NJPW G1 Climax 2018, THE FINAL WEEK: Every Match Ranked From Worst To Best

8. Zack Sabre Jr Vs. Hirooki Goto (August 8)

Kenny Omega Kota Ibushi
NJPW

Rating: ****

Losing B Block only due to difficult tie-breaker defeats to Kota Ibushi and Kenny Omega, Zack Sabre Jr was the very best of an elite rest in this year's G1, proving his worth yet again in a thriller with Hirooki Goto.

Sabre's metamorphosis into a modernised version of his Suzuki-Gun mentor Minoru Suzuki has been a joy to behold - and not just because his post-defeat tantrums are so believable. Zack drained Goto of life with his submissions and strikes, sealing a win with a European Clutch fast becoming his most reliable pinfall finisher. Still livid with his aforementioned higher-profile losses, Sabre's statement of intent with Goto's NEVER title in the aftermath was telling.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett