Memory of our Betters: The G1 CLIMAX 30 Matches Worth Watching So Far

1. G1 Climax – Block A: Shingo Takagi vs. Tomohiro Ishii (Night 7 9/30/20)
Love that New Japan knows the chemistry between these two is so good that they have headlined no less than two G1 Climax shows now. This one didn’t have the benefit of the rowdy crowd in Yokohama last year, but it did have an applause that was so frequent and consistent and LOUD that it nearly transcended the fact that nobody can shout out in appreciation anymore because there’s a deadly virus that wants to float around the air.

Something like this can usually transcend a quiet crowd though because it just has the fundamentals: severely hard strikes, registration of pain, believability, straight-up pride. They are two presences that deliver on the promise of the presence, two bad dudes who know they’re going to have to do the whole damn thing!

Shingo brings a new energy to the already awesome Ishii match, with not just effortless strength that allows him to toss the old man around but also a new challenge for the Stone Pitbull in the form of youthful strength and speed – this is not just two guys hitting each other back-and-forth. There is a spot towards the end of this nearly 30-minute match where Ishii throws a lariat that would kill an ordinary man and Shingo not only absorbs it but immediately strikes with a punch to Ishii’s face that has this ANGER to it, like Shingo was so offended he blacked out and went off. He followed that up with an even deadlier lariat and a scream that Korakuen couldn’t help but get giddy about.

Lots of wrestling matches have a big peak these days, but only a select few are real enough to feel like they deserve that peak. Towards the end of this match both guys are exhausted, down on the mat and staring each other in the face still ready to fight. Ishii throws a weak headbutt at Shingo’s head before making direct contact with a few more, just dirty nasty wrestling that I hope to GOD is not as dangerous as it appears to be (nervous laughter).

When Ishii actually overcomes this Entourage Adam Davies motherfucker and gets revenge from last year, I swear he broke down crying before immediately holding the top of his head in throbbing pain. As good as it gets.

2. G1 Climax – Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (Night 4 9/24/20)
This was so good, an absolute meal of a wrestling match. I said it. I’ll stand by it. Instead of the standard babyface champion Naito match where he somehow both lazes it up and is completely reckless, Zack Sabre took him some place completely different. The crowd applauds at the bell and Naito has a different vibe to him, still not quite giving a shit but aware that at least these people are taking it serious. Then he tries to do The Pose and Zack rolls him up for 2.9999 and everything’s on.

Naito wrestles early on with an intent and focus you rarely see him show, which eventually shifts the tide and has Union Zack going extra hard to keep up with Naito’s style including a rapid-fire tornado DDT that is worth watching several times. Zack brings a certain set of skills and they were highlighted more than usual opposite a version of Naito who was just grinding for a victory.

It’s a match that went nearly 30 minutes and actually used them well, including a crazy dramatic close that didn’t have Naito hitting the Destino ten times. Most epic match from either guy in a while.

3. G1 Climax – Block A: Kota Ibushi vs. Tomohiro Ishii (Night 5 9/27/20)
They packed so much into this match that I furrowed my brow when I read it went only 15 minutes. How!? They delivered the most straight-up G1 CLIMAX match of the tournament so far, the kind of match where they put it all out there then went backstage after and laid on the floor in a crippling silence.

This was Ishii vs. Ospreay with Ishii against somebody not afraid to hit back. Ibushi absorbed endless elbows and chops early, transitioning seamlessly from a guy wanting to prove his worth to a guy really sick of Ishii’s bullshit. These two just have a great dynamic, for example this spot: Ibushi throws three elbows, Ishii growls and shakes his head NO, Ibushi throws three more elbows, Ishii growls louder and takes Ibushi down with a single elbow, then runs right into an Ibushi hurricanrana – so good!

The finish was the fight-to-the-death a G1 Climax finish promises, including a punch to the throat and Ishii blocking a Kamigoye by just springing up and headbutting Ibushi in the face. A beautiful, nasty wrestling match.

4. G1 Climax – Block B: YOSHI-HASHI vs. EVIL (Night 4 9/24/20)
There is a lot of tape on record that says this match should not have been good, but I watched it and thought it was great. YOSHI-HASHI is one step beyond an acquired taste, but once it hits it… well, it still doesn’t always work but SOMETIMES it does and that is the point. I think. He starts this match the RIGHT WAY, saying fuck a Bullet Club and charging EVIL and Togo with his staff like a WARRIOR. A KING.

EVIL dishes a beating but this is more about all the ways they play with YOSHI-HASHI fighting back: suplex reversals, HYPE as he climbs for the Swanton Bomb before being brought down, and a reversal of a reversal of a reversal on an Irish whip among them. The timing on all the big moments is a freaking masterpiece, like YOSHI finally fighting back with a lariat or YOSHI bringing EVIL back to the center of the ring again and again on a Butterfly Lock. They even got big drama off the usual Togo/Gedo/whatever interference!

I’m still not sure if YOSHI or EVIL are going to go on and have more matches of this caliber in the G1, but this one here was special.

5. G1 Climax – Block A: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Will Ospreay (Night 3 9/23/20)
This is a match that exposed the absolute TRAUMA of a G1 Climax without a crowd that can’t flip out for everything in front of them, as I think it was pretty much the ideal Ishii vs. Ospreay match but had a lack of energy hanging over it. There was so much good stuff in here though: mid-40s Ishii kept up with young Will in the blistering opening sequence, they exchanged suplexes in a way that kept pushing Heavyweight Will, and I have never been more assured that a high-flyer will not just hit his stuff clean but with such force.

The finish was sold great by both guys, an amazing near fall off Ishii getting spiked on his head before Will looked all “oh my! can I do it??” before he hit the Hidden Blade and Stormbreaker to put the old man away.

6. G1 Climax – Block A: Minoru Suzuki vs. Tomohiro Ishii (Night 1 9/19/20)
These guys hit each other hard but they did it hard and with a purpose, more “I’ve got to keep up and get those points” and less “eh let’s throw a jumping front kick to get through this shit.” Ishii and Suzuki are a couple of old men who are slightly less dynamic and intense these days, but sometimes that can also add to the whole deal and they really didn’t let up for 15 minutes anyways. They made sure to add some kick to it, Suzuki absolutely stuffing what’s left of Ishii’s neck for a Gotch-style piledriver at the end.

7. G1 Climax – Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (Night 2 9/20/20)
Naito and Tana have had dozens of matches, a whole-ass feud, but it has been a while and this was GOOD. Tanahashi was kind of working a four-star match opposite three-star Naito, but they went long in a way that didn’t felt unnecessary and created the first actual New Japan FINISH in a while. Tanahashi is like TNT; Tanahashi Knows Drama.

8. G1 Climax – Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. SANADA (Night 8 10/1/20)
This is one of those G1 Climax matches that is worth watching but also kind of isn’t. Naito and SANADA are two guys who are scary good at the execution of many complicated attacks or counters based on speed and agility, though maybe not at pacing out a 30-minute match where the first 20 or 25 minutes or really worth the journey.

I won’t doubt the approach as the crowd eventually became unglued when they got to where they needed to, but the first little while felt a little empty before the last 10 that had insane effort: in fast-paced finisher sequences, and in both guys showing just how bad they want this.

9. G1 Climax – Block A: Minoru Suzuki vs. Taichi (Night 3 9/23/20)
HERE is the real wrestling match, Suzuki-gun technique vs. Suzuki-shtick technique unsurprisingly being the best possible version of Suzuki-gun. They go at each other right away before Taichi overwhelms Suzuki with electrical wires around his neck and when Suzuki finds air he makes one of the all-time great Suzuki faces. I liked how they didn’t go too long but still managed to make things dramatic at the close, teasing the usual Suzuki finish before Taichi just hit the Black Mephisto and won CLEAN. So cool. So good!

10. G1 Climax – Block A: Kazuchika Okada vs. Taichi (Night 7 9/30/20)
Okada has had like six ACTUALLY good matches this year – two at Wrestle Kingdom, two in the New Japan Cup, and one was in February against Taichi. With the benefit of nine months of COVID hindsight that last one might actually be the best, and here is Taichi having Okada’s best match of the G1 so far too. He added a welcome hook to Okada’s shtick in February, but that was adding to a hook Big Match Okada – this was him adding a hook to G1 2020’s Sleepy Okada. He and Suzuki-gun are wrestling like heels while the Bullet Club is still just playing heels.

Taichi brought the pain to Okada early in the form of chairs and choking, but held his end of the bargain towards the end with credible finishers that Okada kicked out at all the right last seconds on. There was a frustration in Okada’s eyes here over how competitive this was, but I still can’t tell if that is a feature or a bug for the Rainmaker.

Honorable Mentions: G1 Climax – Block A: Will Ospreay vs. Jay White (Night 7 9/30/20), G1 Climax – Block A: Shingo Takagi vs. Will Ospreay (Night 5 9/27/20), G1 Climax – Block B: Juice Robinson vs. KENTA (Night 4 9/24/20), G1 Climax – Block B: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Juice Robinson (Night 2 9/20/20), G1 Climax – Block B: SANADA vs. YOSHI-HASHI (Night 6 9/29/20)