#g12017

Phew! Block A closes with a stellar night of matches where talents seemed perfectly matched. You have the oddballs who no one thought would win pairing, Middle to high ground talents in match’s 3 and 4 and lastly the two seasoned main eventers, the ACE IC champion and the man he dethroned for that belt.

Yuji Nagata vs Bad Luck Fale, This is pretty standard fare for a Bad Luck Fale match. I found myself growing accustom to seeing Yuji Nagata these last two weeks. It’s sad to see such a great talent nearing retirement, but I ease that feeling knowing he has plenty of classics I can go back to watch... this wasn’t one of them.

Togi Makabe vs Yoshi-Hashi, I’d be hard pressed to name talents I liked less this tournament then these two. I like Makabe’s finish in general and the one in this match was good. Yoshi-Hashi did okay this tournament, but performed about on par for what I was expecting from him. 

Tomohiro Ishii vs Zack Sabre Jr., a rematch from just over a month ago in the IWGP US Title tournament. I think this was as good, if not better than that match. I’m surprised Ishii and Sabre match up so well, but they do. Seeing Zack Sabre Jr. tie up Ishii in a knot was fantastic and feels like an evolution of the match they had at the US Title Tournament. This and the next two matches are arguably all in the top ten for Block A for me. 

Hirooki Goto vs Kota Ibushi, two guys that had to be favorites going into block A. Goto having made it to the final last year and Kota Ibushi/Kenny Omega having an obvious story to tell in a match. Both came up slightly short though and so here are just fighting for 2 more points and pride. While I’m not huge on Goto I have to hand it to him here. It was a great match between these two and it takes 2 to tango. The ending alone, might be one of the best finishes of the whole tournament and a great moment. If Ibushi works more for NJPW after the G1 Climax this seems like a feud that could steal a show. 

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Tetsuya Naito, watch out Omega/Okada after this match they might have quite the show to beat. I honestly think Block B will have to work their asses off tomorrow to beat todays show. A big reason for that is this fantastic main event that took the Naito/Tanahashi feud, made it less then 30 minutes and made it a non-blinking affair for me.  I think the two switching up their offenses and finding ways to counter the other was great throughout. Definitely in contention for match of the block with the other best being Naito Ibushi. Making it feel more than fitting that Naito may win G1 2017, since he more than proved he is one of the best talents the company has. 

Not a night to miss! If you are more than a few night behind, just skip to the last three matches of this night before the finals come. The Tanahashi/Naito match will be a match people remember 5-10-15 years from now. 

My personal rankings for Block A :

1. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Tetsuya Naito

2. Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito

3. Tomohiro Ishii vs Kota Ibushi

4. Kota Ibushi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

5. Tomohiro Ishii vs Zack Sabre Jr.

6. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Tomohiro Ishii

7.Yuji Nagata vs Tomohiro Ishii

8. Hirooki Goto vs Kota Ibushi

9.Yuji Nagata vs Kota Ibushi

10.Zack Sabre Jr vs Yuji Nagata

11.Tetsuya Naito vs Hirooki Goto

12. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kota Ibushi

13. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

14. Tetsuya Naito vs Togi Makabe

15.Tomohiro Ishii vs Bad Luck Fale

16. Tomohiro Ishii vs Tetsuya Naito

17. Yuji Nagata vs. YOSHI-HASHI

18. YOSHI-HASHI vs Togi Makabe

19. Bad Luck Fale vs Hirooki Goto

20. Kota Ibushi vs Bad Luck Fale

21. Zack Sabre Jr vs Tetsuya Naito

22.Kota Ibushi vs Yoshi-Hashi

23. Bad Luck Fale vs Tetsuya Naito

24. Tetsuya Naito vs. YOSHI-HASHI

25. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

26.Zack Sabre Jr. vs Hirooki Goto

27.Zack Sabre Jr. vs Bad Luck Fale

28.Togi Makabe vs. Tomohiro Ishii

29. Zack Sabre Jr. vs Togi Makabe

30. Kota Ibushi vs Togi Makabe

31. Hirooki Goto vs. Tomohiro Ishii

32. Togi Makabe vs Yuji Nagata

33. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Hirooki Goto

34. Zack Sabre Jr. vs YOSHI-HASHI

35.  Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bad Luck Fale

36. Togi Makabe vs. Bad Luck Fale

37. Yuji Nagata vs Tetsuya Naito

38. Tomohiro Ishii vs Yoshi-Hashi

39. Yoshi Hashi vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

40. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Togi Makabe

41.  Yuji Nagata vs. Hirooki Goto

42. Togi Makabe vs Hirooki Goto

43. Hirooki Goto vs Yoshi Hashi

44. Bad Luck Fale vs Yuji Nagata

45. Bad Luck Fale vs Yoshi Hashi

As the tournament pans out it’s making some matches lack any real urgency and that’s true for more than half of tonights matches. Luckily, the night isn’t all a wash since the main event was great and there was still drama around Evil who pulled the upset over Okada and is still in the race while most of the field has been statistically eliminated from winning block B. Which makes their matches feel a bit redundant. 

Tama Tonga vs Satoshi Kojima, Kojima and Tonga clash, but with both men so low on the rankings of not only the G1 points, but also in putting on great matches this G1 it was hard to really care. Tonga got another two points, but since Kojima only has one win under his belt it’s hardly something for Tonga to brag about. 

Toru Yano vs Juice Robinson, Yano was actually some what subdued here compared to most matches this didn’t have as much comedy. A fun bit at the start had Yano tying Juice’s dreads to the barricade. Despite a low blow, Juice pulled a win out over the clown and added another 2 points under his belt. Juice fielding a respectable 6 points in his first G1 tied with Tonga/Yano/Togi Makabe who are all much more seasoned in the tournament.

Michael Elgin vs Evil, Arguably match of the night. It may get overlooked in favor of the main event which features 2 higher card guys. Still, I thought this was a great clash of the singlets. Both men are hard hitters and both had something to prove going into this. Could Evil keep in the contest by beating Elgin and staying within a stone's throw of the finals? Sadly no, meaning that statistically it’s near impossible for Evil to go into the finals. The only way Evil can still make it is if... he beats Kojima, Okada beat Kenny Omega, but is too injured to go to the finals. That would leave Evil/Omega tied at 12, Evil beat Omega in their head to head and would be given the buy into the finals. That would be some confusing booking, but stranger things have happened and Okada was wearing a bandage on his neck.

Kenny Omega vs Sanada, going into this G1 a few people were hoping it would lead to the ascension/elevation. That he would show the world what he could do and that NJPW would give him some big wins to cement him as a start. 16 Nights later that seems to obviously not be the case. Not that Sanada hasn’t had good matches, but he has been outpaced by fellow LIJ members Naito and more surprisingly Evil. This match was fine, but mostly skippable as has quite a few of Sanada’s outing this year... perhaps better luck next year Sanada?

Kazuchika Okada vs Minoru Suzuki, this match took a little while to get going. However, once it was up and running it continues hard through the finish. I’ll never not mark out for Suzuki slapping the shit out of anyone, when that anyone is also IWGP Heavyweight Champion is only makes it more badass. The main thing most people will be divisive about is the draw. While I don’t think it’s bad booking, I think any draw is always a thing that hurts the match in the long run. Since most people don’t want to go back and watch a draw... since it feels inconclusive, it’s just one of 9 matches both men have in this block so that lessens the negative effect for me personally. 

Block B personal rankings :

1. Kazuchika Okada vs. Michael Elgin

2. Juice Robinson vs Minoru Suzuki

3. Michael Elgin vs Kenny Omega

4. Michael Elgin vs Sanada

5. Evil vs Michael Elgin

6. Evil vs Kenny Omega

7. Kazuchika Okada vs Minoru Suzuki

8. Kazuchika Okada vs Evil

9. Minoru Suzuki vs. Kenny Omega

10. Juice Robinson vs Kazuchika Okada

11. Michael Elgin vs Minoru Suzuki

12. Juice Robinson vs Kenny Omega

13. EVIL vs. Juice Robinson

14. Minoru Suzuki vs Evil

15. Minoru Suzuki vs Tama Tonga

16. Kazuchika Okada vs Tama Tonga

17. Michael Elgin vs Satoshi Kojima

18. Satoshi Kojima vs Sanada

19. Kazuchika Okada vs Sanada

20. Minoru Suzuki vs. SANADA

21. Sanada vs Juice Robinson

22. Kenny Omega vs. Tama Tonga

23. Satoshi Kojima vs. Juice Robinson  

24. SANADA vs. EVIL

25. Evil vs Tama Tonga

26. Kenny Omega vs Toru Yano

27. Sanada vs Kenny Omega

28. Kenny Omega vs Satoshi Kojima

29. Tama Tonga vs Juice Robinson

30. Satoshi Kojima vs Kazuchika Okada

31. Michael Elgin vs Tama Tonga

31. Kazuchika Okada vs Toru Yano

33. Satoshi Kojima vs Minoru Suzuki

34. Satoshi Kojima vs Toru Yano

35. Satoshi Kojima vs Tama Tonga

36. Tama Tonga vs Toru Yano

37. Toru Yano vs Michael Elgin  

38.Toru Yano vs Sanada

39. Toru Yano vs Juice Robinson

40. Evil vs Toru Yano

As always, this is just personal preference. If you disagree, I’m always down to see anyone else’s personal rankings. It’s also 30 matches to rank so some naturally just gravitate one way or the other.