As the G1 Climax makes its way towards its exciting conclusion, A Block took a definitive step in deciding it’s overall champion with a full five wrestlers being eliminated from contention. The action in-ring was as hot as always and the competitors struggled past their various bumps and bruises to create an electric atmosphere for everyone in attendance.
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*****
Match 9: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated EVIL with a High Fly Flow
The match started in a traditional fashion, with EVIL being able to make use of his raw strength to get the better of the Ace. Having gotten off to a strong start, EVIL sought to take advantage of his initial success by taking Tanahashi to the outside of the ring, where he pulled out chairs from under the ring to make use of his famous steel chair baseball swing. Having weakened the Ace, EVIL returned him to inside the ring, where he was able to completely dominate his opponent by the 5 min mark. In a rare moment of respite, Tanahashi was able to lock in the figure-4 leglock on EVIL, but EVIL was able to reverse the momentum and put pressure on Tanahashi’s left knee. Tanahashi’s knee has been a constant thorn in his side all tournament and even referred to it in his backstage comments ahead of the match, but he was able to power through the pain. Having been able to make use of his decades of experience at the highest level to scout a misdirection from EVIL earlier in the match, Tanahashi took a risk. Performing his high fly flow would swing the match back in his favor with the sheer power of the move, but at great cost to himself.
Nevertheless, Tanahashi persisted and whilst the damage to EVIL was great indeed, Tanahashi struggled to get back to his feet. Both men were shattered by now, Tanahashi attempted to use EVIL’s signature move, the scorpion death-lock, but was unable to lock it in, due to his knee damage and EVIL managed to get to the ropes. From there EVIL managed to come back and after a powerful superplex, things were looking bleak for the Ace by the 18-minute mark. However, a brace of Twist & Shouts followed by a Slingblade turned the momentum back in Tanahashi’s favor. This proved to be a poisoned chalice of sorts as Tanahashi grew over-confident and went for another High Fly Flow only to crash into EVIL’s raised knees. By the 20-minute mark both wrestlers were reduced to a brutal test of strength. Just when it looked as if fatigue would finally catch-up to Tanahashi, Iron Will prevailed and after two high fly flows, he was victorious.
Match 8: SANADA defeated KENTA with a Rounding body press
As the match started, SANADA did his traditional appeal to the crowd and KENTA followed suit. KENTA, annoyed that SANADA’s cool charm proved more popular than his own brand of prickly stoicism, took offense and bore out his frustrations on SANADA. The match quickly spilled to outside of the ring, where KENTA tripped SANADA into the barricade and through a mixture of brawling and submission holds, he made his feelings known. KENTA then brought SANADA back to the ring, where he continued to punish him with PKs, hard strikes and headlocks. After some more punishment, SANADA had had enough and it was his turn to take KENTA outside the ring where he managed to land a pescado. A now furious KENTA took the match to even further levels of brutality when he came back with a devastating double foot stomp that stopped SANADA’s attempts to come back immediately.
For KENTA, who has struggled to win the approval of NJPW fans throughout the tour, SANADA’s ability to come back into the match as if nothing had happened to him was almost too much for him to bear. His offense was vicious and brutal with strikes raining down on the helpless Cold Skull. That was until SANADA managed to block a PK attempt from KENTA, a move inspired by his friend Katsuyori Shibata, and after putting KENTA into his cold skull submission move he finished him off with a Rounding body press. The victory turned out to be a pyrrhic one as Okada’s victory earlier in the night eliminated SANADA from contention.
- SANADA is now unable to win A Block
Match 7: Kazuchika Okada defeated Lance Archer with a Rainmaker
Archer immediately jumped Okada, trying to weaken him before swiftly heading to the crowd. Throwing Okada into the barricades, Archer sought to make good use of his size and strength advantages to gain an advantage over the Rainmaker. Having felt like the damage was now done, Archer brought Okada back to the ring to continue the torment in a more legal setting, dominating the match in the process. Archer goes to the top rope and starts to walk the ropes, but to the astonishment of all (not least Okada himself) he stopped halfway and hit him with a moonsault. Okada though is the IWGP Heavyweight champion and Lance’s offense, whilst powerful and brutal, was not anything he hadn’t faced before.
Having turned the tables on Archer, Okada went for the Rainmaker pose but carelessly strayed too close to Archer who managed to grab him in the EBD claw. Okada tried to fight back with some short lariats, but a massive chokeslam and a blackout could have resulted in an upset, but Archer’s signature move was performed to close to the ropes and Okada just about managed to get his leg up to force a rope break. This proved the turning point of the match as the momentary lack of spacial awareness from Archer allowed Okada a brief period of respite, from which he was able to land a devastating missile drop kick. From there, Okada got the win with a rainmaker and in the process eliminated half of A block.
- Lance Archer is now unable to win A Block
Match 6: Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Will Ospreay with a “Hurrah! Another Year, Surely This One Will Be Better Than the Last; The Inexorable March of Progress Will Lead Us All to Happiness”
In a display of traditional British wrestling the two men locked-up at the start of the match, each attempting to out-wrestle the other. Sabre, who is currently considered the greatest technical wrestler in the world, had the upper hand but Ospreay was able to use his dexterity to escape trouble. The two matched each other move for move until Ospreay was finally able to overpower Sabre with a powerful strike. This flipped a switch in Sabre who started aggressively targeting Ospreay’s neck, which resultant damage caused Ospreay to be more reluctant to use his high-impact moves and allowed Sabre to wrestle the match the way he saw fit. Finally though, after receiving an inordinate amount of torture from the British submission master, Ospreay was able to escape by means of a handspring kick.
Ospreay’s protective neck tape was now shredded and despite his heroic efforts, Sabre was able to quickly come back into the match with a jumping DDT. Ospreay once again had to change tactics. Daring Sabre to kick him in the chest with a PK, Sabre dutifully obliged, tiring Sabre. Ospreay finally managed to hit Sabre with an Oscutter and the match heated up and the two returned to a form of parity. However, every time Ospreay tried to land one of his high-impact moves, Sabre was able to counteract the effort into a submission hold. As such it proved when an attempted Stormbreaker was countered into an Octopus Stretch and from there Sabre was able to transition into his signature move, causing Ospreay to tap out.
- Both Zack Sabre Jr. and Will Ospreay are now unable to win A Block
Match 5: Kota Ibushi defeated Bad Luck Fale with a Kamigoye
Fale jumped Ibushi before the bell and Ibushi was quickly set-upon by Fale’s lackeys, fellow BULLET CLUB members Chase Owens & Jado. Fale tried to trap Ibushi outside the ring and win via count-out, but this too was a ploy as once an exhausted Ibushi managed to drag himself back in the ring, Fale landed on him with a refrigerator splash. For the next 5 minutes, Fale dominated Ibushi and tried to crush his back with a bear hug. Ibushi at times tried to fight back valiantly, but Fale was very much the general in charge. Ibushi almost fell to the grenade, but after escaping a bad luck fall, he was able to turn the tables. A Boma-ye followed and Ibushi defeated Fale with his Kamigoye.
- Bad Luck Fale is now unable to win A Block
Match 4: Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI) defeated Juice Robinson, Jeff Cobb & Toa Henare when Takagi pinned Henare after a pumping bomber
Cobb and Takagi started the match. Takagi tried to step-up to Cobb and compete toe-to-toe but Cobb overpowers him. Takagi instead switched-up his plan to submission moves and invited the other L.I.J members in to get their licks. Henare tried to come to Cobb’s aid but was quickly dealt with by LIJ’s combined efforts. Cobb fired back with power moves and tagged in Robinson to deal with Naito. Robinson & Naito impressed in their interactions. Takagi comes in to try and rescue a beleaguered Naito, but Robinson avoids the assault and tags in a fresh Henare to deal with a weary Takagi. Takagi though proved dominant and whilst Henare showed great fire, it wasn’t enough. After the match Naito went after Robinson’s hand and mocked his pose. Robinson responded in kind.
Match 3: BULLET CLUB (Jay White, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens) defeated Suzuki-gun (Taichi, Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) when Owens pinned Kanemaru following a package piledriver
As one might expect, this was not a clean fight. The two teams brawled on the floor and as the referee threatened to count everybody out, all 6 men returned to the ring at the count of 19. Taichi and White duelled, the two exchanging some hard-hitting strikes. Both wrestlers are well known for scouting their opponents and sensing weakness and it remains to be seen if either man has seen something. Suzuki dominated Takahashi and once Owens came in to save his comrade, Suzuki switched to tag in a fresh Kanemaru. Owens instead kicked Kanemaru in the groin and won.
Match 2: Toru Yano & Ren Narita defeated Jon Moxley & Shota Umino when Yano rolled-up Umino
Before the match, a curious Moxley was inspecting Yano’s DVD, which the entrepreneurial Yano insisted on selling him. In sending his dogsbody, Umino to the outside to collect ¥5,000 to purchase the DVD, Moxley gave it to Yano who turned him back to count the money. Moxley used the opportunity to attempt to roll-up Yano. The two ended-up scampering around the ring, but critically Moxley was not able to catch his opponent on Thursday. The two Young Lions dueled until Yano rolled-up Umino and got the win. Yano proceeded to flee with both the DVD and the money.
Match 1: Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Yota Tsuji defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Tomoaki Honma & Yuya Uemura when YOSHI-HASHI submitted Uemura with a Butterfly Lock
All eyes were on Goto and Ishii ahead of their all Chaos match-up next week. Their previous encounter in last year’s tournament was a hard-hitting affair and this year’s match-up is looking to prove no different. Elsewhere, Uemura was very aggressive and earned plaudits for his display, but once again failed in his match as YOSHI-HASHI was able to cause him to tap out with relative ease.
