NJPW G1 CLIMAX 27, 8/8/17 (Day 16)
Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium
This is the second to last day of Block B matches and could be a freaking historic night.
G1 Climax – Block B: Satoshi Kojima [2] vs. Tama Tonga [6]
The highlights of Tama Tonga in this tournament have been his match with Yano, and the times he has stolen Okada and Kojima’s coats at the start of the match and imitated them. Oh yah, and when he imitates Tenzan in this match. And when he over-sells Kojima’s machine gun chops. See what I’m getting at here? **
G1 Climax – Block B: Juice Robinson [4] vs. Toru Yano [4]
They go underneath the ring and nearly get counted out but pop back out and get in before the 20 count. Yano ties Juice’s hair to the guardrail and Juice almost gets counted out. Back in the ring Yano hits his spots and Juice punches him in the face and hits the Pulp Friction to get the victory. Enjoyable. NR
G1 Climax – Block B: Michael Elgin [6] vs. EVIL [10]
Pretty slow paced match at first as they worked in a bunch of power moves early but it didn’t really seem like they were building towards anything. Elgin hits a superplex and from there the match got REALLY good, with an awesome closing sequence which seems to be the norm for EVIL these days. The match itself was decent, but it just felt a little spotty to me with not much there to tie the whole thing together. Awesome finish, though. ***
G1 Climax – Block B: Kenny Omega [10] vs. SANADA [8]
About on par with the previous match. SANADA has been bringing some matches down for me and I don’t know if it’s his laid back approach or the Paradise Lock or what, but I feel like I am searching for so much more from him and coming up disappointed. The closing stretch here was pretty great though as all match long Kenny was trying to end it with the Katayoku No Tenshi, but SANADA would slip away each time. Finally SANADA went to flip over Kenny to drop down for the Skull End, but Kenny caught him up on his shoulders and delivered the finisher for the victory, SANADA fallinginto his trap. ***
G1 Climax – Block B: Kazuchika Okada [12] vs. Minoru Suzuki [8]
You could cut the tension with a damn knife. Taichi and Despy interfere on the outside but they are soon carried away by the Young Lions. Minoru rips the tape off of Okada’s neck and goes to work like only Minoru Suzuki can as he knows Okada is worn down not only from this tournament but from the past year of wear and tear up until this point. Okada selling the neck every single move he makes for basically the entire match is part of why he is the best at what he does. The subtlety sometimes is incredible but he pays attention to everything he does in the ring constantly. The Yokohama crowd would eventually turn on Okada when he hit the Gotch-style tombstone on Minoru, in his hometown, and Okada’s reaction was incredible as he gave the crowd an evil grin much like he did against Kojima. I LOVE when the heel Okada comes through out of nowhere. Suzuki answers by giving Okada his own tombstone piledriver. Minoru’s offense was completely focused on Okada’s head and neck, never straying from trying to completely wear Okada down to the point where a simple facelock was enough to make everyone think Okada would tap. And Okada’s selling of those simple moves, again, is what makes him second to none. Minoru is calculated. Picking Okada apart bit by bit. He even busts out the Saka Otoshi. Okada would have to use several Rainmakers just to buy himself time to recover. Finally Minoru would avoid a Rainmaker and start slapping the hell out of Okada. This is where we get the epic slap battle where again Okada shows his greatness by executing and selling this stretch like no one else can. He would put that damn evil grin back on and smile at Minoru as they are beating the crap out of each other and then Minoru just stands in the middle of the ring and puts his arms behind his back and begs for more. This was a WAR. They counter each other’s piledrivers and then smile at each other like they HATE EACH OTHER before the brutal finishing stretch. Okada would hit a Rainmaker and Gedo goes nuts on the outside pleading for Okada to cover Minoru as he crawls closer and closer to him, shades of Okada/Omega II. 10 seconds. 5 seconds. TIME. Aside from a couple small stumbles in some early exchanges I can’t think of much more that I would have wanted from this match, and that’s the only thing that is keeping me from giving this the full marks. This is must see wrestling and must see storytelling. ****3/4
Standings
Kazuchika Okada [13]
Kenny Omega [12]
EVIL [10] x
Minoru Suzuki [9] x
SANADA [8] x
Michael Elgin [8] x
Tama Tonga [6] x
Juice Robinson [6] x
Toru Yano [4] x
Satoshi Kojima [2] x
Block B comes down to Okada/Omega III on 8/12. Kenny must win to advance while Okada can play for the win or draw and still go to the finals.
Final Thoughts: Okada/Minoru MADE THIS. This is 100% must-see wrestling. I need not say more.
