NJPW G1 Climax 2018, Week 2: Every Match Ranked From Worst To Best

9. YOSHI-HASHI Vs. Michael Elgin (22 July)

Hangman Page Kazuchika Okada
NJPW

Rating: ****

As evidenced in the aforementioned Jay White scorcher, 'Big Mike' has been to this point a vital utility cog in this year's G1, wrestling hard-hitting openers and midcard matches that seem to resonate deeply in front of every audience he's entertained. Never afraid to show weakness despite a noticeable size advantage over most of his foes, Elgin's battles have unlocked a tension with consistency few have thus far mustered.

A domineering display against YOSHI-HASHI coming unglued at the last was the perfect exhibition of his offering thus far. At no point did he look under threat until he was a beaten man, underestimating the survival instinct of the Block A coffin dodger. YOSHI-HASHI won't likely score many more points anyway, but these will likely remain the most satisfying to have earned.

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