NJPW G1 Climax 26: Day 7

July 28th, 18:30 from Tokorozawa Citizen Gymnasium, Saitama

The story so far: Primer, Day 1, Day 2, Days 3 & 4, Day 5, Day 6.

A Block – Current Standings

• Makabe – 6
• Goto – 4
• Okada – 4
• Marufuji – 4
• Tenzan – 4
• Fale – 2
• Ishii – 2
• SANADA – 2
• Tonga – 2
• Tanahashi – 0

Here we go…

A Block – Round Four

Togi Makabe vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Makabe controlled with ease in the early minutes, before Tenzan hit the spinning heel kick to start the comeback. Mongolian Chops and a suplex got a two-count, but Makabe cut him off with a lariat. Tenzan prevented the spider suplex and connected with the diving headbutt for two, then briefly applied the Anaconda Vice. A mountain bomb allowed him to lock it in again, but Makabe made the ropes. The moonsault missed, but a couple of headbutts looked to set up Kojima’s Western Lariat which was blocked. After a back-and-forth, Makabe connected with the Death Valley Driver and followed with the King Kong Knee Drop for the win. Makabe keeps rolling with four wins out of four. Meanwhile, the crowds are buying into Tenzan’s last G1 run, and I have to say I am too. He’s more than holding up his end of matches and I was hoping he’d rebound after the loss to Marufuji, but sadly that wasn’t the case. Up next for Tenzan: Okada. ***1/4

Hirooki Goto vs. SANADA

These two worked well together. It was something different from Sanada; a more even contest, as opposed to him usually being on top and controlling the pace. Goto, too, was good here, and the match played into his favour with numerous reversal sequences around Sanada’s Dragon Sleeper and his latest finisher, the GTR. In the end, Sanada cinched in the Dragon Sleeper for a third time, left Goto laying, then connected with the low-angle moonsault halfway across the ring for the three-count. Here’s hoping we see this again in future. ***1/2

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Naomichi Marufuji

Ishii asked Marufuji to “come at me, bro” and Marufuji obliged with a dozen shoulderblocks. He nailed a chop, then Ishii knocked him to the mat and began laying in the elbows. Marufuji fired back with more chops and Ishii knocked him down once more. Scoop slam for two. Marufuji cartwheeled into a dropkick that sent Ishii to the floor and followed with a running plancha. Back in, a powerslam from Ishii led to a wince-inducing chop battle, with Marufuji visibly breaking the blood vessels in Ishii’s chest. Nasty. Because Ishii’s the manliest man he kept asking for more and started leaning into them before chopping his opponent to the mat. Powerbomb, then a headbutt and corner clothesline. Up top, Ishii’s delayed superplex was reversed on the way down and Marufuji nailed a lariat for two. Superkick for another two-count. The Shiranui was blocked and countered to an Emerald Flowsion, then the sliding lariat connected for two. After blocking strikes, Marufuji nailed a crescent kick and jumping knee, but a second jumping knee was blocked, and Ishii landed a headbutt and lariat for a near-fall. He picked Marufuji and spiked him with the brainbuster for the win. Great stuff. ****1/4

Kazuchika Okada vs. Tama Tonga

I don’t get it, is Tonga launching a range of extra-long boxer-briefs? Anyway, Okada looked to be in his stride until he went for the slingshot senton and Tonga Gun-Stunned him on the top-rope. Tonga dropped Okada over the barrier on the outside and took control back in the ring with a dropkick and chinlock. A back body drop brought Okada some respite, and he picked up the pace with a series of back elbows and a DDT. The jumping European uppercut got two. Flapjack and a twisting neckbreaker from Tonga for two. He went for the Headshrinker DDT but Okada countered to the reverse neckbreaker then hit the diving elbow. Rainmaker blocked, but The Dropkick connected, then another attempted Rainmaker was reversed to the Headshrinker DDT for a near-fall that had the crowd biting. Tonga went to the middle-rope, but Okada caught him on the way down and delivered a German suplex and the Rainmaker for the three-count. Okada’s been coasting the past couple of performances. He did enough in the final five minutes to get the crowd into it, but everything before that was almost half-speed. I understand it, given the length of the tournament, but it’s still disappointing to see the champion take a couple of nights off. I felt like Tonga was trying hard here, and perhaps that victory over Tanahashi has helped the perception of his threat, but this was still a mostly dull affair. **3/4

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bad Luck Fale

These two have so consistently had “better than expected” matches that there is now some expectation, and Tanahashi’s 0-3 record in this year’s tournament only added to that. Fale actually went after Tanahashi’s less-than-100% left arm, and for once, the dreaded Claw had some psychology behind it. Leaping elbows and a mostly-successful scoop slam looked to have Tanahashi back in the match, but Fale clotheslined him to floor and followed with a baseball slide! Back in, a Dragon Screw had some effect, but Fale stayed on top, earning two-counts from a splash and a spear. Tanahashi reversed the Bad Luck Fall to a ‘rana, then hit a German suplex and the Sling Blade. High Fly Flow! Tanahashi went for a second, but it hit the knees! He was able to block the Grenade with a slap that knocked Fale off his feet, then something went a bit wrong as Tanahashi came off the top. The Grenade landed for a near-fall, but the Bad Luck Fall was countered to a backslide by Tanahashi! One, two, three! The heat from the crowd really helped raise the stakes, and even with the slip-up near the end, this was very good. ***3/4

Tanahashi has his mojo back and delivers a promo to close the show then celebrates in the crowd.

A Block standings after Round Four

• Makabe – 8
• Okada – 6
• Goto – 4
• Ishii – 4
• Marufuji – 4
• SANADA – 4
• Tenzan – 4
• Fale – 2
• Tonga – 2
• Tanahashi – 2

Final thoughts: A strong showing from A Block today and I’d say everything, bar Tonga/Okada perhaps, is worth your time. Tanahashi’s win came across like a big deal, and there aren’t many better at displaying the thrill of victory than Big Match Tana.

Back on Saturday for the next B Block show which features Shibata vs. Naito and Elgin vs. Omega. See you then.

Seven down, twelve to go.