Hello You!
Back again with some B Block action
Currently Jon Moxley is way out in front in the Block and has managed to nullify all of the wrestlers he has faced in one way or another. It’s actually had a “Deadpool Kills The Marvel Universe” feel to it in all honesty, where Dean Ambrose was the acceptable comedy version of Jonathon Good whilst Jon Moxley is what he’s capable of when he’s allowed to go all out. However, tonight he’s facing Toru Yano, a man who has a few upsets to his name during his G1 career, so maybe this will be the first time Mox tastes defeat in G1?
Let’s read on and find out shall we?
The following matches all took place from the Fukuoka Citizen Gymnasium in Fukuoka, Japan on the 1st of August 2019.
Calling the action are “Big Daddy Cool” Kevin Kelley and “The Bad Guy” Rocky Romero.
G1 CLIMAX B BLOCK – Round 6
Shingo Takagi (4 pts) Vs Jeff Cobb (4 pts)
This is a tough one to call really, as either man could win this one and neither of them is really going to be damaged by taking a loss. I’ll go with Shingo, just because I can see New Japan trying to push him a little bit harder in the coming months, but I wouldn’t be shocked at all if they go with Cobb instead. Either way, it should be an enjoyable clash of two stocky wrestlers.
Shingo wastes no time going for a slam, but Cobb shrugs that off and then floors Shingo with a dropkick. Shingo bails outside however and attacks Cobb’s leg, which he then works over once both men are back inside the ring. Cobb keeps coming though and gets a big overhead belly to belly suplex before getting a big clothesline in the corner, followed by a back elbow. Spinning back suplex and a standing moonsault come next, but the latter hurts Cobb’s leg and thus delays him in making the cover, which allows Shingo to kick out at two.
Shingo back body drops his way out of a powerbomb attempt and manages to get a big Saito Suplex. Shingo gets a series of running clotheslines in the corner and then sets Cobb up on the top rope, where he tries to bring him down with a superplex. Cobb fights that as best he can, but eventually Shingo is able to suplex him down. Cobb replies with a T-Bone Suplex, but Shingo pops right back up with one of his own for a double down. Both men charge at one another, with neither going down, and eventually start throwing strikes at one another until Shingo takes Cobb down with a clothesline for one. Yes, one.
Cobb goes for Tour of the Islands (Reverse-spin scoop powerslam) but Shingo slips out and manages to deliver a Gory Bomb. Shingo gets the Pumping Bomber Lariat, but Cobb is able to kick out at two. Shingo goes for Made in Japan (Side Half Nelson into a powerbomb) but Cobb is able to fight that off and then counters a rana attempt into a powerbomb for two. Tour of the Islands looks to be next, but Shingo collapses when sent off the ropes and then gets a spiked crucifix move before delivering Made in Japan for two. Shingo tries another Pumping Bomber, but Cobb fights that off and then gets a reverse German Supelx before delivering Tour of the Islands for the win.
WINNER: JEFF COBB (6 PTS)
RATING: ***3/4
Darn fine professional wrestling there from two men who were clearly going out there to showcase themselves, and they succeeded. They matched up well size wise and style wise and ended up delivering on the promise they brought to the table. Good stuff, definitely worth a watch this one.
G1 CLIMAX B BLOCK – Round 6
Jon Moxley (10 pts) w/ Shota Umino Vs Toru Yano (4 pts)
Yano stalls to start, and then sprays Moxley with some water, which causes Moxley to chase after him. Yano begs off back inside and goes for a low blow, but Moxley is able to catch that, so Yano tries bribing him with a DVD and 10,000 yen instead, which causes a “Send for The Man” moment for Moxley. Moxley isn’t accepting of the peace offering however, so Yano wraps himself in the ropes, only for Moxley to hit him and send him outside. Yano whips Moxley into the railings at ringside, but Moxley returns the favour, only to run into an inverted atomic drop.
Yano tries taping Moxley to the railings, but Moxley stops that and ends up taping Yano to them instead. Yano is almost counted out, but manages to make it back inside and then asks for a handshake. Moxley agrees, and both men immediately go to undo turnbuckle pads and start sword fighting with them. Moxley wins that duel, but the referee stops him from getting the killing blow, which allows Yano to low blow him and then roll him up for two. Moxley side steps a Yano charge in the corner, sending him into the unprotected buckles, and then delivers a William Regal like Knee Trembler to send Yano outside.
Moxley pulls a table out from under the ring and rams Yano’s face into a few times, but Yano uses Umino as a human shield and then low blows both of them before taping their legs together. That’s enough for Yano to beat the count back inside and Moxley is dealt his first defeat in this year’s G1 Climax.
WINNER BY COUNT OUT: TORU YANO (6 PTS)
RATING: ***
That was fantastic! The action was good, the match told a good story and surprise finish was really well done. That at least keeps everyone else in the running whilst also avoiding making Moxley look weak. Moxley sells the defeat big, looking on blankly in the ring like he doesn’t know what to do with himself. Yano now has 6 points and tiebreaker wins over Moxley, White and Naito. He could still conceivably win the Block!
G1 CLIMAX B BLOCK – Round 6
Tetsuya Naito (4 pts) Vs Juice Robinson (6 pts)
Juice could potentially take Naito completely out of the running here, but I sadly can’t see that happening and think we’ll be looking at a Naito victory. I say that purely because I hate the Naito character and always tend to root against him, even though Naito the worker is one of the better guys in the whole company. By comparison, I really like Juice as a character and always wish him well, so I’d love to see him win here and go on to really contend for the Block.
Juice tries being all tranquillo in the opening stages by undressing slowly, in an effort to mess with Naito’s head. Naito actually gets stripped down before Juice does, and then Juice reveals that he has three t-shirts on, which causes Naito take no more and attack him. That was a great bit of mind games from Juice there and a genuinely funny bit. Juice replies with a pair of arm drags and then clotheslines Naito outside before mocking his taunt inside the ring. The fight heads outside, where Naito tries to Tornado DDT Juice on the floor, but it goes awry so he gives him a back breaker instead and then adds a running low dropkick.
Juice gets sent into the railings, but he’s able to roll back inside, where he finds some further Naito attacks waiting for him. Naito goes to a sleeper and then transitions to a modified head scissors, but Juice is able to drag himself to the ropes to break, only for Naito to drag him back to the middle of a ring for a neck breaker, which gets two. Naito mocks Juice’s jabs, so Juice replies with some of his own and then floors Naito with a jumping side kick. Juice gets a trio of clotheslines and then heads up top, but Naito is able to avoid whatever he has planned from up there. Juice keeps coming however with a Full Nelson Slam, and that gets him a two count from the ref.
Juice goes for a powerbomb, but Naito counters it into a rana and then gets a neck breaker to the knee out of the corner. Naito sets Juice up top, but Juice blocks whatever he has planned and both men tumble to the mat. Naito tries a Tornado DDT, but Juice cuts that off and then brings Naito down from the top rope with a rana and then follows up with a powerbomb for two. Juice goes for Pulp Friction (The Tomikaze) but Naito counters it with a big release German Suplex. A reverse rana follows and Destino (Satelite DDT) looks to end things, but Juice is able to kick out at two. Naito goes for it again, but Juice is able to counter to the Juice Box (Fireman’s carry into a gut buster) for a double down, as we see that Naito is bleeding from the ear somehow.
Naito gets a rolling kick and then tries Destino again, but Juice slips out and hits a big right hand followed by a left armed lariat for two. Juice goes for Pulp Friction, but Naito reverses it into the Emerald Flowsion for two. Destino comes next however and that’s enough for Naito to pick up the win.
WINNER: TETSUYA NAITO (6 PTS)
RATING: ***1/4
This was pretty sloppy actually, as they seemed to be on different pages on more than one occasion throughout the match.
G1 CLIMAX B BLOCK – Round 6
“Switchblade” Jay White (4 pts) w/ Gedo Vs Taichi (4 pts) w/ Mioh Abe
Two of the more unlikeable heels in the company go at it here. Hopefully this one has a bit of Randy Savage Vs Jake Roberts vibe from their classic Saturday Night’s Main Event bout from the 80’s. Matches like this are good examples of why I enjoy G1 to be honest, as it takes interesting characters with differing in ring styles and has them face off against one another.
White stalls from the bell, as per his usual MO so far in this year’s G1, but Taichi matches him for sliminess and rolls out as well. White gets back in the ring first as a show of “good faith”, but Taichi declines to get in right away. Both men end up getting distracted by the other’s seconds, as Yoshinobu Kanemaru has come down to support Taichi, which eventually leads to both men fighting on the outside. Eventually both guys realise the ref is counting and roll back in at 19, where they trade strikes. Taichi targets the legs with kicks and then offers a free shot, which leads to White going to the eyes like the good heel he is.
Taichi responds in kind, but then gets distracted by Gedo grabbing Abe, which allows White to jump him from behind and then stomp away outside. White continues to work over Taichi back inside, but as usual he gets too cocky, which gives Taichi a window to fight back. Taichi gets a pair of enziguri’s in the corner and then rips off his pleather pants to reveal his trunks before throwing a thrust kick. White sees this coming and hits the deck however, before catching Taichi with a DDT. Spinning suplex comes next from White, but that only gets him a two. Kiwi Krusher (Ki Krusher) looks to follow, but Taichi is able to fight that off and gets another ‘guri to White’s face. White ducks a pair of clotheslines and drops Taichi with a uranage slam before delivering the Kiwi Krusher for two.
White goes for a sleeper suplex, but Taichi fights off that, so he turns it into a Saito Suplex. Taichi pops right back up from that though and delivers one of his own for a double down. Taichi kicks White right in the head with a Tajiri like buzzsaw kick, but White is able to kick out at two. This leads to the seconds arguing with one another again, which allows Taichi to kick White low and actually try to beat him with the Gedo Clutch pinning hold, but Gedo pulls out the ref before this can happen.
That would have been a fantastic finish actually, and I’m almost disappointed that they didn’t just go through with it. Gedo pokes Kanemaru in the eyes and then comes in to stomp away on Taichi, before pulling out some brass knux. Kanemaru stops that however, which allows Taichi to kick Gedo out of the ring. This gives White a window to low blow Taichi however and he goes to put him away with the Blade Runner (Sister Abigail’s Kiss) but Taichi counters that and shoves White into range for Kanemaru to spit whiskey at him. This allows Taichi to hit the now blinded White with a Last Ride Powerbomb for two.
Wow, that’s been two great false finishes now and I genuinely thought that Taichi was going to win on each occasion. Gedo now grabs Taichi’s leg, but he gets dragged off by Kanemaru. This leads to Taichi and White both countering the other’s finishers, which ends with Taichi getting a big Mirko Crop Cop like kick to White’s head. Kanemaru holds Gedo at bay, but White gets a sleeper suplex on Taichi and then follows up with a modified brain buster before delivering the Blade Runner for the win.
WINNER: JAY WHITE (6 PTS)
RATING: ***1/2
It’s rare that I can feel sorry for Taichi, but White and Gedo are such a great heel pairing that they actually managed it there. This delivered on the absolute cheat-a-thon that I was hoping it to be and I’d actually be interested in seeing the follow up tag match of White and Gedo Vs Taichi and Kanemaru if they decided to do it now. Heck, if White doesn’t make the G1 Final then they should book it for the last show on the tour.
G1 CLIMAX B BLOCK – Round 6
Hirooki Goto (4 pts) Vs Tomohiro Ishii (6 pts)
I personally think they’ll have Ishii win here, so that he can keep up the pace with Moxley now that Moxley dropped some points, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they put Goto over to keep him in the running whilst also setting up for a possible Title shot at Ishii’s NEVER Openweight Title down the line, even though both men are members of the same CHAOS Faction.
Neither man budges on shoulder blocks to start, but eventually Goto is able to hit Ishii hard enough to knock him down. Ishii replies with a vertical suplex however and then throws some chops. Goto replies with some open handed slaps, but Ishii shrugs them off and takes Goto down with one big chop. Goto won’t give up and throws some more strikes, but Ishii just plain walks through them and then blisters Goto with a flurry of his own. Goto replies with a lariat to bump Ishii down and then tries for a Saito Suplex, but Ishii is able to fight that off so Goto hits a spin wheel kick in the corner and then gets it on the second attempt for two.
Ishii replies with his own back suplex and then causes sweat to fly with some more chops and forearms in the corner. Goto fights back with forearms of his own however, and Ishii actually sinks into the corner as a result. Ishii doesn’t stay down for long however and both men are soon trading forearms in the middle of the ring like the strong style nutters they are. Goto looks to be winning that battle, but when he hits the ropes to try and put an exclamation point on it, Ishii is able to catch him with a powerslam and tries to go for a powerbomb. Goto fights that off however and ends up being able to floor Ishii with a lariat. Goto sets Ishii up top and then brings him out of the corner with a hanging neck breaker for two.
Goto tries to head up top, but Ishii grabs his leg to stop him. Goto stomps away at him and climbs anyway, which leads to Ishii cutting him off and then trying to bring him down with a superplex. Both me trade forearms atop the top rope and that eventually leads to Goto getting a powerbomb from the second rope for two. Goto goes for the Ushigoroshi, but Ishii slips out of it and then no sells a Goto lariat before hitting one of his own. Both men throw big lariats, and after stumbling around for a moment Ishii joins Goto on the canvas for a double down. Ishii no sells a Goto slap and then forearms him when Goto tries a head butt. Powerbomb looks to end it for Ishii, but Goto is able to kick out at two.
Ishii goes for a sliding lariat, but Goto dodges it, so Ishii German Suplexes him down and gets it on the second attempt for two. Ishii goes for the brain buster, but Goto manages to block it and both men jockey for position over it. Goto eventually gets a GTR (Knee buster to the back) and then locks in a sleeper like his pal Katsuyori Shibata, who has been training him for this year’s G1 tournament at the LA Dojo. Goto goes to the Ushigoroshi from that, but Ishii is able to kick out at two. Goto throws some kicks to Ishii’s chest, but Ishii no sells the last one and throws some head butts, which leads to both men trading head butts. Goto wins that battle and gets the reverse GTR (Knee buster to the chest) before following up with a big kick for two. Goto goes for the GTR, but Ishii slips out and gets a ‘guri, only for Goto to muscle him up into another Ushigoroshi and another GTR gets the three count.
WINNER: HIROOKI GOTO (6 PTS)
RATING: ****1/4
This delivered on the promise of a stiff, heavy hitting main event and there’s a good chance we can see it again down the line now as well with the Title being contested. I’d be all up for that.
So following Round 6, here’s how the standings currently look;
Jon Moxley is still out in the lead with 10 points, whilst everyone else bar Shingo Takagi and Taichi are on 6 points, with the latter two sitting on 4.
In Conclusion
Get all of the first and fifth matches from this one, as they were both supremely entertaining. Even Moxley Vs Yano was tonnes of fun and well worth a watch also. It’s G1 at the end of the day, even when you get a match with the odd bit of sloppiness like Naito/Juice you still get a good match.