SANADA vs Great-O-Khan - "G1 CLIMAX 34" A Block Official Match: NJPW G1 CLIMAX 34 (August 8, 2024)
SANADA vs グレート-O-カーン - 『G1 CLIMAX 34』Aブロック公式戦：NJPW G1 CLIMAX 34（2024年8月8日）
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Taira no Shiai, G1 Climax A Block Koushikisen, Sanjippun Ippon Shoubu wo Okonaimasu.
00:09Well, speaking of great Okan...
01:00This is not the first time that great Okan has looked at the card and seen Tsunada standing across from him in singles competition.
01:24We are far from 2022's Wrestle Kingdom.
01:27There have been a lot of changes, not just in great Okan, but in Tsunada as well.
01:32Across demeanor, across status.
01:35But in the mind of great Okan, Chris Charlton...
01:38It is G.O.K. that stands as the king of all in professional wrestling.
01:45Well, hey, here we are, perhaps one of the most important victims in all the ones that great Okan commands.
01:52The gateway to the world for Japan is right here in Yokohama.
01:57That's how they brought you in.
01:58Indeed, I was on the black ships.
02:01And great Okan...
02:05A captain of industry.
02:07The captain.
02:27In fact, the mayor of Yokohama was out here earlier on before we got started with a special proclamation.
02:34I hear in honor of great Okan, if he's victorious over Tsunada, tomorrow will be a holiday in the city of Yokohama.
02:42It will be called Great Okan Day.
02:45Did you hear that?
02:47Of course you did, because I just told you.
03:04Great Okan Day.
03:14An added fire that we have seen out of Tsunada led to an incredible main event victory back in Coromden Hall the last time that we feature a blockade competition.
03:26Currently sits as my match of the tournament, personally, and it shocks me to say that.
03:31I've had my own words about Tsunada, about the lack of fire that he's shown before, but let's be honest here.
03:36Tsunada's turning it up every single day of the week nowadays.
03:39And Tsunada's victory over Shingo Takagi brought him in to eight points on the board.
03:44That is two more than his opponent here tonight.
03:47A victory tonight places Tsunada at ten points and would completely throw off the top of blockade.
03:55It would put him in that top flight mix and definitely put him in with a very good shot at making the playoffs.
04:12We will say here tonight, a loss for Tsunada does not eliminate him.
04:18A loss for Great Okan will eliminate Great Okan.
04:22So there's a lot more to lose for the eliminator.
04:25But at the same time, I know that fire he brought out against Shingo Takagi.
04:31Tonight against Great Okan who he has, I think, purely on paper, stylistically an affinity for.
04:38And then, of course, someone who's a very important opponent for Tsunada, Zack Sabre Jr. in his hometown.
04:44Coming up next in Nagaoka after this on Monday.
04:52Bell sounds. We're officially underway.
04:54It is one fall, 30-minute time limit.
04:56Victory puts two points on the board.
04:58A draw leads to one and a loss leads to nothing.
05:02And a loss especially leads to nothing for Great Okan.
05:05As we mentioned earlier on, a victory for Tsunada knocks Great Okan out of contention.
05:10Yeah, and as you said as well, a draw would lead to one point.
05:14That does nothing for Great Okan.
05:16That would put him on seven, giving him a maximum of nine points.
05:19And, of course, already Zack Sabre Jr., Evil and now Tetsuya Naito are at ten.
05:26Talk to us again for a reminder of constituting a draw.
05:29A draw, a 30-minute time limit would constitute a draw, one point each side.
05:34And as we saw actually right here in Yokohama between Yujiro Takahashi and Shingo Takagi,
05:41all the G1 matches we've had, that was definitely one of them a few years ago.
05:46And that can constitute a draw as well, one point each if it's a double count out.
05:51But if the match is thrown out completely, it leads to nothing.
05:56As good as a loss.
05:58And we're not going to have to worry about that in this one.
06:01I would have a little bit of a doubt about our main event, though,
06:04as Great Okan has Tsunada stretched right over the spine.
06:08Seen this before this tournament, and it's been heavily effective for G.O.K.
06:16Turning that core into a backbreaker that time.
06:20He's been really good at turning that Sheepkiller into a Facebuster,
06:24following up with the Eliminator early.
06:26Oh, Tsunada brings right back down through.
06:28And Shining Wizard attempt misses out under Great Okan.
06:32Just stopped here. We're going to start to see these 67 different disciplines come out of Great Okan.
06:36I know, I mean easily, what, 120 that he has on his belt?
06:40Yeah, magic screw.
06:42Tsunada using the Shining Wizard there early.
06:45It has, we always talk about Tsunada's win second to none.
06:49But going fast.
06:51Taking it up to the top right here, Tsunada.
06:53Rounding body press lands out on his feet.
06:55We saw how Tsunada bringing.
06:57That right knee, that right knee.
06:59Okay.
07:01And Tsunada potentially jamming that knee up on the landing there, Chris.
07:05That's the only spot I could have seen it.
07:07Nice shot in the double leg.
07:09I think it'll go right there.
07:11Yep, going to stay right there on that knee.
07:13I mean, this is where the game plan changes for Great Okan.
07:15You go in thinking you're doing one thing, and now you have a new target.
07:18I mean, he's very good at that.
07:20That's what being a master of 267 different disciplines does for you.
07:23But Tsunada, we saw how bringing the pace right on day one against Jake Lee.
07:29How that undid him.
07:31And Jake Lee was able to get that win in under five minutes.
07:35I think Great Okan has just been gifted a huge present here on Great Okan Day Eve.
07:45Only two singles matches between these two in the history of their careers.
07:49Tsunada getting the victory in both of them.
07:512-0 is Tsunada over Okan.
07:54First one, Wrestle Kingdom Night 2, 2022.
07:57Most recent took place just six months later.
08:00In that year's G1, it was Tsunada winning out again.
08:02Four points on the board in Nagoya.
08:04Nadi Asami trying to get distance.
08:06Great Okan just so he can ask Tsunada whether he can continue.
08:09Yeah, wow.
08:10The L.A.W.G.P. Medical Committee will be around training Miss Sawa.
08:14You see.
08:18Oh, man.
08:19That would be right in front of that delegates where the mayor was sitting earlier on.
08:23He'll be out here for a main event, I'm sure.
08:28Great Okan back inside the ring.
08:33And in reference to Great Okan saying he wants to enter every single G1 matchup
08:39matching the style of his opponents.
08:41Okan definitely has the stoicism of Tsunada down.
08:46And that also means there's a grit that comes with that.
08:50Okan into the cover.
08:51Shoulders down here and it's only two.
08:54There's an intensity that comes with that stoic nature.
08:56It's all business for Tsunada and Okan.
08:58Sure, I think like before when they wrestled in the Tokyo Dome,
09:03Great Okan said, well, I can meet.
09:05I can match your grace.
09:08I can match your athleticism.
09:11And tried to get cute with a moonsault press out the corner and was
09:16cover here.
09:17Great Okan handily defeated by Tsunada when he missed that move.
09:22So Great Okan has had those successes in staying true to his style,
09:29staying true to that punishment that you're seeing right now.
09:34Talking about the styles, Chris, can you talk to me a little bit about
09:36how Tsunada has changed over the past two years?
09:38I haven't been around for it, but I've seen the Tsunada that we have
09:41in front of us.
09:42Sure, I mean, it certainly has become, I think, having those foundations
09:47often like we see in a Yu-Gi-Oh!
09:49Having those foundations, but perfecting them and then melding them
09:53with a knockout shot.
09:56Always even as dangerous and in a rougher state as Great Okan is,
10:02as he's working his knee.
10:05Tsunada does not need much on that knee, does not need much torque
10:10to hit deadfall.
10:11And that has to be a danger in the back of the mind of Great Okan.
10:15The way that the fundamentals are instilled within just five guys,
10:18between Takumi Shinoku, Tsunada, Yu-Gi-Oh!
10:21and Moridoki, I mean, those men are so gifted in a technical aspect.
10:25And then you talk about that knockout shot, that knockout shot,
10:27deadfall, was what awarded Tsunada two more points over Shingo Takagi.
10:31That's a hard battle to fight.
10:36But Great Okan, when the unique offense comes into play,
10:41none more unique than the KOPW champion.
10:48Gonna make Tsunada run on that bad knee.
10:50Nice, smart stuff, smart stuff.
10:52Abba uses his own right knee to land down that Russian Lutz.
10:56You're right, you're right.
10:57But at the same time, Great Okan wanted to make Tsunada run on that bad knee.
11:01And Tsunada was able to put the brakes on.
11:04A little bit of pain, but that's giving him some distance and some time.
11:09Anyone that knows the history of Tsunada,
11:11you currently see that right knee with a little bit of a struggle.
11:14But it will forever be a target on that bicep.
11:18Bicep that was torn in last year's G1.
11:20We've made reference to it.
11:22Brief period throughout block A so far.
11:24Great Okan can change the levels.
11:25He doesn't have to, though.
11:26That's it, that's it.
11:27He doesn't have to.
11:28Make him run.
11:29And Tsunada, a dropkick.
11:32And it has the height on that one as well, Okan,
11:35right in front of us here at ringside.
11:37Has a big test of that knee.
11:41This might be an even bigger one.
11:44Leverage to the outside.
11:46Plunge shot.
11:49Trying to hold that stoicism together.
11:53It's here in his eye and a bad knee.
11:55Now trying to stretch it out over the guardrail.
11:59Is the juice worth the squeeze is the question.
12:07One.
12:09Two.
12:11Three.
12:12Four.
12:13There are only so many things that you can do yourself
12:15to try and heal whatever ails you.
12:18Outside of a visit to the trainers room.
12:20There's no trainers at ringside right now
12:22that are at least going to be involved at this point in the match.
12:24Tsunada's got a lot longer to go.
12:29We often talk about the one-legged man in the ass-kicking contest.
12:32You know, sometimes you just have to kick as much ass as you can
12:35on the one leg you have.
12:38One of that TKO and sleeper hook could be locked in here
12:41easily enough for Great-O-Khan.
12:44He can sweep Tsunada off his feet, but he's not going to do so easily.
12:47Tsunada rolls right through.
12:50Nice.
12:52Corriendo cold skull.
12:53There you go.
12:55And instead.
12:58Wow, stop pulled.
13:00Nice escape by Tsunada.
13:02Shining cut down.
13:04These multiple disciplines paying off for Great-O-Khan here.
13:08Included, I know, with that takedown.
13:10We see Great-O-Khan knows his judo quite well.
13:18Usually you see that Ippon Tsuyoi over the arm,
13:21but using it with the leg that time.
13:24Classical judo takedown to actually go after the base
13:26and the injured leg of Tsunada.
13:28Tsunada.
13:32Great-O-Khan going to utilize these feet.
13:35Try and take out that right knee of Tsunada
13:37and pulls off the knee pad.
13:41Tsunada, it's even more painful.
13:43And you're going to have to do a lot more to overcome.
13:50Great-O-Khan up on the shoulders.
13:52The shoulders, here we go.
13:54Just enough.
13:55TKO.
13:59Tsunada, not a small man by any measure.
14:01That was a long way down that Great-O-Khan's been dropped.
14:04And Tsunada, as flashy as can be.
14:09On one bum wheel.
14:11It's going to take two to tango,
14:12but you can survive for the night.
14:14He'll sacrifice it for one shiny, glistening shot.
14:17No!
14:29Great-O-Khan!
14:37It took one false crack from Great-O-Khan
14:42to change the direction of this matchup on a dive.
14:49And that claw around the skull of Tsunada
14:51bringing back to his feet.
14:52That means one thing only, Chris.
14:54Eliminate him.
14:56No.
14:57Oh, look out, look out, look out.
14:58Hey, Tsunada, he's won with this before.
15:00O'Connor caught in.
15:02Beautiful, beautiful.
15:04If he can get some hooks in there, we'll get no instead.
15:07He might.
15:08Power offense.
15:09No, no, no.
15:10Deadfall attempted.
15:11Here we go.
15:12German out on his feet.
15:13Tsunada jammed that right knee.
15:14Oh, the pain, the pain.
15:16And Shining Wizard.
15:28There's only one way for your victims to fall.
15:32Tsunada, Shining Wizard one more time.
15:37From the rear to the front,
15:38and Tsunada has to close the deal right now.
15:44And it goes.
15:45No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
15:48Whoa.
15:49Got him, got him, got him.
15:50This is the set-up walk-up.
15:52All of his wings have come this way.
15:54All of his wings have come this way.
15:56Eliminator.
16:03Yes.
16:07I said it before, baby.
16:10I get a day off tomorrow.
16:12Great O'Connor day.
16:14No, that's not what I said.
16:16I said, Goki Gore, Great O'Connor is going on a roll.
16:22Yes.
16:25Give it to me, baby.
16:30We got a little bit of fire in the booth tonight.
16:32We have a little bit of fire in the ring.
16:34Great O'Connor and Tsunada, what a match-up.
16:39We knew that Tsunada would be the one to bring the heat,
16:41but it did not come to us that Tsunada would be the one
16:46to burn himself in the end.
16:47Great O'Connor with a win here tonight.
16:49Eight points now on the board for Great O'Connor.
16:52Tsunada remains at eight points.
16:54Chris Charlton sits to my left.
16:56All the matrices out in front.
17:00It will allow for that match to take place.
17:02What a win for Great O'Connor.
17:05Our second Block A match of the evening.
17:09The tough battles do not end here tonight.
17:11There is one more final to take place in Nakaoka.
17:19Coming up next for Great O'Connor will take on
17:22from former Los Ingobernables to current,
17:25to leader, to El Ingobernable himself,
17:28Great O'Connor next takes on the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion,
17:32Tetsuya Naito.
17:33That will be when we hit Nakaoka.
17:36Well, I mean, we're going to have to wait and see
17:39what happens with our other matches and the points totals there,
17:42but that's a very, very beneficial position
17:44for Great O'Connor to have,
17:46not just to now be at eight,
17:49but to have beaten Sanada.
17:51Because that means that even if Sanada beats Zack Sabre Jr.
17:56in Nakaoka,
17:58if Great O'Connor could beat Tetsuya Naito,
18:01Great O'Connor would be through,
18:03having beaten Naito and having beaten Sanada.
18:06Now, I mean, a lot would defend what's happening
18:08with Shota Uemura, what's happening with Jake Lee,
18:10Shingo Takagi, we'll find out later tonight.
18:13But Great O'Connor has a lot more control of his destiny now
18:17than he would if he hadn't beaten Sanada.
18:22It was win and stay alive,
18:23and Great O'Connor is alive and running.
18:28Coming up next for O'Connor will be Tetsuya Naito.
18:31Coming up next for Sanada, Zack Sabre Jr.
18:33with a bum wheel.
18:34We'll have to expand more on that later on.
18:36That is not going to be an easy fight.
18:47Coming up next for O'Connor will be Tetsuya Naito.
18:49Coming up next for O'Connor will be Zack Sabre Jr.
18:51with a bum wheel.