SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NJPW DOMINION REPORT
JUNE 15, 2025
OSAKA-JO HALL
OSAKA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
Announcers: Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton
(a) KATSUYA MURASHIMA & SHOMA KATO vs. DAIKI NAGAI & MASATORA YASUDA
Murashima got a deep Boston Crab on Yasuda late. He struggled for the ropes, but Murashima dragged him back to the middle of the ring and he tapped out.
After the match, Nagai had some heated words with his opponents. He ended up tossing an ice pack at Murashima before leaving.
WINNERS: Murashima & Kato at 8:51.
House of Torture came out second. Sanada, Yujiro Takahashi, and Sho came out together without the mystery fourth member. Bad Luck Fale then came out to join them. He was announced as Don Fale.
(1) BULLET CLUB WAR SOGS (Drilla Maloney & Clark Connors & Taiji Ishimori & Chase Owens) vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (Sanada & Yujiro Takahashi & Sho & Don Fale)
The announcers said Owen’s couldn’t be happy to see his longtime partner join HOT. Later in the match Owens acted like he was going to save Maloney from Sanada’s guitar shot, but he ended up nailing him with a low blow.
He then held Maloney up for a guitar shot from Sanada and the fans booed. Sanada then made the cover for the win.
WINNERS: HOT at 6:44.
(Radicans Analysis: Two new members of HOT? Oh, joy! Thankfully they kept this to under 7 minutes.)
(2) TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryo Oiwa) vs. ELP & SHOTA UMINO (w/Jado)
This was solid. The finish saw Sabre counter Umino and he caught him with a deep pinning combination for the win.
WINNERS: TMDK at 11:23. (**1/2)
(Radicans Analysis: I thought they would focus more on a potential Oiwa vs ELP match, but the focus at the end was another Umino loss on a big stage.)
(3) HIROSHI TANAHASHI vs. YUYA UEMURA
Uemura went after Tanahashi’s arm during the early going. He worked it over for a long period of time. Tanahashi hit a senton off the second turnbuckle and absolutely planted himself onto Uemura when he came down to land on him. Uemura suddenly went for The Deadbolt, but Tanahashi slipped out and hit twist & shout.
Tanahashi went for Aces High and missed. Uemura then went up top and missed a standing frog splash on Tanahashi. The match was just picking up when Uemura got an arm bar and Tanahashi turned it into a leverage pin that barely got the three count for the win.
WINNER: Hiroshi Tanahashi at 9:30. (**1/2)
(Radican’s Analysis: It was hard to tell if Uemura’s shoulders were actually down and they only showed the pin from one camera angle. The match was just starting to get really good when it ended abruptly.)
Tanahashi gave Uemura a pat on the back as he left the ring. Uemura did not look happy after taking the loss heading into G1.
Ren Narita came out with Yoshinohu Kanemaru, who had his arm in a sling.
Sho got on the mic and said Wato had injured Kanemaru. He said Kanemaru wasn’t going to perform tonight. He told Wato he couldn’t call himself a champion. Sho called out a new partner. Music played and it was Douki.
Douki was dressed in black. Kanemaru helped Sho jump Wato and Yoh from behind.
(4) MASTER WATO & YOH vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (Sho & Douki) – IWGP Jr. Hvt. Tag Team Championship match
It was essentially 3 on 2 at the start, as Kanemaru was able to constantly interfere in the match. The announcers said Douki hadn’t been seen since getting hurt at Wrestle Kingdom. Yoh mounted a comeback and wiped out Kanemaru on the outside with a dive. He then hit a splash off the top on Sho for a 2 count. Sho eventually used the ref as a distraction so that he could spear Yoh to cut him off.
Wato helped Yoh turn the briefly, but Kanemaru once again gave HOT the upper hand. Wato and Yoh got on a roll a short time later, but Kanemaru once again ran in and turned the tide. With the ref out of the picture, Douki hit Wato with his staff multiple times. The fans booed. Douki grabbed a leg submission and Wato had to tap, as YoH was held back.
WINNERS: HOT in 10:52 to become the new IWGP Jr. Hvt. Champions. (1/4*)
After the match, HOT laid their opponents out once again.
(Radican’s Analysis: This was terrible.)
(5) UNITED EMPIRE (Callum Newman & Great-O-Khan) vs. TOMOHIRO ISHII & TAICHI – IWGP Hvt. Tag Team Championship match
Newman & O-Khan weren’t on the same page early, which allowed Ishii to hit a German on Newman. He then tagged in Taichi, who continued to work over Newman. He eventually hit a huge Saito suplex for a near fall. United Empire turned the tide. O-Khan and Newman took turns hitting a dive to the outside.
The crowd got behind Taichi and he mounted a comeback. Both teams went back and forth as the crowd cheered. Newman eventually caught Taichi with a one man Spanish Fly for a near fall. Taichi then hit Black Mephisto on Newman as Ishii held back O-Khan.
WINNERS: Ishii & Taichi at 12:46 to become the new IWGP HVt. Tag Team Champions. (***1/4)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was very good while it lasted. Ishii and Taichi simply blitz United Empire down the stretch to get an emphatic win. The division itself is a mess with way too many moving parts and title switches this year.)
-A video package announcing the G1 Climax 35 participants aired.
A Block: Hirooki Goto, Bolton Oleg, Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji, David Finlay, Evil, Sanada, and Hiroshi Tanahashi.
B Block: ELP, Shota Umino, Shingo Takagi, Zack Sabre Jr., Great-O-Khan, Gabe Kidd, Ren Narita, and Konusuke Takeshita.
The last four participants will be determined by a play in tournament. The tournament will begin on July 19.
(6) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA vs. BOLTIN OLEG – NEVER Openweight Championship match
Takeshita hit a big flip dive to the floor during the early stages of the match. Oleg caught Takeshita in the air coming off the ropes and then he hit an F5 to the floor. That was crazy. They battled to the top of the entrance ramp. Oleg got hold of Takeshita and hit multiple twists before suplexing him all the way down the ramp.
Takeshita was able to get the upper hand eventually and he wiped out Oleg with big clothesline. He hit a nice German with a bridge a short time later for a 2 count. Oleg cut off Takeshita up top and eventually hit an avalanche DVD for a 2 count. He hit Kamikaze a short time later, but Takeshita kicked out at the last second.
Takeshita hit a dragon suplex, but Oleg got up only to eat a clothesline. They went back and forth and Oleg caught Takeshita going for a drop kick and he lifted him up into Kamikaze for the win! That was insane.
WINNER: Boltin Oleg at 13:12 to become the new NEVER Openweight Champion. (***3/4)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was quite good while it lasted and they had several gif worthy highlight-reel exchanges during the match. Oleg looked fantastic here, as he has tremendous chemistry with Takeshita.
This wasn’t their best match so far, but it certainly packed a punch when it counted. Takeshita putting over Oleg in this manner is very big for NJPW.)
-A video package aired for the David Finlay vs. Evil match.
Evil came out with all of the House of Torture. David Finlay then made his entrance with Gedo. He paused at the top of the ramp and sent Gedo to the back. The Bullet Club War Dogs then emerged and came out with Finlay. Finlay is still outnumbered.
(7) DAVID FINLAY (w/The War Dogs) vs. EVIL (w/HOT) – Dog Collar Chain Deathmatch
Evil took control early on the floor and dragged Finlay into the crowd. Finlay took control and eventually used the chain to tie up Evil on the ringpost on the floor. Evil eventually made a comeback and methodically worked over Finlay.
The ref went down and HOT eventually overwhelmed The War Dogs and put a beating in Finlay. Evil eventually got Finlay in a sharpshooter with the chain choking him and it was good for the win.
WINNER: Evil at 23:05. (*1/2)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was exactly what I expected it to be and it wasn’t good. There’s just no end in sight to the HOT having a major presence on these cards and it’s miserable to watch.)
After the match, Finlay was taken out on a stretcher. Stewart sold disgust that it took 13 men to put down Finlay. He mentioned that Don Fale put him through a table at one point.
(8) YOTA TSUJI vs. GABE KIDD – IWGP Global Hvt. Championship match
They shook hands before the match began. Kidd sent Tsuji to the floor and then wiped him out with a flip dive. Tsuji fired back and hit a Fosbury Flop to take out Finlay on the floor. They were going at it in the floor when both men stopped and jumped back into the ring to avoid a count out.
Tsuji had the upper hand, but Kidd suddenly pushed him to the ropes and then sent him packing to the floor with a double thrust blow to the chest. Kidd hit a nice cross body to take down Tsuji, but Tsuji grounded him a short time later with a release German. Kidd went up top for a senton with Tsuji hung over the ropes and he overshot him. Kidd appeared to land badly, but was able to continue.
Kidd had the upper hand and he taunted Tsuji and asked him to stand. They traded blows and Tsuji eventually hit a corn stomp. They continued to go back and forth and Modd hit a Moonsault to the floor off the turnbuckles. He then hit a tombstone onto the floor and both men were down.
Kidd hit Claudio Castagnoli’s airplane spin and then sat down into a Boston Crab. Tsuji struggled and got to the ropes. Kidd once again invited Tsuji to trade blows. Tsuji eventually caught him with a headbutt. Kidd tried to fire back, but got caught with a dead eye variation. Tsuji then hit a piledriver for a two count. Tsuji Marlow Crush successfully on the second attempt.
He set up for the Gene Blast, but Kidd hit him with a knee and then a piledriver for a near fall. Kidd had the upper hand and charged at Tsuji, who caught him with a short Gene Blaster for a near fall. Kidd then hit a Death Rider and a piledriver for the win.
WINNER: Gabe Kidd at 23:25 to become the new IWGP Global Hvt. Champion. (****)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was good, but it dragged in spots and there were a couple of lulls that held it back from being excellent. This did get quite good down the stretch as they traded counters leading into the finish where Kidd used Moxley’s Death Rider to set up his own finish.)
Kidd cut a promo after the match. He asked Tsuji to wait. He spoke in Japanese. He talked about the names and rivalries of the past and said now it’s Yota Tsuji and Gabe Kidd. He told Tsuji he would see him later.
Kidd talked about his past struggles, but said none of it matters because he’s now the IWGP Global Hvt. Champion. He called out Tanahashi. Kidd held the ropes for Tanahashi. He challenged Tanahashi to face him for the Global Hvt. Championship and Tanahashi agreed to do it.
(9) HIROOKI GOTO vs. SHINGO TAKAGI – IWGP World Hvt. Championship match
The bell rang and the fans chanted for both men. It sounded like it was even in terms of the support for both men. They had a hard hitting exchange. Goto eventually caught Takagi with a shoulder tackle and he bailed to the floor. Takagi returned the favor a short time later and sent Goto to the floor with a clothesline. He eventually hit a suplex on the entrance ramp.
Takagi took Goto down with a shoulder tackle inside the ring. He worked a rear naked choke and then transitioned to a modified STF, but Goto eventually got to the ropes to break the hold. The fans fired up as Takagi connected with his signature punch/chop combination in the corner. Goto finally connected with a misdirection clothesline to stop his momentum.
They went to the floor and Goto placed Takagi’s legs in the guardrail. Goto ended up hitting a modified GTR and the fans applauded. Shingo fired back and hit a twisting neck breaker. He then hit a big lariat for a two count. They had an exchange and Goto ducked a straight punch and hit Ushigoroshi and both men were slow to get up.
Takagi hit a draping GTR over the middle ropes and then Made in Japan for a near fall and the fans roared. He then hit a Pumping Bomber and a Burning Dragon for a near fall! WOW!! They went to a strike exchange a short time later and the fans fired up. They jockeyed for position and Goto hit Shouten Kai, but he was too tired to make the cover.
Takagi no-sold a kick and a laker right into a clothesline. He countered a GTR and hit a Sliding Bomber and both men were down once again. Shingo went for Last of the Dragon, but Goto countered it into a GTR for a near fall and the crowd roared. Goto hit a headbutt and got a big winding start into a big GTR for the win.
WINNER: Hirooki Goto at 28:25 to retain the IWGP World Hvt. Championship. (****3/4)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was by far the best match of the night. The match had great pacing and the action was hard-hitting from start to finish. The crowd came up with them as they escalated the physicality as the match went on.
They did some great near falls including Goto kicking out of a Burning Dragon and Takagi kicked out of the GTR. I’m excited to see these two meet in B block action during the G1 Climax Tournament next month.)
Goto cut a promo after the match. He said Takagi was welcome to join his army. He said he will continue to make the future of NJPW. He said the Goto revolution would continue forever. Goto then posed with his title as gold confetti dropped down all around him.
They showed Goto backstage at the press conference table. Sabre walked up and said he wanted to challenge him one more time before G1. They toasted beers and it appears they will have another match before G1.
Contact Sean at pwtorchsean@gmail.com. Follow him at Bluesky @SeanRadican
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