[7.0] "This was merely good for probably the first 3/4ths but then very good for the final 1/4th. With Goto's miracle run seemingly having already accomplished its goal, and with Naito and also LIJ the unit now gone, it felt possible Shingo could be elevated with a title win here, so there was good interest coming into this match. I enjoyed the approach of Shingo -- after their courtesy 50/50 interactions in the opening -- soon gaining control and delivering a good beatdown for a while. There wasn't anything too special in what he did aside from one or two cool spots, and I wouldn't say he was going above and beyond with his brutality or anything, but it was all still good stuff. He's definitely a guy whose offence is rather overexposed because he does all the exact same signature moves and spots in literally every single match year after year, so some of his otherwise cool work doesn't hit the same anymore, but I still thought he impressed here. Goto did well selling throughout the beatdown and he also showed decent fire as he fought back, but I couldn't help but feel that he'd reverted back to his 2016-2018 self, where I can clearly see he's trying to show character and go for memorable offence, but his facial expressions and cries come off a bit too hollow and his moves all seem to land a bit too lightly despite his efforts. His title win against Sabre was the first time in a long time that he'd fully won me over as both a character and a worker, but without that special scenario and thus special motivation to elevate him here, it felt like maybe he was back to being just a good wrestler but not a great one. By contrast, Shingo showed a lot more intensity in his offence and felt far more naturally charismatic, which was why I was again leaning towards hoping for a Shingo win here. Goto's eventual big comeback led to the match's obligatory rapid trades and big spots, and while they were working a rather predictable rhythm there with the sort of moves and counters you've seen a million times before, they were at least putting in a good amount of energy and showing strong chemistry with it all. I unfortunately knew I couldn't buy into that first set of big trades because NJPW has conditioned me over the last decade that for IWGP World/Heavyweight Title matches, especially at major shows, there will be at least one finisher kick-out and then probably a few other finishers (without follow-up pins) before the match can end, almost like how some companies won't allow their big matches to end until there've been a dozen run-ins. This sadly meant that I knew not to buy into either Shingo's Made in Japan (which isn't protected anyways) or even the Last of the Dragon. I'd love if NJPW's power-scaling reverted back to where big moves and finishers were rarer and more protected, but I sadly can't switch off from being aware of what the current 'meta' is. What was good, though, was that with those obligatory "finishers that don't actually finish the match" then out of the way, the drama could properly begin to shine through, as they did a really good job rallying back with their well-timed big strikes and eventually the explosive conclusion with Goto's Shouten Kai, which thankfully didn't just result in another finisher kick-out, as Goto was instead understandably too exhausted to make a cover at all. This was when I was finally convinced that the match could end at any moment, and from then on each big move and counter felt like it could indeed do just that. I really liked the idea of Shingo being insanely hard to keep down, since that meant you could never get too comfortable no matter how solidly in control Goto appeared to be, since there was the ever-present feeling of danger in the air that Shingo would only need a split second to fire off a big bomb in order to immediately turn the tide. Shingo's kick-out of Goto's very well-executed GTR counter to the Last of the Dragon could've been overkill but it was at least protected because Goto was again quite exhausted and thus could only follow up with a delayed cover, plus it came in the finishing stretch anyways, so it's not like they wasted that finisher by going on to do another 3 minutes of stuff. Besides, Goto instead finished the match with an AWESOME ripcord variant of the GTR, which had shock factor of being so unexpected while also looking both flashy and powerful. As commentary mentioned, it seemed almost like a nice nod to Okada, given the ripcord set-up. While there's definitely stuff I've become rather numb to in terms of the NJPW main-event formulas and also the stylings of both these wrestlers, they undeniably managed to still impress me here by the end because of how intense and explosive they got. I'd absolutely love to see wrestlers as physically and athletically gifted as these two attempt to tell stories and perform segments and sequences that didn't just follow the exact same formulas that the company has been milking for the last 10 years, because I know they'd create some far more meaningful matches and performances that way. That doesn't even mean they'd have to reinvent the wheel each time they wrestle, but for these big matches they should at least try to make significant periods feel more unique. Anyways, despite how jaded I am with the modern NJPW big-match style, both guys still won me over with it and produced a really fun match. I definitely think Goto is far more compelling when he's doing less of his whiny selling for sympathy and struggling to fire up and instead just fully focussed on intensely smashing his opponent as viciously as possible like how he was in those final few minutes, since that's when his character work feels genuinely convincing and damn exciting. I guess this Goto is indeed more compelling than his previous self whom I'd become pretty bored of, but I wish he'd tap into that character faster. ***1/2"
[9.0] "The best match was saved for last. This was just two hard-hitters going out there and doing their thing. Despite being a massive Takagi fan, Goto getting the win here was the right call, and I'm glad he's getting some really good defenses under his belt (no pun intended)."
[9.0] "This was an awesome match. After many years of falling short, Hirooki Goto finally got his shot to be the guy after he beat Zack Sabre Jr for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Meanwhile, Shingo Takagi had previously won the belt during the Covid era and he wanted to win it again, this time with fans being able to cheer and make noise, something they weren't allowed to do when Shingo had the title. These were two similar wrestlers in that they weren't the biggest wrestlers, but they were tough guys who can fight. This was indeed a fight as these two beat each other up. They kicked out of each other's big moves such as the Last of the Dragon and the GTR. Goto even used Kaiten and Shouten Kai, moves that used to be finishers of his that he doesn't use as often as he once did. Goto finally managed to win after he hit the GTR Kai. This match was a great showing for both men and showed that Goto always had the tools to succeed as a world champion. ****1/2"
[9.0] "This match was incredible. Hirooki Goto's title reign was one of the best IWGP Heavyweight runs I've ever seen, and this match turned into a masterpiece with one of his best in-ring complements. Both guys worked the hell outta each other's heads and even turned every post-finisher kickout into something special. Easily the second-best match of Dominion 6.15."
[6.0] "that was okay at its best tbh i just don't get it this njpw main event style is hit or miss to me but damn that was really boring and not interesting like at all i could'nt get into it i wanted to love it as much as most did but yeah that was not memorable."
[6.0] "I mean it was good but a pretty standard New Japan match. I really expected more, I've always liked Shingo Takagi and Hirooki Goto has grown on me as a champion so i figured this would be an easy watch. In reality it was a pretty by the numbers opening with a cool final stretch, all done competently and without anything remotely new or interesting to offer. Again this is a good match but I fail to see what is upper echelon about this match. Maybe trim some fat off of it and I'd like it more but this will be pretty forgettable to me"
[8.0] "This was a great main event and title defence for Goto, while the first half was slightly plodding, it set up a brilliant second half which was thoroughly exciting throughout. Even knowing the result I fell for some of the nearfalls and both men just put on a clinic of their respective spots. Goto of course managed the win with a GTR Kai and this was excellent, a very solid main event. Well worth a watch for sure."
[9.0] "Great main-event, the first half had some interesting but also numerous not interesting bits so the finish left me craving for more; nevertheless the Lariats and the last GTR were brutal though. ****1/2"
[9.0] "A tad long and a tad going through the motions for the first 20 minutes, though still good for sure. The last 5-10 minutes were admittedly excellent though and had you on the edge of your seat for a potential new champ. ****1/2"
[6.0] "Another dull and overly long match capping off a night of matches ranging from abysmal to mediocre. It feels like Goto's continued reign is just further evidence of New Japan's inability to get any of the young guys over. The ending sequence was OK, but not good enough to justify a more positive score."
[8.0] "****3/4 a very great match, the best of the night without a doubt, a MOTY Contender and Goto's best defense so far, a very great chemistry, great intensity, very great sequences, a very great NJPW style rhythm with a slower but intense start that increased as time went by, a very good duration they knew how to use their time excellent, a very great kick-out from Takagi to the GTR that I genuinely thought was the end of the match, and a very great ending, with both going for the win, a very involved audience, and that final sequence with Goto reversing the Last Of The Dragon transforming it into a GTR and Shingo doing an unexpected kick-out, and I really liked that Fighting Spirit with Takagi trying to fight Goto but unable to stay on his feet, and Goto applying a second GTR to defeat Shingo, Goto is easily having the best reign of the IWGP world title"
[9.0] "A slow burn type of match. It starts out with a snail pace than slowly picks up into a fast pace of action toward the end. I am not a big fan of slow burn matches. Especially if they last too long. However, I give this match the exception to the rule. I really liked the reversals in this match. Especially when Goto reversed Shingo Takagi's move into his finisher. I thought man that would have been a good finished but they actually have an even better finish at the end. Overall I have to give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. That start really killed it for me to even consider it a 5 star match. However, I think it is an amazing match still."
[8.0] "Classic NJPW style main event. It starts a bit low, and I was worried for a while it wouldn't kick into that next gear. It does take a minute to get there, a slow burn of a match, but the last five minutes or so are phenomenal. Not that the preceding 20 were bad, they were quite good, I just felt you could've maybe shaved five minutes off this and gotten a tighter match. Still a good match and a definite recommendation and contender for Goto's best defence, even if I prefer the Finlay match. 4 stars."
[6.0] "I admit, when Goto beat Sabre for the title they got me, I was happy for the guy and he turned in a really strong performance on that night. Since then he has returned to being the guy I always thought he was before, a fine wrestler who just isn't super interesting. Here he has a very decent but pretty generic NJPW main event style match, complete with a bloated run time that in my opinion should have been cut down by at least 5 minutes. Fine match, not memorable to me."
[9.0] "A slow start but once these two got going, this reached that familiar NJPW main event feel. The counters, the emotion, the borrowing from your opponents moveset. Goto has been an excellent champion and it's crazy to think about this being his 7th title defense. He just exudes a world champion aura and Shingo is the perfect challenger. Shingo was just throwing bombs at Goto and he forced him to match his pace and his explosiveness. Goto has one of the dopest movesets in wrestling and this was the perfect match for him to empty his bag. That twisting GTR was nasty."
[9.0] "This was an amazing main event to Dominion; this match could've gone either way, and ultimately Goto ended up retaining. The crowd was hot for this match as well, and there were numerous great false finishes for both wrestlers. 4.5/5"
[7.0] "i personally don't agree with the rating of this match or this being the match of the night. To me it was good but it was to long. It took entirely way to long for it to actually get going in the match just way to slow of a build up for me and was hard to pay attention during that. But once it did get going it was great and for sure saved the match for me. 4 stars"
"What an absolute battle! Hirooki Goto, with his never-say-quit attitude, went head-to-head with Shingo Takagi, who brought his incredible power and aggressive style. It was a non-stop, hard-hitting contest from start to finish, with both wrestlers refusing to back down. Every strike and every move was delivered with intense force, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats. Ultimately, it was a test of wills, and the fighting spirit of both men shone through in a truly memorable and impactful match. A must-see for anyone who loves intense wrestling!"
[9.0] "[4, 75 Stars] Finally, the disastrous Dominion crowd woke up for this huge match. The 2 are monsters, frankly, I wouldn't say no to a rematch at WK. (****, 75)."
[8.0] "I thought these two did a terrific job of making Shingo seem like Goto's toughest, most credible challenger thus far. There were plenty of mirror image moments and the struggle down the stretch kept you guessing without resorting to the spirit shortcuts that blight so much of Takagi's work ****"
[6.0] "Fairly uninteresting move trading back and forth for most of the match. Very Okada-esque main event. Crowd is there for it and everything technically looks good, but there's not much to it and I wasn't interested or invested at all. Then just a little bit before the 25 minute call it suddenly gets awesome and stays that way until the end. I feel like we already worked out that around 20 minute Goto main events were the way to go, not sure why we needed to relearn that lesson by having a build-up that went too long!"
[9.0] "Goto retains and the Goto Revolution rolls on! Hell of a match and easily best match on the card. They gave it everything and it's as good as you'd expect from Goto and Shingo. Hell of a fight and that final GTR was brutal."
[9.0] "Very very very good. Smooth in all the right places and rough in all the right places. Whilst not exactly new territory, I do really like these two's chemistry together. How their moves just seem to flow together with such struggle and intensity is something I really loved in the closing stretch. It's a surprisingly tense nail biter as I'd almost convinced myself Takagi was going to turn heel, which was a dumb worry."
[10.0] "This match was incredible and woke me back up immediately. I watched all the Shingo Goto matches the day of but I think this was there best one so far. The first couple mins were solid and Shingo gets control and does the usual awesome Shingo stuff. Eventually going to the outside where Goto hits a brutal looking GTR on the floor and man once they got back inside the ring... THEY WENT CRAZY. I was really pulling for Shingo so when he kicked out of that GTR after they gave each other soooooo much punishment from so many crazy moves I popped like crazy. Goto eventually got the win with what I can describe as a rainmaker GTR which Shingo made look incredible. All in All this Unction was absolutely incredible"
[9.0] "Hirooki Goto vs Shingo Takagi was a tremendous main event that built and built to a brilliant cresendo filled with drama, desperation & passion. Both men had the crowd fully engaged into the physically intense action from the start and went on the ride with some spell binding counters as well as high impact moves. Goto kicking out of the Burning Dragon and Shingo surviving the first GTR made everyone believe it could go either way, making the closing stretch that much more compelling. This had everything you could want from an epic IWGP World Heavyweight Title match & singlehandedly saved this show from the "Worst of the Year" conversation. Goto/Shingo deserve a round of applause for their fantastic performances (****3/4)."
[8.0] "It was a slightly disappointing card but this was the match of the night. I love this run for Hirooki Goto -- it's managed to get to me on a personal level. SINGLES RECORD: Shingo Takagi 3-2"
[9.0] "The veterans save the show in a splendid manner, Shingo Takagi has been nothing but outstanding in his reliability in NJPW and Goto his having the best run he could have with the belt, carrying the promotion on his fatherly shoulders while the kids still struggle. The unfaltering fighting spirit, attention the the little details are everything that was missing in the previous match."
[9.0] "Goto and Takagi brought a great intensity to the match and delivered a very solid match at the end of an underwhelming show. Goto has finally fulfilled his potential and shown why he is a deserved champion. 30 minutes of two strong style masters made this a top tier finale to a generally poor show."
[7.0] "It's great to see Goto so over. The crowd really help to lift his championship matches to something special. I didn't find this quite as engaging as some of his previous defences. It was a traditional New Japan main event with slow first third, steady build in the middle and red hot closing segment. I found the majority of the match a bit of a slog if I'm honest but the hot closing segment and crowd engagement mean it's worth a watch."
[9.0] "Goto has been coasting for years, but ever since winning the title, he's been delivering consistently great performances--stiff, hard-hitting, and legitimately compelling. At this point, his V8 defenses have surpassed ZSJ's reign in quality. On the other hand, Shingo's decline is noticeable--his peak was clearly around 2020, and while he's still good, he's not that unstoppable force anymore. This match itself was a classic, old-school Japanese-style bout--slow-build in the middle, but with an absolutely fiery finishing stretch. And honestly? I loved it. Goto's resurgence has been one of the best stories in NJPW this year."
[9.0] "When I think i have seen what Shingo-Goto is capable of, and with Shingo slowly but surely deteriorating this year, i was very surprised at Goto again go the extra mile to bring this up a notch. The first half did a okay job at delivering the iwgp pace, the middle portion had a good steady ramp up, into a very good sprint of counters at the very end. Perhaps it's the emotional weight of the once finishers, hidden moves, and new variations that Goto is able to pull off here, it really does feel like the redemption road that fans desired it to be. far from the perfect match if im totally honest but you gotta be impressed at how this historical Goto reign is continuing to be"
[9.0] "Great match, always lovely to see the old guys go out there and show everyone how it's done. So easily the best match of what was otherwise a majorly disappointing event. Shingo's offense here was great & his antics were fun and not overstayed, while Goto is always a treat and the work he put in during the ending sequence was actually beautiful. I do feel as if it was a bit slow & one-dimensional at times, especially during the first 10 or so minutes. I obviously don't expect these two to be doing anything athletically insane, but the move-trading & lariats got to me at a point. But still, great match and a white-hot crowd that elevated it for sure. Was pulling hard for Shingo but Goto's title reign so far has been great and I do really hope he holds onto the belt until WK."
[9.0] "Great and heated 4.25 star main event. I was locked in for the final stretch. Might have been a 4.5 if they went 5-10 minutes shorter as it was a bit plotting at times and long for the sake of being long. The good stuff though were awesome and the crowd was wild for it Shingo isn't quite the wrestler he used to be, but he can still deliver exciting performances. This Goto run has been awesome. Just 2 old guys fighting for the belt. It was a much needed main event after all the undercard silliness. There was even a thought in the back of my head that Shingo might turn heel during the match."
[9.0] "You see a lot of things floating around online about the name value of Hirooki Goto as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion or rather some peoples perceived lack of name value however with how insanely popular he is with the native crowd and whilst hes being involved in such high level matches as he is I see absolutely no reason to think about taking the belt off him any time soon. Going into this I wanted Shingo to win but I was not mad to see Goto retain for the reasons already stated. Onto G1 as champion!"
[9.0] "Goto's title run is amazing and I'm so hyped for him he totally deserves it. The match against Takagi might be my favorite out of the five they've had, the chemistry is just insane. Those 30 minutes flew by. The match was really well built too, I loved it. Goto's struggled so much to get here 17 years since his first title shot, 8 failed attempts the story is just beautiful. I honestly thought Takagi was gonna win -- either result would've been fine with me but the match was pure magic. It flowed so well, super intense, two top guys just going to war. It was beautiful"
[9.0] "I think this was pro wrestling at its finest. The work itself particularly, but I think most of the fans watching expected Shingo Takagi to win the title and join HOT here. I think it was teased enough and the booking throughout the show enforced that narrative, at least to my interpretation. So with that in mind, Shingo Takagi had a very clear energy behind him. He was also very motivated and on-point with his wrestling. He forgone his recent method of run the ropes and no-sell. Here, he was poised and very considerate to keep his intensity and keep the intent to win mindset within his performance. Hirooki Goto is the last stand of the past generation of New Japan and with that comes that unmitigated drama. The fluidity in his sequences remains, but the intangibles that made that era so good in the ring was all over this match. And it wasn't reliant on the near falls. It was a mere factor in the drama. It was the counters, the set-ups, the tug and pulls between Goto and Shingo, the combination of both of them driving their styles and characters into the formation of the match. Either one could've won and the crowd would've been happy either way. It would've been a major disappointment if the heel turn had transpired, but it was wrestled clean and with all the fire and energy that a Japanese Heavyweight title match should have. ****1/2"
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