NJPW G1 Climax Results
July 25, 2017 (Night 6)
Fukushima, Japan
UNDERCARD RESULTS
– Togi Makabe & Ryusuke Taguchi def. Kota Ibushi & Shota Umino
– Tomohiro Ishii & Yoshi-Hashi def. Tomoyuki Oka & Katsuya Kitamura
– Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi def. Yuji Nagata & Hirai Kawato
– Bad Luck Fale, Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi def. Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & Desperado
– Hiroshi Tanahashi & David Finlay def. Hirooki Goto & Jado
B BLOCK TOURAMENT RESULTS
Michael Elgin (0) def. Satoshi Kojima (0)
This may have been the first block match of the night, but they wrestled like it was the main event. Elgin was really laying in some of his hits, with an early forearm that might have decapitated a lesser man. They had a great back and forth match, very physical, and because both guys are still looking to get on the board then nearfalls had me on the edge of my seat. Elgin hit a pop-up powerbomb then rolled into the Buckle Bomb and that should have been it, but Kojima exploded out of the corner with a huge lariat to avoid his finisher. They traded a bunch of stiff lariats, fought up to the top rope, Elgin launched into a sunset flip powerbomb and immediately followed up with the Elgin Bomb to earn his first two points.
EVIL (2) def. Tama Tonga (2)
Most of the match was an outright brawl. They fought all over the place with Tama primarily in control, until EVIL rallied back and killed him with that double chair baseball swing spot. More brawling, a teased count-out spot, before Tama tried to outmaneuver his opponent with his weird misdirection game. As it turns out EVIL also has a misdirection game, so they just started hammer each other with their signature moves. EVIL hit Darkness Falls for a close nearfall. Tama actually hit a Superman Punch and the Japanese commentary called it as a Superman Punch, for another nearfall. They started trading counters looking for their finishers, and EVIL turned the Gun Stun into the STO to pick up the win.
Minoru Suzuki (2) def. Juice Robinson (2)
Juice Robinson came out with a bad limp, selling the effects of his last few battles. This is his first G1 Climax and even in perfect health you figure he has very little chance against a trained killer like Suzuki. Minoru knew it too, going after the knee immediately and punishing him all around the arena using the barricade, the ropes, chairs, etc. Juice eventually fired up and started throwing forearms, countered with a big spinebuster and connected with a cannonball in the corner. His momentum was short-lived as Suzuki quickly went back to the injury, putting on a wicked ankle lock and basically wrenching the knee out of its socket. Juice reached the ropes and did his best to fight back but eventually fell to the Gotch-style piledriver. Minoru murdered some Young Lions on his way to the back as a ritual sacrifice to the gods of Pancrase.
Kenny Omega (4) def. Toru Yano (2)
This might just be the single greatest comedy match in the history of professional wrestling. At the very least, it’s the best on a major stage for a top tier company like NJPW or WWE. Do yourself a favor and watch this on New Japan World. I was in tears from laughing so hard. Yano brought his DVD to the ring as he always does, and tried to offer it to Kenny as a gift. Kenny refused so he made the referee give it to him. When he opened it, it was full of white powder and Yano threw it in his face, almost stealing the win with a handful of tights. There was so much amazing, well-timed comedy here. While blind Omega almost hit the referee with the One Winged Angel, and Yano hit him in the groin. They did so much hair-pulling so much that the referee had to do a double ax handle off the second rope to get them to stop. They tied each other’s legs up with tape so Kenny was hopping around trying to do double foot stomps. Just amazing…
Kazuchika Okada (4) def. Sanada (2)
You could make a very good case for this as the best match of the tournament thus far, on par with a main event Okada-level title defense. As the biggest match of Sanada’s career he needed to show up and prove that he could hang, much like his past match with Tanahashi, and he blew that out of the water. The whole match was very good but the last few minutes had that that edge-of-your-seat feel that made you completely forget how stacked the odds were because Sanada easily could have taken it at several points. The finish came with both men looking for finishers, trading back and forth. Sanada hit a Tombstone Piledriver and locked in the Skull End, but Okada refused to quit even as he was screaming out in pain. Sanada let it go and hit a top rope moonsault, went for the Skull End a second time but Okada countered into the Rainmaker. He hit a second Rainmaker, yelled out in frustration, went for a third to put him away but Sanada ducked under it, they traded attempts back and forth until the champion hit him with a German suplex and a third Rainmaker to win.
Kazuchika Okada – 6
Kenny Omega – 6
EVIL – 4
Minoru Suzuki – 4
Michael Elgin – 2
Juice Robinson – 2
Sanada – 2
Tama Tonga – 2
Toru Yano – 2
Satoshi Kojima – 0
