Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs. Kenny Omega: The Essential Battle For NJPW

Omega Okada I II
NJPW1972.com

Since 2016, one Kenny Omega has evolved the wider NJPW style. Or devolved, depending on your interpretation. Omega raced up the heavyweight ranks following the departures to WWE of Nakamura and AJ Styles, and in doing so, shaped it in his own image.

At Wrestle Kingdom XI, in a seminal match, Omega challenged, unsuccessfully, for Okada’s IWGP Heavyweight Title. He was successful in restoring an element of danger and spectacle not seen in Japan since Pro Wrestling NOAH’s heyday. In that match, perhaps fatalistically built around the destruction of Okada’s neck, Omega struck Okada with a truly disgusting top rope dragon suplex, and narrowly evaded a gruesome fate himself following an over the top rope table bump. Okada went over Omega, but content won over space. That match, rated an ultra-rare ****** from the Wrestling Observer, changed pro wrestling once more.

This new road, to unprecedented critical acclaim, was paved with danger.

Soon, the likes of Tetsuya Naito, mobilised by this new ethos, ramped up the danger level in his matches. He took a DDT to a ring post in his 2017 G1 Climax finals win. Kota Ibushi required no such encouragement; only the platform. This new ethos poured into the Junior Heavyweight division; with the new status quo set, the likes of Will Ospreay and Hiromu Takahashi now define their careers literally chasing Omega’s dragon. “Careers” should be singular, if that. Takahashi remains on the shelf with a broken neck, whereas Ospreay has suffered something so awful even he can’t wrestle through it. This may, one would hope, trigger another cycle of puroresu’s evolution. Then again, the 2018 G1 Climax took place after Takahashi broke his neck, and in that tournament, Naito and Ibushi in particular willingly absorbed countless terrifying neck bumps.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!