The video segment that plays before this match starts reminds us of how this has been some good long form storytelling. The announcers remind us that Kenny Omega paid a physical price for his long world title reign, and that Don Callis was beside Omega through his surgeries and recovery.
Konosuke Takeshita certainly looks confident in the early going, delivering a nasty high angle backdrop driver that sends Kenny for a rough landing. A Helluva Kick smashes Omega along the barricade, but Kenny pays him right back with a moonsault off the barricade.
Takeshita eats a kick to the ribs and a dunk that gives Omega a near fall. A Indian Deathlock puts Takeshita in agony in the middle of the ring, but he gets free and runs the ropes to fly and send Omega to the canvas.
Omega’s hurricanrana attempt is countered with a flapjack into the turnbuckles. Takeshita follows with a sheer drop brainbuster on the floor, and he digs beneath the ring for multiple steel chairs. The ref tells Konosuke “no chairs” and tells him to get back in the ring. But it appears it was all a ruse anyway, as Callis stacks chairs on Omega and Takeshita flies out with a senton on the stack.
Another Helluva Kick in the ring sets up a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Omega is able to kick out at two. A senton gives Takeshita another two count, but he’s soon getting lit up with chops until his forearm can drop his foe again.
Omega smartly gets his knees up when Takeshita goes for another senton. Kenny hits a couple of Polish Hammers and a jumping knee to send Takeshita to the floor. A tope con hilo is on target as well, though Omega looks a little winded.
A nasty missile dropkick lands on Takeshita’s back, and a snapdragon suplex is next … then another. A poison rana sees Omega cover, but Takeshita is out at two.
Both men crack each other with stiff shots, and Takeshita runs over Omega with a huge lariat. Omega counters a powerbomb attempt with one of his own, and a running knee gives him another near fall.
A V-Trigger has Omega thinking One-Winged Angel, but Takeshita hits the next two moves, and both earn near falls. Konosuke hangs on with a waistlock, but Omega frees himself for strikes. Now they’re both cracking each other until Kenny connects on a leg lariat to the back of his foe’s head.
Another V-Trigger lands in the corner, and Callis looks panicked. Kenny wants an Avalanche One-Winged Angel, but Takeshita escapes and lands a breathtaking Avalanche Blue Thunder Bomb. The cover is a little slow, so Omega is barely able to kick out in time.
A nasty knee shot finds the mark, but Omega is able to kick out again. Callis gets out the screwdriver but misses his shot, leaving it in the mat. Omega hits a knee strike and V-Trigger, and a wild sequence sees Takeshita grab the screwdriver, get disarmed by the ref, and almost pin Kenny again.
Konosuke exposes his knee, smashes Omega again, and this time, not even Kenny can beat the three count. Huge win for a still rising star.