10 Things WWE Can Learn From NJPW Dominion
5. There's No Need For A Buffer Match
One staple of the way that WWE runs Pay-Per-Views is the inclusion of a "cool-down" or "buffer" match. Typically, the antepenultimate match on a major show is important, and the main event, of course, is the highest priority. Between them, however, WWE usually sticks a meaningless match. The theory behind this is that the crowd may be burned out after witnessing an exciting bout, and needs to be "brought down" before getting excited again for the main event.
New Japan's shows in general - and Dominion in particular - prove that a buffer match isn't necessary if the card is organized properly. NJPW's shows almost always show bouts in ascending order of importance, and crowd reaction is gauged well enough that, nine times out of ten, there's a steady rise in fan interest throughout any given card.
At Dominion, Tanahashi and Naito went on second to last, and even though Tanahashi was nursing a ruptured bicep, they delivered a great bout full of vitriol and drama. In the end, Tanahashi was victorious, which the crowd in Osaka loved.
Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega had to follow a 26-minute, four-and-a-half-star match, but they were up to the task. Undoubtedly, the Naito-Tanahashi bout only made them more focused on delivering the goods.