Hello friends, and welcome to the last Block B show before the big Okada/Omega rematch. Quick correction, I guess Suzuki wasn’t mathematically eliminated as I previously said. I mean it would take some weird results for him to win but he’s still alive, will he stay that way?

Today’s show is from the Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium in Yokohama.

Chase Owens vs. Tomoyuki Oka

Winner: Chase Owens at 5:36. Ownes wins with the Package Pildriver.

El Desperado and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Syota Umino and Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Winners: Suzuki-gun at 5:30. Desperado beats Umino with Numero Dos.

Yujiro Takahashi and Bad Luck Fale vs. Katsuya Kitamura and Yuji Nagata

Winners: Bullet Club at 6:48. Takahashi pins Kitamura after a Pimp Juice.

Yoshi-Hashi, Tomohiro Ishii, and Hirooki Goto vs. Kirai Kawato, Kota Ibushi, and Togi Makabe

Winners: Yoshi-Hashi, Ishii, and Goto at 7:35. Kawato taps to Ishii’s Boston Crab.

Hiromu Takahashi, Bushi, and Tetsuya Naito vs. David Finlay, Ryusuke Taguchi, and Hiroshi Tanahashi

Winners: Finlay, Taguchi, and Tanahashi at 6:58. Bushi taps to the Oh My Gar ankle lock from Taguchi.

Tama Tonga 4 vs. Satoshi Kojima 2

Winner: Tama Tonga at 10:43. Tonga wins with the Gun Stun.

Toru Yano 6 vs. Juice Robinson 4

Winner: Juice Robinson at 4:25. Juice wins with the Pulp Friction.

Evil 10 vs. Michael Elgin 6

Evil has to win this match to stay alive whereas Elgin is mathematically eliminated. This match featured a lot of big moves early on. After Evil escaped a buckle bomb he hits Elgin with a fisherman buster. They get up and both start nailing each other with clotheslines.

Evil went for the STO but Elgin stopped it and hits a big lariat. Elgin hit a superplex but only a 2. Elgin hits the buckle bomb but Evil broke free of the Elgin bomb. Evil tries the STO again but Elgin stopped it and hit an enzuguri. Elgin then hits a pop up sit out powerbomb for 2. Elgin then hits a lariat and the Elgin bomb ending Evil’s G1 asperations.

Winner: Michael Elgin at 11:07. Out of Block B, Evil was definitely one of the highlights, he had a really good G1. Although the headlines will be Okada/Omega, Evil had the best matches of this block. But he should have a future IWGP Heavyweight title match coming up so not all is lost. By the way, it’s worth mentioning Don Callis is saying Omega did not knock out Evil. Is Evil that good of a seller? Was is from another spot? Was it just a fluke thing? Don’t ask me, I’m just the messenger. All I know is it LOOKED like Evil got knocked out but this is the only NJPW employee to make a statement on it that I’m aware of, so take it for what you will.

Sanada 8 vs. Kenny Omega 10 with Chase Owens

This was a solid match but I was expecting it to be a tad better. I think both guys, well everyone really, is just running on fumes at this point. Omega hits the Dragon Rush and follows it up with a V Trigger for 2. Sanada gets some momentum with a spinning kick to the jaw of Omega. Sanada goes for a Destino but Omega stops him mid rotation and gets him on his shoulder and sets him up in a One Winged Angel position and then drops him for 3.

Winner: Kenny Omega at 15:03.

Minoru Suzuki 8 with El Desperado and Taichi vs. Kazuchika Okada 12 with Gedo

With Omega winning that eliminated Suzuki, I’m sure this time. But with a win, Suzuki can get himself a future title shot. Naturally this match had early interference but the Young Lions managed to drag the two Suzuki-gun members to the back.

Suzuki worked over Okada’s neck with neckbreakers, head scissors, and sleeper holds. Suzuki tried for the Gotch-style piledriver but Okada escaped it. Okada managed to hit a missile dropkick and followed up with a German suplex. Okada went for the Rain Maker but Suzuki ducked it and applied a rear naked choke. After Okada broke the hold he hit a series of strikes and hit a Rain Maker, Okada maintained the wrist control and hits a second Rain Maker but just a 2.

Okada went for another Rain Maker but Suzuki countered it with palm strikes. Okada fired back with strikes of his own and the two men are exchanging slaps, this is insane. Suzuki even puts his hands behind his back offering Okada to slap him even more.

Okada goes for a tombstone but Suzuki stops him. Suzuki tries the Gotch-style Piledriver but Okada stops him. The face off again and get into another slap war as Okada just drills a Rain Maker from out of nowhere. As Okada is rolling over to make the cover he sees Gedo yelling at him to make the cover. But it’s too late, Okada can’t get there and the bell rings.

Winner: Time Limit Draw at 30:00. It was easy to look at this show and think, “Ugh when will this tournament end just get to Okada/Omega already” and I saw several people express that. I get it, it’s tough but when you have MOTY candidates this late in the game it’s just so impressive. This was a MOTY candidate too. I realize one of the Omega/Okada matches will probably win but any other year this could be top 3.

Block B Standings

Kazuchika Okada – 13
Kenny Omega – 12
Evil – 10
Minoru Suzuki – 9
Sanada – 8
Michael Elgin – 8
Juice Robinson – 6
Tama Tonga – 6
Toru Yano – 6
Satoshi Kojima – 2

Well there you have it, to the surprise of nobody it will come down to Okada vs. Omega for the winner of the block. A draw will give Okada the win so Omega has to win. On Friday the winner of Naito/Tanahashi will take on the winner of the Omega/Okada match on Saturday so that’s really all that’s left that matters.

Until then please check out my podcast, “Politically Incorrect Wrestling Show” on iTunes, Podbean, and Stitcher. Follow me on Twitter at Eddyc85 and or PIWShow. Thanks for reading.

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