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00:00I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I say I'm going to show you a little bit of what I mean when I
00:30say I'm going to show you a little bit.
01:00It all started at the tail end of G1 Climax 34.
01:13GreatOcon's rise going from lemons in KOPW to lovable loser in the first half of the
01:18tournament to now a quarterfinal qualifying match against the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion
01:25and winning.
01:26And while GreatOcon may not have won this year's G1 Climax tournament, there was vindication
01:32in GreatOcon's victory over Tetsuya Naito.
01:36Ever since Naito's first victory of the IWGP World Heavyweight title at WrestleKingdom
01:42earlier this year, it was one man who forever denounced Dallin Gobernable.
01:46That was GreatOcon, calling him weak, calling him a paper champion, and in GreatOcon's mind,
01:53he proved that to be the case with the win over Naito in this year's G1.
01:58However, you could argue this, the ultimate proof of concept comes tonight for GreatOcon.
02:06Champion versus champion situation.
02:08The king of pro wrestling championship not on the line, the greatest crown in the history
02:13of our sport is the IWGP World Heavyweight title.
02:17Let's see Tetsuya Naito one more time and win the crown that our sport has to offer you.
02:47Sponsored by G-Store Ambassador and KOPW 2024 host Dominator, GreatOcon!
03:05So that match against Naito, we didn't just win on ability, we won on the will of the people.
03:12On sponsorship, on business, on every single level where Tetsuya Naito is clinging on
03:20to what remains of his era by his fingertips.
03:24We'll see how strong that grip is in just a few moments time.
03:42Tetsuya Naito is an addict.
03:55He's addicted to pressure.
03:59He put himself under pressure to have that roll call
04:02after the main event in the Tokyo Dome January the 4th.
04:06And when he won that title, it should have been a relief of pressure.
04:12Instead, more pressure. Pressure to chase the same high.
04:18After he lost to Jon Moxley, he regained the championship of Dominador.
04:23Again, it should have been relief, but instead more pressure
04:30under the weight of expectation, under the weight of injury,
04:34and under the weight of harsh criticism.
04:37But, Walker, we have learned, and it has been proven time and time again,
04:42nobody is better under pressure than the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion in Tetsuya Naito.
04:50Pressure creates diamonds. Tetsuya Naito may not be forever,
04:55but will he be IWGP World Heavyweight Champion for just a little while longer?
05:0713 and 6 singles matches over the last 365 days is Tetsuya Naito,
05:25great Okada, and many of them, in a way, not befitting an IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
05:31They might have been by roll-ups, but win to win to win,
05:36and 6 and 1 is Tetsuya Naito in singles matches in this town, in this building.
05:44A lot of them in main events, because the one thing, Walker,
05:47that Naito has over great Okada, big match experience,
05:51and we'll see whether that comes into play in our main event.
06:06So
06:27IWGP
06:36World Heavyweight Champion
06:42Oh, time and time again. You can see the great Bret Hart, kiss the belt,
06:47and they always used to say, is he kissing it or kissing it goodbye?
06:51Tetsuya Naito, those long, long walks to the ring, used to be pushing the buttons.
06:59Is he pushing the buttons, or is he savoring every last minute while it lasts?
07:06Oh,
07:36oh,
08:06oh,
08:15who can take the most time getting ready for this one?
08:19First IWGP Championship match in Kobe since 2013.
08:36Oh,
08:50oh,
09:03and our red shoes meter on the evening.
09:07It's difficult to tell, Chris, but there is heavy favor
09:11on both sides of the playing field. I think that's accurate to say.
09:14I think we have got a partisan crowd, you're correct.
09:20Ironically enough, you'd say last time IWGP hadn't been a World Heavyweight Championship
09:26match here in Kobe. Last IWGP Heavyweight Championship match, Soushi Kojima, what
09:31turned out to be his last to date challenge of a top title against Kazuchika Okada.
09:37Kojima that night, the same age then that Tetsuya Naito is now at 41.
09:42And what, trying to hold on to a past presence, so to speak.
09:48And of course still Kojima still going strong, but in perhaps a different sphere.
09:56I think this will be
10:00a tense open as we're going to see who can jockey for position here.
10:04I mean, I think it's very interesting to keep on that point of a bit of a comparison made
10:09between Tetsuya Naito and Satoshi Kojima at that time in 2013. I mean, Great Okan has
10:14not pulled any punches, shying away from conversation about the ailing body of Tetsuya
10:19Naito. Going on to say, hey, unlike Tetsuya Naito, my knees are not going to crumble under the weight
10:23of this challenge. Well, I mean, look, can't move, can't see, pretty sure won't be able to
10:31muster up the heart either. So Great Okan to Tetsuya Naito, those are as scathing as you can
10:36get. And there was, once upon a time, Tetsuya Naito was just as scathing to his own opponent.
10:42Great Okan made the point of, well, I mean, you always used to rage against the machine,
10:46and now you've become the machine you've raged against. You know, I mean, you've been the focal
10:49point of promotion. You know, you've been the guy that the company has pushed.
10:59I do want to make note, Walker, of a couple of pieces of news,
11:02I believe backstage you have for us. Oh, yes. Hiromu Takahashi issuing out a challenge in
11:07post-match comments to CMLL's Mystico for King of Pro Wrestling 2024 on October 14th in Ryogoku.
11:13That's a huge one. Obviously, Mystico beating Hiromu in Arena Mexico earlier on as part of
11:18his anniversary celebrations. There's also, it seems to be a little bit of a scuffle.
11:25Tsuji and Cobb were getting into it and then Ren Narita put the boots in.
11:29We'll see what comes out of that. I believe we'll have cards for King of Pro Wrestling coming out
11:33tomorrow. It's Monday, Japan time. Trying to get scarf hold is Great Okan. Interesting to note,
11:42Great Okan interested in keeping the ground game. Very similar to cover here, only a one. Similar
11:47to how we saw the start of their last match back in G1 this year. A match which, what,
11:52Great Okan found himself victoriously. Yeah, you know, I mean, it's best to dance with what
12:00brought you, you know, and Great Okan did undergo through that period of experimentation in the first
12:06half of the G1, which is why he picked up those four losses and then talked about that the final
12:11piece coming together when he wrestled Jake Lee. We always say winning is contagious. Of course,
12:19shoulders down for Okan and it's two. Has won five of his last six singles matchups.
12:28We're talking singles record here between Naito and Great Okan. Great Okan, two victories to
12:32Naito's one and singles between the two of them. Now you would think that puts Great Okan at a
12:37mental advantage. I'd argue that Great Okan always at a mental advantage. Maybe, or it puts Tetsuya
12:43Naito, you know, I mean, every time you push Naito further to the back, you know, this is a point
12:48John Moxley made. You put Tetsuya Naito further into a corner. The more dirt you heap on Tetsuya
12:54Naito, the more dangerous Naito is, the more liable he is to take a handful of that dirt and
12:59fling it in your face and then try and score a sneaky win on the back end. And that's something
13:04that Great Okan admitted in the press conference just yesterday as well that we held here in Kobe.
13:08Said exactly that. Said that, well, Naito has utilized a little bit more counter-wrestling
13:13than previously. We've seen that Corriendo roll-up that brought Naito all throughout G1
13:17Climax. But I think, you know, I mean, we always talk about, well, it's a results-driven industry,
13:22um, but at the same time, you know, what is the, the standpoint, you know, where do you have to be
13:28as a champion? And Great Okan kind of making the point that, you know, fans are coming to see
13:34Tetsuya Naito, the big star, the impervious El Ingobernable Tetsuya Naito, and they're leaving
13:40not with hope, but with concern. Can he hold this together? Can he still be champion after
13:44this match-up? And that's not how a champion should wrestle. It's a fair point. It's a fair
13:49argument. As into the cover attempt here, and it is a shoulder up before the referee gets down for
13:57a one. And Great Okan has been working tirelessly. I mean, you saw in that video, that alliance that
14:07Great Okan has formed, almost a working group with different creators in the anime fields and
14:13VTubers and video games, things like that, all because, you know, he seeks to bring wrestling
14:19to new heights as well as things like Mango Man. I mean, I think Great Okan has an evolutionary
14:25mindset, sees that as the next stage of advertising. I mean, and there's a lot of
14:30great points to it. Video games, live streaming, et cetera. That's incredibly popular. Yeah. I mean,
14:34he said, you know, our goal, you know, he always speaks for himself in the Royal We, but you know,
14:39he said, our goal is to surpass Antonio Inoki. Right. You know, and that on the face of it seems
14:44ridiculous, but you know, he said, coming from being an anime fan, where did people talk about
14:48anime like 20, 30 years ago? Oh, you're an attacker, you're a geek. And now you can't say
14:53that because of how much money the anime field makes. Right. So, you know, with Great Okan as
14:58the lead of professional wrestling, he thinks that, you know, he can bring pro wrestling back
15:03to that mainstream sphere in Japan. And that's how Great Okan feels. Antonio Inoki never had
15:07VTubers in his corner, and now it's Great Okan who does. Can you imagine Antonio Inoki and VTubers?
15:18The shortest singles match, Chris, that these two have had out of the three total outside of this
15:23one, 18 minutes, 58 seconds, was the most recent of their meetings back in G1. Do you think this
15:29short time is indicative of Okan's claims that Naito is only getting weaker, or the opposite,
15:34Okan is getting stronger? Yeah, I mean, column A, column B, you know, and I think like certainly
15:40obviously it looks like Great Okan has decided to settle on the knee as his working point here.
15:51Nice, simple, effective, nice takedown, and then looking for maybe a version of banana split here
15:57and stretch that groin out. And it's Okan, could transition out full mount and instead
16:06lose control here on that left knee of Tetsuya Naito.
16:13I mean, you see, yeah, Naito forced to go to the eyes there.
16:21Hey, break, break! The difficulty of being world heavyweight champion is an ailing body and a
16:27strong mind. They're going to work against each other. It is the head that wears the crown,
16:34and it's, you know, it's wearing on the head, it's wearing on the knees.
16:40And Naito trying to lay in any of these shots that he can find.
16:47Great Okan, though, great striking acumen, just as well
16:50versed in the technical style. You're seeing it right here, Chris.
16:53Yeah, there's a confidence that comes with it.
17:02Great Okan, even confident enough, and I know Naito was looking past Great Okan a bit,
17:08already talking about Zack Sabre Jr. King of Pro Wrestling, October 14th.
17:11Great Okan made the same note again with Zack Sabre Jr. and saying that he's confident enough
17:19that he has a way of submitting Zack Sabre Jr. in Ryogoku. He is willing to put up 100 million yen
17:26on the line, as well as the world heavyweight championship potential.
17:30Good lord, Chris, it's all that VTuber money that Great Okan might be raking in,
17:33but 100 million yen, that is no easy bet. Zack Sabre Jr., no easy opponent.
17:39And something that Tetsuya Naito is well familiar with. In fact, Naito
17:44glancing over Great Okan nearly completely in the press conference yesterday,
17:48choosing to talk a little bit more about Zack Sabre Jr. in the Ryogoku challenge.
17:52For sure, you know, I mean, I, but, that's, oh, oh, wait, wait. I know we've been enjoying it all
17:59night, Walker. We can enjoy it a little more, Chris. I love a good sense. And the only person
18:06who doesn't is Tetsuya Naito right now.
18:24Could this be the last time Tetsuya Naito enters an arena as IWGP world heavyweight champion?
18:30Great Okan has the answer of yes. Oh, yeah, gut wrench suplex. I mean,
18:36Naito's being run out of the gym here, Walker. Yeah, this has been all Okan, all the time, cover
18:40two. I mean, that's solid. That is catch wrestling right there. Use the kick out. Great Okan wasn't
18:48expecting a three count, but what he was expecting was a submission opportunity to come out of
18:55Tetsuya Naito lifting his shoulders and turning his back.
18:58What did we talk about earlier? All the pressure that creates diamonds. Diamonds typically are
19:03forever. Well, Naito's championship reign may not last that long, but the legacy he leaves behind
19:08wood and victory over Great Okan adds further to that legacy. That's what Tetsuya Naito fight for.
19:14Well, admittedly, Great Okan has been questioning what Naito has fought for this whole time. Great
19:18Okan says we fight for the people. We fight for the system, the system that you rage so heavily
19:24against, Tetsuya. I mean, Great Okan was very condemnatory about how when the crowd, so to speak,
19:32turned against Naito in Nagaoka, Naito went and spattered the crowd. Yes. You know, and he said,
19:38well, that just defines that all you were fighting for was your own ego this entire time. Yeah, and
19:43but I think it was a very sort of Naito-esque comment from Great Okan because it's pushing
19:50the buttons of Tetsuya Naito. The more I say to Tetsuya Naito, all you ever do is win by roll up,
19:56the more Naito will want to hit a destino. The more liable he will be to make a mistake. Yes.
20:02Everything Great Okan has done has been so deliberate during this build over the last few
20:07weeks. Try and push Naito outside of a perceived game plan, outside a comfort zone, going to be
20:15targeting those knees here, rolling forward into this matchup. Naito, those elbow strikes,
20:23clubbing down and Okan.
20:29One of the knee buster and instead Naito brings Okan right back down,
20:33wanted to kick and instead here's Naito, drop kick right to that left knee of Okan.
20:38Talks about in the last match only takes an instant. Once you have your opening, it can mean
20:51everything. Naito having to slap some circulation into that knee though to stay on the offense here.
20:59Chris, could you have pictured eight months ago us talking about Great Okan in an IWGP World
21:04Heavyweight title match? In an arena where half of a packed out Kobe Memorial Hall is chanting his
21:10name. Yeah, you know, I mean, it's Naito though looking to build up some steam here. Finally
21:17catching a break on Great Okan. Yeah, at the start of this year, he was trying to run around
21:23and try and get that KOBW championship against Taiji Ishimori. I would say maybe not, but
21:28it was through that work that he put in was getting on people on his side. Yes.
21:34Oh, you might need those people though, Walker. Yeah, those people are here and they are showing
21:40out as Naito going to take all the time that he needs. And you can hear the sudden impact
21:49on that neck breaker. Great Okan said it himself before, cover here for Tetsuya Naito and it is
22:00two for the champion. The people might have laughed at me for the lemons and for the tables
22:05and all these different things. Well, the people are not going to be laughing when I become
22:08IWGP champion. Right. And the entire idea of those matchups, the reason why he did them was,
22:15you know, that perhaps some of the essence of true strength, true strong style, if you will,
22:20is in some of the absurd. That's exactly the words of Antonio Inoki himself. Be absurd,
22:26be ridiculous. It's the absolute hill. Great Okan did that so that he could
22:33revive the rural areas to to unify the fiefdoms, as we talk about.
22:39We're coming off of a heavily successful Hokkaido tour.
22:42We've got more people in here that have been in here for the last six years in Kobe.
22:49Again, another example of great Okan saying, well, I fight for the people and Naito fights for not
22:54as neckbreaker here for the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
22:59Cover here, the champion in and on, and it's two only on Okan.
23:06That was a difficult roll of the shoulder for great Okan. Wasn't an emphatic kick out at all.
23:11And Tetsuya Naito likes to stay on the neck once he's found it.
23:24Naito continuing these shots to the back of the neck.
23:28Oh, great Okan, right underneath and immediately targeting that knee one more time.
23:37Stands, does escape. Perfect. And how often have we talked about those 17 different disciplines?
23:44Sometimes it's a different number every time we tell the story, but there's a lot of them.
23:55And that is a level of variety, capability and almost, you know, it's been his detriment at
24:02times that he's so good in so many different areas that he hasn't had the focus he needs to
24:07get results. But ever since he went on that tear in the G1, he's been able to get right
24:16where he wants to be. Talked about those puzzle pieces finally falling into place.
24:21Riz controlled us. Great Okan. Look at that. Okan front chance, three double underhook now,
24:28tossing around the world champion. Billy Robinson style. A little throw back to a great cover.
24:34Cover again. And it's two. Immediately back in. Exactly what we were talking about earlier. That
24:39was, I was about to call, that was a terrific performance by Okan. He's got a lot of power.
24:46Exactly what we were talking about earlier. That was, I was about to call,
24:50that was a terrible cover. Lackadaisical. But the kick out instantly gave him up
24:54into that head and arm choke. That's been an effective hold. Now he transitions back to the
24:58knee. And Tetsuya Naito feeling the brunt of it here tonight. And is trying to inch his way closer,
25:12rotate whatever direction is possible, to try and make it to a bottom rope,
25:16to try and free himself from the clutch of Great Okan.
25:34Naito just barely.
25:42No. He's barely to the bottom rope.
25:51A little later in the matchup, but we're talking about it. Great Okan shot right to the back of
25:57that knee. One more time of Naito. It is day 91 in this current reign of Naito as world champion.
26:0391 and final by the looks of things. It's looking like it has been all Okan from this beginning.
26:09Yeah. Cover here onto Naito and it's two. But Naito has had his flashes of brilliance. And as
26:15you know, Chris, it only takes three seconds. Yeah, that's exactly it. That is exactly it.
26:20But it feels like every last bit of the hope of Tetsuya Naito being drained out of him.
26:27And you know, it has been even one year ago when he won the G1, we talked about the people
26:34for Naito whenever he needs them. And that's not the case anymore in this matchup.
26:40Claw applied here. Look.
26:49And Naito now looked underneath. Got it. Got it. Tornado DDT.
26:54Great Okan dumps to the outside. Good God. What a landing.
26:59Great. Nothing strategic about that from Great Okan. Not at all.
27:08You only take a fall like that if it's forced upon you and gravity does magical things.
27:22Naito able to catch a hell of a break here, but instead he's chosen
27:26to pursue Great Okan Walker.
27:37Naito. Oh, we're taking things and keeping them on the outside right over our steel barricades
27:42here at ringside. We know that Great Okan has the capability of taking things to the outside,
27:50harking back Great Okan Jon Moxley nearly a year ago at Power Struggle. That's true,
27:55but he lost that match. So Walker and Tetsuya Naito, this is much more in his wheelhouse than
28:02Great Okan in my estimation. This ramp has come into play earlier on tonight. Oh no,
28:09and Naito is going to walk Great Okan up and dog walk him down should he get the opportunity.
28:16I think Naito realizes he's going to have to get his hands dirty if he wants to beat a Great
28:22Okan tonight. He can't do it in the ring. He's got to do it on the outside.
28:30Great Okan. Oh no, no, no, no, no. We saw this in the ring and it's even more devastating on the
28:35outside. And a snap down the neckbreaker, the whiplash effect. It was a sickening, sickening
28:52crack. You heard that 20 minute call. It's been probably I would say about 16 minimum of those
29:02matches have been all Okan, but that neckbreaker Walker has made all the difference.
29:13We could be looking at a countout victory here for Tetsuya Naito.
29:18Most champions don't want to walk out on a countout, but it very well may be out of necessity
29:24here tonight for El Ingobernable. There's a hell of a distance here between Great Okan and this
29:31ring and takes his own tumble. It's like 2018 all over again and Great Okan is going to have
29:36to make his way back. I've seen Naito take that stance before waiting for a countout.
29:49When the other guy gets in the ring, there's a little right grin on his face.
29:52This time there was a look of resignation Walker.
30:03Reverse version that Plumablanca hold. We saw Plumablanca all throughout the road to destruction.
30:09Victories for LIJ against United Empire and multi-man tag action, but that's not the grip
30:14he wants. You can barely see he's got one finger on that butcher's grip. Oh wow, Great Okan is spitting
30:20up here and this is a grisly sight right now we're talking about, Chris. The longer that leg is
30:26right pressed against the carotid artery, the more danger that is for Great Okan, but if there's hope
30:32Great Okan Naito doesn't have the full of grip that he wants here, maybe if he can push up against
30:41that left heel. Great Okan speaking of the heel.
30:46Going to be looking to take that foot, touch it to the bottom rope, it forces the brick.
31:00I can't believe we're already 20 minutes into this matchup, Chris. It's been a lot of punishment.
31:05A lot of leg work being done by Great Okan and short, sharp impacts from Tetsuya Naito.
31:11Here's one right now.
31:15And again, just like that DDT from earlier.
31:25The difference, I mean, we often talk about it, we talk about guys like Hiromu Takahashi,
31:29we often talk about it, we talk about guys like Hiromu Takahashi,
31:32take five to give one and the guy that taught Hiromu that mentality is Naito.
31:45And I'll tell you this, Chris, that doesn't sound like the entirety of this arena is
31:49chanting for Tetsuya Naito. It does not, it does not, it does not.
31:54Modified grapple fey Okan, Naito on his feet, double leg.
31:59Brought through, jackknife, shoulders down, shoulders over rotation on the part of Great Okan here.
32:05Naito does not have both shoulders down, but he's holding it in there anyway as Okan.
32:09Yeah, he's called an audible right there and gone right back into that knee bar,
32:13so he can turn that into a submission. That was great adaptability.
32:17Catch his catch, can Okan up and Naito sunset flip a nasty one,
32:23but it was effective. Not enough stump pulled out here by Okan.
32:36Where is Naito? Do you think when he had Great Okan in the corner, did you think?
32:41Maybe he's getting it now.
32:49Now here come the people, but is it too late for the champion Walker?
32:54Very well, maybe this leg still hooked by Great Okan and Naito's gonna have to hook a bottom rope
32:58with any part of his fingers. This is great from Great Okan.
33:04All is the namesake implies rotated right back to the center and changes the hold completely.
33:12Oh, you should give up.
33:13Oh,
33:38that's the Naito's experiencing the tear of ligament
33:40bone from flesh body from body part. Riches went to check on Naito, Okai was
33:49even biting at the heel of Tetsuya Naito.
33:55Pain shooting through, long damaged knees, long tortured ankles. Gosh this is agonizing it has
34:06been going on for minutes at this point. Tetsuya Naito has an indomitable spirit
34:13there's no doubt about that and it's not going to allow him to tap or quit anytime
34:16soon. He's lost championships by stoppage before Walker. It's gonna be the only way
34:23to kill him tonight.
34:26I can feel now though it feels like the temperature in this room has started to
34:37shift towards Tetsuya Naito. On an even footing they were for Okai. Now maybe
34:47when the chips are down they want Tetsuya Naito's hero to last a little bit
34:52longer.
35:07Pumped right through Naito inside out.
35:17And now we're picking up the piece we're cooking with oil here tonight as
35:21this Inseguri brings Great Okan back to his feet and a false crack from Okan.
35:35Tanaka style straight right punch from Great Okan puts down the champion.
35:43This is where the champion needs it most and here are the people.
36:13Naito glassy eyed. Visions of his full career of his World Heavyweight
36:20Championship reign. Are they flashing before his eyes right now?
36:26Naito sees flashes of the past. Great Okan sees visions of the future.
36:35What in the world is Great Okan thinking? This isn't his usual game plan at all.
36:43Tearing off the finger tape and Great Okan what is this looking to bring this
36:47up to the top? Oh no oh no you don't think what this is you don't think I
37:00mean I'm all the way I don't know if I've ever seen this before I don't know
37:04if oh no I don't know if Great Okan has ever attempted this a day in his life
37:10at all thank God we haven't seen it yet. Tetsuya Naito trying all he can to shift
37:14his weight forward. He's crouched Great Okan now. Oh that's a hard landing for
37:21Tetsuya Naito. See if Okan can find his footing again. He's determined though
37:31Walker. This is the final shot this would win him the IWGP World Heavyweight
37:36title in an instant. It's feast or famine for sure. Oh they're up high and it's
37:41here. Oh no no no. Great Okan.
37:49Avalanche to Harris. Furukirana from Tetsuya Naito takes down Great Okan.
38:01Somehow someway summoned up that franken of his and now the distance
38:09Walker. No no no. Great Okan with the backbreaker. Wait wait wait. And backs
38:19will be broken. Careers made. Oh couldn't drop him face first.
38:26Destino. Naito popped one off here tonight. Oh but can he? Destino. He can't. He can't Walker. It's not enough. He can't do it. Great Okan can.
38:47This is how he beat him in Nagaoka.
38:55Combination swinging STO. And it's in. And it's time. No. Reverse Destino. And a cover. No.
39:08Multiple Destino's countered. Kicked out of Great Okan. His world champion material. And it's about time the world recognizes it.
39:21Oh Naito might mock him all he wants. But Naito's clinging on to his title. His era by his fingertips. Rings up the arm. It's time. Destino.
39:38And for the world heavyweight championship. And for the world to witness. Tetsuya Naito is still IWGP zone.
40:08For mere nanoseconds there were points where we thought we lived in a reality with Great Okan as world heavyweight champion. I'll admit it Chris Charles that it felt good.
40:19But this feels just as sweet for many across the world. Tetsuya Naito remains IWGP world heavyweight champion. Picks up his first defense of this championship since its victory against Jon Moxley.
40:39And that does confirm it. For those wondering at home, you no need to wait for any official announcement. It is Tetsuya Naito, Zack Sabre Jr. and the main event, Ryugu Kusumo Hall, King of Pro Wrestling 2024.
40:55Tetsuya Naito has proven tonight that yes he is still the IWGP world heavyweight champion. Yes he is still the most dangerous man in our business under pressure.
41:08But has Tetsuya Naito allayed those concerns? Allayed those fears? I would say Walker Stewart I don't think he has.
41:24Tetsuya Naito has won this match by 30 minutes and 54 seconds.
41:55It might not be the title itself to Naito but what it represents. But what it represents means everything.
42:05That right there is Tetsuya Naito saying this is the closest you're ever coming to holding the IWGP world heavyweight championship.
42:35Thanks for watching.