10 Best NJPW Matches Of The Year
8. Omega Vs. Goto (G1 Climax Finals)
Neither of these two men were favoured to make the finals when the G1 Climax started, but they were both ready to show why they belong at the top of a company with so many elite performers.
Goto is New Japan's quintessential bridesmaid, always falling just short of glory, while Omega was trying to prove he belonged as the new leader of the Bullet Club following AJ Styles' departure. They had both beaten numerous high profile opponents and whichever way the match went it would be a historic night for the company.
The action matched the magnitude of the occasion. The intensity ramped up perfectly, leading to bigger and bigger spots. Eventually Omega was bringing out signature moves of his former teammates Kota Ibushi and Styles, but it was the One-Winged Angel that felled Goto. Kenny became the first gaijin to win the prestigious tournament and ended the night with a promo that blended fiction and reality (as well as English and Japanese) to firmly establish his coronation as a new main event talent.