Hello friends and welcome to a double dose of G1 today. Let’s kicks things off with Night 14.
Yesterday’s show is from the Osaka Prefectural Gym in Osaka.
Chase Owens vs. Katsuya Kitamura
Winner: Chase Owens at 4:57. Owens wins with a Package Piledriver.
El Desperado, Taichi, and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tetsuhiro Yagi, Syota Umino, and Yuji Nagata
Winners: Suzuki-gun at 7:01. Desperado submits Umino with the Numero Dos (Boston Crab).
Yujiro Takahashi with Tokyo Latina and Bad Luck Fale vs. Tomoyuki Oka and Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Winners: Bullet Club at 7:41. Takahashi pins Oka after delivering a Pimp Juice.
Hiromu Takahashi, Bushi and Tetsuya Naito vs. Hirai Kawato, Tiger Mask, and Togi Makabe
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon at 7:03. Kawato taps out to a Boston Crab from Bushi.
Yoshi-Hashi, Tomohiro Ishii, and Hirooki Goto vs. David Finlay, Kota Ibushi, and Hiroshi Takahashi
Winners: Hashi, Ishii, and Goto at 7:15. Goto hits the GTR on Finlay.
Tama Tonga 4 vs. Toru Yano 4
Winner: Toru Yano at 3:15. Yano hits a low blow and a school boy for the win.
Sanada 8 vs. Satoshi Kojima 0
Sanada controlled most of the match from the start. At one point Sanada had Kojima in the Skull End but released the hold and went for a moonsault but missed. Kojima then mounts some offense and hits two big lariats for his first win and eliminating Sanada.
Winner: Satoshi Kojima at 12:09.
Minoru Suzuki 8 with Taichi and El Desperado vs. Michael Elgin 4
I wasn’t really a fan of this match. I get that Suzuki-gun cheat to win. Sometimes they get very close to being borderline obnoxious with it but it’s OK because they’re heels. This time it got to be way too much. It makes the ref look bad to when they can’t control the match, or DQ Suzuki. Anyway Elgin won with an Elgin Bomb.
Winner: Michael Elgin at 12:31.
Kenny Omega 10 vs. Juice Robinson 2
What’s a tournament without an upset? Robinson tries the Pulp Friction but Omega manages to counter with the Reverse Rana. Omega drills Robinson with a big V Trigger and sets him up for the One Winged Angel but Robinson rolls up Omega for the surprise 3 absolutely nobody saw coming. Huge reaction from the Osaka crowd and Juice sold is great like even he couldn’t believe it. You know what that means, future shot at the United States Championship.
Winner: Juice Robinson at 15:36.
Evil 8 vs. Kazuchika Okada 12 with Gedo
Early on, Evil is able to take over when he gets Okada on the outside. Evil sends Okada to the guardrail and then wraps a chair around his head then nails him with another chair.
Back in the ring Evil continues to mount an offense on Okada until he runs into an Okada flapjack. Okada follows up with a Heavy Rain and a top rope Elbow Drop. Okada goes for a Rain Maker but Evil escapes. Okada manages to put him on the top rope then dropkick him off to the outside.
Okada sends Evil into the guard rail then boots him over into the fans. Okada charges going for his dive but Evil chucks a chair right into Okada. Not a folding chair mind you, a plastic chair with the metal wire frame. Evil then puts a big pile of folding chair into the crowd and hits the Darkness Falls into the chair pile.
Evil hits a brain buster and a Darkness Falls in the ring, both for a 2. Okada takes back momentum with a springboard missile dropkick. After more offense Okada finally manages to hit the Rain Maker and then a second. Okada goes for a thirs but Evil ducks it and hit’s Okada in the chest with a head-butt. Evil goes for the STO but Okada escapes and hits the German suplex. Okada goes for a Rain Maker but Evil counters it with the STO for the 3.
Winner: Evil at 22:47.
Yesterday was definitely the day of upsets. If you’re wondering, that was Okada’s first single’s loss since August 8, 2016 to Bad Luck Fale in the G1. Also, Evil gets himself a future title shot.
Block B Standings
Kazuchika Okada – 12
Kenny Omega – 10
Evil – 10
Minoru Suzuki – 8 Eliminated
Sanada – 8 Eliminated
Toru Yano – 6 Eliminated
Michael Elgin – 6 Eliminated
Tama Tonga – 4 Eliminated
Juice Robinson – 4 Eliminated
Satoshi Kojima – 2 Eliminated
Well let’s head to Block A from today at the Act City Hamamatsu in Shizuoka.
Katsuya Kitamura and Tomoyuki Oka vs. David Finlay and Juice Robinson
Winners: Finlay and Juice at 5:27. Finlay hits Oka with the Prima Nocta.
Hiromu Takahashi and Evil vs. Hirai Kawato and Michael Elgin
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon at 4:55. Kawato taps to Takahashi’s Boston Crab.
Yujiro Takahashi and Tama Tonga vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima
Winners: Bullet Club at 8:34. Tonga hits Tenzan with the Gun Stun.
Sanada and Bushi vs. Chase Owens and Kenny Omega
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon at 5:06. Owens taps out to the Skull End from Sanada.
El Desperado, Taichi, and Minoru Suzuki vs. Gedo, Toru Yano, and Kazuchika Okada
Winners: Okada, Yano, and Gedo at 6:22. Yano rolled up Taichi after ripping off his pants.
Zack Sabre Jr. 8 vs. Yuji Nagata 0
Over in Block B you could make a case Evil is the MVP but in Block A it’s definitely Nagata. It was a very back and forth match with both men utilizing strikes and submissions. Nagata hits a Backdrop hold but only gets a 2, hits a big corner clothesline and follows it up with another Backdrop Hold for his first win of the G1.
Winner: Yuji Nagata at 15:08.
Yoshi-Hashi 4 vs. Kota Ibushi 8
A very back and forth match. Ibushi hits the Golden Triangle Moonsault early on. Hashi manages to lock Ibushi in the Butterfly Lock but can’t put Ibushi away. Ibushi counters Karma, nails the Last Ride Powerbomb but only a 2. Ibushi then hits the Kamigoye (Jumping knee strike to the chest as he pulls the opponent in) for the 3.
Winner: Kota Ibushi at 14:28.
Bad Luck Fale 8 vs. Hirooki Goto 8
Early in the match Fale slammed Goto’s leg into the ring post and continued to work on the leg for the bulk of the match. Goto did mount a comeback and went for the GTR but Fale escaped it and was able to hit the Grenade for the win.
Winner: Bad Luck Fale at 9:34.
Tetsuya Naito 10 vs. Togi Makabe 6
Makabe had some momentum after hitting the German suplex from the corner but missed with the King Kong Knee Drop. Naito tries for a Destino but Makabe counters and hits a lariet. Naito comes back with a modified Destino but only a 2. Naio then hits the full Destino for the 3.
Winner: Tetsuya Naito at 11:31.
Tomohiro Ishii 8 vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi 10
I apologize, I read this was a great match but for really the first time since I got it, New Japan World was lagging like crazy and I couldn’t take it. Tanahashi wins with the High Fly Flow cross body followed by the High Fly Flow splash.
Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi at 23:30.
Block A Standings
Tetsuya Naito – 12
Hiroshi Tanahashi – 12
Bad Luck Fale – 10 Eliminated
Kota Ibushi – 10 Eliminated
Hirooki Goto – 8 Eliminated
Tomohiro Ishii – 8 Eliminated
Zack Sabre Jr. – 8 Eliminated
Togi Makabe – 6 Eliminated
Yoshi-Hashi – 4 Eliminated
Yuji Nagata – 2 Eliminated
Rather then tell you what’s next here’s what has to happen. For Block A it’s simple, Naito and Tanahashi face each other on August 11 and the winner advances to the finals. For Block B it’s a little trickier. Okada still has Suzuki and Omega, Evil has Kojima and Elgin, and Omega has Okada and Sanada.
For Evil to win: He must beat Kojima and Elgin. He has to hope Omega loses or draws against Okada, that’s assuming Omega loses to Sanada. Evil does need some help but not a ton. Evil does hold a tie breaker over Okada.
For Omega to win: He needs to beat or have a draw with Okada. If he draws with Okada he would need Okada to lose to Suzuki and he would have needed to beat Sanada. He holds the tie breaker over Evil.
For Okada to win: He needs to win out or have two draws. He can only win with draws if Evil loses once.
August 8 is the next show which should help clear that up with: Okada/Suzuki, Evil/Elgin, and Omega/Sanada.
Please use that day off to subscribe to my podcast, “Politically Incorrect Wrestling Show” on iTunes, Stitcher, and Podbean. Also follow me on Twitter at Eddyc85 and or PIWShow. Thanks for reading.