– NJPW’s G1 Climax is an annual tournament that this year takes place from July 14 to August 12. Wrestlers are split into 2 Blocks of 10 and fight each person in their allocated Block. 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 for a loss. The two wrestlers at the top of Block A and Block B will face each other in the NJPW G1 Climax 28 Final, August 12 in Tokyo at the Budokan.
Below are the results from the ninth day of the tournament and updated Block A standings:
Hirooki Goto & Yoh defeated Shota Umino & Toa Henare
Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa defeated Zack Sabre Jr & TAKA Michinoku
Juice Robinson & David Finlay defeated Toru Yano & Gedo
Kota Ibushi & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Tomohiro Ishii & Sho
Tetsuya Naito & SANADA defeated Kenny Omega & Chase Owens
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 9
Block A
Round 5
Michael Elgin vs Minoru Suzuki
Suzuki tried his normal tactic of goading his opponent into a submission, but the strong Canadian man always powered out. Realising this, Suzuki took the match to the outside. Where El Desperado distracted the referee, allowing Suzuki to go after Elgin with a God damn steel chair! He then targeted Elgin’s right arm and took the fight into the audience, aka Suzuki’s playground. The Suzuki Gun leader launched Elgin into a seating area before deciding to bring the match back into the ring.
Suzuki went back to the tactic of goading his opponent into a submission, however now he had an arm to target and his opponent was going to struggle to power out. The battle of technique versus raw power, with the caveat that it took way more out of Elgin to keep up as he could only use the one arm. Even if he did manage to hit one of his big moves, the power was nowhere near Elgin’s normal level so they just didn’t have the same impact.
In the end Elgin tried to suplex Suzuki, but the injured arm worked as an escape route and Minoru slipped out. Then straight into a Gotch Style Piledriver for the three! And the kicking of Young Lions commenced.
Winner: Minoru Suzuki (3 Wins 2 Losses = 6 points)
EVIL vs Hangman Page
A relatively even match with both guys having a strong share of momentum. Hangman seemed to have the better of things eventually, but EVIL got back into things with the second God damn steel chair of the night! But the LIJ member made a mistake in going for the count out victory, as Page regained his energy and started flying on all cylinders when he got back in. A running corner dropkick, followed shortly after by a Moonsault to the outside. Page was back on top again.
An awesome spot where Hangman went for another Moonsault in the ring, EVIL rolled out the way but Page landed on his feet and hit a standing Shooting Star. Unfortunately Hangman was too determined to hit that Moonsault, after going to the top rope once again EVIL stop him in his tracks and flipped him to the mat with a suplex.
EVIL quickly hit Darkness Falls, but as was the flow of this match, Hangman managed to kick out. Before EVIL could hit anything else Hangman got back in and tried to end things, but EVIL kept countering and trying to go for the STO. Hangman was countering back as well, until a stiff arm and a headbutt from EVIL stopped him in his tracks. Followed by one hell of a lariat and one last kickout from Page, the EVIL one finally had his opening and hit the Everything is Evil STO! 1, 2, 3!
Winner: EVIL (4 Wins 1 Loss = 8 Points)
Jay White vs Bad Luck Fale
White immediately snuck out of the ring and launched Tonga Loa into the barricade, very smart strategy meaning the match was one on one from the get go. That was until Bad Luck Fale distracted Red Shoes the ref by trying to introduce a steel chair, allowing Loa to get his own back and sneak on White on the outside. But Switchblade was playing smart, making sure to counter or out play Fale at his own game.
A short brawl later and a Fale with Young Lions launched on top of him by White, the match had truly descended into a messy arena fight. With Fale himself launching Switchblade into the crowd after Tonga Loa started ‘chatting nice words’ at White. Side note, within all the madness the English commentary got taken out! So we all enjoyed the remainder of this match in commentary silence.
Once again Red Shoes gets knocked down and Tonga Loa interjects straight away, shortly followed by Tama Tonga armed with a chair. White managed to get hold the chair himself and launch it into Tonga Loa’s head, but the numbers were too much and Tama Tonga was quickly there to deliver a Gun Stun. One Bad Luck Fall with reluctant referee count later and the victory was Fale’s.
Winner: Bad Luck Fale (2 Wins 3 Losses = 4 Points)
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Togi Makabe
With the English commentary still out (damn you, Switchblaaade!) the match starts somewhat respectfully, for once we get a delightful chain sequence of holds. The traditional way to start a New Japan bout! Nice to have that back after the last match. Makabe tried to use his power and Tanahashi his technique and agility. And now us English fans can rejoice, Rocky fixed everything! All praise Rocky Romero for fixing the commentary.
The match continued with an exchange of holds, Makabe seemingly aiming most of his targeting towards the leg. Tanahashi got on top with his aforementioned agility, but Makabe’s power meant The Ace needed to be just that little bit quicker to stay ahead. At first he struggled, Makabe countered an attempt at a Swingblade with one hell of a stiff lariat.
The story continued, Tanahashi tried to use his pace but Makabe was winning everything in the end with his power. King Kong Makabe countered with a snap T-Bone Suplex, he countered with a lariat, a Powerbomb, Tanahashi was in trouble. Sensing the opportunity, Makabe lifted Tanahashi to the top rope to hit the Spider German to set up the King Kog Knee Drop. But Tana fought back and the best Makabe could do was hit a Belly to Bellt, which wasn’t enough to keep the Ace down. Tana rolled out the way and quickly followed up with a Swingblade. He then ‘aced’ two High Fly Flows and Makabe was down for the count.
Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi (4 Wins 1 Loss = 8 Points)
Kazuchika Okada vs YOSHI-HASHI
Okada provoked YOSHI-HASHIby throwing his shirt at him, straight away bringing out a more aggressive side of the ‘Loose Explosion’. But Okada was going to make him work it, going after his Chaos friend with equal aggression. The Rainmaker draped YS over the barricade and DDT him hard onto the outside area. Maybe being crewel to be kind, but Okada was making YOSHI-HASHI really prove himself.
Back in the ring Okada started shouting at YOSHI-HASHI to hit him harder, after a few stiffer shots The Rainmaker only needed one to rock him. This lit something under YS and the Loose Explosion started burning hot! By that I mean getting the better of the offense but never really putting Okada in any real danger.
Okada eventually got back on top via a Shotgun Dropkick launching YOSHI into the corner, then a second one just as equally on point really placed him on top. Then Okada wound YOSHI-HASHI for the… kind of Rainmaker, a sit down variety of the lariat. The exact copy of the WrestleKingdom debut of The Rainmaker between these two! Guys, Okada hit the shite Rainmaker. That was a mistake as YOSHI-HASHI reversed with one hell of counter driving Okada, now he was the one on top
YOSHI-HASHI started to hit his signature offence, with the Swanton Bomb getting the closest fall. All looked good, until Okada nailed yet another dropkick. Without patience he went for a proper Rainmaker but HASHI countered into a Butterfly Lock. The Rainmaker did his best to get out, but YS kept rolling through and maintaining the hold.
Okada struggled after this, YOSHI-HASHI was in control hitting strong offence. He just wasn’t able to put The Rainmaker away, so he went for his biggest moves. YS attempted to hit Karma, got countered but was able to go for it agai- countered into a Tombstone! Okada on wobbly legs managed to lift YOSHI-HASHI up and knocked the wind of out of him with one hell of a Rainmaker. Instead of going for the pin Okada went for a second Rainmaker! 1, 2, 3! Okada wins, but it was close.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada (3 Wins 2 Losses = 6 Points)
Block A Standings
EVIL (8 Points)
Hiroshi Tanahashi (8 Points)
Jay White (6 Points)
Kazuchika Okada (6 Points)
Minoru Suzuki (6 Points)
Bad Luck Fale (4 Points)
Michael Elgin (4 points)
Togi Makabe (4 points)
Bad Luck Fale (4 Points)
Hangman Page (2 Points)
YOSHI-HASHI (2 Points)
G1 is back Saturday July 28 for the Block B round 5 match ups: Tama Tonga vs Zack Sabre Jr, Juice Robinson vs Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii vs Kota Ibushi, Hirooki Goto vs Tetsuya Naito and Kenny Omega vs SANADA.
Full results of the show will be posted here on LOP shortly after.
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 1 (July 14 2018) – Jay White vs Kazuchika Okada
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 2 (July 15 2018) – Kenny Omega vs Tetsuya Naito
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 3 (July 16 2018) – Jay White vs Hiroshi Tanahashi
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 4 (July 19 2018) – Kenny Omega vs Hirooki Goto
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 5 (July 20 2018) – Kazuchika Okada vs Hangman Page
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 6 (July 21 2018) – Hirooki Goto vs Tomohiro Ishii
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 7 (July 22 2018) – Kazuchika Okada vs Togi Makabe
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 8 (July 26 2018) – Kota Ibushi vs SANADA
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