#159: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada, NJPW G1 Climax 31 (9/19/2021).
For the first time, the COVID clap crowd era will get to see these two go at it in singles competition. This is the opening round of the G1 Climax, and both men are looking to come out of the gates swinging. Their feud has simmered over the years, as both men have seemingly become allies. This is a battle of respect, and is much friendlier than years past.
The bell sounds, and both men take in the atmosphere of this match. It has to be different for these two to compete in front of a silent clapping crowd. They are hesitant to make the first move. They finally lock up, and Tana takes control of the back. Okada transitions to the arm, and then Tana takes the side headlock. Drop toe hold by Okada, and he takes the back. Tana quickly gets on top, but Okada is back up to hammerlock the arm. Tana brings him back down into the headlock again.
Okada fights through it, and headlocks Tana briefly, before the Ace goes back to his own headlock. A battle of the headlock thus far! Okada gets Tana up against the ropes, and we get a clean break. Okada fires off the ropes with a shoulder tackle, and then attempts the Rainmaker. Tana counters into a Dragon Suplex attempt, and Okada walks into a hip toss, and quickly applies a head scissors. Both men are back to their feet, as we have a stalemate.
They lock up, and Tana gets the upper hand, cranking away at the headlock to bring Okada to his knees. Okada tries several times to break free of this, but Tana will not let go of the grip. He pops off a side headlock takedown. After a few minutes, Okada finally breaks free and takes the headlock into his own direction. He brings Tana to the mat, and cranks away. Tana gets back to his feet, but Okada continues to crank away at his head.
Okada with a snap mare, followed directly into a chin lock. Tana is up, and eats a back elbow to the face. Swinging neckbreaker gets a 2 count, and Okada goes back to the chin lock. He boots Tana in the face, and then hits a running dropkick to his face. He tries to pin Tana with his boot on his chest, but Red Shoes ain’t having that shit! Back to the chin lock. Tana is able to escape, and he catches a kick to the face, and turns it into a Dragon Screw Legwhip.
Forearms by Tana, and a diving forearm to the head. Powerslam follows, and Tana hits his signature middle rope senton for a 2 count. Tana faints a Sling Blade attempt to dropkick the leg, then hits another Dragon Screw Legwhip. He tries for the Texas Cloverleaf, but Okada quickly gets to the ropes. Okada rolls to the floor for a breather, but Tana brings him right back in. Another dropkick to the injured leg.
Back on the floor, Okada gets back in the lead with a DDT on the floor. He’s selling that leg damage very well. He rolls Tana back into the ring, and connects with a flap jack. Okada with a neckbreaker across his knee next. Tana avoids a back elbow in the corner, but can’t avoid Okada placing him on the top rope, and dropkicking him onto the floor below. Okada irish whips Tana into the barricade and goes for a big boot, but Tana catches his foot and hits another Dragon Screw.
Tana is back in the ring, and he goes up to the top rope. Okada knows this all too well, and cuts him off. He lifts him up and looks for a Tombstone, but Tana slips out. He pulls Okada’s leg through the ropes for another Dragon Screw. Okada is back on the floor, and Tana back on the top rope. He comes off with a beautiful crossbody High Fly Flow to Okada! Tana is back in the ring, and Okada barely makes it back inside.
Tana rushes Okada, who catches him for a neckbreaker, but Tana is able to counter it into a Twist & Shout. Sling Blade off the ropes connects, and Okada is able to kick out. Tana goes to the top rope, and he connects with the crossbody High Fly Flow – but Okada rolls through and applies the Money Clip. Tana tries to escape, but Okada uses a backbreaker to slow him down, then goes back to the Money Clip. Tana fights through the pain of this new move, and is able to get to the ropes. Okada goes for the Tombstone, and Tana is blocking it. Okada with clubbing blows to the back. Tana tries for his own Tombstone, but Okada reverses it into a spinning Tombstone. Rainmaker attempt is blocked by Tana, but Okada is able to turn it into a roll up for a 2 count. Shotgun dropkick out of the corner crushes Tana. Both men are down, as the clock gets closer to 30.
Powerslam by Okada, and he goes to the top rope next. Diving elbow drop connects, and that goes into the Rainmaker pose. Okada goes for the Rainmaker, but Tana escapes and goes for his own. Okada avoids it and goes for the Discus Rainmaker, but Tana hits the Sling Blade instead! Tana with another, and he goes to the top rope next. He goes for High Fly Flow, but Okada is able to get his knees up to block it.
Okada grabs the wrist and hits a short arm Rainmaker, and then another. He goes for the proper Rainmaker, but Tana counters into a small package for 2! German Suplex by Tana, and he connects with a Dragon Suplex, and Okada kicks out at 1! Both men scream, and throw forearms at the other. Blistering shots to both men, and Okada has the upper hand, until Tana bitch slaps him. Tana runs the ropes, and gets hit with a dropkick. Okada hits a Michinoku Driver, and then the Rainmaker for the 3 and the win. He had barely been using the Rainmaker as of late, but this was a mission statement for Okada that the Rainmaker was back in full force.
This is a really great match, and a bit underrated in the grand scheme of things. It’s a unique match, taking place during New Japan’s COVID era. So in that aspect, it stands out. They definitely play the hits here, but there’s enough little different nuggets sprinkled throughout to make it seem fresh. They teased the time limit draw well, and they used it right down to the last minute to make you think that Tanahashi would pull off an upset. But, Okada was hellbent on getting back to the top of New Japan, a place he hadn’t been since the beginning of 2020.
Their chemistry is as great here as it’s ever been, and they really pushed each other to have a special match. It started off slow, with a good amount of limb work, before going into each man targeting the other’s legs. As the match progressed, things got more intense, and the hits of the past took center stage. There’s nothing quite like seeing two greats make it look easy, and here, under dire circumstances, Okada and Tanahashi did just that. The singles matches they’d have following this never reached this level again, so in a historical sense, this is the last great match between these two.