NJPW G1 Climax 25: Day 2

NJPW G1 Climax 25: Day 2

July 23rd, 18:30 from Twin Mess, Shizuoka

Day 1 brought the goods in the form of Shibata/Styles and Ibushi/Tanahashi, and although I don’t see any of today’s matches reaching those highs, this is a more balanced card with the potential for surprises. It’s worth noting that this is a single-camera show with no commentary, so even if the matches do compare with the best of Day 1 they’ll have a tough time being perceived as such.

If you missed the first show you can read my recap here and, once again, I’ll only be covering the tournament matches. Here we go…

B Block – Round One

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Satoshi Kojima

Ishii is one of the most physical wrestlers around and his style has defined the company’s NEVER title since its inception. He’s gutted out neck and shoulder injuries in previous tournaments to provide incredible performances, so this year, somewhat healed up, I expect another impressive G1 Climax from the Stone Pitbull. Satoshi Kojima, like his tag-partner Hiroyoshi Tenzan, is a former G1 winner, Heavyweight Champion and multi-time Tag-Team Champion in the latter stages of his career. His Stan Hansen-endorsed Western Lariat could deliver some significant upsets.

These two had a confrontation in the undercard six-man tag match on Day 1, so things start out intensely, both guys hammering each other with forearms until Kojima gains advantage and gets the knock down. He stays on top for a little while, before Ishii cuts him off with a powerslam. They do something on the outside that I can’t see because photographers obscure the view, but both make it in before the count. Ishii takes control with a back suplex, a vertical suplex that Kojima no sells, then a lariat. He puts Kojima on the top rope and hits a big stalling superplex for two. Kojima manages a desperation DDT, spiking Ishii, and follows up with a Brainbuster for a near fall. He signals for the lariat, which he hits at the second attempt, and gets a close two-count. Kojima goes for rolling elbow, but it’s blocked by a headbutt from Ishii, who follows with a seated lariat for two. He calmly picks him up Kojima and hits the Brainbuster for the win at 12 minutes. That got good. It was off-putting having only the ambient sound of the room (the ring isn’t even mic’d), but both guys worked hard and the crowd were into it. ***1/4

Hirooki Goto vs. Yujiro Takahashi

Goto is the current Intercontinental Champion, having beaten, and then defended against, Shinsuke Nakamura. He’s a previous G1 winner but has come up short in every one of his seven attempts to win the Heavyweight title. He will likely never be a top-tier guy, but will deliver some very good matches in this tournament. Yujiro Takahashi is a member of Bullet Club.

Comedy spot early on as Yujiro bites Goto’s fingers to get out of a chinlock, then clotheslines him to the floor. He rakes the eyes and, back in the ring, drops him neck-first on the top rope. A yakuza kick gets two. Goto comes back with chops, but Yujiro gets bitey again and snapmares him in a chinlock. This time Goto bites the fingers to get out of it! Spinning heel kick and a bulldog from Goto get two. Back suplex for another two. Goto misses a charge and Takahashi hits a suplex followed by an Angle Slam for two. Neither has control, and they both swing-and-miss until a Stun Gun followed by a lariat gets Takahashi a two-count. Finisher attempts fail until Goto nails the discuss lariat for a near fall, and he follows up with an Ushigoroshi (fireman’s carry neckbreaker) and a Shouten Kai (vertical suplex into a Rock Bottom) for the three-count at 12 minutes. Solid effort from both guys. Better than expected on the Takahashi front and that finisher of Goto’s looks like no fun at all. ***

Tomoaki Honma vs. Yuji Nagata

Tomoaki Honma is the underdog of all underdogs (0% win record in last year’s tournament), the perennial loser, and yet every night he has the crowd on the edge of their seats thinking this time he’ll do it. Expect missed Kokeshis (diving headbutts), hot crowds and crushed dreams. Nagata is still one of the more well-known New Japan wrestlers. Winner of the G1 in 2001, the former IWGP Heavyweight champ has been vocal about his booking of late and will be determined to have a strong showing this year.

They do some amateur wrestling (of sorts) to begin. A big elbow smash puts Nagata down and Honma misses his first Kokeshi of the G1 Climax 2015! Nagata takes control, grabbing a crossface, but Honma makes the ropes. Hard kicks to the chest from Nagata, so Honma calls on FIGHTING SPIRIT, but Nagata nonchalantly slaps him back down to the mat. They fight over a suplex, Honma winning out with an impressive deadlift. Chops and a bulldog, and then Honma, much to the delight of the crowd, hits his first Kokeshi of the G1 Climax 2015! Nagata gets to the ropes from a single leg crab and grabs a sleeper, but Honma knocks him down with a monstrous lariat. Nagata hits back with an Exploder into the turnbuckles. The Backdrop is blocked, so Nagata grabs an armbar, but Honma once again gets to the ropes. An Irish whip is reversed and Honma hits the Jumping Kokeshi! And again! Close two-count. Honma goes up top, but the diving Kokeshi misses. Nasty-looking Backdrop from Nagata gets a really close two-count, and a second one, with a bridge, gets the three-count at 13 minutes. Those Honmaniacs will be dreadfully disappointed. Fun match with good heat. ***1/4

Michael Elgin vs. Kazuchika Okada

Michael Elgin made it known he wanted to wrestle in Japan and now the former Ring of Honor Champion has his opportunity. An outsider with plenty to prove, it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the pressure, the schedule and the language barrier. Okada is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion, still only 27, and the heir to Tanahashi’s throne. He’ll have good matches, win most of them, and it’s very possible Okadawill be the first incumbent champion since 2000 to win the G1 Climax.

Okada carries himself like a star, Elgin not so much. They begin the match in classic Strong Heel vs Smart Babyface fashion, Okada getting the better of things until Elgin cuts him off by hitting a Harlem Hangover with Okada draped through the ropes. A deadlift german suplex is blocked and a succession of go-behinds lead to Elgin double-stomping a prone Okada. An impressive delayed suplex gets some love from the crowd, but the rolling senton from the top rope misses. Okada with a comeback and a kip up. Flapjack gets two. Scoop and a slam and Okada heads up for the diving elbow drop, but Elgin is up in time to block it. Elgin then hits the Cesaro-style outside-in superplex for a close two. Buckle bomb from Elgin, Okada hits back immediately with the reverse neckbreaker. Both guys up, Elgin charges and Okada hits The Dropkick. Diving elbow drop lands, and he signals for the Rainmaker. Elgin reverses, however, and puts Okada on the top rope, but whatever he was going for is blocked and both guys escape finisher attempts until Okada gets a tombstone piledriver. Rainmaker hits, and Okada wins in 12 minutes. Fun stuff. ***1/2

Karl Anderson vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Karl Anderson, one half of the current Tag-Team Champions, is a far better singles wrestler than his partner and fellow Bullet Club member Doc Gallows. A losing G1 finalist in 2012, Anderson often impresses in his tournament matches and will look to do so again. The King of Strong Style, Shinsuke Nakamura, is without doubt one of the most charismatic wrestlers in the world. The Intercontinental title with which he was synonymous is now definitively out of his hands, so a strong (if not winning) performance in the G1 is much needed. His match against Okada on the tournament’s penultimate night could easily be the Block decider.

Nice start to the match, as they go two times round with an intricate sequence of reversals leading to a stand-off. Anderson grabs the hair and makes fun of the ‘Shinsuke!’ chants from the crowd (In fairness, they are shrill). Outside, and Anderson dumps Nakamura over the barrier. He’s back in just before the count, but Anderson ties him up in the ropes and hits a jumping front kick. He gloats and even does his opponent’s trademark ‘YeaOh!’. Nakamura finally gets back into it, dropping a knee off the apron and following up with big kicks to the chest and an enziguri, but Anderson comes back with a neck breaker and sit-out powerbomb for two. Diving clothesline for another two-count. Nakamura blocks the Swivel Gun Stun (TKO), nails a jumping kick, then stays on top with some knee drops and a gourdbuster. A corner charge misses and Anderson sends Nakamura’s head into the ringpost. Anderson hits the Swivel Gun Stun from the top rope for a close two-count! Nakamura avoids an attempted Gun Stun (diamond cutter) from the top and nails a second-rope Boma Ye. The regular Boma Ye misses, though, and Anderson sneaks a Gun Stun. Nakamura kicks out! Main Event elbow battle and Nakamura hits the Boma Ye out of nowhere for two! Inverted powerslam sets up the Boma Ye, but it misses and Anderson hits the Gun Stun once more for the three-count at 18 minutes! Now that is a surprise. I honestly didn’t consider that Nakamura could lose this match. Anderson closes the show with a short promo to send the crowd home unhappy. ***3/4

B Block standings after Round One

• Karl Anderson – 2
• Hirooki Goto – 2
• Tomohiro Ishii – 2
• Yuji Nagata – 2
• Kazuchika Okada – 2
• Michael Elgin – 0
• Tomoaki Honma – 0
• Satoshi Kojima – 0
• Shinsuke Nakamura – 0
• Yujiro Takahashi – 0

Final thoughts: The show inevitably suffered from the lack of commentary and camera coverage. That lessened the impact of the matches and, I felt, somewhat undermined the prestige of the tournament. In any case, the matches were all pretty good, if samey in terms of length and structure, and were probably a little better than I’ve rated them if you were in the building. The main event was appropriately the best of the lot, with the added value of an upset from Anderson. Recommended, but you won’t be missing any Match of the Year candidates by skipping this one.

Two down, seventeen to go. Any and all feedback welcome. More to come tomorrow.