maths just wasn’t mathing, but it was an improvement on ten against two.

Finlay took Evil down and laid in right hands, then wrapped the chain around Evil’s neck in the corner and choked him a little before lying in some more strikes. HoT watched on at ringside, despite the fact that there were no disqualifications in the match. Finlay whipped Evil with the chain, threw Evil to the outside, and pulled back on the chain to effectively hang Evil. For some reason he released that, then tried to join Evil on the outside. Evil yanked on the chain to send Finlay flying off the apron into the barricade. The crowded ringside area became a battlefield as all 13 men jumped into the fray. Evil dragged Finlay into the fans, throwing him into some rapidly-vacated seats at the five-minute mark.

Evil continued to drag Finlay around ringside, pausing every so often to choke him with the chain. Sho removed all four corner pads while the two competitors went on their grand tour of the hall. They eventually went back to the ring, Finlay bleeding from his forehead. Evil wrapped the chain around Finlay’s mouth and gave it a sharp tug. Evil hung Finlay in the tree of woe in the corner, whereupon his entire faction pulled back on the chain to choke Finlay. Evil somehow had detached the chain from his collar. Evil whipped Finlay into a pair of exposed corners, but Finlay blocked the third attempt and sidestepped the follow-up charge. He used the chain to low-blow Evil at the ten-minute mark, then whipped him with the chain repeatedly. Three HoT members tried to come into the ring but Finlay knocked them all off the apron. He lifted Evil for a powerbomb, but threw him to the outside and onto his stablemates instead of dropping him to the mat. Finlay went outside and mounted Evil, laying in some right hands, and posed for the crowd. Finlay wrapped the chain around Evil in front of the corner post on the outside, trapping him there while Finlay peppered him with strikes. He unwrapped the chain, and Evil immediately yanked Finlay into the corner post.

Evil wrapped a chair around Finlay’s neck, got back into the ring, and pulled Finlay into the corner post on the outside with the chair still around his neck. That looked extremely painful and dangerous but was probably safe, which is the best kind of spot. At the 15-minute mark Evil whipped Finlay with the chain. He hit a pair of lariats, staggering Finlay, then wrapped his arm in the chain and hit a third lariat for a near fall. Darkness Falls got another two-count. After a chain-assisted lariat, that almost seemed like a step backwards. Evil went for Everything is Evil but Finlay countered and hit Into Oblivion to leave both men down.

Finlay recovered first and hit a buckle bomb. He followed up with a pair of jackknife powerbombs, then tried to choke Evil out with the chain. Evil wrapped the chain around the referee’s neck, and he went down like he had been shot. Not sure why that was needed, it’s not like he was going to disqualify Evil. Finlay stayed on top of the match with a series of strong knee lifts, but still HoT stayed on the outside with their weapons poised. Finlay wrapped the chain around his knee, which brought Togo into the ring with his garotte. He choked Finlay, which brought in Geddo who choked Togo with the chain. Sanada waylaid Gedo, Connors stopped Sanada, Sho hit Connors with the wrench, Moloney attempted the Drilla Killa on Sho but got stopped by Narita, and it got worse from there. Kanemaru sprayed whiskey in Finlay’s face, and the HoT Shenanigans (TM) were in full force. They introduced a table, put Finlay on it, and held him there for a middle-rope splash from Fale. Evil reattached the chain as a second referee came out to replace the one who fell victim to that near-fatal three-second choking.

Evil locked in the Darkness Scorpion, using the chain to choke Finlay at the same time. Finlay fought the hold but, unable to move, passed out. The referee called for the bell in an arena where the only noise was Evil’s entrance music as the fans sat in shocked and disgusted silence.

WINNER: Evil via referee stoppage at 23:05. (*3/4)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: This was doomed from the start. There was no good reason for HoT to stay on the outside at all, and the fact that they just stood around and waited almost acted as a sort of Chekhov’s Shenanigans. The two-to-one advantage was only ever going to have one outcome, and that inevitability made the intended catharsis of Finlay’s offence feel hollow. And just think friends, we get to see these two face off again in the G1. I for one cannot wait…)

(8) YOTA TSUJI (C) vs. GABE KIDD – IMGP Global Heavyweight Championship match

In a nice touch, Kidd looked a touch shaken during his entrance. These two battled to a double knockout at New Beginning earlier this year, at a time where neither man could afford a loss. Coming into the event I was fairly sure Tsuji would lose, as he can now afford that loss while Kidd categorically cannot. I am less sure of the outcome now, though I remain convinced that a loss for Kidd would be damaging. Tsuji, in a video segment on social media, spoke glowingly of Evil and hinted that he might be open to House of Torture as a faction. Please, let’s not. The men shook hands before the bell, which did nothing to assuage my fears.

Kidd opened the match with a massive slap to the face instead of a lockup. He hit a back suplex that sent Tsuji to the outside, and followed him out with a tope con giro. He’s a madman, you know. Kidd rolled Tsuji inside, but Tsuji stopped Kidd from coming back in and knocked him off the apron. Tsuji soared with a Fosbury flop to the outside, leaving both men down as Red Shoes started his count. Both men jockeyed for position on the outside, but at the count of 19 they both released their grip and scrambled back into the ring. Kidd leveled Tsuji with a tackle, Tsuji came back with a hip toss and a sliding dropkick. He planted Kidd with a slam and hit a running splash for a two-count. A nonchalant slap dropped Kidd to his knees, and a right hand to the midsection crumpled him all the way. Tsuji continued a methodical beatdown of Kidd, burying shoulders into his midsection in the corner as we passed five minutes.

Tsuji locked in a body scissors. The commentators pointed out that Kidd had the Death Riders logo on his knee pads, which is interesting. Tsuji relinquished the body scissors and toyed with Kidd, but just as Kidd was firing up he got starched with an elbow strike. Tsuji stayed on the attack but got unceremoniously dumped over the top rope to leave both men down, Kidd still in the ring. Red Shoes started a count, with Tsuji getting into the ring at 14 and promptly being near-decaptitated with a lariat. Kidd hit a running crossbody and an exploder suplex for a two-count. Tsuji smartly blocked and reversed a rebound lariat into a flatliner, and followed up with a deadlift German suplex. The crowd seemed to be somewhat quieter than usual, possibly due to the previous match. Tsuji hit a running knee strike in the corner, Kidd avoided the follow-up Marlowe Crash but ran into a superkick for a near fall at the ten-minute mark.

Tsuji took his time setting up for a vertical suplex, allowing Kidd to recover and drape Tsuji over the top rope. Kidd went to the top…oh no. He tried to hit a senton to Tsuji while he was draped over the top, but he badly overshot and landed on the back of his head. He seemed to be OK, or at least OK enough to hit a back suplex for a near fall. He told Tsuji to stand up, talked trash to his face, then slapped the taste out of his mouth. He encouraged Tsuji to return fire, and he did…with interest. Kidd staggered, Tsuji pounced with a combination of moves that sent Kidd to the floor, and Tsuji followed him with a tope. Kidd stood right up and hit a running pump kick, then a moonsault from the middle rope to the floor. Kidd lifted Tsuji into an Osaka Street Cutter…but turned it into a tombstone on the outside!

Back in the ring, Kidd hit a brainbuster for another near fall at the 15-minute mark. Kidd lifted Tsuji for a giant swing, then turned it into a Boston Crab. Tsuji eventually got to the ropes to break the hold, and both men collapsed with fatigue. Kidd recovered first and taunted Tsuji, imploring him to get up and bring the fight. Kidd absorbed the ineffective strikes and returned fire with some rather more effective shots of his own. The exchange continued, but Tsuji’s strikes got progressively stronger until one stiff slap sent Kidd to one knee. Kidd slowly stood up, wound up for a chop, but instead hit a straight right hand to the jaw. Tsuji’s answer was a stiff headbutt which dropped Kidd. Out of nowhere Kidd was able to apply an abdominal stretch, but Tsuji broke the hold quickly. Kidd went for a piledriver, Tsuji tried to back body drop his way out of it but instead hit a Strong Zero and a piledriver of his own for a near fall.

After the 20-minute announcement Tsuji hit a curb stomp and the Marlowe Crash for a very near fall. He called for the finish, setting himself for Gene Blaster…and ran into a knee strike! Kidd hit another knee, then dropped Tsuji on his head with a piledriver! 1…2…no! Kidd pulled down his knee pad and went for a running knee strike…Tsuji caught it! Pop-up knee strike! Powerbomb! 1…2…Kidd kicked out! Kidd got to his feet first and leveled Tsuji with a lariat, but Tsuji blocked the piledriver attempt. Tsuji ducked a lariat and seemed to be looking for Gene Blaster but got absolutely creamed with a rebound Yukon lariat! Kidd went for the knee strike again…Gene Blaster! 1…2…no! Tsuji measured Kidd for a second Gene Blaster…blocked! Death Rider by Kidd! Piledriver…connected! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Gabe Kidd via pinfall in 23:25 to win the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. (****)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: The one scary miss aside, this was a great match. Impactful and athletic, with plenty of near falls and false finishes in a match where either man was a likely winner. Kidd’s victory does continue the recent trend of keeping the Global and World champions separate in the G1…unless Takagi wins in the next match I guess. Kidd was due a big win and a major title run, and although this likely means he won’t win the G1 it does raise his profile significantly.)

• After the match, Kidd called out Tanahashi for a title shot, but showed great respect in doing so.

(9) HIROOKI GOTO (C) vs SHINGO TAKAGI – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match

Goto got a thunderous reaction, which has been the norm but has lasted longer than I expected. Both men have similar builds and styles, and the match got underway with what amounted to a pro wrestling version of “horse” with each man hitting a move and escaping in the same fashions. Shingo extended his hand for a handshake, a hesitant Goto obliged, and Shingo pulled him in for a knee lift. Both men went for their finisher, both men escaped, and Goto sent Shingo to the outside with a hip toss and a shoulder tackle. Shingo returned to the ring, but was met with clubbing blows from Goto. A back elbow and a pair of leaping elbow drops led to a cover by Goto, but only got a one-count as Shingo got a foot on the ropes at the five-minute mark.

Goto continued to blitz Shingo in a corner. He whipped him across the ring and hit a corner clotheslines, but Shingo blocked the bulldog that usually follows and came back with a tornado DDT. He sent Goto over the top to the floor with a lariat, then followed him outside. He whipped Goto into a barricade, then dropped him face-first on the apron. Shingo suplexed Goto onto the entrance ramp, seemingly jarring Goto’s knee in the process. Back inside, Shingo dropped an elbow and a senton. He hit a pair of knee lifts to the gut, then ran through Goto with a tackle. A suplex got a two-count for Shingo. He locked in a body scissors, transitioning into a ground cobra at the ten-minute mark. Goto got a foot on the ropes, but Shingo was slow to break the hold. Shingo connected with a big corner clothesline, then reeled off a rapid-fire strike combination. Goto reversed a whip to the opposite corner, then hit a misdirection lariat to leave both men down.

The crowd chanted for Goto as he was first to his feet. He hit the Muramasa in the corner, followed by a back suplex for a two-count. The crowd continued to chant for the champ. Shingo slipped out of a lift and landed on the apron, but Goto pushed him off. On the outside, Shingo reversed a whip into the barricade but Goto sidestepped a charging Shingo, propped him on the barricade, and hit a Shouto on the floor. Goto went back to the ring as Red Shoes started the count. Shingo dragged himself under the bottom rope at the count of 17 at the 15-minute mark. They traded strikes briefly until Goto realised he would lose such an exchange. He hit a reverse GTR and a lariat for a two-count. Shingo came back strong with a flurry of strikes and a Yukon lariat. After a couple of reversals he dropped Goto with a spinning neckbreaker and a sliding lariat for another two. Could it be…It’s SHINGO TIME! He went for Last of the Dragons but Goto escaped it with a series of elbows. Shingo cut him short with a back suplex, but his lariat attempt was countered with an ushigoroshi to again leave both men down.

Both men traded lariats, Shingo winning the trade and hitting a powerbomb for a near fall. He hit a corner clothesline at the 20-minute mark, then took Goto to the top rope for a superplex. Goto fought him off, Shingo fired back, and they exchanged headbutts sitting on the top turnbuckle. Goto hooked up Shingo and hit a sunset bomb off the top rope! 1…2…no! He hit the GTW for another near fall, then tried for the GTR. Shingo reversed it into a dragon sleeper, then tried his own version of the GTR. Goto escaped, but Shingo blocked a kick and hit a rope-assisted GTR into a Made in Japan for a very near fall. A massive lariat set Goto head over heels, and a Burning Dragon connected for an extremely convincing near fall. He went for Last of the Dragon but again Goto was able to strike his way free. Both men were breathing heavily as they traded naked headbutts, which always makes me feel ill. Shingo tried for a standing lariat, Goto blocked it, each men went for a suplex but could not connect, and at the 25-minute mark Goto dropped Shingo with Shouten Kai. He hit a stiff round kick and a lariat, then slowly went for GTR…Shingo rolled him up! 1…2…no! Shingo came back with a sliding lariat, and both men were down again.

Shingo called to the crowd and went for Last of the Dragon…Goto escaped! GTR connected! 1…2…no! Goto struggled to his feet, unloaded a succession of headbutts to the back of Shingo’s head, and then another headbutt to the jaw. He called for GTR Kai…and hit it! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Hirooki Goto via pinfall in 28:25. (****)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: I think this was just a shade under the match before it for quality, but it was still a banger. Goto has not gone this deep with anyone, but I’m not sure that means anything special for Shingo moving forward. These two clearly have excellent chemistry, and although I could have done without some of the outside-the-ring activities they were not a negative to the match as a whole. Goto likely goes into the G1 as champion, and Shingo will need to win that tournament to get another shot before Wrestle Kingdom.)

Final thoughts: A somewhat surprising and worrying set of results, outside of the top two matches. House of Torture growing so fast does not bode well for match quality in the G1, and the lack of tag team depth is glaring right now as we once again had a zero-defence reign. There’s still a whole tour to go before the G1 gets underway, likely a tour that will include El Desperado defending against either someone who beat him in BOSJ or possibly Kosei Fujita. I would also expect El Phantasmo to defend his title, and of course we know we will see the qualifying matches for the last four G1 slots. This is the calm before the summer storm, but it is a pretty dark calm from where I sit.

We’ll keep you updated on the results from NJPW Soul events as they happen, and we will have a G1 preview piece available right here on PWTorch once the blocks are finalised.. As always, thanks for joining us!