Dominion (June 9) Full card, Preview
Loaded lineup in Osaka Jo Hall
June 9 sees Dominion take place from its traditional home in the shadows of the famous Osaka Castle. Six championships as well as the Best of the Super Jr. trophy are all at stake on a loaded night!
Watch live in English on NJPW World!
Double Main Event II: Best of the Super Jr. Final: El Desperado vs Taiji Ishimori
Singles record: 2–2
Top of the card in Osaka, the biggest Best of the Super Jr. tournament final in tournament history sees El Desperado face Taiji Ishimori. In a dramatic tournament that saw the future of the junior division highlighted, it’s nonetheless two of the division’s so called ‘big three’ that take to the final spot, and while both have reached the finals before, it’s perhaps this match that is the most ‘must win’ of their careers to date.
While neither Desperado nor Ishimori have run to embrace the label of junior heavyweight Ace as others may have, their iconic status within the division is something that they have earned, and along with it, championship wins and standout performances. Yet the final icon and the grandest status of the Best of the Super Juniors has been a label that’s edluded them throughout their careers. Instead that label was dominated by Hiromu Takahashi, who denied both Ishimori and Desperado their crowning achievement. For Ishimori, having beaten Takahashi to reach this spot, it would be all the more satisfying to take the trophy home. For Desperado, ten years since his first BOSJ appearance, and in the same venue where he won his first IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, will everything come full circle in our main event?
Double Main Event I: IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Lumberjack Match- EVIL vs Jon Moxley
While Jon Moxley’s victory over Tetsuya Naito to lift the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in Chicago this April was met with considerable debate from both AEW and NJPW fans, one cannot doubt Moxley’s willingness to fight to defend what the championship represents to him. In the US and Japan, Moxley has quickly seen his reign grow to V3, with his mentor and protege bout against Shota Umino at Resurgence truly representing what the IWGP standard should be.
Yet just as a hard fought and dramatic main event had played out in Ontario, EVIL marred it all. The very antithesis of the Fighting Spirit Moxley seeks to embody, EVIL spray painted the championship black before declaring himself the true champion- even bringing out the same replica belt that Will Ospreay had once held years before, but with a much weaker claim to being any kind of standard bearer.
A furious Moxley promised to put an end to EVIL’s HOUSE OF TORTURE, in ‘gang warfare’ if necessary. EVIL, sneering that Moxley had no allies within NJPW, demanded a Lumberjack Match for Osaka Jo Hall, but he didn’t count on the backing, and seal of approval of the Third Generation legends who had helped build the IWGP legacy Moxley now seeks to defend. Will justice be brought to EVIL, or will a new dark era begin?
7th Match: NEVER Openweight Championship- HENARE vs Shingo Takagi
Singles record: 2–2
On a card with something for everyone and a hueg variety of styles at Dominion, the bout for fans of hard hitting violence need look no further than to Shingo Takagi and HENARE. These two men have had mutual respect for one another since HENARE’s times in Hontai, and traded wins in some of last year’s most powerful matchups.
HENARE’s 2024 saw him sidelined for three months after a near fatal altercation with a table at New Beginning in Osaka. As he spent months away reconnecting with his Maori roots in New Zealand, he saw Takagi regain the NEVER gold, and in his two defences thus far restore the mana warrior spirit and honour to the title HENARE felt had been lacking. Now he seeks to be professional wrestling’s very first Maori champion, and to hold the title that he feels most embodies the honour and ideals of his forefathers.
6th Match: NJPW STRONG & IWGP Tag team Championship Tornado Elimination Four Way Match- BULLET CLUB (Chase Owens & KENTA) vs Guerrillas of Destiny (Hikuleo & El Phantasmo) vs TMDK (Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls) vs Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI)
No tags, all teams compete at once
When one member of a team is pinned or submitted, the team is eliminated. Last team remaining is the winner
The tag team scene has been a muddy one in 2024, ever since then IWGP Tag team Champions Bishamon took on the challenge of the NJPW STRONG Tag champs Hikuleo and El Phantasmo at Wrestle Kingdom, with GoD leaving as double champions. From there, Chase Owens and KENTA twice cheated their way to the IWGP Tag belts, while the Guerrillas of Destiny were intent on proving the STRONG titles were worthy of a higher breed of competition than the BULLET CLUB pairing.
It all came to a head at Dontaku when KENTA and Owens’ second IWGP reign together began in a parade of dirty tactics. Then STRONG Champions TMDK took offense at the disgrace to tag team wrestling, GoD took offense to TMDK (after all, a handful of tights had been the difference maker in their retention in Hiroshima earlier in the tour) and Bishamon wanted another crack at the whip. It’s all led to this four way elimination match, where all four teams will start in the ring together, and only one will remain as double champions.
5th Match: NJPW World TV Championship- Jeff Cobb vs Tomohiro Ishii
Singles record: 3–1 Ishii
Since winning the NJPW World TV Championship at Dontaku last month, Jeff Cobb was quick to implement an open door policy when it comes to challengers, leading to a hoss fight with Lance Archer in Ontario back at Resurgence. After Tomohiro Ishii scored an impressive pinfall win over Cobb at All Together though, the Stone Pitbull was quick to establish himself as next in line for the Imperial Unit. Ishii was a memorable early challenger in Zack Sabre Jr.’s inaugural reign with the NJPW World TV title, and has spent time as ROH Television Champion as well. Will the bright light of TV shine on Ishii once more?
4th Match: NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag team Championships- Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahshi vs Los Ingobernables De Japon (BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi & Yota Tsuji)
After a victory for Los Ingobernables De Japon over the current champions in Korakuen Hall, Boltin Oleg, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Toru Yano will put their gold on the line in Osaka. After winning the belts in Taiwan back in April, this is the second defence for the current champs, and the first against non-HOUSE OF TORTURE competition. With a highly accomplished trio including Yota Tsuji vying for his first championship in NJPW, can the Hontai combo hang on to the gold?
3rd Match KOPW 2024 Storm Catch Rules Match: Great-O-Khan vs Yuya Uemura
Singles record: 1–0–1 Uemura
15 minute time limit
No strikes allowed- throws grapples and submissions only
Rope breaks/leaving the ring limited to twice only
A third escape constitutes a disqualification
Yuya Uemura makes his first defence of the KOPW 2024 tite against the man he won it from in the Great-O-Khan. O-Khan’s quest to ‘unite the fiefdoms of Japan’ through matches in every town and away from the TV cameras was cut short when Uemura bested United Empire’s Dominator in a Rural Revitalization match in Hiroshima back in April. It was catch rules that Uemura had requested though, and now he gets his wish.
O-Khan is proud of his ability to thrive in both the ridiculous and the sublime, and while the Storm Catch Rules are in line with what Uemura’s own vision for his professional wrestling is, they also play into the hands of a cathg master and world champion level competitor in 13 different disciplines. Will Uemura be able to overcome O-Khan once again in Osaka?
2nd Match: TMDK (Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles & Zack Sabre Jr.) vs Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & LJ Cleary
A week before Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita challenge Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships at New Japan Soul June 16 in Sapporo, a six man preview with an added twist. All Together June 15 will see the BULLET CLUB War Dogs and Pro-Wrestling NOAH’s Good Looking Guys join forces through the card, and that working relationship sees LJ Cleary making his first steps in the cerulean blue tonight.
1st Match: Tetsuya Naito vs Callum Newman
A highly intriguing opening contest sees Prince of Pace Callum Newman get a long requested singles match against Tetsuya Naito. When the two locked horns in tag action in Korakuen Hall June 3, the result was a Destino for Newman, but the defiant young United Empire prospect spat right back int he face of Naito for his post match disrespect. Naito admitted to seeing something in Callum’s attitude making him worth putting to the test. As TJP has commanded Newman to make his way into the G1, this would be quite the way to earn his spot; can Callum push the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion to the limit?
