#157: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada, NJPW G1 Climax 28 (8/10/2018).
By 2018, things are a lot different between Tanahashi and Okada.
On one hand, Okada is coming off of a mammoth two year reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, a reign that finally ended two months before this match, at the hands of Kenny Omega at Dominion. Since then, he has battled with confidence issues in himself, and can be seen with red hair and balloons, free of the stress that comes with being the top man.
On the other hand, Tanahashi is as low as he has ever been. Decisive loss after loss in 2018 culminated in May when he attempted to stop Okada from breaking his all time defense record of the championship. He failed, and in route suffered the most decisive loss he'd ever had to Okada. Backstage, he cried and begged the fans not to give up on him.
Both men entered the G1 Climax with a chip on their shoulders, and it's worked for them. Even with the confidence issues, Okada has performed well, while Tanahashi is obsessed with proving that his time isn't over yet. The winner of this match will take the A Block, and earn a spot in the G1 Finals. Their previous two G1 matches have gone the 30 minute time limit.
The bell sounds, and both men slowly circle the other. The crowd is firmly behind Tana. Okada looks very confident that he can crush his old rival once again. Tana avoids a dropkick twice, and Okada avoids a kick to the knee. Missed sentons, and strikes. Both men keep some distance between them, as we have a stalemate right away. They lock up, and exchange control of the back. Tana with a snap mare, and Okada quickly grabs the left arm.
Okada applies a side headlock, and Tana transitions to one of his own. He cranks on it for added pressure, and Okada forces him into the ropes. He faints a strike, and Tana forearms him for it. Okada comes back with forearms of his own. Nice hip toss by Tana, followed by some nice air guitar. Tana takes control of the leg on the mat, digging his knuckles into it. Very nice touch. Tana kicks at it, and hyperextends it. Tana pretzels the legs up and does some Lucha style Sharpshooter.
Okada manages to grab the bottom rope to break the hold. Tana places him in the corner and kicks at his leg. He ties it up in the ropes, and tugs away at it. He drags Okada to the ring post, and swings his knee into the steel! And again! In the ring, Tana fights off a gut wrench suplex. Okada fights back and hits his own Dragon Screw Legwhip! The tables have been turned! Okada drags Tana to the floor, and then drops him knee first to the floor. Okada twists Tana around, and drives his knee to the floor a second time.
Tana is able to return to the ring, only for Okada to drive his knee into the mat, causing even further damage. Okada ties his leg up in the ropes, and pulls at it with ease. He follows with a nice dropkick that sends Tana’s leg in all kinds of directions. Both men stand in the middle of the ring, and they throw forearms at the other. Tana goes to throw a kick, and Okada catches it. Tana blocks his Dragon Screw, and hits his signature Dragon Screw!
Tana follows up with a diving forearm off the ropes. Nice powerslam, followed by the middle rope senton for a 2 count. The crowd is still firmly behind Tana, as he runs the ropes. Okada avoids him and hits a diving back elbow to the head. Irish whip into the corner, followed by an uppercut and a DDT for a 2 count. Tana grabs the injured leg, and dropkicks the other leg. Okada falls back, and explodes forward with a shotgun dropkick!
Okada goes to the top rope, and comes off with a furious shotgun dropkick right to the head and upper chest! He attempts the Tombstone, but Tana is able to reverse it into a Tombstone of his own! He can’t capitalize though, because of the additional damage to his own knee! The crowd is willing Tana on, as he returns to his feet first. He strikes first with a forearm, and Okada returns it. Forearm exchange ensues, as neither man will back down.
Tana gets the upper hand, as he drops Okada to the mat. Nice combo by Tana, and Okada gets in an uppercut. Tana avoids a clothesline, and dropkicks Okada off the apron to the steel barricade below. Tana hurries to the top rope, and crushes Okada on the floor with a crossbody High Fly Flow! Tana appears to have hurt his knee on the way down though! Tana rolls into the ring, and Okada makes it to the apron, clutching at his knee. Tana sees this, and pulls it through the ropes and hits a Dragon Screw, a dropkick, and another Dragon Screw to that knee! Tana is a menace!
With Okada down, Tana applies the Texas Cloverleaf, bending Okada in the worst direction. He pulls him away from the ropes, and sits back on his spine, causing even more damage. Tana transitions from the Cloverleaf, into a Styles Clash! Tana scales the top rope, and hits the High Fly Flow, but Okada manages to roll out of the way! Tana is crushed. Okada is up, and he dropkicks Tana in the back of his head. He goes for a proper dropkick, but Tana holds onto the ropes. Okada lands back first, and Tana runs the ropes now. Okada is back up with a dropkick to the face. He goes for the Rainmaker, but Tana counters into the Sling Blade!
Both men are down, as the exhaustion and sense of urgency is really starting to kick in. Both men are on their knees, and they’re throwing hard forearms. Tana screams in defiance, and he asks for more. Okada gives him what he wants, and sends Tana back to the mat. Okada goes for the Tombstone, but Tana counters it and tries for one of his own. Neither man has the advantage, until Okada forces himself through and lifts Tana up. Tana is able to slip out and hit Twist & Shout.
Tana hits another, and another! Sling Blade off the ropes connects, and he covers, but Okada is able to kick out. Tana goes to the top rope. He goes for the crossbody High Fly Flow, but Okada wisely hits a mid air dropkick right to the midsection that crushes the Ace! Okada lifts him up and drills him to the mat with the Tombstone! Okada shouts to the sky, as the crowd are losing their minds! Okada goes for the Rainmaker, but Tana escapes and tries for the Dragon Suplex. Okada counters that into a Rainmaker, and Tana ducks out. Okada hits a dropkick out of nowhere!
One more Rainmaker attempt, and Tana escapes again! Okada with the Discus Rainmaker that drops him! One more proper attempt, but Tana counters into a small package for a razor thin 2 count! Okada tries for the Rainmaker again, but Tana counters into the Dragon Suplex for another close 2 count! The fans are rabid at this point, as Tana crawls to the ropes. Okada grabs him, and Tana elbows him in the head. Okada with another Rainmaker attempt, but Tana bitch slaps him away! Tana crawls under the ropes and goes to the top rope!
High Fly Flow to the back! Tana makes the cover, but Okada kicks out! Tana goes back to the top, but the time expires! Tana shakes his head in frustration, as his victory was taken from him at the last second. As it stands, due to the point difference, the time limit draw means that Tana is going to the G1 finals!
A really great match here that highlighted the sense of urgency between both men more than ever. Both Tanahashi and Okada had everything to gain, and nothing to lose here, and that showed in how they wrestled. The 30 minute time limit was the gimmick here, and they played to that very well. Both men targeted the legs of the other, and fought with extra aggression. Okada, despite his loss of confidence, was extra cocky coming into this, and he should’ve been, considering the last time they faced off.
But this Tanahashi was different than Dontaku. He was obsessed with maintaining the aura of his Ace status, and he wrestled this match almost in a similar vein that he did at Wrestle Kingdom 9 – like a veteran who knew he had the upper hand. Alas, it still wasn’t enough to attain victory. A broken, balloon carrying Okada is still miles better than he had been in years past, and he was able to hold out long enough to at least not suffer defeat to Tanahashi.
But in this circumstance, Okada needed a victory or he would have nothing at all. And the fact that after he took everything from Tana and still couldn’t find a win here says that he was starting to fall behind Tana again. Tana had the draw to fall back on, and even though he would’ve preferred a win, the draw is what took him to the G1 finals. They mixed up their trademark sequences here, and the added aggression made this feel different than their previous matches. Goes to show that when two men of this caliber have a chip on their shoulders, all bets are off.