NJPW G1 Climax 29
Night 3 – A Block
#g129
Event Date: July 14, 2019 (15:00 JST)
aired live on NJPW World
City: Ota, Tokyo, Japan
Venue: Ota City General Gymnasium
Attendance: 4,074
Series: G1 Climax 29
Commentary (English): Kevin Kelly, Rocky Romero, Chris Charlton
Commentary (Japanese): Miki Motoi, Shigeki Kiyono, Milano Collection AT
Ring Announcer: Kimihiko Ozaki (1 – 4), Makoto Abe (5 – 9)
Video
The wrestlers in A Block of the G1 Climax tournament are briefly profiled.
Match 1
Yuya Uemura & Tomoaki Honma & Hirooki Goto vs Yota Tsuji & Toa Henare & Juice Robinson
(referee: Kenta Sato)
Result: Toa Henare pins Yuya Uemura after the Toa Bottom
Time: 6:31
Match Thoughts
This was a fine opener. Uemura and Tsuji started against each other for a short exchange. Neither man seemed to want to tag out but they did, so Henare and Honma came in next. After that we got a short preview for Juice versus Goto, then Henare and Uemura finished the match against each other. There was nothing particularly remarkable about the match, but it wasn’t a bad opening tag match.
Match 2
Shota Umino & Jon Moxley (IWGP US Champ) vs Ren Narita & Jeff Cobb
(referee: Kenta Sato)
Result: Jeff Cobb pins Shota Umino after A Tour of the Islands
Time: 4:53
Match Thoughts
Good match. It was a little short, but it was a lot of fun to see Moxley and Umino team up. Moxley had Umino in a Moxley t-shirt carrying his US Title belt to the ring. In the match, Moxley and Umino had some pretty good chemistry and even had some double team moves worked out. Narita started string in the match, but Moxley and Umino’s teamwork shut down the young lion. Cobb and Moxley eventually ended up in the ring together and gave a few teases about what to expect in their upcoming tournament match. They countered a bunch of each other’s moves, but Moxley got in some more strikes than Cobb. Moxley tagged in Umino to finish off Cobb, but that didn’t work so well for Umino. This was a fun match.
Match 3
Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi & Jay White w/ Gedo vs YOSHI-HASHI & Toru Yano (NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Champ) & Tomohiro Ishii (NEVER Openweight Champ)
(referee: Kenta Sato)
Result: Toru Yano pins Chase Owens with a low blow and a schoolboy
Time: 9:23
Match Thoughts
Good match. The preview here was for Ishii versus White tomorrow night, and despite White trying to avoid Ishii, we got a fairly lengthy sequence where the two of them were legal in the ring against each other. Before that though, Bullet Club took the fight to the floor to get an early advantage. White would work on Ishii’s head and neck later in the match, and everyone else went a bit back and forth. Owens and Yano ended the match against each other, and that was fun.
Match 4
Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Minoru Suzuki & Taichi vs BUSHI & Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito (IWGP IC Champ)
(referee: Marty Asami)
Result: Minoru Suzuki pins BUSHI after a Gotch piledriver
Time: 8:33
Match Thoughts
Good match. Suzuki Gun started some pre-match shenanigans with a brawl, but Taichi didn’t take part. Instead, Taichi and Naito stood still in the ring as chaos erupted around them to start the match. Taichi, with a little help of Suzuki and Kanemaru, got the better of Naito, and Suzuki Gun dominated most of this match overall. LIJ was thrown completely off their usual game of superior teamwork. LIJ eventually started to work together, but it was too little to late on this night. Taichi made a strong statement in this tag preview tonight.
Match 5
G1 Climax 29 A Block Match
Bad Luck Fale (1-0-0: 2) w/ Jado vs Lance Archer (1-0-0: 0)
(referee: Marty Asami)
Result: Lance Archer wins via pinfall with the EBD Claw
Time: 10:12
Match Thoughts
Good match. I was a but surprised by how fun this was. Fale started the match with a brawl on the floor and some help from Jado. Back in the ring, Archer hit some big moves, but Fale methodically took control back. Towards the end though, Archer hit some impressive moves on Fale and built the crowd up for a fun finish.
Match 6
G1 Climax 29 A Block Match
SANADA (1-0-0: 2) vs Will Ospreay (0-1-0: 0)
(referee: Marty Asami)
Result: Will Ospreay wins via pinfall after Stormbreaker
Time: 17:06
Match Thoughts
Great match! Much like SANADA adapted to Sabre’s technical offense during night one, he adapted to Ospreay’s aerial offense. SANADA was quick, agile, and hit a good number of leaping and diving moves tonight. Ospreay and SANADA had a great counter for counter sequence early, and they had some even better technical exchanges much later in the match. This match started off fun, and it got pretty tense as it felt like it was nearing its end. I liked this a whole bunch.
Match 7
G1 Climax 29 A Block Match
Zack Sabre Jr. (0-1-0: 0) (RPW British Heavyweight Champ) vs Kazuchika Okada (1-0-0: 2) (IWGP Heavyweight Champ)
(referee: Red Shoes Unno)
Result: Kazuchika Okada wins via pinfall after the Rainmaker
Time: 12:01
Match Thoughts
Great match. I really felt like Okada was in trouble in this match. Sabre was supremely confident, and after a short feeling-out process, Sabre started to twist and tie up Okada over and over. Okada hit a tombstone piledriver partway through the match that helped set up the latter portions of the match. ZSJ still looked great throughout the match, but the piledriver had an effect on Sabre that left an opening for Okada. This was very well done and highly enjoyable.
Match 8
G1 Climax 29 A Block Match
EVIL (0-1-0: 0) vs Kota Ibushi (0-1-0: 0)
(referee: Red Shoes Unno)
Result: EVIL wins via pinfall after EVIL (STO)
Time: 19:11
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Ibushi’s ankle injury that he suffered during night one was a huge factor in this match. It was such a problem for Ibushi that this match was mostly about the heart and determination of Ibushi to try to push past the pain and defeat EVIL. EVIL wisely went after Ibushi’s ankle repeatedly, but Ibushi would come back with some bursts of offense. Overall this match was rather methodical, but the final segment of the match really worked up to something exciting.
Ring Area
Before the next match, Katsuyori Shibata joins the Japanese commentary team.
Match 9
G1 Climax 29 A Block Match
KENTA (1-0-0: 2) vs Hiroshi Tanahashi (0-1-0: 0)
(referee: Red Shoes Unno)
Result: KENTA wins via pinfall after Go 2 Sleep
Time: 18:35
Match Thoughts
Great match! Like a lot of Tanahashi’s matches have seemed to be about this year, this match was largely about Tanahashi thinking that KENTA doesn’t like how KENTA wrestles and KENTA not caring. KENTA showed a lot of disrespect to the ace of New Japan, and that fired Tanahashi up throughout the match. Strikes were exchanged, and kicks were thrown (mostly by KENTA), and this match built up to a great finish. This was a steady build that got the crowd buzzing louder and louder as the pace picked up. This was a fitting main event for a tournament that feels like a lot of new blood is invading the G1 Climax.
Ring Area
After the match, KENTA holds his hand out to Tanahashi for a handshake. Tanahashi refuses and walks past him.
Back in the ring, KENTA once again introduces himself to the New Japan fans. He also says he came to NJPW to win, not to make friends. Whether anyone in New Japan knows him or not, he is going to win the G1 Climax in his first attempt. So remember the name “KENTA.”
Show Impressions
This was a very good show. Of course every match in the tournament is important, but it really felt like a lot of individual trajectories were solidified tonight. I’m really happy with what I’ve been seeing so far.
Match of the Night
Will Ospreay vs SANADA
I think the main event was great as well, but my initial gut reaction was to pick Ospreay versus SANADA, so that’s what I’m going with. Either match could be in this spot though.
Standings After Night 3
Block A
| Wrestler | Points | Wins | Losses | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kazuchika Okada (IWGP Heavyweight Champ) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Lance Archer | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| KENTA | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Bad Luck Fale | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| EVIL | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Will Ospreay (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champ) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| SANADA | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Hiroshi Tanahashi | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Kota Ibushi | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Zack Sabre Jr. (RPW British Heavyweight Champ) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Block B
| Wrestler | Points | Wins | Losses | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hirooki Goto | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| John Moxley (IWGP US Champ) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Juice Robinson | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tomohiro Ishii (NEVER Openweight Champ) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Toru Yano (NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Champ) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jay White | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jeff Cobb | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Shingo Takagi | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Taichi | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tetsuya Naito (IWGP IC Champ) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Official Results (Japanese): https://www.njpw.co.jp/tornament/192625?showResult=1