Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega in GIFs

The expectations for Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega blasted through the roof of the Tokyo Dome before the first bell at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 12 sounded. At the marquee Japanese wrestling event of the year, Jericho and Omega did their best to steal the show.

361 days away from the end of year, when 2018 closes up shop, Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega has already staked its claim to be on the short list of everyone’s match-of-year candidates.

Here are all the best GIFs that defined Alpha vs. Omega on Jan. 4 in Tokyo, Japan.

The big match feel began with each man’s walk to the ring. Backed by his own Fozzy tune’s Jericho and his custom light up jacket soaked in the moment.

Breaking out new walkout attire, The Cleaner came ready to change the world.

In a no DQ match for Omega’s IWGP United States title, Jericho didn’t wait for the match to begin to start putting the boots to the champ.

In what was a violent, at times grimy affair the first big spot came from Omega and it was a near miss.

Jericho followed up Omega’s leap of faith with a Walls of Jericho attempt sprung across the broken table and blatant push to the referee’s face as he dropped the hold.

Still working outside of the ring, Omega would strike back with another ECW-esque spot of his own.

The theme of Omega of laying it all on the line continued but it was again countered by Jericho, who remained one step ahead of the younger champ in the early portions of the match.

If you don’t mark out for a 47-year-old Chris Jericho landing a Lionsault in 2018 we don’t what to tell you.

Omega would take on more punishment before getting busted open. The crimison mask across Omega’s face may have planted the seed for a rally for the Best Bout Machine.

The Man of 1,004 Holds would had a few more tricks up sleeve hitting a vintage Liontamer as well as a filthy Codebreaker on Omega.

In pro wrestling karma at it’s finest the same chair Chris Jericho brought into the ring as a weapon led to his demise. Looking for one more finishing move, Jericho ate a chair shot instead and walked into a One Winged Angel from Kenny Omega for the finish.

You read the buildup and have now seen the match, did Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega live up to the hype? Future match of year candidate or too early in the year to consider it?

Huge H/T to TDE Wrestling and Italo Santana for chronicling pro wrestling history in GIF form.