NJPW G1 Climax 2019 Night 1 (July 6): Every Match Ranked From Worst To Best
4. SANADA Vs. Zack Sabre Jr
The structure of the match, multiple commentary references to the technical mastery of both men and SANADA's occasionally slick work worked overtime to present the match as an artful battle of wits between two mat wizards. In full execution, it was a little too obvious to see Zack Sabre Jr's magic in action.
A fabulously intricate encounter at the standard of everything 'ZSJ' attempts at this level, it was in keeping with his consistency in the field this time last year. The result also mirrored what's been something of an impotent 2019 in the win column - grappling over the European Clutch that had felled SANADA once before, Sabre was instead trapped and toppled for his trouble.
Sans sidekick Taka Michinoku, Zack instead embodied Suzuki-gun chief Minoru Suzuki in his post-match fury. Whilst his head had gone by the bell, it was restored in a post-match press conference in which he caustically castrated the Dallas crowd along with more backhanded slaps than he'd managed in the match itself.
There's a sense - again - that it's now or never for SANADA, especially if the G1 serves as the location for his long-awaited victory over Kazuchika Okada. He'll need far greater ownership in his other victories if he's to finally shift the cursed "potential" tag.