In New York City’s legendary Madison Square Garden, the historic G1 SuperCard was held on the 6th April, 2019. The night was full of remarkable surprises as the fans were left with their hearts in their mouths and hands in the air as the greatest wrestlers of the modern era more than lived up to the legacy of the world’s most famous arena!
Take a look at the full results here: https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/44155?showCards=1
You can re-watch the full event on NJPW World here.
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The second of two main events was between the 68th IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Jay White and his challenger, 2019 New Japan Cup winner, Kazuchika Okada. This was Jay White’s first defence of his title and the brash young champion was eager to best the Rainmaker to retain his newly restored championship belt. The day prior, the Switchblade had been critical of his opponent, the fans and the IWGP Championship committee and came out on the day with a larger than usual chip on his shoulder. As the sun shone on Madison Square Garden, though, it was Okada looking to make it rain in New York as the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
The match started with Jay making the first moves in the game of human chess. Sliding out of the ring and making the challenger wait, White was goading the rainmaker; a tactic proven effective at Wrestle Kingdom 13. This time, the more level-headed Rainmaker refused to be suckered into such an easy ruse. The raucous crowd was red hot, and the action heated up to match, Okada successfully landing a series of devastating drop kicks on his opponent. Still, Jay proved to be tenacious. After Okada successfully landed a devastating Rainmaker, the whole arena left to their feat in anticipation of a new champ, but Jay managed to raise his shoulder in the nick of time. Jay’s mastery of counter wrestling almost let him sneak the win a number of times, and the champion landed an emphatic Bladerunner that would have been the end for Okada had White been able to follow with a cover fast enough. In the end, it was a corkscrew Tombstone and an earth shaking Rainmaker that heralded Okada’s fifth reign as champion.
Speaking backstage, a tired and battered Okada sat behind the championship belt he had fought over so many times before. A true sportsman, his first words were to praise his opponent’s toughness and tenacity. Okada moved on to speak about his experience fighting at the Garden, commenting on its ambience and praising the fervour of the fans present. Speaking on the experience following his loss of the championship in June last year, Okada felt that he had finally made a complete comeback.
The first joint main event (9th match) was a ladder match for the ROH World Championship. The reigning champion, Jay Lethal was defending his title against the Kingdom’s Matt Taven and Villain Enterprises’ Marty Scurll. Earlier in the week, all three men claimed to be the real world champion, but the only true winner would be the man who could pull down the championship belt hung from the historic rafters of MSG. The match was a brutal affair with each wrestler in turn taking the opportunity to disable his opponents and attempt to climb the ladder in order to reach the grand prize. Marty Scurll, ever the innovator, would at one point attempt to use his signature umbrella in order to gain a height advantage. Moments later he would complement brains with toughness and strength, delivering a devastating brainbuster off the top of the ladder.
When all three men found themselves within inches of the belt, Scurll and Lethal would plunge from ladders, leaving the door open for Taven; Scurll’s expert finger manipulation seconds before however left the Kingdom leader unable to grasp the belt. As the match grew yet more intense, Marty Scurll was put through his own table, and Jay Lethal leapt from the top of a huge ladder to deliver a devastating elbow drop through a table to Taven. Matt Taven came back to deploy an oversized ladder in Kingdom colours. After a number of close-calls and a terrifying spill for Lethal, Taven managed to yank the belt from its harness and secure his victory.
Backstage, Taven was very emotional, talking about how it had been his dream since a child. The new champion was confident about bearing the responsibility of being the champion and face of the company. Proving his point, Taven granted his rival, Jay Lethal, a rematch. That said, Taven was more dismissive of Scurll, suggesting ‘he didn’t deserve to have a shot’. Finally, about the possibility of him becoming a double champion, simultaneously with the IWGP Heavyweight championship, Taven was typically bullish, goading New Japan to put the championship on the line. In his comments however, Jay Lethal was pensive, admitting that the better man had won and took full responsibility for his loss.
In the eighth match, the 20th IWGP Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito was making the second defence of his reign against the Golden Star, Kota Ibushi. For many fans this wasd the most hotly anticipated bout of the evening, and ovations for both men’s entrances were ear splitting. As expected, the two warriors enraptured the sell-out 16,534 crowd with a display that was lightning-fast, brutal and jaw-droppingly spectacular. After shutting down some Ibushi’s key offence, denying a Golden Triangle and springboard German suplex, the ungovernable Naito appeared to gain the upper hand. Eventually though, the deadly metaphorical switch inside the challenger was triggered, and Ibushi unleashed a series of vicious strikes upon his opponent. Despite Naito’s best efforts, including a running Destino that almost clinched the victory for him, it was the Golden Star who emerged on top with a pair of Boma Yes. Ibushi had talked before the match about the Intercontinental Championship reigns of his personal gods in Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura; it was Nakamura’s signature move that paid the ultimate dividends.
Backstage, the victor crawled his way into the press conference room, obviously physically and emotionally drained by the entire experience. Ibushi’s comments were restrained and humble, thanking his opponent and feeling overwhelmed by not only his prize, but also the immense stage on which he had won it. Although his comments were perhaps tinged by a sense of self-doubt, he emphasized his need and desire to keep moving forward. He closed out by naming Zack Sabre Jr., the man who had knocked him out of the New Japan Cup, to be his next challenger.
The 7th match was another title match, this time for RevPro’s Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship. The champion, Zack Sabre Jr. had been defeated in the 2019 New Japan Cup by The Ace, Hiroshi Tanahashi, which prompted the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion to challenge the British submission master to a championship match. As is often the case with ZSJ’s matches, the Ace found himself sucked into Zack’s world as the two exchanged intricate grappling techniques. However, as the match wore on, it became clear that the younger, lither Briton had the advantage and Zack ended up victorious, with MSG having the rare sight and sound of a verbal submission from Tanahashi.
Commenting after the match, the ever-loquacious Zack Sabre Jr. gave typically braggadocio comments to the assembled press, announcing unilaterally that “Strong Style” was now dead and that he was now the personification of British wrestling. Tanahashi however, cast a much more downbeat figure, lamenting his inability to get the better of his opponent, but promising the fans that he would return to MSG.
Both the IWGP Tag Team Championship and the ROH World Tag Championship were on the line in the 6th match in a 4-way match. Both the Guerillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) and the Villain Enterprises team of PCO and Brody King put their titles on the line against challengers EVIL and SANADA of L.I.J. and the Briscoe Brothers. The winning team would be taking both titles home with them. The match was a brutal and vicious affair with G.O.D. seemingly attempting to avenge the injustice done to their BULLET CLUB brother, Ishimori earlier in the night by going all out to retain their titles by any means necessary. After a while, however, their brutality prevailed and the IWGP Tag Team champions added the ROH belts to their resume.
After the conclusion of the match however, Toru Yano, living up to his former nickname of the “sublime master thief” appeared on the entrance ramp, grinning and brandishing both IWGP Tag Team Championship belts, having relinquished the champs of them in their momentary distraction. Backstage, G.O.D alternated between self-regard and disdain for ROH and their challengers.
In the 5th match, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship would be on the line as the 83rd champion, Taiji Ishimori took on challengers from both CMLL and ROH in the form of Dragon Lee and Bandido. The match got off to an electrifying start with the three men providing to the world just why they they are considered the best junior heavyweights in the world. The match only continued to accelerate in pace and danger, with Bandido scoring a phenomenal Spanish Fly to both opponents simultaneously off the top rope. Ultimately though it was Dragon Lee who landed Denucadora to Bandido and lift the IWGP Juniro Heavyweight Championship for the first time, making good on his promise the prior night to make his native Mexico proud.
Speaking backstage, the new champion struck a grateful and humble tone, only expressing regret that it was not Hiromu Takahashi from whom he won it. Bandido for his part was regretful that he hadn’t won, but thankful for wrestling on such a grand stage. Ishimori however was incensed, feeling the two challengers had ganged-up on him, calling out Dragon Lee for a singles match.
The 4th match was arranged to be a NYC street fight open challenge as Bully Ray intended to defeat all comers. Prior to the match, Juice Robinson had publicly declared he was stepping up to the plate. Plans changed however, when ‘somebody’ assaulted Juice backstage. In fact, it was Flip Gordon, who had last month been ruled-out with a knee injury, that came down the ramp instead. Flip quickly found himself in trouble as Bully Ray managed to make the most of the power of numbers. Flip was surrounded by Ray, Silas Young and Shane Taylor, but in response it was Juice himself who came down the ramp accompanied by Mark Haskins of Lifeblood and a cart of weapons. In what became a six man tag team street fight, Flip Lifeblood emerged victorious.
The 3rd match was for the Women of Honor World Championship as the champion, Mayu Iwatani took on a challenge from the former champion, Kelly Klein. The two had been neck-and-neck in the lead-up to this match with two wins and two losses each against each other. The match was a brutal and hard fought affair as both women went blow-for-blow with each other, but it was the challenger who emerged victorious becoming the new champion.
Ms. Kline’s joy was to be short-lived however, as Angelina Love and Velvet Sky who accosted her in the ring and whilst Mandy Leon seemed to come to her aid, she turned on Kline, teaming-up with the beautiful people to humiliate the newly crowned champ. Backstage the new champion said that she was proud of the Women of Honor Championship, despite the nastiness at the end. Iwatani-san for her part was relatively reticent but felt that it was tough losing the belt in her first defence overseas, but promised to keep fighting and doing her best.
The second match was a match between Dalton Castle and Rush. The two had come into this match having had opposite trajectories, with RUSH being undefeated since joining ROH whilst Castle had been struggling since his injury. Never the less, Castle went into this match determined to change his fortunes. The match, however was over in only 15 seconds after a series of corner dropkicks. Rush emerged victorious, continuing his undefeated streak. After suffering a series of high profile losses, the quick defeat in MSG proved to be Castle’s breaking point, as he ferociously attacked his Boys as they came to console him and refused to comment to media.
The opening match was a match between Will Ospreay and Jeff Cobb with both the NEVER Openweight Championship and the ROH World Television Championship being on the line. Whilst the two have had a couple of intense encounters in tag matches over the past few months, they have yet to meet in a singles match. After a blistering affair, the Hawaii native came out on top, giving Ospreay one Tour of the Islands off the top rope and a second in ring. Cobb struck a respectful figure in his interview backstage, calling Will Ospreay one of the best in the business. The Aerial Assassin likewise struck a humble tone, showing a lot of respect to his powerful opponent in his comments.
Before the event started, fans were thrilled to experience the New Japan Rumble where a mix of legendary wrestlers came out to compete in the most famous arena in the USA. The prize at stake was a shot at the ROH World Championship, so each of the 30 participants came out with a fiery determination to emerge victorious. New Japan wrestlers included Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto, Toru Yano, SHO, YOH, Ryusuke Taguchi, Bushi and Minoru Suzuki. Madison Square Garden was also electrified to welcome stars such as King Haku back to the NJPW ring. One of the biggest reactions from the crowd was for the living legend Jyushin Thunder Liger, who was obviously thrilled to be wrestling in MSG before his retirement in January 2020. However, it was the arrival of The Great Muta that made the number 30 spot, as he made his way back to a NJPW ring for the first time in 5 years.
As the Rumble went on, the other 28 competitors were gradually eliminated until the final two left in the ring were Liger and Muta. The rumble was set-up to be a final pairing of epic proportions. That was until, unexpectedly, Kenny King, whom everyone present had assumed to have been eliminated earlier in the night, jumped through the ropes and emerged triumphant. An enraged Muta spat red mist in King’s face as some manner of revenge, but the fact remains that King will have a right to challenge new ROH champion Matt Taven at some point in the future.
