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NJPW DOMINION REPORT
JUNE 14, 2026
OSAKA-JO HALL
OSAKA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton were on the call.
(1) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (c) vs. SANADA – Television Championship
For Sanada’s entrance, a bunch of guys in Sanada masks, representing his many changes and eras throughout his time in New Japan, entered and stood up on the ramp before the real one showed up in a bizarre red coat and gear (and hair). The audience was strongly in favor of Sanada, which has long been the difficulty for Takeshita because he isn’t a full-timer, but Sanada has been seen scarcely in the past few months also. They shared a handshake to an “ooohhh” reaction.
They went to grappling and reversals early before a driver and a blue thunder bomb early by Takeshita. They exchanged rights and slowed down like they’d been fighting for ten minutes. Sanada fought off a pump kick and managed a shining wizard, then a moonsault for two. Inside cradle got two for Sanada. Sanada bailed and sprayed something into Sanada’s eyes to boos, despite being billed as no longer part of House of Torture. With the ref bumped, he also hit Takeshita with his guitar for two.
Takeshita hit the power drive and then finished with Raging Fire.
WINNER: Takeshita at 8:27. (**3/4)
(Wells’s Analysis: As always with Sanada’s transformations, it’s hard to say whether it’s interesting and going somewhere, or tedious with no real plan. With the constraints of the TV Championship and its time limit, in addition to the nine-match card that could go long, they went to impact stuff quickly)
(2) EL PHANTASMO (w/Jado) vs. JAKE LEE – No Disqualification match
Here’s a gimmick match New Japan doesn’t use very much. Lee had Joker face paint. Both guys took up chairs immediately and knocked them away from each other. There were chairs littered in two opposite corners of the ring just waiting for them. They went to the outside and ELP hit a suplex on the floor. Phantasmo set up a ladder on the outside, but Lee charged him into it. Lee set up the ladder but ELP revived and beat Lee’s head into one of the rungs a handful of times. Phantasmo climbed the ladder and hit a high cross-body.
Action went inside and ELP dominated and played some air guitar. Lee revived and mocked the guitar taunt. Lee choked ELP on a rope, then went out and beat up Jado for fun. ELP set up a chair tower and considered it. Lee revived but ELP went to double nipple-tweaks. Lee bit ELP’s nipple in response. ELP took down Lee and hit a crossface with a kendo stick, but Lee ended up hitting a chokeslam through the chair tower. He covered for two.
ELP hit a tornado DDT, then tuned up the band. ELP turned back the clock to load up his boot, but it took too long and Lee took ELP down and Lee used a steel plate to choke out his opponent for a ref stoppage.
WINNER: Jake Lee at 9:42. (*3/4)
(Wells’s Analysis: It’s weird to see such a gimmick used for a short-form match. They had to go quickly to spots that would normally take longer to get to. The story from the commentators was Phantasmo’s recent very bad singles record, and now he’s got “one more embarrassment” to add to it)
(3) YUYA UEMURA & TAICHI vs. TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa)
Charlton reiterated that Uemura would be this year’s G-1 Climax winner. Oiwa and Uemura locked up first and went to grappling reversals. Uemura hit an arm drag into an armbar. Oiwa did similar and they were at a stalemate. The other two men tagged in and Taichi got a big reaction. Sabre and Taichi were tag champions multiple times as The Dangerous Tekkers. Sabre was in control early with the usual grappling and trap holds. He worked the wrist, then ran himself into a big boot.
Uemura tagged in and tried his hand at grappling with Sabre. Oiwa got involved and Uemura fired up and took out both of them. Oiwa and Sabre went to mat grappling and each got a couple of traps for near-falls. Oiwa tagged in and worked a brief headlock, then hit a senton for two. Again it went to reversals and Uemura took Oiwa down and tagged Taichi. Taichi went for strikes in the corner. Sabre tried to interfere and was taken out quickly. Taichi grounded Oiwa and kicked down at him. He booted Oiwa down for two.
Sabre got involved and a double-team ended with Oiwa hitting from the top for two. All four men got involved for a while and Taichi again ended up on top as the crowd chanted for the aging underdog. Taichi and Oiwa went to lariats that staggered the other. Oiwa finally took Taichi down with one for two. Oiwa took down Taichi with a long headlock and went for the submission. Taichi escaped and trapped Uemura for the three. I wasn’t expecting that.
WINNERS: Taichi & Uemura at 13:17. (***1/2)
(Wells’s Analysis: Very strong tag match that seemed to exist as an excuse to use Taichi as a fall guy, but instead he scored the pin. The announcers framed it as Taichi solidifying his spot in the G-1 Climax as the field gets younger and he fights to stay afloat)
(4) EL DESPERADO vs. MISTICO
This is a friendly match between the Junior Heavyweight tag team champions. Despe was bumped to the floor early and Mistico hit a tope suicida. Desperado hit a leg drop to the outside. They threw hands for a bit outside before getting back to the match. Desperado went at the mask to boos. Strange to see that in a match between partners. Desperado hit some combo kicks. Headscissor takedown by Mistico.
Desperado slowed it down and threw some strikes, but Mistico blocked one and hit a huracanrana. Mistico leaped to a rope while holding on and hit a wristlock takedown. Mistico floated over with a splash for two. Mistico hit a hard right and went up for a moonsault, but Desperado got the boot up. Desperado went up but Mistico met him there and hit Spanish Fly for two. Mistico trapped Desperado for a couple of near-falls. Mistico hit a headscissor takedown from up on the ropes for two.
Mistico missed a springboard moonsault. He hit a cross-body but Desperado tied him up and hit Numero Dos for the shockingly quick tap. Losing isn’t something Mistico does very often. They had a chippy moment afterward before the eventual handshake. Mistico still took his time and waved at the fans to his music after Desperado left.
WINNER: El Desperado at 9:34. (**1/2)
(Wells’s Analysis: I figured these guys to go longer, but New Japan has been more careful in recent years not to run shows that push five hours. Desperado is the homegrown talent, so it’s not like I thought he had no chance, but Mistico loses so rarely in a singles format that I figured him to take this one)
ANNOUNCEMENT: G-1 Climax 36
A BLOCK
Konosuke Takeshita
Yota Tsuji
Sanada
Shingo Takagi
Jake Lee
Boltin Oleg
Hirooki Goto
B BLOCK
Callum Newman
Zack Sabre Jr.
Shota Umino
Yuya Uemura
Ren Narita
Drilla Moloney
Gabe Kidd
Play-in matches: Yuto-Ice & OSKAR vs. Great-O-Khan & Henare
Other play-in matches on 6/23 & 7/6 with surprise competitors
No surprises here, though Kidd is now an AEW talent so he was far from a shoo-in. Charlton mentioned, during Aaron Wolf’s entrance, that he’d have to qualify if he wants to make the field.
(5) AARON WOLF vs. REN NARITA (c) (w/Yujiro Takahashi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Dick Togo) – NEVER Openweight Championship match
Narita took Wolf to the outside immediately. He went at Wolf’s leg with chairs for some early House of Torture-style heat. Back inside, he held referee Kenta Sato at bay so his mates could work over Wolf. Narita used a leg submission but Wolf immediately got to a rope. Narita went right to the eyes. All three outside men again got involved but Wolf was able to fight them off.
Narita caught Wolf in a quick submission but Wolf hit a landslide for two. Wolf caught Narita in a hold but House of Torture came in and immediately worked Wolf over. Long leash from the ref tonight. Toru Yano and others made the save. Wolf fired up and hit an Angle Slam for a long two. Narita caught the ref’s attention and hit a low blow for two. Narita went to the Double Cross and Wolf fought to a rope.
Narita missed from the top and Wolf hit a powerslam. Both guys sold on the mat. Uranage and another Angle Slam finished.
WINNER: Aaron Wolf at 9:27. (1/2*)
(Wells’s Analysis: Wolf is NEVER Openweight champion for the second time. We still don’t have a proper read on what Wolf can do because he keeps getting the House of Torture assignment. I understand they can generate heat for him, but I think fans are hungry to see some more straightforward wrestling matches out of the man who’s been stuck battling the same faction for months)
(6) THE KNOCKOUT BROTHERS (Yuto-Ice & OSKAR) (c) vs. THE UNITED EMPIRE (HENARE & Great-O-Khan)
Charlton mentioned that the Knockout Brothers are the most successful first-time champions in history in terms of number of defenses (six). Ice & Henare went to brawling right away. Henare grounded Ice and threw some kicks at his back. Ice got a knee up and booted Henare to the mat. Khan got involved and worked over Oskar outside, charging him to the barricade a couple of times. United Empire kept working over Ice in their own corner. Khan tagged in and worked the left knee. Oskar got tired of the interference and got involved, but he got double-teamed and dumped for his trouble.
Khan stalked and beat down Ice to boos. Ice managed to shove Khan to the mat to finally make the hot tag. The giant Oskar laid a beating on Khan as well as the illegal Henare. Oskar charged Khan to a corner, then missed. Khan tried a claw but Oskar fought it off. Slam for two by Oskar. He set up a running kick but Khan bailed. Oskar followed and threw down palm strikes. Back inside, Khan went low to get some separation.
Henare tagged in and laid in some kicks. Oskar fought off both men for as long as possible but they cut him down eventually with some kicks. Shoulder breaker by Khan got two. Ice tried to get involved but got dumped quickly. Oskar scoop-slammed Khan and then grounded Henare. Ice tagged in and put Henare down in a corner for the Bomboclaat spot. He got two. Henare caught a thrust kick and the two pushed their heads together. Henare got in a big right and then hit a berserker bomb for two.
Henare went for a suplex, but Ice got the reversal and hit one instead. Ice hit some combo strikes and put down Henare for a long two. Ice went for a headbutt but he sold it as being way worse for him in a throwback spot that they occasionally use with Henare. They went to some higher impact and some fighting spirit kickouts at one. The two threw rights and got to their feet and went to a long exchange. Both guys strung some together until they both collapsed to the mat.
Khan tried to get involved but Oskar showed up to neutralize him. The champs hit The Rumbling and Khan broke it up. Oskar tried to fire up Ice, but got bumped to the floor. Henare hit a superkick and charged right into a hard knee by Ice for two. Ice ended up eating a chairshot from the outside for a long two, broken up by Oskar. Oskar got the chair superkicked into his face by Khan. United Empire teamed up for the Imperial Bomb and Henare covered Ice for the title change.
WINNERS: Henare & Great-O-Khan at 21:33. (***3/4)
The new champs beat down their opponents a little more afterward to boos.
(Wells’s Analysis: The tease is on for United Empire to hold both of the biggest Heavyweight championships by the end of the night. The Knockout Brothers are one of the best things to happen to the tag division in a long time and I expect them to remain a big part of the division even after this loss)
(7) SHOTA UMINO vs. DRILLA MOLONEY vs. ANDRADE EL IDOLO (c) – Global Heavyweight Championship match
This is Umino’s 19th match for a championship and he’s still never won one. That’s a wild fact considering the pushback he gets from being “overpushed.” There was an immediate chant for Moloney, but Shota got one also. The three met in the ring and Andrade rolled outside and told them to go ahead. They both went out after him, and back inside, they took turns working over Andrade in the corner. They turned their attention to one another and Andrade got in some shots, but Moloney got in his shots. Action went much too quickly to call early on, but the challengers got bumped to the outside and Andrade hit a moonsault that took out both. Back inside, Andrade hit a frog splash on Umino, and Moloney broke up the pin attempt.
Andrade went up for the moonsault and hit Umino after a bounce off his feet. Moloney hit Andrade with a spinebuster for two. Umino and Andrade went to a lightning-quick exchange and Andrade slowed it down with a figure-four. Moloney went up and splashed Andrade to break. All three went for impact rights and they all ended up falling to the mat to sell for a bit. There was another chant for Moloney.
Moloney took over with chops for all. Umino got in a number of shots on Andrade until he got swept into the corner. Moloney set up the Drilla Killa but it got broken up. They kept up the frenetic pace with more reversals and breaks. Moloney hit a piledriver on Andrade for two. The crowd yet again loudly cheered for him. Umino hit a poison rana and all three ended up on the mat selling again.
Andrade hit the DM on Umino for a long two but Moloney broke it up at the last moment. Moloney got bumped and Andrade started to remove a corner pad. Moloney got involved again and he gored Andrade. He hit the Drilla Killa for a long two, broken up by Umino. Umino hit a flash knee on Moloney for two. Lariat for Moloney sent him out of the ring. Umino hit the Second Chapter on Andrade. Moloney charged in to break it up, but was a second too late.
WINNER: Shota Umino at 16:24. (****)
(Wells’s Analysis: They kept up the pace impressively, but still allowed moments to breathe throughout. Everyone hit everything on the way to Umino finally taking gold in the company, as they remain committed to making him a star – and furthermore, a babyface star – despite whatever it is fans don’t accept about him)
Afterward, Umino was going to speak, but Gabe Kidd showed up and took him out and hit a piledriver. The announcers called him out and said “The money wasn’t enough, was it?” and said he betrayed the lion mark. He jawed out at Moloney and told him he could have been bigger than this. He ran down WWE and New Japan and threatened to say “F*** AEW” before catching himself. He left to his music and Moloney looked confused about what to think on the ramp.
(8) YOH vs. DOUKI (c) (w/SHO) – IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match
Douki is undefeated since this time last year. In storyline, he sat out the Best of the Super Juniors because he figured himself above it as champion. Kosei Fujita, who lost the finals of BOSJ and as a result isn’t even booked tonight, was sitting in on Japanese commentary. Sho walked down the ramp before anything got started and immediately distracted referee Marty Asami with a chair so Douki should brain Sho with the belt. Yoh was outside until the count of 19 and he walked right into a suplex for two. Douki worked a chinlock against the back of his own knee, then transitioned to a headscissors. Yoh kicked his way to a rope to break.
Yoh got shoved into the corner and Douki hit a high-angle suplex for two. They each went for backslides but it went nowhere. A dragon screw got a bit of separation for Yoh. Sho tried to get involved and Yoh hit him with one also, then charged him into a barricade twice. Back in, Yoh hit a senton atomico for two. Douki put on the brakes on a suplex attempt, then did the same during a Direct Drive attempt. Douki trapped Yoh in the Darkness Stretch – formerly lovingly called the Douki Chokey – and worked it until Yoh rolled his way to a rope to break.
Douki floated over with the Daybreak DDT for two. He tried Suplex De La Luna but Yoh wriggled free and twisted the knee again. Both men sold on the mat. Yoh tried to set something up but Douki went right to the eyes. Yoh hit a knee, then a German suplex with a bridge for two. He set up Direct Drive again, then blocked a low blow. Asami got bumped to the outside and Sho entered with a foreign object. Master Wato tried to save but he got hit in error. Yoh ended up taking out both Douki and Sho. Douki hit a low blow with a back kick and covered for two. He went back to the Darkness Stretch and clamped on for a long time. Yoh managed another dragon screw to break out after a good while.
Yoh went for the Darkness Scorpion, and held on as Douki went to the corner. Douki reached for a steel pipe but President Tanahashi pulled it away. After some outside chaos, Yoh hit a big superkick and the Direct Drive to finally win the big one.
WINNER: Yoh at 17:54. (****)
Yoh made the challenge to Kosei Fujita, and Sho tried to attack Yoh. Wato fought off Sho, and then held up the belt himself. Fujita wanted a piece of it, and Yoh reminded them it’s his. Francesco Akira got involved also. After the chaos, Yoh said it looks like everyone wants a piece of him, so it’s time to play a game: the four of them can have a match, and he’ll take on the winner.
(Wells’s Analysis: The amount of House of Torture shenanigans didn’t detract from the match, but enhanced it, as they didn’t wear out their welcome and added to Yoh’s ability to overcome all the nonsense. This has been a long time coming, as Yoh has been one of the linchpins in the division since his break from Sho, but has been the odd man out when it comes time to hold the championship. Fujita-Sho-Wato-Akira should be a very good time when it happens)
(9) YOTA TSUJI (w/Shingo Takagi) vs. CALLUM NEWMAN (w/United Empire) (c) – IWGP Heavyweight Championship
The video featuring the rundown of IWGP Heavyweight Champions played, as it does during big shows like this. The rest of the United Empire walked down to the ring with him, wearing fresh suits. I guess it was a quick costume change for Akira. Hiroshi Tanahashi presented the belt beforehand and Newman, rather than hand Tanahashi the belt, dropped it in front of him. The announcer made formal introductions with both men in the ring.
With a good ten minutes of entrances and stalling in the rear-view mirror, they finally got into it. They threw some chops and Tsuji took control in the corner, then continued with a leg scissors until Newman rolled to a rope to break. Tsuji laid in a strike to the midsection. Newman got in a couple of rights but Tsuji hit a gutbuster into a bow-and-arrow and finally a cover for two. Tsuji hit a back elbow but ended up on the apron and got dropkicked to the floor.
Newman preened on the apron to boos, then charged Tsuji into and over a barricade. He cleared out the fans in the front few rows. They overuse this stuff, but tonight they kept it to just one match and it was the most important one, which is a good way to use it. He charged Tsuji into the mess of chairs and strutted back to the ring. The count reached about 14 and Tsuji reentered the ring.
Newman charged Tsuji to a corner and then posed to the crowd to boos. Newman put has hands behind his back and begged for some shots. Tsuji hit a couple, then a lariat and a pretty spinning backbreaker. Rope run and a headscissor takedown by Tsuji. Newman evaded the Marlowe Crash and rolled to the outside, where Tsuji hit him immedately with a tope suicida. Tsuji rolled Newman back in the ring, but Newman rolled to the other side and left the ring again.
Newman charged Tsuji to a barricade, then slammed him on the apron. Newman got a table, shoved referee Red Shoes Unno out of the way, and set it up outside the ring.Newman and Tsuji fought up the ramp, and Newman charged himself right into a back body drop. Newman tried to head up the ring, perhaps forgetting it would be a title loss, and Tsuji waved off Unno so he could win the right way. Tsuji went out and Newman hit him with a shotgun dropkick into a barricade.
Newman rolled Tsuji inside and went high, where he hit a double stomp for a long two. Newman threw some rights and the two went to some quick evasions and kicks. Tsuji ended up slamming Tsuji for two. Newman hit Made in Essex (a riff on Takagi’s Made in Japan) for two. Newman mocked Takagi’s taunt into the camera. The two went to the apron on the side with the table and each fought off attempts by the other to put them through it. Newman hit a knee and then shoved Tsuji down on it, but it didn’t break – as they often don’t in Japan – and he rolled off it into the barricade and was likely a far worse landing. The ref hit a count of 19 when Tsuji finally got back to the ring.
Newman laid in a knee, then absorbed some weak rights and came back with a big shot to the midsection. Newman hit a dropkick into the corner and a suplex for two. Newman put the knees to Tsuji’s worked midsection. Tsuji hit some blocks into the corner, then hit a snap belly-to-belly to put Newman down in the corner.
The two reset in opposite corners, and Tsuji hit a short range Gene Blaster for two. He hit another out of the air and got two. He charged and hit a new move – like a Gene Blaster with a twist – and it was good to finish.
WINNER: Yota Tsuji at 24:34. (****1/4)
Tsuji took the mic and said he took the IWGP back. He said he thought he had control of the company until a beast showed up and slowed him down. He said he’s ready for another challenge anytime. He said you can call this a new generation of New Japan, and although it’s often said, it’s truly arrived with him on top of it. He can now truly say we’re all ready for it, so how about you fans? He said he’s ready to lead every single one of (you). He said “I am IWGP Heavyweight Champion!” and tossed the mic behind him. Gold streamers exploded into the ring.
(Wells’s Analysis: Sean Radican and I hemmed and hawed on this one but (I think) we ended up on the side that Tsuji would reclaim this championship here. I suppose they’ve gained something in somewhat legitimizing Newman as a major player while getting a second reign for Tsuji. Tsuji will enter the G-1 as sitting champion as the first time)
-Charlton said backstage, Yuto-Ice and Taichi made a play-in match against one another for the G-1 Climax.
-Backstage, Tsuji said it wasn’t a perfect victory and he doubts Newman is done. He said his new entrance music was written for him specifically and he gets emotional hearing it. He said Newman was incredible with his ability to kick out of the Gene Blaster so he had to bust out something different. He called it the “Fire Blaster” and said he’d take it with him to the G-1 Climax. He said he wants to make New Japan something you’ve never seen before. He said it’s the best wrestling in the world and becoming champion is something that gets you down in the history books forever, and he’ll take that version of himself into the G-1 and many to come.
FINAL THOUGHTS: I was down on New Japan after Wrestle Kingdom, which was a bizarre seven-match card with a lot of filler, completely sold to fans on the fact between two men (Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada) who wouldn’t wrestle in the company afterward. This was a nine-match card with zero multi-man tag filler that had intrigue and several strong matches, and it clipped along well with none of the undercard overstaying its welcome. Big thumbs up for this show at a time when the company can really use a great major show, and now the question is whether they can either entice or create a little more star power.
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