Kazuchika Okada hails dawn of a new era; faces difficult challenge in Will Ospreay January 5
Kazuchika Okada emerged from the main event on January 4 2022 with the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, after a hard fought war that saw him badly beaten but undefeated set him in a difficult position for January 5’s main event with number one contender Will Ospreay.
Both Okada and champion Shingo Takagi started their main event bout trying to one up one another on the mat, Okada finding a snug headlock, but a tackle would not put the Dragon to the mat, Okada instead baiting the champion into a takedown and elbow drop. Moments later though, Shingo would stay one step ahead of his challenger, baiting Okada into a DDT defence and instead landing a Ryukon Lariat before taking the fight to the floor.
Ever dangerous on the outside, Okada would deliver a DDT on the floor, but adrenaline would see Shingo instantly respond with a big suplex, following up to keep control with a back suplex and body scissors. Embattled, Okada was able to duck under a pair of Shingo swings, and bought himself some time with a speedy back elbow, following with a DDT that slowed the champion more this time, and a dropkick from the top rope to the floor.
The adrenaline flowing for Okada, the challenger took Takagi out beyond the guardrails for a spectacular superman dive that had the fans gasping in admiration despite themselves. With the champion back inside, Okada sunk in Money Clip that drove the Dragon to the ropes, but the champion still retained his veteran instincts, again baiting Okada into dropping his head for a DDT. Noshigami would follow, and Takagi started to shift into high gear, but a sliding lariat attempt would again see a Money Clip and then a Tombstone.
The match passing the twenty minute mark, Okada relinquished the Money Clip to land a big diving elbow, but as Okada looked for his first Rainmaker attempt of the match he was caught and driven down with a left lariat from Shingo. Now it was the champion using a Rainmaker pose of his own, drawing fire from his challenger that saw Takagi responding in kind, absorbing a shotgun kick to deliver a wild Pumping Bomber.
Okada rolled to the outside with the impact and Takagi followed out, delivering a Death Valley Driver on the hard wood ramp. When the challenger got back inside, Takagi would land a quick and devastating superplex before attempting Made In Japan; Okada rocketed in a dropkick instead before a short arm lariat but the Dragon would not be denied, and the Made In Japan scored twice for a very near two.
Pumping Bomber followed, Takagi’s fist slamming into the left eye of the challenger, but Okada still refused to stay down, finding a Rainmaker but unable to follow with a pin. Battling back as Okada sought to regain his vision, Shingo wanted Stay Dream, but instead the challenger would hit a DDT off the second rope. As Takagi refused to eat the Rainmaker again, and Okada wouldn’t go for the Last of the Dragon ride, the champion connected with a Dragon suplex, but a pumping Bomber was met instead with a huge dropkick. Takagi ran for another blow, but fell right into the Landslide Tombstone and then the Rainmaker for the victory.
Okada was not able to enjoy his title win for long before Will Ospreay made his way to ringside. Offering faux congratulations to the ‘interim champion, Ospreay reminded Okada that with swollen eye and all, the two still have to face off on January 5; Okada was more than ready as he officially and ‘with gratitude’ lay rest to the IWGP V4 title and accepted the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship around his waist.
