00:12How sick would it be if he didn't come out riding a pony right now?
00:16I mean, you might have to get snot in the whole tournament if that happens.
00:19Fashion debut here tonight for Sonata and certainly walking the runway indeed.
00:37Two points only on the board for Sonata in G1 Climax 35 but as we mentioned going into this matchup LB,
00:44a very winnable situation against Taichi as history has shown dating back to their first singles encounter in 2017.
00:53Now seven matches down the line, Sonata has won around about 85% of them.
00:59That's a really really high win percentage against one opponent.
01:04You know I'm going to say Sonata looks like a construction worker mixed with the wallpaper of my grandma's house.
01:14I don't know how else to describe it.
01:18I don't know how else to describe it.
01:21And I got to correct myself right here, I said 2017, first matchup between these two, 2020.
01:37We're going to talk all about the singles history for these two men dating back to New Japan Cup of that year to now.
01:45I don't think anybody would have known that except for Chris Samza.
01:49Shout out Chris.
01:50I think we got to get Taichi like a DM remix or something.
01:55You know?
01:56Yeah.
01:57You know any producers?
01:58I do.
01:59You too, they'll come up.
02:00Well that is a very pointed statement already in the ring, Sonata turning his back on Taichi in a way that he has already done.
02:10Well earlier on last year, and now Taichi not going to wait for it.
02:15With another chorus to come through, Taichi is putting the boost here to Sonata, the bell sounds, Marty Asami you're official.
02:22And we have a wonderful 30 minute time limit here.
02:24You know there is so much that you can get into when it comes to the relationship between Sonata and Taichi.
02:34The place that I like to start, you know, takes you back to New Japan Cup 2023.
02:39It was Sonata defeating Taichi to advance from the first round all the way to what would become a finals run for Sonata in that tournament.
02:49And it was a lot of momentum, the friendship newly adorned with Taichi in that tournament would lead to not only to the finals run for Sonata in that tournament.
03:02And it was a lot of momentum, the friendship newly adorned with Taichi in that tournament would lead to not only Sonata winning that year's tournament, but also the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship and the formation of what was known as Just Five Guys.
03:17But now, well later on down the line, just about two years, we have no Just Five Guys.
03:22And not even just four guys, not even just three guys, we have just no more guys.
03:28There are no more guys left in this company, L.P.
03:31Well, Sonata has hopped unit to unit to unit, just five guys to Bullet Club War Dogs to now House of Torture.
03:40Joyning House of Torture and wearing white gear.
03:44I mean, you know, that's really you're hitting on a point there.
03:47Sonata, yeah, bringing this one into the audience here tonight.
03:50Yeah, Sonata, well, just tossing Taichi into that singular chair right in front.
03:57Better not break any of my RGB LED glasses now on sale.
04:04At every live event of the G1 Climax.
04:06Yeah, you're right.
04:07The air selling out every single show is actually becoming a pain in the ass to keep it start.
04:13I'm sorry.
04:14Well, congratulations.I hope you're getting good residual there.
04:16Don't get me started.
04:17Okay, well.
04:18Yeah, Sonata, well, Milano clutching 18 might be in a little danger right now as Taichi taking it to the other side of the ring.
04:29And what was the exit from just five guys turning his back following a loss to Shota Udo.
04:37That lady.
04:38Look what you did, lady.
04:40That was a disgusting assist from that woman in the front row.
04:45Stupid yellow shirt lady.
04:47Well, I got to tell you, Marty Usami's been really, I mean, hammering down on these rules recently.
04:52Could.
04:53Put a backhand to evil earlier on in the tournament.
04:55I mean, I remember when Tanahashi, you get those ten list things of what we need to happen.
05:01And God start enforcing them for the sake of everyone.
05:05Yeah, wait a minute.
05:06And Milano collection, yeah, getting out of dodge here.
05:08And Sonata always has that man on in mind.
05:11Backup driver through the table.
05:12Oh, no.
05:13That could be now, right where Steel and Wood meet.
05:16Hardest part of the ring.
05:20Well, you can't blame Milano for getting a little anxiety whenever Sonata's around.
05:25Yeah, you think you would learn after the first time.
05:28Get out of the way.
05:31They're going to knock you over.
05:33It was when Sonata left just five guys, disbanded that unit, become just four guys.
05:42Stab Taichi in the back whenever Taichi challenged David Finlay back in Osaka for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship.
05:51Taichi was so, so close on closing in on his first singles victory over a champion for, I mean, so, so long at that rate.
05:59Winning a championship in the singles division, the global heavyweight title.
06:03Well, Sonata had to make sure that his old good pal and friend Taichi did not excel over himself.
06:12You could call it a lot of things there, LP.
06:14I mean, is it jealousy for Sonata?
06:16Is it anything else in between?
06:18I just couldn't tell you, Sonata's not the type who's exactly going to paint the picture for us in any other way other than his outfits.
06:24I don't even think he knows how to paint a picture.
06:26Yeah, right.
06:31This is a man who has held the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
06:36And you could talk about the reception that Sonata had during that reign heading into the main event of WrestleKingdom 18 against definitely a pronounced fan favorite New Japan at the time, Tetsuya Naito.
06:47I wonder what he's doing.
06:49Sonata has thrown all of that away, though, to join the War Dogs, join House of Torture, stab his best friend in the back, and now have two points in this year's G1.
07:00You gotta respect it.
07:02It's an absolute batshit crazy trajectory.
07:08Easy for any of us to say.
07:10Oh, but Taichi, though, had that integrity up, and oh, yeah, favoring that left knee, I believe it was.
07:16Referee Marty Asami is going to check in there on Taichi, who has been really putting up the numbers in this tournament.
07:22Only four points on the board for Taichi, but well over an hour of in-ring competition already.
07:27Jeez!
07:28Some people haven't even hit 30, 35 minutes combined.
07:30Yeah, an hour, that's crazy.
07:32What's been the longest match this G1 so far?
07:34Oh, gosh, I don't have that on the top of my head.
07:36Maybe Takagi and Takeshi?
07:3823 or something?
07:39Yeah, maybe so.
07:40Taichi, one of that strike there.
07:45Difficult to do, basing off of that left knee.
07:48Nice, plus off kick.
07:49Take the pants off.
07:50Let's get in business, Taichi.
07:52Oh, well, you know what's happening.
07:53Take the long boys off.
07:54Give the people what they want.
07:56Yeah.
07:57The people is me.
07:58Taichi now.
08:01Yay!
08:02That's a signature move right there.
08:04Taichi now setting up.
08:14What's that super kick in the corner?
08:16Ten Shojin.
08:17Oh, wait a minute.
08:18Oh, no.
08:19Oh, now this is...
08:21Oh, more House of Torture BS to ruin a phenomenal G1 climax already.
08:26Oh, you're saying what we're all thinking.
08:28Yeah, I don't know.
08:29Yeah, I don't know.
08:30Kanamaru now, I mean...
08:31Party!
08:32All of these members, formerly of Just Five Guys, it was Kanamaru who defected away from that unit to help Sonata defeat Evil, or Evil rather.
08:43Yeah, for WGP World Heavyweight title.
08:46Oh, good lord.
08:48I mean, there's a connection that ties all three of these men here together.
08:52Where are you taking him?
08:53Get him in the ring.
08:54We're on Sonata now.
08:55Watch out.
08:56Oh.
08:59Punch him in the face, Milano.
09:01Oh.
09:02Oh, nice.
09:07Oh, yeah, Milano cheering on Taichi, and for good reason here.
09:14Nice little back fish jabs.
09:16Oh, wait a minute.Kanamaru, though, get the hell out of here.
09:19Oh, two, three, one.
09:22Throw him into each other.
09:24Oh, I think you might know the game play.
09:26Oh, what the hell?
09:27Well, I don't help him.
09:28Oh, yeah.
09:29That man's retired.
09:30You can't do that.
09:31Oh, what the hell with that?
09:33Yes, he can.
09:34Look at the people in Nagoya, they're standing.
09:39Hey.
09:40Oh, yeah.
09:41All right.
09:42Let's go, Milano.
09:43Taichi Gura.
09:47Come on, Taichi.
09:48Get him in the ring.
09:52Whoa.
09:53The boy is over.
09:58Yeah, Milano is definitely trying to get Taichi to show that no good you know what, just who the boss is around here.
10:05Taichi wants to lead this tournament and lead New Japan Pro Wrestling.
10:14In the absence of men like Tomohiro Ishii, in the absence of men like Hiroki Goto in this tournament, Taichi represents that generation.
10:23And oh, well, yeah, Sonata, this is, this is exactly not where Taichi is going to want to be.
10:30Watch this now, from the south.
10:32And Zagiri.
10:33Oh, how beautiful.
10:35Lariat to the back, pushes him forward into the ropes, which bounces him back and plants him.
10:41And Zagiri to the beautiful face of Sonata.
10:47Here we go, are we going to see it now?
10:58Yeah, potentially so.
10:59Oh, Takanamaru first though.
11:02And an axe-bomber, Larry, step through on Sonata for two points.
