The 10 most memorable NJPW matches of 2021
The global pandemic might not have affected any wrestling company more than NJPW. At one point, New Japan Pro Wrestling was considered by many fans to be the second biggest promotion in the business. However, times have changed with the emergence of All Elite Wrestling.
The COVID-19 shutdown of live events across the world starting in 2020 has heavily diminished the atmosphere of NJPW events. New Japan was the first major wrestling promotion to choose to hold live fans in attendance under restrictions, but the various increases in the spread of the virus has caused those limitations on the crowd to never subdue.
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Despite all of this against them, New Japan Pro Wrestling has a stellar roster full of talent that offered superb professional wrestling on a consistent basis in 2021. Some of the most fondly remembered contests of the year took place in the King of Sports. In this listicle, let's take a look at the ten most memorable NJPW matches of 2021.
#10 Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (NJPW Dominion 2021)
Shingo Takagi has defeated Kazuchika Okada at #NJPW Dominion to become new #IWGP World Heavyweight Champion https://t.co/6we4Sb2X9F
NJPW's most polarizing decision of the year was changing the design of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. The title was met with instant criticism and seemed cursed after the first two owners of the gold. Kota Ibushi introduced the new design and lost his first defense, while Will Ospreay defended the title once and immediately relinquished it due to injury.
To determine a new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, NJPW announced a showdown between Kazuchika Okada and Shingo Takagi at Dominion 2021. The two men had traded wins over the past year, with Okada beating Shingo in the G1 Climax 30 and then Takagi defeating The Rainmaker in the New Japan Cup 2021 tournament.
The Dominion 2021 main event was filled with drama as the Osaka crowd wasn't sure who would walk out with the gold. The intensity in the action escalated as time went on. When this contest hit third gear, it never let up and led to a tremendous closing sequence.
Shingo Takagi pulled out his biggest victory in NJPW yet by defeating Okada with the Last of the Dragon to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. The title change felt like an important moment for the company, with the Dragon becoming a made man after coming into New Japan Pro Wrestling as an outsider.