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Csonka’s NJPW G1 Climax 28 Night 6 Review
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Csonka’s NJPW G1 Climax 28 Night 6 Review
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– B Block Match: Toru Yano defeated Kota Ibushi @ 8:25 via YANO’d [**½]
– B Block Match: SANADA defeated Zack Sabre Jr @ 10:52 via pin [****]
– B Block Match: Tetsuya Naito defeated Juice Robinson @ 16:38 via pin [****½]
– B Block Match: Kenny Omega defeated Tama Tonga @ 9:52 via DQ [*½]
– B Block Match: Tomohiro Ishii defeated Hirooki Goto @ 18:20 via pin [****¾]
– Follow all of my reviews at this link.
– Night One Review
– Night Two Review
– Night Three Review
– Csonka’s NJPW G1 28 Undercard Thoughts (Days 1-3)
– Night Four Review
– Night Five Review
Kota Ibushi vs. Toru Yano: Yano runs wild early, being a good grapple boy and picking up near falls until Ibushi RANAs him to the floor. Ibushi follows with a plancha. Yano cuts him off and undoes a buckle pad and then another. Ibushi wipes him out with a corkscrew dive. Ibushi undoes a buckle pad; Yano cuts him off, and undoes the final pad. Back in and both men end up eating exposed buckles. Ibushi cuts off Yano, misses the standing moonsault, and Yano beats on him with a buckle pad. To the floor and Yano gets tape. He posts Ibushi, back in and Yano tapes Ibushi’s hands together. Ibushi fights back, hits a dropkick, lays in kicks and hits a standing moonsault for 2. Yano dumps Ibushi into the ref, low blow and chop block by Yano wins it Toru Yano defeated Kota Ibushi @ 8:25 via YANO’d [**½] The sublime master thief was back in full effect, picking up his first win, while Ibushi made it work with his selling and athleticism. This was solid and fun.
Zack Sabre Jr vs. SANADA: This is a rematch from the New Japan Cup, where Zack made SANADA his bitch. In SANADA’s defense, Zack made everyone his bitch in the New Japan Cup. They circle for a while and work into some counters. SANADA actually takes early control, outwrestling Zack and frustrating him. They work to the mat and Zack finally starts to take control. Back to the feet and they work into a tremendously fun counter exchange, and the crowd loves it. Zack filially cuts him off and grounds things, working the arm. SANADA counters out, and starts working a Japanese stranglehold. They work into counters, trade uppercuts and they back off and take some time to regroup. They trade uppercuts, talk shit, and Zack locks on a hanging kimura. The octopus hold follows, back into counters, and Zack hits a PK to take control. SANADA counters Zack driver into skull end, but Zack escapes. Back into another series of counters and Zack finally gets the European clutch but SANADA counters that into an O’Connor roll for the pin. SANADA defeated Zack Sabre Jr @ 10:52 via pin [****] This was a great and tremendously fun technical wrestling match, SANADA picks up the win to get revenge for the NJ Cup, and outwrestles him to do so; the crowd was amazingly hot for this technical match and into everything they did.
Juice Robinson vs. Tetsuya Naito: Juice really needs a win here. They brawl a bit to begin, Naito attacks the hand and they work into some back and forth. Juice hits a hip toss, and follows with a senton. Juice looks for a float over; Naito clips him by the hand and then on the corner dropkick, attacks the hand. Naito follows, and starts the ass whipping on the floor. Back in and Naito stays focused on the hand, maintaining control. Juice fires up, but Naito rakes the eyes. Juice fires back with elbow strikes and a full nelson slam. Juice lays in chops, Naito spits at him and Juice considers using the casted hand (he’d be DQd) but instead hits a spinebuster. He now fires up with chops and clotheslines. Naito cuts him off with a neck breaker, dropkicks the hand and ground him with submissions working the hand and arm. Juice makes the ropes, Naito takes him up top for the RANA, but Juice rolls through into a sunset flip for 2. Juice then cuts off the DDT, turning it into a jackhammer for 2. The clothesline follows; he takes Naito up top and lays in slaps. He follows him up and they battle for position. Juice hits the super fall away slam and follows with a cannonball. The powerbomb follows for a great near fall. Juice hits a lariat but Naito counters the juice box into a reverse RANA! Juice counters destino, but Naito hits a German and flying forearm. Destino is countered and they work into a double down. They work into counters but Naito gets destino and JUICE KICKS OUT! Destino follows again and Naito wins. Tetsuya Naito defeated Juice Robinson @ 16:38 via pin [****½] This was an absolutely excellent match, with a hot crowd, great layout, and great work from both. Naito was really great here, subtly mixing up his signature offense to attack the hand of Juice. Add into that the fact that Juice is one of the best babyfaces in all of wrestling, and put in an absolutely tremendous performance in losing, and they delivered one of the best matches of the tournament so far. Juice is a really special performer, and the Korakuen crowd is always into him. Romero & Kelly were GREAT hereon commentary and added a ton to the match. Juice loses again, setting up a third challenger for his US championship.
Tama Tonga vs. Kenny Omega: Loa & Fale are at ringside. They all jump Omega before the bell and beat the hell out of Omega. Owens and Page make the save. Omega hits the rise of the terminator dive onto he pile and back in, Tonga hits a spear. This allows him to take control, and talk shit to Omega as he works him over. Tonga monologues, and cuts off Omega with a dropkick. Omega avoids the corner splash, lays in chops, and hits a tornado DDT for 2. Tonga cuts off you can’t escape with knees, but Omega hits V trigger. Tonga cuts off the double under hook piledriver with an Alabama slam for 2. Omega counters gun stun, Tonga block V trigger, but Omega fires up and hits it anyway. To the apron they go, and Loa arrives and hits Omega with a chair. Omega fights off the powerbomb with a RANA and then apron bombs Tonga. Back in and Loa trips up Omega, and then hits him with a chair and Tonga gets a roll up for 2. Tonga wants to use a chair, the ref kicks it away, and Tonga gun stuns red shoes for the DQ. Kenny Omega defeated Tama Tonga @ 9:52 via DQ [*½] Not good, they continued the bullshit, and everyone said it would be ok because Tonga would step up against Omega. He didn’t, it was lazy and more overbooked trash. Tama is so limited, all he does is swear at his opponent while he monologues, and then mixes in a few signature moves; there’s no substance to him at all, which is glaringly obvious when he’s getting the biggest push of his career.
– Post match, Ibushi, Owens, & Page make the save.
Of note: 12 of 29 tournament matches have had some version of a run in, interference, ref bump, and or low blow. We’re getting into diminishing returns, and it has ruined several matches (for me) that were working towards being great or had potential to be so much more. It’s not just heels being heels; it feels lazy to me at this point. I’m not saying not to use it, but it’s clearly overdone here, and is adding nothing to the product.
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Hirooki Goto: They challenge each other to begin, and start colliding like rams center ring. They then trade strikes, and Goto finally takes Ishii down with a shoulder tackle. Ishii fires up as they continue to trade. Ishii is getting pissed as Goto tries to fire up, but just levels him with chops. Goto lays in strikes, hits the corner spin kick and the Saito suplex gets 2. Goto peppers Ishii with kicks, but Ishii fires up and just levels him. The chops and jabs follow. They pick up the pace. Ishii hits a lariat and German, but Goto fires up and connects with a running kick. The sleeper follows, Ishii escapes and they trade lariats. BIG LADS DOING BIG LAD THINGS! They are just destroying each other as they continue to throw and both finally collapse. Goto locks on a sleeper, Ishii escapes and just starts laying in rapid-fire strikes. Ishii counters the head butt and then beats down Goto in the corner. Ishii takes him up top, and hits the delayed superplex for 2. They work into counters, ushigoroshi by Goto, and hits the reverse GTR. Ishii counters GTR, and hits a Saito suplex. They work into a series of counters and Ishii then kills Goto with a lariat for 2. Goto hits the desperation shouten kai for a great near fall. Goto fires up and lays in kicks. The GTR is countered and they trade head butts. Sliding D by Ishii gets 2! BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAI BUSTA and Ishii wins! Tomohiro Ishii defeated Hirooki Goto @ 18:20 via pin [****¾] You always here about how “styles make matches,” and there is a lot to that. These two work a very specific style and that style is pretty much the definition of strong style. There is nothing fancy here, just two hosses in a war, playing the ultimate game of anything you dish out I can take and give better. This was the style that people love in the NEVER matches, they delivered what everyone hoped for, had a hot crowd, and the drama was off the charts. Watch this match now.
G1 BLOCK A
* Jay White: 3-0 (6pts.)
* Michael Elgin: 2-1 (4pts.)
* EVIL: 2-1 (4pts.)
* Togi Makabe: 2-1 (4pts.)
* Hiroshi Tanahashi: 2-1 (4pts.)
* Adam Page: 1-2 (2pts.)
* Bad Luck Fale: 1-2 (2pts.)
* Kazuchika Okada: 1-2 (2pts.)
* Minoru Suzuki: 1-2 (2pts.)
* YOSHI-HASHI: 0-3 (0pts.)
G1 BLOCK B
* Kenny Omega: 3-0 (6pts.)
* Kota Ibushi: 2-1 (4pts.)
* SANADA: 2-1 (4pts.)
* Tetsuya Naito: 2-1 (4pts.)
* Tomohiro Ishii: 1-1 (2pts.)
* Hirooki Goto: 1-1 (2pts.)
* Tama Tonga: 1-2 (2pts.)
* Zack Sabre Jr: 1-2 (2pts.)
* Toru Yano: 1-2 (2pts.)
* Juice Robinson: 0-3 (0pts.)
– End Scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
