7 Times Wrestling Dontaku Main Event Wasn’t For IWGP Heavyweight Championship

2019 – Dragon Lee vs. Taiji Ishimori – IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship

The main event of most of the big New Japan shows is usually dominated by heavyweight wrestlers. 2019 was an exception as the first of the two Dontaku shows was headlined by Dragon Lee defending the IWGP Jr Championship against Taiji Ishimori. The division is often overlooked, but this match combined the talents of a veteran Jr in Ishimori and the rising star in Dragon Lee.

Surprisingly, the match’s first minute was a much slower pace, showing that not all Jr wrestling is about high flying. Yet, it sped up quickly, and fans saw a match that seemed like a piece of beautiful choreography. The chemistry between Dragon Lee and Ishimori was undeniable as they made the most of their time, changed pace, and kept fans on the edge of their seats.

Dragon Lee retained the title, and the duo had a very different main event from what fans were used to. However, it was a true showcase of the junior division, showcasing the diversity of the wrestlers and their ability to put on amazing shows. For many, it was one of the best matches from both wrestlers and set the standard for Jr wrestling that year.

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2021 – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jay White – NEVER Openweight Championship

Like the previous years, 2021’s Dontaku event also saw two shows showcasing the best of New Japan. The main event was Hiroshi Tanahashi v Jay White for the NEVER Openweight Championship on the first night. The feud between the two wrestlers had been going on for what seemed like years, and it showed in the quality of the match.

As expected from two people with such a long history, the fight was brutal. Jay White tried to stall the match at the start, but Tanahashi knew his tricks and wouldn’t let White off the hook. The match combined two very different styles and personalities, but they surprisingly meshed beautifully.

In the end, White managed to beautifully reverse a dragon suplex into a Blade Runner for the win. For a championship like the NEVER title to get the main event spot at Dontaku showed how much the division was elevated at this time. The match featured two of the best wrestlers in the company and cemented that shows don’t need prestige from the titles to the main event, just amazing wrestlers.

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• Riki Choshu
• Antonio Inoki
• Hiroshi Tanahashi
• Jay White
• DONTAKU
• Shinsuke Nakamura
• NJPW

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