With the historic Dominion show out of the way, the stage is set for 2018's G1 Climax tournament. The blocks have been announced.

A Block
* Hiroshi Tanahashi (17 time entrant, 17th consecutive entry)
* Togi Makabe (15 time entrant, 15th consecutive entry)
* Michael Elgin (4 time entrant, 4th consecutive entry)
* Kazuchika Okada (7 time entrant, 7th consecutive entry)
* Jay White (G1 Debut)
* YOSHI-HASHI (3 time entrant, 3rd consecutive entry)
* Bad Luck Fale (5 time entrant, 5th consecutive entry)
* Hangman Page (G1 Debut)
* EVIL (3 time entrant, 3rd consecutive entry)
* Minoru Suzuki (8 time entrant, 2nd consecutive entry)

B Block
* Juice Robinson (2 time entrant, 2nd consecutive entry)
* Hirooki Goto (11 time entrant, 11th consecutive entry)
* Tomohiro Ishii (6 time entrant, 6th consecutive entry)
* Toru Yano (13 time entrant, 12th consecutive entry)
* Kenny Omega (3 time entrant, 3rd consecutive entry)
* Kota Ibushi (4 time entrant, 2nd consecutive entry)
* Tama Tonga (3 time entrant, 3rd consecutive entry)
* Tetsuya Naito (9 time entrant, 9th consecutive entry)
* SANADA (3 time entrant, 3rd consecutive entry)
* Zack Sabre Jr. (2 time entrant, 2nd consecutive entry)

No big surprises this year. Chris Jericho is unsurprisingly not participating. The two newcomers are Jay White and Hangman Page. Tanahashi is now the oldest participant.

Which matches are you looking forward to? I always find the inter-stable matchups interesting, such as Okada vs White, Ishii vs Yano, and Naito vs SANADA. The big matches are Tanahashi vs Okada, EVIL vs Okada (EVIL beat Okada in last year's G1), Naito vs Omega, Sabre Jr. vs Omega (first time ever?), and Sabre Jr. vs Naito. The biggest match of all has to be Omega vs Ibushi. That's a must-watch and will likely have huge implications for the future.

It's hard to imagine anyone besides Okada winning the A Block. Unless they go for an angle where Okada can't handle not being champion because it's been so long and he loses a bunch. EVIL, Jay White, Elgin, Tanahashi and Suzuki all have outside shots, but I can't see any of those guys winning the tournament outright.

B Block is far more interesting. The last two G1 winners Omega and Naito are the favourites. Naito over Kenny because the champion almost never wins the G1. Zack Sabre Jr. and Ibushi are also plausible block winners. I'd actually place Ibushi as the favourite to win the tournament. Ibushi vs Omega at Wrestle Kingdom is obviously gigantic, probably even bigger than Okada vs Omega V, and Ibushi will be a welcome fresh face in the main event scene.

Hangman Page is ... interesting.

I only have the bandwidth to watch a handful of matches here and there (always the ones with mass acclaim), but the booking gymnastics of plotting out a tournament this complex are truly astounding.

Yeah I love following the results of the G1 but I can’t imagine how anyone other than a student could have the time to watch all of it. It’s juts exhausting.

Very intrigued by the direction they take with Omega/Ibushi in particular.

I think Omega wins and then chooses to face Ibushi at Wrestle Kingdom.

My prediction is that Ibushi beats Omega in the final round, or they time limit draw, which allows Ibushi to advance to the final. Ibushi beats the A Block winner (probably Okada) to cement him as a true threat to Omega.

The time is upon us. For many this is the highlight of the calender year, the G-1 tournament where the best of the best go one on one in a gruelling round robin tournament, all for the privelidge of calling themselves the G1 champion. It's a distinction that places you above the competition and can make your career. Just ask current IWGP Champion Kenny Omega. At the start of 2016 he had just lost the Junior Heavyweight Championship, since winning the G-1 he's gone onto have the most celebrated series of matches against the Rainmaker Kazuchika Okada. Will he pull off the rare feat of winning the G-1 as IWGP Champion? Or will Kazuchika Okada show us what he's made of? Does Hiroshi Tanahashi have one last run left in him? Or will the Golden Lovers go head to head? What about Jay White? Or even Toru Yano. Plenty of storylines and I can't wait to follow along with you all on PW.

We're one show down and as expected, we've already seen a huge upset with Jay White besting fellow CHAOS stablemate Kazuchika Okada. The match wasn't without it's share of controversy as the official went down at one stage, allowing White to violently throw a chair into the former champion's face. It continues a meteoric rise for the young New Zealander who holds a victory over reigning IWGP Champion Kenny Omega earlier in the year.

In other results:
Togi Makabe def. YOSHI-HASHI
Hangman Page def. Bad Luck Fale via DQ
Michael Elgin def. EVIL
Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Minoru Suzuki

Day 2
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Toru Yano
Juice Robinson vs. Tama Tonga
Hirooki Goto vs. SANADA
Kota Ibushi vs. Zack Sabre Jr
Kenny Omega vs. Tetsuya Naito

What a double main event. The 2017 final rematch and Ibushi/Sabre Jr in what should be a fantastic match.

I'm amazed they're going with the losing streak angle for Okada.

Five rock solid matches to kick off the tournament. I watched all of them and will probably do so tomorrow but I won't keep up that pace for the whole tournament. Tanahashi vs Suzuki was really good. But the highlight was of course White vs Okada. Honestly Okada didn't do a whole lot in this match. White dominated on offense and heeled it up more so than he has ever done before. Okada briefly showed a bit of fire when Jay got too cocky then just let it go for no reason. The finish was sick. As was the post-match promo. White is growing into this character quicker than I expected. Unlimited confidence.

Block A got off to a great start but Block B blew it out of the water. Yano vs Ishii brought out a different side of Yano, but no less fun than the Yano of previous tournaments. Robinson vs Tonga was the worst match of the night but still a very good match. Goto vs SANADA started off slow but had a really hot finishing stretch. Zack Sabre Jr. vs Ibushi was amazing, but somehow Omega vs Naito blew it out of the water.

People talk about Okada vs Omega being a great rivalry, but Omega vs Naito is on a similar level IMO. They've only at G1s, so it's flown under the radar, but today makes three in a row and they've killed it every single time. Amazing chemistry.

Jul 14, 2018 20:48:52 GMT KJ said:

I'm amazed they're going with the losing streak angle for Okada.

Either they're dialed in and he's going 0-9 or he's going to win out the rest of the block and end up in the Finals. Either way, I'm loving the reactions of people tearing up their G1 brackets on reddit. :lol:

I didn't fill one out this year but I wish I had. I totally would have picked Jay White and Fale to beat him. Jay White is new and Gedo loves him, and Fale always beats Okada in the G1. Going forward though I have no idea what is going to happen.

Okada without his title is Samson without his hair. It's uncharted territory!

...

I don't know my G1/NJPW history very well but I read that Mutoh and Sasaki are the only people to have won the G1 while holding the Heavyweight title. What happens if Omega wins this year? He just chooses his opponent for WK?

Because I could totally see Omega winning the tournament, unless they go the obvious route and have Ibushi beat him to win the block.

...

I haven't watched any full matches but I've been following the results and highlights. The finish to Ibushi/ZSJ was awesome. Naito/Omega looked like a lot of fun too, so I'll have to go back and actually watch that one. Like PB said, unless you're a student or only work part-time or something, there's no way to watch this whole event. I'd love to, but it's just so much work. Even if I wasn't working full-time I probably still wouldn't watch every show, just the matches I care about seeing.

Jul 16, 2018 15:57:38 GMT RT said:

Jul 14, 2018 20:48:52 GMT KJ said:

I'm amazed they're going with the losing streak angle for Okada.

Either they're dialed in and he's going 0-9 or he's going to win out the rest of the block and end up in the Finals. Either way, I'm loving the reactions of people tearing up their G1 brackets on reddit. :lol:

No way Okada is going 0-9. He'll have a resurgence and will be in the running for block winner at the end. That said, I'm now not 90% convinced Okada will win the block like I was before the start. I would have picked Jay White to beat Okada, but given that, I doubt I'd have picked Fale. Fale does normally beat Okada but Okada losing his first two was extremely unlikely.

Jul 16, 2018 15:57:38 GMT RT said:

I don't know my G1/NJPW history very well but I read that Mutoh and Sasaki are the only people to have won the G1 while holding the Heavyweight title. What happens if Omega wins this year? He just chooses his opponent for WK?

That's right.

Jul 16, 2018 15:57:38 GMT RT said:

I haven't watched any full matches but I've been following the results and highlights. The finish to Ibushi/ZSJ was awesome. Naito/Omega looked like a lot of fun too, so I'll have to go back and actually watch that one. Like PB said, unless you're a student or only work part-time or something, there's no way to watch this whole event. I'd love to, but it's just so much work. Even if I wasn't working full-time I probably still wouldn't watch every show, just the matches I care about seeing.

ZSJ/Ibushi and Naito/Omega are must watch. The two best matches of the tournament so far. I'd strongly recommend you watch both Jay White matches, but if not both, then at least the Okada match.

I haven’t watch any of the G1 yet. Will probably watch some matches tonight.

RT, you should definitely check out Omega/Naito. The finishing sequence was among the best Kenny has ever pulled out and the counters/set-ups were out of this world. The atmosphere was fantastic and the fans seemed far more invested here than in any other match.

I've just caught up on the first two nights and will make sure to watch Night 3 before Thursday.

General Thoughts

YOSHI-HASHI vs. Togi Makabe - Reminded me of the Football World Cup and watching Australia take on Peru. Two of the lower lights of their respective pool trying their best but just missing that polish to compete against the top performers. One has to wonder how much longer a guy like YOSHI-HASHI can continue to participate in a tournament like this. At least Makabe has the past tournament victory to lend him some credibility, what does YOSHI-HASHI add?

Adam Paige vs. Bad Luck Fale - If nothing else, this match has got me interested in a couple of Tama Tonga matches. Adam Paige is my pick for break-out star of the tournament and I thought he did a great job working with Fale. Also have to give Kevin Kelly his due. The NJPW production missed Tanga Loa's waltz to ring-side, making Paige look foolish. Fortunately Kev was able to relay that to the audience which made sense.

Michael Elgin vs. EVIL - EVIL could be the biggest choke artist of the tournament after failing to put Elgin away. He received such a lucky break, but the way they blew off the bicep injury made him look like a geek. Strong victory from Elgin and his power stuff is some of the best in the biz right now, but I think the slower methodical pace hurt the match.

Minoru Suzuki vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi - Also felt like this match made EVIL's arm-work look bad by comparison. Suzuki's intensity was off the charts and the way he effectively bullied Tanahashi added so much spice to the match. I thought the turning point of the match was really well executed with Suzuki selling the funky Dragon Screw to perfection. The only thing I disliked about the bout was Tanahashi having to hit two High Fly Flows, but it's just the modern NJPW way. You can't just beat an opponent, you have to OHKO them.

Jay White vs. Kazuchika Okada - I've been looking forward to this match ever since White joined CHAOS. This was going to be an important chapter in White's development as a NJPW talent and I thought he came through with flying colours. He played the dick-ish up-start to perfection and when you compare this match to the one Okada had with Ospreay, it really provides a nice contrast. I like how Okada seems to be taking things less seriously now that he's no longer champion and how the rest of the roster has taken note. It reminds me of watching a Lebron James or Novak Djokovic go through a poor run of form and for others to cash in wins while they can. A good match and White has gone from a solid wrestler with a bit of promise to a good worker. Hopefully he can take it to the next level and become a great worker.

Toru Yano vs. Tomohiro Ishii - At the risk of offending of Bake and Emp, I wonder how many tournaments Yano has in him? I don't think he's under as much pressure as YOSHI-HASHI and I can see the value he brings, but with NJPW growing as a brand, I wonder if the act is beginning to get old hat? On commentary Callis was trying to present Yano as adopting a more serious approach, but it wasn't long before he brought back all the same spots. Unfortunately for Yano, Ishii has teamed with Yano so many times, he knows the tricks just as well as Toru and was able to surprise him with one of his own. It was surprising to see Ishii out-think his opponent and if he continues that approach, he could find himself in the thick of this tournament.

Tama Tonga vs. Juice Robinson - A little dull in places, it appears Tonga is going to heel it up as much as possible and doesn't care if it entertains the audience or not.

SANADA vs. Hirooki Goto - SANADA did everything but win this match. He was able to stand toe to toe with one of the best pure strikers in the company and even get the better of certain exchanges, but in the end, Goto's ring awareness proved too valuable. Both guys have potential to really slip under everybody's radar and could turn heads if they pick their spots correctly.

Kota Ibushi vs. Zack Sabre Jr - A real styles clash and it appeared that submission wrestling was going to win out before Ibushi was able to rally with his superior striking. Despite having little power or high flying, Sabre Jr's ability to counter any move into a submission makes him one of the more exciting wrestlers in the industry and he found himself a great opponent in Ibushi. Ibushi advances, but one gets the feeling that Sabre Jr is only just getting started whereas Ibushi had to bring it all just to get the win.

Kenny Omega vs. Tetsuya Naito - There was a moment in the match where it seemed like Naito had done enough and in previous years he would have, but since Kenny is IWGP Champion, he had to put it all on the line. This is one of those matches that would have been worthy of being a WrestleKingdom main event & while Kenny was bragadocious after the win, make no mistake about it, Naito proved more than a worthy challenger. It's going to be an interesting tournament for Kenny. Either he'll go through undefeated, or he'll lose one match and quickly find himself dropping two or three more, putting this effort to waste. It certainly sets up an interesting tournament for both men, but as of right now, Omega is well and truly the form wrestler of the company.

Jul 17, 2018 8:16:51 GMT Big Pete said:

YOSHI-HASHI vs. Togi Makabe - Reminded me of the Football World Cup and watching Australia take on Peru. Two of the lower lights of their respective pool trying their best but just missing that polish to compete against the top performers. One has to wonder how much longer a guy like YOSHI-HASHI can continue to participate in a tournament like this. At least Makabe has the past tournament victory to lend him some credibility, what does YOSHI-HASHI add?

I have no idea why YOSHI-HASHI is in this tournament either. He had a pretty good run in 2016 but did nothing with it and he remained as the CHAOS bottom feeder. Somehow he gets into the G1. Why not a fresh face like Taichi? I mean, he's not great, but he's not YOSHI-HASHI either. That said, I thought the opening match of the tournament was pretty decent and had a nice finishing stretch. Decent way to kick off the G1.

Jul 17, 2018 8:16:51 GMT Big Pete said:

Minoru Suzuki vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi - Also felt like this match made EVIL's arm-work look bad by comparison. Suzuki's intensity was off the charts and the way he effectively bullied Tanahashi added so much spice to the match. I thought the turning point of the match was really well executed with Suzuki selling the funky Dragon Screw to perfection. The only thing I disliked about the bout was Tanahashi having to hit two High Fly Flows, but it's just the modern NJPW way. You can't just beat an opponent, you have to OHKO them.

This match featured some great storytelling and was a nice complement to their match earlier in the year. The match looked to be going the same way but Tanahashi stuck in there and got what was basically a lucky escape but as you say executed really well. Tanahashi has always won his matches with two High Fly Flows. Don't see it being a problem here.

Jul 17, 2018 8:16:51 GMT Big Pete said:

A good match and White has gone from a solid wrestler with a bit of promise to a good worker. Hopefully he can take it to the next level and become a great worker.

I'm starting to feel like he's on the edge of greatness already. His matches with Juice, Okada and Tanahashi (G1) show that he has really found his character and knows how to convey it effectively in matches. To put it concisely, he's a cocky scumbag, and now he has no shame at all in outright breaking the rules to win.

Jul 17, 2018 8:16:51 GMT Big Pete said:

Toru Yano vs. Tomohiro Ishii - At the risk of offending of Bake and Emp, I wonder how many tournaments Yano has in him? I don't think he's under as much pressure as YOSHI-HASHI and I can see the value he brings, but with NJPW growing as a brand, I wonder if the act is beginning to get old hat? On commentary Callis was trying to present Yano as adopting a more serious approach, but it wasn't long before he brought back all the same spots. Unfortunately for Yano, Ishii has teamed with Yano so many times, he knows the tricks just as well as Toru and was able to surprise him with one of his own. It was surprising to see Ishii out-think his opponent and if he continues that approach, he could find himself in the thick of this tournament.

I don't remember if this was brought up on commentary, but in the press conference Yano said he wasn't going to cheat at all in the tournament. Hence the unorthodox start to the match where he out Ishii'ed Ishii. Of course it didn't take long for him to go back to his old ways, but you could tell he was reluctant and holding back. This gave Ishii the chance to out-Yano Yano, a strangely poetic finish.

Yano's shtick never gets old. He finds ways to freshen it up every year, and this year appears to be no different judging from his first match. There is a lot of benefit to him being in the G1. He can mess up the bracket by taking wins off the top guys without hurting their credibility. He gives his opponents an easy night with minimal bumping. His style also guarantees a fresh experience amidst all the NJPW-style matches that surround it. He will be a G1 staple until he retires.

Jul 17, 2018 8:16:51 GMT Big Pete said:

Kenny Omega vs. Tetsuya Naito - There was a moment in the match where it seemed like Naito had done enough and in previous years he would have, but since Kenny is IWGP Champion, he had to put it all on the line. This is one of those matches that would have been worthy of being a WrestleKingdom main event & while Kenny was bragadocious after the win, make no mistake about it, Naito proved more than a worthy challenger. It's going to be an interesting tournament for Kenny. Either he'll go through undefeated, or he'll lose one match and quickly find himself dropping two or three more, putting this effort to waste. It certainly sets up an interesting tournament for both men, but as of right now, Omega is well and truly the form wrestler of the company.

Certainly Omega had to dig deep to win this one. He kicked out of a Destino, which is exceedingly rare, and survived many more crazy moves that would have beaten almost anybody else. The way Naito was dominating near the end, I was expecting a time limit draw or a Naito win. Omega pulling it back so quickly surprised me, but it was well executed. I gave it ***** in the Match Review thread. Very hard match to top.

The Tongans and Bad Luck Fale are going all in with their "OG Bullet Club" antics. They are competing with Jay White for the scummiest cheatingest heels in the tournament.

Jul 17, 2018 16:11:10 GMT Emperor said:

The Tongans and Bad Luck Fale are going all in with their "OG Bullet Club" antics. They are competing with Jay White for the scummiest cheatingest heels in the tournament.

Yep. This makes me think Tama Tonga gets an upset over Kenny Omega on Saturday.

Jul 17, 2018 18:02:05 GMT RT said:

Jul 17, 2018 16:11:10 GMT Emperor said:

The Tongans and Bad Luck Fale are going all in with their "OG Bullet Club" antics. They are competing with Jay White for the scummiest cheatingest heels in the tournament.

Yep. This makes me think Tama Tonga gets an upset over Kenny Omega on Saturday.

Tama and Kenny were really going after each other in last year's G1, when they were still technically buddies. That match should be crazy, and I can see Tama going over. Sets up a rematch down the road to main event a lesser show.

You know I gotta say, my love for wrestling has been stifled quite a bit over the years without me even realizing it. And then I went to the G1 special in San Francisco and I think I'm having more fun than I have in years. Probably since 2012.

So far I've not missed a single second of this tournament and I'm going to watch as much as I possibly can because I absolutely cannot get enough of this company.

Also, I'm trying to hate these damn Samoans for turning on BC like that, but they're just too good.

Jul 18, 2018 1:40:39 GMT Ice said:

You know I gotta say, my love for wrestling has been stifled quite a bit over the years without me even realizing it. And then I went to the G1 special in San Francisco and I think I'm having more fun than I have in years. Probably since 2012.

So far I've not missed a single second of this tournament and I'm going to watch as much as I possibly can because I absolutely cannot get enough of this company.

Also, I'm trying to hate these damn Samoans for turning on BC like that, but they're just too good.

I'm so with you on the Samoans. I was actually a little relieved when they went at Bullet Club.

They're the OGs, they're pissed off at all the infighting, and they've said "enough." I get it, and I kind of like it.

I hadn't ever watched being the elite before I went in SF. So when it happened I was absolutely incensed. I was beside myself. But when I watched the broadcast I realized it wasn't so much as a betrayal as it was family infighting. So now I'm left torn, because the Tongans (I fucked that up earlier) are beyond awesome. I love their swagger and the matches are nuts, but my loyalty lies with BC as a whole. I'm scared the Tongans are going to screw up Hangman's or Kenny's G1 and I won't have that!

Im currently finishing up the last broadcast and I'm completely convinced Minoru Suzuki has no interest in winning the G1. He just wants to murder as many people as possible.

Jul 18, 2018 21:52:17 GMT Ice said:

Im currently finishing up the last broadcast and I'm completely convinced Minoru Suzuki has no interest in winning the G1. He just wants to murder as many people as possible.

That's Suzuki's default state. He always wants to murder people. He's a sadist. Makabe beating him was a big upset.

Jul 18, 2018 22:30:57 GMT Emperor said:

Jul 18, 2018 21:52:17 GMT Ice said:

Im currently finishing up the last broadcast and I'm completely convinced Minoru Suzuki has no interest in winning the G1. He just wants to murder as many people as possible.

That's Suzuki's default state. He always wants to murder people. He's a sadist. Makabe beating him was a big upset.

It's strange how they're handling Suzuki in this tournament. Now admittedly I'm pretty new to this company (full time anyway), so I'm sort of baffled by some of the booking. Even though I enjoyed it I really didn't like the way his match with Tanahashi went down. 

I'm starting to like Makabe quite a bit, however I wish I knew what his real entrance music was lol. Anybody know the deal with the overdub?

EDIT: I didn't realize it was a cover of Immigrant Song. What a bummer, that shit is cool as hell. 

Jul 18, 2018 22:52:47 GMT Ice said:

Jul 18, 2018 22:30:57 GMT Emperor said:

That's Suzuki's default state. He always wants to murder people. He's a sadist. Makabe beating him was a big upset.

It's strange how they're handling Suzuki in this tournament. Now admittedly I'm pretty new to this company (full time anyway), so I'm sort of baffled by some of the booking. Even though I enjoyed it I really didn't like the way his match with Tanahashi went down.

What didn't you like about it?

Jul 18, 2018 23:40:41 GMT Emperor said:

Jul 18, 2018 22:52:47 GMT Ice said:

It's strange how they're handling Suzuki in this tournament. Now admittedly I'm pretty new to this company (full time anyway), so I'm sort of baffled by some of the booking. Even though I enjoyed it I really didn't like the way his match with Tanahashi went down.

What didn't you like about it?

I thought the finish was a little sudden. For all the work that went into the knee and how much Tana was struggling it seemed a little Roman out of nowhere kind of finish. That being said I loved the match in general just though it deserved a better finish is all.

I actually enjoyed how swiftly it played out. Suzuki had completely ambushed Tanahashi and had him beat all ends up. Every rally was quickly quashed and if Suzuki hadn't have been so hell-bent on finishing the match with the Gotch Piledriver, he probably could have forced a submission. Then Tanahashi fired off an incredible Dragon Screw that spelled the end for Suzuki. It was like an MMA fighter dominating an entire match only to get a stiff kick that puts them on their arse and allows the other guy to take it off him.

I wasn't a fan of Tanahashi insisting on having to get his usual two High Fly Flows to end the match. I think it was too status quo and took away from the drama of the match, but as Emp pointed out, the fans at this point are conditioned to expect two High Fly Flows. I see it as a limitation, but unfortunately that's just modern wrestling. Cena can no longer hit an AA and win the match, he has to hit multiple and even an Avalanche AA may not be good enough.

Wondering where the Okada losing angle is going. I really hope it is a hard turn where Okada stops being the golden boy and starts to win at all costs. Also wonder if Okada just wants to help people get over now since he was at the very top for so long.

Also curious to see how much money WWE throws at him. Okada loves the WWE style as it is and can slot in so easily to most programs just as Japan's golden boy.  Now that Nakamura got over, I can easily see Okada getting over too.  

Jul 19, 2018 0:58:08 GMT Ice said:

Jul 18, 2018 23:40:41 GMT Emperor said:

What didn't you like about it?

I thought the finish was a little sudden. For all the work that went into the knee and how much Tana was struggling it seemed a little Roman out of nowhere kind of finish. That being said I loved the match in general just though it deserved a better finish is all.

I can understand that finish being jarring. It was for me as well, but I bought it because of the way the Dragon Screw was executed and the way Suzuki sold it. Big Pete explained it very well.

Jul 19, 2018 3:27:44 GMT Big Pete said:

I actually enjoyed how swiftly it played out. Suzuki had completely ambushed Tanahashi and had him beat all ends up. Every rally was quickly quashed and if Suzuki hadn't have been so hell-bent on finishing the match with the Gotch Piledriver, he probably could have forced a submission. Then Tanahashi fired off an incredible Dragon Screw that spelled the end for Suzuki. It was like an MMA fighter dominating an entire match only to get a stiff kick that puts them on their arse and allows the other guy to take it off him.

I wasn't a fan of Tanahashi insisting on having to get his usual two High Fly Flows to end the match. I think it was too status quo and took away from the drama of the match, but as Emp pointed out, the fans at this point are conditioned to expect two High Fly Flows. I see it as a limitation, but unfortunately that's just modern wrestling. Cena can no longer hit an AA and win the match, he has to hit multiple and even an Avalanche AA may not be good enough.

I think you may have changed my mind on the finish if I'm perfectly honest, I didn't really think about it that way and the MMA analogy is pretty spot on. He was hell bent on the Gotch. Again, to busy trying to murder people rather than win. You put that well. 

Nobody's going to listen when I recommend a Yano match, but I'll say it anyway: watch Yano vs ZSJ. Yano fighting his trickster instincts and trying to be a real wrestler again is a really fun mini-arc. Especially when he's against the best technical wrestler in the world.

Naito vs Ishii and Omega vs Goto were both really really good. If I had to pick one it would be Naito vs Ishii. It was more consistent. Omega vs Goto had a lull in the middle.

Our boy AJ siding with The Firing Squad:

AJ Styles is asked at SDCC 2018 if he sides with the Elite or Firing Squad in Bullet Club civil war; AJ sides with Firing Squad