NJPW G1 Climax Day Five Review

AJ Styles vs. Kota Ibushi

Result: Kota Ibushi defeats AJ Styles via pinfall.

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars

Styles and Ibushi locked up to begin this until the latter hit two arm drags. He locked Styles’ arm and hit another arm drag.

After a missed PK attempt, Ibushi hit a big kick to the best and sent Styles flying out of the ring. He would get his legs taken out with a kick on the apron to continue the beat down.

Ibushi hit a few stiff kicks to the chest and a big dropkick. He continued with a few stomps until Styles countered with a hard chop. He dropped Ibushi’s neck off the ropes and out of the ring.

Outside the ring, Styles put Ibushi into the barricade, who barely get back in the ring. He got hit with a back-breaker and put into a hold. Styles connected with a hurricanrana and taunted the crowd.

Ibushi started working back with a quick suplex onto Styles’ neck to take control.

Ibushi hit a big kick on Styles to send him down. He hit a standing corkscrew for a near-fall.

Styles went back in control with a big punch off the ropes. He hit knees to the gut for a near-fall. This led to “Ibushi” chants from the crowd.

Styles went for a Styles Clash but got countered. Ibushi connected with a kick to the head of Styles. At the ropes, Styles held Ibushi but got thrown with a hurricanrana off the apron!

Ibushi hit a moonsault off the apron!

Ibushi went to the top rope but got thrown off. They met at the top rope but Styles threw him off with a hurricanrana, which transitioned into a Styles Clash. This got countered, though. but Styls hit a piledriver for a near-fall!

Styles went for a splash inside the ring but Ibushi got the knees up and nearly got a pin from this.

Styles would find an opening again and hit Bloody Sunday! He couldn’t get the pin, though.

Both men went to the top rope and Styles set up a Styles Clash but Ibushi threw him off. He nearly got a pin.

Ibushi hit a big powerbomb and went to the top rope. He hit a Phoenix Splash for the win.

Rob’s Note: Now this is certainly a match to go out of your way to watch. This was incredible and could have easily main-evented a show. The back and forth action with multiple finishers attempted but none kicked out of was nice. If that part of WWE bothers you, go watch some of these G1 Climax matches.

Styles and Ibushi are world-class wrestlers and continued to show it in this match. They both have a great chance at making the G1 Climax final next month.

Next: Tanahashi vs. Naito