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

3. Kenny Omega Vs. Hirooki Goto (19 July)

Hangman Page Kazuchika Okada
NJPW

Rating: ****1/2

Almost as good as his maiden outing with Tetsuya Naito, Kenny Omega's breathless battle with the occasionally under-appreciated Hirooki Goto was an outstanding proving ground for the IWGP Heavyweight Champion against an opponent that stands out as the tournament's unluckiest slow starter.

Earned against SANADA before he found winning form, Goto's two points betray his phenomenal showings throughout. Put through the wringer by CHAOS' resilient 'Fierce Warrior', 'The Best Bout Machine' fell just short of his moniker thanks to a rousing display from the two men next on his list, but banked another bonafide classic ahead of his story-heavy stinker with Tama Tonga.

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