It’s been a long tournament full of highs (Toru Yano matches) and lows  (Firing Squad matches) but here we are on the home stretch.  Who will make it to the finals? Who spoils who? and what can we see from the standings? Due to the bite-sized nature, I will provide both my own personal recommendations as well as Meltzer’s ratings  (where available) to be used as a viewing guide:

Day 15 Results (05/08/18)

YOSHI-HASHI (2-6-0) Def. Bad Luck Fale (3-5-0) (**1/4)

Hangman Page (3-5-0) Def. Minoru Suzuki (4-4-0) (***1/4):

For any Page fans, this is a must watch to see him get a win over one of the top guys in New Japan.

Jay White (6-2-0) Def. Togi Makabe (2-6-0) (***)

Hiroshi Tanahashi (7-1-0) Def. Fuck Michael Elgin (3-5-0) (****)

Kazuchika Okada (6-2-0) Def. EVIL (4-4-0) (****1/4)

Day 16 Results (08/08/18)

Tomohiro Ishii (4-4-0) Def. Juice Robinson (2-6-0) (****)

Zack Sabre Junior (5-3-0) Def. Hirooki Goto (3-5-0) (***3/4)

Tama Tonga (3-5-0) Def. Kota Ibushi (5-3-0) (***3/4)

Toru Yano (2-6-0) Def. Kenny Omega (6-2-0) (**1/2):

These two are always good together.  Fun little match that didn’t even go 10 minutes

Tetsuya Naito (6-2-0) Def. SANADA (4-4-0) (****1/4):

This is the one to watch for all the LIJ fans, and boy is there a lot of you.

Day 17 Results (10/08/18)

Togi Makabe (3-6-0) Def. Fuck Michael Elgin (3-6-0)

YOSHI-HASHI(3-6-0) Def. Hangman Page (3-6-0)

Minoru Suzuki (5-4-0) Def. Bad Luck Fale (3-6-0)

EVIL (5-4-0) Def. Jay White (6-3-0):

Watch this before the main event to see the drama unfold.

Hiroshi Tanahashi (7-1-1) Def. Kazuchika Okada (6-2-1):

The defining rivalry of a generation continues as these two deliver another classic.

Day 18 Results (11/08/18)

Toru Yano (3-6-0) Def. Tama Tonga (3-6-0)

Juice Robinson (3-6-0) Def. Hirooki Goto (3-6-0)

Tomohiro Ishii (5-4-0) Def. SANADA (4-5-0)

Zack Sabre Junior (6-3-0) Def. Tetsuya Naito (6-3-0):

Like the last Semi main event watch this to see Naito getting eliminated and the stage set for the main event

Kota Ibushi (6-3-0) Def. Kenny Omega (6-3-0):

This was pure violence.  Not the 8-star classic people expected but a fantastic match.

Best Matches:

Kenny Omega vs Kota Ibushi

Toru Yano Vs Kenny Omega (Hi Jozef)

Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

Worst Matches:

YOSHI-HASHI vs Bad Luck Fale

Toru Yano vs Tama Tonga

Final Standings:

A Block

Hiroshi Tanahashi– 15 Points

Kazuchika Okada– 13 Points

Jay White– 12 Points

EVIL– 10 Points

Minoru Suzuki– 10 Points

Bad Luck Fale– 6 Points

Hangman Page– 6 Points

Togi Makabe– 6 Points

Michael Elgin– 6 Points

YOSHI-HASHI– 6 Points

The top two were to be expected but Jay White was positioned as a future IWGP Heavyweight Champion.  As for EVIL, he continues the slow climb.  MiSu and Makabe are falling with age and the debutants were in the lower end as expected.

B Block

Kota Ibushi– 12 Points

Kenny Omega– 12 Points

Zack Sabre Junior– 12 Points

Tetsuya Naito– 12 Points

Tomohiro Ishii– 10 Points

SANADA– 8 Points

Tama Tonga– 6 Points

Toru Yano– 6 Points

Hirooki Goto– 6 Points

Juice Robinson– 6 Points

Naito fans might worry about his standing but he still tied for 1st.  Similar for ZSJ who was eliminated early but rallied late to prove he is now a top 10 guy in NJPW.  Goto and Juice tying for last say more about the standing of their titles than anything I could write.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kota Ibushi is our G1 final.  The big matches delivered late but there were no 5+ star matches in the last four days.  A Block started out as Jay White’s block but in the end, Okada and Tana managed to show their abilities.  B Block was all Kenny until he lost his final three and we saw Ibushi win the clash of the Golden Lovers.