NJPW G1 Climax 27 Night 12 Review

Night 12 is a Block B show. Okada looks to remain unbeaten, with EVIL and Omega facing off to see who can keep pace at the top.

Block B Match - Juice Robinson vs SANADA

Good opening match. Robinson was selling a leg injury that has accrued over the course of the tournament, which is a nice touch. SANADA went after it allowing Juice to play the underdog babyface role that he has become so adept at. This was a well worked sensible wrestling match with Robinson giving it his all but not having enough to beat SANADA, who keeps his slim hopes alive. ***1/2

Block B Match - Michael Elgin vs Toru Yano

This was Yano bullshittery at it's absolute worst. In a situation that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever Yano pretended that Elgin had low-blowed him and despite not seeing it, and knowing that Yano pulls shit like this all the time, the referee disqualified Elgin. So you can throw a chair into somebody's face and that isn't an issue but you can be disqualified for a phantom low blow. Nonsense. This is why I don't like Yano in the G1. DUD

Block B Match - Satoshi Kojima vs Minoru Suzuki

Suzuki jumps Kojima, as is customary. They brawl on the outside and, as if to prove my point from earlier, Suzuki used a chair on Kojima and that was just fine. There is the usual Suzuki-Gun interference but at least this time Tenzan was there to beat up Taichi, something I wish I could do on a daily basis, the dick. Fuck Taichi. Suzuki ended up winning with the Gotch piledriver. This wasn't really very good at all. **

Block B Match - Kazuchika Okada vs Tama Tonga

This was decent but there was never any point that it felt like Tonga would win. He is not the person to end Okada's unbeaten run and the fans knew it. If they had let Tonga hit his finisher then there may have been an added layer of drama here but as it was Okada won without really being tested. This left the match feeling like just another part of the G1 carousel. ***

Block B Match - Kenny Omega vs EVIL

In all likelihood the loser of this match will fall out of the running for a finals place due to Okada's undefeated start. This was a very good main event, albeit one where it always seemed like Omega would be victorious. There is a spot where EVIL gives Omega a uranage off the apron through one of those notoriously tough Japanese tables. It broke in an awkward way and it looked like it was painful as fuck. It was a hard hitting affair and at the end of the match it looked like Omega had legitimately knocked out EVIL as he had a hard time picking him up for the One Winged Angel and the victory. Despite this it was a match that is definitely worth checking out. ****

Standings

Kazuchika Okada: 6-0 - 12 points
Kenny Omega: 5-1 - 10 points
EVIL: 4-2 - 8 points
SANADA: 4-2 - 8 points
Minoru Suzuki: 4-2 - 8 points
Tama Tonga: 2-4 - 4 points (Unable to top Block)
Toru Yano: 2-4 - 4 points (Unable to top Block)
Michael Elgin: 2-4 - 4 points (Unable to top Block)
Juice Robinson: 1-5 - 2 points (Unable to top Block)
Satoshi Kojima: 0-6 - 0 points (Unable to top Block)

Overall Grade - C-

This is a show that opens and finishes well enough but the middle section just lingers there doing not much at all. One of the least enjoyable G1 shows so far. Five wrestlers can still top the Block but if Okada wins his next match he will eliminate EVIL and SANADA.