Kazuchika Okada moves to V4 after Naito spectacle
The Wrestling Dontaku main event would see Kazuchika Okada seeking to make his fourth defence of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Tetsuya Naito in their third singles bout of 2022.
After initial control from Okada, Naito would try to spill to the floor where he took control with a neckbreaker. El Ingobernable would jump on the weakness he had created, and persistently punished the Rainmaker’s neck, getting another neckbreaker on the apron, and then completing the hat trick with a hangman’s version over the top rope. It would be a heavy big boot from Okada that finally broke the near ten minute offensive control of Naito, and a flapjack would follow as the champion fought back into the main event.
Again reading his opponent’s offense, Okada would deny Naito his corner combination, and dropped his challenger to the floor with a dropkick. There, Okada would fly and score with a high cross over the guardrails, before a missile dropkick landed inside. After a top rope elbow, Okada would set for the Rainmaker, but Naito would land a spinebuster to get time, and get back to the neck. Gloria and then the Pluma Blanca would see Okada fade, but not expire.
Naito would look to go bigger with a corner Frankensteiner, but would be met with a powerbomb from the champion instead before two short arm lariats and a shotgun blast of a dropkick. Digging deep, Naito would get Esperanza and a running Destino, but the full version would be countered with a corkscrew tombstone.
The pace began to quicken as both athletes wanted to finish the bout. One Rainmaker attempt was countered by Polvo De Estrella, but unlike in the New Japan Cup, Okada kicked out; moments later Okada connected with his Landslide, but Naito found Valentia instead, only for the Stardust Press to find empty canvas.
As both athletes reset, forearm shivers were traded before they morphed into severe palm strikes. It seemed as if Naito had the knockout shot, and set for Destino, but would be met with an Inoki-esuqe enzuigiri from the champion. Okada followed with a combination Cobra Twist and Emerald Flowsion, and then the Rainmaker to secure victory.
Okada would have a full victory celebration, thanking Naito for the bout and the fans for their attendance. Yet after fireworks punctuated his speech, Okada would be confronted by Jay White, professional wrestling’s ‘Catalyst’ ending Dontaku with a violent statement at the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion’s expense.
