8 Major Talking Points From NJPW Dominion In Osaka
3. Never Doubt Hiroshi Tanahashi
Hiroshi Tanahashi enjoys the curious distinction of being one of the best and most under-appreciated wrestlers on the planet today.
He has lost his company Ace status to Kazuchika Okada in both fiction and reality. Tanahashi’s reputation as one of the greatest big match wrestlers ever did so much to propel New Japan into its latter Golden Age. At the weekend, he proved that he is still an utter phenomenon. If Okada and Kenny Omega are doing things we haven’t seen in wrestling, Tanahashi is still the best at structuring a timeless classic.
His real-life biceps injury informed the bout’s dramatic heft. He was forced to use his weaker left arm to strike in the early going, allowing Naito to dominate his injured right arm with some sadistic submission work. Tanahashi’s selling was so authentic, so consistent, that he turned the Chicago-like Okada crowd on his side - initially, at least. Tanahashi resorted to closed fists to compensate for the lack of striking power, drawing boos.
This is where New Japan excels over WWE. Nothing is made up as they go along; there is a strict code of conduct in place that allows its performers to restore the essence of the game as they change it.
Minutes later, Tanahashi played the fans like a fiddle again, unable to lift Naito from the top rope to deliver a German suplex. You could easily believe there was no power left in his arm.
That’s not to say Tetsuya Naito was anywhere near overshadowed on the night. His charisma veered so well into despicableness that the agonised crowd was split throughout. They received Tanahashi’s heroic Intercontinental Title win with massive cheers.
Not for the first time, a Wrestle Kingdom classic had somehow been improved upon.