NJPW G1 Climax 2019 Night 16 (August 8) - B BLOCK: Every Match Ranked From Worst To Best

5. Toru Yano Vs. Taichi

Toru Yano's comedic efforts in 2019 have been amongst his finest career achievements, not just for the creative new spins on all his old tricks, but for the brevity employed to ensure that the gimmick wouldn't wear out its welcome before the end.

This clash with Taichi could have been a worst case scenario of G1 Climax outings but was instead a fabulous exhibition of one likeable sh*thouse out-thinking a much crueler one.

Taichi had tried to force Yano to the back for a count-out loss before Yoshinobu Kanemaru decked him back to the ring then rolled him up in the ring skirt for a nail-biting countout tease. Spotting an opportunity, the 'Sublime Master Thief' teased his foe back to the floor for him to take Kanemaru's whiskey spit, leaving both Suzuki-gun goons prone for Yano to make a "human burrito" with the ringside apparatus himself.

Another count-out win for 'YTR', but he'd be counted out of the entire G1 by virtue of results later in the show. The cheating b*stard's exit coming before the Climax finale actually feels slightly unfair.