10 Best NJPW Matches Of 2020 (So Far)

Ibushi and Okada suffered at first because it occurred on the same weekend of Naito Two Belts. With Naito's win over Jay White in the match right before, the inevitable outcome was Okada retaining against Ibushi here before facing Naito the next night. Ibushi became secondary to his own Tokyo Dome main event and G1 victory, and this match seemed like a foregone conclusion.

While the result was predictable and Ibushi's destiny almost tragic, you wouldn't have been able to ascertain that from his performance here as Kota went crazy. There is the trademark Okada opening stretch, with slow grounded sequences designed to feel each other out and build to explosive action, but Ibushi brings such force to it. He wrestles on the ground with passion, showcases his struggles with beautiful facial reactions and when the match escalates, starts dropping himself on his neck and kicking the hell out of Okada.

He maliciously strikes him at a certain point of the match, letting out all his fury and desire to fulfil his destiny against the Ace's body, with his passion being his undoing as he can't avoid the final Rainmaker. It's the more traditional Tokyo Dome main event than the faster paced match with Naito 24 hours later, but is essential viewing in its own way regardless of result. It's a testament to Okada's brilliance that he could work two long matches of such high quality over a single weekend. A worthy main event.