[2016-08-12-NJPW-G1-Climax] Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada

[Superstar Sleeze]

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada - NJPW 8/12/16 G-1 Climax

I have grown to really love this series. But after four year of fighting each other they needed some time apart. They had a terrific match this year at the 1/4 Tokyo Dome show but New Japan wisely didnt book them in another singles match until 2018.

I enjoyed this match as a really excellent greatest hits matches. It has all their usual stuff: Tanahashi’s knee work vs Okada’s crazy Lucha  submissions; Okada Dropkick vs Sling Blade; Terrific outside work started with an Okada dropkick to an opponent perched on the top Rope and a beautiful High Fly Flow to the outside; Battle of the Tombstones (Okada won 2-1 by my count but the last one might not have counted); High Fly Flows from every direction and a lot of do-see-do on the Rainmakers. Their Greatest Hits are great in and of themselves but there were enough great sequences to take This above great. I thought opening flurry from Okada with White Noise Knee and Top Rope Elbow teased a sprint and threw you off the scent of the draw. I thought Outside Work with Tanahashi leg work on the railing the High fly Flow and the Okada Tombstone was tremendous. The work to get the Texas Cloverleaf was so good. Every variation of High Fly Flows belly flop, eats knees, to the outside, to the back, being dropkicked out of the sky, crossbody and normal was great. The finish run for a 30 minute draw was still high octane with all the finishers flying.  I loved the dropkick to High Fly Flow kickstarted all the Rainmaker bullshit which was really well done so many good feints but ultimately Tanahashi pulled ahead and hit two High Fly Flows but it wasn’t enough as the clock expired! The thirty minutes really did fly by. The booking made sense as it paved the way for Omega,  Naito and Goto to shine. Okada needed new challengers. Not essential viewing But very entertaining viewing. **** 1/4