NJPW G1 Climax Night 11: Okada rains out the competition

Hiroshi Tanahashi (6) vs. EVIL (6)

G1 CLIMAX 29 高松大会！第9試合Aブロック公式戦、@tanahashi1_100 VS @151012EVIL！EVILの厳しい膝ぜめに苦しむ棚橋！昨年の覇者である棚橋劣勢で試合はスタート！登録＆視聴▷https://t.co/FOQmv6wlPy#njpw #njpwworld #G1Climax #G129 pic.twitter.com/PAtq2zQZEU

— njpwworld (@njpwworld) July 30, 2019

EVIL always enters with menacing style, mask and scythe at hand. Tanahashi's flamboyance was flashy if only because the crowd loved him so much. Tanahashi stopped to give high fives to lots of fans on his way down to the ring. Red Shoes Unno refereed.

EVIL and Tanahashi felt each other out before EVIL brought a kick and a long, brutal hold to Tanahashi. A crossbody took EVIL to the ground, and Tanahashi began using the ropes.

That didn't work to his advantage, and EVIL spun Tanahashi over the top rope and into the barricade. EVIL put a chair around Tanahashi's neck and smacked another against it, completing his Home Run move to leave Tanahashi laid out on the arena floor.

EVIL hauled Tanahashi back into the ring and refused to allow him any quarter. Focusing on Tanahashi's knee, he threw Tanahashi onto it and locked him into a Figure Four hold. Tanahashi reversed the position and rolled into another reversal, but EVIL also reversed and Tanahashi scrambled to grab the bottom rope and break the hold.

No matter how tired Tanahashi got, he rallied and body-slammed EVIL. Tanahashi hit a somersault senton from the second rope that connected with EVIL. EVIL had a chance to throw Tanahashi outside of the ring, but Tanahashi flipped back over.

Tanahashi hit the mat hard when EVIL caught him after the flip for a German suplex that could have turned the tide. Tanahashi took EVIL outside of the ring and he jumped out to slam into EVIL. His knee took the brunt of the jump.

Tanahashi still got to his feet first, but EVIL used Tsuji at ringside to inadvertently help him complete a Magic Killer. Both men barely beat the 20-count to get back into the ring.

EVIL refused to relent on Tanahashi's newly tender knee, but Tanahashi's Dragon Screw gave him the room to put EVIL into a pair of cloverleaf holds. It was close, but EVIL was able to force a split when he grabbed the bottom rope.

Tanahashi ran into a clothesline from EVIL and both men struggled to their feet. EVIL completed a fisherman buster from the top rope, and both stayed down for quite a while. The audience began cheering loudly for both men, enjoying the 20-minute mark as EVIL and Tanahashi traded elbow strikes and chops in the center of the ring.

When Tanahashi went down, EVIL attempted a pinfall and Tanahashi kicked free. A lariat from EVIL took the wind out of Tanahashi again. Tanahashi reversed two Everything Is Evil finisher attempts and flew from the top rope to take EVIL down. One more flying slam and Tanahashi picked up the 2 points with an electric flair that the crowd enjoyed immensely.

Results: Hiroshi Tanahashi (8) def EVIL (6) via pinfall