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G1 Climax Day 3 Results:
July 24, Kyoto Kyoto Martial Arts Center
Satoshi Kojima, Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask IV & Yohei Komatsu defeated David Finlay, Jay White, Michael Elgin & Mascara Dorada
This was the Michael Elgin show again. We had lots of great power spots from him. Liger & Tiger saved Kojima from a deadlift German, only for Elgin to suplex both of them. He also double powerslammed Kojima & Komatsu. There was lots of young lion greatness too. In the end Kojima pinned Finlay after a lariat. After the match Elgin & Kojima had to be held back as they got into it ahead of their match tomorrow.
YOSHI-HASHI & Tomohiro Ishii defeated Cody Hall & Yujiro Takahashi
Amazingly YOSHI-HASHI scored the win. This was a very good match, with Yujiro & Ishii taking a backseat ahead of their match tomorrow. Hall & YOSHI wrestled the majority of the match. Despite Hall looking a bit messy at times, it was fun with lots of near falls. YOSHI got the pin on Hall after a Senton Bomb.
Karl Anderson & Tama Tonga defeated Captain New Japan & Hirooki Goto
Some good action in this ahead of Goto vs Anderson tomorrow, a match that is always great. Anderson and Tonga work really well as a team, and Tonga continues to have a really good tour. Anderson pinned Captain after a Gun Stun.
Tomoaki Honma, Yuji Nagata & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Gedo, Kazuchika Okada & Shinsuke Nakamura
This was great, and by far the best undercard tag match of the G1 so far. If this is anything to go by, Honma vs Okada tomorrow is gonna be something special. Nagata & Nakamura also clash tomorrow and we had some good stuff between them too. One funny moment of the match was when Taguchi & Honma both missed Kokeshi’s on Gedo. There were lots of moving parts to this and it was a hell of a lot of fun. In the end Honma scored a huge win with a top rope Kokeshi on Gedo. If Honma can beat Okada tomorrow it will be one of the biggest upsets ever. Even if he doesn’t he will make it look like he can. This match is well worth checking out.
Block A Matches
Kota Ibushi defeated Doc Gallows
This was good. These two had a very good match in the New Japan Cup and this was even better. Gallows is someone that works really well with Ibushi. They do the brawler vs flyer story very well. Gallows tossed Ibushi around, while Ibushi kept Gallows off balance with dropkicks and his triangle moonsault. Gallows hit a nice Jackhammer too. There was a nice nod to the finish of their NJC match with Gallows blocking the same roll up that beat him in that match. Ibushi won when he countered a powerbomb into a sunset flip.
Bad Luck Fale defeated Togi Makabe
These two have history as Makabe was Fale’s first proper feud in New Japan, and during the time they had some fun brawls. This was a decent slug fest with Makabe trying to wear Fale down. Makabe works well against someone that hits as hard as Makabe. Fale won in the end with the Bad Luck Fall. Nothing amazing, but a good match nonetheless.
AJ Styles defeated Toru Yano
This was amazing. The Sublime Master Thief almost did it again. This was fun right from the bell. We had Yano throwing a chair at Styles as he attempted a forearm off the guardrail and Styles arguing that he should get a free shot at Yano. There were roll ups galore and exposed buckles. Styles suplexed Yano into the exposed buckle for a near fall. Styles blocked a low blow and hit a Pele which was a nice spot. Yano looked to have stole it when he hit the low blow/roll up combo that beats so many, but Styles countered a further roll up into the Calf Killer for the submission win. Just a really fun match.
Katsuyori Shibata defeated Tetsuya Naito
This was awesome! Shibata was having none of Naito’s shit and attacked him before he could take his entrance suit off. Naito then went after the knee of Shibata, wrapping it up in the guardrail and dropkicking the rail from the apron. This just made Shibata angrier as the match went on, which in turn made him kick even harder. He went after Naito with a flurry of face washes in the corner and a nasty one footed corner dropkick. He also escaped Naito’s corner dropkick and stomped Naito as he came down. We had a stiff slap exchange too. The crowd were all over Naito. Every time he did anything they were on his back. Shibata put Naito down with a sleeper and hit the PK to score a decisive win. Go and watch this match.
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan
This was a very good main event. This was also a rematch of the 2004 final. Tenzan was in his hometown, so we had Tanahashi heel it up, something that Tanahashi is always great at. Tenzan looked good and it helped that he was in there with Tanahashi who has been on his game in this G1 so far. The crowd was split for this, which gave it a cool atmosphere. Tenzan had Tanahashi in an Anaconda Vise and just as Tanahashi escaped, he locked it in again. Tanahashi eventually escaped and hit High Fly Flow for the win.
This was a really good show. Check out the Honma/Okada six man tag and the last three matches. Ibushi vs Gallows was good too. It is on demand at NJPW World.
The card for tomorrow's show, Day 4:
July 25 (Sat) 18:00 JST (5.00AM Eastern/10A.00AM UK): Kagawa Prefecture, Takamatsu City Gymnasium (first stadium), live on NJPW World.
Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & Captain New Japan vs. Doc Gallows, Tama Tonga & Cody Hall
Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Mascara Dorada & David Finlay vs. Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI & Gedo
Kota Ibushi & Jay White vs. AJ Styles & Bad Luck Fale
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Katsuyori Shibata & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Tetsuya Naito, Togi Makabe & Yohei Komatsu
Block B:
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Satoshi Kojima vs. Michael Elgin
Hirooki Goto vs. Karl Anderson
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Yuji Nagata
Kazuchika Okada vs. Tomoaki Honma
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