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NJPW G1 CLIMAX 34: NIGHT 2 REPORT
JULY 21, 2024
OSAKA, JAPAN AT EDION ARENA OSAKA
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentator: Walker Stewart, Chris Charlton
-Konosuke Takeshita has a previous commitment to DDT in another city tonight, so there are just nine matches tonight.
-Hype video.
(1) SANADA (0) vs. CALLUM NEWMAN (2) – A Block
Sanada lost in just under five minutes to Jake Lee to establish Lee as a force in the tournament, though I think it likely also started a hard-luck tournament for Sanada that he’ll start coming back from in his third or fourth match.
Collar-and-elbow was an even exchange until Sanada backed Newman to a rope for a clean break. The two slowly got back into a test of strength, and Newman used his legs to take down Sanada with a wristlock. The two reversed a few times, going fully technical early. Sanada tried to trap Newman in the Paradise Lock, but Newman escaped, ran the ropes, and booted Sanada to the mat. Newman put Sanada on the apron and dropkicked him to the floor on the ramp side. Newman hopped up and missed a moonsault, but landed on his feet and rolled through. Sanada snatched Newman, set him up on the barricade and hit a magic screw. Sanada lifted Newman and hung him up on the barricade. The referee finally got around to counting, and Sanada rolled Newman in to continue on offense.
Sanada threw some forearms and elbows as Newman sold on the mat. Russian leg sweep by Sanada. He covered for two. Sanada worked a brief headlock. Newman escaped, ran the ropes and hit a dropkick to create separation. Newman grunted rhythmically to get the crowd to clap along. The two reversed and escaped a few times and Sanada hit a magic screw, this time in the ring. Sanada kipped up and hit a shining wizard. He missed from the top and Newman hit a knee strike. Newman stalked Sanada and hit a corner dropkick, then missed a double stomp. Both guys repeatedly missed impact moves until Newman hit a stunner. They went back to reversals, and Sanada hit the Deadfall to finish.
WINNER: Sanada at 8:42. (***)
(Wells’s Analysis: This is everything you could ask for in a relatively brief technical opener to ease the crowd in before picking up the pace. The two worked beautifully together and had answers for every impact move late in the match. A very good start after an extremely strong first night in the tournament)
(2) BOLTIN OLEG (2) vs. HENARE (2) – B Block
I don’t know about the snow leopard fur Oleg wears on his head for his entrance, but the gear is really sharp. Both are coming off of wins on night one.
Test of strength early. They went to a forearm exchange quickly after that and Henare won the exchange. Henare ran the ropes and they blocked each other, ending at an impasse. They ran the ropes again and this time Oleg blocked Henare clear out of the ring. Henare reentered and Oleg blocked him to the mat. Oleg ran and hit a splash (a “flying body sausage,” per Chris Charlton) and covered for two. Oleg missed a splash in the corner and Henare threw harsh kicks to Oleg’s thigh. Henare booted Oleg to the mat and took a moment to breathe. The two went to another series of rights and Henare took control again, grounding Oleg and raining some stiff kicks to Oleg’s back. He added one to the chest to lay out Oleg and hit a senton for two. Henare charged Oleg, who caught him out of the air and hit a powerslam. Both guys sold on the mat.
Body slam and a backsplash by Oleg got two. Oleg did his deadlifts (just two, since Henare is a big guy) and suplexed Henare. Oleg charged into a Henare back elbow and Henare hit a kick from the second rope. Henare hit a stiff-looking knee in the corner, then stomped his boot to get the crowd to make some noise. He went for Rampage but Oleg dropkicked him. Oleg hit Kamikaze for a long two. He went for a second, but Henare slipped out the back and went for a full nelson. Oleg fought it off and threw chops. Both guys staggered until Henare got in a headbutt. Streets of Rage finished.
WINNER: Henare at 8:06. (**3/4)
Oleg and Henare exchanged a fist bump of respect as Oleg licked his wounds.
(Wells’s Analysis: Henare spent years at the very bottom of the card, waiting his turn to even get into the tournament. With four points, he matches his career high from last year. There was no feeling-out process as they got right to the meat in this one, and it’s fair to guess that the two could have a very strong longer-form match down the road for one of the company’s many second-tier championships)
(3) GREAT-O-KHAN (0) vs. GABE KIDD (0) – A Block
Kidd beat up on some of the Young Lions during his entrance. The two danced around and shot in early until Kidd got in some rights, but Khan took him down with a uranage. Khan put Kidd out on the floor and charged him into a barricade and then posed to some cheers. Khan asked for Kidd to head out to the crowd area as the announcers told the story that this year, Khan wants to face all of is opponents in their own wheelhouse. They brawled through the seats as Young Lions directed fans out of the line of fire. Khan remained on offense as the clubbed and booted Kidd all through the seats, but Kidd got in a big right and then bit Khan’s skull. Kidd tossed Khan into some chairs and the twenty-count finally got started.
Gabe swore a blue streak into the camera as Walker invoked the retired wrestler’s fund, as they usually do when wrestlers curse in English. Kidd got into the face of Hiromu Takahashi, who was again sitting in on Japanese commentary. Action went back inside and Kidd chopped Khan repeatedly against the ropes, then leveled him with a block. Khan dumped Kidd over the top and beat his fists to get the crowd going. Khan hit a plancha and Charlton said it was out of his wheelhouse. Khan again dragged Kidd to the crowd area and he tossed him through a barricade and a couple rows of seats in what looked like a painful spot. Khan wrenched Kidd’s left arm through a chair and added more chairs to add pain. Khan then briefly stood on the chairs and folded his arms to a nice reaction. The referee got to counting and the match went back into the ring, where Khan covered for two.
Khan suplexed Kidd over the top rope, and both of them spilled to the outside and sold the pain. The two fought up the ramp as the count got high and they ignored it completely. They mugged to each other when the count reached 19 and they ran to the ring. The two hit some impact spots in the ring and Khan took control. He went for the Eliminator and Kidd bit Khan’s hand and hit a hard lariat for a one count. Kidd went for something but Khan referred to a collegiate slam. Both guys sold on the mat. Kidd dropped an MF bomb on Khan, who threw a hard right. Both guys staggered. They ran the ropes, both missing lariats, and then Kidd hit one to score the victory.
WINNER: Gabe Kidd at 12:17. (**1/2)
(Wells’s Analysis: I don’t love matches that spend this much time out of the ring, though I recognize their value as a change of pace during a long tournament like this, and the two combatants were committed to the rougher spots. Early on in his heel run, I thought Kidd looked like a bit of a try-hard, but he’s extremely confident in his role at this point and looks like it’s the one he was born to play)
(4) EL PHANTASMO (w/Jado) (0) vs. REN NARITA (0) – B Block
The announcers continued telling the story that Narita thinks of this as his first actual G1 because he’s in his real form. Narita hit the ground running, but ran right into a dropkick by ELP. Phantasmo threw some chops, then put Narita’s shirt up over his face and slapped his midsection. Phantasmo clotheslined Narita over the top rope and leveled him with a plancha. The crowd chanted for him. Back inside, Narita ran to the opposite side to catch his breath, so ELP charged him with a tope suicida. Phantasmo went to the top rope for a moonsault and Narita moved. Phantasmo hit the floor on his feet and sold a buckling knee. Narita tried to use a push-up bar on ELP but Jado yanked it away. Narita hit Phantasmo’s leg with a chair instead. Still on the floor, Narita charged Phantasmo’s sold knee into the mat around the ring.
The match went back inside and Narita kept up the boots on Phantasmo’s leg. Phantasmo desperately tried to smack Narita’s leg away as he sold excruciating pain. Narita again charged the knee into the mat, then sprung from the bottom rope to land on the knee. Phantasmo got to his feet and marched around the ring, trying to get feeling back into it. Narita raked Phantasmo’s eyes until the ref broke it up. Narita set up a suplex but Phantasmo hit one instead. Phantasmo did a spot where he tried to kip up, but his knee didn’t play along so he flopped to his back again. Nice touch. Phantasmo then went for a springboard move and he again couldn’t convert on the move. Narita went out of the ring and Phantasmo charged him and hit a tornado DDT to the outside, and both of them sold on the floor against a barricade on the ramp side. The ref started the count and they went back to the ring quickly, where ELP hit a rolling senton and a springboard senton, then covered for two. Phantasmo tried to tune up for a kick but he buckled and Narita flew in with a boot to the face. Narita worked a kneebar, but Phantasmo reached a rope quickly.
Narita worked a half-crab on the bad knee, leaning back deep into it. Phantasmo reached a rope to break that as well. Narita stood strong and Phantasmo tried to get vertical as Narita chuckled at him. A palm strike from ELP yielded weak results and he crumbled to the mat. They exchanged rights but Narita had a lot more on his than Phantasmo. Narita held up his arm for the Hikuleo high-five mockingly, as Phantasmo was selling on the floor. Phantasmo lost his cool, beat Narita with some rights, and then grabbed the push-up bar. Jado convinced him not to use it as Narita invited the shot, trying to draw a DQ. Narita went for the Double Cross but Phantasmo rolled him up for two. Narita hit a guillotine for a long two. Phantasmo took Narita up in a corner, then hit a super Frankensteiner. Thunder Kiss ’86 connected, and a slow hesitation to cover cost ELP the match. The crowd was getting loud.
Narita kept trying to use referee Kenta Sato to get up, and Sato fought him off. ELP tried to free Sato, and Narita used the opening to chop-block ELP’s bad leg. Narita hit the Double Cross to finish.
WINNER: Ren Narita at 14:17. (***1/2)
(Wells’s Analysis: Narita was despicable, but the House of Torture shenanigans were pretty minimal as he worked more of a classic heel match as he ruthlessly worked an injured body part and Phantasmo worked from underneath. Narita scores his first points of the tournament as Phantasmo potentially moves into a story of trying to overcome an injury throughout a tournament, which is an out they sometimes use if a popular babyface is going to rack up a lot of losses)
(5) JAKE LEE (2) vs. EVIL (w/Dick Togo) (2) – Block A
An “oooohhh” went through the crowd as the all-Bullet Club match graphic went up on the screen. Lee is aligned with the War Dogs side of the group as Evil heads the House of Torture, and these matchups rarely look as if they’re from the same faction at all. Evil and Togo went for a Too Sweet, and Lee eyed them with amusement, then Too Sweeted their foreheads and dumped Evil. Lee threatened Togo, who fled the ring. Evil reentered and the bell sounded. Lee took the early advantage and choked Evil against a rope. Referee Kenta Sato counted him down, and he released. Evil bailed.
Lee headed out and went at Evil, then turned his attention to a chair-toting Togo. Evil charged Lee into a barricade, and then another. Evil choked Lee with a microphone, then yelled that he was the welcoming committee. Evil headed back into the ring as Sato checked on Lee. Lee got back into the ring where Evil immediately hooked a shirt around his neck to boos, then a short rope. Evil clubbed Lee’s back and covered him for two. Lee got up and shoved Evil, then ran the ropes. Evil took the attention of Sato, and Togo tripped Lee and then blamed it on Young Lion Shoma Kato. The announcers, as often, were relentlessly making Dick jokes using Togo’s name and his actions in the match.
Evil hit a corner lariat and a fisherman suplex for two. Evil hit the Darkness Scorpion and leaned down into it as Lee sold the pain. Lee reached a rope and Evil held on for as long as possible without being disqualified. Evil posed on the turnbuckle to boos. Lee caught Evil with a kick to the midsection to get a breather. Lee set up Evil for a kick, and when Evil was about to block it, Lee slipped behind him and worked a headlock. Togo showed up on the apron and Lee shoved him down. Lee trapped Evil in a Boston Crab and Togo hit the bell, tricking Lee in a spot that they go to often. Evil charged Lee from behind, but Lee charged Evil into a corner, where the ref was bumped. Togo got involved with the garrote, but Lee fought him off and used it against Evil. He then tossed the garrote to Evil and took a dive in an Eddie Guerrero moment. Lee hit a big back suplex for two.
Evil thumbed Lee in the eye to fight off Lee’s finisher, but Lee got some shots in and hit a chokeslam for a very long two as Lee writhed in pain even as he covered. Lee charged in the cover for the Face Break but Evil threw powder in his eyes. He hit Everything is Evil to finish.
WINNER: Evil at 11:20. (**)
(Wells’s Analysis: All the House of Torture shenanigans were saved for this match, apparently. Lee toed the line pretty well, acting heelish while also being the de facto babyface when facing Evil. Lee’s quick win over Sanada last night would suggest that he’ll be a big factor in the tournament, so it’s odd that they went with a Lee loss the next night, even if it was a dirty loss)
(6) HIROOKI GOTO (0) vs. YUYA UEMURA (2)
It really is striking that Goto is the only Chaos member in the tournament this year, with Okada gone and Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi both outside the tournament. They got going slowly, sizing one another up. Uemura shot in and Goto escaped quickly for an early reset. Charlton mentioned that Goto is the all-time leader in singles losses in this venue. Uemura wrung Goto’s arm and then took him to the mat, working a pure technical match to this point. Goto reached a rope and escaped, and they reset again. Charlton mentioned that Goto was 29 when he won the G1 in 2008, which is Uemura’s age now.
Goto put Uemura down with a shoulder block, but Uemura came back with a pretty dropkick after. Uemura threw some chops in the corner until referee Marty Asami got in there, and Uemura shoved him away and threw some more chops. Goto yanked the hair and put down Uemura, then gave him some stiff kicks to the spine. Goto booted Uemura and leaned on him in the corner against a rope. Goto threw some strong forearms at a downed Uemura in the corner and Asami got in there again. Goto booted Uemura and finally allowed him to move from the corner.
Goto whipped Uemura, hit a spinning heel kick, and covered for two. Goto laid back into a deep Boston Crab as Uemura tried to lift himself with his arms and crawl, but Goto leaned him down again. Uemura was able to summon the energy to crawl to the rope to break. Goto threw some kicks down at Uemura, then tried to set up an ushigoroshi but Uemura escaped and hit a nice arm drag, then a dropkick as the announcers called out Uemura’s reliance on being the best at the fundamentals. Uemura chopped Goto in a corner and charged him to the opposite corner and flew in with a chop. He covered for two.
Uemura went high, but Goto recovered and joined him up on the second rope in the corner. Goto wanted a superplex but Uemura started exchanging forearms with him. Uemura put Goto on the mat, then missed. They each missed some spots until Goto caught Uemura with an ushigoroshi. Both of them sold on the mat and the crowd got into it. They reached their knees and threw forearms, with Goto getting the visual upper hand. They hit their feet and switched to chops and then palm strikes. They went rapid-fire and the crowd chanted along with the chops as both guys went red in the chest.
Uemura hit a few palm strikes, but ran right into a reverse GTR. Goto hit a big lariat and then hit GTW for a long two. Goto threw some kicks at a near-helpless Uemura, who crumbled to the mat. Goto set up a big kick to the chest, but Uemura caught it. Goto threw some combo strikes but Uemura leveled Goto with a headbutt. Uemura went for the Deadbolt but Goto wriggled free. Goto nearly hit GTR but Uemura rolled Goto up for a near-fall. Uemura hit the Deadbolt and got the three.
WINNER: Yuya Uemura at 12:38. (***3/4)
(Wells’s Analysis: Really good strong style work from both guys as Uemura had to work a stiffer style to match Goto. Goto’s not likely to win more than a couple of matches in the tournament anymore and before long he’ll be out of the tournament, but until that happens, he’s a valuable player and those who beat him come off looking like they really earned it. Uemura could advance in what feels like a wide-open field, but even if not, they gave him wins in his first two G1 matches ever)
(7) SHOTA UMINO (0) vs. SHINGO TAKAGI (2)
The announcers mentioned Umino’s recent hip fracture, which really does have to be covered with Umino clearly not working at or near 100% of late. They relayed Umino’s comments that everyone has to work hurt sometimes in wrestling, and he has to overcome it. Umino is a long-term project for New Japan, so hopefully they’re not doing more harm than good by having him work this tournament.
Umino dropkicked Takagi into a corner right after the bell. He followed it up with a long series of forearms until Takagi switched with him and laid in a number of his own, then added a big headbutt. Rope run and a knee by Takagi. Dropkick by Umino. Takagi hung up Umino on the apron, then joined him there and tried a suplex, and hit it on the second effort. It was ugly as Umino got hung up on a rope on the way down and he twisted and landed awkwardly before spilling to the outside. The ref checked on Umino, perhaps in earnest to some degree, before Takagi kept up the onslaught by charging Umino to a barricade. Asami started the count, which reached ten before Umino got to the ring.
Takagi laid in a series of kicks as Umino entered, then worked a knee into his back until Umino broke with a rope. Takagi worked some chops and strikes in a corner and hit a big suplex, then gave a thumbs up to the camera. Takagi hit a senton and said that someone should throw in the towel for Umino. Takagi laid in a hip attack and Umino fought to his feet and threw elbows that Takagi shook off. Umino wanted a body slam but Takagi widened his base. Umino switched it up and hit a neckbreaker. Umino tried to hype himself into it and he threw European uppercuts in the corner, then hit a fisherman suplex and bridged for a two count.
Umino tried a suplex but Takagi got out of it with back elbows. Umino evaded a pumping bomber lariat and he clotheslined Takagi to the floor. Umino went out also and took a breath before tossing Takagi into the ring. Umino went up and hit a dropkick from the top, then covered for two. Takagi fought off a tornado DDT and suplexed Umino into the corner pad. Umino got to his feet and Takagi kept up the shots to the back. Takagi hit a DDT and waved his arms to get the crowd going. Takagi signaled that it was time to end it. He hit a corner lariat and tried a suplex, but Umino reversed and put Takagi up. Umino then hit an exploder from the second rope and it was his turn to clap with the crowd. Takagi hit a corner bomber again to shut down the momentum.
The two went up in the corner again, and this time Takagi hit a superplex. Umino sold agony and Takagi crawled over, then ran the ropes for a sliding pumping bomber for two. He flexed into the camera with a grin. Asami checked on Umino, who grinned through the pain, refusing to quit. Takagi put Umino up in a torture rack and slammed him down, but Umino quickly hit a tornado DDT, allowing both guys to sell for a minute. Umino yelled to get the crowd into it again and hit a suplex. He set up Takagi and hit him with the ignition neckbreaker. He hit an enzuigiri and set up key & ignition again but Takagi flattened him with a pumping bomber, then crumbled in a corner and both guys sold on the mat. The crowd chanted primarily for Takagi.
Takagi yelled out for Made in Japan, but Umino blocked. He hit Noshigami instead, then hit a pumping bomber. Made in Japan got two. The fifteen minute call went out. Takagi went for Last of the Dragons but Umino threw some back elows. Pumping bomber set up Last of the Dragons, but after a series of reversals, Umino caught Takagi with an unconventional Death Rider and both guys sold flat on their backs. Umino put on another crazed grin as he moved in toward Takagi. Both guys went to their feet and Takagi begger for some forearms. Takagi then went with a quick combo and Umino hit a big one. Pumping bomber, exploder, half dragon exchange. They’ve found a higher gear. Blaze blade by Umino got a long two. He went for the Death Rider and Takagi blocked. They each laid in some shots. Takagi got himself caught in a Death Rider and Umino scored the pin for one of his biggest singles wins ever. Charlton said the same right after I typed it.
WINNER: Shota Umino at 18:23. (****1/4)
(Wells’s Analysis: The two of them worked relatively safely early on to pace Umino’s body for a long match, outside of the gross-looking apron spot. They had a lot left in the tank and this match found a nuclear gear in the last five minutes or so. The injuries ailing Umino are still there, but on this night, he looked pretty good in there. Of course, it’s hard to have anything but a good match with Shingo Takagi)
(8) TETSUYA NAITO (0) vs. ZACK SABRE JR. (w/Kosei Fujita) (2) – A Block
When a match gets wiped away via injury or absence, they usually otherwise keep the match order the same, so it’s likely this is where the Takeshita-Cobb match would’ve gone given the alternating block order. Naito at this age is largely saving big performances for spots even bigger than this, but he typically makes magic with Sabre regardless.
Naito milked it in the corner for a minute, per usual, and Sabre acted like it didn’t bother him. They waited a minute before contact, and Sabre went for the LIJ fist motion. Naito put up the fist, then spit at Sabre. Sabre got a quick rollup and got two, and the two went to some rapid-fire trap pins for some early drama. Naito hit a back elbow and a basement dropkick to the back, then snapped on a chin lock. Sabre looked for an escape, then put a foot on the rope instead.
Naito worked a cravat and Sabre tried to roll free of it, adding his legs to attempt to pry Naito off of him. Snap mare by Naito but Sabre held on, reversed, and twisted Naito’s head between his feet. Naito rolled to the apron and Sabre did another head twist to him there. Sabre lifted up Naito and threw a European uppercut, then lifted Naito for two more. Naito was flattened again as he continued to sell perhaps more than the work that’s really been done so far. Sabre worked a British surfboard and Naito sought out a rope and found one to break.
Sabre worked his own cravat and Naito threw midsection strikes. Sabre released, then missed in the corner, and Naito dropped the back of a draping Sabre’s head on his knee. Naito hit an arm drag and another, then hit a basement dropkick. Naito hit a delayed neckbreaker and Sabre rolled to the apron. Naito reached over the top rope and went for a backbreaker over the ropes, bt Sabre reversed and worked an armbar using the ropes until referee Red Shoes Unno called for the break. Action went to the outside and Sabre threw some European uppercuts. Naito spit at him again. Sabre tried to charge Naito to a barricade but Naito reversed, then draped Sabre over the apron and hit a hangman’s neckbreaker to the outside. Fujita checked on Sabre and tried to pull something back into place as Unno started the count. He reached 15 before the match went back to the ring.
Naito hit some back elbows and Sabre fell to the mat. Naito went up and hit Esperanta out of the corner, spiking Sabre’s head somewhat loudly against the mat. Sabre caught Naito in a body scissors when he moved in on him. Sabre tried to keep Naito from the rope as he yanked at an arm, but Naito kicked his way to a break. Sabre kicked at a prone Naito, who grinned through the pain. Naito hit his feet and the two made some reversals until Sabre hit a PK. Sabre lifted Naito for something but Naito reversed to a Destino in midair. Naito sold on the mat and couldn’t crawl over for a cover.
Both guys got to their feet and did some more reversals, and this time Sabre hit a Zack Driver. Like Naito, he couldn’t recover enough to make the cover. Sabre through some uppercuts with the right while clutching his midsection with his left arm. The two went into a forearm exchange, won by Naito. Sabre got in a few in a row until Naito took over with some of his back elbows. The fifteen minute call went out. Both guys fought off impact finishers and Sabre trapped Naito in a very long two count. Zack trapped Naito again and leaned far back and pinned Naito, making the champ 0-2. Sabre draped Naito’s IWGP Championship over his shoulder and paraded through the crowd with it. He headed back to the ring and shoved the belt dismissively back at Naito.
WINNER: Zack Sabre, Jr. at 16:03. (***1/2)
(Wells’s Analysis: They found the higher gear, but only for a very small portion at the end. Losing twice at the beginning of the tournament might suggest that Naito will come back and win the block, but as champion, winning the block and especially the entire tournament is a very rare feat. Like Takagi, Sabre’s “win” in the tournament might be this victory even if they don’t end up winning the block, while Naito potentially beats the eventual block winner)
(9) YOTA TSUJI (0) vs. DAVID FINLAY (w/Gedo) (0) – B Block
I’d say one of these two will end up winning the block, though one will open 0-2. There was a big “Yota” chant as the two circled one another.
Collar-and-elbow led to both guys grabbing the hair as Unno tried to get control. They went to the ropes and Finlay said “clean break” before trying a cheap shot. Rope run and a head scissor takedown by Tsuji. Finlay bailed and Tsuji hit him with a tope suicida. Tsuji charged Finlay into a barricade, and then another. Tsuji rolled Finlay inside and took him down with a tackle for two. Tsuji tripped Finlay and snapped on a Boston Crab but Finlay quickly crawled to a rope to break. Finlay kicked from the floor but Tsuji threw down rights at him. Finlay threw a European uppercut and Tsuji asked for more. They exchanged loud palm strikes. Finlay spat at Tsuji, who threw some forearms in the corner. Finlay hit a neckbreaker and Tsuji defiantly kicked out at one.
Finlay charged Tsuji into a corner. He threw another uppercut and barked out to get the crowd going. He hit a running back elbow and lifted him for a release suplex. He flexed and covered for two. Finlay washed Tsuji’s face with his elbow, then went for a uranage but Tsuji fought it off and hit a quebrada. Both guys sold on the mat and the crowd started to clap as Tsuji attempted to recover.
Tsuji hit a back elbow, a body slam and a flying body sausage for two. Tsuji hit a gutbuster on Finlay, who crumbled in a corner and sold there. Tsuji laid in some knees. The two reset and had a forearm exchange. Finlay went for the Irish Curse but Tsuji elbowed free of it and booted Finlay out of a corner. Tsuji hopped to the top but Finlay put him on the apron and dropkicked him off of it and into a barricade on the ramp side. Finlay charged Tsuji into another barricade, then put him over his back and darted him into a ring post, right with the side of his head. Finlay spat at Hiromu Takahashi, drawing boos, then gave the crowd double birds to draw a few more.
Finlay reentered the ring and did jumping jacks while Unno counted Tsuji, who made it back in at 19. Finlay immediately caught him with a Dominator for two. Finlay yelled out that he was going to give Tsuji ten powerbombs. He didn’t actually attempt one. He tried to suplex Tsuji, who widened his base. They exchanged attempts and finally Tsuji managed the suplex. The “Yota” chant rang out again. Both guys sold rib pain. Tsuji hit a curb stomp, and then a running version and he covered for two.
The two slowly got to their feet and Tsuji got in a hard right and a big knee, then a Sakuraba slam for two. Tsuji set up Gene Blast but Finlay caught him and hit Oblivion for a long two. Again, both guys sold on the mat. Finlay finally went for a powerbomb, but Tsuji punched his way free. Tsuji ran the ropes and Finlay caught him with a powerbomb, hit a second in the corner, and then hit another conventional one to make three. He was spent and couldn’t cover. Finlay made the cutthroat motion and lifted Tsuji, who caught him in an inside cradle for two. Finlay laid Tsuji out with a lariat.
Both guys jockeyed for position and Finlay took control with some hard forearms. An attempt at a fourth was ducked, and Tsuji ran the ropes for a Gene Blast. Instead of covering, Tsuji went up and hit the Marlowe Crash to finish. The move is named after the Japan-based Marlowe Pudding Company.
WINNER: Yota Tsuji at 19:49. (****1/4)
(Wells’s Analysis: The reversals and momentum shifts had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands. For all the grief he’s taken at the top of the Bullet Club, Finlay seems pretty confident in his spot at this point, though I continue to have a tough time imagining him as a serious contender for the IWGP Championship. Tsuji had yet another star performance here as he continues to back up everything he ever said about being the overlooked standout when he, Ren Narita and Shota Umino were all part of the same highly-regarded Young Lion class)
Tsuji put over his LIJ stablemates in his mic time, but said he’d be the one standing tall at the end of the tournament.
FINAL THOUGHTS: This year’s show seems built to be immune to bad nights, though the one-block-only nights are about to get started, and we’ll see what happens with the B Block nights, which looks quite a bit weaker on paper (I’ll have a front row seat to that, as I’m coincidentally covering three of those B Block nights). I’ve got the heaviest of recommendations for Tsuji-Finlay and Umino-Takagi, and I can’t say that there are any clunkers up or down the card unless one has an extremely short leash for House of Torture silliness (and many fans of that kind are out there, which I get). There’s a day off tomorrow, and the 23rd is an intended A Block-only show which will also feature Takeshita vs. Cobb to make up for it not happening on this night. Chris Lansdell will cover that show. Jikai aimashou!
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