Earlier this night, wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) teamed up with Sega to advertise upcoming sport Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Identify, within the wildest potential manner. They bought collectively a number of the nerdiest wrestlers potential and placed on a Like a Dragon-themed road struggle full with warmth actions, improvised weapons, and cosplay. And it completely dominated.
The match has been promoted for over per week now as a four-on-four road struggle with the staff of Powerhouse Hobbs, Konosuke Takeshita, Brian Cage, and Kyle Fletcher going through off in opposition to recognized Like a Dragon fan Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho, Kota Ibushi, and Paul Wight. From the get-go, everybody concerned appeared totally dedicated to the bit. Omega’s staff recorded a promo airing earlier within the evening with all 4 males in fits that closely evoked an iconic scene from Yakuza 4. And when the teams entered, nearly everybody was in some taste of costume. Takeshita was in full Goro Majima cosplay, Brian Cage confirmed up as Axel Stone from Streets of Rage, Jericho stored the go well with on from earlier, and Omega had some depraved Like a Dragon-themed pants.
The Golden Dragons of Dojima are prepared for battle within the LIKE A DRAGON GAIDEN STREET FIGHT!
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!@IAmJericho | @KennyOmegaManX | @ibushi_kota | @PaulWight pic.twitter.com/f3G9ilsx6c
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 16, 2023
The struggle itself was a fairly traditional road struggle, however as a substitute of a hoop littered simply with tables, chairs, chains, barbed wire, and different traditional road struggle props, it was additionally filled with objects you would possibly discover in Like a Dragon’s Kamurocho or Sotenbori. There have been road indicators promoting ramen, beer bottles, milk crates, and even a motorcycle. A shifting picture of Sotenbori was projected up on the huge display behind the ring with pedestrians strolling up and down the highway to finish the vibe.
I turned on AEW tonight hoping to see Kenny Omega hit a man with a large site visitors cone, and whereas I did not get exactly that, I used to be removed from disenchanted. A number of folks have been smacked with milk crates or smashed with beer bottles. Hobbs took Wight exterior and slammed him into the hood of a automobile. Omega bought chucked right into a ramen signal.
One main spotlight of the match concerned Jericho and Takeshita heading up into the stands, via the foyer, and right into a VIP lounge lined in fancy black government couches that seemed like they’d come proper out of Millenium Tower. They slammed one another round a bit earlier than heading again into the foyer, the place Takeshita jumped behind the snack counter, climbed on high of the merchandising machines, and tried to dive again onto Jericho just for Jericho to blast him with a fireplace extinguisher.
Absolute chaos!
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!@IAmJericho | @KennyOmegaManX | @ibushi_kota | @PaulWight | @TheDonCallis | @briancagegmsi | @takesoup | @kylefletcherpro | @TrueWillieHobbs pic.twitter.com/iLDEDqnuOY
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 16, 2023
Even a motorcycle bought used. At one level, Ibushi mounted the bike, rode it down the ramp to the ring with a steel pipe in his hand, bapping folks as he went, and rode across the enviornment till Brian Cage shoved him off the bike. Later within the match, Takeshita grabbed the bike and slammed it into Omega – Majima vs. Kiryu, however not the way you’d anticipate it.
Kota Ibushi!
On a motorcycle!
With a pipe!!!
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!@IAmJericho | @KennyOmegaManX | @ibushi_kota | @PaulWight | @TheDonCallis | @briancagegmsi | @takesoup | @kylefletcherpro | @TrueWillieHobbs pic.twitter.com/0N2HTYQoyX
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 16, 2023
The entire thing was an absolute delight, from the entrances to the ending – victory belonging to Omega, Ibushi, Jericho, and Wight, in fact. Following the match, Ibushi announced he’s officially joining AEW, and Omega appeared to tease a future cameo look within the Like a Dragon video games. He is already achieved that feat as soon as, however I am now sitting right here hoping we are able to summon Omega wholesale, Poundmate-style, in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth:
It has been my dream to combine the worlds of gaming and wrestling. I hope you all loved the Like a Dragon Road Struggle. Hopefully, I will see you in a Like a Dragon sport quickly! @SEGA pic.twitter.com/0zEDuWzrj7
— Kenny Omega (@KennyOmegamanX) November 16, 2023
Tonight’s Like a Dragon Road Struggle was clearly sponsored all to heck to promote extra copies of Like a Dragon, however frankly if you are going to market a online game, it is a fairly enjoyable solution to do it. Omega’s love of the Like a Dragon franchise and video video games extra usually has already spawned dozens of cool costumes and crossover moments, together with my favourite, his iconic Halloween entrance as Sans from Undertale. Given what number of wrestlers are absolute large nerds like the remainder of us, I hope that is the beginning of an extended, stunning way forward for cool gaming-wrestling crossovers. I simply want Kenny Omega to Warmth Motion somebody with a large site visitors cone, and I will lastly be fulfilled.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Obtained a narrative tip? Ship it to rvalentine@ign.com.