RADICAN’S 8/2 NJPW G1 Climax 27: Night 12 report – Robinson-SANADA, Okada-Tonga, Omega-EVIL

RADICAN’S G1 CLIMAX 27: NIGHT 12 REPORT
AUG. 2, 2017
FUKUOKA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPWWORLD.COM

This show had a multi-camera shoot and Japanese commentary.

I will not be reviewing any of the non-tournament matches this year, but I will provide the daily results. If any undercard match turns out to be extremely noteworthy, I will make an exception in certain cases.

UNDERCARD RESULTS

(1) Tomoyuki Oka & Shota Umino beat Katsuya Kitamura & Ren Narita

(2) Kota Ibushi & Tiger Mask IV beat Yuji Nagata & Hirai Kawato.

(3) CHAOS (Hirooki Goto & Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI beat Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens).

(4) Suzuki Gun (Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi & El Desperado) beat L.I.J. (Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi). After the match, Taichi stole one of BUSHI’s masks.

(5) Hiroshi Tanahashi & Jushin Thunder Liger beat Togi Makabe & David Finlay.

B BLOCK RESULTS & ANALYSIS

(6) SANADA (6) vs. Juice Robinson (2) in a G1 Climax 27 B Block match. SANADA went for his signature dropkick sequence, but Robinson dropkicked him in the back and SANADA went to the floor. Juice favored his leg as he went to the floor. SANADA cut him off on the floor and went after his leg. Robinson managed to get back into the ring when the ref’s count reached 14, but his leg was clearly bothering him. SANADA went right back after Robinson’s leg. Robinson countered a skull end attempt and hit an inverted DDT and the fans fired up. Robinson grabbed his leg and tried to fire himself up. Robinson hit several punches and then faked a punch before pulling SANADA in for a modified DDT. He continued to favor his leg. Robinson set up for a cannonball, but SANADA nailed him with a basement dropkick! SANADA went right back after Robinson’s leg with modified figure 4. Robinson countered the leg submission by rolling over. They ended up on the floor a short time later and SANADA reapplied the modified leg submission. He let go at 16 and dove back into the ring. Robinson hobbled up on one line and barely dove into the ring to beat the ref’s count. SANADA went for the submission again, but Robinson turned it into a small package for a 2 count. He then caught SANADA with a spinebuster, but he continued to favor his leg. He went for a powerbomb and SANADA countered, but Robinson hung on and lifted back up into a huge powerbomb for a 2 count. WOW! He set up for pulp friction, but SANADA pushed him off and eventually hit a missile dropkick. He hit a belly to back suplex, but Robinson kicked out at 2. They went back and forth and Robinson caught SANADA with a big clothesline off the ropes. He set up for pulp friction once again, but SANADA pushed him off. SANADA then got the skull end, but Robinson slid out of it and hit the KO punch! Robinson then went for pulp friction again. SANADA fought out of it and Robinson went for a German. SANADA landed on his feet. He went back after Robinson’s leg and applied the skull end. The ref checked Robinson’s arm twice and SANADA let go and went up top and hit a moonsault for the win.

Winner: SANADA (8 pts)

Star rating: (***1/2) – Robinson continues to be a highlight in this tournament. He’s been working a leg injury and has only gotten one win, but he almost always gets the crowd behind him and seems on the verge of winning.

(7) Michael Elgin (4) vs. Toru Yano (2) in a G1 Climax 27 B Block match. Yano tried to take the turnbuckle pad off. Elgin whipped him into the opposite corner and tied it back on. Yano undid that turnbuckle pad and hit Elgin with it, but he no sold it. Elgin hit a delayed vertical suplex on Yano a short time later. Yano went for a low blow, but Elgin dragged the ref in the way. Elgin went for a low blow, but the ref stopped him. Yano went for another low blow a short time later and the ref stopped him. Yano then faked that Elgin had given him a low blow and the ref bought it and called for the DQ.

Yano ran up the entrance ramp and continued to sell his groin. Elgin got upset and teased going after him, but stopped.

Winner: Toru Yano via DQ (4 pts) – Well that was a finish I wasn’t expecting. I was hoping Elgin would be in the mix until the end, but after beating Omega he’s lost two matches.

(8) Satoshi Kojima (w/Tenzan) (0) vs. NEVER Openweight Champion Minoru Suzuki (w/El Desperado & Taichi) (6) in a G1 Climax 27 B Block match. Suzuki jumped Kojima during the introductions. Taichi could be seen distracting the ref. The ref dragged Suzuki away, so Desperado and Taichi put the boots to him until Tenzan came into the picture. Suzuki went back on the attack on the outside and whipped Kojima into the guardrail several times. Suzuki Gun tried the same tactic again with the ref distracted. Desperado and Taichi attacked Kojima. Tenzan came to the rescue, but the ref made him move to the other side of the ring. They ended up going at it back inside the ring. Kojima made a comeback and hit the machinegun chops as the fans fired up. Kojima blocked a kick and hit a flurry of stripes and capped the sequence with a DDT. He went up top, but Suzuki popped up and grabbed an octopus submission. He eventually hit a PK back on the mat for a 2 count. The fans fired up and chanted for Kojima. Suzuki blocked a punch and went right into a Furjiwara arm bar variation. The fans fired up big time as Kojima struggled to the ropes.

Suzuki grabbed a choke and went for the Gotch piledriver, but Kojima backdropped himself out of it. Suzuki blocked a couple of lariats, but Kojima counted after a third attempt and both men were down. WOW! The Kojima made the cover, but Taichi dragged the ref to the floor. Desperado went after Kojima, but Tenzan ran in and wiped him out. He then hit a Mongolian chop on Taichi that fired up the crowd. After the dust settled, Kojima hit a brainbuster for a near fall. He set up for his signature lariat, but Suzuki ducked it and hit a dropkick. Suzuki got the choke a short time later. He let go and hit a forearm and then the Gotch piledriver for the win.

After the match, Suzuki put the boots to Tenzan when he tried to get into the ring. Suzuki Gun then posed over Kojima. Suzuki put a boot on Kojima’s face and smiled. Tenzan finally got back into the ring and Suzuki Gun bailed.

Winner: Minoru Suzuki (8)

Star rating: (***1/2) – This was really good and an illustration of how outside interference can enhance a match. The crowd really fired up when Tenzan tried to get involved, but ultimately Suzuki Gun was just too much for Kojima to overcome on this night. Kojima remains winless in the tournament.

(9) IWGP Hvt. Champion Kazuchika Okada (w/Gedo) (10) vs. Tama Tonga (4) in a G1 Climax 27 B Block match. Tonga jumped Okada during his entrance. Tonga put on Okada’s jacket and did the rainmaker pose on the ropes and the fans gasped. Of course, Okada had time to recover and he wiped him out with a flurry of offense. Tonga turned the tide on the floor and maintained control inside the ring. Okada mounted a comeback and hit a neck breaker. Okada went on the attack and hit a diving uppercut for a 2 count. Okada went for a tombstone, but Tonga countered it and hit a spinning flap jack for a 2 count. Okada fired back and hit a flap jack off the ropes a short time later and both men were down. Okada followed up with a neck breaker over his knee. He went up top a short time later and dropped his signature elbow. He signaled for the rainmaker and went for it, but Tonga ducked it. Tonga tried to do his misdirection stuff off the ropes, but he ate an uppercut when he went for the gun stun. He caught Okada with a spear for a 2 count a short time later. Okada blocked a gun stun attempt and went for the rainmaker, but Tonga turned it into his standing mount DDT for a near fall. That was a great little sequence of counters. Tonga set up for the gun stun, but Okada blocked it and hit the too awesome dropkick.

The fans clapped as Okada was slow to regroup. He tried to drag Tonga to his feet for the rainmaker. He went for it and Tonga tried to turn it into the gun stun. They went back and forth and Tonga held onto the ropes when Okada went for another too awesome dropkick. Okada blocked yet another gun stun attempt. Tonga ducked a rainmaker and hit a bicycle kick variation. He went for another gun stun, but Okada turned it into a German. Okada then held on for the rainmaker and it was good for the win.

Winner: Kazuchika Okada (12 pts)

Star rating: (***1/4) – This match was flat in parts, but it got good late. It never felt like Okada was going to lose this match and the crowd sure didn’t seem to buy into the action either. I thought this might be a real coming out party for Tonga, but for whatever reason this match didn’t go to the next level.

(10) IWGP U.S. Champion Kenny Omega (8) vs. EVIL (8) in a G1 Climax 27 B Block match. They went to the floor and EVIL choked Omega with a TV cable. EVIL exposed the padding on the floor. Omega blocked a slam attempt and hit one of his own on the exposed floor. Omega set up a table and slammed EVIL through it over the guardrail. Omega hit the Finlay roll/moonsault combination a short time later and it was good for a 2 count. Omega then began targeting EVIL’s back. EVIL tried to mount a comeback and went for a senton, but Omega got his knees up. EVIL mounted a comeback and rolled to the floor to get a pair of chairs. Omega suddenly came out of nowhere with a knee strike off the apron to the floor to send the chairs right into EVIL. Omega tried to suplex Omega through the chair, but EVIL countered it and hit a suplex of his own. He then wrapped the chair around Omega’s neck. He tried to whip Omega into the ringpost, but Omega got his foot up to block it. Omega went for a springboard, but EVIL nailed him with a chair. He then hit the conchairto and Omega went down. Omega fired back inside the ring with a hurricanrana that sent EVIL to the floor. The fans began clapping as Omega set up for Rise of the Terminator and connected! Omega picked up EVIL and slammed him onto the apron. Omega put a table on top of EVIL. The fans fired up and Omega nailed EVIL with a double stomp through the table. The table didn’t break all the way through, so Omega set it up and put EVIL on top of it.

Omega fired up and set up for a dive, but EVIL tripped him. He drove Omega into the side of the ring several times. They went back and forth and Omega finally slammed EVIL on top of the apron. Omega set up the table once again and smiled diabolically. He went up on the apron and set up EVIL for a double underhook powerbomb. EVIL fought out of it and hit a big headbutt! EVIL then hit a rock bottom off the apron through the table and both men were down. WOW! The ref became counting, but Omega finally managed to get into the ring at 17. EVIL hit a big senton off the top, but Omega kicked out at 2. He followed up with the DVD bomb for another near fall! EVIL did the throat slice gesture and set up for a STO, but Omega blocked it. They went back and forth and Omega hit a V Trigger out of nowhere. Omega went for another V Trigger, but EVIL blocked it with a forearm. Omega fired back with a snap dragon and a HUGE V Trigger for a near fall. WOW! Omega went for the one winged angel, but EVIL blocked it. They went back and forth and EVIL hit a big release German. They exchanged counters and EVIL hit a big lariat for a 2 count. EVIL then locked in the banshee muzzle! Omega almost had his foot on the ropes, but EVIL reapplied the hold. Omega faded and then fired up once again. EVIL dragged him to the middle of the ring and the ref checked Omega’s arm. Omega fired up once again and this time he got to the ropes! EVIL was bleeding from above his eye. He set up for the STO, but Omega blocked it. EVIL hit a headbutt, but Omega fired back with a V Trigger and a poison hurricanrana for a near fall! Omega hit a HUGE V Trigger against the ropes. He tried to drag EVIL to his feet, but he wouldn’t get up. He then made the cover, but EVIL’s arm was already under the ropes. Omega hit a big V Trigger. He got EVIL up and connected with the one-winged angel for the win. WOW!

Winner: Kenny Omega (10 pts)

Star rating: (****1/4) – This was easily the best match on the show. EVIL gave Omega everything he could handle. The banshee muzzle submission sequence was particularly dramatic as Omega did a heck of a sell job of being unable to get to the ropes with his foot. The win keeps Omega on pace with Okada. If both men win out until the final night, an Omega win over Okada would put him in the finals.

Omega cut a promo saying he sees L.I.J. merchandise in the crowd, but he also sees Kenny Omega merchandise and signs as well. Omega said he also saw a Canadian flag and his teddy bear. Omega said he would become the only gaijin to win two times in a row. He asked the fans to cheer for him. Omega said he has to go home and go to sleep. Omega then hit his goodbye and goodnight catch phrase to end the show.

Overall thoughts: It felt like the B block came back down to earth in terms of match quality on this night. All of the matches were good, but the main event of Omega vs. EVIL really stood apart from everything else from the block matches. The big story is that it looks like if Omega is on pace to meet Okada with a spot in the finals on the line. That’s what everyone predicted would happen before the tournament happened. I’d be very surprised if that match doesn’t determine the winner of the B block.

Robinson continues to shine in the tournament despite not winning since the first night of B block action. He gave SANADA all he could handle, but once again his lingering leg injury prevented him from winning the match. The fans have really gotten behind Robinson during the tournament. Another highlight on the card was Suzuki-Kojima. The match was very good and there was all sorts of outside interference from Suzuki Gun that fired up the crowd, especially when Tenzan got involved to help out his partner. Kojima gave Suzuki all he had, but fell short and is now 0-6 in the tournament.

EVIL vs. Omega was great. EVIL continues to shine and they had a match that went all over the place and built up to a big table spot before a crazy final stretch where it looked like EVIL might win. EVIL fell short, but his performance against Omega was top shelf. I recommend watching the Omega-EVIL match and skipping the rest of the block action if you’re pressed for time or worn out from too much wrestling viewing.

STANDINGS AFTER NIGHT 12

A BLOCK

Hiroshi Tanahashi (4-2, 8 pts)
Tetsuya Naito (4-2, 8 pts)
Zack Sabre Jr. (4-2, 8 pts)
Tomohiro Ishii (4-2, 8 pts)
Togi Makabe (3-3, 6 pts)
Bad Luck Fale (3-3, 6 pts)
Hirooki Goto (3-3, 6 pts)
Kota Ibushi (3-3, 6 pts)
YOSHI-HASHI (2-4, 4 pts)
Yuji Nagata (0-6, 0 pts)

B BLOCK

Kazuchika Okada (6-0, 12 pts)
Kenny Omega (5-1, 10 pts)
Minoru Suzuki (4-2, 8 pts)
EVIL (4-2, 8 pts)
SANADA (4-2, 8 pts)
Toru Yano (2-4, 4 pts)
Michael Elgin (2-4, 4 pts)
Tama Tonga (2-4, 4 pts)
Juice Robinson (1-5, 2 pts)
Satoshi Kojima (0-6, 0 pts)

I will provide a list of matches ranked at **** or higher for people just looking to watch the best matches from the tournament. This guide is also handy for those of you that are short on time and looking to sample the best of each night of G1 Climax 27.

Match recommendations for G1 Climax 27: Night 12

(10) EVIL vs. IWGP U.S. Champion Kenny Omega (****1/4)

ATTENTION: Read Radican’s G1 Climax 27: Night 11 report by clicking HERE

Contact Sean at pwtorchsean@gmail.com. Follow Sean on twitter HERE. Follow and like Radican’s Wrestling Community Facebook.com HERE