10 Reasons Why New Japan Pro Wrestling Had A Great 2016
2. The Ladder Match
New Japan is a fairly old school company. They rarely have street fights, cage matches, or any gimmick matches at all. While the action will spill to the outside, it is not typical for it to stay there, no matter the feud. This year, a different story was told. Kenny Omega introduced an American wrestling staple to the New Japan audience: the ladder match.
The story was that Omega had beaten Tanahashi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship at The New Beginning in Niigata, after Nakamura relinquished it to join the WWE. Tanahashi wanted a rematch for the championship, but Omega declined and attacked Tanahashi. After The Elite (Omega and the Young Bucks) defeated Tanahashi, Michael Elgin, and Yoshitatsu for the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship at Wrestling Dontaku 2016, Tanahashi once again requested a rematch. Omega accepted, but only under the condition that it be a ladder match.
Unfortunately, Tanahashi was unable to compete in the match due to injuries. Announced was his replacement, Michael Elgin. Omega didn’t want to face Elgin as he felt he was undeserving of the shot, but Elgin pinned Omega in a tag match, infuriating Omega into accepting the challenge.
Elgin and Omega, two Canadian wrestlers, went on to have one of the best ladder matches of the past decade. Bullet Club had been banned from ringside early on and even though they played a part in the match, Ricochet and Matt Sydal had Elgin’s back to even the odds. There were some rough bumps and intense spots, but it didn’t stop them from putting the Osaka crowd in awe. By the end, Elgin tipped Omega off the top of the ladder after being handcuffed to the ropes and climbed to win his first Intercontinental Championship.