FREE MATCH: Okada & Tanahashi Go the Distance in 2016 G1 Climax Battle

Every Monday, New Japan Pro-Wrestling uploads a classic match to their YouTube channel in its entirety, completely free of charge. This week’s addition is one of the many, many instant classic matches between career rivals Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi, from the 2016 G1 Climax tournament.

In this particular encounter, rated 4.75 stars by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, “The Rainmaker” and “The Ace” squared off yet again in the A Block finals of that year’s tournament, with the winner advancing to meet Kenny Omega in the G1 Finals. Of course, the two would ultimately fight to a 30-minute time limit draw, which meant that Hirooki Goto instead advanced, losing to Omega.

Okada and Tanahashi will do battle in the United States for the first time ever this weekend at the 2019 G1 Climax opener in Dallas, Texas.