G1 Climax A Block Night 3, 7/23 Tokyo Machida Gymnasium – Full Show with Japanese Commentary
Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima) b. Michael Elgin & Katsuyori Kitamura when Kojima pinned Kitamura with a Lariat. Kojima and Elgin have a tournament match on the next show. Shine on Elgin out of the gate. Kitamura tagged in and landed several chops and a gut wrench suplex. Kojima tagged out to Tenza, who took control. Kojima came back in and hit his rapid fore chops on Kitmaura. Top Rope Elbow on Kitamura for a two count. Hot tag to Elgin, who ran wild with clotheslines. Falcon Arrow on Kijima for a two count. Kitamura tagged in and racked Kojima. Kojima countered with a Koji Cutter and Lariat to score the victory. Perfectly fine opening match.
Suzuki-Gun (NEVER Openweight Champion Minoru Suzuki, Taichi, & El Desperado) b. Juice Robinson, David Finlay, & Hirai Kawato when Deperado submitted Kawato with Pinche Loco. Suzuki-Gun attacked before the bell, and tossed the babyfaces around outside of the ring. Suzuki and Juice squared off in the ring, with Suzuki grounding Juice with leglocks. Suzukie even took Juice to the outside and rang his knee around a chair while sitting in it. Like a day at the park. Nack in the ring Taichi tagged in and hit Juice with the ring bell. The heels took turns working over Juice. Double tag out to Finlay and Desperado. Flying uppercut by Finlay scored a two-count. Kawato tagged in and got a near fall on Desperado. Kawato and Desperado were going toe to toe when Suzuki stalked Kawato and hit him from behind. Desperado then hit his finisher Pinche Loco to score the pinfall victory.
After the match Suzukie wrapped Juice’s leg around the ring barrier because he’s a jerk. Oka and Finlay helped Juice to the back.
EVIL & Hiromu Takahashi of Los Ingobernables De Japon b. Tama Tonga & Chase Owens of Bullet Club when EVIL submitted Owens with the Banshee Muzzle. A brawl broke out before the bell between the two heel factions. Owens and Takahashi squared off before Owens tagged out to Tonga. EVIL tagged in and hit several sentons. Evil and Takahashi double teamed Owens until Evil locked in the Banshee Muzzle for the submission win
IWGP United States Champion Kenny Omega & Yujiro Takahashi of Bullet Club b. Toru Yano & Hado of CHAOS when Takahashi pinned Jado with a Pimp Juice DDT. Comedy early on between Jado and Yujiro. Omega choked out Yano with Yujiro’s cane on the outside. Bullet Club double teamed Jado until Yano got the hot tag. Of course, Yano immediately reomved the turnbuckle pads. Dueling hair pull spots between Yano and Omega. Yujiro hit Jado with the Pimp Juice DDT to get the three count.
SANADA & BUSHI of Los Ingobernables De Japon b. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada & Gedo of CHAOS when Bushi pinned Gedo with a MX. Sanada started out with Okada. The two went back and forth to a standstill. Double tag out to Gedo and BUSHI. LIJ took turns working over Gedo’s beard. Yes, you read that correctly. Multi-Man Brawl broke out, with Okada and Sanada going at it. Sanada locked the Skull End on Okada, while Bushi hit the MX on Gedo to get the win.
Onto the tournament matches
Zack Sabre Jr. (1-1) s. YOSHI-HASHI (1-1) with the Octopus Hold. Desperado accompanied ZSJ to the ring. Back and forth athletic action in the opening moments. ZSJ locked up Hashi in a submission, and grabbed ea h appendage Hashi tried to reach out to the ropes with. Hashi made a comeback with clothesliness and dropkicks. Powerbomb on Sabre for a two count. Hashi kicked Desperado down to the floor, but missed a swanton. ZSJ regained control with a triangle choke. Hashi made it to the ropes. Hashi rallied with holds of his own, but ZSJ locked in the Octopus Hold, getting the submission victory.
IWGP Intercontinental Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi (1-1) p. Yuji Nagata (0-2) with a High Fly Flow. Lots of mat based wrestling and reversals early on, with neither man gaining an advantage. Nagata put Tanahashi in a Figure Four, which had a back ad forth reversal. Nagta leveled Tanahashi with kicks. Tanahashi is working heel here, which is something I never thought I’d type. Nagata locked in the Shiromi Armbar. Superplex by Nagata scored a two count. Tanahasho reversed a Back Drop Hold into Slingblade. After some back aand forth action, Tananhashi hit the High Fly Flow for the win.
Bad Luck Fale (1-1) p. Tetsuya Naito (2-0) with the Bad Luck Fall. Naito jumped Fale before the bell to gain an early advantage. Naturally, he used his speed and agility to keep the bigger man on his toes. Fale eventially Caught Naito and threw him into the railing. Fale dominated the match for several minutes afterwards. Naito made a comeback with dropkick variations. Fale blocked a Destino attempt. Naito turned a Hand Grenade into a DDT. However, Fale wouldn’t stay downn and hit a Hand Grenade followed by the Bad Luck Fall to score the win.
Kota Ibushi (1-1) p. Tomohiro Ishii (1-1) with a Last Ride Powerbomb. One of the things I like about the G1 is the variance off wrestling styles, and this is a perfect example. Ishii is a great brawler, whereas Ibushi is very agile. These two went at it right off the bat with strikes. Back and forth dueling forearms. Ishii weakened Ibushi with headbutts until Ibushi rallied with dropkicks. Moonsault by Ibushi for a two count. Ishii began no-selling Ibushi’s kicks, and fired back with strikes of his own. Ibushi returned the no-sell and battled back to his feet. The two erupted in strikes to each other, with Ibushi finally leveling Ishii. German Suplex by Ishii. Kota with a backflip kick. Ishii leveled Ibushi with a lariat, and placed him on the turnbuckles. Delayed brainbuster off the second rope by Ishii got a two count. Ishii got another near fall with his sliding lariat. Ibushi flipped out of a German Suplex attempt and decked Ishii with a kick. Another lariat by Ishii, but Ibushi kicked out at one. Another German Suplex, this time by Ibushi. Ishii tried to fight his way out with headbutts, but Ibushi finished him off with the Last Ride Powerbomb. Excellent match that I can’t possibly do justice to.
Togi Makabe (0-2) p. Hirooki Goto (2-0) with The King Kong Kneedrop. The lone remaining member of GBH is so far winless in the tournament, and Goto has yet to lose. The two hosses went at it, with Goto clotheslining Makabe off the top rope to the outside. Goto worked over Makabe with submissions. Makabe began motioning for Goto to continue to “Bring it” with sstrikes. Makabe decked Goto with a shoulderblock. Northern Lights by Makabe scored a near fall. The two traded lariats, knocking each other down twice. Makabe missed the King Kong Kneedrop. Goto rallied with another lariat. Sleeper by Goto. The two battled atop the turnbuckles, with Makabe knocking Goto back and hitting the King Kong Kneedrop. Makabe followed it up with a Kong Kong Powerbomb, but only got a two count. Makabe hit the top rope Spider Suplex, and hit another King Kong Kneedrop to finally put down Goto and get on the board. Great hossfight!
After the match, Makabe closed out the show with a promo.
STANDINGS
4 Bad Luck Fale
4 Hirooki Goto
4 Hiroshi Tanahashi
4 Kota Ibushi
4 Tetsuya Naito
4 Zack Sabre Jr.
2 Togi Makabe
2 Tomohiro Ishii
2 YOSHI-HASHI
0 Yuji Nagata
