Csonka’s NJPW G1 Climax (Night 4) Review 7.24.16

Csonka’s NJPW G1 Climax (Night 4) Review 7.24.16

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Block B Match: Tomoaki Honma vs. YOSHI-HASHI @ 3:07 via pin [***¼]
– Block B Match: Yuji Nagata defeated EVIL @ 10:54 via pin [***½]
– Block B Match: Kenny Omega defeated Toru Yano @ 9:05 via pin [**]
– Block B Match: Katsuyori Shibata defeated Katsuhiko Nakajima @ 14:08 via pin [****¼]
– Block B Match: Tetsuya Naito defeated Michael Elgin @ 22:10 via pin [****¼]

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– NOTE: Like last year, I will be focusing on the tournament matches during my reviews.

Tomoaki Honma vs. YOSHI-HASHI: This was an odd match, simply for the fact that Honma was working from the top, with HASHI taking the fiery underdog role. It felt so odd considering that Honma as the ultimate underdog has been done for so long, like alternate reality odd. But once you get past that, you get a very good wrestling match, As previously discussed, HASHI is working really hard this year and delivered another very good effort in this match. Also, I enjoyed Honma’s work here more than in the Shibata match. Maybe it was a fact that he had to get used to working a more 50-50 style in that match, but he did well here. HASHI has really thrived so far, showing more this year overall than he had in almost his entire run. Honma escaped HASHI’s wacky butterfly lock, survived the shoulder breaker and would score the win with the kokeshi from the top to pick up the win, and go 2-0 in the block. HONMANIA IS RUNNING WILD!

Yuji Nagata vs. EVIL: EVIL attacked Nagata before the bell, because well, he’s EVIL. This was a very good match; Nagata still has enough of a star that he gets good reactions and sympathy from the crowd. Ad into the fact that he can still go when needed, and that brings a lot to the table against guys like EVIL. I keep talking about guys that need to shine with great performances (Tama Tonga) and guys that are delivering (HASHI) and EVIL is also in the same boat as HASHI. The comfort level he now has with his character is allowing him to think less, so when he works it is really coming off as effortless. While not exactly a monster, he comes across as a deadly hoss, and working matches like this with Nagata will do nothing but help his development as a performer. EVIL brutalized the veteran, but Nagata proved to be the smarter man; he made it a point to get out of and or avoid the damaging striking battles and tried to get the match back to his wheelhouse. The backdrop hold would be the end for Mr. EVIL. This was very smartly worked, with both men coming out looking good.

Kenny Omega vs. Toru Yano: This was Kenny Omega vs. Toru Yano in a PWG special, they did a ton of comedy/douchey heel spots, which you would expect, but I wish they would mostly keep out of the tournament matches. They did a ton of spots from a previous tag match, Omega did the chainsaw, they battled with low blows and Omega pulled out the win in a match that felt way longer than 9-minutes. This wasn’t my cup of tea this morning.

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima: This shit was fascinating in all the right ways. Shibata is working the taped shoulder gimmick (knowing him it’s probably about to fall off but he doesn’t care), which Nakajima made sue to focus on early as they went to the floor and he whipped him around and laid into him with kicks. But more than that, this was one of those matches where they decided to play anything you can do I can do better, which made for a fun and intensely worked battle. I do not watch a lot of Nakajima, but this in particular made him look great; the fact that he dared to steal Shibata spots and seemingly not giving a fuck just worked. But the thing that made it work was both the reactions from the crowd and Shibata. Shibata wanted nothing to do with this outsider stealing his shit, and would just abuse him and then do the move like, “this is how you do it bitch.” The home stretch was great, as Nakajima unloaded his arsenal of kicks on Shibata and looked as if he would put this away. Shibata then caught a kick out of nowhere, ate some forearms, but then slapped the shit out of Nakajima. The sleeper and particularly brutal PK ended it. This was excellent; Nakajima looked awesome as he was breaking down Shibata and lost nothing by losing this match. This was a ton of fun, and I love Shibata when he just goes murder death kill on someone.

Tetsuya Naito vs. Michael Elgin: This was an excellent match to close out night four, with both guys on top of their game and working a long main event match that never felt long. Naito is such a fun character, he will slide around and do his wacky pose and act like nothing matters to him, and then moments later is doing some sublime leg work to break down the base of the bigger man, to try and stop the power game. And then, when he’s done with both of those things he just slapped the shit out of Elgin to make the big man angry. Elgin continues to thrive in NJ, his power stuff gets him over and he just looks like he really enjoys working there as opposed to his final two years or so in ROH. The man was born again in last year’s G1 and just continues to thrive here. The closing portion of the match is where they excel and deliver the next level shit. The crowd is into it big time, Naito escapes the Elgin bomb and hits the reverse RANA. They then work into the back and forth strikes, selling that they are tired, but that they refuse to allow the other man to get the advantage. Elgin destroyed Naito with a sick lariat, but Naito would fight back and go for destino, only for Elgin to power out. Naito rolls for the knee bar, Elgin just fucking Hercs him out of that, but Naito is still one step ahead and scored the win with destino. The match is so good, it never fells too long, everything feels like it matters and the homestretch is absolutely sensational.

BLOCK B STANDINGS
* Yuji Nagata (2-0)
* Tomoaki Honma (2-0)
* Katsuhiko Nakajima (1-1)
* YOSHI-HASHI (1-1)
* EVIL (1-1)
* Kenny Omega (1-1)
* Tetsuya Naito (1-1)
* Katsuyori Shibata (1-1)
* Toru Yano (0-2)
* Michael Elgin (0-2)

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

8.4

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Night four was a great night with the top two matches delivering huge, and the only thing that I’d skip is Omega vs. Yano match. Make sure you catch the final two matches, they are well worth your time.