1. G1 Climax – Block B: Shingo Takagi vs. Toru Yano
This was pretty simple: Shingo hitting Yano, Yano being Yano, Pumping Bomber. The obstacle course Yano setup to try and get Shingo counted out right away was pretty great too. These two having the first G1 2019 match I’d rate under three stars has gotta be a rib on me cause I love them both. Harmless fun, but Shingo’s approach of not wanting to deal with Yano’s bullshit for one second was both a blessing and curse. **3/4
2. G1 Climax – Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Juice Robinson
I like these two in certain situations, and they an incredible match together last April for the NEVER Openweight Title that ended up in my Top 10 NJPW matches for the year. This went 12 minutes instead of the 20-something that match had, and I’m conflicted: on one hand, I am a big fan of all the shorter, sprintier G1 matches, and during this busy wrestling season 20+ minutes of Hirooki Goto or Juice Robinson could be real good or real real bad. On the other hand, that they had so much time to work with last time was to their benefit, as without it their finish wouldn’t have come off so epic. So this didn’t touch that match, and while it took a bit to click, once it did these two brought the high-impact hot fighting and Goto provided Juice another one of the most Strong Style of his New Japan matches. ***1/2
3. G1 Climax – Block B: Jon Moxley vs. Jeff Cobb
I was charmed by Moxley doing arm work, and I liked two weird moments that showcased the Terry Funk in him: his search under the ring for an object that wasn’t there, and the roll outside that prevented Cobb from being counted out. Were they mistakes, or is he just CRAAAZY!? I don’t know! Otherwise, this kinda stunk – the fun of Mox working a different style is still there, but his whiffed knee trembler and the lighest double clothesline of all time on the ramp were embarrassing. And then, before it even felt like it began, he pinned Cobb with Randy Orton’s draping DDT. WHAT? **
4. G1 Climax – Block B: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Jay White
Of course Tomohiro Ishii had a great match with Jay White, of course he did. He grabbed Gedo by the collar to get to White right away, putting an end to the douchebag duo’s G1 stalling strategy the second match in. And they kept the White offensive stretch minimal, slowly building things into a hot match with Ishii trying his heart out to get that win but being thwarted at every turn. White falling down in a heap to duck the sliding lariat eventually leading to the hottest of near falls off a sliding lariat soon after was some GOOD SHIT. And the eventual Ishii win, like the Goto win before him, was very cathartic following Switchblade’s strange year of dominance. ***3/4
5. G1 Climax – Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Taichi
I don’t know, man. This was a match where Tetsuya Naito played the babyface fighting from behind opposite… Taichi? And it was OK and everything, but… the main event? With Taichi kicking out of a Destino? Naito can basically sleepwalk his way through wild wrestling exchanges, but sometimes there needs to be some meat to bump those exchanges up. This… I don’t think it had the meat. Taichi can throw a mean gamengiri and even busted out a Ganso Bomb, albeit the safest one ever delivered, but… really? And he WON? I’m fine with the late stage Taichi appreciation by the wrestling community but sometimes it just goes too far. ***
