New Japan Pro Wrestling continued their G1 Climax tournament on Saturday. Since the show began at 5:30am EDT, here’s a spoiler-free match listing for the non-nite-owl New Japan fans. Each match has been given a Need To Watch Rating of 0.0-10.0. The show is available at NJPWWorld.com
FIRST MATCH: C-Block Final: David Finlay & Michael Elgin vs. Shota Umino & Toa Henare
C-Block finals got the show off to a heated start. Umino is ready for excursion. Henare needs something more to get to the next level.
Need To Watch Rating: (3.9)
SECOND MATCH: Bullet Club OGs (Tanga Loa & Bad Luck Fale) vs. Bullet Club Elite (Chase Owens & Hangman Page)
The Bullet Club Civil War doesn’t get a new chapter, as much as a small side story. Fun, quick match.
Need To Watch Rating: (2.0)
THIRD MATCH: Bullet Club Elite (Marty Scurll, Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson) vs. CHAOS (Jay White, SHO & YOH)
The saga of Jay White & Roppongi 3K continues.
Need To Watch Rating: (4.0)
FOURTH MATCH: Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL & BUSHI) vs. Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki & El Desperado)
LIJ and Suzuki-gun always have wild brawls. BUSHI & Desperado get some much needed time in the limelight.
Need To Watch Rating: (2.1)
FIFTH MATCH: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma) vs. CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI, Kazuchika Okada & Gedo)
Really solid six man tag. Honma kept the crowd electric with every move. Okada and Tanahashi only get better with time.
Need To Watch Rating: (5.0)
SIXTH MATCH: B Block Match: Toru Yano (4 pts) vs. Tama Tonga (6 pts)
Tongan shenanigans.
Need To Watch Rating: (5.0)
SEVENTH MATCH: B Block Match: Juice Robinson (4 pts) vs. Hirooki Goto (6 pts)
Really solid match between two of the midcard champs. Robinson’s left hand is fine. The story of his injury has seemingly sputtered to a wimper.
Need To Watch Rating: (7.5)
EIGHTH MATCH: B Block Match: Tomohiro Ishii (8 pts) vs. SANADA (8 pts)
Big Tom Ish continues to be the G1 MVP. SANADA’s best match that doesn’t involve Naito. Seek. Out. This. Blistering. Breathless. Beautiful. Beat ‘Em Up.
Need To Watch Rating: (10.0)
NINTH MATCH: B Block Match: Tetsuya Naito (12 pts) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (10 pts)
Sabre and Naito outdo their New Japan Cup match from the spring. A sensational match, with gripping nearfalls. Keeps you guessing until the very end. A true spectacle.
Need To Watch Rating: (10.0)
MAIN EVENT: B Block Match: Kenny Omega (12 pts) vs. Kota Ibushi (10 pts)
Omega and Ibushi try to murder each other. It’s a reckless, beautiful bout. A much more mature match than their DDT showdown from many years ago, and the match is all the better for it. Easily one of the best matches of the tournament.
Need To Watch Rating: (11.5)
