December 18, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: The metamorphosis of Chris Jericho, GSP vacates title, more

The latest incarnation of Chris Jericho and the same incarnation of Kenny Omega shot two basic but major physical angles to build their 1/4 match at the Tokyo Dome.

The first angle, which included using juice for an angle (New Japan doesn’t use blading any longer, and whatever blood, like with WWE, comes from hard-hitting action or in-ring mistakes) for the first time in years (it was so long that most couldn’t remember the last time, thinking New Japan banned the blade about nine years ago and essentially Omega asked for the favor and since this is such a high expense match on such a big show they gave it to him), took place on 12/11 at the finals of the tag team tournament in Fukuoka. A second angle took place the next afternoon at the Tokyo Dome press conference in Tokyo, which ended up being shut down, in a sense like the Conor McGregor-Nate Diaz II press conference was as things got out of hand and Jericho channeled a cross between 1986 Ric Flair and 1982 Andy Kaufman.

After Omega & The Young Bucks had beaten Sho & Yoh & Rocky Romero, the lights went out at the Fukuoka International Center Arena.

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