Kota Ibushi is the winner of this year’s G1 Climax.
Three straight nights at Budokan Hall wrapped up today with Ibushi defeating Jay White in the G1 finals. After White kicked out of a Kamigoye, Ibushi hit another one to win the tournament.
White had attacked Ibushi’s left ankle with a steel chair in an angle at the end of Sunday’s B Block finals. After saying that Gedo wouldn’t accompany him against Ibushi, White came out with Gedo and the Bullet Club. Referee Red Shoes had the Bullet Club ejected from ringside before the match, then had Gedo ejected after he interfered early.
Gedo got involved later in the match until being taken out of the ring by Rocky Romero.
This was the second straight year that Ibushi made the finals of the G1. He lost to Hiroshi Tanahashi in last year’s tournament.
On Saturday, Ibushi defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the A Block. Ibushi went 7-2 in block action and finished with 14 points. His two losses were against KENTA and EVIL.
By winning the G1, Ibushi has been set up as the IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenger for Wrestle Kingdom 14. He’ll likely defend the title shot between now and January.
Wrestle Kingdom 14 will be a two-night event with shows on both January 4 and 5. Okada is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
After eighteen shows, the 29th G1 Climax tournament is set to end this morning at Budokan Hall.
Kota Ibushi, the winner of the A Block, will face B Block winner Jay White in the main event. Ibushi looks to do what he fell short of last year by winning the final match of the tournament. Jay White has promised that Gedo will not be at ringside, but promises only go so far in the Bullet Club.
The rest of the card features a number of tag team matches that will likely set the direction for the rest of the year. Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada will team up in the co-main event to face Zack Sabre Jr. and Minoru Suzuki. Tanahashi pinned Sabre in yesterday’s B Block finals, and may have an opportunity at Sabre’s British Heavyweight Championship down the line.
Join us for live coverage starting at 2 a.m. ET. There will be English commentary for the event.
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CLARK CONNORS & KARL FREDERICKS DEFEATED REN NARITA & YOTA TSUJI
They’re playing up a rivalry between the Japanese dojo students and the Los Angeles dojo students. This played into that story. A fun, different opener.
Connors submitted Tsuji with a crab after what was nearly a squash match. After the closing bell, they all continued to brawl.
The crowd was hot for this, as they loved seeing Liger. The match was paint-by-numbers, with not much standing out.
Taichi attempted to unmask Liger and Tiger. Tiger came back with kicks, and hit a Tiger Driver for a nearfall.
Archer and Cobb tagged in and did some big man spots, the highlight being Archer hitting a pounce on Cobb.
Suzuki-gun continued to dominate the proceedings until Kanemaru got in. Kanemaru tried for Deep Impact, but Cobb caught him, and hit a release belly-to-belly. Cobb followed with a Tour of the Islands on Kanemaru, and got the pin.
They didn’t get much time. Ishimori and Owens worked over Roppongi 3K at the outset. Owens worked especially well with the lads.
Ospreay got a tag and made a comeback against Yujiro. SHO and YOH hit stereo cope con giro’s to the floor, taking out Owens and Ishimori.
The finish saw Ospreay hit Storm Breaker on Yujiro for the pin. They strongly put over on commentary that Ospreay had just beaten another heavyweight.
JUICE ROBINSON & TOA HENARE DEFEATED JON MOXLEY & SHOTA UMINO
Not much to the match. Henare pinned Umino with a Toa Bottom. The real highlight here was the post-match.
Moxley and Juice had a staredown in the ring. Juice went to leave, and Moxley hit him with the U.S. title belt.
Moxley set up a table. He said Juice looks like he belongs in a 1990s jazzercise class and he’s going to toughen him up.
Moxley slammed Juice through the table and left him laying, then left with Umino. Juice sold being put through the table as though he had fallen off a skyscraper.
The early part of the match was built around Taguchi comedy. He sold his ass after a series of missed hip attacks.
Honma missed a kokeshi, of course. Goto tagged in and made a comeback for his team. Honma tagged back in, and SANADA cut him off.
SANADA hit a TKO for a two count. He followed up with a backbreaker, then hit a moonsault for the pin on Honma.
LIJ shared their traditional fist bump after the match. EVIL participated as well, which he had not done since just before the G1.
TAMA TONGA, TANGA LOA & BAD LUCK FALE DEFEATED TOMOHIRO ISHII, YOSHI-HASHI & KENTA
This just screamed “angle alert”. And what an angle it was. KENTA joined Bullet Club, and Katsuyori Shibata did physicality in a strong angle.
YOSHI-HASHI and Fale began. YH hit a headhunter. Tama Tonga tried to cut him off from the apron, but Fale accidentally hit him instead. Fale made his own comeback, and Bullet Club worked YH over in their corner.
YH finally managed to tag Ishii after an extended beatdown. Fale took Ishii down with a shoulder tackle, and Bullet Club then went to work on Ishii. Ishii fought off a gun stun from Tonga, then hit a suplex on Loa.
Ishii went to tag KENTA. KENTA jumped off the apron, leaving Ishii hanging. Tonga hit a frog splash on Ishii for a nearfall.
YH jumped in to save Ishii, but ate a sloppy gun stun. Tonga went for a gun stun on Ishii, but Ishii turned it into a powerslam.
Fale tried to save Tonga, but Ishii hit him with a brainbuster. KENTA entered and hit Ishii with a running knee. Tonga then covered Ishii for the pin.
YH and the L.A. Dojo boys jumped in to save Ishii from an extended beatdown, but Bullet Club sent them outside.
As KENTA posed in the ring, Katsuyori Shibata jumped in. Shibata hit a series of strikes, then a delayed dropkick in the corner on KENTA.
Tonga jumped in, but Shibata fought him off with strikes. Loa jumped in, but Shibata fought him off. Shibata used a rear naked choke on KENTA, and set him up for a PK. Instead, Jado cut him off with a kendo stick shot from the floor.
Bullet Club ganged up on Shibata in the ring. KENTA hit a PK on Shibata, and sat on top of him in Shibata’s pose. KENTA threw up the too sweet hand signal, and joined Bullet Club.
Shibata walked to the back under his own power. Wow.
A very good match. This also sets Suzuki up for an IWGP title match in the near future, perhaps in London at Royal Quest on August 31.
Okada and Tanahashi hit some tandem offense, including a back elbow to Sabre. Suzuki jumped in and slapped an armbar on Okada over the ropes, while Sabre simultaneously got a flying armbar on Tanahashi.
Suzuki and Okada brawled on the outside, while Sabre worked over Tanahashi’s right arm in the ring. Suzuki sent Okada into the barricade, taking him out of action for a bit. Suzuki and Sabre used quick tags in their corner, continuing to attack Tanahashi’s limbs. Okada jumped back on the apron, but Suzuki sent him to the floor with a running boot.
Tanahashi came back with a dragon screw on Sabre, then managed to tag Okada. Okada hit a back elbow in the corner, a DDT, a slam, then went up top. Sabre rolled out of the way of an elbow, and Okada rolled through on landing.
Okada went for an air raid crash, but Sabre blocked it with an octopus. Sabre tagged Suzuki, who hit a PK for a nearfall, then a running boot to Okada. Suzuki went for a kimura. Tanahashi jumped in for the save, but Suzuki no-sold his offense, then sent him outside.
Suzuki grabbed a front facelock on Okada. He teased the Gotch-style piledriver, but Okada blocked it, hit an air raid crash, then tagged Tanahashi. Suzuki also tagged Sabre.
Tanahashi hit Sabre with slaps. Sabre got the octopus hold, but Tanahashi slid out. Tanahashi hit Twist and Shout, then a slingblade. He covered, but Suzuki made the save.
Okada and Suzuki fought to the floor. Tana went for High Fly Flow, but Sabre got his knees up, then tried for an armbar. Tanahashi bridged into a cover for a nearfall, but Sabre came back with a PK.
Okada and Suzuki got tags. Okada hit a shotgun dropkick, then a top rope elbow. Okada hit his Rainmaker pose. He went for the Rainmaker, but Suzuki elbowed out of the attempt.
Suzuki and Okada exchanged forearm strikes. Okada missed on a dropkick, and Suzuki hit a PK. Suzuki applied a rear naked choke. He tried to transition to a piledriver, but Tanahashi saved with a slingblade.
Tanahashi sent Sabre outside with a slingblade, then hit a pescado. Okada hit Suzuki with a dropkick to the back. Suzuki avoided another dropkick, then used La Mistica. Incredible.
Tanahashi jumped in for the save, but Sabre took him out with a flying guillotine.
Suzuki used a rear naked choke, then hit Okada with the Gotch-style piledriver for the pin.
Suzuki cut a promo after the match. He told Okada that he lost to a guy that wasn’t allowed in the G1. Suzuki told Okada to hand over the IWGP belt to him.
Okada was helped to the back with his title. Suzuki said NJPW can’t escape him, and that Suzuki-gun is ichiban.
G1 CLIMAX 29 FINAL: KOTA IBUSHI DEFEATED JAY WHITE (31:01)
This was an all-time great match. The bar was set ridiculously high over the last five weeks, and these guys had to absolutely tear the house down to meet that standard. They did, and then some. What a match.
The entire Bullet Club came to the ring with White. Red Shoes ejected them from ringside before the opening bell. Gedo bargained with Red Shoes, who allowed him to stay.
Gedo tried to trip Ibushi shortly after the opening bell, so Red Shoes ejected him as well.
Ibushi hit a dropkick, and White rolled outside. Ibushi teased a Golden Triangle off the post, but White pushed him into the post, then went to work on Ibushi’s bad ankle on the floor.
Back inside, White hit a double underhook suplex into the turnbuckle. Ibushi went for a snap hurricanrana, but his ankle gave out. He got the rana on his second try, but continued selling his ankle.
Ibushi hit a powerslam, then a moonsault. He followed up with a flurry of kicks, then hit a standing moonsault. He went for a backflip kneedrop, but White rolled to safety, and Ibushi continued selling his legs.
White hit a Blade Buster for a two count. He went for his TTO submission, but Ibushi kicked him off at the 10 minute mark.
Ibushi hit a double stomp to the back. White hit a flatliner, then a German suplex. White hit a superplex. He went for a kiwi krusher, but Ibushi blocked it. Ibushi hit a spike package driver.
White came back with a uranage, then used a kiwi krusher for a nearfall at the 15 minute mark.
White called for Blade Runner. Ibushi escaped the move. Ibushi tried for a Kamigoye, but White blocked it. White tried for a sleeper suplex, but Ibushi reversed it into his own sleeper suplex.
Ibushi teased lawn-darting White into the turnbuckle. White slipped out, then shoved Ibushi into Red Shoes. Red Shoes took a bump, then rolled to the floor.
White hit a low blow. Gedo came back to the ring, and slid a chair in. Gedo held Ibushi’s leg while White hit it with a chair. Gedo rolled outside, and White hit an inverted dragon screw. Gedo revived the referee and rolled him back in.
White applied the TTO. After a long struggle, Ibushi reached the bottom rope for a break at the 20 minute mark.
White tried for a sleeper suplex, but Ibushi hit a backflip kick. Ibushi lawn-darted White into the buckle. White rolled to the apron, and Ibushi hit a deadlift German off the second rope into the ring.
They got back to their feet, where White hit a palm strike to the chest. Ibushi no-sold it, then lit White up with strikes. Ibushi dared White to hit him. White hit a palm strike to the face. Ibushi hit one of his own, and White dropped to the mat. Ibushi tried to pull White up for a lariat, but White hit a dragon screw.
Ibushi hit a lariat, then used a Last Ride for a two count at the 25 minute mark.
Ibushi called for a bomaye. White dropped to the mat before Ibushi could hit the move, playing possum. White took the referee. Gedo jumped in with brass knuckles. Ibushi ducked the knucks, then kicked Gedo.
White hit a sleeper suplex. Ibushi no-sold it, then hit a Bomaye. Red Shoes called Rocky Romero from the commentary table to pull Gedo out of the ring. Ibushi hit a second Bomaye for a nearfall.
Ibushi went for Kamigoye, but White blocked it, kicking at Ibushi’s bad leg. Ibushi hit a pair of high kicks. He went for Kamigoye, but White reversed it into a Blade Runner. White could not follow up with a cover right away.
White grabbed Ibushi’s wrists. He teased a Kamigoye or a cross-armed brainbuster, but Ibushi hit a headbutt to the chest, cutting him off.
Ibushi hit a straightjacket German He went for a Kamigoye, but White blocked and hit a sleeper suplex. White hit a second sleeper suplex, dropping Ibushi on his head.
White went for a Blade Runner. Ibushi hit a Kamigoye. Ibushi hit a jumping knee strike, then another Kamigoye. White kicked out at two.
Ibushi hit a third Kamigoye, and pinned White.
Harold Meij presented Ibusho with a flag and the G1 trophy. Ibushi posed for a couple of minutes, then cut a promo.
Ibushi said this G1 has been the most important month of his life. Ibushi said he made the finals last year, but one year later, he won. He said he could not be happier than he is right now.
He said that he was able to win thanks to the efforts of all 20 men in the tournament.
Ibushi said that all together, we are going to tear up the wrestling world. He said a new era in NJPW starts today. He thanked everyone, and said he’ll see everyone at next year’s G1.
NJPW has revealed the full card for the G1 Climax 29 finals.
The show is taking place at Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan overnight tonight and will air live on New Japan World starting at 2 a.m. Eastern time (11 p.m. Pacific). It will be headlined by A Block winner Kota Ibushi facing B Block winner Jay White in the tournament finals.
In the semi-main event, Hiroshi Tanahashi & IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada will team against Zack Sabre Jr. & Minoru Suzuki. Tanahashi pinned Sabre in a tag match at the B Block finals this morning, and NJPW looks to be building to Sabre defending his RPW British Heavyweight Championship against Tanahashi at Royal Quest in London, England on Saturday, August 31.
Here’s the full card for the G1 finals:
Kota Ibushi vs. Jay White in the G1 Climax 29 finals
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Minoru Suzuki
KENTA, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) & Bad Luck Fale
It will be Kota Ibushi vs. Jay White in the G1 finals at Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan overnight tonight. The show will air live on New Japan World and will begin at 2 a.m. Eastern time (11 p.m. Pacific).
Ibushi defeated Kazuchika Okada on Saturday to win the A Block, while White became the B Block winner by defeating Tetsuya Naito in this morning’s main event.
After White vs. Naito, there was a post-match angle where White called Ibushi out to the ring. White claimed that Gedo wouldn’t be in his corner for the G1 finals. White offered a handshake to Ibushi. White went to attack him, but Ibushi avoided a kick. White then ducked a kick from Ibushi.
Gedo grabbed Ibushi’s leg as he went to leave the ring. White targeted Ibushi’s left ankle, putting it inside of a chair and using another one to give Ibushi multiple chair shots.
In today’s other tournament matches, Shingo Takagi defeated Hirooki Goto, Juice Robinson defeated Jon Moxley, Taichi defeated Tomohiro Ishii, and Jeff Cobb defeated Toru Yano.
Ibushi went 7-2 in A Block action and finished with 14 points. White went 6-3 in his tournament matches and ended up as the B Block winner with 12 points.
Before going on to win their blocks, Ibushi lost his first two tournament matches and White lost his first three. Ibushi was defeated by KENTA and EVIL. White lost to Goto, Ishii, and Yano.
The winner of Ibushi vs. White will be set up as the IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenger for Wrestle Kingdom 14, though they’ll likely defend their title shot between now and January.
These guys had an intense brawl, not the kind of thing you typically see in these Young Lion openers. Lots of stomps, kicks, punches, and brawling on the outside from Umino and Tsuji, who also continued going at it after the closing bell.
The finish saw Narita get a full crab on Uemura. Uemura fought the hold forever, but finally tapped out. This was excellent.
BAD LUCK FALE, YUJIRO TAKAHASHI & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI
Yujiro pinned BUSHI after hitting Pimp Juice, as Bullet Club and LIJ continue to trade wins in the undercard tag matches on this tour.
The match was okay, the highlight being a comedy spot where Owens tried to put SANADA in the Paradise Lock.
KOTA IBUSHI, TOA HENARE & TOMOAKI HONMA DEFEATED KENTA, CLARK CONNORS & KARL FREDERICKS
Henare pinned Fredericks after a Toa Bottom. This was a pretty standard Honma tag match where he missed kokeshis, got worked over, hit a kokeshi, then tagged his partners for the comeback.
Ibushi and KENTA had a nice sequence, ending with them hitting simultaneous high kicks. Fredericks continues to sit at the top of the L.A. Dojo class.
It would be virtually impossible to have this much talent in a ring and have a bad match. This was fantastic.
Tanahashi pinned Sabre. Sabre hit a Northern Lights suplex, then used the bridge to transition to a double wristlock with a headscissors, then a cross armbreaker. Tanahashi used the armbreaker position to cradle Sabre for the win.
They played up on commentary that Tanahashi could be in line for a shot at Sabre’s RPW British Heavyweight title after the win. August 31 in London seems like a good time and place for that one.
B BLOCK MATCH: JEFF COBB DEFEATED TORU YANO (5:19)
This was not one of the more inspired Yano comedy matches of the tournament.
Cobb asked the referee to check Yano’s tights after the opening bell. Yano had five rolls of tape in his tights. Yano asked the referee to check Cobb’s singlet. Cobb turned his back, and Yano rolled him up for a near fall.
Yano then tucked Cobb’s arms down into his singlet, and rolled him up for another near fall.
They traded throws. Cobb hit a standing moonsault for a near fall. Yano missed on a series of low blow attempts. Cobb hit Tour of the Islands, then pinned Yano.
B BLOCK MATCH: TAICHI DEFEATED TOMOHIRO ISHII (11:56)
These guys have great chemistry. Ishii wrapped up his G1 with another incredible performance, and, sadly, another loss.
Taichi hit an axe bomber immediately, then followed with a backdrop suplex for a quick near fall.
Ishii tried to fire out of the corner with a shoulder tackle, but Taichi took it, then dropped Ishii with a kick. Taichi hit a series of short kicks. Ishii came back with a powerslam.
Taichi hit an enzuigiri in the corner. Ishii blocked a buzzsaw kick, then hit a release German. Ishii hit his own series of kicks at the five minute mark, then hit a delayed superplex for a two count.
Ishii hit a backdrop suplex, but Taichi no-sold it. Ishii it a clothesline, then used a sliding lariat for a near fall.
Ishii went for a brainbuster, but Taichi blocked it. Taichi sent Ishii face-first into the buckle, then hit a head kick. Ishii missed on an enzuigiri, and Taichi followed up with a buzzsaw kick.
Taichi hit an axe bomber for a near fall. He went for a Last Ride, but Ishii blocked it. Taichi hit a kamiguri, then hit a Last Ride for a two count.
Taichi removed his trousers, then hit a head kick. They traded a series of hard strikes, and Ishii dropped Taichi. Ishii hit a lariat, and Taichi took a flip bump. Ishii got a near fall off the lariat.
Ishii again went for the brainbuster, but Taichi blocked it, hit a series of kicks, then a backdrop suplex. Ishii no-sold an enzuigiri. Taichi hit another high kick, and Ishii kicked out at the last possible instant.
Ishii hit an enzuigiri, but Taichi no-sold it, then hit a thrust kick. He followed with Black Mephisto and got the 1-2-3.
B BLOCK MATCH: JUICE ROBINSON DEFEATED JON MOXLEY (16:26)
This was nowhere near the level of their first match in June, but still a very good match. Juice had his left knee taped up, so they built the match around Moxley working over the left leg.
They teased locking up. Moxley offered Juice a free strike, which led to an exchange of strikes. Juice’s knee gave out on a charge into the corner, and Moxley went to work on the leg.
Moxley hit a stomp to the abdomen, then used a figure four. Juice hit a slap to the face, but Moxley didn’t break the hold. Juice reversed the figure four, and Moxley forced a rope break.
Juice missed on a Juice Box attempt, and Moxley applied a cloverleaf. Juice forced a break, then bit Moxley’s earring out.
He bit Moxley’s earring out.
Juice went for a crossbody off the top, but Moxley was ready for it, and rolled to the floor. Moxley pulled a table from under the ring, but Juice hit a pescado, cutting him off. Juice gently placed the table back under the ring. Moxley recovered and sent Juice into the barricade.
Moxley posted Juice’s legs. He teased a figure four around the post, but went for a chair instead. Juice avoided a chair shot to the legs, posted Moxley, then hit him with a cannonball off the apron. Juice again refused to use a weapon and dropped the chair behind the barricade.
Back inside, Juice hit a high cross off the top for a near fall, but sold his leg on landing. They had a striking battle, while the crowd did dueling chants. Moxley hit a lariat, ending the sequence.
Moxley used an ankle lock and grapevined the leg. Juice reached the ropes for a break. Moxley hit a series of strikes to the back, then applied an STF. Red Shoes dropped Juice’s arm twice. On the third drop, Juice grabbed Red Shoes’ pant leg.
Moxley thought he won the match, and released the hold. Red Shoes told him that he hadn’t won and they argued. Moxley hit a Regal Knee, then an x-plex.
Moxley threw all sorts of plunder into the ring. Chairs, a table, and a bucket flew in. Moxley bit Juice’s face, but Juice cut him off with a Left Hand of God.
Juice hit a series of jabs, a Left Hand of God, then connected with Pulp Friction for the pin.
B BLOCK MATCH: SHINGO TAKAGI DEFEATED HIROOKI GOTO (15:10)
Goto needed a couple of rest holds in the first few minutes, but aside from that, he did well keeping up with Shingo’s frenetic pace. A very good match. If Will Ospreay didn’t exist, Shingo might have a case for wrestler of the year.
Goto broke cleanly against the ropes on the opening tie-up. Shingo refused to do the same on the next tie-up, hitting a chop. Shingo scored a knockdown off a shoulder tackle, hit a series of elbows, then hit a senton. He made a cover, but Goto kicked out at one.
Shingo hit a knee strike, then a vertical suplex. Goto fired back with a discus lariat, and Shingo rolled to the floor to collect himself. Back inside, Goto hit a neckbreaker for a near fall, then hit a mid kick for a one count.
Goto used a chinlock, then applied a headscissors on the mat. Shingo reached the ropes, forcing a break. Goto hit a couple of clotheslines in the corner, and Shingo sold them big.
They exchanged strikes and chops in the center of the ring. Shingo connected with a snap backdrop suplex. Goto hit a backdrop. They traded strikes, and Shingo dropped Goto with a lariat for a two count.
Goto hit a vertical suplex, then hit a Saito suplex for a two count. He teased an ushigoroshi, but Shingo blocked it. Shingo hit the ropes, but ran right into a sleeper hold. Shingo broke the hold once, but Goto went right back to it.
Shingo hit a backdrop suplex to break the hold, a sliding lariat, then hit noshigami for a two count. He teased Made in Japan, but Goto blocked it. They traded misdirection spots and lariats. Goto hit a big lariat, then used an ushigoroshi for a two count.
Goto hit some mid kicks for a near fall. Goto went for a GTR, but Shingo blocked. They hit simultaneous headbutts. Shingo hit Made in Japan for a near fall.
Shingo connected with a Pumping Bomber, but Goto again kicked out at two.
Shingo went for Last of the Dragon. Goto blocked it. Shingo hit a big right hand, then a series of elbows. Shingo teased another big right, but Goto cut him off with a headbutt.
Goto hit an inverted GTR, but did not make a cover. Shingo cut him off with a lariat. Goto ducked one Pumping Bomber, but Shingo hit another on the rebound for a near fall.
Shingo hit Last of the Dragon,got the pin, and finished his G1 with a win.
B BLOCK MATCH: JAY WHITE DEFEATED TETSUYA NAITO (18:51)
They had a good match, but not at the level of the best matches of the tournament.
I don’t want to say that Naito can’t go any more, but this version of Naito can’t hang with the top in-ring guys in the industry right now. He’s just too beaten up. If I were booking, I’d be putting Shingo in Naito’s spot for whatever long-term plans I had.
They didn’t touch for nearly the first full minute of the match. Both of these guys love to stall. White rolled outside. White got back in. White rolled outside. Naito teased a dive, but hit his tranquilo pose instead.
They finally faced off on the floor, where a Gedo distraction failed. Naito took control of the early offense. Back inside, Naito tried twice for his combinacion in the corner, but White cut him off both times.
White pushed Naito off the ropes on a slingshot attempt, and Naito crashed to the apron. White then whipped Naito into the barricade. Back inside, White hit a DDT for a two count. White rolled Naito to the floor, then slammed him into the barricade and ring frame.
Back in the ring, White used a chinlock. Naito came back with a one-legged dropkick. Naito hit a hurricanrana, then a low dropkick. He finally connected on a combinacion in the corner, then hit two neckbreakers for a near fall.
Naito applied a crucifix hold, but White managed to reach the bottom rope. White ducked a lariat, hit a flatliner, then a suplex, as the momentum shifted back to Switchblade.
White blocked a flying forearm and hit a uranage. Naito blocked a Kiwi Krusher, then hit a DDT. He teased Gloria, but White blocked it with a hair pull. White pulled Naito into the referee, who took a bump.
Gedo jumped in with brass knuckles, but Naito cut him off. White tried for a low blow, but Naito blocked it, then hit Gloria for a near fall.
Naito went for Destino, but White blocked it. Naito hit a tornado DDT, but White again blocked a Destino attempt. White hit two Saito suplexes, then hit a Kiwi Krusher for a two count.
White teased Blade Runner, but Naito reversed into a sloppy poison rana. Naito dropped himself right on his head. Naito hit Destino, but White kicked out.
Naito went for a second Destino, but White blocked it, then hit a sleeper suplex.
They did an intricate series of finisher reversals, ending with White hitting another sleeper suplex. White hit a bloody Sunday DDT, then hit Blade Runner.
White covered and got the win.
White taunted Naito in his post-match promo. He taunted the fans, then called out Ibushi.
Ibushi slowly walked to the ring, then slowly climbed inside. White promised that Gedo would not accompany him tomorrow.
White offered a handshake. Ibushi shook his hand. White tried to kick Ibushi low, but Ibushi avoided the kick.
As Ibushi went to exit the ring, Gedo grabbed his ankle. White used the distraction to hit a chop block. Gedo threw two chairs to White. White Pillman-ized Ibushi’s left ankle with three chair shots.
White closed the show saying that tomorrow, Ibushi will breathe with the Switchblade.
Budokan Hall is home to the final three nights of the G1 Climax, with tonight’s show deciding the winner of the A Block. It was relatively simple: whoever won tonight’s main event between Kota Ibushi and Kazuchika Okada would advance to Monday’s finals.
Prelim matches:
– Jon Moxley and Shota Umino defeated Juice Robinson and Ren Narita
Umino pinned Narita with a fisherman’s suplex.
– Jeff Cobb and Toa Henare defeated Toru Yano and Tomoaki Honma
Cobb defeated Honma with the Tour of the Islands.
– Minoru Suzuki and Taichi defeated Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI
Suzuki pinned YOSH-HASHI with the Gotch-style piledriver.
– Shingo Takagi, BUSHI and Tetsuya Naito defeated Jay White, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens
Takagi pinned Yujiro following the Made in Japan.
A Block: Lance Archer defeated EVIL
A pretty sold, well-executed match. Archer worked hard all the way until the end, as did EVIL. Both had a really great tournament.
They charge at each other once the bell rings and exchange hard shots. EVIL, on the floor, was wiped out by a standing moonsault to the floor by Archer.
Exposing a turnbuckle, Archer suplexed EVIL into the exposed post. He tried to follow that with a rolling senton off the middle rope, but EVIL rolled out of the way. EVIL caught Archer off-guard and hit a bronco buster. EVIL soon followed with a superplex.
EVIL tried to pass Archer’s leg to the ref, but instead kicked him in the gut and set him reeling to the floor. Archer cut off EVIL and set up a chair in the exposed ring post. EVIL stopped, grabbed a running Archer and threw him into the chair and hit a rope-assisted magic killer.
EVIL went for Everything is EVIL but Archer blocked and hit a chokeslam and an F5. He motioned for the EBD claw. EVIL blocked it momentarily, but Archer latched on with the EBD claw and pinned him.
A Block: Bad Luck Fale defeated SANADA
This was the usual Fale match, but the action (when it did happen) was pretty good. Fale did not have a good tournament but I admire these last few finishes he’s had where he’s found different ways to pin people.
Fale started off strong. SANADA tried to bodyslam Fale, but he was too big. Fale grounded him with nerve holds. Fale missed an elbow, then missed a clothesline as SANADA cut him off with a dropkick to the leg, clotheslined him to the outside, following that with a pescado to the floor.
Everyone at this point ran in to interfere, but SANADA gained the upper hand, getting rid of Owens and Jado. A TKO attempt by SANADA was futile as Fale squashed him as a counter. He went for the grenade but SANADA kicked out.
Fale went for the Bad Luck Fall but SANADA countered with a bodyslam and did connect with a TKO for a two count. Chase pulled the ref out of the ring as both he and Jado interfered, and were both put in the paradise lock. Fale came back but was taken out by a missile dropkick to the floor.
SANADA went for the cold skull but out of nowhere Fale countered with a small (big?) package and got the win.
Block A: Zack Sabre Jr. defeated KENTA
This was great, a fine technical match with a fantastic, hard-earned finish by Sabre. It’s exactly the kind of match you want to see between these two.
They started off tepidly, with KENTA in control with some stiff kicks. Sabre came back with some of his own but was taken down by a big boot. KENTA continued to ground him with rest holds, but Sabre counters and works on KENTA’s surgically repaired arm. KENTA cut him off and went for a double foot stomp, but it missed.
Sabre cut him off with a northern lights suplex and worked on the arm, trying to get it straight. He ends up getting it, but KENTA made it to the ropes at the same time. Sabre wrenches the arm but KENTA fought back with punches. Sabre countered with some of his own, then went for a penalty kick but KENTA cut him off.
KENTA connected with the double foot stomp and went for the GTS but Sabre cut him off with a sweep. They exchanged more shots, with KENTA getting the better of it, striking him down with palm strikes. Sabre cut off KENTA by bringing him down as the two exchange holds on the floor, with KENTA locking in the Game Over. Sabre made it to the ropes.
KENTA connected with the running knee as he went for the GTS but Sabre took him down with a guillotine. KENTA tried to roll him up, but Sabre got the better of him by putting him in a double chickenwing, kicking him straight in the head until he submitted.
Block A: Will Ospreay defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi
This was excellent. Not up to par with some of the best matches of the tournament I feel, but it’s up there. Still, that really says something about the high quality of matches we’ve seen for the last month. The heat for this toward the end was crazy, probably some of the best of the entire tournament.
Things started off with some good back and forth, with Ospreay sending Tanahashi to the outside. Tanahashi countered by grabbing his leg and laying in a dragon screw. He works over the knee on the ground, then both get back up as they start to exchange strikes.
Ospreay dumps Tanahashi to the floor as he flew off with the Sasuke special, taking down Tanahashi. He followed that with a standing shooting star press and a 619, but Tanahashi targeted the knee again as Ospreay launched off the top rope. He tried for the cloverleaf, but cut him off. Tanahashi went right back to the leg, taking him down with another dragon screw and the cloverleaf.
Ospreay catches Tanahashi with a rollup then followed with the Robinson special. He went for the Oscutter but Tanahashi countered with what kind of looked like a half sling blade. Ospreay cut off a full one with a spanish fly and followed with a shooting star press and the Oscutter but Tanahashi kicked out.
Ospreay went for the stormbreaker, but Tanahashi countered with the slingblade, then another. Tanahashi went for the high fly flow, but Ospreay rolled over. Ospreay cut off another slingblade attempt with a hook kick, then landed the elbow to the back of the head. Ospreay then pinned Tanahashi with the stormbreaker.
A Block: Kota Ibushi defeated Kazuchika Okada
This was also an excellent match, exactly the kind of classic you’d see between these two. I think both have had better matches, but this was a fine main event with some real nice counters and moves toward the finishing stretch. And again — given the quality level that we’ve seen in this tournament, it’s kind of unfair to say “I’ve seen better” to this match, because it really was excellent.
After some standard back and forth, Okada started to dominate the match, laying Ibushi out with a DDT to the floor. He took him back to the ring and worked him over. Ibushi cut him off, sent Okada to the outside and hit a pescado, tweaking the ankle he injured at the start of the tour.
Okada cut him off back in the ring and landed another DDT. Ibushi fought back as the two started to exchange punches. Ibushi laid out Okada and went for a moonsault, but Okada got the knees up and hit a flapjack. The two fight at the top rope as Ibushi goes for a butterfly suplex. He didn’t get it, but did connect with a big time super rana.
Ibushi hit the press powerbomb as he motions for the kamigoye. Okada immediately comes back to life and drills Ibushi with a German suplex, then another. Okada hit the dropkick and tried for the tombstone, but Ibush countered and landed a package tombstone piledriver.
At the 20 minute mark, the two start exchanging strikes again. Okada cut him off with a shotgun dropkick but Ibushi popped right back up and laid him out with a lariat. The two exchanged reversals until Okada hit the rainmaker, retaining wrist control.
Okada followed with another, then went for a third and hit a straightjacket suplex. Okada blocked the kamigoye and dropkicked Ibushi right in the back of the heat. Okada went for that looked like a hurricanrana but instead Ibushi countered with a very cool powerbomb for a nearfall.
Okada knocked off Ibushi with a dropkick but Ibushi countered Okada with a high kick but Okada escaped the kamigoye again. Ibushi connected with a knee to the face and hit the kamigoye but Okada kicked out. Ibushi hit another and got the win.
Kota Ibushi wins the A Block with this win, and will face whoever wins the B Block tomorrow, which is still up in the air. Even if Ibushi doesn’t win the finals, it’s likely they’ll do this one again relatively soon as he has pinned the IWGP champion.
Ibushi finishes the show with a promo, saying he will be representing the A Block and will fight until the bitter end.
G1 STANDINGS —
A BLOCK
Kota Ibushi 14 – WINNER
Kazuchika Okada 14 (eliminated)
EVIL 8 (eliminated)
KENTA 8 (eliminated)
Hiroshi Tanahashi 8 (eliminated)
SANADA 8 (eliminated)
Zack Sabre Jr. 8 (eliminated)
Bad Luck Fale 8 (eliminated)
Will Ospreay 6 (eliminated)
Lance Archer 6 (eliminated)
B BLOCK
Hirooki Goto 10 (holds tiebreaker over White, Moxley)
Jon Moxley 10 (holds tiebreaker over Naito)
Tetsuya Naito 10 (holds tiebreaker over Goto)
Jay White 10 (holds tiebreaker over Moxley)
Tomohiro Ishii 8 (needs to beat Taichi and needs Goto, Moxley, Naito to lose)
Toru Yano 8 (needs to beat Cobb, needs Ishii and Goto to lose and White vs. Naito to end in a double DQ/countout)
A quick opener. Uemura and Tsuji beat down Umino, with the highlight being a double dropkick.
Umino made his own comeback, then pinned Tsuji with a fisherman buster.
BAD LUCK FALE, YUJIRO TAKAHASHI & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI
Average undercard tag fare here. The match didn’t have a lot of heat.
Bullet Club got the heat on SANADA. SANADA hit a missile dropkick, then tagged EVIL. EVIL hit a fisherman buster, but Yujiro cut him off. Yujiro and Owens continued the Bullet Club beatdown on EVIL.
EVIL managed a tag to BUSHI, and LIJ then went three-on-one against Owens. The match broke down, leaving Owens and BUSHI legal.
Yujiro entered for an illegal double team. Owens hit a shining wizard, then a package piledriver on BUSHI for the pin.
MINORU SUZUKI, ZACK SABRE JR. & LANCE ARCHER DEFEATED KENTA, CLARK CONNORS & KARL FREDERICKS
Minoru Suzuki beating up Young Lions will never get old. This was a fun brawl.
KENTA, Connors, Suzuki, and Sabre brawled into the crowd, leaving Archer and Fredericks in the ring. Archer hit a pounce, then a series of back elbows in the corner.
Suzuki got a tag and dared Fredericks to hit him. Suzuki no-sold his offense — and the Suzuki-gun party was on.
Fredericks managed a tag to KENTA. KENTA ran wild on Sabre, then knocked Suzuki off the apron. KENTA teased a GTS, but Sabre slipped out. Sabre worked over KENTA’s left arm, so remember that when they face off Saturday.
Suzuki and Connors tagged in. Suzuki ate dozens of chops, and even sold some for Connors. Connors hit a dropkick and went for a crab. He managed to get it applied, but Sabre broke it up.
The match broke down. Sabre and KENTA brawled to the outside. Connors managed a quick cradle on Suzuki for a near fall, before Suzuki got a rear naked choke, then hit the Gotch-style piledriver for the pin.
Sabre continued working on KENTA’s left arm after the match.
KAZUCHIKA OKADA, HIROSHI TANAHASHI & YOSHI-HASHI DEFEATED KOTA IBUSHI, WILL OSPREAY & TOA HENARE
They didn’t get a ton of time, but we got a nice preview of two big A Block matches coming up on Saturday.
Okada and Ibushi started off with an intense sequence. Ibushi ducked a Rainmaker and hit a series of kicks. He went for a standing moonsault, but Okada got his knees up. Okada hit a flapjack and tagged YH.
YH and Tanahashi went to work on Ibushi, cutting the ring in half. Ibushi came back with a double stomp on Tanahashi, then tagged Ospreay. Ospreay cleared the apron and hit a handspring enzuigiri on Tanahashi.
Ospreay went for Storm Breaker, but Tanahashi reversed it into a Twist and Shout. Henare and YH got tags. YH teased his running chop in the corner, but Henare cut him off with a rugby tackle.
We saw a crazy sequence next, as Tanahashi jumped in with a dragon screw to Henare. Ospreay then hit Pip Pip Cheerio on Tanahashi. Okada hit Ospreay with a dropkick, then Ibushi hit Okada with a dropkick.
YH hit a brainbuster on Henare for the pin.
Okada and Ibushi had a staredown after the match. They played to the crowd, trying to get a mixed reaction kind of thing going. The crowd was either not mic’ed well, or not up for the idea, though.
B BLOCK MATCH: TORU YANO DEFEATED TAICHI (5:04)
This was not one of the better Yano comedy matches of the tournament, but the finish was among the best.
Taichi took forever to remove his entrance gear. He then rolled outside immediately after the bell, continuing to stall. Yano teased walking out. He made it all the way to the stage, where Yoshinobu Kanemaru ambushed him. Kanemaru hit Yano with a whiskey bottle, then beat him back to the ring.
Taichi wrapped Yano up in the ring skirt, and they teased a countout. Yano made it back in at 18. Yano and Taichi played a game of hot potato with a turnbuckle pad. Yano tore Taichi’s pants off, then sent him into the buckle. Yano hit a sloppy schoolboy for a near fall.
Taichi sent Yano into the exposed buckle, then used a Gedo Clutch for a near fall. Kanemaru tried to spit whiskey at Yano on the floor, but Yano ducked and the whiskey hit Taichi.
Yano rolled Kanemaru and Taichi up in the ring skirt, and Taichi could not beat the 20 count back inside.
B BLOCK MATCH: TETSUYA NAITO DEFEATED JEFF COBB (12:48)
This started slow. Naito didn’t exactly have his working boots on. The last few minutes were good, though.
Naito mocked Cobb by taking a sumo stance before the opening bell. Cobb responded with a shoulder tackle before the bell, then sent Naito rolling outside after a throw.
Back inside, Cobb fired off a couple of headbutts. Naito came back with a series of dropkicks to the legs. Naito continued to target Cobb’s legs with kicks. He then hit a dropkick to the back. Naito used a neckbreaker for a near fall.
Naito tried for a combinacion cabron in the corner, but Cobb caught him, then hit an overhead belly-to-belly. Cobb hit a Samoan drop, then a standing moonsault. Cobb got a near fall, but continued selling the damage to his legs.
Naito fought out of a deadlift attempt, then hit an enzuigiri. Cobb hit a gutwrench suplex into a bridge for a two count. Cobb hit a delayed superplex for a near fall. Cobb hit a spin cycle for another two count.
Cobb signaled for Tour of the Islands, but Naito hit a dropkick to the left leg. Cobb hit a superkick. Cobb teased a powerslam off the top rope, but Naito fought it off, then hit a frankensteiner. Cobb no-sold it. Naito then hit a swinging DDT.
Naito hit a poison rana. He went for Destino, but Cobb turned it into an F-5. Cobb was first up out of a double down. Naito got to his feet as well, and they exchanged strikes. Naito took a flip bump off a lariat.
Cobb went for Tour of the Islands, but Naito turned it into an inverted DDT. He covered, but only got a two count.
Naito hit Destino and got the pin.
B BLOCK MATCH: HIROOKI GOTO DEFEATED JON MOXLEY (8:39)
I think it was smart to keep this on the shorter side. They had a solid, very hard-hitting brawl.
They shared tough guy fist bumps at the outset, then went right into a striking exchange. Moxley got the better of it, and Goto rolled to the floor. They continued to trade strikes on the outside. They teased a double countout, but both made it back in at 19.
They continued to trade. Moxley took one lariat, but remained standing. A second lariat from Goto dropped him. Goto hit a wheel kick in the corner, then hit a back suplex for a near fall.
Goto went for an ushigoroshi, but Moxley blocked it. Moxley hit a release German, a corner clothesline, then a uranage. Moxley teased a Regal knee, but Goto blocked it. Goto teased a GTR, but Moxley blocked it.
Moxley hit a butterfly suplex, then tried for a kimura. He settled for an armbar, but Goto reached the ropes. They traded more strikes. Moxley hit a lariat for a near fall, then used the Regal knee for another two count.
Goto hit an ushigoroshi out of nowhere, but could not follow up. They hit a series of simultaneous lariats, and both men dropped to their knees.
Moxley was first up, but Goto was first to strike. Goto hit a headbutt, then a series of mid kicks. Moxley caught a kick, then hit a Death Rider. He went for a second Death Rider, but Goto countered. He pulled Moxley into a GTR, hit it, then got the pin.
B BLOCK MATCH: JAY WHITE DEFEATED JUICE ROBINSON (23:00)
These guys had a hell of a match, and both displayed great selling. The ref bump and interference hurt the finish.
White did some trademark stalling at the outset. Gedo provided a series of distractions from the floor, and White used them to get a couple of strikes in. Nothing substantial, though. Juice came back with a jab, but White rolled outside.
On the floor, White tried to use a chair on Juice’s hands, but Juice got out of the way. White got back inside. Gedo grabbed Juice’s ankle as he climbed back in, and White went after Juice’s left leg with a chop block.
White sent Juice’s left leg into the apron. He sent Juice into the barricade, then the ring frame. He continued to target Juice’s left leg, slamming it over the barricade. White slammed Juice’s knee into a chair in the crowd. Red Shoes refused to start a count on Juice because of White’s tactics.
As Juice got back inside, White continued working over the leg. He used a half crab, but Juice reached the bottom rope. White hit a series of jabs, mocking Juice. Juice managed a couple of his own jabs, but White cut him off, going back to the leg.
Juice hit a spinebuster, then fired up. He hit a series of jabs, but White ducked the Left Hand of God. White rolled outside. Juice hit a pescado, but continued to sell his left leg on landing.
Juice sent White into the barricade, then whipped him over the barricade. He dropped White throat-first onto the barricade, then posted both of White’s legs.
Juice hit a pair of clotheslines in the corner. He teased a cannonball, but White stood up out of the corner. Juice hit a jackhammer for a near fall, but continued selling his leg.
Juice went up top for a high cross, but White crotched him. White hit a DDT, then used a Blade Buster for a two count. White hit a Saito suplex at the 15 minute call.
White teased a Saito suplex over top rope. Juice fought off the first attempt, but White hit the move on his second attempt. White dragged Juice back inside, then hit a uranage for a two count.
White teased a sleeper suplex, but Juice elbowed out of it. Juice hit a full nelson bomb, into a double down.
Juice hit a powerbomb for a near fall. He applied a Tenzan-style crab, but White hammered at Juice’s left leg with strikes, breaking the hold. White hit an inverted dragon screw, then used his TTO submission hold. Juice reached the ropes after a struggle.
White ducked a Left Hand of God, then hit a sleeper suplex. He went for a Blade Runner, but Juice reversed into a roll-up for a two count.
Juice went for Pulp Friction, but White slid out, then hit a chop block. White went for Blade Runner again, but Juice escaped, then hit Left Hand of God.
Juice went for Pulp Friction. Gedo jumped on the apron, distracting the ref. White hit a low blow, then shoved Juice into Red Shoes, who took a bump.
Gedo gave White a chair. Juice cut White off before he could use it, then hit a Left Hand of God. He tried for Pulp Friction on the chair, but White slid out and slammed Juice on the chair.
White hit Juice’s left leg with the chair, then applied the TTO. Juice tapped out.
B BLOCK MATCH: SHINGO TAKAGI DEFEATED TOMOHIRO ISHII (22:42)
This did not disappoint. A great main event.
They began with an awesome series of teases and counters. Both missed on sliding lariat attempts. Ishii missed an enzuigiri. They traded a series of shoulder tackles. Shingo finally dropped Ishii with a shoulder tackle.
Shingo used an elbow drop, then hit a senton for a two count. He used a bodyscissors on the mat, but Ishii rolled to the ropes, forcing a break. Ishii dropped Shingo with a tackle, then hit a series of strikes.
Ishii hit kicks to the back, then one to the back of the head. Ishii hit a chop to the throat. They exchanged headbutts, then traded chops. Shingo hit a double sledge to the chest, then hit a vertical suplex. He used an elbow drop off the second rope, then hit a DDT. Shingo followed with a back suplex for a near fall.
Shingo teased a piledriver, but Ishii hit a backdrop. Shingo blocked one powerslam attempt, but Ishii hit the move on his second attempt. Ishii hit chops in the corner, but Shingo reversed positions, then blistered Ishii with strikes in the corner.
Ishii no-sold a series of strikes out of the corner, but Shingo finally dropped him with a lariat. Ishii popped right up, then hit a vertical suplex. Ishii offered his neck to Shingo and no-sold a series of neck shots.
They exchanged lariats, then traded backdrop suplexes. They no-sold everything, until Ishii ended the exchange with one more backdrop suplex. Ishii was bleeding from the left ear.
Ishii hit a superplex for a two count, then used a series of short kicks to the head. Shingo stood up and tried to fire back, but Ishii dropped him with a forearm. Ishii hit a powerbomb. He stacked Shingo up in a cover, but Shingo kicked out.
Ishii teased a brainbuster, but Shingo slid out, then hit a big lariat. Shingo hit noshigami, then connected on a sliding lariat, earning another near fall.
Shingo went for Made in Japan, but Ishii blocked it. Shingo hit a series of hard lariats. Ishii fired back with a lariat, then dropped Shingo with a headbutt.
Ishii tried for a sliding lariat, but Shingo caught him coming in. He hoisted Ishii up for Made in Japan. Shingo connected, but Ishii kicked out at two.
Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber, but Ishii again kicked out.
Shingo went for Last of the Dragon, but Ishii blocked the attempt. Ishii hit an enzuigiri, which Shingo took on his arms. Ishii hit a release German.
Ishii blocked a lariat, then hit two lariats of his own for a near fall. Ishii hit the sliding lariat for another near fall.
Ishii called for the brainbuster. They did a series of reversals, and Shingo hit an emerald frosion.
Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber, but Ishii no-sold it. Ishii hit an enzuigiri.
Ishii hit a lariat. Shingo kicked out at one. Shingo hit a lariat. Ishii kicked out at one. They hit simultaneous lariats. Shingo then dropped Ishii with a lariat.
Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber. This looked like the finish, but Ishii kicked out.
Shingo hit Last of the Dragon — and this time got the pin.
After the bell, they traded headbutts on the mat.
Shingo closed the show with a promo, promising to breathe fire.
G1 STANDINGS —
A BLOCK
Kazuchika Okada 14
Kota Ibushi 12
EVIL 8 (eliminated)
KENTA 8 (eliminated)
Hiroshi Tanahashi 8 (eliminated)
SANADA 8 (eliminated)
Zack Sabre Jr. 6 (eliminated)
Bad Luck Fale 6 (eliminated)
Will Ospreay 4 (eliminated)
Lance Archer 4 (eliminated)
B BLOCK
Hirooki Goto 10 (holds tiebreaker over White, Moxley)
Jon Moxley 10 (holds tiebreaker over Naito)
Tetsuya Naito 10 (holds tiebreaker over Goto)
Jay White 10 (holds tiebreaker over Moxley)
Tomohiro Ishii 8 (needs to beat Taichi and needs Goto, Moxley, Naito to lose)
Toru Yano 8 (needs to beat Cobb, needs Ishii and Goto to lose and White vs. Naito to end in a double DQ/countout)
Night 15 of the G1 Climax took place earlier this morning in Shizuoka. Kazuchika Okada and EVIL continued their rivalry from last year in the main event.
Prelim results:
– Minoru Suzuki, Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Toru Yano, Yota Tsuji and Yuya Uemura
Kanemaru submitted Uemura with a Boston crab.
– Hirooki Goto YOSHI-HASHI and defeated Jon Moxley and Shota Umino
YH submitted Umino with the Butterfly lock.
– Jay White, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens defeated Juice Robinson, Tomoaki Honma and Toa Henare
Owens defeated Henare with the package piledriver.
– Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi and BUSHI defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Jeff Cobb and Ren Narita
BUSHI pinned Narita with the MX.
A Block: SANADA defeated Lance Archer
Real good. Archer’s streak of great matches continues and was in fine company with SANADA, who looked real good as well.
Archer jumped SANADA as he was coming down the aisle and threw him around the outside of the ring, including taking SANADA down with a running spear off the apron. After Archer worked on him back in the ring, SANADA mounted a comeback by dropkicking Archer in his knee, then launched off with a pescado to the floor.
SANADA backflipped out of a chokeslam attempt but Archer laid out SANADA with a DDT for a nearfall. Big time chokeslam followed. Archer went for a moonsault, but missed. SANADA countered with one of his own, but Archer got up the knees and rolled up him for a 2.99 count.
Archer went for Blackout but SANADA escaped twice and after some back and forth rolled up Archer and bridged him for the flash pin.
A Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Bad Luck Fale.
It was a match, not much to say. Not really bad, but short and had a flat finish.
Tanahashi immediately began working on Fale’s leg. Jado immediately used the kendo stick to get heat. Chase Owens beat him up as Fale came in and started working on Tanahashi’s own leg. Tanahashi eventually cut him off and tried to work on Fale’s leg, taking him down with a dragon screw.
Tanahashi locked Fale down with a figure four leglock, but Fale reversed it. Fale grabbed Tanahashi once they were back up for the grenade, but Tanahashi escaped. After Fale sat on him for a nearfall, Tanahashi mounted a comeback, hit a high fly flow, but Jado broke up another attempt. Fale splashed him in the corner, hit the grenade, but Tanahashi kicked out.
Fale went for the Bad Luck Fall, but Tanahashi fought back. Fale instead took him down for a backslide and got the win.
A Block: Will Ospreay defeated KENTA
This was real good, to the point where this would have been excellent if it had gone for a few more minutes. Real nice match either way with some great heat.
They exchanged blows right at the bell. It’s KENTA who gets the advantage and whips him around the barricades. He works on Ospreay back in the ring, pelting him with kicks. Ospreay reverses into a stunner.
KENTA was taken to the outside as Ospreay went for a springboard but KENTA grabbed him and landed a Falcon Arrow on the apron After some nearfalls, both fight one another as they get up. KENTA went for a discus lariat, but the two transition counters until KENTA latches on to a sleeper. KENTA went for a penalty kick, but Ospreay dodged and hit a powerbomb.
Ospreay went for a shooting star press, but KENTA got his knees up and transitioned into the Game Over. KENTA hit the running knee next, then motioned for the GTS. Ospreay countered with a cradle then hit the Oscutter.
Ospreay hit the elbow to the back of the head, then went for stormbreaker and connected for the win.
A Block: Kota Ibushi defeated Zack Sabre Jr.
This wasn’t as good as their previous encounters, but like other matches on this show ended up being a good little match.
Things started off tepidly, with the two exchanging some mat wrestling. Sabre had the better of it until Ibushi cut him off with a hurricanrana. Sabre grabbed one of the legs he was working on earlier, however, and wraps it around the ropes.
Sabre grounded Ibushi and worked him over with various submissions, including a crossface and a leglock. Ibushi got up on his feet and rocked Sabre with a giant lariat, then soon followed that with a half full nelson suplex.
After a last ride powerbomb, Ibushi went for the kamigoye but Sabre took him down with another submission attempt. Ibushi quickly escaped. Ibushi took him down with a palm strike, but missed a boma ye. Sabre countered with a number of rollups, all of which failed. Ibushi connected with the boma ye then hit the kamigoye for the win.
A Block: Kazuchika Okada defeated EVIL
A classic, awesome main event. EVIL is really good when against a really good opponent and Kazuchika Okada is one of the best wrestlers on the planet right now. This was the only match on the card that felt like a genuinely excellent match (though mostly everything was really good), capping off the night on a strong note.
After a feeling out process, Okada took EVIL out of the ring and sure enough, a barricade spot. EVIL blocked it, however, and threw Okada over the barricade and to the outside. EVIL took Okada back into the ring
Eventually, Okada started to mount his comeback and took EVIL out with a pescado to the outside. Back in the ring, Okada went for an elbow, but EVIL ducked, stomped him on the ground through the middle rope. He managed to cut off EVIL but EVIL kept blocking it until Okada finally connected.
Okada took EVIL to the top rope and dropkicked him to the floor. Okada goes after him, but EVIL threw a chair that connected right into Okada’s face. EVIL followed with his neck/chair spot. EVIL took him back to the ring and landed a big superplex.
The two started to exchange forearms as the twenty minute mark approached. EVIL got the better of it and went for Darkness Falls. Okada escaped and after some wrangling nailed the tombstone. EVIL dodged the rainmaker as both teased hitting each others finishers. EVIL nailed a big lariat instead.
EVIL landed the Darkness Falls, but only gets a two count. Okada fires back and connects with the rainmaker. He goes for another but EVIL counters with two German suplexes. Okada cut him off and went for the rainmaker, but EVIL countered back with the Everything is EVIL. Okada countered and went for a rainmaker but EVIL headbutted Okada and gave him a big lariat.
EVIL grabbed Okada as he got up but Okada fired back with a short arm lariat and a shotgun dropkick. Okada hit a discus clothesline then connected with the rainmaker for the win.
This makes the A block crystal clear: the winner of the Kota Ibushi vs. Kazuchika Okada match on 8/10 will win the block and advance to the finals.
A nice little showcase for the Young Lions here. Narita held his own with Henare at first, but Henare came back with a suplex and went to work.
Henare and Uemura worked over Narita’s left leg. Narita’s selling was excellent. Narita hit a release belly-to-belly, and Umino got a hot tag. Uemura quickly cut him off, but Umino came back with an elbow, then a dropkick.
The finish saw Umino use a powerbomb for a nearfall, then followed with a fisherman suplex on Uemura for the pin.
This was built around SANADA battling the effects of his nearly 30 minute battle with Okada yesterday.
SANADA sold for Suzuki and Archer most of the way. EVIL and Sabre tagged in for a quick back-and-forth. BUSHI and Suzuki got tags, and Suzuki used a misdirection spot, then a rear naked choke into a Gotch-style piledriver for the pin.
After the bout, Archer went after SANADA. He applied the EBD Claw, then continued fighting SANADA to the back.
BAD LUCK FALE, YUJIRO TAKAHASHI & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED HIROSHI TANAHASHI, KOTA IBUSHI & TOMOAKI HONMA
Bullet Club attacked Tanahashi as he posed on the ropes during his entrance. They turned this into a brawl, as Fale choked Tanahashi with a camera cable.
Tanahashi sold for a while, then hit a dragon screw to Yujiro. Ibushi tagged in for some signature offense on Yujiro, including a standing moonsault.
Honma and Owens tagged in. Honma teased a kokeshi off the second rope, but missed with it. Honma couldn’t keep up with the pace of Owens here, which was sad.
Owens hit a package piledriver for the pin, while Fale used a Grenade on Tanahashi ahead of their matchup later this week.
KAZUCHIKA OKADA, WILL OSPREAY & YOSHI-HASHI DEFEATED KENTA, CLARK CONNORS & KARL FREDERICKS
YOSHI-HASHI got the submission win over Connors with a Butterfly Lock.
Aside from a couple of brief sequences between Ospreay and KENTA, this was mostly a showcase for the selling ability of the L.A. Dojo boys, Connors and Fredericks.
Fredericks continues to show more potential than Connors, but Connors had a nice outing here.
KENTA and Ospreay’s sequences were mostly teases and counters, as KENTA avoided Ospreay’s tiger wall flip kick, while Ospreay avoided the Busaiku knee strike of KENTA. KENTA did connect with a one-legged dropkick.
Ospreay and KENTA had a quick pull-apart after the match.
B BLOCK MATCH: TOMOHIRO ISHII DEFEATED TORU YANO (9:36)
This was super entertaining.
Yano exposed two buckles before the opening bell. He sent Ishii into both, then pulled Ishii’s shirt over his head. Yano used three quick cradles for nearfalls.
Yano got a chair, and sat it on the ramp. Yano sat down. He begged Ishii to come outside with him, but Ishii declined, and the referee started to count. Yano jummped up pat 17, and made it back in at 19.
Back inside, Ishii lit Yano up with chops in the corner. Yano avoided a charge into the corner, and Ishii twice got sent into the exposed buckle.
Ishii hit a short clothesline, then a powerslam. He taunted Yano with short kicks to the head, and Yano fired up. They had an intense striking battle, and Yano actually dropped Ishii with a short forearm.
Ishii made it back to his feet, then hit a release German. Yano used two quick cradles for nearfalls. Ishii got sent into the exposed buckle again, and Yano used a schoolboy for a nearfall.
Yano hit a lariat, then used a belly-to-belly for a nearfall. Ishii came back with a headbutt, then hit his own lariat for a nearfall.
They traded low blow attempts, then traded cradles for nearfalls, as things got really chaotic.
Ishii hit a sliding lariat, then hit the vertical drop brainbuster for the pin.
B BLOCK MATCH: TAICHI DEFEATED JUICE ROBINSON (12:29)
I didn’t like this match. Too many distractions and ref bumps, and too much interference in a bout that didn’t need those things to be good.
Miho Abe and Yoshinobu Kanemaru accompanied Taichi to the ring. Before the opening bell, Abe took the referee, while Kanemaru attacked Juice on the ramp.
Taichi used a buzzsaw kick for a nearfall immediately after the opening bell. Juice came back with a full nelson bomb. Abe and Kanemaru provided another distraction on the outside, and Abe slapped Juice.
They traded jabs and kicks, back inside. Juice blocked a thrust kick, while Taichi blocked a Juice Box. Juice connected with a leg lariat, a corner clothesline, then a cannonball.
Juice went for Pulp Friction, but Taichi blocked it. Taichi hit a kamaguri. Taichi hit an axe bomber, but Juice came back with a Juice Box.
Juice hit a powerbomb for a nearfall, then used the grip to transition to a crab. This is where things really fell apart.
Kanemaru jumped on the apron for a distraction. The referee took a bump. Taichi avoided Pulp Friction. Kanemaru tried to spit whiskey in Juice’s eyes, but Juice hit him with the Left Hand of God, then a pescado.
Back inside, Taichi spit whiskey in Juice’s eyes, then used a Gedo Clutch for a nearfall.
Taichi followed with a buzzsaw kick, then hit Black Mephisto for the pin.
B BLOCK MATCH: HIROOKI GOTO DEFEATED JEFF COBB (11:20)
This was neither man’s best match, but they showed great effort. Neither guy is built for a technical classic on their own, and this was a hard-hitting big guy match as a result.
They traded tackles and dropdowns in the opening sequence. Cobb hit a dropkick, sending Goto rolling to the floor. Cobb sent Goto into the security fence, then threw Goto back into the ring.
Goto blocked a throw, then hit a discus lariat. Goto hit a suplex for a nearfall. They traded lariats, then Cobb hit a spin cycle. They exchanged lariats again, then Cobb hit a leaping uppercut forearm. Cobb followed up with a standing moonsault for a two count.
They battled their way to the top rope, where Cobb connected with a delayed superplex for a two count. Cobb teased Tour of the Islands, but Goto countered with an ushigoroshi.
Goto hit a series of mid kicks, then hit an inverted GTR for a nearfall. Goto went for a traditional GTR, but Cobb fought it off, then hit a superkick. Goto blocked a throw, then hit a belly-to-belly for a two count.
Cobb hit a snap German, then went for Tour of the Islands. Goto reversed the attempt into another ushigoroshi, then hit a GTR for the pin.
B BLOCK MATCH: JAY WHITE DEFEATED JON MOXLEY (15:20)
Too many shenanigans leading to the finish in this one for my liking. I understand the desire to protect Moxley, and White is an important building block. At some point, though, you have to question whether it helps White to have all of his wins come as a result of interference.
Moxley went after White before the match, not allowing White to do his usual stalling routine at the opening bell.
This was all Moxley early. He used basic offense, primarily punches and chops. He set up a table, but Gedo took the table down.
White clotheslined Moxley with the top rope, then used a series of DDTs to establish his first real offense of the match. White hit a Blade Buster, then tossed Moxley outside. White sent Moxley into the barricade, then posted him. Moxley began selling his left shoulder as a result.
Moxley started a comeback. He hit a one-legged dropkick, then a suicide dive. Moxley took the fight to the floor, then dragged White into the crowd for a brawl. Back at ringside, Moxley used a figure four around the post.
They finally made their way back inside, where Moxley used a cloverleaf. He transitioned to an STF, but White reached the ropes. White cut Moxley off with a suplex into the buckle, a Saito suplex, a flatliner, then a deadlift German.
White hit a uranage for a two count. Moxley hit an X-plex for a nearfall of his own. They trades strikes. Moxley teased the Regal knee, but Gedo provided a quick distraction. Moxley hit a Death Rider, but only got a two count.
Moxley tried for another Death Rider, but White pulled referee Red Shoes to the ground. Gedo jumped in with brass knuckles. White hit a low blow, then used a rollup for a nearfall. Moxley countered with his own rollup for two.
Moxley hit the Regal knee for a two count. Moxley went for another Death Rider, but Gedo jumped on the apron for a distraction. White hit two sleeper suplexes. Moxley flipped White double middle fingers.
White hit a Bloody Sunday DDT, then hit Blade Runner. He covered, and pinned Moxley.
B BLOCK MATCH: TETSUYA NAITO DEFEATED SHINGO TAKAGI (27:15)
What a match. This was an absolute joy to watch.
They teased a couple of lockups, but Naito backed off. They finally tied up, and Naito backed Shingo into the ropes. Naito broke cleanly, but Shingo tried to hit a chop on the break. Naito avoided it.
They did an intricate series of counters and reversals, ending with Shingo pulling out of a side headlock on the mat. Naito offered a fist bump, but Shingo refused. Shingo hit a chop, but got sent outside after a dropkick. Naito teased a dive, but hit his Tranquilo pose instead.
Shingo tossed a chair into the ring. Naito set up the chair, and hit a drop toehold on Shingo into the chair.
Naito used his legs to tie Shingo up in a crucifix hold, but Shingo reached the ropes. Naito tried for the combinacion cabron, but Shingo caught him coming in. They exchanged strikes in the center of the ring, before Naito raked Shingo’s eyes.
Shingo used a hair pull, while Naito spit in Shingo’s face. Shingo connected with a jab-chop combination, then clotheslined Naito over the top rope.
On the outside, Shingo sent Naito into the railing. He then whipped him over the barricade. Shingo posted Naito. He dropped Naito face-first on the apron, then hit a DDT on the floor.
Shingo hit a slingshot knee to the chest, back inside. He followed with a lariat, then a shoulder tackle. On the mat, Shingo used a headlock. He followed with a kneedrop to the chest. Naito came back with palm strikes, an inverted atomic drop, then a hurricanrana.
Naito hit a back elbow, a dropkick to the back, then a combinacion cabron. Naito used a neckbreaker, but only got a one count. Naito missed on a swinging DDT attempt, and Shingo connected with a pop-up DVD.
Shingo hit a top rope back elbow for a two count. He missed with a sliding lariat, and Naito countered with an enziguri. Naito hit a draping neckbreaker over his knee, then teased a top rope reverse rana. Shingo slipped out, then hit noshigami.
Shingo tried for a short lariat, but Naito blocked it, then hit a swinging DDT. Naito went for Gloria, but Shingo blocked it. Naito hit a wheel kick, then a flying forearm. Naito then hit Gloria for a nearfall.
Naito teased Destino, but Shingo blocked it. Naito tried for a poison rana, but Shingo blocked that, then hit a powerbomb. Shingo hit a wheelbarrow German, suplexing Naito into the turnbuckle.
Shingo hit a pair of corner clotheslines. Naito dropped to the mat, selling exhaustion. Shingo climbed the ropes, with Naito draped over his shoulders. Naito fought off whatever Shingo had in mind. Naito tried a frankensteiner off the top. Shingo blocked it at first, but Naito ultimately connected with the move.
Naito hit a poison rana. He teased Destino, but Shingo cut him off with a huge lariat, and Naito took a flip bump at the 20 minute mark.
Shingo went for Made in Japan, but Naito blocked it. Shingo hit a couple of brutal lariats. He went for a third, but Naito blocked it. Shingo hit a third lariat in the ropes, then a Saito suplex. Naito countered with a sick dragon suplex.
Naito hit a dropkick. He went for Destino, but Shingo countered into Made in Japan. He covered, but Naito kicked out.
Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber, and Naito took another flip bump. He covered, but Naito again kicked out.
Shingo went for Last of the Dragon, but Naito reversed it into a Destino. Naito could not follow up, and they did a double down.
They exchanged punches on the mat, then traded headbutts. Back on their feet, Naito spit at Shingo, then hit a series of strikes. Shingo fired back, and they continued trading at the 25 minute call.
Shingo hit a headbutt. Naito blocked a suplex, and reversed it into a brainbuster for a nearfall.
Shingo escaped a Destino, then hit a Pumping Bomber. Shingo tried for Last of the Dragon, but Naito hit a Canadian Destroyer. Naito then hit Destino — but only got a two count.
Naito hit another Destino, and this time it was enough. 1-2-3.
G1 STANDINGS
A BLOCK
⦁ Kazuchika Okada 12 (holds tiebreaker over KENTA, yet to face EVIL, Ibushi)
⦁ Kota Ibushi 10 (holds tiebreaker over KENTA, yet to face Okada)
⦁ EVIL 8 (holds tiebreaker over Ibushi, yet to face Okada)
Suzuki-gun turned this into a crowd brawl at the outset. BUSHI made a comeback against Suzuki, and Naito and Taichi got tags.
Taichi targeted Naito’s ear, which had been busted open the other night. Naito hit a flying forearm, and Kanemaru and Shingo tagged in.
Kanemaru hit a satelite DDT. Suzuki entered for the illegal double-team. Near the finish, Suzuki, Naito, BUSHI and Taichi brawled to the outside.
Shingo caught Kanemaru coming off the top rope, then hit a pop-up DVD, a Pumping Bomber, then used Made in Japan for the pin. The way they worked to the finish was excellent.
Naito and Shingo face off tomorrow. They shared the LIJ fist bump after the match, but then had a brief staredown.
JAY WHITE & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED JON MOXLEY & SHOTA UMINO
This was fun and told a good story. White was afraid of Moxley and did everything he could to avoid him.
Umino had Owens in a crab, and it looked as though Owens would tap, but White made the save. Moxley jumped in and chased White outside. Owens hit a dropkick through the ropes, taking out Moxley.
Back inside, Owens hit a knee strike, then tagged White. White hit the Blade Runner right away, and pinned Umino.
A BLOCK MATCH: BAD LUCK FALE DEFEATED KENTA (7:20)
Fale tried for a tree slam right off the bat, but KENTA avoided it. Fale took the referee, allowing Jado to hit a kendo stick shot on KENTA from the floor.
Fale sent KENTA into the barricade, then worked over his lower back with stomps. KENTA tried to fire up with slaps, but Fale countered with his own slap, and KENTA fell to the mat.
KENTA used a guillotine to clothesline Fale on the top roe, then targeted his legs with dropkicks. KENTA hit a series of boots in the corner, then hit a delayed dropkick.
KENTA hit a double stomp off the top. He covered, but only got a two count. KENTA teased the Go To Sleep, but he couldn’t get Fale up. Fale hit a lariat, then covered for a nearfall.
Fale went for the Grenade, but KENTA jumped up and slapped on a triangle choke. He transitioned to the Game Over submission, but Chase Owens jumped up from the commentary table to distract the ref.
With Owens distracting the referee, Jado entered and tried to hit KENTA with the kendo stick. KENTA caught the stick, but Fale used the distraction to schoolboy him for the pin.
KENTA worked well with Fale, which is no easy task. All of the interference was to be expected given how many bells and whistles you need to make a Fale match passable.
A BLOCK MATCH: ZACK SABRE JR. DEFEATED LANCE ARCHER (10:44)
The contrast in styles here made for a good story, and this felt like two guys trying to win an athletic contest. It had a real sports feel. Good stuff.
Sabre made Archer chase him at the outset, figuring that he would have an edge when it came to agility. Archer kipped up off a trip takedown, and Sabre was forced to think of another strategy.
Archer went for a twisting body press out of the corner, but missed. Sabre tried for a guillotine, but Archer threw him off. Sabre rolled outside. Archer teased a flip dive off the apron, but Sabre jumped to the apron, then used the ropes to slow Archer. He applied a guillotine, but Archer fought it off.
Archer tried for a pounce, but Sabre caught him in a guillotine in a nice misdirection spot. Archer reached the ropes, then tried his rope-walk. Sabre crotched Archer, then tried another guillotine. Archer pushed Sabre off, then hit a crossbody off the top for a nearfall.
Back on the mat, Sabre was able to get a triangle choke applied, then transitioned to an omoplata. Archer reached the ropes, forcing a break. Archer hit a powerbomb for a two count.
Archer went for the EBD Claw, but Sabre avoided it. Sabre went after Archer’s arms with kicks. Archer came back with a Boss Man Slam for a nearfall.
Archer hit a chokeslam. He had Sabre pinned, but he pulled him up at the count of two to do more damage. Archer went for Blackout, but Sabre slid out the back. Sabre applied a rear naked choke, then pulled Archer down into a crucifix for a pin.
A BLOCK MATCH: EVIL DEFEATED WILL OSPREAY (17:09)
At a certain point, you run out of superlatives for Ospreay matches. This was excellent, but probably not even in the top ten best Ospreay matches this year. EVIL was great here as well. He is a master of misdirection spots.
Ospreay came out on top in the opening sequence, sending EVIL to the outside. He teased a dive, but posed instead. EVIL tried to bait Ospreay with a chair, but Ospreay declined it, and allowed EVIL to get back inside.
EVIL missed a senton. Ospreay tried a standing shooting star, but EVIL got his knees up. EVIL sent Ospreay to the floor with a clothesline, then used a chair shot on the ramp to take control of the bout.
EVIL used a chinlock, then went for a vertical suplex. Ospreay twisted out of the suplex, turning it into a cutter. Ospreay hit a flying forearm, then connected with Pip Pip Cheerio for a nearfall.
Ospreay missed with a Robinson Special. EVIL hit a mid kick, then suplexed Ospreay into the buckle. Ospreay got a brief hope spot with a trip takedown in the corner, but EVIL cut him off with a corner clothesline.
EVIL teased a superplex, but Ospreay fought it off. EVIL tried to use the referee as the base for a Magic Killer, but Ospreay slipped out. Ospreay sent EVIL to the outside with a backflip kick, then hit a Sasuke Special.
Ospreay hit a coast-to-coast for a two count. Ospreay hit a tiger wall flip, but EVIL cut him off with a big lariat. They exchanged strikes on the mat. They climbed to their feet, still trading. EVIL dropped Ospreay to his knees with a big forearm.
EVIL went for Darkness Falls. After a series of reversals, he finally connected with the move for a nearfall. EVIL tried for Everything is EVIL, but Ospreay reversed it into a Liger Bomb for a great nearfall.
Ospreay hit a hook kick. He missed with a Hidden Blade, but followed up with another hook kick. EVIL survived the exchange, then hit a headbutt. EVIL hit the ropes, but ran right into a Spanish Fly. Ospreay hit an Oscutter, but EVIL kicked out at two.
Ospreay called for Storm Breaker. EVIL slid out. EVIL tried for a German, but Ospreay landed on his feet, then hit a Robinson Special.
Ospreay tried for a super Oscutter, but EVIL caught him, then hit two half-and-half suplexes. EVIL hit a lariat for a two count.
EVIL followed up with Everything is EVIL, and got the 1-2-3.
A BLOCK MATCH: KOTA IBUSHI DEFEATED HIROSHI TANAHASHI (15:54)
This was a great match, and felt like a career-defining moment for Ibushi.
They made the psychology of the match clear from the outset. Tana has bad knees, and wanted to keep Ibushi grounded.
So, after an early exchange of headlocks, Ibushi hit a dropkick. Tana had enough of that, and took Ibushi down. He worked over Ibushi’s legs with kicks and stomps.
Ibushi came back with a big mid kick, then hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Tana came back with a dropkick to the legs, then a dragon screw to the right leg. Tana hit a second dragon screw to the right leg, then applied a cloverleaf. Ibushi stayed in the hold for a long time, but finally reached the ropes.
Ibushi rolled to the apron. Tanahashi hit a rope-assisted dragon screw to Ibushi’s left leg. Tana went up top and teased a High Fly Flow to the floor, but Ibushi cut him off, then hit a rana off the top rope, back into the ring.
Ibushi avoided a low dropkick, and landed a double stomp. Ibushi lawn-darted Tana into the turnbuckle, and Tana rolled to the apron. Ibushi climbed the ropes, and hit a deadlift German for a two count.
Tana avoided a Last Ride, and hit a slap to the face. Ibushi no-sold it. They traded a series of slaps to the face and neither man sold any of them. Ibushi finally ended the sequence with a lariat, into a double down. Ibushi was bleeding from the mouth.
Ibushi hit a Last Ride, but only got a two count. Ibushi went for Kamigoye, but Tana reversed into Twist and Shout, which he hit three times. Tana hit slingblade for a nearfall.
Tanahashi went up top, and landed a standing High Fly Flow. He went for another with Ibushi down, but Ibushi rolled out of the way, and Tanahashi sold his right knee on the landing.
Ibushi hit a Bomaye, but Tanahashi kicked out.
Ibushi went for Kamigoye, but Tanahashi turned it into a cradle for a nearfall.
Ibushi hit a high kick, but Tana didn’t go down. Ibushi hit a second high kick, and Tana dropped to the mat.
Ibushi followed with a Kamigoye for the pin.
Ibushi was in tears after the match. Tanahashi pulled Ibushi in and shared some words with him. This was clearly very meaningful to Ibushi and a very cool moment.
I won’t call this a passing of the torch, because I think Tanahashi will be in the top mix as long as he can walk. That said, with Ibushi signed long-term, this certainly felt like he was permanently placed in the main event picture with this win.
A BLOCK MATCH: SANADA DEFEATED KAZUCHIKA OKADA (29:48)
This was superb. Almost as important as the wrestlers in the match, referee Red Shoes was incredible in his role. Without him selling the near-submissions towards the end, this would not have been nearly as dramatic.
They began with some very basic stuff, trading headlocks and leg sweeps. SANADA hit a dropkick, then scored with a back elbow. Okada came back with his own back elbow for a knockdown, a back elbow in the corner, then a DDT out of the corner for a nearfall.
SANADA avoided a top rope elbow, and Okada rolled through. SANADA went to the top rope, but Okada hit a dropkick, sending him to the floor. Okada sent SANADA into the barricade, then knocked him over the railing with a big boot.
Still outside, Okada hit a draping DDT off the barricade. They did a countout tease, but SANADA got back in at 15. With SANADA seated, Okada hit a dropkick. Okada covered with one boot, but Red Shoes refused to count. Okada flat out playing heel.
Okada hit an uppercut. He teased a dropkick, but SANADA hit a low dropkick to Okada’s legs. SANADA followed with his leapfrog dropkick. Okada rolled to the outside, and SANADA hit a pescado.
Back inside, SANADA used the paradise lock. He broke the hold with a dropkick to Okada, then covered for a two count. After a series of reversals in the corner, Okada hit a flapjack, into a double down.
Okada missed a dropkick, and SANADA hit one instead. SANADA hit a back suplex for a two count. SANADA teased a springboard dropkick, but Okada cut him off with an air raid crash. Okada hit a top rope elbow.
Okada hit his Rainmaker pose. SANADA reversed the Rainmaker into Skull End. Okada fought to the turnbuckle, stepped up, and flipped over into a tombstone. Okada went for a Rainmaker, but SANADA turned it into a draping neckbreaker, as they went to another double down.
They exchanged strikes from their knees. They climbed back to their feet, and Okada started to trash-talk. Okada demanded that SANADA hit him in the neck. SANADA obliged, and they continued to trade shots.
SANADA finally dropped Okada with a series of hard uppercuts. Okada came right back with two dropkicks. Okada teased a Rainmaker, but SANADA ducked under. SANADA tried for Skull End. Okada slipped to tombstone position, but SANADA pulled him back into Skull End. SANADA gave up the hold, then hit a tiger suplex for a nearfall.
SANADA hit a TKO for a two count. SANADA went for a moonsault. Okada got out of the way, and SANADA landed on his feet. SANADA hit a moonsault into Skull End, but Okada pulled out of the hold and hit a short Rainmaker.
Okada maintained control of SANADA’s wrist, and hit a second Rainmaker. Okada posed. He went for a spinning Rainmaker, but SANADA countered with his own Rainmaker.
SANADA used a spinning Skull End. He dropped to the mat, and used a bodyscissors, with Skull End still applied. Okada popped his head out of the hold, as SANADA kept the bodyscissors applied.
SANADA managed to get back to Skull End from the bodyscissors. Okada sat back into a pinning position for a nearfall.
SANADA pulled Okada back into Skull End. SANADA finally gave up the hold.
With two minutes left, SANADA went for a moonsault. Okada got his knees up, and we got another double down, this one with time running short.
SANADA went for Skull End, but Okada escaped, and hit a dropkick. Okada went for a Rainmaker, but SANADA turned it into a pop-up TKO.
SANADA hit two moonsaults, and finally got the pin.
New Japan’s next stop on the G1 Climax 29 tour was in Fukuoka this morning, as we’re now on day twelve of the tournament. Today’s main event featured a brawl between CHAOS stablemates Tomohiro Ishii and Hirooki Goto.
Today’s preliminary matches:
Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens defeated KENTA, Karl Fredricks and Clark Connors
– Owens defeated Fredricks with the package piledriver.
Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Lance Archer and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
– Sabre bridged Kanemaru for the victory.
Kota Ibushi, Tomoaki Honma and Toa Henare defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shota Umino and Ren Narita
– Henare pinned Narita with a uranage.
Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay and YOSHI-HASHI defeated SANADA, EVIL and BUSHI
– YOSHI-HASHI submitted BUSHI with the butterfly lock.
B Block: Jeff Cobb defeated Shingo Takagi
This was a great, well fought back and forth match, exactly the kind of match you want to have during this tournament. The last few minutes had some really great heat.
After getting the better of an early flurry of offense, Shingo cut off Cobb by clipping his leg. Cobb cut him off with an overhead suplex. Cobb followed that up reverse sidewalk slam and a standing moonsault.
Shingo cut him off and hit a big side suplex. He took him to the top, but Cobb grabbed him. Shingo kept him at bay and followed with a big superplex. The two then traded t-bone suplexes. The two trade offense until Shingo rails Cobb with the pumping bomber.
Cobb came back with his own lariat. Shingo went for a hurricanrana, but Cobb held on to him and flattened him with a powerbomb. He motioned for the tour of the islands, but Takagi collapsed. Shingo came back with a crucifix bomb then hit the Made in Japan for a near fall.
Shingo went for the last of the dragon, but Cobb cut him off and landed the Tour of the Islands for the win.
B Block: Toru Yano defeated Jon Moxley by count out
This was fine. I think most can accept this as a fluke loss as Yano’s gimmick is he gets these kind of surprise wins all the time.
Yano exited the ring before the match started and sprayed water on Moxley. He went to charge after him, but offered the DVD he tried to sell him on the last show, this time with ten thousand yen, a five thousand dollar increase Moxley kicked the DVD away as they started to brawl.
Yano low blowed Moxley as they were outside and tried to do the tape to the barricade routine, but Moxley got to him instead, with Yano getting in at 17. The two then grabbed the turnbuckles and started to fight with them. The referee took away the turnbuckle and Moxley got distracted, allowing Yano to low blow and roll him up for a nearfall.
Moxley set up a table, but as Moxley went towards him he grabbed Shota Umino and shoved him into Moxley, sending them both down. Yano got the tape and tied them together. Yano got into the ring late as the referee counted Moxley out, giving him his first loss.
The announcers made sure to mention that with a Yano win, everyone in the B Block with 4 points are still in contention, as a Moxley win would have eliminated them from the tournament.
B Block: Tetsuya Natio defeated Juice Robinson
Great match. A very well done, well worked match that made me want to see more between these two. I kind of wish Robinson got the win here as it would be a good fall program, but no dice.
Juice taunted Naito at the bell by taking his time taking off all of his gear, including the three t-shirts he had one. Naito attacked once Juice took off the third shirt and took him to the floor, where he hit a tornado DDT.
Naito taunted Juice by doing his punches, but Juice fired back with them and landed a lariat. Juice followed that up with a full nelson bomb. Naito cut him off with a neckbreaker and went to the top rope, but Naito cut him off.
Juice went for the pulp friction, but Naito cut him off and hit a giant German suplex. Naito rocks Juice and landed a poison rana and a Destino. Juice kicked out and hit the juice box. Somewhere around here Naito busted open his ear badly.
Juice countered the Destino and landed a giant lariat. But Naito countered the pulp friction with a brainbuster and hit the Destino for the win.
B Block: Jay White defeated Taichi
Not that good. Both men have a similar style and that played into the match, as there was a lot of stalling and tons of interference. That is their style, and while this doesn’t make it a great match I guess it was executed well for what it was.
Both men exited the ring and stalled. White stalked Kanemaru, who seconded Taichi, and bumped into Gedo. White attacks Taichi and the two battle until the referee starts counting, then they come back in.
Gedo grabs Miho Abe, which distracts Taichi and allows a Jay White opening. Taichi fired back with some kicks in the corner and went for a superkick, but White collapsed. White came back with a twisting neckbreaker and eventually landed the kiwi crusher, but Taichi kicked out at two.
Taichi rallied back and went for the last ride powerbomb, but Gedo went on the apron to complain to the ref. It backfired as Taichi got the low blow instead and pinned White with the Gedo clutch, but the referee was dragged out of the ring by Gedo, who came in with brass knucks. Kanemaru came in with the whiskey shot, but it backfired.
Both Gedo and Kanemaru were sent backing as Jay White goes for the bladerunner. Kanemaru connected with the whiskey shot and Taichi hit the last ride powerbomb for a nearfall. Gedo grabbed Taichi’s leg, which led to he and White trading finisher attempts until White hit a brainbuster. He connected with the blade runner and got the win.
B Block: Hirooki Goto defeated Tomohiro Ishii
A great main event. Not as good as some of the other Ishii brawls in this tournament, but this was the match of the night with some tremendous intensity and brawling.
The two started off the match with back and forth brawling. Ishii took Goto down with a suplex. Ishii continued to berate Goto with kicks and punches until he blocked a big boot and hit a discus clothesline.
The two continue to strike each other with forearm shots. Goto feels he has Ishii down, but when he rebounds off the ropes Ishii counters with a powerslam. Goto gets the better of Ishii and lands a draping neckbreaker off the top rope. Ishii meets Goto on the top rope with some big headbutts. Goto hits one of his own and plants Ishii with a big code red bomb for a nearfall.
Goto went for the ushigiroshi but Ishii blocked it. Goto was taken down by an Ishii headbutt and followed that with a powerbomb. Ishii hit the sliding D and looked for the brainbuster but Goto fought it. He took out Ishii with a reverse GTR and locked in a sleeper, then landed the ushigiroshi.
Goto pelted Ishii with kicks; Ishii responded with some scary sounding headbutts. Goto hit another reverse GTR and a kick. Ishii hit a standing enziguri, but Goto fought through with with a death valley driver, then finally landed the GTR for the win.
Goto finished the show with a promo, saying the G in G1 stands for Goto.
A Block action headed to Kagawa this morning as we are now at night eleven of the 29th G1 Climax, with Kazuchika Okada facing EVIL in the main event.
Prelim matches:
– YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto and Yota Tsuji defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Tomoaki Honma and Yuya Uemura
YOSHI-HASHI submitted Uemura with the butterfly lock.
– Toru Yano and Ren Narita defeated Jon Moxley and Shota Umino
Yano pinned Umino after he shoved Umino into Moxley, low blowed then pinned him.
– Jay White, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens defeated Taichi, Minoru Suzuki and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Owens pinned Kanemaru following the package piledriver.
– Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi and BUSHI defeated Juice Robinson, Jeff Cobb and Toa Henare
Takagi pinned Henare with the pumping bomber.
A Block: Kota Ibushi defeated Bad Luck Fale
This was perfectly fine. It lasted exactly as long as it needed to and aside from when Fale was on offense, it didn’t drag. Easily one of Fale’s better matches thus far.
Fale jumped Ibushi before the bell rang and took him outside. They set up a spot where they try and keep Ibushi from entering the ring, but he dodges a Jado kendo stick attack and makes it in on time. Fale splashes him and wears him down.
The ref, per usual, is easily distracted by Fale as Owens attacks Ibushi with a right. He misses a charge in the corner, which allows Ibushi to wear him down with kicks. He went to the top rope, but Chase Owens got on the apron, allowing Fale to strike with a running charge and splash.
Ibushi cut him off and went for the kamigoye but Fale escaped. Jado struck Ibushi with a kendo stick shot and Fale hit the grenade, but Ibushi kicked out. Fale went for the bad luck fall, but Ibushi escaped and went for a crucifix. After the ref kicked away Jado, Ibushi was able to land it for a nearfall. He followed that with the boma ye and kamigoye and that was it.
A Block: Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Will Ospreay
This was real good, loved the transitions and counters by both men. This was a total Sabre match, so it was cool to see Ospreay adapt to his style. This got some great heat towards the end and built up wonderfully.
The two exchange some mat wrestling before Sabre is sent to the outside by Ospreay. The two battled near the ring as Ospreay chopped Sabre. The two exchanged holds, with Sabre using his feet to crank Ospreay’s injured neck. Sabre takes him down with a stranglehold, but Ospreay reverses, escapes, and takes out Sabre with a handspring kick.
Ospreay connects with the Robinson special, but Sabre immediately gets up and focuses on Ospreay’s arm. Ospreay escapes and goes for the stormbreaker but the two exchange nearfalls until Ospreay launches off with the Oscutter. Sabre grabs him and goes for a sleeper, but Ospreay pushes himself over Sabre and connects with the Oscutter for a nearfall.
Sabre took down Ospreay after an elbow strike attempt that caused Ospreay to hit the ropes. Ospreay blocked the Zack Driver but Sabre managed to latch on to a guillotine. Ospreay powered out of it and landed a brainbuster. Ospreay tried for stormbreaker again, but Sabre transitioned into a European clutch, then nailed Ospreay with the PK.
Sabre catches Ospreay with a triangle as he launched off the top rope with a shooting star press. Ospreay countered with a deadlift powerbomb and the SSP. Ospreay went for the stormbreaker but Sabre countered with an Octopus hold. It didn’t take long for Ospreay to submit once it was applied.
A Block: Kazuchika Okada defeated Lance Archer
This was great, the textbook definition of what a top guy vs. giant match should be. Archer played his role perfectly here and continues his streak of great matches while Okada did an excellent job making the comeback. It doesn’t reach the better matches of this tournament but it was perfect for what it was supposed to be.
Action quickly spilled to the outside as Archer threw Okada into the barricades. He continued in the ring, doing a ropewalk into a moonsault. Okada went for a moonsault, but Archer swatted him away.
Okada managed to build momentum after cutting off Archer, connecting with the elbow off the top. But as he went for the rainmaker pose, Archer hit the EBD claw then followed that with the pounce. Okada tried to hit some short arm clotheslines, but Archer hit a big lariat and a chokeslam.
Archer laid out Okada with blackout, but Okada got his foot on the ropes at the last second. Okada took him down with a dropkick after a charge. A big missile dropkick follows. Archer reverses a tombstone into a blackout, but Okada escapes and hits a clothesline. Archer went for the EBD claw, but Okada instead hit the rainmaker and pinned Archer.
A Block: SANADA defeated KENTA
This was good, not great. A nice back and forth battle between two athletic guys that eventually went to a finish. It will likely not be remembered in the long term.
I guess this is a recurring theme on this show as this quickly spilled out onto the outside. KENTA tripped SANADA into the barricade He then took him back to the ring where he took him down with a headlock, then attacked SANADA with a penalty kick.
After some more offense, SANADA leapfrogged over KENTA and took him outside, planting a pescado. SANADA was on offense until KENTA landed a double foot stomp and signaled for the GTS. SANADA blocked the attempt and rolled up KENTA, but KENTA instead applied the Game Over crossface. SANADA fought it off, getting to the ropes.
SANADA hit a TKO and went for the moonsault, but KENTA got the knees up. The two exchanged strikes. SANADA blocked a penalty kick attempt, then laid out KENTA with the cold skull. He went for the moonsault, and this time he connected for the win.
A Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated EVIL
This was your classic really great NJPW main event. This easily got the most heat of the night and the last few minutes had the crowd going wild for the nearfalls.
Good bak and forth wrestling to get things started, with Tanahashi getting the better of things following a crossbody off the middle rope. EVIL cuts him off, grounds him and sinks in a figure four. Tanahashi reverses it, but EVIL counters back.
Tanahashi and EVIL strike as they get back on their feet. Tanahashi went for the slingblade but EVIL threw him to the outside. Tanahashi held on skinned the cat, but walked right into a German suplex.. Tanahashi cut off EVIL as he went to the outside, then hit a giant high fly flow to the floor.
EVIL cut off Tanahashi by using Umino as a base to plant Tanahashi with the magic killer. Both men laid on the floor and didn’t make it back to the ring until 19. Tanahashi grabs EVIL and goes for the cloverleaf, but EVIL kept escaping. The two wind up going back down after a big clothesline by EVIL.
EVIL took Tanahashi to the top rope and hit a giant superplex, then followed with darkness falls. EVIL went for the Everything is EVIL but Tanahashi hit two twist and shout neckbreakers and hit the slingblade. He went for the high fly flow, but EVIL got the knees up and rolled up Tanahashi for a close nearfall.
The two start exchanging strikes from here, with EVIL getting the better of things. He hit another big lariat. He attempted the Everything is Evil again, but when Tanahashi blocked it EVIL retaliated with a big headbutt. He went for it again, but Tanahashi hit a big dragon suplex and hit the high fly flow twice for the win.
Hiroshi Tanahashi closed out the show with his usual sweet air guitar moves, all well selling his knee from the match.
New Japan Pro Wrestling was back in Aichi for the second night in a row and the tenth show overall. It was B Block’s turn to shine, featuring first ever match between Jon Moxley and Tetsuya Naito.
Preliminary matches:
– Ren Narita defeated Yuya Uemura
Narita pinned Uemura following a front suplex.
– Bad Luck Fale, Yujior Takahashi and Chase Owens defeated Tomoaki Honma, Toa Henare and Kota Ibushi
Takahashi pinned Honma with the pimp juice DDT.
– Lance Archer, Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, YOSHI-HASHI and Shota Umino
Kanemaru pinned Umino with the deep impact DDT.
– EVIL, SANADA and BUSHI defeated KENTA, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Karl Fredricks
BUSHI pinned Fredricks following the MX.
B Block: Hirooki Goto defeated Toru Yano
After scoring some roll ups, Yano threw Goto into the turnbuckle and rolled him up for another near fall. Yano used the referee to low blow Goto from behind, but Goto grabbed the leg and used it to roll up Yano for the win. That was it!
B Block: Tomohiro Ishii defeated Juice Robinson
This was excellent, as per usual with most of Ishii’s performances. It wasn’t exclusively a brawl, but this definitely was a battle, one that Juice Robinson more than held his own in.
The two start off right at the bell. They exchange hard strikes, with Robinson sending Ishii to the corner. Ishii responds by chopping him in the throat. Robinson comes back with a spinebuster, then goes for some punches, knocking him down with the left hand of God.
Robinson connected with a full nelson bomb and went to spike Ishii with a hurricanrana off the top, but Ishii held on and hit a big knee to Robinson’s neck, then drilled him with a side suplex. The two continue to tear into each other with chops until Robinson took Ishii down and connected with the cannonball.
Robinson hit a superplex, but Ishii popped right back up. Robinson went for the juice box, but Ishii again popped up and hit a German suplex. Robinson tried to fire back with more forearms, and succeeded, hitting the juice box for a nearfall. Robinson kept going for the pulp friction, but Ishii kept escaping. Robinson countered with a powerbomb.
Another pulp friction attempt by Robinson, but Ishii escaped and hit a lariat…only for Robinson to get up. Ishii scored another lariat and went for the brainbuster but Robinson countered with a jackhammer. Robinson got the better on Ishii with punches and went for the pulp friction but Ishii countered with a dragon suplex and sliding D, but Robinson kicked out. Ishii then hit the brainbuster for the win.
B Block: Jeff Cobb defeated Taichi
After the first few minutes, this turned out to be alright Taichi is inconsistent so you’ll never know what you’ll get, but after the first few minutes this turned out fine.
Stalling to kick things off. Taichi did all his tricks and Jeff Cobb, like a dope, fell for them and was jumped after Miho Abe hopped on the apron to distract. After Abe got in the way again, Taichi attacked Cobb with the microphone stand, then a chair.
Back in the ring, Cobb came alive with some offense, but it soon turned into a back and forth affair. Taichi hit a lariat and went for the black mephisto but Cobb transitioned into two gutwrench suplexes. Taichi fought him off, but Cobb cut him off again and hit a crazy looking piledriver.
Cobb blocked a ref bump attempt and laid out Taichi with a standing moonsault, then landed the tour of the islands for the win.
B Block: Jay White defeated Shingo Takagi
This ended up being very good, with some great nearfalls towards the end. White has a pattern of interference in his matches, and while there’s too much of that in NJPW now at least here it doesn’t detract from the match too much.
After stalling for a bit, the two end up brawling on the outside, then go back to the ring. Shingo took White to the apron, but Gedo grabbed his feet, allowing White to get the advantage by laying out Shingo with a DDT to the floor.
Back in the ring, the two start exchanging strikes until White takes down Shingo, remaining in control until catching White on the ropes with a lariat and landed a side suplex. White latches on but Takagi strikes with a headbutt and a lariat.
Shingo landed a big wheelbarrow suplex, but when going for the sliding D White escaped and blocked a noshigami attempt. Shingo countered the bladerunner with a successful noshigami attempt. He went for the pumping bomber, but once again Gedo got involved. Shingo ignored Gedo and hit a buckle bomb then a pumping bomber, but only got two.
Shingo went for the last of the dragon, but White grabbed the referee, allowing Gedo to come in and interfere. Shingo took him out and nailed White with the Made in Japan for a nearfall. He went for the last of the dragon, but White countered and eventually landed a half dragon suplex. White dominated, landing a modified version of a brainbuster then pinned Shingo with the bladerunner.
B Block: Jon Moxley defeated Tetsuya Naito
So this was really good, probably great, but not an excellent bout. The finish felt kind of flat and at the end, just didn’t feel like an epic main event. Still, the work was good and by New Japan standards was a perfectly fine main event, just not a blowaway one.
After taking his sweet time taking off his outfit, Naito threw his pants at Moxley as they start brawling, with Moxley leading Naito into the crowd, They wind up back in the barricade area. Moxley whips Naito into sitting fans nearby then took him back in the ring, where he grounded Naito.
Moxley went to the outside and grabbed a chair, wrapped it around Naito’s leg and went to grab another chair but the referee took it from him. This lasted long enough for Naito to throw the other chair at Moxley and drill him with a boot to the chair, and thusly onto Moxley’s face.
Naito clotheslined Moxley on the ramp then took him back to the ring. Moxley cut him off and hit a big butterfly suplex off the top rope. He went for a running knee, but Naito hit the satellite DDT. Naito took Moxley down with a hurricanrana off the top rope, but Moxley landed a strong lariat to derail Naito’s momentum.
Moxley hit the original dirty deeds (headlock DDT), then hit a running knee. Naito blocked the death rider and instead bit Moxley. Moxley responded by biting him back, but then ate a quick destino. Moxley kicked out and blasted Naito with the death rider, then hit another for the win.
Moxley closed out the show. He put over Naito, calling him “muy loco”. He has a message for his opponents: he will destroy them and won’t be denied. He promises to win the G1 Climax.
NJPW was in Aichi this morning after a few nights off for night 9 of G1 action. We return to the A Block, with Kazuchika Okada facing KENTA for the first time ever in the main event.
Prelim matches:
– Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Taichi defeated Jeff Cobb, Yota Tsuji and Ren Narita
Kanemaru pinned Tsuji with the deep impact DDT.
– Jay White, Chase Owens and Yujiro Takahashi defeated Juice Robinson, Toa Henare and Tomoaki Honma
Owens pinned Henare with the package piledriver.
– Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano defeated Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI
Toru Yano rolled up YOSHI-HASHI for the win.
– Tetsuya Naito and Shingo Takagi defeated Jon Moxley and Shota Umino
Takagi pinned Umino with the pumping bomber.
Block A: Kota Ibushi defeated Lance Archer
This was good, and it continues Archer’s streak of great matches. I don’t want to say he’s the MVP of the tournament thus far, but he’s really upping his game here and it shows.
Ibushi went for a hurricanrana early but Archer blocked it. He countered by sending him to the floor. Archer cuts him off and throws him into the barricade, working on his leg.
Archer took him back to the ring and works on him for a good while. Ibushi gets a burst of energy, and although struggles, connects with a middle rope moonsault. Archer cut him off as he was climbing to the top rope but Ibushi slides under and hits the last ride powerbomb.
After both get up, Archer hits a flipping senton then lands a giant chokeslam for a near fall. Ibushi cuts off Archer and hits the boma ye, then goes for the kamigoye. Archer responds with a knee flush to the face for a near fall. Archer went for a moonsault, but Ibush rolled out of the way.
Ibushi charged toward Archer and walked right into a blackout attempt. Ibushi cut him off and hit another boma ye, then connected with a kamigoye…but Archer doesn’t fall down. Ibushi hit a second and pinned Archer for the win.
Block A: Will Ospreay defeated Bad Luck Fale by DQ
Bad. Fale is not having a good tournament at all. The finish was kind of funny at least, but it also shows that very rarely do the NJPW referees act competent when it comes to distractions and interference.
Chase Owens attacked Ospreay before the bell rang as Fale distracted the referee. Fale then went to grab Ospreay but he countered with a springboard elbow. Jado then hit Ospreay with the kendo stick, so you know what kind of match this is.
Fale proceeded to do rest holds for a while until Ospreay connected with a springboard kick then followed that with a shooting star press and the Robinson special. He attempted the oscutter, but Chase Owens got involved. Ospreay took him out with a superkick, but Jado distracted him long enough for Fale to connect with the grenade.
A long ref bump allowed Ospreay to kick out. Fale went for the bad luck fall, but Ospreay escaped and tried for the stormbreaker, which didn’t work. He followed with the elbow to the back to the head then hit the oscutter but Chase Owens dragged the referee out of the ring.
Jado came in with the kendo stick, but Ospreay cut him off. Owens hits the package piledriver as Fale goes for the cover. Red Shoes runs in, starts to count, but stops before 3. He flips off Fale and ends the match via disqualification.
Block A: EVIL defeated Zack Sabre Jr.
This was a good battle. I don’t think it will wind up being a memorable match, but that’s because there’s a sea of bigger and better matches out there. This was perfectly good stuff, and both men told a good back and forth story.
They start off with some back and forth, but it quickly turns into a technical style of reversals and transitions until Sabre gets the better of EVIL. He soon focused on the wrist and neck. EVIL escapes and charges Sabre in the forner with a seated senton.
EVIL gave Sabre a hanging neckbreaker on the floor. Once they get back in the ring, Sabre cut off EVIL following a darkness falls attempt. EVIL threw Sabre’s leg at the referee and went for a superkick, but Sabre latched on to EVIL’s leg instead and took him to the ground.
EVIL escaped and went for Everything is EVIL but Sabre countered, pinning EVIL with the Gedo clutch for a nearfall. After some wrangling, EVIL hit the Darkness Falls and tried for the Everything is EVIL but Sabre countered again. Eventually he ran out of counters as EVIL finally connected with the Everything is EVIL for the win.
A Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated SANADA
This was real good, and the heat was very strong throughout. I wouldn’t say it was a blowaway bout, but the work was great and up to this point was easily the best match of the night.
Heat for this one was strong at the start, with everyone supporting SANADA. Things start off pretty slow, but start heating up after SANADA dropkicks Tanahashi into one of his legs, which gets things started. SANADA sends Tanahashi to the floor and hits a big crossbody to the floor.
Tanahashi cuts him off with two twist and shout neckbreakers, but when he tries for a third gets cut off as SANADA connected with an ego trip. Tanahashi survived, cut him off and tried for the high fly flow, but SANADA rolled out of the way and went for a moonsault, but also failed to connect.
Tanahashi went for a bridging pin but SANADA countered and transitioned into the cold skull. Tanahashi manages to escape by hitting something resembling a standing sliced bread. After exchanging some chops, Tanahashi hit a dragon suplex and went for the high fly flow, connecting. He hit another and that was it.
Block A: Kazuchika Okada defeated KENTA
Excellent match. It’s every big match Okada main event you’ve ever seen. That isn’t a knock, as they always deliver in a big way. They almost went for the full 30 minutes, which helped build the drama after the 25 minute mark.
After some early back and forth, KENTA gets the better of things and kicks Oakda out of the ring. He takes him back and unleashes hard kicks, with Okada goading him to kick him some more. Okada cuts him off but runs into a powerslam by KENTA. He follows that up by draping Okada’s neck against the ropes and hits a flying forearm.
Okada cuts him off with a flapjack as the two start exchanging strikes. Okada sent KENTA to the floor and sent him through the barricade with a kick. KENTA fired right back by draping Okada on the barricade and jumping off the apron with a giant foot stomp that sent Okada crashing to the floor.
KENTA hits a running dropkick to the corner but misses a stomp that allows Okada to hit a shotgun dropkick. KENTA cuts off Okada as he climbed to the top rope. Okada initially threw him off, but KENTA grabbed the arm upon Okada’s landing and went for a crossface. He followed that with two running knees and capped it off with a foot stomp, but Okada kicked out.
KENTA transitioned into the GTS but Okada grabbed his leg and hit the dropkick, then another. He followed that with the tombstone, but didn’t connect with the rainmaker as KENTA struck Okada with a discus lariat. At the 25 minute mark, both men were exchanging strikes.
KENTA tore into Okada with some vicious palm strikes but Okada grabbed his arm and went for a rainmaker. KENTA countered into a sleeper, but Okada dropkicked him as he was going for the penalty kick. KENTA lifted him for the GTS, but Okada countered into the spinning tombstone then the rainmaker for the win.
The G1 continued this morning in Hiroshima with B Block action.
Jon Moxley stands alone atop the block after another convincing win — this time over Shingo Takagi, while Tetsuya Naito climbed back into the hunt with a win over Tomohiro Ishii in a great main event.
Here are full results and match recaps:
YUJIRO TAKAHASHI, BAD LUCK FALE & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED WILL OSPREAY, TOMOAKI HONMA & YUYA UEMURA
Yujiro pinned Uemura with Pimp Juice in a formulaic opener.
Bullet Club worked over Honma, then turned it into a crowd brawl. Ospreay made a comeback, then tagged Uemura. Uemura ran wild, but Yujiro and Owens cut him off.
After the bell, Fale sent Ospreay into the barricade ahead of their tournament match on Saturday.
MINORU SUZUKI, LANCE ARCHER & ZACK SABRE JR. DEFEATED EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI
Suzuki-gun worked over EVIL. SANADA came back with a rana on Archer, but Archer cut him off. Suzuki got a tag, and SANADA hit him with a dragon screw.
The match broke down, and BUSHI and Suzuki were left legal. Archer used the EBD claw on BUSHI and SANADA, then Suzuki hit BUSHI with a Gotch-style piledriver for the pin.
Tanahashi pinned Narita after a slingblade, but he also gave Narita a ton of offense. Narita hit an overhead belly-to-belly for a great near fall, and he also used a full crab for a long submission tease.
The interaction between Tanahashi and Ibushi was limited, but Ibushi did land some kicks, while Tana hit a dragon screw.
KAZUCHIKA OKADA, YOSHI-HASHI & TOA HENARE DEFEATED KENTA, CLARK CONNORS & KARL FREDERICKS
KENTA and Okada started off, and KENTA controlled the match. He hit Okada with kicks, then mocked him with a Rainmaker pose.
Okada made his own comeback against Fredericks. Henare and YOSHI-HASHI exchanged quick tags and went to work on Fredericks. Okada tagged back in and sent KENTA from the apron to the floor with a shoulder tackle.
KENTA sent Okada into the barricade, while Henare and Connors were left the legal men in the ring. Connors hit a nice dropkick, but Henare came back with a Samoan drop.
Fredericks and Connors doubled up on YH, but YH made his own comeback, then used a Butterfly Lock on Connors for the submission. This was a good little tag match.
B BLOCK MATCH: JUICE ROBINSON DEFEATED TORU YANO (4:28)
Yano asked for a handshake, but used it to roll Juice up for a near fall. Yano untied a corner pad, then sent Juice into the exposed buckle.
They went outside, where Yano tried to tape Juice to the barricade. They did a countout tease, but Juice made it back in at 19.
Yano got two more near falls off schoolboys and again sent Juice into the exposed buckle. Juice avoided two low blows, then hit Pulp Friction for the pin.
This was a short, typical Yano G1 match. It was entertaining.
B BLOCK MATCH: TAICHI DEFEATED HIROOKI GOTO (12:11)
Goto went after Taichi before the bell, as he continues to show a more aggressive edge.
They brawled outside, where Taichi posted Goto, then took over. Back inside, Taichi worked over Goto with kicks. Goto went for an ushigoroshi, but Taichi slipped out the back.
They traded lariats, but Taichi continued to control the match with his kicks. Goto hit an ushigoroshi, but sold the damage to his legs from the kicks, and he could not follow up.
They exchanged lariats, and Goto hit a spinning lariat for a near fall. They traded a series of short kicks. Goto hit an inverted GTR for a two count. He went for a second GTR, but Taichi blocked it. He teased Shouten Kai, but Taichi slipped out, then sent Goto into the referee, who took a bump.
Taichi tried to use his mic stand as a weapon, but Goto blocked it. Goto went for a GTR as the ref revived. Taichi pulled the referee into Goto for a distraction, hit a low blow, then used the Gedo Clutch for the pin.
This was the weakest match of the tournament so far.
B BLOCK MATCH: JON MOXLEY DEFEATED SHINGO TAKAGI (14:45)
They exchanged forearm shots right away. Moxley scored a knockdown off a tackle, and Shingo rolled outside. Moxley went for a suicide dive, but Shingo caught him, then hit a DVD on the floor.
Moxley came back immediately, sending Shingo into the barricade, then posting him. Moxley set up a table. Both teased sending the other off the apron through the table, but both blocked.
Moxley hooked Shingo’s leg in the ropes, then nailed it with a dropkick. Moxley used a figure four, but Shingo reached the ropes. Moxley tried for a Death Rider, but Shingo hit a backdrop.
Shingo hit a pair of corner clotheslines, then hit a vertical suplex. Shingo continued to sell his legs. He went for a sliding lariat, but Moxley caught him, then hit a low dropkick to the legs. Moxley posted Shingo’s left leg repeatedly, then used a figure four around the post.
Moxley hit a clothesline in the corner, and they exchanged German suplexes. They exchanged strikes, then Moxley hit a dragon screw. Moxley used a figure four to cradle Shingo for a near fall, then hit a sliding lariat. He teased a cloverleaf, but Shingo fought it off.
Moxley tried to send Shingo from corner to corner, but Shingo’s leg buckled. Moxley went for the Regal knee, but Shingo hit him with noshigami, a lariat, then a Pumping Bomber for a near fall.
Shingo fired up at the ten minute call. He went for Last of the Dragon, but his leg buckled. Moxley hit Death Rider, but only got a near fall off of it.
Shingo blocked a second Death Rider, and they rolled outside. Moxley slammed Shingo’s left leg into the table, which didn’t break. Moxley wrapped a chair around the left leg, then hit it with another chair. They teased a countout, but Shingo made it back inside.
As soon as Shingo stepped back inside, Moxley hit the Regal knee. He went for a Death Rider, but Shingo blocked it. Shingo then hit Made in Japan for a near fall.
Shingo went for Last of the Dragon, but Moxley kicked at the bad knee. Moxley hit another Regal knee to the back for a near fall, then used a cloverleaf for the submission.
This was good. Shingo did more selling than he has at any point since his NJPW debut, and Moxley did more wrestling than hardcore brawling.
B BLOCK MATCH: JAY WHITE DEFEATED JEFF COBB (15:50)
White did his customary stalling early on. Cobb hit a dropkick, then a huge throw, and White rolled outside. Cobb teased posting White, but Gedo made the save for White.
Cobb got Gedo in the ring, allowing White to hit a knee to the back. White took over, choking Cobb with the ring skirt, then hitting a neckbreaker off the apron to the floor.
White continued working over the neck with a chinlock, then a neck tie. Cobb hit a Samoan drop. He tried to kip up, but White pulled him back to the mat by his hair. Cobb hit a belly-to-belly, then a pop-up backdrop.
Cobb hit a gutwrench suplex, an uppercut, then a vertical suplex. Cobb hit a standing moonsault for a near fall. Cobb went for the Tour of the Islands, but White blocked it, then snapped Cobb’s neck over the top rope. White hit a DDT, then a flatliner.
White hit another flatliner, then a Saito suplex. They traded strikes. White used an eye rake, but Cobb came back with a fallaway slam. Cobb hit an impressive sidewalk slam, then placed White on the top rope. Gedo provided a distraction, and White slipped to the apron. Cobb followed up with a deadlift superplex for a great near fall.
White blocked a Tour of the Islands with elbow strikes. Cobb pushed White off into the referee, and we had our second ref bump of the night. Gedo jumped in with brass knuckles, but Cobb slammed him. White blocked another Tour of the Islands attempt, then hit a low blow.
White hit a sleeper suplex. Cobb hit a snap German. Cobb went for Tour of the Islands, but White reversed it into a Blade Runner to get his first win of the tournament.
The ref bump sucked the life out of the crowd and really hurt an otherwise good match.
B BLOCK MATCH: TETSUYA NAITO DEFEATED TOMOHIRO ISHII (19:00)
Naito controlled the early-going with strikes. Ishii came back with a powerslam, then landed a series of chops. Ishii hit a headbutt. Naito hammered Ishii’s neck with elbows, then hit an inverted atomic drop. Naito hit a one-legged dropkick.
Naito was really moving well here. He hit a flying headscissors, a dropkick to the back, then a combinacion in the corner. He teased a top rope rana, but Ishii cut him off. He teased a powerbomb out of the corner, but Naito slipped out.
Naito hit a hard shot to the neck, but Ishii no-sold it. Naito spit at Ishii, who then dropped him with a forearm. Ishii hit a series of chops and strikes in the corner. Ishii hit a back suplex for a near fall.
Ishii went for a powerbomb, but Naito countered out. Ishii missed a sliding lariat, and Naito hit an enzuigiri. Naito missed a dropkick, and Ishii hit a suplex. Naito hit a tornado DDT, into a double down. This was an awesome sequence.
Naito hit a neckbreaker off the second rope, then a top rope rana for a near fall. Naito hit a flying forearm, then hit Gloria for a near fall. Naito went for Destino, but had to settle for a suplex after Ishii fought out.
Naito hit a poison rana. He tried for Destino again, but Ishii fought it off with a lariat. Naito ducked another lariat, then hit an enzuigiri. Ishii placed Naito on the top rope, then hit an uppercut headbutt to the chin. Ishii followed up with a superplex for a two count at the 15-minute call.
Naito blocked a lariat, but Ishii hit a headbutt. Ishii hit a hard lariat, and Naito took a flip bump. Ishii got a two count. Naito slipped out of a brainbuster. Naito hit Destino, but only got a two count.
Naito went for another Destino. Ishii blocked it, but Naito hit a suplex. Ishii no-sold it, popped up, then hit a sliding lariat for a two count.
Naito blocked a brainbuster, then hit a Michinoku Driver for a near fall.
