NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night 1: Results, Grades, and Analysis

Kazuchika Okada (c) (CHAOS) vs. Kota Ibushi – IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Okada had one of the best entrances I’ve ever seen for this match. There is no one like him in wrestling today. He carries himself like no other, and he is truly the greatest wrestler in the world, if not of all time. Ibushi is right there with him. Both men started the match with a slower pace, working with hammerlocks and wristlocks.

Both men spent the first few minutes trying to see who could get the advantage. Okada hit a shoulder block, and Ibushi immediately kicked up and both men started exchanging forearms. Okada went for the Rainmaker, but Ibushi ducked under and hit several kicks before hitting a standing moonsault for a 2 count.

Ibushi broke the stalemate and locked on a chin lock, trying to wear Okada down. Both men are in this one for the long term and are pacing as such. Okada made the ropes, and then tried to hit forearms when they stood up, so Ibushi kicked the living crap out of him to drop him. Okada hit the ropes and hit a running elbow to knock Ibushi down.

Okada hit a DDT for a 2 count. Okada asked Ibushi to hit him, and he did, but he hit Ibushi with another DDT. Okada yelled “Ask him ref!” while he had a chin lock on, but as they got to their feet, Ibushi hit a dropkick that saw both men down. Ibushi was up first and hit several strikes and then a running kick.

Ibushi ended up on the top rope but Okada dropkicked him to the floor and then booted Ibushi over the guardrail. Okada ran and hit his diving crossbody on Ibushi, as both men crashed to the floor. Okada played to the crowd and they popped huge. Okada locked on a type of Red Ink submission but Ibushi made the ropes. Okada hit a flying elbow drop on Ibushi and then called for the Rainmaker.

Okada went for it, but Ibushi ducked and went for the Pele. He fell a little short, and landed directly on his head, but Okada sort of caught him, saving him from more trauma from it. Okada went for the tombstone, but Ibushi floated out and hit the Bastard Driver, as Chris Charlton called it, for a 2 count.

Ibushi ran at Okada, but Okada sent him backwards and went for the shotgun dropkick, but Ibushi leapt into the air and crushed Okada with a double stomp. Ibushi ran at the ropes and hit the Golden Triangle moonsault on Okada to the floor! After an exchange in the middle of the ring, Ibushi hit the Last Ride for a 2 count.

Ibushi called for the Bomaye, and ran for it, but Okada, hearing the chant of “Yeaoh!” popped up and dropkicked the crap out of Ibushi. Okada wouldn’t let Ibushi use his best friend’s move, as Nakamura, despite being in WWE, is still CHAOS through and through. Okada went for a tombstone, but Ibushi fought out. Okada hit an uppercut that sent Ibushi to the mat, and then he followed with another.

Ibushi didn’t go down and looked angry. Okada tried two more, and then slapped Ibushi. Ibushi chopped the crap out of Okada, but Okada hit a shotgun dropkick. Ibushi just got right up and he punched Okada in the face. The referee told him not to used the closed fist, as Ibushi stood over him and started kicking and beating on Okada with brutal strikes.

The crowd actually started to boo Ibushi here, as he ignored the ref and beat on Okada. Ibushi went for the deadlift German suplex into the ring, but Okada countered into trying the tombstone. Ibushi countered out and tried to lawn dart Okada into the metal ring post, but Okada avoided death and tombstoned Ibushi on the apron.

Ibushi barely made it in, so Okada hit a neckbreaker and a got a 2 count before he hit Heavy Rain for a 2 count. Okada hit a German suplex, and Ibushi crashed onto his head. Okada grabbed he wrist, setting up for the Rainmaker. Okada tried to do the rolling Rainmaker, but Ibushi responded with a lariat of his own.

Ibushi managed to hit the deadlift German suplex from the apron into the ring, causing Okada to crash onto the mat. Okada kicked out at 2. Okada countered another lawn dart and hit a tombstone and went for the Rainmaker, but Ibushi responded with a Rainmaker of his own, smashing Okada right in the head.

Ibushi hit a Bomaye, but Okada kicked out at 1! Ibushi hit another, and Okada kicked out at 2! Ibushi kicked Okada right in the head hit the Kamigoye! Okada kicked out! Ibushi went for one more, but as he pulled Okada in, Okada nailed him with a dropkick! Okada and Ibushi got to their knees and started exchanging forearms.

As they got back to their feet they continued striking, neither man giving an inch. Ibushi got the better of it and kicked Okada right in the head twice to drop him, and then a sole butt, but both men were down again. Ibushi got up first and put Okada on the top rope. Ibushi went for either Bloody Sunday or a Tiger Driver from the top rope. Okada fought out.

Okada went for a dropkick off the top rope, but Ibushi caught him in a powerbomb for a 2 count! Ibushi set Okada on the mat and went for a Phoenix Splash, but Okada dodged and hit a spinning Rainmaker! Okada picked him up and hit the Rainmaker! Ibushi kicked out at 2! Okada was still holding the wrist and pulled Ibushi to his feet and hit another Rainmaker!

Okada held on and pulled him back up one more time and hit one more! Okada posed with the Rainmaker pose and went again, but Ibushi ducked and kicked Okada and hit a V-Trigger! Okada responded with a sit-out tombstone piledriver! Okada picked up Ibushi and hit one more Rainmaker and finally got the pinfall!

Result: Kazuchika Okada

Rating: ******1/2 (6.5 stars)

Well, that match was everything and more. Holy crap, that was incredible. Ibushi and Okada tore the house down, and now we know what the main event of night 2 is going to be. I hope Ibushi is okay, as he took several hard bumps. This is going to be hard to beat as the match of the year, and I don’t think anyone will come close to topping it, unless it’s Okada and Naito tomorrow night.

Naito came out and cut a promo, asking if Okada remembered what he said a few years ago when him and Naito were in the main event. Okada said that he and Naito would meet in the main event of the Toyko Dome again, and Naito said that the time had come. Naito promised that he was going to beat Okada this time and take the IWGP Heavyweight Championship from him.

The crowd exploded and cheered for both men and they faced off, both posing with their titles. Naito left the ring, ready for tomorrow night. Okada was left to close the show. Okada thanked everyone that showed up, thanked Ibushi for the fight of his life. Okada talked about how what he said 2 years ago didn’t matter, and he doesn’t give a crap what Naito thinks. He’s the strongest IWGP Heavyweight Champion ever, and he is promising to win tomorrow.

He thanked the fans again and thanked them in advance for tomorrow. The fans chanted “Okada” very loudly. He said that the fans have seen the best of NJPW and the best of Okada, and he hoped to see everyone tomorrow because he was going to make it rain again. My goodness, this was an incredible promo from Okada. NJPW has clearly made the right choice in making him the ace of the company, because there is no one like him in wrestling.

NJPW has the greatest wrestler of all time as their top guy right now. However, NJPW knows that it is also now or never for Naito to win. I can’t wait for tomorrow night. Naito and Okada are so massively over, and the fact that both men are, has allowed NJPW to do two Tokyo Dome shows in a row. NJPW is hotter than ever right now, and I can’t wait for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night 2. This was only night 1 of NJPW’s triple header, so we have two more nights left. I am so excited.

Show Rating: ****** (6 stars)

I believe this is the highest show rating I have ever given out, but everything here was a great build, and everything paid off with an absolutely incredible main event that is one of the greatest matches I’ve ever seen. NJPW has done it again, and they are truly the best big event wrestling company in the world. This is an amazing start to a historic weekend for NJPW, as Okada cements his legacy as the greatest wrestler of all time.

Outside of that, NJPW has also done great things with Moxley, getting him over as the mad man that can’t be stopped. Kota Ibushi hasn’t lost a thinking, and NJPW will likely push him as champion at some point. Ospreay and Hiromu also tore the house down, and Naito and White had a very good match as well. The top 3 matches of the night show that the best wrestling in the world happens in NJPW.