NJPW G1 Climax Finals Review: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Match
KUSHIDA (c) vs. Ricochet

Result: KUSHIDA defeats Ricochet via submission to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

They began with two long lockups until Kushida hit a shoulder tackle. Ricochet popped back on his feet and countered multiple moves. Kushida then hit a big dropkicked off the top rope.

Kushida would knock down Ricochet and lock in his left arm. He stomped on it and continued to twist and hold it for awhile.

Ricochet would get out of it by spinning Kushida around and slamming him. Kushida would go outside the ring, leading to Ricochet flipping over the ring post and onto him. Wow!

Back in the ring, Ricochet hit another big flip onto Kushida. The two then traded chops until Ricochet hit a kick and multiple uppercuts. He hit a dropkick to the head and a standing moonsault for a near-fall.

Ricochet then kicked and taunted Kushida until he got up and responded with a kick to the chest. He hit Ricochet in the face to stop his momentum and send him out of the ring. Kushida would respond with his own flip over the ring post!

Back in the ring, Kushida hit a dropkick and climbed to the rope for a moonsault. Ricochet rolled out of the way and hit a standing flip onto him for a near-fall.

Kushida would get to the ropes, do a back flip, turn it into a hold and a near-fall. He locked into the injured arm until Ricochet picked him up, missed a dropkick and got round-housed. Ricochet responded with an attempted jump off the ropes but got dropkicked into a lock of the left arm. Ricochet would pick Kushida up and powerbomb him to break out of it.

They then traded elbows until both men missed dropkicks. Kushida would get Ricochet down with a Pele and build momentum. He hit multiple kicks until Ricochet caught him, hit a Northern Lights suplex and two more suplexes for a near-fall.

Ricochet jumped off the ropes and went for a splash but Kushida rolled out of the way. He hit a big blow to the head and set up a Full Nelson suplex for a near-fall.

Kushida hit a moonsault off the top rope for a near-fall. He then locked in the left arm again and dropkicked Ricochet’s head. The latter responded with a take down, went to the top rope and hit a Phoenix Splash for a near-fall. He hit a kick to the head for another one.

Richochet climbed back to the top rope for a 630 splash but missed. Kushida then rolled him into a Kimura Lock for the submission win.