Hamamatsu sees a tempestuous night of action
In the wake of a typhoon that swept across the nation on October 1, G1 action was as wild as the weather on October 1 as B block ended its fourth night of action with Jeff Cobb and Kazuchika Okada still atop the table with eight points, but with Hiroshi Tanahashi sending the crwd home after his main event win against SANADA.
As expected, the two classical maestros would try and one up one another on the mat at the start of the bout, with each fighting for control in ever tighter headlocks. As the oneupmanship continued, Tanahashi even tried a Paradise Lock, but was quickly rebuffed and placed in the real deal. As Tanahashi fired back it appeared that SANADA was a step ahead, but a combo and flying forearm would put the Ace in the driver’s seat, at least briefly.
Before Tanahashi could get a sustained advantage, he found his basement dropkick responded to by one of Cold Skull’s own, and a Dragon Screw went the same way. With a Dragon backbreaker, and a plancha, SANADA had the edge out on the floor, but when he got back inside, he was met with a Dragon Screw through the ropes, and a pair of dropkicks as Tanahashi set to work on the legs of SANADA.
Tanahashi would follow up with a Texas Cloverleaf on SANADA, before using his foe’s own favourite plancha to deliver another message through his offense. Firing back, SANADA absorbed a Twist and Shout to hit the Magic Screw neckbreaker over the ropes, and then looked for Skull End, countered into a Tanahashi Dragon Sleeper, only for Cold Skull to land a TKO.
When SANADA went for a Moonsault to follow, he only found the canvas, and though the LIJ member was able to get back into a Dragon Sleeper, Tanahashi hit an instinctive Twist and Shout. A Slingblade later and Tanahashi went up top, landing onto a standing SANADA, but finding the wounded knees when looking for the finishing blow.
Both reset and traded blows, SANADA finding a rolling elbow, but catching a palm strike from Tanahashi. An O’Connor Roll for SANADA got two; a Tanahashi O’Connor Dragon Suplex got another nearfall. Yet at 25 minutes and 36 seconds, the Ace finally followed up, the High Fly Flow scoring flush for the three.
The semi main would see Kazuchika Okada attempt to get to eight points against CHAOS mate Hirooki Goto for the first time in half a decade. With painful defeats in the memory and ill able to afford a loss, Goto set to work early before being hit with a big flapjack in ring and a DDT outside. Okada would keep up the same strict in ring attitude toward his teammate as YOSHI-HASHI experienced in Korakuen, but Goto would rally with a lariat and a big bulldog that got two.
Goto would drop Okada on the floor and drop an elbow in the ring for another nearfall, but Okada responded with a reverse neckbreaker. While a Tombstone was too early, a dropkick scored, and the Money Clip followed to drive Goto to the ropes. Yet Goto would avoid a shotgun blast, and landed a neckbreaker from the top. Both men well aware of the other’s most dangerous moves, Okada escaped the GTR and pulled Goto in for the Rainmaker; Goto would counter the move and even in the wake of a dropkick and Tombstone would counter a second Rainmaker attempt into a cradle and then the reverse GTR. Yet Okada would not taste the full version of the hold, and cradled Goto with a flash pin for the victory, a frustrated Goto having to deal with a 0-4 record.
After a particularly infuriating loss to EVIL in Korakuen Hall, Taichi was in a particularly bad mood when facing YOSHI-HASHI in their bout, quickly levelling the Headhunter and taking him to the outside, where he mocked his opponent and his NEVER 6-Man title. That was enough to anger the CHAOS member, who violently responded only to see Taichi battle back in a match that was proving very difficult for the referee to officiate.
YOSHI-HASHI would respond to Taichi with trademark heart, basement dropkicks and stinging chops but a hook kick would put him to the mat. YOSHI-HASHI stayed swinging but an overhead kick would connect flush with the Headhunter’s injured shoulder, a body part further punished with Seitei Jujiro. A Damgerous Backdrop would surely mean the end for YOSHI-HASHI, but the CHAOS member bravely resisted both that and Black Mephisto, countering with Kumagoroshi and following with the Butterfly Lock.
The Dangerous Backdrop would eventually put YOSHI-HASHI to the mat, but wouldn’t end his match, the Headhunter connecting with a thrust kick and the Canadian Destroyer. Sacrificing the left shoulder, he swung for the fences on a southpaw lariat, and then landed karma to pick up the first win of his campaign.
In B Block’s second BULLET CLUB derby, EVIL would face Chase Owens, and when Owens refused to lay down for the head of HOUSE OF TORTURE, he would be punished with a full suite of EVIL’s power and disgraceful tactics. When Owens wasn’t meeting exposed steel in the corner, he was facing Dick Togo’s right hand or a rake of the eyes, but Owens was able to rally with a leg lariat to take the King of Darkness off his feet.
Striking in combinations, Owens built momentum on EVIL until being sent into the ringside guardrails. As the referee applied his count, EVIL applied the Darkness Scorpion; Owens almost counted out thanks to more Togo intervention, only to meet Darkness Falls in the ring. Owens refused to lose, and rallied with all he had, forcing EVIL to take desperate measures.
As EVIL took Owens’ Texas Heavyweight belt, Togo tried to choke at its rightful holder, only for the interference to backfire. Owens landed the C-Trigger knee, but yet more interference from Togo resulted in a low blow and EVIL for the win.
Tama Tonga would try and outquick Jeff Cobb’s power in the first group match of the evening, but would quickly be pitched to the mat with a belly to belly suplex. A Cobb offensive showcase saw a delayed one arm suplex, and hard drives into the corner, where he was hit with chop/lariat combos. Dropping Cobb with a DDT out of a bearhug and staying on his horse though, Tonga made Cobb sweat and landed a Death Valley Bomb for two, but Cobb was able to respond with a dropkick and standing moonsault.
Tonga would turn a Tour of the Islands attempt into a Tongan Twist however, and landed the Superfly Splash, but found a Gunstun countered into an insane German suplex. The Tour soon followed to put Cobb onto eight points.
