Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall

Promotional card featuring Kazuchika Okada and Shingo Takagi

**Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall** was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on June 7, 2021, in Osaka, Osaka, at the Osaka-jō Hall and was the thirteen event under the Dominion name and seventh in a row to take place at the Osaka-jō Hall. The event was headlined by Kazuchika Okada facing Shingo Takagi for the vacant IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event had some restrictions in the attendance, after the Japanese Government announced the State of Emergency. The event was originally scheduled to take place on June 6, but was postponed to June 7 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of February, NJPW began canceling events, before starting to hold shows with no audience and only essential staff present in June. The following month, NJPW began holding shows with an limited audience starting with the finals of the 2020 New Japan Cup on July 11. The event aired live on NJPW streaming service NJPW World.

## Production

### Background

Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall was officially announced on January 4, 2021, during Wrestle Kingdom 14 in Tokyo Dome. The event is NJPW's biggest between Wrestle Kingdom 14 and July–August's G1 Climax. The event aired through NJPW's internet streaming site, New Japan Pro Wrestling World, and featured English commentary.

#### Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

The event was originally to take place on June 6, 2021. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, other wrestling promotions began to cancel or postpone their shows in an attempt to prevent further spreading of the COVID-19 virus. At the end of February 2020, following recommendations by the Japanese Ministry of Health regarding the coronavirus outbreak, NJPW canceled the events between March 1 and March 15 including the promotion's Anniversary Event and the first and the second round of New Japan Cup. Since the start of the pandemic various wrestlers such as David Finlay, El Phantasmo, KENTA, the Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa), Jay White, Juice Robinson, Will Ospreay, Rocky Romero, and Robbie Eagles were unable to work on NJPW events due to travel restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, NJPW wrestlers and staff created the *NJPW Together* project in order to do bring content to NJPW World with interviews and old archived matches. NJPW resume promoting shows in June being held behind closed doors, until the finals of the 2020 New Japan Cup with a limited capacity after the Japanese Government lifted some restrictions in many regions in Japan.

On May 4, on the second night of Wrestling Dontaku, NJPW announced that two wrestlers complain of a fever at the beginning of the show, leading them to undergo examinations and a PCR test. The following day, NJPW announced that those two wrestlers had tested positive for COVID-19. On May 7, the Japanese government announced an extension to the state of emergency currently in place in Tokyo and other prefectures, leading NJPW to announce the postponement of the Wrestle Grand Slam. Two days later, NJPW reported seven more positive cases upon further testing. Upon the positive cases and the State of Emergency, NJPW was forced on June 2 to postpone the event from June 6 to June 7.

### Storylines

Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall featured professional wrestling matches that involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.

The event was headlined by Kazuchika Okada facing Shingo Takagi for the vacant IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. On April 4 at Sakura Genisis, Will Ospreay defeated Kota Ibushi. Following the match, Ospreay nominated Kazuchika Okada to be his first challenger, as revenge for his loss against him at Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome. However, before Okada could answer Shingo Takagi challenged Ospreay to a title match, claiming that he had defeated Okada in the first round of the 2021 New Japan Cup, while also seeking revenge for losing to Ospreay in the finals of the tournament. This led to Ospreay accepting Takagi as his first challenger, with Okada being next in line. The following day, it was announced that the winner of Ospreay and Takagi's match at Wrestling Dontaku would be facing Okada at Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome. On May 4, on the second night of Wrestling Dontaku, Ospreay defeated Takagi to make his first successful title defense, setting up his match against Okada at Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome. However on May 20, it was announced that Opsreay would be vacacting the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship due to a neck injury suffered in his match against Takagi. On May 25 and 26, Okada and Takagi announced their intentions to take part in the title match for the vacant IWGP Word Heavyweight Championship. The title match was announced on May 29.

Also on April 4, after Ospreay won the IWGP Word Heavyweight Championship against Kota Ibushi, Opsreay's United Empire stablemate Jeff Cobb attacked Ibushi following his match. On April 29 at Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni, Ibushi challenged Cobb to a match vowing revenge for Cobb's attack which he acceped. Afterwards, Ibushi was sidelined with an foot injury until the end of May, leading Cobb to criticize Ibushi's absence of NJPW events on May 4 on the second night of Wrestling Dontaku, while also tauting him at the event, after using the "Cobbigoye" in his match in which he pinned BUSHI. Ibushi made his return from injury on May 22 teaming with Master Wato in a losing effort against Cobb and his United Empire stablemate Great-O-Khan. The match was officially on May 29.

On August 27, 2020, Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh) were forced to vacate the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, after Yoh was sidelined with a knee injury. On March 21, 2021, Yoh made his return from injury, challeging Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) to a title match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship on behalf of Roppongi 3K. This led to on April 4 at Sakura Genisis, Yoh and Sho defeating Desperado and Kanemaru to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship for the fifth time. Following the match, Yoh challenged Desperado to a title match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, which Desperado accepted under condition that Roppongi 3K gave them a rematch for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. The following day, NJPW oficially announced the title match. On April 28 at Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni, Roppongi 3K defeated Desperado and Kanemaru to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. At Wrestling Dontaku, it was announced that two wrestlers had complained of a fever at the beginning of the show, leading them to undergo examinations and a PCR test. As a precaution, the match card was changed, with their match being cancelled. On May 29, NJPW announced that the title match would take place at Dominion.

## Results

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* (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match
* – refers to the video of that match