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I was meditating on New Japan yesterday, and I came to a weird point where I tricked myself into thinking that maybe Okada drops the belt to Omega in San Francisco, and that he doesn't actually get it back, but rather gets Hiroshi Tanahashi's blessing to go after Suzuki and the IC Title after Suzuki does more dastardly stuff. Naito then wins the G1 and challenges Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 13. So the top five matches are:
* Kenny Omega (c) vs. G1 Climax Winner Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Title
* Minoru Suzuki (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IC Title
* Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Chris Jericho (in an "Alpha Lions Match!")
* Zack Sabre, Jr. vs. Kota Ibushi for the US Title (either guy is champion really)
* Hirooki Goto vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the NEVER Title (again, either guy could be champion)
Naito wins the IWGP Title. Okada wins the IC Title and at a press conference says that had to stop Suzuki, it was the most painful match of his life, so this belt means as much to him as anything else, and he will defend it with pride like Tanahashi did before him. Tanahashi beats Jericho and announces that he will be taking some time off to rest and will enter the G1. Okada wants Tanahashi to challenge him for the IC Title if he wins. Ibushi wins/retains the US Title and keeps on being Ibushi. I know Jay White has it now...but come on.
Reason I think Okada may not be in the main event: Gedo probably has his ear to the ground and hears the western rumblings, but he also knows his audience as well. Okada can still be the highest paid guy, franchise player and still draw money in other positions -- you just have to have him take the agency to lead his own story. Losing the IWGP Title to Omega in an environment where Omega has the North American advantage, only for Okada to focus on justice and doing the right thing and stepping to Suzuki sends him off on a different path gets him away from doing the same-same and just knocking back another challenger at Wrestle Kingdom.
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