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G1 Climax Day 6, Korakuen Hall, July 21:
SHO & YOSHI-HASHI defeated Ren Narita & Michael Elgin
Tanga Loa & Bad Luck Fale defeated BUSHI & EVIL
Minoru Suzuki & El Desperado defeated YOH & Jay White
The story here was White chickening out when he was in the ring with Suzuki, knowing that he might have met his match.
Hangman Page & Chase Owens defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & David Finlay
Togi Makabe & Toa Henare defeated Gedo & Kazuchika Okada
Toru Yano defeated Kota Ibushi
This was fantastic. Yano has been one of the highlights of the tournament so far. This was so much fun to watch. Yano almost stole it early with some roll ups. All 4 buckles were exposed. Ibushi hit a crazy twisting press from the top rope to the floor. Yano tied Ibushi's hands together, but he was still able to fire off several kicks and a moonsault. Yano trapped the ref between Ibushi's hands and caused a distraction that allowed him to hit a low blow, a chop block and a roll up. This was a huge upset, as Yano gets his first win of the tournament by going back to his old tricks.
SANADA defeated Zack Sabre Jr
This was so brilliantly done. The story here was SANADA out wrestling Sabre and beating him at his own game. After losing to him in the New Japan Cup, SANADA did his homework and was prepared. SANADA's athleticism didn't come into play at all, and it didn't need to. They were evenly matched when it came to chain wrestling, and the same when it came to striking. There was a long bad and forth where they each countered back and forth in and out of a stranglehold, and it was amazing to watch. Sabre got some great near falls with different pinning combos, but SANADA rolled through on one and caught him with a European Clutch. After the match Sabre was frustrated at being beat at his own game.
Tetsuya Naito defeated Juice Robinson
What a match! This was one of the matches of the tournament so far. Juice is the best underdog in pro wrestling right now, and sucks people into his matches like no one else. You can't help but root for him. Naito went after the broken hand, modifying his usual moves to go after it. Instead of a sliding dropkick to the face, it was to the hand. At one point Naito spat at Juice to try and make him punch him with his cast, knowing it would cause a DQ. This fired Juice up, making a comeback with lots of strikes and a leg lariat that turned Naito inside out. Juice blocked a tornado DDT and turned it into a Jackhammer. The finishing stretch here was outstanding. Naito blocked Pulp Friction and hit a German suplex, followed by a forearm and a Destino attempt, but Juice escaped and flattened him with a lariat. Juice went for RTE? gutbuster, but Naito hit a version of Destino then followed up with another to hand Juice his third loss in as many matches. Go to the NJPW YouTube and check out Juices post match promos from these matches, because they are off the charts.
Kenny Omega defeated Tama Tonga via DQ
Another screwy finish ruined this match. There have been more DQ's this year already than the last several years combined. Tonga, Loa & Fale jumped Omega before the bell, but Page & Owens made the save. An aggressive and fired up Tonga took control of this and hit Omega with everything he had. He unloaded several years of frustration at the state of Bullet Club on Omega. Omega came back with some V-Triggers. Loa got involved again, but Omega overcame it. Tonga attempted a Styles Clash on a chair, but referee Red Shoes pushed it away. Tonga then hit Red Shoes with a Gun Stun to cause the DQ. Ibushi, Owens & Page hit the ring again to run off The Tongans. This was disappointing. It could have been a breakout match for Tonga, but shenanigans ruined it.
Tomohiro Ishii defeated Hirooki Goto
This was exactly what you would expect from this. Rocky Romero said it perfectly on commentary, "Strong Style at its finest". This was up there with Omega vs Naito for match of the tournament so far. They just beat the holy hell out of each other challenged each other to hit them harder. Right from the bell they ran at each other with shoulder tackles. Later on it turned into lariats, where they just kept blasting each other until they both collapsed. Goto slapped Ishii, so he just head butted him. They blocked each other's finisher attempts, then went back to blasting each other with lariats, this time Ishii murdered Goto with one that flipped him inside out. Goto hit the Shoten Kai for a near fall, and again Ishii blocked the GTR. We had a head butt exchange, Ishii came out on top and hit the Brainbuster to score the win. This was an absolute war, and is everything great about New Japan Pro Wrestling.
This was the best day of G1 so far. Despite the disappointing Omega/Tonga match, the other four matches were all excellent, but completely different.
Day 6 takes place tomorrow with A Block at 3.30AM EST/8.30AM UK
Kazuchika Okada vs Togi Makabe
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Hangman Page
Minoru Suzuki vs Jay White
Michael Elgin vs YOSHI-HASHI
EVIL vs Bad Luck Fale
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