NJPW G1 Climax 2018, Week 3: Every Match Ranked From Worst To Best

A gulf undeniably emerged as the 2018 G1 Climax entered its third week.

Initially unspoken until one too many Bad Luck Fale matches soured even the sweetest of shows, the on-paper gap between Blocks A and B finally leaped from script to screens as contests from Kenny Omega et al completely trounced those anchored by Hiroshi Tanahashi and a flailing Kazuchika Okada.

But has this been the point all along? There's been a notable Sports Entertainment bent to this year's event, perhaps in keeping with NJPW's clunky global expansion. Tama Tonga and Fale's interference-filled matches haven't been part of a clever scheme - only the undoing of both in the tournament itself. To have already been eliminated by Week 3 can't have been their modus operandi, but then turning their genuine Cow Palace heat into disinterested disdain stretching across every venue in Japan probably wasn't on the agenda either.

The 'BC OG's can't crash the G1 juggernaut anyway, no matter how hard they've been steering it into nearby walls and ditches. Magic moments and matches remain the only currency that really matters, with bangers from B Block more than making up for some A Block aberrations.

Despite certain performers almost breaking away from the chasing pack and the aforementioned eliminations of the Tongans on either side, the final slots are still wide open. Unlike The Firing Squad itself, G1 glory is far from a closed club.

Rating: 1/2*

Jay White had portrayed a tactically proficient equivalent of his opponent going into the clash with Bad Luck Fale, having floored all foes other than Minoru Suzuki with low blows en route to acquiring six ill-gotten points compared to Fale’s fortuitous four.

Lacking heat and a one-off babyface (despite the pop White received for nailing Fale in the plums late on), this dull dispute collapsed within itself long before Tongan troublemaking triggered yet another disappointing disqualification.