We’re already on Night 5 of The G1 Climax, which will be A Block Tournament action. The undercard will be tag matches to preview the next night of the B Block Tournament.
Zack Sabre Jr. and Taka Michinoku of Suzuki-Gun b. Shota Umino & Toa Henare when Sabre submitted Umino. Of course, Taka cut the usual promo putting over ZSJ. Umino got the shine early on against Taka. Then Sabre tagged in and grounded Umino with submission holds. The heels continued to work over Umino until Henare got the tag and got some near falls. Sabre tagged in, but didn’t fare much better. Now it was the babyfaces’ turn to team against Sabre. Umino scored a near fall with a missile dropkick. Sabre put Umino in a hold, only for there to be a rope break. Umino tried to battle back, but Sabre kept reversing into submission holds, eventually forcing Umino to tap out.
Kota Ibushi & Yujiro Takahashi b. Toru Yano & Gedo of CHAOS when Takahashi pinned Gedo with a Pimp Juice DDT. Yujiro came to the ring accompanied by one of his female armpieces (the first time during the tour). Gedo and Yujiro started out, and wasted no time biting each other’s hands. Yano tagged in and removed a turnbuckle. However, he did not fare well against Ibushi and tagged back out. Takahashi tagged in and wrestled Gedo while Ibushi and Yano fought on the outside. Gedo found himself of the receiving end of a Pimp Juice DDT, and the match was over.
Tetsuya Naito & SANADA of Los Ingobernables De Japon b. IWGP United States Champion Juice Robinson & David Finlay when SANADA submitted Finlay with a Skull End. The babyfaces held their own in the opening minute, so Naito attacked Juice on the outside and slammed his broken hand against tables and railings. Meanwhile in the ring, Sanada took control of the match over Finlay. Juice and Naito tagged in, and Naito continued to attack Juice’s injured hand. A four way broke out, with Finlay and Sanada as the legal men in the ring, and Naito and Juice on the outside. This allowed for Sanada to cause Finlay to submit to the Skull End.
The Guerrillas Of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) b. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega & Chase Owens when Loa pinned Owens with an Over The Shoulder Piledriver. A brawl immediately broke out between the former Bullet Clubbers before the bell and quickly spilled to the outside. GOD came out in front and worked over Owens. Tonga yanked Omega away before Owens could make a tag and landed a Tonga Twist on Owens. Omega hit the ring and battled both opponents before getting leveled by a Gun Stun. Tonga then also hit Owens with a Gun Stun, leaving him helpless to Loa. Am Over The Shoulder Piledriver late, and it was over. Omega never got an official tag for the entire match.
After the match, Kenny went to tend to Owens. Tonga hit the ring and laid out Omega with another Gun Stun, because he’s a dick.
Tomohiro Ishii & Sho of CHAOS b. NEVER Openweight Champion & Yoh, also of CHAOS, when Ishii pinned Yoh with a brainbuster. Another tag match made entirely up of teammates from the same stable. Ishii & Goto began the match in a preview of their A Block Matchup. Several running shoulderblocks back and forth before Sho tagged in. Goto granted the wish of Sho and tagged in Yoh. An excellent sequence of hold attempts and reversals. The heavyweights tagged back in, but it was Goto that who got the momentum. Yoh tagged in and hit an impressive Falcon Arrow for a two count on Ishii. Unfortunately for Yoh, he found himself between both opponents. Sho hit a knee strike, and Ishii struck with a brainbuster to finish off Yoh.
“Switchblade” Jay White (4) p. Michael Elgin (4) with a Blade Runner. White came to the ring in attire resembling something Shinsuke Nakamura would wear. The crowd started chanting for Elgin when the match began. The two combatants exchanged chops, which Elgin came out on top by chopping White to the outside. Elgin then laded a suicide dive. White escaped what would’ve been a sick suplex onto the audience chairs, and hit aback suplex on the floor. White continued his momentum by driving the small of Elgin’s back into the ring apron and guardrail. White continued the assault in the ring, and fended off comeback attempts, but couldn’t get the pin. Double Down on the outside, with White getting up first. Elgin beat the count, and also escaped a Blade Runner. From there he rallied and hit a Tiger Bomb for a two count. Elgin hit a Buckle Bomb, to which White Yanked the referee into a bump. With the referee down, White delivered a low blow, followed by a Blade Runner. The referee came to and counted the fall. White remains undefeated, despite cheating in every match so far.
Minoru Suzuki (0) p. YOSHI-HASHI (0) with a Gotch Piledriver. This time, it was Hashi that attacked before the bell, getting th jump on Suzuki. The two brawled through the crowd. When they got back in the ring, Suzuki grounded Hashi with submissions. Hashi kept escaping and applying the Butterfly Lock. Each time though, Suzuki would make it to the ropes. A dropkick gave back control of the match to Suzuki. He put Hashi in the Rear Naked Choke, and hit the Gotch Piledriver to score the win and his first two points.
After the match, Minoru offered to choke Kevin Kelly. Kelly of course turned down the offer.
EVIL p. Togi Makabe (4) with Everything Is Evil. As expected, the match again spilled to the outside with Evil using his chair attack. They continued to brawl through the crowd and eventually made it back into the ring. Evil turned the tide and leveled Makabe in the corner. Every attempt by Makabe to escape the Banshee Muzzle was countered until Makabe made it to the ropes. Evil switched up his strategy and went for power moves. Makabe kicked out of Darkness Falls, and avoided the Everything Is Evil STO. The two started colliding in the ring like charging bulls. However, Evil managed to come out on top with a clothesline, then used the Everything Is Evil to win the match.
Hiroshi Tanahashi (2) b. Bad Luck Fale (2) via DQ. Tanahashi uncharacteristically attacked Fale before the bell, and got shine for the opening minutes. Fale turned the titde by whipping Tanahashi over the guard rail and into the crowd. Fale got back in the ring with a chair. As referee Red Shoes tried to get Fale to relinquish the chair, Tanga Loa attacked Tanahashi on the outside. Fale dominated Tanahashi back in the ring. Three dropkicks helped knock Fale off his feet, to which Tanahashi capitalized with a Cloverleaf. Fale powered out, and scored some near falls with splashes. Fale went for the Bad Luck Fall, which Tanahashi reversed into a hurricanrana. Tanahashi hit a Slingblade, but missed a High Fly Flow. Tanahashi kicked out of a Hand Grenade, and reversed another Bad Luck Fall attempt into a Sling Blade. This time, Tanahashi hit the High Fly Flow. Loa pulled the referee out of the ring befpre the three count, and held Tanahashi for a clothesline from Fale. Tanahashi dodged and Fale decked Loa. Tanahashi hit another Slingblade, but Tonga hit the ring and delivered a Gun Stun. Tonga taunted Tanahashi, and draped Fale over him. Red Shoes crawled back into the ring. Instead of counting the fall, Red Shoes flipped the double bird to the heels and called for the DQ.
After the match, the three Tongans continued to pummel the fallen Tanahashi.
Kazuchika Okada (0) p. Hangman Page (2) with a Rainmaker. The story of this match was Page got the majority of the offense, but couldn’t keep Okada down. Okada kicked out of an inverted Package Piledriver. Page kept the assault going with a moonsault to the outside and a buckshot lariat back in the ring. Okada hit a desperation Tombstone Piledriver, and started his comeback. Page dodged a Rainmaker and hit a powerbomb. Okada hit a discus clothesline, immediately followed by a Rainmaker to land his first victory in over a month.
After the match, Okada cut a promo saying it was his first victory, and the tournament has just started. He vowed to win the G1.
The only man in the A Block left undefeated is Jay White.
STANDINGS
6 White
4 Elgin
4 EVIL
4 Makabe
4 Tanahashi
2 Fale
2 Okada
2 Page
2 Suzuki
0 YOSHI-HASHI
That concludes Day 5. Day 6 is coming soon. Thanks for reading.
