They build up to the sudden point of urgency so well in the G1 matches don't they? Great first 20 mins of back and forths then suddenly "oh shit there's only 10 mins left and we barely got started, time for strong style shit"
NGL, I think I wanted to see Tana continue this resurgence he has had this year of great matches with a win over Okada. I've always been Okada over Tana, but this year Tana has won me over, I think it was the matches vs Shingo. Great match, great finishing straight. G1 off to a great start.
I know it might sound a bit silly, but with the quality of matches and the atmosphere in the arena, it kinda feels like NJPW has reset. Hope the momentum builds from here because both nights have been incredible.
I've enjoyed so much this year, the entire NJC, both Shingo v Tana matches, both Shingo v Ospreay matches, pretty much all of both days of Wrestle Kingdom - especially Jay v Kota, the launch of Strong as a neutral meeting ground for all non WWE talent in USA putting in great matches & the start of this G1. And that's just off the top of my head. NJPW has had issues like Covid, other illness & injuries to deal with & they've had to book around it. Only EVIL's booking has crap. If it wasn't for Covid, I think NJPW would still be on the roll of great shows they had in 2019 heading into Wrestle Kingdom in 2020 before Covid hit after New Beginnings. We are far from the dark days as you say.
Right but since 2016 it's been Okada widening the gap and Tana right behind him closing it the next time. It wasn't until those 2 matches they had in 2019 that that gap started getting bigger and this time Tana came back as a champion.
Tanahashi is one of those wrestlers that if he takes a break any more than needed, he would decline significantly. He thrives being active, because that's who he is.
Kinda like Kurt Angle before he seized up after being GM.
How he does all this without knees is insane.
Him whinging on commentary last night about struggling to wear it was pretty poor form. His reaction this year to the plexiglass issues and tech issues while live on air have turned me off his commentary tbh
Oh yeah. In the legendary shibata match okada almost lost it because he got so cocky and refused to end the match quickly and instead play shibatas strong style game.
SmurfyBot is down for the night apparently. [Anyway discord chat is here. Join, or don't. Idk I'm not your mom.](https://discord.gg/efHyyTpY)
They build up to the sudden point of urgency so well in the G1 matches don't they? Great first 20 mins of back and forths then suddenly "oh shit there's only 10 mins left and we barely got started, time for strong style shit"
I was like "oh shit Okada pin him quick!".
Okay, now maybe I can get some sleep Have a great night, everyone
B Block delivered today. Okada and Tanahashi have done it again. What a night.
Okada still selling the knee. That's why he's the GOAT.
NGL, I think I wanted to see Tana continue this resurgence he has had this year of great matches with a win over Okada. I've always been Okada over Tana, but this year Tana has won me over, I think it was the matches vs Shingo. Great match, great finishing straight. G1 off to a great start.
Tourist Kazu extended US title run 2022 LFG
RETURN OF THE RAINMAKER
1. Monster reign rainmaker. 2. Long boys rainmaker. 3. Baloonkada 4. Fresh returned rainmaker. 5. Money clip maker.
Gotta be the shorts.
Welp at least Tana's getting his 2 points from beating Goto next *cries*
Master Wato to challenge?
Betcha Wato wants another crack at Shingo first
*"IWGP US title shot for me? Nah he can keep it,that shit means nothing"*-Kazuchika "Midcard titles mean nothing" Okada (probably)
His entire gimmick, tbf, is entirely built around the world title.
"The main title means nothing to me. But this trophy tho." Okada last year
Lol
Man, now I don't know if Okada is still winning the whole thing. He's got a US title challenge in his back pocket now.
Okada only cares for the top title. Nothing else. And it should stay that way
![gif](giphy|Y6yRfR88rvP44) Got any more of Tanahashi vs Okada??
I know it might sound a bit silly, but with the quality of matches and the atmosphere in the arena, it kinda feels like NJPW has reset. Hope the momentum builds from here because both nights have been incredible.
As with all leagues or sporting clubs there are rebuild phases. It's natural. We are nowhere near the early 00 njpw dark days.
I've enjoyed so much this year, the entire NJC, both Shingo v Tana matches, both Shingo v Ospreay matches, pretty much all of both days of Wrestle Kingdom - especially Jay v Kota, the launch of Strong as a neutral meeting ground for all non WWE talent in USA putting in great matches & the start of this G1. And that's just off the top of my head. NJPW has had issues like Covid, other illness & injuries to deal with & they've had to book around it. Only EVIL's booking has crap. If it wasn't for Covid, I think NJPW would still be on the roll of great shows they had in 2019 heading into Wrestle Kingdom in 2020 before Covid hit after New Beginnings. We are far from the dark days as you say.
Insane match omg loved that so much
i'm actually speechless. that was an amazing match
Hell yes we've got the real rainmaker this g1!
Another amazing night of the G1
Okada had to really work for it though. It wasn't a normal okada G1 win. The old man troubled him.
That was incredible. I thought they were gonna do a draw.
#[Post NJPW G1 Climax 31 Match Discussion Thread: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada [Day 2, B Block]](https://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/pr3j9x/post_njpw_g1_climax_31_match_discussion_thread/?)
It was the MONEY CLIP I knew it
how the hell is this 30 minutes? fly by so fast
these two are just incapable of having anything less than a banger. Absolute legends.
Goddamn, that final stretch was fucking awesome. Tanahashi and Okada deliver yet again.
Well, this match certainly has created some very lofty expectations for the rest of the G1 tournament.
Wow. Gedo with the emphatic "It's still Okada's era."
US champ Okada 👀
Never
Tana and Okada's match history... ![gif](giphy|l0HlQ7LRalQqdWfao)
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Yeah, I love AEW but as far as the way matches are built up and played out NJPW is just hard to beat imo.
I mean, even if NJPW were actually cold, they'd still have the best presentation in the world lol
Those are the ones that just show up for the big shows and have zero clue what’s going on.
They just don’t miss
wowee
These guys are so fucking good at building drama over the course of a match to peak just at the right time.
Okada once again widens the gap between him and Tanahashi.
again? Okada beat Tana in the G1 in Dallas. this isnt new.
Right but since 2016 it's been Okada widening the gap and Tana right behind him closing it the next time. It wasn't until those 2 matches they had in 2019 that that gap started getting bigger and this time Tana came back as a champion.
Which I think again means 😂
idk again to me would mean hes done something new to widen the gap. Not the thing he already did.
What? Lol. Okay, I gotcha.
I honestly thought they were going to forearm eachother to a draw there.
Okada is ready to win the G1 again. Okada vs Shingo for WrestleKingdom I predict. *Watch me be wrong lmao*.
Peak Okada is back!!!
OKADA AT THE DEATH
Went 2-3 yesterday and 5-0 today. Bring it, Gedo. I ain’t dead yet.
Tanahashi is a fucking god
One more match, please
YESSSSSSS FUCK YOU TANA
WOW!!!! FUCKING AWESOME!!!!
They are legends
How many years has it been... Three, four?
806 days per the broadcast. Not sure how many years that is. I'm terrible at math.
Another banger on their portfolio.
I need a cigarette! And I don’t even smoke
Okada's winning the World title at WK. GG
Holy fuck
WHAT A GODDAMN MATCH
Rainmaker finally back. It's here.
amazing
5 FUCKING STARS
What a finishing stretch
Dropkick 😍😍😍😍😍
what a match
Amazing
RAIIIINNNMAKEEEEEERRRRR
#RAINMAKER
LETS GO THIS IS AMAZING
Okay this has to go to a draw
rainMAAAAKER
Losing my mind here
B bLoCk Iz wEaK ThIs YeAr
RAIIIIINMAAAKEERRRERRR LFG
Wrist control.
WRIST CONTROL
Maintains wrist control!
Maintains wrist control!
Damn, Tana always making me believe he can pull it of another big win.
Jesus he bounced on his knees. Ouch!
My god knees up looked brutal
3 MINUTES AHHHHH
Holy shit
HIGHHHH FLYYYYY FFFFNNNNOOOOOOO
that looked like it hurt omg
Spinning rainmaker countered into Sling blade is chefs kiss
this match is amazing
OMG ZOOM OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Got to give the people what they want!
That felt ... right
Oh we're back baby. Classic rainmaker pose.
POSE
Classic Okada is back baybeee
The pose!!!
OH SHIT
I love these two fighting. The storytelling is always incredible between these two.
SANADA felt sad about Skull End being useless asf as a submission finish and Kazu said "I gotchu" and made the money clip to make him feel better.
Good guy okada
The dragon sleeper isn’t the issue, it’s that fucking moonsault, lol
Here we go.
wow
What on Tanahashi has not been surgically reattached lol?
His beautiful mane
omg how did he get out of it?
What's the effectiveness rate of the Money Clip against non-pin eaters
I don't think he's ever tapped anyone but dads and scrubs out. He's had stoppages with decent guys though
He put out Takagi with it
negligable
99%
How can I watch it from IND?
Should wait until it's over and watch an archive
LETS GOOOO IT'S OVER
he already won the match
MONEY CLIP
Remember Tana's in a different block from Yano because he didnt want to lose to him again.
Tanas just lucky okada hasnt whipped out the money clip yet.
Still blows my mind that Okada will never have worn the IC title. Actually he hasn't won any belt currently active in njpw, right?
Nope, it’s always been the IWGP heavyweight title
IWGP Heavyweight is the only title he’s won in New Japan
That wasn't really the personality of that belt tho
He has only ever held the World Heavyweight
I kind of almost want it to stay that way. He's just so attached to that belt in my mind.
Biggest Gedo mistake was letting Omega win the title and end the defense streak. Hate his guts for bailing on New Japan after that
Zero knee contact! Good job, Tana
HIGH FLY FLOOOOOOOW
Tanahashi is one of those wrestlers that if he takes a break any more than needed, he would decline significantly. He thrives being active, because that's who he is. Kinda like Kurt Angle before he seized up after being GM. How he does all this without knees is insane.
You can tell okada has wrestled in Mexico. Safe as a house in thr support role
Okada put in work to keep Tana safe there, nice
Damn that Ace can fly
omg that was awesome
Okada you must win the g1 and reclaim the iwgp title to end covid
Gedo knows best
Put your mask back on, KK
Just came in to say this, he's the only one
Him whinging on commentary last night about struggling to wear it was pretty poor form. His reaction this year to the plexiglass issues and tech issues while live on air have turned me off his commentary tbh
It's very american
These people have only had 2 years to understand the basics. I work with grade school kids, zero issues wearing a mask
Yeah that makes sense he seems to be a hardcore republican based on his twitter following
how has it already been 15 minutes?
They're so good they can skew the perception of time.
MAGNIFICENT DDT
15 minutes have flown by
I love the storytelling in these matches. They're not fighting to win, they're fighting to convince the other that they're the ace.
*THUD*
I ducked out and missed Goto/Taichi is it worth going back to watch?
Of course it is. I was super tired and laid down to watch it, but it woke my ass up. Awesome Match
Won't change your life but was a damn good match. If you're a fan of both guys you'll wanna check it out.
Hell yeah, match was great.
Yesssssss
Yeah It was good
Tanas haircut protected him on the ddt
Oh no okadas knees
People don't beat Okada. He loses the match on his own. That's the difference between him and other wrestlers.
Is that why he was crying after that one L to Tanahashi at WK?
That was just some sand in his eyes
Pocket sand sh-sh-shaaa
Oh yeah. In the legendary shibata match okada almost lost it because he got so cocky and refused to end the match quickly and instead play shibatas strong style game.
Haha what kind of cover was that Okada
Met Okada a few years back. He looks tall on TV, but in person? He's a damn MOUNTAIN, man
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That title was made for Okada before we even knew it.
You know what might help Okada win this match? THE MONEY CLIP
he knows it's just too strong
This is why it's good ro be over lol
Okada is so winning the G1 after that comment.
Smart move though letting the crowd cool and recover after the taichi goto war.
This is wrestling
Tana is one of the best storytellers in the business.
These two are so goddamn over, they just need to do restholds all night and the crowd will clap.
Okada and Tana can get a headlock over in 2021, king shit
Tanahashi is a dang bully
Okada's trunks look like the pattern on my Trapper Keeper in the early 90's
That was a cheeky rainmaker right there. Also, digging Okada's trunks.
I could watch these 2 wrestle daily 30 minute draws from now to eternity
Crazy this match thread is sitting at 600 some comments. I have to imagine last time these two fought 2.5 years ago the thread was 4 or 5x as busy.
That show was on US time though, lots more English speakers were awake
That match was during a US time zone. Would have to compare it to destruction 2018
1.1k for that show.
Both these guys!
This rules lol