While I would definitely urge everyone to watch all of the matches listed below, I have not ranked them in order that I most enjoyed them. That said there will be some that won’t appear but are on other people’s lists. Unlike what many seem to think all art is not subjective.
To paraphrase my podcast co-host Chris Gallaher ( @TheGallatron ) on a recent episode, there is a level of skill an artist must master. Only then can they create art to a level of which it can be called ‘great’. You may enjoy the art of The Miz or Ryback, but to say their art is comparable to Seth Rollins or Kevin Owens is absurd. A wrestler may know how to lock up, to slam a body or to slap on an unconvincing wrist-lock. But a great wrestler knows how to capture the viewers attention and imagination. They know how, by applying both ring psychology and convincing physical performance to make a fan forget that the finish is predetermined. Pro wrestling fans, watching truly great artists could care less, we suspend our disbelief just as someone watching a compelling film would.
But when you get to the level of quality of the matches listed below, it can definitely be considered a subjective artform.
Nite 1. Kazuchika Okada vs Naomichi Marufuji: This match laid down the marker, as if they were telling the rest of the participants “okay lads, this will be the level at which this tournament is wrestled, every nite. Top this!”
Nite 1. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs SANADA: Another very good match and one SANADA used to establish himself as a serious top contender for a title down the line.
Nite 1. Tomohiro Ishii vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan: Tenzan looked ten years younger and went blow for blow with the ‘Stone Pitbull’.
Nite 2. Tomoaki Honma vs Katsuyori Shibata: Stiff as fuck. Go on lads.
Nite 3. Okada vs SANADA: ‘Cold Skull” took advantage of working with arguably one of the best in the world, more than holding up his end.
Nite 4. Katsuhiko Nakajima vs Shibata: The NOAH stand-out stood eye to eye with ‘The Wrestler’ and showed the world that he is just as hard as anyone. Iron sharpens iron.
Nite 4. Michael Elgin vs Tetsuya Naito: The leader of Los Ingobernables de Japon has established himself as one of the top wrestlers in Japan, and along with the stalwart strongman a hell of a match was put on.
Nite 8. Elgin vs Kenny Omega: A very good match, two contrasting style that mesh well.
Nite 10. Naito vs Honma: When allowed Honma can have a hell of a match, combined with Naito they had the best of the card.
Nite 11. Tanahashi vs Ishii: In a must win match, the worst air guitarist in the world ended up feeling the best!
Nite 12. Nakajima vs Naito: Certainly there were those unfamiliar with the NOAH additions to this years G1. I think Nakajima went a long way to getting more eyes on the product with this match and his performance on the whole. If he can hang with Naito, he can hang with anyone.
Nite 13. Okada vs Ishii: The match had more people talking than any other match, and rightfully so. It was a thoroughly modern performance by both, demonstrating the near exhausting power and speed at which today’s athletes wrestle.
Nite 13. Tanahashi vs Marufuji: This was Tanahashi at his best, and Marufuji as well. Paced much differently than the previous match on the card (listed above), yet just as exhausting and arguable more compelling.
Nite 14. Nakajima vs Honma: More stiffness from two wrestlers not afraid to hurt and get hurt for the benefit of the crowd.
Nite 14. EVIL vs Naito: This match could have played out as so many other matches between two stablemates. It may have started out that way, but after teasing the mundane they delivered the exciting.
Nite 16. Elgin vs Honma: Arguably the Intercontinental and ELITE champions best match of the tournament. A real battle that finished hot as hell. 
Nite 17. Tanahashi vs Okada: The surprising match of the tournament, its ending shocked many of us watching. Oh, and by the way a really, really good match.
Nite 18. Omega vs Naito: A fantastic match that demonstrates just how good Kenny Omega can be, I think again this was a surprising finish for those watching live.
Nite 18. Elgin vs Nakajima: This match made me think about one thing, please please please bring Nakajima in to New Japan full time and have him face Elgin for the Intercontinental title. Please.
Final nite: Omega vs Goto: This was a very good match, and definitely worth your time to watch despite already knowing the result. Yet I don’t think it was Omega’s best match of the G1, that was his decisive win over Naito.
I don’t even think it was the best match of the nite’s card, that goes to Jay Lethal vs Satoshi Kojima. Lethal has been on a tear for nearly two years, and it can be argued he currently is the best wrestler in the world signed to a contract with a wrestling promotion.
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