After another day’s break we’re back for another day of G1 action, with today’s show being held in Osaka.
Tiger Mask & Jushin Thunder Liger defeated Ryusuke Taguchi & Captain New Japan when Captain New Japan submitted to the double arm scissors submission. Taguchi’s been doing his alter ego gimmick he does outside of pro wrestling on the second half of this tour and singing his way to the ring.
They aired a taped Jay Lethal promo. He’s got title defenses all around the world, the next being Satoshi Kojima. He’ll beat him faster than anyone in his entire life. Just another blip on the radar — Kojima will be no different. Lethal will leave Japan still Ring of Honor champion.
EVIL, BUSHI, & Tetsuya Naito defeated Satoshi Kojima, KUSHIDA, & Juice Robinson after EVIL pinned Robinson with an STO.
Kenny Omega & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi when Yujiro pinned Nakanishi with the Pimp Juice DDT.
Katsuhiko Nakajima, Toru Yano, Gedo, & YOSHI-HASHI defeated David Finlay, Katsuyori Shibata, Michael Elgin, & Tomoaki Honma when Nakajima pinned Finlay with the Penalty Kick.
Tama Tonga defeated SANADA
Started off slow but picked up very well towards the end of the match. While Tama Tonga holds his own in matches, SANADA comes off as a better personality and is more fluid in the ring. SANADA tried for the Skull End submission but Tonga countered with the waistlock DDT.
After a great back and forth, SANADA hit a TKO and locked in the Skull End but Tonga reversed it into an inverted DDT. SANADA nearly got him with a cradle but Tonga bounced back with a Gun Stun for the win.
Bad Luck Fale defeated Togi Makabe
Solid match, better than you would think. All action and never dragged. This turned into a slugfest early as they brawled out of the ring to the outside. Turned into a competitive back and forth match.
Makabe was going for the knee drop, but Fale came back and was going for the Bad Luck Fall when Makabe reversed it. Fale splashed him in the corner and was going for punches when Makabe powerbombed him. Fale fought back and got the win with the grenade.
Hirooki Goto defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Good match. The effects of this G1 were already pretty apparent with Tenzan as he hobbled to the ring. They had a pretty good match regardless.
Goto went for the GTR but Tenzan reversed it with the TTD and followed with the moonsault. They went at it some more, with Tenzan decking Goto with headbutt shots. Goto came back with the sleeper, then hit the GTR for the win.
Tomohiro Ishii defeated Kazuchika Okada
Incredible match, the last few minutes were outstanding and is probably up there with some of the best matches of the tournament.
Started off hot with both trying to do their finishes early but both were able to dodge them. Okada laid out Ishii with a draping DDT on the barricade to the floor. Ishii made a comeback in the ring but Okada laid him out with a Death Valley Driver. Ishii responded with a giant superplex and laid him out with the sliding D.
Okada countered a brainbuster and hit three sliding kicks. Okada tried for the Rainmaker, Ishii dodged it and went for a lariat but Okada hit the German suplex. He hung on to him and went for the Rainmaker but Ishii responded with headbutts that laid Okada out.
Ishii brought him up but Okada sprung to life and tried to tombstone him. Ishii responded by reversing it, piledriving him, then laying him out with the brainbuster for the win.
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Naomichi Marufuji
This didn’t compare to the previous match but was still really good. Both guys looked on point. They started off mat wrestling. They made it to the apron where Marufuji hit a piledriver on the apron, geez.
Marufuji worked on him a lot after that, including wiping him out with a plancha on the outside. Marufuji attempted the Sliced Bread a few times, but Tanahashi blocked it and hit the Sling Blade. He went for the High Fly Flow but in mid-air Marufuji caught him with the double knees.
Marufuji’s kicks always look on point and it’s awesome. Tanahashi caught Marufuji with a twisting neckbreaker, then came back with the Sling Blade and two High Fly Flows for the win.
Another good show. Definitely check out the Ishii vs. Okada match.
Current Standings:
Block A
Kazuchika Okada (10)
Naomichi Marufuji (10)
Togi Makabe (8)
Hiroshi Tanahashi (8)
Bad Luck Fale (8)
Hirooki Goto (8)
Tama Tonga (6)
Tomohiro Ishii (6)
SANADA (4)
Hiroyoshi Tenzan (4)
Block B
Tetsuya Naito (8)
Michael Elgin (8)
Katsuyori Shibata (6)
YOSHI-HASHI (6)
Katsuhiko Nakajima (6)
Toru Yano (6)
Kenny Omega (6)
Yuji Nagata (6)
EVIL (4)
Tomoaki Honma (4)