Tokyo Dome main event official after Declaration of Power
Watch the Declaration of Power replay
The main event is set for Wrestle Kingdom 17, with G1 Climax 32 winner Kazuchika Okada set to challenge IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White.
Both champion and challenger advanced from Ryogoku Sumo Hall after epic encounters, with the first being the semi main event of the evening, Kazuchika Okada surviving the Top Dog JONAH. TMDK’s super heavyweight set the pace early, making Okada pay the price for a plancha to the floor; the dive connected, but in receipt, so did Okada with the ringside steel, and then backfirst into the ring post with a terrifying powerbomb like move.
Okada would battle back by trying to cut at JONAH’s base, but the Australian was still able to land powerful offense on one good knee. Okada instead had to use JONAH’s momentum against him for a massive dropkick, a body slam and a signature top rope elbow.
JONAH responded with a Vader like German suplex followed by a brutal lariat for a near two. Closing in on victory, JONAH got the Black Forest Bomb, and went soaring off the top with a Torpedo, but thanks to the work of Okada on the knee, the Rainmaker was able to avoid a certain end. Instead, Okada was able to land a near impossible German suplex, a Landslide, and then the Rainmaker for three.
In the main event, Tama Tonga challenged IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Switchblade Jay White. The champion tried as ever to draw his challenger into an emotionally charged unforced error, but Tama had control of the situation in the ring, all until an Exploder suplex saw Tonga make rough contact with the ring apron.
Thus began the Switchblade gameplan, White determined to draw the air out of Tama’s lungs. The champion retained control of the bout for the bulk of the match, with his challenger just able to get a few offensive breaks. A Tongan Twist would hit one minute and offense was curtailed the next; SRC connecting but Supreme Flow finding nothing but the champion’s knees.
Each time White would exploit the error with agonizing offense and even more stinging humiliation. A Boston Crab was denied to mock Tonga’s return to the Hontai side with fundamental offense, but the challenger didn’t give in, and hit Supreme Flow on his second try for a near two. When Tonga looked to go for Gunstun, White sensed the danger and sent the referee down, but a chair attack was denied with a low blow as the challenger stayed in the hunt.
With the match nearing the 30 minute mark, White landed a high and tight German suplex, but Bladerunner was countered with Bloody Sunday for two. Moments later, White would fire back with a Bloody Sunday of his own, but rather than try for the Bladerunner, he wanted to beat Tama with his own move. Tama met White’s Gunstun with a huge Gunstun of his own, but still only got two; as he went for another off the second rope, he was caught into the Bladerunner for three.
Post match, Jay White was almost uncharacteristically gracious in his victory, stating that ‘at any other day and time, Tama Tonga would be a fine champion to lead New Japan, but it was this day, and my time.’ As he was finishing his speech, though, he would be confronted by Okada. Stating that Antonio Inoki’s passing ended an era, January 4 2023 will be about who will lead the next era of professional wrestling history. The main event was set for an unbelievable Wrestle Kingdom 17.
