#151: Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, NJPW Dominion (6/16/2012).
For my money, the greatest feud of all time took place in New Japan Pro Wrestling between two of the greatest performers of all time: Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi. And that is the theme this week for the blog, as I take a look at the best matches in the fantastic story that helped bring New Japan Pro Wrestling to the forefront of the wrestling business.
It's a story that works because of its simplicity: Tanahashi is the Ace of the company, the top man who helped to carry the promotion through its darkest days. At Wrestle Kingdom 6 earlier in 2012, Tanahashi was confronted by a young man who had just returned from excursion that same night: Okada.
He proclaimed that Tana's time as the Ace was over. This was laughable because earlier in the night, Okada bested YOSHI-HASHI in his return match in a manner that can be best described as "terrible." No one took him seriously. So, when Okada defeated Tanahashi at The New Beginning the following month for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, it sent shockwaves through Japanese pro wrestling.
How could this dorky wrestler with a bad American wrestling gimmick beat THE guy in Puroresu? Turns out, as the time between then and this show would prove, Okada could actually wrestle. Between New Beginning and Dominion, Okada slowly but surely showed his worth to the audience, and people realized that this young kid actually had some credibility.
The rematch with Tanahashi was set for Dominion, and unlike New Beginning, the winner wasn't an easy prediction to make. Yes, Tanahashi was still the man, but Okada had improved tremendously since his poor return from excursion. Who would take the next step in the early stages of this rivalry? And even more importantly, could Tanahashi school this youngster and regain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship?
The bell sounds, and the crowd is molten for Tanahashi. Okada looks completely indifferent to the presence of his challenger. Tana is in fantastic shape. They lock up, and Tana pops off a side headlock takedown. Okada is quickly back to his feet, as he shrugs off Tana’s first burst of offense. They lock up again, and Tana repeats that spot, and Okada escapes again. Okada asks for more, and that smirk on his face continues to steal the spotlight.
Tana takes control of the arm, and Okada does the same. Tana transitions from a hammerlock to a side headlock. Okada grabs the wrist, and both men lobby for control. Tana with another side headlock takedown. Okada tries for a head scissors, and the Ace is able to block it. They shoulder bump each other, and neither man budges. They get in each other’s faces, then Okada kicks him in the gut. He takes the side headlock next, then shoulders Tana to the mat.
Standing scoop slam by Okada ,and Tana avoids the senton next. Okada kicks Tana in the chest, and goes for an irish whip. Tana counters it, and drags Okada to the ring post to swing his knee into the steel! Back in the ring, Tana drops Okada’s leg on his own knee, then chop blocks him to the mat. Elbows to the leg follow, and Tana follows through with a few stomps to the injured limb. On the mat, Tana applies an Indian Death Lock, Triple H style, to the young champion.
Okada is up, but Tana won’t let up on kicking at the leg. Tana goes for his middle rope senton, but Okada is up to forearm him out of the ring. Tana pulls his way back inside, and forearms Okada against the turnbuckle. He rushes Okada, who places him on the top rope, and dropkicks him out of the ring! But, that did as much damage to the champion as it did to the challenger! Okada goes to the floor and gives Tana a big boot that sends him over the barricade.
Okada chokes Tana against the steel barricade, and pulls the back of his neck against the steel. Back in the ring, Okada applies the Deep in Debt submission. Tana manages to get to the ropes to break the hold. Big elbow to the head by Okada, but Tana fights back with another kick to the leg. He bitch slaps Okada out of nowhere, and does it again. He runs the ropes, and goes into a beautiful dropkick by the champion. Okada tries to pin with one boot, but Red Shoes ain’t putting up with that shit.
Snap mare by Okada, followed by a running dropkick to the head for a 2 count. Okada with another submission that targets the shoulder and neck next, and all I know is that it looks like something straight out of lucha libre. Another neckbreaker for Okada, and that gets him a nearfall. Each man exchanges forearms and uppercuts in the corner, with Okada getting the upper hand. Tana with a great series of strikes to the champion, followed by a running forearm.
Tana with more strikes and forearms, and then he dropkicks Okada right on the injured leg! Okada goes to kick him, and Tana catches it, then kicks the opposite leg! He sends Okada to the floor, then scales the top rope. Tana connects beautifully with the High Fly Flow to the floor on a standing Okada! Tana catches Okada on the apron coming in with a dropkick to the leg, and then a Dragon Screw Legwhip! In the ring, Tana quickly applies the Texas Cloverleaf, and Okada quickly gets to the ropes to break it up.
Tana continues his attack, until Okada catches him in a Flap Jack. Spike DDT follows from the Rainmaker. Okada applies the Deep in Debt again, applying even more pressure to the neck of the Ace. He adds several hard elbows to the mix as well. Tana works hard, and gets to the ropes. Okada looks frustrated. He gives a hard powerslam, then goes to the top rope. Nice elbow drop by Okada, and he goes right into the Rainmaker pose! He attempts the Rainmaker, but Tana counters it. Okada tries for Heavy Rain, and Tana turns it into a Sling Blade! Tana celebrates, and Okada is right back up with a dropkick to the back of the head. Big boot to the face of Tana, who pops off a roll up for a quick 2. Tana with a couple of Dragon Screws, and then back to the Cloverleaf. Okada tries for the ropes, but Tana pulls him farther away, and goes back even farther on the submission! Okada somehow manages to grab the bottom rope.
Tana with his own Rainmaker pose now! Okada with an elbow to the head, and Tana hits a Straitjacket Suplex for a close 2. Fisherman Buster by Tana, and he goes to the top rope next. He goes for High Fly Flow, but Okada rolls out of the way! Tana rushes Okada in the corner, and walks into a neckbreaker on his knees! Okada covers, but Tana kicks out. Okada connects with Heavy Rain! Tana still kicks out at the last second. Tana escapes a Rainmaker, and a Tombstone attempt to hit the Dragon Suplex, and Okada kicks out!
The crowd is losing their minds by this point. Tana goes back to the top, and hits the High Fly Flow to the back! He flips Okada over, and goes back to the top! High Fly Flow is blocked by Okada’s knees! But again, what damage did that do to the champion? More strikes exchanged by both men, with Okada getting the upper hand with uppercuts. He lifts Tana up for the Tombstone, but the challenger is doing his best to block it. Okada finally gets him up, and Tana counters into one of his own! He hits the Tombstone to Okada!
Tana is up first, and he attempts the Sling Blade, which Okada reverse into a Rainmaker, which Tana counters into a Sling Blade! Tana goes to the top, and hits the High Fly Flow to glorious appraisal from the fans, and he wins the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the 6th time! Both men sell the exhaustion, the wear and tear of the war they just went through. Red Shoes raises the hand of Tana, and the crowd explodes in approval.
This is the first great match in the Okada/Tanahashi series. A far better match than their initial encounter at The New Beginning. This sizzled throughout, and was a well wrestled chess match between one man who was focused on the neck, and the other who was focused on the legs. Tana’s strategy worked wonders here, as he punished the legs of the Rainmaker. Okada’s neck work simply wasn’t enough here to topple the Ace. Even in defeat, Okada looked fantastic. The progression since New Beginning was incredible, and he was really coming into his own as a main player.
Tana was his usual self here, the all time great babyface of Puroresu. The crowd was behind him all match long, and that helped propel him back to the top of the New Japan mountain. While I can’t say this match is as good as the best matches of this series, it is still fantastic in its own right, and when you think of the high quality wrestling that followed this, you can always say that it truly started here.