Its been a really hectic couple of weeks but I have found time to finally get caught up on the G1(at least before this last show). So I'll give some quick thoughts picking up early where I left off:
Day 3: I'm liking Naito's character, but I don't think his match quality has been as good as it was before the turn, still he and Shibata had the Match of the Night here, and Tanahashi got a pretty good match out of Tenzan as well. Nothing here eclipses three and a half stars and nothing is must-see.
Day 4: Okada/Honma turned a great main event that pushed the four star threshold, but nothing else was more than solid low three star territory.
Day 5: This was possibly the best night for Block A, as having the only 6 credible workers in the block matched up in the top three matches gave this night a chance to shine on paper, and it came to fruition. Shibata/Makabe was a three and three quarters type effort with about as much brutality as you can fit in nine minutes, Naito and Tanahashi pushed the four star mark with some fine work, and Styles and Ibushi was just awesome and match of the night sitting at about four and a quarter.
Day 6: The bummer here was Nakamura hurting too much to compete against Elgin in a match I was really anticipating. Still though Ishii/Anderson and Okada/Kojima delivered solid outings, while Honma/Goto was just more insane Honma fun, MOTN and a four star performance.
Day 7: I didn't like AJ/Naito as much as others(still likely three and a half range), and the other G1 matches this night were definitely nothing special, but GODDAMN, Shibata/Ibushi was fucking amazing. This is the match of the tourney to this point, and may have surpassed Ibushi's match with Nakamura at WK for his top outing this year. This match is the definition of must-see and rests in the 4.5 to 4.75 star territory.
Day 8: This was another great night of wrestling from the Block B crowd. Nakamura/Ishii still pushed the four star barrier despite a more conservative than probably originally planned effort trying to protect Nakamura after returning to the tournament. Honma/Elgin was everything I had hoped and reached the four star mark, and Okada and Goto in a match-up of IWGP Heavyweight champ versus IWGP IC champ, appropriately delivered something special and must-see producing the best Block B match of the tourney to this point, arguably capping out at a 4.5 star performance.
Day 9: This was the most ehhhh night of the tourney to this point. With all of the strong Block A workers matched aginst their inferior block-mates, no one was able to pull out anything too impressive. This was a night full of 3 to 3.25 star showings. Don't feel bad skipping all of it.
Day 10: Here's the rebound after Block A failed on day 9. This is the best overall set of climax matches for a single night thus far. Elgin managed to carry Yujiro to something actually watchable(rare so far in the tourney), and everything else was great, and registered in the 3.75-4 star range. Ishii/Nagata was MOTN, but Nakamura/Goto also told a great story with Nakamura relying heavier than usual on submission strategies, playing off the fact that striking and Boma-Ye's had failed him in his high profile losses to Goto earlier this year.
Day 11: Styles/Makabe saved this show from disaster with intense work and a 3.75 star type outing, and Ibushi/Naito was recommendable but they're capable of much better. The rest was dreadful.
Day 12: Aside from Nakamura coasting and letting Yujiro control too much of their match with his dire offense, this was a very consistent night of wresling. I was really pleasantly surprised at just how much fun Elgin/Nagata was, and everything else was good too with a bunch of stuff in the mid-three territory leading up to an excellent 4.25 star main event between CHAOS stablemates Ishii and Okada.
Day 13: A lot more bad tourney matches from the Block A crowd on this show, though Styles did manage to get the best match out of Tenzan thus far in the tourney. The main event, however, made up for all it. Tanahashi/Shibata just killed it here with another have-to-watch outing. A slightly sloppy finish is the only thing that kept this one from being better than the spectacular Ibushi/Shibata match from day 7, I had it at four and a half.
So far things have held to predicted form with the A Block being drug down by its four workers who are no where near their counterparts, but delivering the best overall matches of the tourney when its top guys are matched against each other. Shibata, Ibushi, Tanahashi, and Styles have all been unbelievable when given a high quality opponent to work against.
As for Block B, minus whoever Yujiro is wrestling on a given night, the matches have been far more consistent, delivering great cards if not many MOTY quality pairings. Nakamura's injury has kept him from completely shining, yet he's toughed through it, and guys like Nagata(despite age) and Elgin(despite a lack of familiarity with the crowds and opponents) have really helped to pick up the midcards, performing better than many may have anticipated. Elgin has surely already guaranteed himself future New Japan bookings with his performances.
Here's to hoping Honma can pick up a win!!!
