After starting out with some solid shows, the last couple have been no more than average if not a little disappointing. Does the G1 start to heat up? Does the B Block get less polarizing?

This B Block is definitely more cut and dry, but that’s probably because there isn’t a free win already handed out to make the records seem closer. We come into this day with a few 2-0 and a few 0-2, so it should be interesting to see if any of the 0-2s get their acts together.

With most of the dark horses facing fan favorites, this could either be the most predictable day so far or actually mix things up for fun!

Ratings:

• Taichi w/Miho Abe vs EVIL w/Dick Togo: EVIL win via Referee Stoppage @11:30 – * ½
• Chase Owens vs SANADA: SANADA wins via Moonsault @11:58 – ** ½
• Jeff Cobb vs Hirooki Goto: Cobb wins via Tour of the Islands @15:08 – ***
• Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Tama Tonga: Tanahashi wins via Crucifix Roll-Up @14:17 – *** ¾
• YOSHI-HASHI vs Kazuchika Okada: Okada wins via Rainmaker @26:53 – *** ½

Results:

Taichi w/Miho Abe vs EVIL w/Dick Togo

Taichi mouths off while slowly taking off different garments and handing them to Miho. Miho even stays in the ring a little longer than usual posturing and acting like she might do something, until Taichi boots Dick Togo’s head off and Miho immediately drops down and powders.

So we had interesting pacing at least with this match and Togo’s involvement. He removed turnbuckle pads off camera, got involved sporadically and went into an evil heel mode. Taichi dominated this match, his body language was much more like Kawada just being over this crap at different points. Togo however grabs Miho to distract Taichi, and Taichi falls victim to a Low Blow, Everything is Evil, but then Togo grabs Miho again and forces her to watch Taichi knocked out in a Darkness Scorpion as the referee calls for the stoppage.

Taichi is furious after the match but can barely hold himself up. Going after Miho really just brought the action to a crashing halt and ruined what was a decent match up to that point. I’ll give credit that it was a little different, but damn if EVIL and Togo know how to make a match worthless.

Chase Owens vs SANADA

Owens has done a really good job at trying to prove himself and not rely on Bullet Club tactics. This was a decent back and forth, where Chase was mostly working from underneath, and we saw all of the signature SANADA moves. Chase tried the Paradise Lock and failed which resulted in a comedy spot and SANADA taking advantage of the situation.

Chase did grab the referee once, but for a Bullet Club member, this was a clean match where Chase attempted decent wrestling moves, tried the Japanese Leg Clutch but failed it. A lot of this match seemed like Chase being generally out of his element but trying. SANADA weakened Chase in the Skull End and then Moonsault won him the match!

Jeff Cobb vs Hirooki Goto

Goto tries to fight power with power, but is quickly informed that’s a bad idea. We then start seeing Goto put offense together working on Cobb’s left arm. Cobb actually visibly winces, and we’re seeing some dents in the Imperial Unit. Cobb manages to fight through the pain more often than not with Suplexes, Powerslams and Backdrops. Goto’s short Headbutts and Shoulder Tackles weaken the left arm, Goto even applies an Arm Bar while Cobb is in the ropes just to really try and weaken some of the power of Cobb.

Cobb does a good ole Yokohama Stampede, goes for Tour of the Islands, but the arm gives out. Goto manages to take that opportunity and really pepper in some offense, even almost winning off a Goto Shiki. Goto goes for the GTR, Cobb fights back, Goto has wrist control, Headbutt, and then Cobb returns the Headbutt and drops Goto. Cobb uses the power surge to jerk and lift Goto from the ground up into his arm, Tour of the Islands! Goto is now 0-3, Cobb is 3-0.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Tama Tonga

Tama took a meticulous approach to the early goings, but Tanahashi had an answer to everything Tama was doing. We did see Tama pull out a new move that Tanahashi didn’t really have an answer to, and that was the Tongan Death Grip. A combination of the Death Grip and chokes in general helped to fire up Tama, and then we see him snap. His eyes go wide, he hits a Slingblade, followed by a really nice Frog Splash/High Fly Flow, but only for the near fall. Tanahashi takes that as an insult and we get a few Slingblades and Dragon Screws to look like he was winning.

Aces High, then the official High Fly Flow misses and Tama hits the Gun Stun! But Tama is beside himself with joy that he caught the Ace with the Gun Stun, he doesn’t cover right away. When he does, it’s a half-assed cover, 1-2-Crucifix counter, Tanahashi gets the victory because Tama got lazy and distracted.

YOSHI-HASHI vs Kazuchika Okada

The return of YOSHI-HASHI’s old friend, “KT tape on the left shoulder”! Due to the heavy tape, that actually made aspects of this match pretty stupid. Okada should have focused the Money Clip on the bad shoulder, but he never did. HASHI early on tried to show the familiarity and cut Okada off at different points, but what’s that Mean Girls meme? “Stop trying to make YOSHI-HASHI happen”

These moral victories are annoying when you have someone whose career is basically a moral victory. HASHI’s closest near fall was transitioning Karma into a Capture Cradle, but I mean we all know if YOSHI-HASHI won this match than Okada should just retire. Also, who needs a 25 minute HASHI singles match? We need to really stop with giving the uninteresting main events unless there’s a reason to drag you along for nearly 30 minutes. And trust me, 4 minutes of submission struggle or both on the mat to recover isn’t really suspenseful when one of the people is YOSHI-HASHI.

Overall Score: 6/10

BOOORRRINNG. Predictable winners, a main event no one wanted and even the crowd was generally asleep. The most interesting thing today was how Taichi is fitting more into his Dark embodiment of the Holy Pillars. Granted all of the air was taken out of the match because of the finish, but the wrinkles were cool.

Man, G1 always hits a lull where the days kinda suck until the stakes get more tangible, but these last few days were lame and it’s only Day 6. We’ve got 3 more events in 4 days, and if one of them doesn’t really hit the ball out of the park, I don’t know…Golf could be fun to cover.

Anyway, here are the standings:

B Block:

1. Kazuchika Okada / 3-0 / 6 Points
2. Jeff Cobb / 3-0 / 6 Points
3. EVIL / 2-1 / 4 Points
4. Taichi / 2-1 / 4 Points
5. Hiroshi Tanahashi / 2-1/ 4 Points
6. SANADA / 2-1 / 4 Points
7. Tama Tonga / 1-2/ 2 Points
8. Chase Owens / 0-3/ 0 Points
9. Hirooki Goto / 0-3/ 0 Points
10. YOSHI-HASHI / 0-3/ 0 Points