NJPW Dominion fan feedback: Okada vs. Omega II
Thumbs up
- Best match: Hiromu Takahashi (c) v. KUSHIDA
- At 5:00 PST, it’s really a dead heat for best match of the night on one
The best wrestling cards I’ve ever seen. There wasn’t a bad or underwhelming match on the show. My goodness. It will be interesting to see how this show stacks up to other ‘best shows ever’ months and years from now, but this subscriber is just blown away. NJPW pushed all the right buttons tonight and put on a show for the ages.
…and it looks like Cody is challenging Okada during the post-match press conference. Yep, Cody v. Okada in Long Beach appears to be happening.
– Casey Goldman
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The last time i had goosebumps like this i was at Wrestlemania a 6 years ago and I was there live but now Dominion has become my best PPV ever. As for Okada Vs Omega 2 that was maybe the best match i have ever seen though out the whole match there wasn’t a point that i was thinking “they should end this” or “this has been on too long” it was always “I love this!”, “When will this end?” [note that is not meant in a bad way] and at the end i was thinking “no not like this not a draw.”
– James McKinley
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Thumbs up
- Best match: Okada Omega
- Worst match: not sure :/ sorry Dave
60 f***ing minutes what a time to be alive.
– Brennan Whalen
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Dominion was a great event don’t get me wrong, but a draw? One of your most, if not, the most anticipated match in recent history arguably this century and you don’t raise a hand at the end? I understand that they’ve had previous draws but this match was different. Omega had perfect momentum at the end to hit a one winged angel for the pin.
The draw does make both look strong but to put that effort into a match and not put a new face of your company over makes no sense. KUSHIDA getting over was good, Naito and Tanahashi put in a GREAT match as well. Disappointing finish to the main event but the match was better than WK11. 6-7/5 stars no doubt.
– Jalen Miller
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Thumbs WAY WAY up
- Best match: Okada/Omega II. But Tanahashi/Naito and KUSHIDA/Hiromu were excellent also.
- Worst match: Cody/Elgin. Not bad but average, in a night of good to great matches. If Cody wins over Okada it’ll be the biggest mistake Gedo has ever made.
Okada/Omega II was better than the first one, I thought. Truly remarkable wrestling match, testing the endurance of the human spirit. Everything after the One Winged Angel was crazy, the last ten minutes when both were too exhausted to throw anything except their big signature moves were sublime.
– Peterr Olsson
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Thumbs up.
- Best match: Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega
- Worst match: Cody vs Michael Elgin
A really good show. Incredible main event which personally I think I would put above the Dome match. KUSHIDA vs Takahashi was great as well. Tanahashi vs Naito was very good but slightly uncomfortable as I think Tanahashi should be taking time off not winning titles. Both the tag title matches were good, and even the trios gauntlet was enjoyable.
– Jan Buxton
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Thumbs way up.
Best bout of all time in Omega-Okada 2. I’m on the verge of tears just thinking about it.
Had high expectations for KUSHIDA-Takahashi and Naito-Tanahashi which both over-delivered.
Worst bout is hard. None fell below expectations. Probably Never Openweight gauntlet match or 8 man tag. Didn’t care about the result despite having a bit of fun along the way.
Overall, best show of the year. Upcoming events can just pack up and go home.
– Joshua Weir
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This is what I feel about Dominion, I give it a thumbs up, I feel this was a great show that had a lot of heart stopping moments in the end with Kenny Omega vs Okada. NJPW isn’t afraid to let them put on a 60-minute show. The WWE hasn’t allowed that kinda match where it goes full 60 without a pin since Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart which was the WWE’s best iron man match, in my opinion, everything else had pinfalls galore and really I don’t find that interesting at all.
Give it to Kenny Omega and Okada to put on an exceptional 60-minute draw with near falls and excitement, I found nothing wrong with that match and it even set up a possible match with Kenny Omega and Cody, I look forward to seeing what happens after Dominion.
Now for the worst match, I didn’t care about the Sanada, Evil, Bushi match. You have a good match going in spoiled by pre-match beat down, didn’t need to happen but gotta keep the heels strong I guess.
So in closing, yeah I stand by my thumbs up and I haven’t given that to a show this year, it’s come close but till WWE learns from NJPW on how to craft an epic tale in the ring like Kenny Omega and Okada, I don’t see them ever coming close to their level, and I very much look forward to what they have in store at the G1 Special.
– Robert “Lancer” Ruckman
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THUMBS UP
- Best match: Okada/Omega
- Worst match: Tiger Mask/Tiger Mask W/Makabe/Nagata vs Nakanishi/Liger/Tenzan/Kojima
I may still think that WK11 was the better show because it was my first NJPW event and the longer build had me more hyped, but I thought this was an excellent show.
– RJ Zavala
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Thumbs up, obviously.
- Best Match : Omega v Okada
- Worst Match : Goto v Suzuki
Just a great show from beginning to end. The main event deserves all the praise it has gotten. Just incredible. The rest of the card was fantastic as well. Bucks vs RPG Vice was a really solid tag match as was the G.O.D. vs War Machine match. The junior title match was intense and great story telling. Naito v Takahashi wasn’t as good as WK, but still a great match that really worked the crowd.
– Andrew Hall
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That was my first ever NJPW show that I stayed up and watched beginning to end. Being on the East Coast, I usually just wait for it to go up, wake up and have some breakfast and watch the show while avoiding Twitter. lol.
Totally thumbs up, best match was certainly Okada/Omega, with KUSHIDA/Hiromu right behind them. Worst match was the 4-way opener with Team Liger VS Team Tiger.
Thanks! Can’t wait to hear Observer Radio about this one!
– Richard Kelly
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Thumbs up
- Best Match: Omega/Okada
Omega and Okada are the best wrestlers alive today. I wasn’t in love with the first ~25 minutes of the match (a few of the early sequences felt overly choreographed, there seemed to be a few highspots that didn’t go according to plan, Okada just stopped selling his knee for some reason), but it built well, and the second half was incredible.
I was listening to the Japanese commentary, and I didn’t understand any of the “_ minutes passed” notices, so I didn’t think they were getting near the time limit ’til the last 5 minutes. Like the 1/4 match, it flew by. I don’t think it was as good as the original (still the best match I’ve ever seen), but it was a worthy sequel. Near the end, I was almost rooting for the draw because I thought they might do their 3rd match in Long Beach, but unfortunately that hope was misplaced.
I bought tickets to the Long Beach shows hoping to see Omega either defend, or challenge for, the title. I don’t regret the purchases, but with every new development, I find myself getting less and less excited. No Suzuki, Goto, Yano, or Kojima, no Omega title match, and (I would think) no Lee/Takahashi. I think Cody’s probably a great guy, and I’m happy that he’s enjoying his post-WWE career, but I just haven’t been impressed by his matches at all.
I understand that you might not want to do Omega/Okada III on a sold out show in CA, when it could main event WK 12. Naito, Tanahashi, Ibushi, Goto, and Suzuki don’t make sense either, so you kinda have to go with Elgin or Cody, and the latter is the bigger draw. I can get the why, but I won’t be surprised if a lot of people turn on Cody over this. He’s had a good number of opportunities, and just hasn’t excelled in the way everyone hoped he would.
– Tyler Shillman