NJPW G1 Climax 2019 Night 4 (July 15) - B BLOCK: Every Match Ranked From Worst To Best
The 'Switchblade' and the 'Stone Pitbull' set the new standard...
Your writer considered this, the fourth event from the 2019 G1 Climax, the most rewarding from the tournament so far until discussion with fellow WhatCulture staffers brought into focus some of the potential flaws of the show.
There were arguments against just about every match in the show approaching four star ratings and beyond, questions raised about the positioning of certain contests, and the manner of how particular stars were being handled, with only one genuinely unifying thought amongst the takes - Jay White/Tomohiro Ishii was the best match of the entire tournament.
A spoiler for this article then, but there's every chance you skipped the introduction to get straight into the action anyway - this style of movement through the matches remains another consistently-praised element of NJPW's overall presentation in comparison to their North American contemporaries.
The tournament aims to replicate the experience of the wrestlers for the fans - a spot of exhaustion doesn't hurt, it f*cking absolutely kills, with some of the shorter run-times here a helpful assist for those suffering any sort of burnout from the relentless run of wrestling over the last few months. The show's opener was a perfect example of it done right, too...
5. Toru Yano Vs. Shingo Takagi
Showing his range by adapting to Toru Yano's formula instead of forcing the 'Sublime Master Thief' to bend to his brutal style, Shingo Takagi was made to jump through the (figurative) hoops and over the (literal) obstacles to get the first G1 Climax points of his career.
A joyous little brawl wasn't high on quality, but then Yano's matches aren't always in need of it. There was something darkly amusing about Shingo suffering a trademark turnbuckle spot (in this case, having one lobbed at his head) before levelling up (down?) to his opponent by smashing him with a steel chair when Los Ingobernables de Japon buddy BUSHI provided useful distraction.
Takagi went hard in defeat to Juice Robinson in his first Climax scrap. His goal of proving himself as a credible heavyweight leaving behind his Junior Heavyweight roots wasn't destined to be the focus of this particular match, but will remain a vital arc in future, more important outings. This was a rest for that and his body ahead of what could be a tricky task against Taichi up next. And speaking of 'Dangerous T' himself...