NJPW G1 Climax 2019 Night 12 (August 1) - B BLOCK: Every Match Ranked From Worst To Best

5. Juice Robinson Vs. Tetsuya Naito

In rather fittingly ‘Tranquilo’ fashion, Tetsuya Naito has waited and waited and waited and f*cking waited to finally look like he might actually want to win the G1 Climax and avenge his crushing loss to Kazuchika Okada at 2018’s Wrestle Kingdom 12.

The Tokyo Dome offered him his secondary prize earlier this year when he finally did away with Chris Jericho for the Intercontinental Championship, but even that’s proven of lesser concern than killing himself or Kota Ibushi for the belt in the preceding months.

A slow start on the scoreboard and between the ropes had made this slightly sloppy effort with the in-form Juice Robinson a must-win, and it was though something only clicked in the 2017 winner at the halfway point. Robinson’s grizzled game has served him well this year, with only a lack of counters resulting in Naito hitting enough Destinos to claim the points at his expense. Now level, the pair will continue to plough forward in the hope that Jon Moxley will let them back in.

In Robinson’s case, a date on the final night of the tournament could well put it in his hands...