1. G1 Climax – Block B: Toru Yano vs. Juice Robinson
Juice Robinson is living his best life playing straight man opposite Yano during ALL the shtick – the “c’mon, we’re friends!” shtick, the turnbuckle pad shtick, the countout trap shtick, the hiding objects shtick… and then suddenly they were pulling off some legitimately surprising counters and getting hot near falls off of cradles before Juice pinned Yano clean. Yano rules. **3/4
2. G1 Climax – Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Taichi
Lots of Taichi on offense, a LOT of it, but Hirooki Goto is such a wonderful throwback kind of guy. He went right at Taichi early, incensed at the disrespect shown to an LA Dojo shirt, only to soon sell and sell and sell like he’s working the Boston Garden in 1984 knowing everybody will come around eventually. He manages an Ushigiroshi and it seems like things are going to get moving, but NO – he is too hurt to take advantage just yet. They did some fun strike exchanges at the end, highlighted by Goto blocking a gamengiri with a HEADBUTT, a god damn HEADBUTT!!! And Goto was right – they did come around! Until Taichi stole the win. ***1/4
3. G1 Climax – Block B: Shingo Takagi vs. Jon Moxley
Jon Moxley is on a fascinating journey right now in professional wrestling, going from working a pretty strict formula of TV matches to working what feel like wild ECW brawls mixed with New Japan main events opposite two of the best guys in the world. I don’t know how to properly capture the state of the dream world this all feels like. This match felt like Mox went up to Shingo and was like, “Hey man that stuff with Ishii worked and you’re kinda like him – not in like a you’re Japanese way but in a like stocky strike guy kind of way – so let’s just do that.” And if that was the request, it was a great request. Shingo brought his own touches too, most notably his selling on not just defense but offense – as the match progressed he looked to be in total peril because of Moxley leg work they kept going back to, but he also threw every strike and suplex with the urgency of a man going for the kill. It all ruled.
So many fun moments: Moxley quickly realizes he can’t compete with Shingo on elbow strikes, so resorts to biting. Moxley throws a running shoulderblock that’s more a running shove. A tope suicida is awkwardly countered with a Death Valley Driver. Moxley sets up a table powerbomb off the apron like a crazy person, only to make it a table kneedrop later on that sets up a great countout tease. The finish rules two – I went in with no idea who won, and Moxley seemingly overwhelming Shingo and going for the kill mixed with my doubt that they’d have him go 5-0 had me out of my seat. Mox had a look of both exhaustion and aggression on his face towards the end where it seemed like Jon Moxley, Capable New Japan Main Event Wrestler, finally emerged.
Mox nailed Shingo with two knee tremblers and it felt like the end, but Shingo kicked out and kept the drama rolling… until Mox quickly followed up with a Texas Cloverleaf for a sweet simple win. I think he’s one with a different move every match! ****1/4
4. G1 Climax – Block B: Jay White vs. Jeff Cobb
The most uninteresting of pairings was the most uninteresting of matches, especially with a semi-main event spot. They got all their stuff in, attempts were made at a G1 balls out type of match, but nothing at any moment sniffed the level of this tournament. Isn’t the thing with suplexes the impact? Why does Cobb just kinda throw people? Like he has to exert his own strength, and then he tosses them away which lets them control the impact. Doesn’t seem like an effective way to use suplexes is all I’m saying. Also why did Jay White hit a sleeper suplex on Jeff Cobb? This sucked. *1/2
5. G1 Climax – Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Tomohiro Ishii
In the moment this felt like the highest level of the NJPW formula, two guys constantly moving and countering and fighting for momentum and going back-and-forth with their risky moves and painful strikes. It’s a heck of a formula, if not a repetitive over-indulgent one sometimes, especially if the stakes don’t seem all that high. Of course, in the G1 the stakes are always high, and the Naito/Ishii character dynamic kept this high level – you just know Naito looks down on Ishii and Ishii isn’t having it, but also Naito secretly respects him and knows he has to try his best. If he doesn’t secretly respect him, he gets elbowed into doing so early on, which he responds by out-wrestling Ishii and spitting on him. It’s a CONTEST. The finish is a rollercoaster of great near falls and caught Destino’s and lariats and brainbusters and all kinds of wild crazy stuff. What happens when a phenomenal match is done too much? These are the rhetorical questions we ask at Happy Wrestling Land. ****1/4
