Hello fellow New Japan fans, we’re on Day 4 of The G1 Climax 28. It’s back to B Block action tonight. As usual, the first half of the show is taken up by tag matches to preview contest between entrants for the next show.
The show began with a 10 bell salute to the passing of Masa Saito. Most of the wrestlers stood around the ring in mourning. Very touching tribute.
“Switchblade” Jay White & Yoh of CHAOS b. Michael Elgin & Ren Narita when Yoh submitted Narita with a Boston Crab. It’s worth mentioning that Kevin Kelly referred to Jay White and Yo as “two of your CHAOS brethren” to Rocky Romero. Romero replied “Well, one of my CHAOS brethren”. Shine for Elgin off the bat, then Narita tagged in and didn’t fair so well. White repeatedly slammed Narita’s back on the apron and the guardrail. Yoh seemed to be taken aback at this blatant cheating by the self proclaimed CHAOS leader. Narita took a beating before tagging Elgin back in. Black Hole slam scored a two count for Elgin. Double tag out to Narita and Yoh saw Narita gain some offense. A brawl broke out between the heavyweights outside the ring as Yoh and Narita went at it in the ring. Yoh applied a Boston Crab, which Narita valiantly tried to escape. Alas, he could not and submitted to Yoh.
After the match, White mouthed off to the announce table and left while Yoh celebrated by himself in the ring.
Minoru Suzuki & El Desperado of Suzuki-Gun b. YOSHI-HASHI & Sho of CHAOS when Suzuki pinned Sho with a Gotch Piledriver. As usual, Suzuki-Gun jumped the gun and attacked before the bell. They smashed both Sho and Hashi around outside the ring. Suzuki even gave a few chairshots to innocent ring crew just because he can. Back in the ring, Sho continued to take a beating. Hashi got the tag went back and forth with Suzuki. Sho tagged in and a four way broke out. In the ensuing melee, Suzuki hit the Gotch Piledriver and pinned Sho.
After the match, Suzuki cut a promo on Hashi. Presumably talking trash about the evil things he will do tomorrow.
EVIL & BUSHI of Los Ingobernables De Japon b. Togi Makabe & Toa Henare when EVIL submitted Henare with the Banshee Muzzle. A for way brawl broke out early, with the match spilling to the outside. The heels easily got the upper hand here. Back in the ring, Henare made a comeback before a brawl broke out. Bushi tied up Makabe while Evil submitted Henare with the Banshee Muzzle.
After the match, Makabe and Evil brawled before getting separated. They get to settle their differences tomorrow in A Block Tournament Action.
Bad Luck Fale & Tanga Loa b. Hiroshi Tanahashi & David Finlay when Loa pinned Finlay with an Over The Shoulder Piledriver. Finlay and Fale started out, with Finlay charging in for a shoulderblock against the 350 lb. Fale. When that failed massively, Finlay immediately tagged out to Tanahashi. Amazingly, Tanahashi got Fale down to the mat and started to apply the Cloverleaf. Loa broke the submission attempt. Fale took the fight to the outside and whipped Tanahashi into the guardrail. Back in the ring Loa and Finlay took over, with Finlay getting some momentum. Fale tried to break a pin attempt on Loa with a splash, but Finlay got out of the way and Fale splashed his own tag partner. Tanahashi dropkicked Fale to the outside while Finlay and Load remained. Loa hit a German Suplex on Finlay, then got the win with an Over The Shoulder Piledriver.
Hangman Page & Chase Owens b. Kazuchika Okada & Gedo of CHAOS when Owens pinned Gedo with a Package Piledriver. Kevin Kelly pointed out that it has been over 40 days since Okada had a singles victory. Gedo and Owens began the match, but Okada and Page soon tagged in. Page held his own against Okada until getting hit with the Too Awesome Dropkick. Double tag out to Gedo and Owens. Page broke up a Gedo Clutch pin attempt, to which Okada entered. Page hit Okada with a Shooting Star to the outside while Owens hit the Package Piledriver on Gedo to win the match.
Owens took the mic from the broadcast booth and gloated about a Southern Virginia Ass-Whoopin’.
That brings us to the B Block Tournament Matches.
SANADA (0) p. Tama Tonga (2) with a bridging roll-up. Tonga wore a shirt from the San Francisco show, which is where of course all the Tongans turned on Bullet Club. Sanada tried to use his speed while Tonga tried to slow things down. Loa interfered by grabbing Sanada’s leg, and was quickly ejected from ringside. After back and forth action, Sanada tied up Tonga in the Paradise Lock, kicked him to the outside, and followed up with a plancha. Tonga escaped a Skull End by backing into the referee. With the referee down, Loa and Fale hit the ring. Loa used a powerbomb and escaped before the referee came to. Sanada still managed to kick out, which excited the crowd. Sanada then escaped a Gun Stun, shoved Tonga into Loa, and rolled him up for the three count.
Zack Sabre Jr. (0) p. Toru Yano (0) with a roll-up. As usual, Sabre came to the ring accompanied by Taka Michinoku, who cut a promo putting him over. Rocky Romero told a story that Toru Yano tackled trees as a young man, and reiterated that Yano was going to refrain from breaking the rules during the tournament. Of course, as soon as the bell rang, Yano ran to the corner to remove a turnbuckle pad. The two traded holds and takedowns in the opening moments. The action went to the outside where Yano tried to fight into the crowd. Sabre blocked and applied an Octopus Hold on the floor. Sabre ran to the ring, and Yano followed just barely beating the count. ZSJ used an Abdominal Stretch, which Yano reversed into a stretch of his own. This delighted the crowd, as the comedic Yano was matching the submission master at his own game. Back to the outside, Sabre whipped Yano into the guardrail and wound his arm around it for most of the count. Yano still managed to make the count at 19. Sabre kept trying submission holds, and Yano kept escaping. A low blow by Yano was blocked, and Sabre went to fisticuffs. Yano finally removed a turnbuckle (this may be a record for how long it took Yano to get a turnbuckle). In a very exciting finish, the two traded rapid pinfall attempts and reversals. Eventually, Sabre came out on top with a pinfall victory.
Kota Ibushi (2) p. IWGP United States Champion Juice Robinson (0) with a Kamigoye Knee Strike. A handshake started the contest. Always nice to see babyfaces show respect to each other. The two tried to feel each other out in the early minutes. Ibushi missed the Golden Triangle Moonsault to the outside, and Juice countered with a somersault off the apron. Juice maintained the upper hand for the next few minutes until he missed a cannonball in the corner. Ibushi made a comeback, but got caught and superplexed off the top rope. Juice hit a powerbomb for a near fall. The two exchanged blows on the apron, with Ibushi nailing a hurricanrana off the apron to the floor. Ibushi finally hit the moonsault on Juice to the outside. Juice evaded the Kamigoye and scored a two count with a Gutbuster. Juice went for the Pulp Friction, to which Ibushi countered with a German Suplex. Juice kicked out, but fell almost immediately to the Kamigoye Knee Thrust to get the pin.
The two hugged after the match, and Juice Robinson lifted Ibushi’s hand for victory. A great show of sportsmanship! Pretty safe bet there will be a title match out of this.
Tetsuya Naito (0) p. Tomohiro Ishii (2) with Destino. Naito came to the ring in a white suit and cape, and of course didn’t bother to take them off until after Ishii was in the ring and was ready to wrestle. Since both guys are heels, neither would do clean rope breaks. Ishii repeatedly chopped Naito’s chest, with Naito responding by spitting in Ishii’s face. Eventually, Naito was knocked off his feet. Ishii taunted Naito in the corner until Naito slapped him. Now enraged, Ishii began chopping Naito relentlessly again. After reversing a brainbuster into a tornado DDT, Naito got a second wind. A missile dropkick failed to even knock Ishii off his feet. Some back and forth action with Naito using diving clotheslines Naito reversed another brainbuster into a DDT and followed that up with a discus lariat. Ishii began firing up and no-selling Naito’s offense. A headbutt knocked Naito to the mat, and a powerbomb got a two count. Ishii landed a basement clothesline for another near fall. Both men reversed each other’s finishers, but couldn’t hit their own. Ishii landed another thunderous lariat, but couldn’t hit the brainbuster. Naito missed a Destino attempt. Ishii again tried a brainbuster, only to have it reversed into a Destino. Ishii kicked out, but got hit with a second Destino. This time, Naito was able to get the pin.
After the match, referee Red Shoes raised Naito’s arm in victory. Naito responded by throwing Red Shoes down to the mat.
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega (2) p. NEVER Openweight Champion Hirooki Goto (2) with a One Winged Angel. Omega gave the aura like Goto was beneath him at the start of the match, which angered Goto. Both men went for their finishers early. Omega dropkicked Goto to the floor and went for a plancha. Goto stopped him by throwing a chair in his face, and hitting a GRT on the floor. Omega responded by slamming Goto on the bleachers, and moonsaulting off the railing. Back in the ring, the two traded chops. Goto kicked out of a Kitaro Crusher, and a “You Can’t Escape” combo. Goto started his comeback, and hit an Ushi-Garoushi. The two battled atop the turnbuckles, but Goto hit a Code Red off the top. Omega kicked out, and the two traded back and forth blows. Goto leveled Omega with a lariat, and hit a reverse GTR. Omega tried reversing the GTR, but Goto turned it into a Shouten Kai for a near fall. Omega battled back with V-Triggers and a neckbreaker. Finally, Omega landed the One Winged Angel to score the pin. Very strong main event match.
After the match, Omega cut a promo entirely and Japanese. He then went backstage and spoke to the press in English, comparing himself to Tiger Woods and Larry Bird as an athlete in demand. He also had words for Tama Tonga, his next opponent, saying Tonga’s Bullet Club won’t be as good as his.
Standings
4 Ibushi
4 Omega
2 Goto
2 Ishii
2 Naito
2 Sabre
2 SANADA
2 Tonga
0 Robinson
0 Yano
