Andrew’s G1 Climax 29 Ratings & Analysis: Night 16 B Block

B Block is the closer of the two. Does anyone pull away or do we get crazy tie breaker math for the Block Finals?

After starting off 5-0, Moxley has let a few slip and that leaves nearly the whole block still in contention. Can Moxley end the madness and win his final two matches?

Naito, Goto, Ishii and Jay White all would appreciate Moxley losing today.

So let’s see if we get any upsets or if we stay cluttered at the top.

Ratings:

• Shota Umino & Ren Narita vs Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura: Shota wins via Fisherman Suplex Hold @5:40 – ** 1/4
• Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens vs SANADA, EVIL & BUSHI: Chase wins via Package Piledriver @7:50 – **
• Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr & Lance Archer vs KENTA, Clark Connors & Karl Fredericks: Suzuki wins via Gotch Style Piledriver @7:20 – ***
• Kota Ibushi, Will Ospreay & Toa Henare vs Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & YOSHI-HASHI: YOSHI wins via Fisherman Brainbuster @7:20 – **
• B Block: Taichi w/ Miho Abe vs Toru Yano: Yano wins via Ring Skirt Burrito Count Out @5:05 – ** 1/2
• B Block: Tetsuya Naito vs Jeff Cobb: Naito wins via Destino @12:45 – *** 1/4
• B Block: Jon Moxley vs Hirooki Goto: Goto wins via GTR @8:40 – ***
• B Block: Jay White vs Juice Robinson: White wins via TTO @23:00 – ****
• B Block: Shingo Takagi vs Tomohiro Ishii: Takagi wins via Last of the Dragon @22:40 –  *****

Analysis:

Shota Umino & Ren Narita vs Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura  –  A team of older Young Lions against the younger class. And this is what we expect, solid technique, alright match, but nothing more than everyone getting a shot to show off what they’ve learned. Shota’s picked up a few wins in the tags, so you have to figure he’s in line for a push or excursion fairly soon.

Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens vs SANADA, EVIL & BUSHI  – So the only thing that added weight to this, was Rocky Romero going on about C Block implications. This was a fairly run of the mill tag match, but with Chase picking up the pin and win, he’s far ahead in C Block. (blame Rocky, I know I do)

Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr & Lance Archer vs KENTA, Clark Connors & Karl Fredericks  – Suzuki-Gun do there thing and turn it into tactical warfare on the outside for the first few minutes. ZSJ focuses on KENTA’s surgically repaired arm, Suzuki and Archer eat some Young Lions, and it was just fun because of everyone involved. KENTA however continues to misstep and look a little off, as he has, in the last few matches.

Kota Ibushi, Will Ospreay & Toa Henare vs Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & YOSHI-HASHI  –  Well this didn’t really do anything to preview Ospreay/Tanahashi or Okada/Ibushi. There was a little interaction, but most of the chiding and poking at one another came after the match. Okada big timed Ibushi and Ibushi just nodded and took it, but the crowd remains pretty split.

B Block: Taichi w/ Miho Abe vs Toru Yano  – Taichi had a clever tactic early on, and even tried to run back is ring skirt burrito from last night’s tag, but Yano hopped in. After Yano pulls off Taichi’s breakaway pants, which apparently makes Taichi think he’s naked…Yano returns the favor. Not a nudity favor, but he wraps Taichi and Kanemaru in another ring skirt and slides in for the sublime count out.

B Block: Tetsuya Naito vs Jeff Cobb –  This was a tough fight between the both men, but much like most of Cobb’s matches in the G1, they never really felt like they got out of first gear. Naito did his Naito stuff, mocked Cobb, got beat up, but he’s still alive to win the block.

B Block: Jon Moxley vs Hirooki Goto  –  The match had a good bit of striking, and just as the match started getting going with a few good counter moves, Goto pulls off the abrupt GTR. Super short, but still good for what it was.

B Block: Jay White vs Juice Robinson  – White worked over Juice’s knee for a good portion of this match. It seems like Jay came in with the idea to tap out Juice before the bell even rang. Really good match with two guys who work well together. Juice had a bunch of shining moments, but between Jay cheating and Gedo’s involvement, it was just too much for Juice to overcome.

B Block: Shingo Takagi vs Tomohiro Ishii  –  Wow, Jesus…wow. They’ve both been exceptional all tournament, and this was a hell of a bout. Even after losing, Ishii crawls to Takagi and they still keep clawing. This will be a NEVER Openweight match that everyone should look forward to. Just amazing, action never stopped, rarely slowed, these two just tried to reach down one another’s throats and rip out the other’s soul. Ishii is now eliminated, but that was a hell of a match.

Overall Score: 8.25

So for ease of discussion, everyone with 8 points or less, are Eliminated. Yes if No Contests run rampant, we could see someone like Yano win, but let’s be real, that won’t happen.

The paths for block winners is murky at best with a few of the Top 4 having wins over one another. We need to see who wins the last days matches, since they should all effect positioning.

It’s safe to say that Jay White versus Tetsuya Naito is the most important since depending on who wins there, would play a bigger part if there’s multiple 12 point finishers.

Got this block got complex, but fun. The math is vexing…very vexing…

B Block Standings:

• Hirooki Goto – 5-3 (10 Points)
• Jon Moxley – 5-3 (10 Points)
• Tetsuya Naito – 5-3 (10 Points)
• Jay White – 5-3 (10 Points)
• Tomohiro Ishii – 4-4 (8 Points) – ELIMINATED
• Toru Yano – 4-4 (8 Points) – ELIMINATED
• Juice Robinson – 3-5 (6 Points) – ELIMINATED
• Jeff Cobb – 3-5 (6 Points) – ELIMINATED
• Taichi – 3-5 (6 Points) – ELIMINATED
• Shingo Takagi – 3-5 (6 Points) – ELIMINATED