The first of three straight nights in Korakuen Hall begins today! Thankfully whatever neck injury Will Ospreay suffered was not severe enough to keep him from wrestling tonight.
Jon Moxley & Shota Umino b. Tomohiro Ishii & Yuya Uemera when Umino pinned Uemera with a Fisherman Suplex – Moxley made his Korakuen Hall debut in the match. Both men engaged in fisticuffs off the bat and their respective partners had to intervene to avoid a DQ. The match quickly went back and forth whether it was the veterans or the Young Lions. While Ishii and Moxley brawled on the floor, Umino hit a Fisherman Suplex and got the three count.
After the match, Moxley and Ishii continued to brawl. Ishii tossed a chair into the ring. Moxley took the chair and sat in it like he was waiting for Ishii to enter. ishii then did the same on the floor with a second chair.
Hirooki Goto, Jeff Cobb, & YOSHI-HASHI b. Juice Robinson, Toa Henare, & Yota Tsuji when Hashi submitted Tsuji with the Butterfly Lock – Henare and Goto began by charging into each other like bulls. Juice and Cobb went back and forth until Cobb tagged in Yoshi. Team Juice triple-teamed Yoshi, which led to a six-way brawl. Yoshi managed to clamp the Butterfly Lock on Tsuji while everybody brawled on the floor.
Bullet Club (Jay White, Yujiro Takahashi, & Chase Owens) b. Toru Yano, Tomoaki Honma, & Ren Narita when Owens pinned Narita with a Package Piledriver- While the heels did not attack before the bell, it didn’t take long for them to take the match to the floor and gain the advantage. Honma got cut off and worked over until Yano of all people got the hot tag and ran wild. Narita tagged in next and sent Owens into an exposed turnbuckle. Owens kicked out, but shortly afterward landed the Package Piledriver on Narita and pinned him.
Suzuki-Gun (Minoru Suzuki, Taichi, & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) Los Ingobernables De Japon (IWGP Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, & BUSHI) when Suzuki pinned Takagi with a Gotch Piledriver – It was no surprise that a brawl broke out before the bell. Everybody battled on the floor for a while. When everything got back in the ring, Takagi was getting singled out. LIJ battled back, but soon after Bushi got hit with the Gotch Piledriver and pinned by Suzuki.
A Block Tournament Matches
KENTA (2-0, 4) s. Lance Archer (2-0, 4) with a Crossface – Archer cheap shotted several Young Lions on his way to the ring. Kenta went on offense early and chopped Archer down with kicks to the legs. Archer retaliated with a shoulderblock that decked Kenta. He positioned Kenta on the apron for the obligatory big match apron bump. However, when he tried to toss Kenta to the floor, two Young Lions caught him. Archer then did an impressive cannonball onto all three men on the outside. Back in the ring, Archer taunted Kenta and blatantly shoved the referee every time he tried to step in. Kenta made his comeback with more kicks. Kenta went for the kill with a GTS, but Archer countered with a Claw. However, Kenta got to the ropes to break the hold. When Archer tried a chokeslam, Kenta reversed it into an armbreaker and drove Archer to the mat. Kenta then adjusted into a crossface and got the submission.
EVIL (1-1, 2) p. SANADA (1-1,2) with Everything is Evil – This is a unique match because both men are prominent members of Los Ingobernables De Japon, as well as former IWGP Tag Champions. Sanada erupted with a dropkick right after the bell. Evil escaped the ring and regrouped. The two went back and forth almost move for move. Evil also managed to put Sanada in his own Paradise Lock and Skull End, while Sanada was able to get a near fall with Everything Is Evil. At the 15 minute mark, Sanada put Evil in the Skull End. Evil countered with a Small Package. Sanada did likewise to counter Everything is Evil. After kicking out, Evil landed a lariat and Everything Is Evil to get the pin.
After the match, Evil offered a fistbump, which Sanada accepted.
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada (2-0,4) p. Bad Luck Fale (1-1,2) with a roll-up – Fale attacked Okada from behind during his entrance and stalked him for the first several minutes of the match. Okada made his comeback with a bodyslam and a dive to the floor. Fale escaped a Rainmaker by pulling Red Shoes in the way. While Red Shoes was down, Chase Owens interfered and attacked from behind. Fale hit a Hand Grenade and tried for the Bad Luck Fall. Okada escaped and dropkicked Fale. Owens again interfered only to get dropkicked to the floor. Jado hit Okada with his shinai. However, when Fale tried to capitalize, Okada rolled him up for a surprise pin.
After the match, Fale tried to jump Okada, but again got dropkicked to the floor.
Hiroshi Tanahashi (0-2,0) p. Zack Sabre Jr. (0-2,0) – Neither man has won a match yet, and the announcers pointed out that no man has gone 0-3 and won G1. Tanahashi stayed ahead of Sabre for the opening minutes but eventually was grounded and stretched. Tanahashi made a comeback and hit a Slingblade. Sabre blocked a High Fly Flow with his knees and tried again with a submission. Tanahashi managed to reverse into a pinning combination to score his first victory.
Kota Ibushi (0-2, 0) p. Will Ospreay (1-1, 2) with a Kamigoye – A rematch from this year’s WrestleKIngdom where Ospreay beat Ibushi for the NEVER Openweight Championship. As expected, the match started slow with the feeling out process. Once Ospreay found an opening to capitalize on Ibushi’s injured ankle, he took control of the match. This also solidified him as the heel for the match. Around the 15 minute mark, Ibushi started his comeback. Ospreay kicked out of a Last Ride Powerbomb, which kicked off a sequence of big moves and kickouts. Ospreay lifted Ibushi for a top rope German Suplex, which Ibushi countered with a backflip kick. Ospreay countered a Deadlift German by landing on his feet. Ibushi kicked out of the Oscutter at the 25 minute mark. Ibushi escaped a Stormbreaker and hit a Michinoku Driver for another near fall. Ospreay landed a Spanish Fly for a two count. Ibushi hit a Boma Ye, then followed up with a Kamigoye knee to get the pin. An excellent match that either man could have credibly won in the final minutes.
After the match, Ibushi took the mic and cut a promo thanking Ospreay and saying that everybody gets hurt in the G1. He thanked the fans for their support.
A BLOCK STANDINGS
6 KENTA
6 Kazuchika Okada
4 EVIL
4 Lance Archer
2 Bad Luck Fale
2 Hiroshi Tanahashi
2 Kota Ibushi
2 SANADA
2 Will Ospreay
0 Zack Sabre Jr.
