Date: 07/22	9:00 AM
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Dissension in the Bullet Club? The death of Daryl? Check out the acton from today's G1 Climax!

David Finlay / Kota Ibushi / Togi Makabe vs. Gedo / Tomohiro Ishii / Hirooki Goto

Finlay pins Gedo with a stunner.

My Take:

This is the first time I’ve seen Finlay use a stunner. Ibushi was impressive as always in this match as well. Not bad for an opening match.

Jado & Yoshi-Hashi vs. El Desperado & Zack Saber Jr.

El Desperado pins Jado with Guitarra de Angel.

My Take:

Lots of near falls in this one. Zack and Yoshi-Hashi stare each other down after the match teasing their upcoming G1 match.

Katsuya Kitamura & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomoyuki Oka & Yuji Nagata

Nagata pins Kitamura with an Exploder side suplex pin.

My Take:

And here I thought we’d get through the G1 without seeing any of the young lions. Kitamura was wearing a mouth-guard that made it look like he had fangs. The young lions really brought it in this match, great effort from both of them.

Chase Owens / Yujiro Takahashi / Bad Luck Fale vs. Hiromu Takahashi / Bushi / Tetsuya Naito

Naito pins Owens after kicking him in the balls while the ref’s back was turned.

My Take:

Fale ripped Daryl to shreds! The collective internet gasped and raged in horror, though I thought it was great! Enough of the undercard, bring on the G1 matches!

– G1 Climax Block B Matches –

Satoshi Kojima vs. Toru Yano

Low blow, roll up, Yano wins. I may just start skipping Yano’s G1 matches from here on out. He has no business being in the G1 tournament.

My Take:

Given the two competitors, I wasn’t expecting much from this match. While it was by no means a good match, it was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. The fans were behind Yano, and Kojima played the heel role well.

Juice Robinson vs. EVIL

EVIL pins Juice with an STO.

Match Highlights:

• Juice kicks out of a running senton at 2

• Juice hits a vicious DDT on EVIL and follows up with a senton, but EVIL kicks out at 2

• EVIL kicks out of a top turnbuckle falling headbutt at 2

• EVIL kicks out of a powerbomb at 2.7!

• EVIL crumples Juice with a release Tiger Suplex!

• Juice kicks out of a lariat at 2.5

My Take:

Juice brought some very innovative and unorthodox offense to this match. This match was much better than I thought it would be. EVIL looked down and out until the very end where he made a comeback and won.

Minoru Suzuki vs. Sanada

Suzuki pins Sanada with the Gotch-style Piledriver.

Match Highlights:

• Suzuki puts Sanada in a hanging armbar over the top rope. Suzuki then runs the ring apron delivering a penalty kick to Sanada standing on the floor at ringside.

• El Desperado goes to work on Sanada with a chair back in the crowd as Suzuki distracts the referee.

• Sanada hits a springboard shotgun dropkick on Suzuki.

• Sanada fights to the ropes to break a cross-arm-breaker submission.

• Suzuki kicks out of a TKO at 1.5

My Take:

This was the opposite of Kojima vs. Yano. I expected a great match given the two competitors here, and I wasn’t let down. The only downer was that this match wasn’t 15 minutes longer! Sanada brought his A-game, and looks strong, despite the loss.

Kenny Omega vs. Tama Tonga

Omega pins Tama Tonga with the One Wing Angel.

Match Highlights:

• Early in the match Tama Tonga beats down Omega, grabs a mic and takes umbrage with him being leader of Bullet Club.

• Tama Tonga kicks out of a Fameasser at 2

• Omega takes out Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, and Tama Tonga with a Tope Con Giro dive!

• Tama Tonga kicks out of a gut-wrench powerbomb pin at 2

• Omega hits the cross-legged Ushigoroshi on Tama Tonga

• Tama Tonga counters the One Wing Angel with the Tongan Twist.

My Take:

I enjoyed Tama Tonga calling out Omega on the mic early in the match. Tama Tonga looked surprisingly competitive in this match. This is another match I’d have liked to see go longer, Kenny’s win seemed to come out of nowhere. After the match, every member of Bullet Club too-sweets so it appears for now the dissension in the ranks is over.

Michael Elgin vs. Kazuchika Okada

Okada pins Elgin with the rainmaker lariat.

Match Highlights:

• Okada attempts a running flying cross-body over the guardrail, but Elgin catches him in mid air, bodyslams Okada over the guardrail, slams Okada a second time on the floor at ringside, and finally bodyslams Okada on the ring apron.

• Okada kicks out of an arm-trap German Suplex Pin at 2.5

• Okada dropkicks Elgin from the top turnbuckle to the floor.

• Elgin catches Okada coming off the top turnbuckle and turns it into a sit-out powerbomb, but Okada kicks out at 2.5

• Elgin gave Okada a lariat of his own as Okada prepared to hit Elgin with the rainmaker.

• Okada kicks out of a sit-out powerbomb pin at 2.99999999, damn I thought Elgin had it won!

• Okada dropkicks Elgin in mid-air as Elgin was coming off the top turnbuckle.

• Okada kicks out of a superplex at 2.5

• Okada kicks out of another sit-out powerbomb pin at 2.9!

My Take:

This match was hard-fought by both men and fun to watch. I actually thought Elgin could win at a few points here during the match. New Japan needs to do WAY more with Michael Elgin. This match was the main event, and lived up to that billing.

Overall take:

While the rest of “wrestling twitter” is losing their shit over Bad Luck Fale “murdering” Daryl, I loved it! Awesome heel spot to get awesome heel heat. I never understood everyone’s fascination with Daryl anyway. Okada vs. Elgin was a solid main event. Block B isn’t so bad when you throw Yano in a match with another “throw away” wrestler as the rest of the matches can then pick up the slack.