Highlights: Kazuchika Okada Beats Chris Jericho to Retain Title at NJPW Dominion
June 9, 2019
Kazuchika Okada defeated Chris Jericho at New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Dominion in Osaka, Japan, on Sunday to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
Ethan Renner of F4WOnline.com relayed the finish of the match:
"Jericho sent Okada into the exposed buckle. Okada ducked the Judas Effect. Jericho ducked the Rainmaker. Jericho tried for a Codebreaker, but Okada caught him. Okada sat down, trapping Jericho in a cradle for the pin.
"Jericho attacked Okada after the bell. He landed punches, then grabbed a chair. He hit Okada with the chair, then hit the Judas Effect. He placed the chair over Okada's neck, then sent him into the post."
Hiroshi Tanahashi saved Okada from Jericho's post-match attack, presumably setting up another dream match for NJPW this summer or even further down the road at Wrestle Kingdom 14 in January.
New Japan provided highlights from the match on Twitter:
Sunday's dream match came to fruition last month at Wrestling Dontaku after Okada successfully defended against Sanada. In a pre-taped video package, Jericho challenged The Rainmaker to a title match at Dominion.
Okada accepted, and the stage was set for two of the biggest stars in wrestling to lock horns for the first time in their careers.
After dropping the IWGP Heavyweight title to Kenny Omega at Dominion last year, Okada recaptured it in April when he beat Jay White in the main event of the G1 Supercard at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Prior to Sunday, Jericho's last match for New Japan was at Wrestle Kingdom 13 in January, when he lost the IWGP Intercontinental Championship to Tetsuya Naito seven months after beating him for it.
Jericho subsequently signed with All Elite Wrestling, but he retained the right to continue taking dates with NJPW provided it didn't interfere with his AEW schedule.
At last month's Double or Nothing pay-per-view, Jericho beat Omega to earn the right to face Adam "Hangman" Page for the AEW World Championship. That match will take place at All Out on Aug. 31.
Since Jericho is in the AEW world title picture and figures to be a weekly fixture on AEW programming when its television show debuts on TNT later this year, few expected Y2J to beat Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Dominion.
With Okada retaining over Jericho, the door is now open for Jericho to focus on his AEW responsibilities, while a new challenger could now emerge to face Okada for his IWGP Heavyweight title.
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