Csonka’s NJPW G1 29 (Night Seventeen) Review

Csonka’s NJPW G1 29 (Night Seventeen/Block A) Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Lance Archer defeated EVIL @ 9:50 via pin [***½]
– Bad Luck Fale defeated SANADA @ 10:40 via pin [**¾]
– Zack Sabre Jr. defeated KENTA @ 16:30 via submission [****]
– Will Ospreay defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi @ 17:10 via pin [****¾]
– Kota Ibushi defeated Kazuchika Okada @ 25:11 via pin [****¾]

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Lance Archer vs. EVIL: They trade shoulder tackles to begin, with Archer taking control and then slamming and suplexing EVIL to the exposed buckles. He follows with clotheslines and covers for 2. The senton atomico misses, and EVIL fires up with strikes and corner clotheslines. The broncobuster connects and the cover gets 2. Archer fires back with clotheslines, and then EVIL fires back and follows with clotheslines, but we get a ref bump as EVIL tried to use him to hold Archer’s leg and Archer hits the pounce. Archer wedges a chair in the corner, but EVIL counters and slams him into it. The lariat follows and the anarchist suplex follows for 2. Archer counters everything is EVIL and follows with the chokeslam for 2. The F5 connects, and the claw is countered by EVIL once but Archer gets it and pins EVIL. Lance Archer defeated EVIL @ 9:50 via pin [***½] This was very good hossy match, with Archer delivering another very good performance and picking up a big win that he needed to close out hi tournament. I hope that they have something cool planned for Archer going forward.

SANADA vs. Bad Luck Fale: Owens & Jado are at ringside. Owens with the distraction and Fale attacks. SANADA fires back, kendo shot by Jado and Fale takes him to the floor and works him over. Back in and Fale stands on SANADA’s chest. Owens gets in cheap shots, and Fale follows with clubbing strikes. He works the nerve pinch, but SANADA make the ropes. Fale fights off the slam, SANADA collapses and Fale covers for 2. He follows with elbow drops, and Fale again cover for 2. He then misses an elbow drop, SANADA follows with strikes and then dropkicks the knee and dumps Fale. The plancha follows and hits one on Jado, takes out Owens with the dropkick and follows with a plancha. Back in and SANADA looks for a TKO but collapses and Fale follows with the splash for 2. The grenade follows for 2. SANADA counters bad luck fall and hits the slam. The TKO follows for 2. SANADA applies skull end, drops back and gets the hooks in but Owens pulls out the ref as Fale taps. SANADA takes out Jado in and traps him in the paradise lock. One for Owens as well. Fale fires back, but SANADA hits the missile dropkick and the moonsault misses, but SANADA gets skull end until Fale cradles him for the win. Bad Luck Fale defeated SANADA @ 10:40 via pin [**¾] It had the usual bullshit but was pretty good and felt fun. Late bloomer Fale winning with wrestling holds is certainly interesting.

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. KENTA: They circle and Sabre looks to ground things, but KENTA backs away. They lockup and work to the ropes, with Sabre breaking clean. They work back to the ropes again, and KENTA looks for a head kick but Sabre avoids and grounds the action. They work to the ropes and Sabre follows with uppercuts. KENTA fires up and lays him out with strikes. He follows with kicks, but Sabre fires back until KENTA continues to lay in strikes. He lands more kicks and grounds the action. Sabre attacks the hand, but eats a knee strike. KENTA follows with knee drops and kicks. Sabre cuts him off and grounds the action, attacking the previously injured shoulder of KENTA. The inverted deathlock and kimura follows, but KENTA counters out with knee strikes. He follows with kicks, and covers for 2. Sabre counters back into an arm lock and starts bending KENTA in half. He follows with kicks, and then attacks the neck. KENTA fires back with elbows, and follows with a powerslam. He stuns Sabre off the ropes and the top rope clothesline connects for 2. Sabre slaps him but KENTA fires back with slaps hits the running boot and Shibata dropkick. KENTA heads up top and the double stomp misses and Sabre hits the northern lights into an arm bar but KENTA rolls and makes the ropes. Sabre follows with kicks to the shoulder, KENTA fires back and Sabre keeps attacking, they trade and work into a double down. KENTA talks shit, they trade and light each other up. Sabre follows with kicks and KENTA blocks the PK and follows with a clothesline. KENTA up top and the double stomp connects for 2. Go to sleep is countered, Sabre sweeps the leg and the PK follows for 1. They trade, KENTA lights him up with slaps and just unloads on Sabre like he owes him money but Sabre gets the European clutch for 2. Sabre locks on the omoplata but KENTA counters into game over. Sabre fights and makes the ropes. KENTA follows with kicks and the busaiku knee follows for 2. Go to sleep is countered into a guillotine, transitions to a triangle and into the arm bar with kicks added in and KENTA is done. Zack Sabre Jr. defeated KENTA @ 16:30 via submission [****] This was great, a nice battle of striking vs. submission work, with a strong layout and Sabre finally overcoming in the end with the attacks on the previously injured shoulder paying off; great stuff from both men here.

Will Ospreay vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi: This is a dream match for Ospreay. They lock up and work to the ropes for the clean break. Lock up again and Ospreay looks to overpower Tanahashi, as they work to the ropes and Ospreay breaks clean. They work into a test of strength, with Tanahashi taking control and Ospreay firing up and then starts working the arm. Tanahashi counters out and Ospreay picks up the pace and counters into a side headlock. Tanahashi counters out and follows with a tackle but Ospreay pops back up and follows with a RANA. He follows with strikes until Tanahashi attacks the knee with the dragon screw. He focuses on the knee, grounding Ospreay. He transitions into a deathlock but Ospreay makes the ropes. They trade strikes, and Ospreay counters back with the back handspring kick. He follows with strikes, the flying forearm and Tanahashi cuts off the springboard but gets dumped. Ospreay follows with the Sasuke special but comes up clutching his knee. Back in they go and the standing shooting star press follows for 2. They trade and Ospreay hits 619 and the knee buckles and Tanahashi follows with a dropkick to the knee. The cloverleaf is countered by Ospreay with kicks and follows with an enziguri but Tanahashi hangs on and follows with the dragon screw and cloverleaf. Ospreay fights and Tanahashi sits back on the hold. Ospreay powers up and makes the ropes. They work into counters as Ospreay hits the Robinson special. Tanahashi counters the oscutter into a sling blade and the German follows for 2. Ospreay counters sling blade into a Spanish fly, heads up top and the shooting star press follows for 2. The oscutter follows for a great near fall. Ospreay fires up and looks for storm breaker, but Tanahashi counters into a sling blade. Sling blade proper follows for 2. Tanahashi heads up top and hits aces high but Ospreay counters into a cradle for 2. The hook kick follows, hidden blade connects and storm breaker finishes the ace! Will Ospreay defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi @ 17:10 via pin [****¾] This is easily the biggest win of Ospreay’s NJPW career and the biggest overall. The match was absolutely excellent, with Tanahashi looking to out smart and out wrestle the younger and faster Ospreay, and while the ace was more than game, Ospreay was just too much for him and overcame following an amazing closing homestretch. The counter work was great, the gameplan by Tanahashi was extremely smart, but he just didn’t have enough to keep Ospreay down and now they play the “what’s next for Tanahashi” game following a disappointing, in terms of wins and losses, G1 run. There were a ton of high expectations here, but they absolutely delivered the goods.

Kota Ibushi vs. Kazuchika Okada: This one likely teases the draw, since Okada can take the block with a draw or win here. They circle and lock up, Ibushi looks to work the arm but Okada counters out and grounds the action. They separate, lock up and work to the ropes; Okada breaks clean. Ibushi fires away with strikes, they trade and Ibushi connects with the dropkick. He follows with strikes, but Okada sets him up top and dropkicks him to the floor. Okada follows him out and hits the DDT on the floor. Okada rolls back in and Ibushi slowly follows. Okada works him over in the corner, follows with elbow strikes, and targets the neck of Ibushi. He then chokes him out; Ibushi tries to fire back and Okada grounds him and hits the sliding dropkick. Okada grounds the action, cranking on the neck of Ibushi. Ibushi escapes to his feet and follows with the snap RANA. The standing moonsault follows for 2. He follows with a plancha, but starts to favor the ankle, Back in and Okada hits the running back elbow, the corner elbow and DDT for 2. The slam follows, Okada heads up top and then drops down and runs into a flying mid-kick from Ibushi. They trade strikes, lighting each other up and just unloading as Okada rocks Ibushi. Ibushi counters back into the powerslam but the springboard moonsault eats knees. The flapjack follows, and Okada covers for 2. Okada follows with a slam, heads up top and Ibushi cuts him off. He follows him up and Okada cuts him off with strikes and knocks him to the mat. Ibushi pops back up and hits the super RANA for 2. The last ride follows for 2 as Okada makes the ropes. Ibushi looks for kamigoye, but Okada counters into a German, rolls and Ibushi counters the rainmaker but runs into a dropkick, Ibushi counters the tombstone and hits the bastard driver. He’s slow to follow up, they trade strikes and light each other up throwing bombs from the knees. They fight to their feet, keep throwing and Okada is down. Ibushi continues to throw but Okada hits John Wooooooo and Ibushi pops up and hits the huge lariat. Okada counters the lawn dart and backslides into a rainmaker. He maintains wrist control and hits another. He drops the elbow pad and looks for another, but Ibushi counters into a German, rolls and Okada counters kamigoye with dropkicks but Ibushi counters one into a sitout powerbomb for a great near fall. Bom a ye is countered with an Okada dropkick, but Ibushi counters rainmaker with a high kick and kamigoye is countered and Okada cradles him for 2, Head kick by Ibushi, jumping knee strike, kamigoye connects and Okada kicks out at 2! KAMIGOYE again and Ibushi wins! Kota Ibushi defeated Kazuchika Okada @ 25:11 via pin [****¾] I thought that they would more heavily teas the draw and go longer, but I am not complaining at all as this was absolutely amazing, with an out of this world closing stretch wit insane last second counters, near falls, and a rabid crowd. Ibushi picks up the win, taking the block and guaranteeing a future title shot by beating Okada. It was an amazing roller coaster of a ride that would have had me up pacing around the room if you know, I had two legs. It’s ok to laugh guys. A block closes out with two of the tournament’s best matches, and the expected, but great Ibushi win.

G1 29 Block A
* Kota Ibushi: (7-2), 14pts. – WINNER OF A BLOCK
* Kazuchika Okada: (7-2), 14pts
* EVIL: (4-5), 8pts.
* Will Ospreay: (4-5), 8pts.
* KENTA: (4-5), 8pts.
* Hiroshi Tanahashi: (4-5), 8pts
* Bad Luck Fale: (4-5), 8pts.
* SANADA: (4-5), 8pts.
* Zack Sabre Jr: (4-5), 8pts.
* Lance Archer: (3-6), 6pts.

G1 29 Block B
* Jon Moxley: (5-3), 10pts.
* Tetsuya Naito: (5-3), 10pts.
* Hirooki Goto: (5-3), 10pts.
* Jay White: (5-3), 10pts.
* Big Tom Ishii: (4-4), 8pts.
* Toru Yano: (4-4), 8pts.
* Juice Robinson: (3-5), 6pts.
* Adorable Hawaiian Buddha Jeff Cobb: (3-5), 6pts.
* Taichi: (3-5), 6pts.
* Shingo: (3-5), 4pts.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 41. On the show, the good brother, Jeremy Lambert, joins 411’s Larry Csonka and the guys will preview the big weekend shows. ROH Summer Supercard, NXT Takeover: Toronto II, and WWE Summerslam 2019. Finally, the guys catch up on NJPW G1 29 reviews. The show is approximately 135-minutes long.

* Intro
* NJPW G1 29 Night 12 Review: 2:25
* NJPW G1 29 Night 13 Review: 14:25
* NJPW G1 29 Night 14 Review: 24:45
* ROH Summer Supercard Preview: 43:45
* NXT Takeover: Toronto II Preview: 1:07:45
* WWE Summerslam 2019 Preview: 1:30:45

You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

8.9

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Night seventeen of the NJPW G1 29 was an overall tremendous night of action, Archer delivered another very god match, the Fale match wasn’t horrible, and the closing three matches were all great to excellent.