Earlier in the evening titles changed hands. Would that happen now? In the main event, Kota Ibushi comes to the ring with the G1 Climax briefcase as he faces the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada. Okada comes out with an extravagant entrance truly setting the stage. From the cascading rain to the money tossed from the ceiling of the Tokyo Dome. Okada had a record of 18 and 3 in 2019 with one loss being to Kota Ibushi.
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As both men lockup in the center of the ring, Ibushi ties up Okada first. It really is a game of cat and mouse between the two men. Each time Okada appears to have the advantage, Ibushi is able to recover and return the favor. Once the match is taken to the outside, Okada hits a draping DDT on Ibushi from the railing to the padded floor. Ibushi kicks out at one. The champion is trying to push Ibushi but the challenger fires back only to get caught in a DDT once again.
Each time the G1 Climax winner appears to have an answer the champion wipes him out.
We know Naito will face the winner of this match tomorrow at New Year’s Dash for the chance to be a double champion. Okada ties up Ibushi with a submission attempt in the middle of the ring. The champion then climbs the top rope and hits an elbow drop on Ibushi below. In what was an attempted backflip kick on Okada, Ibushi lands on his own head. It looked like he missed how far away the champion was from him.
Ibushi recovers and hits a double stomp on Okada. He then hits a powerbomb on the champion but only for a count of two. Just when Ibushi appears to set up, Okada hits a dropkick and then a tombstone piledriver on the challenger. Okada then hits a forearm uppercut on Ibushi. However, after two consecutive uppercuts, Ibushi appears unphased. He doesn’t go down. Ibushi gets back up after a shotgun dropkick too. The referee sees that Ibushi is cold as ice here flat striking the champion. Okada attempts to coverup and the referee is trying to pull Ibushi off the champion. Ibushi looks to have gone in a dark place.
The challenger is then caught with a tombstone piledriver on the ring apron
Ibushi makes it back in the ring avoiding the pinfall but is caught with a neckbreaker by the champion. The challenger recovers to hit a gut-wrench German suplex into the ring from the ring apron on the champion. Okada recovers and hits a tombstone piledriver. When he appears to set up for the Rainmaker clothesline, Ibushi connected with one instead! Ibushi hits a series of running knee strikes but they don’t finish Okada. Just as the challenger tries to finish off the champion, Okada recovers with a desperation dropkick.
Both men exchange blows in the middle of the ring. When it appears Okada has the advantage Ibushi drills the champion and collapses. Ibushi climbs the top rope and attempts a tiger driver on Okada who breaks it and knocks him down. The challenger caught Okada mid-air with a powerbomb but only for a count of two. Ibushi missed the Phoenix splash. Okada then hits two Rainmakers and Ibushi kicks out! Kazuchika Okada hits a third on a prone Ibushi and then a fourth. The champion then picks up Ibushi who recovers and hits a V-trigger but caught with another rainmaker for the finish.
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