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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.
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#10 Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (NJPW Dominion 2021)
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.
#9 Will Ospreay vs. Zack Sabre Jr. in a New Japan Cup 2021 Second Round Match (NJPW New Japan Cup 2021 Day 8)
After an awesome clash in NJPW, Will Ospreay defeated Zack Sabre Jr. to win the Revolution Pro British Heavyweight Championship in the UK just before the pandemic began in 2020. The two men didn't face each other again until this year's New Japan Cup tournament. Many fans believed the winner of this second-round matchup would be a favorite to make it to the finals.
The two Brits delivered an absolute gem that was arguably the best match of the entire tournament. It was a nice blend of crisp technical wrestling and thrilling sequences that kept the fans invested. Ospreay has been able to adjust his arsenal and add enough hard-hitting offense to overwhelm his opponents. He beat ZSJ with the Stormbreaker to advance in the New Japan Cup 2021.
#8 Tetsuya Naito vs. Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Championships (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1)
The first night of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 in the Tokyo Dome saw Tetsuya Naito defend the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships against Kota Ibushi. These two men battled in an insane trilogy over the IC Title in 2019. They put their bodies, most specifically their necks, in an unforgettable exchange of violence.
Most fans expected that same level of brutality on this huge stage, but they used these expectations to craft a great story. Both stars used one or two dangerous moments to shift gears and escalate the drama. Ibushi achieved his destiny of becoming a God by defeating Naito to win the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships at the said event.
#7 Shingo Takagi vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the NEVER Openweight Championship (NJPW New Beginning In Nagoya)
Shingo Takagi's NEVER Openweight Championship reign led him to rise up the card and become an unquestionable top star for NJPW. Following a match of the year candidate at Wrestle Kingdom 15, The Dragon followed this up with another defense against "The Ace" Hiroshi Tanahashi. The fact that Tanahashi wanted a shot at the gold said a lot for its prestige.
Takagi and Tanahashi put on a sensational war-of-attrition that felt like a struggle. Shingo was in top form, bringing his arsenal to get the better of his opponent. However, The Ace came in with a game plan and broke down his opponent. He finally paid off on all his work, hitting the High Fly Flow to win the NEVER Openweight Championship at NJPW New Beginning In Nagoya.
#6 Will Ospreay vs. Shingo Takagi in the New Japan Cup 2021 Finals (NJPW New Japan Cup 2021 Finals)
Heading into the NJPW New Japan Cup 2021 Finals, Will Ospreay and Shingo Takagi had put on two phenomenal encounters over the course of the past two years. Their Best of Super Juniors 26 Finals clash was one of the best in the tournament's history, while their G1 Climax 30 contest was incredible.
This New Japan Cup 2021 Finals had a big match feel and intensified throughout. The sequences were amazing to watch, including Ospreay reversing Shingo's Pumping Bomber lariat with a backflip into the Oscutter. He defeated the Dragon with the Stormbreaker to win the tournament. This felt like a statement that Will Ospreay was the man after a dominating performance.
#5 Shingo Takagi vs. Jeff Cobb for the NEVER Openweight Championship (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 2)
NJPW has its fair share of hoss fights every year. The term "hoss fight" is usually used for two large competitors having a high-impact matchup. Whatever image that puts in someone's head was taken up quite a few notches when Shingo Takagi faced Jeff Cobb for the NEVER Openweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 2.
Jeff Cobb wanted to make a statement and did just that. The United Empire member ran roughshod with his agility and power being used to keep Shingo on his back foot. But Takagi wouldn't be stopped and defeated Cobb with the Last of the Dragon to retain the NEVER Openweight Title. This was a heavyweight slugfest and a certified banger that was a Tokyo Dome classic.
#4 Shingo Takagi vs. Tomohiro Ishii in a G1 Climax 31 A Block Match (NJPW G1 Climax 31 Night 1)
The G1 Climax has quite the reputation from years of quality in-ring action. To kick things off on the right note this year, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi faced Tomohiro Ishii in the main event of the first night of NJPW's G1 Climax 31 tournament. If fans expected big meaty men slapping meat, well that's what they got and then some.
The G1 Climax 31 A Block Match started with a literal ramming of the bulls. The story of the contest was "anything you can do, I can do better," with both competitors trying to outdo one another and prove themselves the tougher of the two. Takagi defeated Ishii with the Last of the Dragon with just two minutes to spare.
#3 Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1)
NJPW have created a legacy with their Tokyo Dome shows due to the excellent professional wrestling on display. Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 was no different, with a wonderful double main event to close the card. The aforementioned Naito vs. Ibushi gave this evening a special main event, but the show was already stolen one match earlier.
Kazuchika Okada faced Will Ospreay in a grudge match following the latter's betrayal of CHAOS to form the Empire. This started out slow and built nicely with the pacing picking up. Ospreay was in full heel glory with sublime facial expressions and character work here. Okada told the story of a legend trying to find his old form by finally hitting the Rainmaker to win this encounter.
#2 Kota Ibushi vs. "Switchblade" Jay White for the IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Championships (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 2)
Following the biggest win of his career, Kota Ibushi had to regroup and defend his newly won IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships against "Switchblade" Jay White. The Bullet Club leader was the same man who beat Ibushi to win his Wrestle Kingdom title shot.
Ibushi and White told a masterful story and used every minute effectively. Switchblade put on an all-time great villain performance, engaging every fan at the Tokyo Dome into every second of the action. Kota Ibushi fought with determination and used resilience to overcome his opponent. He hit consecutive Kamigoyes to defeat White and retain the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Titles during Wrestle Kingdom 15.
#1 Will Ospreay vs. Shingo Takagi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2021 Day 2)
To pull off an undisputed match of the year in NJPW is an impossible feat for most years. However, a few performers have a tendency to deliver some out-of-this-world bouts that transcend every other contests. For 2021, that match was Will Ospreay vs. Shingo Takagi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship from Wrestling Dontaku Day 2.
The two men met in the New Japan Cup 2021 Finals and delivered an epic in the process. Ospreay and Takagi's rivalry was already on the shortlist for the best in-ring series in NJPW and professional wrestling history, but no one could have imagined they would exceed their previous meetings here.
In their New Japan Cup 2021 Finals, the United Empire leader was always one step ahead of the Dragon. However, Shingo seemed to have learned from his mistakes and came in with a new game plan. He neutralized a lot of Ospreay's signature offense. The Los Ingobernables de Japon member countered the Aerial Assassin's biggest moves and felt like he was on the brink of victory.
The pacing of this Wrestling Dontaku Day 2 main event was unreal. There were more insane sequences and fabulous callbacks to their previous clashes. Will Ospreay brought his A-game here, trying to stake claim to being the top guy in NJPW. With superb body language and facial expressions, everything Ospreay hit looked polished.
He hit a barrage of impactful moves with the Chelsea Grin, followed by the Hidden Blade, and finally, the Stormbreaker to defeat Shingo Takagi and retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. This showdown was responsible for the injury that put the Commonwealth Kingpin on the shelf and caused him to relinquish his title, but it also elevated Shingo and showed he was a main eventer.
Both men just seemed to be in the right spot for everything in this one. It was an absolutely sensational main event, with Ospreay and Takagi putting on one of the greatest NJPW bouts in the company's history. That's why Will Ospreay vs. Shingo Takagi at Wrestling Dontaku 2021 Day 2 was the most memorable NJPW match of the year.
