New Japan Pro Wrestling G1 Special in San Francisco Recap

New Japan Pro Wrestling presents G1 Special in San Francisco (07/07/2018)

G1 Special in San Francisco.
Source: Fight Network

After New Japan Pro Wrestling ran the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California back in March and two Strong Style Evolved shows in the United Kingdom in June/July, it’s time for New Japan’s fourth international venture of 2018 as once again they come to California, this time for the G1 Special in San Francisco.

Being held in a historic venue for wrestling in the United States, the Cow Palace, things have changed since their last U.S. outing. Kazuchika Okada’s epic 720-day IWGP Heavyweight Championship reign came to an end on June 9th at Dominion as he lost a 2 out of 3 falls match to Kenny Omega. Now, it’s the Best Bout Machine who must carry the company into the future, and where better to start than having your first title defence on U.S. soil against fellow Bullet Club member, Cody.

Match 1. Bullet Club (King Haku, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens) defeated Chaos (Yoshi-Hashi, Gedo, Rocky Romero, Yoh and Sho)

This is kind of what you’ve come to expect from an NJPW opening tag match, a large schmoz of wrestlers all taking their turns to enter the ring, hit a few moves, and exit the ring again. Not much to talk about here except the in-ring return of King Haku; the father of the Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa), who at the end of the match, pushed Gedo into the path of his son Tama Tonga who hit the Gun Stun for the pinfall.

Match 2. Chaos (Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano) defeated Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr.)

At Dominion, these two teams faced off and it set up the storyline of Minoru Suzuki and Tomohiro Ishii wanting nothing more than to club each other’s heads off with forearm strikes. This led to a singles match in Manchester between the two, which a couple of us at Official Wrestling witnessed in person. We heard first-hand the vicious blows and sickening thuds as two sadists went at it. This match in San Francisco was more of the same, suggesting this Ishii vs. Suzuki feud is not dying away any time soon thankfully. The actual tag match wasn’t anything special, probably not as good as their Dominion match, but a clever spin on the finish from Dominion which saw Sabre Jr. catch a Yano low blow attempt and turn it into a submission almost occurred again, but a save from Ishii led to a quick roll up and a victory for the Chaos duo.

Suzuki and Ishii trade forearms as Yano looks on.
Source: https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/26145?showResult=1

Match 3. Bullet Club (Hangman Page and Marty Scurll) defeated Taguchi Japan (Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kushida)

If you’re familiar with New Japan shows, it should come as no surprise that another tag match followed, this time between members of Bullet Club and Taguchi Japan, who were actually accompanied to ringside by Ryusuke Taguchi. I would not mind at all if this becomes a long-term thing with Taguchi accompanying members of his stable to matches, it would add a little bit of legitimacy to the faction, and legitimacy is what you need when you have Taguchi Japan phone cases to sell. Another short but solid match, kind of teasing the upcoming G1 Climax match between Tanahashi and Hangman, who I always forget is as athletic as he is until he starts hitting running shooting star presses from the ring apron to Kushida on the floor.

Match 4. Hirooki Goto (c) defeated Jeff Cobb (NEVER Openweight Championship)

I love Goto’s theme! It’s like Hans Zimmer himself composed it, which isn’t surprising when Goto reminds me of a pirate, but surprisingly, it was Cobb who the fans were behind in this match. As a result, Goto started working a little more heelish, a bit more dastardly, kind of like a pirate might, not allowing clean breaks and throwing Cobb into the ring post. Cobb is relatively new to New Japan, especially singles matches so this was his time to shine, and he took his opportunity. He displayed his great power including hitting a beautiful deadlift overhead belly-to-belly suplex, but the 260lb former Olympian also showed his athletic side by hitting a nice dropkick and a very good standing moonsault. In the end though, it was Goto who overcame his opponent with a ushigoroshi followed by the GTR for the pinfall and his first successful title defence in his third reign as NEVER Openweight Champion.

Jeff Cobb displays his athleticism by executing a standing moonsault.
Source: https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/26145?showResult=1

Match 5. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) (c) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (Sanada and Evil) (IWGP Tag Team Championship)

A rematch from one of the best matches from June’s Dominion show did not disappoint, not surprising when it’s contested between perhaps the two best tag teams in New Japan. For a long while in this match, Sanada was taking all the weird and wonderful offence that the Young Bucks could think of including a DDT on the apron followed by a 450 splash. The LIJ stablemates though got back into the match but two Magic Killers and even an Indytaker on a chair couldn’t keep The Young Bucks down. Eventually, TYB turned the tides and a Meltzer Driver to Evil was enough to retain the IWGP Tag Team title belts.

Evil and Sanada take a page from The Young Books playbook and deliver an Indytaker to Matt Jackson.
Source: https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/26145?showResult=1

Match 6. Chaos (Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito and Bushi)

Okada made his way to the ring using his new entrance music and his new attire of red and black Okada pants (which I actually like much more than his old ones) and balloons (still don’t know why there are balloons). It seems like losing the IWGP Heavyweight title has removed a lot of pressure off of Okada’s shoulders. He no longer has to be THE man and he is more free to go out there and enjoy himself, especially when working with people he knows like friend and tag partner Ospreay and long-time rival Naito. However, it seemed the fans inside the Cow Palace were more on the side of the LIJ leader, but a Storm Breaker on Bushi by Will Ospreay resulted in a victory for Chaos.

Four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada makes his entrance in San Francisco with balloons and all.
Source: https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/26145?showResult=1

Side note: I know he’s 66 years old but Jim Ross seems to struggle with people’s names. In this match he called Okada, Naito, he called Bushi, Sanada, even though Sanada was in the last match, and I’m sure in the opener, he called Yoshi-Hashi both Yoh and Sho.

Match 7. Hiromu Takahashi (c) defeated Dragon Lee (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship)

Dragon Lee (left) and Hiromu Takahashi (right) are ready to battle for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title.
Source: https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/26145?showResult=1

Accompanied to the ring by Mr Belt, Mr Trophy, and Daryl Jr. (the son of Daryl and Carol Takahashi), IWGP Jr. Heavyweight champion Hiromu Takahashi was up against his greatest rival, the man who unmasked him while in Mexico, and CMLL representative Dragon Lee. Dragon Lee wasted no time hitting a frankensteiner from the apron before the bell had been rung. He then followed it up with a crazy suicide dive and then mocked Hiromu’s LIJ leader Tetsuya Naito. 

It’s always a bit nerve-wracking watching a Hiromu match, as he throws a lot of caution to the wind, and Dragon Lee was happy to copy that reckless style. A heart-stopping moment was when a package overhead driver planted Hiromu right on top of his head (and a replay elicited a large “ooohhhhh” reaction from the crowd). But Hiromu recovered, hit Dragon Lee with the Time Bomb and pinned him to continue his run as IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion. Interestingly, this was the first match that got a “New Japan” chant from the crowd, despite one of the competitors working for a Mexican promotion.

Dragon Lee delivers a double foot stomp to champion Hiromu.
Source: https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/26145?showResult=1

Post-edit: It has been reported today (June 9th) that following this match, IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi may have collapsed backstage and was taken to a hospital. He has apparently suffered a broken neck as a result of the above-mentioned phoenix-plex which landed him on top of his head. Hiromu Takahashi is a phenomenal talent and we at Official Wrestling wish him well and a speedy recovery.

Match 8. Juice Robinson defeated Jay White (c) (IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship)

This was the first match with a pre-match promo package, and it was a good one. It got over all the necessary points; Juice has never managed to win a title match, Juice’s broken left hand, the turn of Jay White into the sadistic Switchblade, it was excellent. I don’t know who made it but NJPW should sign them and they should make more.

If Goto reminds me of a pirate, Juice Robinson went fully out there with his ‘Flamboyant’ moniker, wearing red, white and blue tights with lacy frills, a golden jacket, and a feathered pirate hat. As for Jay White, I always say that he seems to improve with each match he has, and on this night, he appeared to be the most hated man in San Francisco. Low blows and ferociously throwing Robinson into the guardrails at ringside, one of which knocked JR out of his seat, brought boos, “Fuck you Switchblade” chants and even prompted Josh Barnett to leave his commentary position and begin hunting down the New Zealander.

At matches end, with the referees back turned, Juice used his plastered left hand to deliver a blow to White before hitting Pulp Friction, but that was not enough to keep down the U.S. Champ. White tried to respond with the Blade Runner, but a quick roll up for three crowned Juice Robinson the new IWGP U.S. Heavyweight champ and earned possibly the loudest crowd reaction of the night; not for Kenny, not Okada, not even Naito, but Juice Robinson! And after a Canuck and a Kiwi, there is finally a Yankee holding the United States Championship.

Juice Robinson celebrates becoming the third ever IWGP United States Champion.
Source: https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/26145?showResult=1

Match 9. Kenny Omega (c) defeated Cody (IWGP Heavyweight Championship)

Another excellent pre-match package capturing the Bullet Club Civil War, but I’ve just realised that these last two promos have been in English, so wouldn’t work in Japan, so we’ll probably only get to enjoy them on the shows hosted in the USA.

Accompanied to the ring by Brandi Rhodes and Burnard the Business Bear, Cody was carried down the ramp by sedan chair, while Kenny was seconded by The Young Bucks as part of the recently reunited The Elite/Golden Elite (with Kota Ibushi who was not present on this night).

Cody (left) smiles as he is carried to the ring while Kenny Omega (right) is all business as he makes his entrance.
Source: https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/26145?showResult=1

This match was more weapon-laden than anyone probably expected as Cody was stomped through a table, Kenny was front suplexed onto a ladder, then superplexed off the top of that ladder, and finally, Cody was powerbombed over the top rope and onto, but not through a second table. Yet, it was only a One-Winged Angel that could finally put Cody away for a three count and give Kenny Omega his first successful defence as the 66th IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

Cody suplexes Kenny Omega from the top of a ladder onto the mat below.
Source: https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/26145?showResult=1

Kenny gave the usual post-match promo, thanking everyone for coming and bidding them all adieu, before being met at the top of the ramp by Bullet Club OG Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, and King Haku. They all shared a too sweet but then the Tongan family turned on Omega, revealed new Firing Squad shirts and proceeded to beat down all the members of Bullet Club; Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Hangman Page, Marty Scurll, Yujiro Takahashi, and Chase Owens. Then, Cody returned from backstage and revealed he is now on Team… Kenny. He turned on Tama Tonga but received a Gun Stun for his troubles. Finally, Haku delivered a piledriver to Omega on a chair before they made their exit. To end the show, Cody and Kenny officially reunited and the Bullet Club Civil War story now has a new villain in Tama Tonga.

The Tongan Firing Squad stand tall over the fallen members of Bullet Club.
Source: Sportskeeda.com

So where do we go from here? What side is Taiji Ishimori on who wasn’t at this show, or Bad Luck Fale who is Tongan and also one of the original four Bullet Club members along with Tama? Well, that’s for another day. As for now, the Bullet Club is NOT fine, it's not even close to fine!

In summary, this G1 Special at the Cow Palace was a major success. Yes, they didn’t sell out the arena, but they certainly put on a very entertaining show with great wrestling and an intriguing twist to carry us into the future, especially when Kenny Omega and Tama Tonga are set to meet in the G1 Climax on July 21st in the B Block. This was probably the best show NJPW have run in the USA in the past year, and with a few more shows announced in Long Beach on September 30th and Anaheim on November 10th and 11th, the New Japan push into the U.S. market seems to just be getting started.

By Michael Candeland