G1 B Block: YOSHI-HASHI def Shingo Takagi — (4:45, Itadaki Kari [a crucifix driver])
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We open with over a minute of YH’s theme before he finally comes out the curtain, during which the crowd does not make a single sound.
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Newly “Unaffiliated”-aligned Nagai, who it’s clarified is still a Young Lion, holds the ropes open for Shingo.
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Part of the crowd wakes up to cheer YH once the bell rings, apparently it may in fact be his family and friends.
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Shingo threatened to come early in the match, but YH prevented it and had the audacity to steal his gimmick.
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Fine for a sub-five minute match. Shingo got his shoulder up at 3.2 and protested the finish a little bit, but wasn’t a dick about it.
G1 A Block: EVIL[w/Dick Togo, Don Fale] def Callum Newman — (9:02, Scorpion Deathlock)
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Apparently EVIL’s teased secret weapon is Don Fale. I am not glad to see him, but I am happy to know he’s back from the personal issues that took him off the end of the Soul tour.
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EVIL jumpstarts the match by attacking Callum while he’s distracted by the outside Torturers.
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As you’d expect, Callum’s “weak point” during the tournament will be his right knee.
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HoT Shenanigans level: high, exceptionally effective. There was a ref bump, Fale hit the Grenade/Samoan Spike.
G1 B Block: Drilla Moloney def Great-O-Khan — (9:08, Drilla Killa)
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Drilla has smartly ditched the fur for the summer, for a sleeveless robe made of sparkly camo fabric.
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Drilla jumps O-Khan from behind while he’s disrobing.
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Best match so far but that wasn’t a high bar to clear.
G1 A Block: Yuya Uemura def Boltin Oleg — (11:03, Deadbolt Suplex Hold)
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Same jacket but new trunks/kneepads for Yuya, who’s so excited he trips a little while going down the ramp.
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This is the match we were denied at the end of the last G1, when Yuya had to withdraw due to his elbow injury.
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Now we’re cooking. Yuya now having a win over the NEVER Champ might put a little fear in those who have him winning the tournament, but it’s
G1 B Block: Shota Umino def El Phantasmo[w/Jado] — (11:29, Second Chapter)
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No new gear for Shota, but it looks like they fixed the slightly botched bleach job he had at the presser. He stops to do a little fanservice but is otherwise very focused.
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New white and pink tights for ELP. He’s also wearing one of Shota’s rubber bracelets.
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Pre-lockup, ELP offers the heart fingers gesture, after a moment Shota steps up to bump hearts with him.
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After a sequence early in the match, ELP says he was “that close” and then uses his very slightly spaced fingers to make a small dick joke, which understandably aggravates Shota.
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This was good wrestling-wise but IMO kind of weird character-wise. Either I got what ELP was trying to do (deliberately firing Shota up) but think there were better ways to go about it, or I didn’t get what he was trying to do… which still means he did it ineffectively.
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Post match, Shota offers his hand, ELP accepts and they shake and then hug.
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Like Yuya right before him, Shota has now pinned a singles Champ.
G1 A Block: Ryohei Oiwa def David Finlay[w/Gedo] — (13:10, THE GRIP)
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This might be a new Finlay coat but it’s very similar to stuff he’s worn before so I’m not sure.
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Great match. Finlay worked Oiwa’s midsection, and Chris told us that’s going to be an ongoing thing for the rest of Oiwa’s tournament.
G1 B Block: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA[w/Rocky Romero] def Gabe Kidd — (13:15, Ref Stoppage [crossface chicken wing])
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Yes Rocky is here, because the Don Callis Family bullshit has infected NJPW.
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They square up, and Take points out that he’s taller and/or on a higher level than Gabe, which earns him a slap.
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Great match, with thankfully no interference from Rocky (besides to my ears with his crowing on commentary).
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Post-match, Gabe gets up and attacks TAKE. They’re quickly separated and Gabe is pulled out of the ring.
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TAKE has now beaten the Global Champ.
G1 A Block: Yota Tsuji def SANADA — (5:11, Gene Blaster)
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New music for SANADA, a kind of punk-ish remix of his J5G theme. He’s also brought back the Daft Punk jacket.
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New jacket for Tsuji, basically just a burgundy patent trench coat with a little detailing on the bottom. His black and red/gold accent gear is a little more impressive.
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SANADA offers a handshake which Tsuji takes for some reason, and is predictably immediately attacked. Big outside brawl, which almost ends in Tsuji getting counted out (he legit cut it pretty close).
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HoT Shenanigans level: mild, and he paid for it. Went for the moonsault but ended up Blasted instead.
G1 B Block: Ren Narita def Zack Sabre Jr. — (16:14, Hell’s Guillotine)
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Narita has ditched the robe for a hooded leather vest, which is fine but I am not a huge fan of. His pants are the same design as usual but in a lighter weight fabric with a subtle pattern on the trunks and outer leg.
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Right after the announcements, Ren tries to jump Zack, but gets booted instead.
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HoT Shenanigans level: more than a lot of past Ren singles, but done effectively; both as far as results and match quality. At one point he appeared to accidentally spit out his mouthguard while in a submission, but then bit Zack’s leg while the ref was distracted by getting the mouthguard out of the ring.
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Interesting change where Ren used Double Cross as a setup for Hell’s Guillotine (the top rope knee) to finish the match. He has now pinned the World Heavyweight Champion.
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Narita had targeted the left knee during the match, and Zack was helped to the back by the YLs.
G1 A Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi def Taichi — (20:21, High Fly Flow)
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Big match updo for Tana.
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Pre-lockup crowd poll about 60/40 Taichi to my and Red Shoes’ ears. We are in Taichi’s home prefecture.
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Excellent match. Just like his Tekkers bro, Taichi had his left knee worked on. It took a hell of a lot for Tana to put him down.
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Post match, Taichi crawls over to Tana and they exchange some worlds, with Tana putting a hand on Taichi’s shoulder.
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Tana promo: This was NJPW’s return to Sapporo, and Tanahashi likes this place a lot. They’ve got beautiful women and great food. He’s won his first G1 match, who thinks Tana can win the whole tournament? He’ll do it in a snap. Thanks the fans and then goes to leave, but turns back around (and forgets which ringside attendant has the mic). It’s only day one of the tournament but every match is important and so of course they’ll end it the right way: with a big old Aishitemasu!
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by EffingKENTA