wrestling / Columns

Csonka’s Top 27 Matches of July 2017 –New Japan Pro Wrestling Dominates

August 2, 2017 | Posted by Larry Csonka
Kenny Omega New Japan Pro Wrestling

WELCOME back, back to the column that makes lists and hopes that you enjoy them. This week’s column will look back and the month of JULY 2017 and the top 27 matches I have watched for the month. I always hear a lot of people saying that they can’t decide what to watch because they do not have enough time to follow everything, so maybe this will help those of you short on time find some stuff to check out. Have fun, and always, thanks for reading. Also, if you saw matches from companies I do not regularly catch; feel free to share them with the others (I will also be doing a supplemental column from time to time, looking at matches I missed from the promotions I do not regularly cover). The more wrestling we share, the more fun we can have. Thanks for reading! It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the G1 is here and that means a TON of great wrestling. As always, consider this my play list of great matches, recommendations for the month.

– 27. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 9) 7.29.17 – Tomohiro Ishii defeated Tetsuya Naito @ 21:09 via pin [****]
– 26. From EVOLVE 88 – Anthony Henry & James Drake defeated Champions Chris Dickinson & Jaka @ 19:50 via pin to become the new champions [****]
– 25. From The British J Cup – British J Cup Tournament Match: KUSHIDA defeated Kyle O’Reilly @ 21:25 via pin [****]
– 24. From Lucha Underground 7.19.17: Cueto Cup Tournament Match: Prince Puma defeated PJ Black @ 15:53 via pin [****]
– 23. From EVOLVE 88 – Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Timothy Thatcher @ 18:00 via submission [****]
– 22. From The British J Cup – Tomohiro Ishii defeated Matt Riddle @ 11:17 via pin [****]
– 21. From NJPW G1 Special in The USA (Night 1) – Roppongi Vice (Trent & Rocky), Will Ospreay, & The Briscoes (Mark & Jay) defeated The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt), Marty Scurll, Yujiro Takahashi, & Bad Luck Fale @ 13:00 via pin [****]
– 20. From NJPW G1 Special in The USA (Night 1) – Champion Kazuchika Okada defeated ROH Champion Cody @ 25:57 via pin [****]
– 19. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 2) 7.20.17 – Juice Robinson defeated Satoshi Kojima @ 11:58 via pin [****]
– 18. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 7) 7.26.17 – Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Hirooki Goto @ 17:20 via pin [****]
– 17. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 10) 7.30.17 – Kazuchika Okada defeated Juice Robinson @ 20:40 via pin [****]
– 16. From GFW Slammiversary – Champions LAX (Santana & Ortiz) defeated El Hijo del Fantasma and Drago, Naomichi Marufuji and Taiji Ishimori, and Garza Jr and Laredo Kid @ 15:25 via pin [****]
– 15. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 6) 7.25.17 – Kazuchika Okada defeated SANADA @ 21:30 via pin [****]
– 14. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 3) 7.21.17 – Kota Ibushi defeated Zack Sabre Jr @ 15:52 via pin [****]
– 13. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 8) 7.28.17 – Kazuchika Okada defeated Satoshi Kojima @ 15:28 via pin [****]
– 12. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 5) 7.23.17 – Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Yuji Nagata @ 15:00 via pin [****]

11. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 3) 7.21.17 – Hirooki Goto defeated Yuji Nagata @ 15:02 via pin [****¼]: And this is why Nagata is getting one last run in the G1. This was an outstanding performance, one that smartly built throughout the match and never overstayed its welcome. Nagata was so great here, they had an awesome crowd that added a ton to the match and at the end of the day, Goto was able to overcome and put the legend away after a great, hard fought match. Nagata putting on performances like this, even in loss, adds an extra special feeling to the G1; yes it’s a great match, but the atmosphere is just amazing.

10. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 1) 7.17.17 – Hirooki Goto defeated Tomohiro Ishii @ 15:40 via pin [****¼]: This as an absolutely great back and forth match between two evenly matches opponents. The presentation was great, because while both are members of CHAOS, there was no weird booking bullshit, just two dudes fighting to see who the alpha was as they both looked to gain their first points of the G1. It was nothing more, nothing less and didn’t have to be anything else to get across the story that they were fighting for pride and points. Great stuff here, working the exact match you want them to, which separates them from the others because no one else in their block will work such a hard-htting and violent match.

9. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 1) 7.17.17 – Zack Sabre Jr defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi @ 17:35 via submission [****¼]: This was the perfect match to book as Sabre’s G1 debut, with the established injury to Tanahashi’s arm, it allowed Sabre to play his game and not only establish his style but also pick up a HUGE win out of the gate. Tanahashi loses nothing in loss, because he’s Tanahashi and also injured. It also allows you to book the two in a rematch post G1 for the IC Title. This was the best possible way to kick off Sabre’s G1 run, filled with smart, clean and crisp work from both. Sabre’s dedication to the arm, including ripping off Tanahashi’s protective wrapping at the end to finally help put him away was perfect. This was on the level of Ishii vs. Goto, but was a completely different match, which I liked slightly more.

8. From NJPW G1 Special in The USA (Night 2) – IWGP US Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semifinal Match: Tomohiro Ishii defeated Zack Sabre Jr. @ 11:45 via pin [****¼]: Once night one ended, the night two match that fascinated me the most was this one; the clash of styles, the freshness of the match, it all appealed to me. Ishii is just such a violent brute, but also sells amazingly well. That selling, along with Saber’s finish from night one, led to an amazing struggle spot that got the crowd insanely into the match; Sabre locked in the submission from night one, locking up the body and an arm. Ishii struggled in an amazing spot, but Sabre trapped the other arm but Ishii would have none of this shit an fought and fought and fought. It was so good. Sabre was working with great aggression and purpose, dropping a lot of the busy work that lengthens his matches when they don’t need it. Sabre looked to finish things off with a PK but you do not kick Tomohiro Ishii like that; Ishii destroyed Sabre with the lariat and brainbuster for the win. This was absolutely great, and bodes well for Sabre’s G1 run as a lot of matches fall into the hard-hitting, 10-15 minute window, just like this.

7. From NJPW G1 Special in The USA (Night 1) – Tomohiro Ishii defeated Tetsuya Naito @ 16:02 via pin [****½]: This was an excellent, hard-hitting match between two guys with great chemistry. They work so well together, and brought back some familiar themes from their past matches. This came at time in the show where it really needed a really great match, they kept the crowd, built to a great finish and Ishii looked great in victory. The only bad part about Naito losing is that he didn’t get a chance to ruin the new championship belt.

6. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 5) 7.23.17 – Kota Ibushi defeated Tomohiro Ishii @ 17:20 via pin [****½]: This was an absolutely excellent match, with a beautiful build throughout the match and into the homestretch and finish. Ibushi delivered big against Naito and had a great match with Sabre, and those were generally expected. But having a match like this against Ishii, a violent match where he survived all of Ishii’s punishment is the sort of match I feel he needed to silence some of his critics he still has that look at him as more of a junior that can’t hang with the heavy hitters. He not only survived, but he thrived here. It’s the G1. Ishii is killing it as usual and Ibushi is delivering in very non-Ibushi like matches, which is fun to see.

5. From NJPW G1 Special in The USA (Night 1) – Kenny Omega defeated Michael Elgin @ 22:45 via pin [****½]: This was an absolutely tremendous match, with great hard-hitting action between another set of guys with excellent chemistry. Elgin looked great in loss, because Omega had to go completely murder death kill to finally put him away. The constant build, the way they kept the crowd and the whole package was just excellent; working to an off the charts and almost unreal finishing stretch. Elgin may not be picking up the big wins in 2017, but he’s doing some of his best work ever as he continues to grow as a seasoned performer. If he keeps it up he should have a killer G1 run.

4. Kazuchika Okada defeated Michael Elgin @ 25:50 via pin [****½]: This was an excellent main event, and large Michael continues to put in some of the best losing efforts in wrestling. While he was not exactly hot coming into the G1, his work here was so good that the fans bought into him and completely believed that he not only had a chance, but they were with him for almost the entire second half of the match, trying to rally him and buying into all of his big near falls. Okada again puts in another top tier performance, but it was also another performance where he was taken into deep waters, as they were pushing the 30-minute time limit. You have to wonder how much longer he lasts as champion (in storyline) after being taken to the limit by guys like Omega, Suzuki, Shibata and Elgin. I think that’s an important part of the story and matches that many are overlooking. Anyway, this was excellent and after day four, is easily one of the best matches of the tournament so far. Great work, with a great layout and a great crowd.

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3. From G1 Climax 27 (Night 1) 7.17.17 – Tetsuya Naito defeated Kota Ibushi @ 24:53 via pin [****¾]: Sweet baby Jesus, that was amazing. Naito welcomes Ibushi back with a more than fitting main event, and if Ibushi had to lose his first match that was the way to do it. They had the crowd locked in to everything they did from the opening bell, and were never in fear of losing them. This was a hugely pro-Naito crowd, no matter what was happening, they were with him and it added to the overall atmosphere of the match. This was absolutely everything you want from a G1 level main event, great action, great drama, great work and a molten hot crowd that is into everything the guys are doing. The best part about Ibushi taking time away is that he feels super fresh and like Sabre, is bringing something new to the NJPW table and its coming at the best time of the year.

2. From G1 Climax (Night 8) 7.27.17 – Michael Elgin defeated Kenny Omega @ 26:00 via pin [****¾]: So much for “there’s no doubt that Okada and Omega will go undefeated until they face off.” I get why people though that so it was nice to have a curveball thrown here. Elgin has had quality performances in the tournament, but needed the win here and got it in an excellent main event, and in one of the tournament’s best matches. This was oh so very great, with both men doing a great job of playing off of past encounters. They work so well together, and do a great job of starting off and then constantly building throughout the match and delivering a strong finish. Elgin had to dig deep, and not only survived Omega’s best, but picked up a huge win that was needed. The win is also he as not only did Elgin really need a big win, but it should set him up for a IWGP US Title shot down the line.

1. From NJPW G1 Special in The USA (Night 2) – IWGP US Heavyweight Championship Tournament Finals: Kenny Omega defeated Tomohiro Ishii @ 31:20 via pin to become the first ever IWGP US Heavyweight Champion [****¾]: And so we came to the main event of the NJPW visit to the US, the finals of the US Title tournament; it was the exact match that I would have booked not only because both guys are great and not just because they have a great history, but because a guy like Ishii makes Omega up his game that much more in terms of creativity and atmosphere in a match. It had long been rumored that Omega would be the face of the North American expansion, he can cut a promo, he can speak Japanese and the Japanese have embraced him as a star. He can represent both sides of the coin very well, and his association with the Bucks can be a huge drawing card in the US. I keep discussing how under appreciated Tomohiro Ishii is by much of the fan base, and that continues to be the case and 99% of the talk was focused on Omega. Ishii is one of if not the most consistent performers of the last 3-4 years, always delivering, working as an iron man, and always putting on high caliber matches just like this. But he’s not Tanahashi, Okada, Shibata, Omega or Naito (who have all been really great for the last few years) so he has been not only overlooked, but in a way he’s almost been disrespected.

Omega and Ishii have developed such a great chemistry that their matches almost feel effortless, that is until they start lighting into each other and the aggression and intensity starts to grow, and grow, and grow. This match, like their others, doesn’t rely on basic face vs. heel dynamics, it’s the competition and sporting nature, like a real fight, that is played out through the rams of pro wrestling. Ishii takes the defacto babyface role in these matches, he’s so fired up and awesome that he’s impossible to ignore because he pulls you into his matches so easily. But on the flip side, when his opponent takes control, Ishii’s selling is second to none and he becomes one of the best babyfaces in wrestling; his struggles, his emotion, his facial expressions are all so on point that this man beast does something that other monstrous characters just can’t do; he can gain sympathy and his selling is just so real and believable. Lots of guys talk about being artists, but Ishii really is one.

The match had all of the hard-hitting action I expected; it had great counters, great drama and great moments. In the Ishii vs. Sabre match I spoke about the great submission/struggle spot by Ishii. They did a great spot here, which was in ways even better. Omega tried to German suplex Ishii off the apron and through the table, but Ishii kept fighting. Omega the tried to work his hand off the ropes and work for other suplexes, but Ishii kept fighting. Omega was finally looking for the dragon suplex and got Ishii’s hands off the ropes. But Ishii kept fighting and BIT DOWN ON THE ROPES to try and save himself in the ultimate act of desperation. Omega finally was able to fight and suplex him through the table in an incredible dramatic spot. They then played hard off of their previous matches in an insane closing stretch, filled with counters, V triggers and Ishii even stealing the one winged angel. But Omega was just too much, Ishii fought an amazing battle but eventually fell to the V trigger and one winged angel. This was absolutely fantastic, easily on par with their previous matches this year (also ****¾). This was worked with deeper sense of urgency, they played off of the previous matches very well and even improved on some of the minor flaws they had, but both were also content to not go balls to the wall, because they had each tasted defeat as they were tied 1-1 this year, so they were trying to be smarter. You really couldn’t have asked for a better match to close out the US debut, Ishii continues to be amazing, Omega continues to deliver in the big time matches and this was just amazing to set him up as the first US champion.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

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“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

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