[2014-07-21-NJPW-G1 Climax] Hiroshi Tanahashi VS Tomoaki Honma

[Clayton Jones]

Well I was ignorant of Honma's 2014 injury replacement G1 miracle run but I'm beyond happy to discover it years later. It all starts here against the most daunting of opponents but Honma takes it head on to the delight of the fans as you might expect. They take the simple approach that worked so well in their 2004 match and apply it to a match designed to set the tone for the entire G1 for both men. Tanahashi is clearly the superior but isn't afraid to grind it out either. They build to some great hope spots for Honma and a wonderful little finishing stretch. On its own this isn't essential viewing but in the context of this G1 I'd say it is.