About halfway through my catch-up shows for the G1, and I can honestly say this has been an awesome tournament thus far. Great stories being told: From White's rise to the main event level with wins over Okada and Tanahashi already to Okada's fall from grace, A Block had a great 2nd Show.
Now, it's time for the B Block to take center stage. This show has an advertised main event of Goto vs. Omega in a G1 Climax 26 Finals rematch. This is going to be a fun one.
As with the first 3 shows, I am only reviewing the Block matches of this show. If anything significant happens in the undercard, I'll write a quick comment. HERE WE GO!!!!
B Block Matches- Night 4
1) Tama Tonga (w/ Tanga Loa) vs. SANADA- SANADA walks out without his mask on, which was definitely weird for him. This should be a good one. Slow pace followed by a fast burst fakeout by both men. Hammerlocks and headlocks to start the match by Tonga. Fast paced action by both men, countering each others moves including a double missed dropkick spot. Tonga tries to get SANADA in the Paradise Lock, but he fails. Loa trips up SANADA from the outside. SANADA chases Tonga around the ring, only for Loa to clothesline him down. The referee and the Young Boys at ringside throw Loa out of the ringside area. (Commentators mention that this could have been grounds for a DQ, but the referee wants the match to continue.) Tonga gets SANADA back in the ring to work on. Stinger Splash by Tonga. Top Rope Dropkick by SANADA. SANADA double leapfrogs a running Tonga and nails a dropkick. SANADA locks in the Paradise Lock and dropkicks Tonga in the gluts. After a brief sequence between the two, SANADA nails a plancha to Tonga on the outside. SANADA goes for a TKO, which Tonga blocks twice. Tongan Twist gets a 2. Gun Stun blocked. Skull End locked in and escaped. Tonga runs into the referee in the corner. GUN STUN by SANADA on Tonga. Referee is down. Loa and Fale come out and start beating up on SANADA. Loa Powerbombs SANADA and runs off. 1-2-KICKOUT by SANADA!!! Gun Stun blocked by SANADA. SANADA runs Tonga into Loa and executes a floatover rollup on Tonga. 1-2-3!!!!
Winner: SANADA (2 points)
Match Rating: C. This match wasn't anything special, but it was a great display for SANADA to showcase his talents in an exhibition type match.
2) Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Toru Yano- Here's hoping Sabre Jr. breaks Yano's low blow arm and does the Yano pose afterwards. Yano dives immediately for the corner mat only for the referee to get him off of it. Multiple mat wrestling switches between both men until they get to the ropes. Sabre locks in the Cobra Twist Abdominal Stretch. Yano hip tosses him over. Sabre goes for another hold, but Yano gets to the ropes. Yano and Sabre are wrestling now in the crowd. They are chain wrestling in the crowd. Zack locks in a abdominal stretch in the crowd at the count of 14 from the ref! Yano barely gets back in the ring before the countout. Sabre and Yano are actually having a wrestling match, and... I'm liking it?! Yano hooked in the COBRA TWIST on Sabre, and Sabre gets to the ropes. Wow. Yano and Sabre go back outside. Yano gets smacked into a guardrail and Sabre uses the bars to lock in a submission hold on Yano. The countout is going on. He holds it until 18. He runs in. Yano gets in just before 20 again! Sabre locks in another submission hold on the mat which Yano eventually breaks with a rope grab. Yano with a huge Belly to Belly Suplex. Multiple rollup attempts by both men. Yano gets trapped in a triangle hold with a double wristlock. Yano stands up but falls down immediately back in the hold. Yano gets to the ropes on the last gasp of desperation with his foot. Uppercuts by Sabre Jr. to Yano. Yano goes for the low blow, which Zack catches. Rollup bridge attempt by Sabre only gets 2. Fireman's Carry by Yano followed by the classic Yano corner mat untying. He tries to hit Sabre with it, but the referee stops him. Sabre is thrown into the referee's direction but stops the low blow from Yano. Yano goes for a rollup and then Sabre goes for an arm bar, but Yano reverses that into a rollup for 2. Then Sabre accidentally misses Yano in the exposed corner and gets thrown again into the exposed turnbuckles!!! Yano is now untying the corner!!! He goes to hit Sabre, but Sabre ducks. He gets Yano in a rollup bridge for 3!!!!!
Winner: Zack Sabre Jr. (2 points)
Match Grade: B. This was much better than it had any right to be. It is probably my favorite Yano match (with the Omega match from last year's G1 being a close 2nd).
3) Kota Ibushi vs. Juice Robinson- Juice's hand is now 70% healed, according to Kevin Kelly. But he has to wear the cast for the rest of the G1. Can you say "storyline advancement?" Slow start to the match with both men trying to get the advantage. Both men trade arm drags and leapfrogs with Juice getting an arm bar in. Kota gets a dropkick in seconds later. Juice on the outside. Ibushi goes for the Golden Triangle but Juice ducks out of the way and nails a cannonball off the apron immediately. Cross Body in the ring by Juice to Ibushi only gets a 2. Camel Clutch now by Juice. Ibushi gets out. Juice nails a corner clothesline but misses a cannonball attempt in the ring. Springboard Dropkick by Ibushi. Fast flurry of punches and kicks by Ibushi followed by a standing moonsault for a 2. Massive chop by Juice, which Ibushi answers with another dropkick. Ibushi goes for the Golden Triangle again, but Juice rolls in, catches Ibushi, and nails a SUPERPLEX!!! Juice nails the running cannonball into the corner followed by a big powerbomb for a CLOSE 2. The camera catches Ibushi looking at it as if he's almost out of it. Great selling and camera work. Ibushi tries to do another springboard but eats a chop from Juice. They are both on the apron, jockeying for dominance. Juice runs at Ibushi, only to be hurricanrana-ed off the ring apron to the floor!!!!! WOW!
Ibushi goes to the top of the ring post and nails a GIANT MOONSAULT to Juice on the outside!!! Dear God! He rolls him in but only gets a close 2. He's going for the knee. Juice blocks it with his shoulder and nails a huge clothesline. Juice tries to pick up Ibushi but eats a high kick. Ibushi goes for the knee again and misses. Seconds later, Ibushi runs into a spin kick from Juice. Juice gets the double knee gutbuster!!! 1-2-Kickout!!! Juice goes for Pulp Friction, but Ibushi gets him up in an Electric Chair and eventually into a Straight Jacket suplex followed by the KNEE to the face!!!! 1-2-3!!!
Winner: Kota Ibushi (4 points)
Match Grade: B. Another fun match tonight with Kota Ibushi getting a win over the U.S. Champion. This could be another big future title match, if Ibushi doesn't win this tournament. (He was my pick going into this.) For Juice, he has an out with a still injured hand, but the champ has lost twice now to two guys who could likely get the title shot. Juice again has stepped up in the last month in my opinion to a lesser degree albeit than Jay White.
4) Tetsuya Naito vs. Tomohiro Ishii- I'll give Naito this. When it comes to the big matches, no one has ever dressed more professionally for them than Naito. This should be another great match as Naito and Ishii have had some good ones in the past. Naito and Ishii are moving at a fast pace to start off in the ring. Naito takes Ishii outside and throws him against the guard rail. Naito starts pounding on Ishii on the ropes. Ishii says (in Japanese): "Is that all you got?" Naito continues the attack. He goes for a low dropkick but misses. Ishii nails a low dropkick of his own. They are trading HARD chops at each other. Ishii is getting the upperhand with repeated chops again and again and again!!!! Naito is smiling through this! I think we're up to 20 now! Wow. Simple, effective move for this match. Naito gets up and starts chopping at Ishii again. Ishii tells him to punch him with his best shot. After taking two, Ishii returns with another big chop. Naito finally gets Ishii down with an inverted Atomic Drop and a neckbreaker. Slingshot Dropkick in the corner by Naito. Naito with stomps and mocking kicks at Ishii's face in the corner. He spits at Ishii which is answered with a MONSTER SLAP at Naito, knocking him to the mat.
Ishii now is stomping at Naito's face, continuing the mind games as Rocky Romero put it. Naito gets up and starts forearm attacks and slapping Ishii. Ishii responds by chopping Naito in the throat multiple times! Ishii with a back suplex to Naito. Both try to hit many of their signature offensive manuevers (the low clothesline for Ishii, the rope DDT for Naito), but they miss. Naito nails a top rope dropkick which Ishii NO SELLS and shoulder tackles Naito, sending Naito flying back into the corner. Dang! Ishii is going for the brainbuster off the top rope. Naito is trying to block. Naito reverses it into a Sunset Powerbomb for a 2. Naito goes for a flying forearm, but Ishii nails a German suplex instead. Seconds later, Naito gets the flying forearm in. Headbutt by Ishii which is countered by a massive right hand by Naito. Ishii goes for the brainbuster, which is countered into a DDT. Naito runs at Ishii but gets inverted with a massive clothesline!!!
15 Minutes have passed. Naito with forearm strikes to Ishii, which is only making Ishii angry!!!! 6-7 Forearms from Naito, but one headbutt by Ishii puts him down. Powerbomb by Ishii! 1-2-Kickout! Ishii nails the sliding lariat for a close 2. He's going for the brainbuster. Naito goes for Destino but eats two lariats. And ANOTHER close 2 count. Enziguri by Naito!!! He goes for Destino, but he eats an enziguri by Ishii!!! Brainbuster attempt by Ishii turns into DESTINO!!!! 1-2-KICKOUT!!!! Naito gets Ishii up and nails DESTINOOOOOOOOO! 1-2-3! Wow.
Winner: Tetsuya Naito (2 points)
Match Rating: B+. This is another example of how awesome Ishii is even though he is overshadowed by the other great wrestlers on the roster. Ishii always delivers in big matches, and this is no different. And Naito is Naito... which is awesome if you didn't know already.
After the match, Naito rakes the eyes of Red Shoes. Because he's Naito. And we love him for it. Lol.
5) Kenny Omega vs. Hirooki Goto- Champion vs. Champion here. Early feeling out process by both men. Omega attempting to anger Goto early. Lots of rapid reversals including a great One Winged Angel tease. Eventually Goto eats a backwards hurricanrana. Omega baseball slides a dropkick to Goto on the outside. Goto is over the barricade. He goes for a springboard plancha, but Goto throws a chair into Omega drawing massive boos from the audience. Reverse GTR on Omega outside with Omega hanging from the apron. They're fighting through the crowd now. Goto teases suplexing Omega in the bleachers, but OMEGA REVERSES INTO A BODYSLAM ON GOTO ON A BLEACHER!!!! OH MY GOD!!!! Seconds later, as I'm typing this, Omega gets on a rail on the bleachers and executes a MOONSAULT on GOTO and the Young Boys on the bleachers!!!! WHAT?!
Both men trade punches and chops (with the sweat literally flying off Goto into the air) followed by a flying bulldog by Omega for a 2. After an offensive lead by Omega, both men start trading chops again. Omega again though gets Goto down with multiple hard chops. Omega locks in a chin lock. A minute later, Omega nails the "You Can't Escape" combination senton/moonsault for a 2. Goto is getting momentum going. Omega eats a massive clothesline. (By the way, what's the difference between a lariat and a clothesline?)
Omega goes for a Springboard, but he gets caught and suffers a Yuji Garoshi by Goto. (If anyone knows how to spell that, let me know.) V-Trigger by Omega after trading reversals with Goto. Omega goes for a superplex on Goto. Goto blocks, getting Omega off the corner. But Omega RUNS with a massive V-Trigger to Goto!!!! Omega goes back up and delivers heavy strikes to Goto. Goto nails a CODE RED off the ropes. 1-2- KICKOUT!
Goto is psyching himself up. They are trading forearms now. Rapid succession of forearms now between the two. Snap Dragon by Omega. Omega runs for a V-Trigger but gets turned upside down by a clothesline/lariat/whatever!!! Reverse GTR by Goto. He picks up Omega. He's going for the Goto Revolution. Goto nails his suplex/side effect finisher for a CLOSE CLOSE 2. Goto gets rolled up for a 2 count out of the GTR position. Slaps and chops by both men. Omega goes for the V-Trigger but it's blocked. V-Trigger connects. Headbutt by Goto. V-Trigger AGAIN by Omega!!! Omega nails his overhead into the neckbreaker for 2. V-TRIGGER AGAIN!!! ONE WINGED ANGEL! It's OVER! 1-2-3!!!!
Winner: Kenny Omega (4 points)
Match Rating: B. Despite the bleacher spot, I didn't enjoy this match overall as much as I did the Naito/Ishii match. Still, Omega is showing why they call him the Best Bout Machine. Next up for Omega: Tama Tonga. This is going to get better as we continue on.
Kenny speaks to the audience in Japanese. He goes to leave and accidentally drops the belt on the way out. Kenny, you dropped the ball.
Show Rating: A-. When you have four very good matches in a block, and a very passable SANADA vs. Tonga match, you can't go with a lower rating on this. G1 continues to excel.
B Block Standings (After Night 4)
Kenny Omega (4 Points)
Kota Ibushi (4 Points)
Ishii (2 Points)
Tama Tonga (2 Points)
Hirooki Goto (2 Points)
SANADA (2 Points)
Zack Sabre Jr. (2 points)
Tetsuya Naito (2 points)
Toru Yano (0 Points)
Take care of yourselves and spread some awesomeness.
Comments
Post a Comment