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Preview of New Japan's Dominion in Osaka on June 9, 2024:
IWGP Tag Team Championship and Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship - Four Way Tornado Tag Elimination match: Chase Owens and KENTA vs. El Phantasmo and Hikuleo vs. Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Mikey Nichols and Shane Haste
This is a cluster match involving two titles. Guerillas of Destiny held both titles earlier in the year, then split it up again. All these men will probably be in the G1 Climax so the tag team titles will not be emphasized as much. Forbidden Door is coming up so El Phantasmo and Hikuleo would be the best team that would appeal to a New York audience.
NJPW World Television Championship: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Jeff Cobb
This is Jeff Cobb's first singles title in New Japan which he won in May 2024. He should not lose it in his first defense.
Provisional KOPW 2024 Championship: Yuya Uemura vs. Great O-Khan
This is also Uemura's first "title" in the company. He is getting pushed so I do not think he should lose this match. O-Khan has helped to build younger talent as they get established in New Japan. This will continue here.
NEVER Openweight Championship: Shingo Takagi vs. HENARE
This will be a fun match. HENARE has had good stiff matches with Takagi and this will be a good one. However, I do not see HENARE taking the title yet. He just came back from life threatening injury. G1 is also coming soon so both men will need to be healthy for that long grind. I see HENARE coming close against Takagi, performing well in the G1 and having another match with Takagi, perhaps at Wrestle Kingdom.
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Jon Moxley vs. EVIL
The Moxley experiment is over. Roman Reigns caught flack for being World Champion and not being on TV. Same situation. Japanese fans deserve to have a champion being at live shows. EVIL will take the title and House of Torture will rule and create chaos throughout New Japan for the rest of the year, building their heat. Shota Umino is clearly being pushed hard by New Japan, and now by the previous generation of wrestlers. I see Umino winning the G1 Climax and going to Wrestle Kingdom to face EVIL. When Tama Tonga left New Japan early this year, Umino promised him that he would take the NEVER Openweight Title from EVIL. He never fulfilled that promise. They are now setting up Umino to fulfill that promise and finish his story.
Finals of Best of the Super Junior 31: El Desperado vs. Taiji Ishimori
The winner will get a title shot at the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title. Ishimori vs. SHO? Bullet Club vs. Bullet Club? Possible, but not necessarily a draw. El Desperado winning makes sense. El Desperado has an upcoming Pay Per View, the Despe-Invitacional, coming on June 10. Desperado lost the IWGP Jr. Title to SHO at New Beginning in February. Desperado wins the BOSJ 31 and gets his revenge against SHO and takes his title back.
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