NJPW Dominion 2017: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega video highlights

The first time that Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega met in 2017, it was an unforgettable classic — so what did they do for an encore at NJPW Dominion?

By their own individual merits, Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega are two of the best professional wrestlers in the world. However, they took even that to new heights at Wrestle Kingdom 11. In the main event for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, the two put on an all-time great match. And for NJPW Dominion 2017, they were tasked with putting on an encore.

Okada defeated Omega in the initial bout at Wrestle Kingdom. That then made way for rumors that the latter might leave New Japan for elsewhere in wrestling. Instead, he stayed, but hadn’t been at the very top of the card since. Yet, after Wrestling Dontaku in May, the still-champion Okada changed that quickly.

After defeating another member of the Bullet Club, Bad Luck Fale, in the main event, Okada took the microphone. He looked to Kenny Omega and issued a challenge to him. The champion wanted to go with him once more, this time in the main event of Dominion. Thus, the match was set, a sequel to a match that the famed Dave Metlzer rated an unprecedented six stars.

Following up their first match is a task that few could live up to. However, there was palpable excitement leading into NJPW Dominion. That’s because, if anyone would be able to do it, it’s these two. They’re two of the very best in the world with incredible versatility and phenomenal chemistry. Thus, it’s just magic when they’re in the ring together.

So, what happened in Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega 2 at NJPW Dominion? Catch up with the quick recap and highlights below.

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Highlights, recap

As you’d expect with these two, the action started out slow. There was plenty of taunting and chain wrestling, but neither champion or challenger seemed fully able to gain control. Anything substantial that was tried was countered time and again. When Omega fled to the outside to try and rest, though, Okada took a huge dive to the outside that took his opponent out, but injured his knee on the landing.

The champion attempted to stay up and on top of the challenger. However, the opportunistic Omega dropkicked the knee as Okada was coming back into the ring. Subsequently, he was able to start absolutely eviscerating the knee with strikes and submissions. He then delivered a massive blow with a huge knee breaker onto a table outside.

As it has in the past, though, arrogance caught up to Omega as he tried to continue attacking the knee. Okada fought through the pain and began to get after the challenger and deliver some offense of his own. Even when the leader of the Bullet Club tried to get the upper hand again, Okada stayed on top of him with some beautiful transitions and holds.

The action then spilled to the outside, Omega somewhat trying to catch his breath again, but also being put over the barricade by Okada. Then the champion went high-risk again, hitting a massive crossbody over the barricade that sent the challenger to the ground.

Back in the ring, though, both men were feeling the effects of that collision. Thus, the jockeying for control continued. Ultimately, it was Kenny Omega who came out ahead just barely. When he sent his opponent to the outside, he then dipped into the high-risk arsenal, hitting a monstrous Asai Moonsault to the outside.

The mean streak of Omega then came out as he rolled Okada back into the ring. With the champion stunned in the center of the ring, Omega went up top once again and hit a vicious dropkick to the back of the champ’s head.

Following that nasty move, the challenger looked to capture the gold as he looked for the One-Winged Angel. Instead, Okada fought out and the two men were left with a test of will of strength, trading hard shots and elbows in the middle of the squared circle. A massive chop finally sent Okada to the ground.

However, that advantage was short-lived. Omega again tried to go up top, but the champ was able to thwart the effort. The two then did battle on the top rope in the corner, looking to hit something devastating. Nothing happened from the top, but when they came down to the apron, Okada came through. He finally got the challenger up and then brought him crashing down with thunderous death valley driver on the apron.

With Omega obviously beaten down, Okada started to go in for the kill. He stood the challenger up and then sent him flying with one of the biggest dropkicks in the history of mankind. Omega flew into the railing and was further incapacitated.

Okada, desperate to dish out more punishment, then introduced a table from under the ring. However, that bit of time allowed Omega to get to his feet. As such, the two went back-and-forth in the ring, trying to send the other to the outside and through the table. That didn’t happen then, but the champion was able to get rolling as he sniped Omega out of the air with another dropkick and then hit a top-rope elbow drop.

The challenger, however, would not stay down. And after fighting back to get some room, he got the champion positioned on the top rope. Omega then unleashed a massive knee-lock superplex to further punish the injured body part.

This time, he stayed on the attack. He looked for the V-Trigger, was countered, but then flipped out of that to hit his move.

Even that wasn’t enough to do in the champ, though. He fought out of another One-Winged Angel attempt, and returned the favor with back-to-back German suplexes. That set up a Rainmaker and it looked like it could be over.

But the challenger kicked out.

Looking for the kill, Okada then tried to deliver a big dropkick. He sent Omega off the ropes and was looking to meet him with his feet. However, the challenger caught him mid-air with a crazy powerbomb counter.

That’s when Omega looked for a snap-dragon suplex. However, Okada turned out and tried to set up a Rainmaker, but even that was no good as Omega offered a counter of his own and hit the snap-dragon.

Ever resilient, the champion still wasn’t out. He fought back and caught Omega with a big dropkick. Okada then took his opponent to the outside and laid him out on the table. Going for broke, the champ climbed to the top rope and hit a massive elbow drop to put both men through the table.

As you’d expect, both men were left in a ton of pain from that spot. Once they finally rolled back in the ring, Okada started unloading dropkicks. He first hit a big missile off the top rope, then unleashed a flurry to a seated Omega. However, the positioning left Omega under the ropes, no good for a pin.

The champ then seemed to almost taunt his foe. Omega couldn’t even stand, but was still trying to fight with body shots. Okada was unamused, though, catching the risk and putting his challenger through a pair of Rainmakers. But for whatever reason, he didn’t feel that was enough. Things then started to break down. Cody came down to the ring and tried to throw the towel in for his beaten down leader. However, the Young Bucks stopped him.

Distracted by all of this, Okada then tried to hit another Rainmaker. This was enough room for Omega to come to with one final bit of fury, though. He ducked it, hit a massive knee, and then a nasty reverse hurricanrana. He then looked for the V-Trigger again, but was met with a dropkick.

With the action now in a frenzy, Omega fought back and delivered another knee before hitting the V-Trigger to the back of Okada’s head. After trying numerous times and Okada fighting out, Kenny Omega was finally able to hit the One-Winged Angel.

However, just as the referee was about to count to three, the champion got his foot on the rope to break the pin count. And sure enough, both men were hurt, but Okada dug deep and seemingly from nothing came out with a monster Rainmaker.

Both men having taken a ton of damage, they then stood toe-to-toe once again. Delivering blows to one another again, Omega floored the champion and then hit another snap-dragon. As he fired up for something else, though, he walked into another huge dropkick.

This led to another exchange of blows, but when Okada thought he had the upper hand, he ate two massive knees. Despite the champion getting offense, Kenny Omega still went for the kill. However, when he looked for a second One-Winged Angel, he was met with counter into a Tombstone.

Rather than cover, though, Okada then looked for a final Rainmaker to seal the deal. Just before impact, however, Omega collapsed out of the way of the clothesline.

Going back on the attack, the champ looked for another Tombstone. Omega fought back, though. He was able to buy a bit of time, hitting a massive right and then kicking a downed Okada. With a huge knee strike, the challenger put Okada on his back. However, he realized the urgency of the situation with the 60-minute time limit approaching. Thus, he hit the V-Trigger again. But wanting to finish with the One-Winged Angel cost him. The champion countered with a dropkick. He then moved that into a spinning Tombstone, but was too beat down to capitalize with a cover.

The time limit approaching rapidly, the two men both looked for pin attempts, but both came up empty. As such, both were left gassed and running on nothing but heart and adrenaline.

With only one minute remaining, Okada looked for a Rainmaker, but Omega caught him and hit another snap-dragon. When he tried for the finish again, though, the champion hit yet another dropkick and then finally landed the Rainmaker.

Time continued to wind down, though. And the champion didn’t have enough left in the tank for the cover. As he tried to crawl for the pin, the time ran out, the match ending in a 60-minute time limit draw.

Both men were left completely exhausted and laid out in the ring, no winner decided.

So, with all of the talk of topping the Wrestle Kingdom 11 match, they may have just done that at NJPW Dominion 2017.