1. G1 Climax – Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
I really don’t have much to say about this here match. It’s good in that the crowd’s into it and it’s physical and Naito is an athletic freak and ZSJ is a submission nutjob, but I’m not sure I ever bought in. Jim Ross expresses the feelings of millions in the first minute when they roll outside: “Why they go outside so early, I’ll never understand” – the man’s overt grumpiness has finally provided a good point on New Japan in 2018 and I forgive him for all prior infractions.
There was some cool stuff: the catch of the rolling koppou kick with a leg-trap and STF, big cradle near falls, and ZSJ using a Michinoku Driver among it. Both guys sell the hell out of the match as it goes on too – there’s a moment towards the end after Naito gets to the ropes on a Cobra Twist and both guys collapse in exhaustion, ZSJ just holding his hand over his head like he just found out the results of the Brexit vote all over again.
But I dunno. The Naito “I don’t give a shit” character might be becoming less a feature and more a bug. I will continue to investigate. ***1/4
2. G1 Climax – Block B: Kenny Omega vs. Kota Ibushi
The Story of Stories reaches a pivotal chapter. The Golden Lovers, former wrestling partners and possibly real-life lovers, reunited earlier in the year after years apart. With that reunion, Kenny Omega finally found the strength to end Kazuchika Okada’s legendary IWGP Heavyweight Title reign. Six years after their last singles match with each other, they meet again. Everybody thought their first meeting would be for the title, but no – we are at the G1 Climax, baby. And the winner of this is going to the FINALS.
This match is a trip and these guys are spectacular to watch. The Kenny backlash is real – part because he’s overrated to the point of obnoxiousness, part because there are tropes in his wrestling matches that make me not enjoy his wrestling matches. But he’s spectacular, and Kota Ibushi is beyond spectacular, and there’s a reason they are rivals/partners – they complement each other well.
So this is an awesome match, it just wasn’t the legendary meeting the history and gimmick would suggest it was going to be. And to hold it to that standard is stupid, but don’t blame me – I’m just a guy who likes writing about the wrestling I watch. This Kenny Omega guy set the metrics.
Now let’s talk positives: these dudes can go. I liked that the match wasn’t ever about RESPECT! – they went right into trying to win the match and advance to the G1 Climax Finals. All the early stuff was shockingly not so overtly “I KNOW YOU! I KNOW YOU BETTER!” – it was very quick and to the point, with Kota kipping up after Kenny’s shoulder tackle and Omega rolling back inside as Kota set up a dive.
Lots of crazy shit, some of it good and some of it kind of dumb – I was digging the Golden Triangle cut-off and even the apron One-Winged Angel tease and even the apron German suplex tease and then Omega did a god damn cradle tombstone on the apron. Kenny throws a lot of knees, but he saved one of his best for the last few minutes of this match – OOF.
Let’s give it up for Ibushi – when he finally delivered the Golden Triangle, it was GORGEOUS. He also hit a moonsault double kneedrop that was delivered so perfectly and nastily the crowd began BOOING HIM. He’s so good at selling emotion too – the TEARS when Kenny kicked out of the sit-out Last Ride and the torturing of his soul as he set up the Kamigoye finish.
I just can’t shake that Omega is cosplaying Misawa/Kawada for 2018, and if I’m in his position maybe I’d pull that too. That aspect just didn’t work for me though, so it’s a tremendous standalone match that felt like it wanted to be an all-time great match.
Also, there’s an elbow exchange at the start of the finishing stretch that features some of the shittiest elbows of all-time. ****1/4
