NJPW News: G1 Climax 2017 Finals (8/13/2017)
The G1 Climax 27 has concluded and NJPW stacked the card with tag team matches -- two of which featured the IWGP Heavyweight and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships defended.
However, the most anticipated match on the card was the bout between Tetsuya Naito of Los Ingobernables de Japon and Kenny Omega of The Bullet Club.
#1 Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Desperado, Taichi and Taka Michinoku vs. Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask, KUSHIDA and Hirai Kawato
This match saw a lot of fast paced, high-speed action for the majority of the match. Everyone in the match hit several big spots and it was a constant cycle of non-legal partners going in and out of the ring breaking up pinfalls and hitting their signature moves.
The match ended when Taichi hit Kawato with a powerbomb, rolled through and picked Kawato up only for Kanemaru to jump off the top rope and hit a deep impact DDT for the victory.
Results: Kanemaru, Desperado, Taichi, and Taka Michinoku defeat Kawato, KUSHIDA, Tiger Mask, and Jushin Thunder Liger
#2 Guerillas of Destiny vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata
This match was a complete change of pace as the heavyweights clashed in a very physical encounter. The match started off with fists flying and all four competitors ended up on the outside.
The Guerillas of Destiny dictated the pace and used frequent tags to keep Nagata away from his tag partner, Nakanishi. Nagata managed to gain momentum by hitting Tama Tonga with a belly to belly overhead suplex and a swift kick to Tanga Loa before making the tag to Nakanishi.
Nakanishi and Nagata both landed big strikes and attempted dual submissions, but Tonga countered and got his brother free.
The match ended when Tanga hit a sit-out piledriver on Nakanishi for the victory.
Results: Guerillas of Destiny defeat Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata
#3 YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto vs. Togi Makabe & David Finlay
This match was a bit more technical starting with lockups and the usual back and forth on the ropes action.
YOSHI-HASHI and Goto maintained momentum for the early minutes, but Finlay managed to turn the tides and make a tag to Makabe. The bout got a lot more physical when Makabe and Goto started exchanging strikes and both men went down after several clotheslines.
The match ended when YOSHI-HASHI hit Finlay with karma for the victory.
Results: YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto defeat Togi Makabe & David Finlay
#4 Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi, & Chase Owens vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Juice Robinson and Satoshi Kojima
The match had a bit of a chaotic start with Tenzan, Juice, and Kojima all ganging up on the Bullet Club.
The Bullet Club regained control when Bad Luck Fale blindsided Kojima and hit some big splashes in the corner. Kojima would eventually fight them off and with some quick DDTs and clotheslines before getting Juice for the hot tag,
Juice’s athleticism in this match was fantastic and he was clearly the standout in this encounter. Juice ended the match by hitting Pulp Friction on Owens for the victory.
Results: Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Juice Robinson and Satoshi Kojima defeated Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens
#5 Ryusuke Taguchi & Ricochet vs. The Young Bucks – IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championships
The momentum in this match was a lot more back and forth in the early going, but The Young Bucks got the upper hand by targeting Taguchi’s back and Ricochet’s knee.
Taguchi’s back was targeted for a good portion of the match until he hit The Young Bucks with one regular and one reverse DDT before tagging in Ricochet, whose knee was heavily targeted in the match.
The Young Bucks both used dual Sharpshooters, but Taguchi countered by pushing one of the Young Bucks into the other to break the submission on Ricochet.
The Young Bucks regained control and attempted an Indytaker, but Taguchi knocked down Nick Jackson in mid-air with a springboard hip attack. This allowed both men to lay out Jackson while Ricochet climbed the top rope.
Nick attempted to move Matt out of the way, but Taguchi put an ankle lock on Nick, preventing him from getting involved. The match ended when Ricochet hit a shooting star press on Matt to win the titles.
Results: Ricochet & Ryusuke Taguchi defeat The Young Bucks to win the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championships