10 Important NJPW Booking Steps Following Dominion
4. Naito Defeats Kenny To Win The IWGP Heavyweight Championship
It's been a weird year for Tetsuya Naito. He came into Wrestle Kingdom 12 as the hottest act in New Japan, and almost everyone was expecting him to finally end Okada's reign and bask in the glory as the top guy.
Only, Okada won, and Naito was left with little to do. He picked up the Intercontinental Championship for a second time, but staying true to his character, he treated it like an afterthought, and as Dominion showed, he was really just a transitional champion to get the title on Chris Jericho.
So now Naito heads into G1 season with little going for him other than the possibility of a main event run, and that's frankly what should happen. Should he wrestle to a draw with Kenny Omega in the tournament (as we've discussed), that should put him in line for a title shot in the fall (possibly at King of Pro Wrestling). There, Naito should win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the first time in over two years, and set up a new main event at the Tokyo Dome: Okada vs. Naito III...