NJPW G1 Climax Results
August 6, 2017 (Night 15)
UNDERCARD MATCHES
– Juice Robinson & David Finlay def. Katsuya Kitamura & Tomoyuki Oka
– EVIL & Hiromu Takahashi def. Michael Elgin & Hirai Kawato
– Tama Tonga & Yujiro Takahashi def. Tencozy
– Sanada & Bushi def. Kenny Omega & Chase Owens
– Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano & Gedo def. Minoru Suzuki, Taichi & Desperado
A BLOCK TOURNAMENT MATCHES
Yuji Nagata def. Zack Sabre Jr.
Finally Nagata picks up his first win in his last ever G1 tournament, after suffering weeks of repeated losses despite putting on his best matches in a decade. Sabre worked his usual kicks and strikes looking for submission after submission, but he was up against the OG king of stiff kicks and submissions. They both worked over each others arms to set up for Nagata’s armbar and Sabre’s octopus stretch but neither could force the other to submit. Blue Justice got the win after a Brainbuster and two back to back suplexes. Huge reaction for Nagata going over.
Kota Ibushi def. Yoshi-Hashi
A battle of the two underdog babyfaces that both have crazy late game fire-ups and a ton of crowd support. It was a stiff back and forth battle of attrition to start. They both got all their big spots in including Ibushi’s Golden Triangle Moonsault and YH setting up for the Butterfly Lock throughout. The last few minutes were absolutely fantastic with YH hitting a Meteroa and trying for Karma, but getting kicked in the head. Ibushi nailed the Golden Star Powerbomb but he kicked out at two-and-three-quarters. The Kamigoye, his brutal new knee strike finisher, put Hashi away.
Bad Luck Fale def. Hirooki Goto
The action went to the floor early and Fale worked over Goto’s leg by slamming it into a ring post and the barricade, creating something to pick apart throughout the match. Goto fought back with lariats and tried to lift up the big man but had no luck. He tried for the GTR but again, no luck. Eventually Fale won with the Grenade.
Tetsuya Naito def. Togi Makabe
Naito got the win after two Destinos, one of which was a sort of inverted variation on the move. Another good match, and even thought Makabe was out of contention that doesn’t mean he couldn’t try to play spoiler and pick up a big win to end the G1 strong. Obviously that didn’t happen. It looked like Makabe might get the upset after doing the spider suplex out of the corner, but Naito dodged the King Kong knee drop and they went into the finish.
Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Tomohiro Ishii
Essentially the entire A Bock was hanging on Ishii to get the win against the Ace to stay alive, but clearly that wasn’t in the books this year. Tanahashi won it in another fantastic match between two of the best in the world today. There were so many kickouts and nearfalls with Ishii looking for the Brainbuster throughout and Tanahashi countering to stay alive. He hit a standing High Fly Flow into the traditional HFF to pick up the win.
Updated A Block Standings:
Hiroshi Tanahashi – 12
Tetsuya Naito – 12
————————–
Bad Luck Fale – 10
Kota Ibushi – 10
Zack Sabre Jr. – 8
Tomohiro Ishii – 8
Hirooki Goto – 8
Togi Makabe – 6
Yoshi-Hashi – 4
Yuji Nagata – 2
