NJPW G1 Climax 25: Day 10

NJPW G1 Climax 25: Day 10

August 4th, 18:30 from Sendai Sun Plaza Hall, Miyagi

No commentary on the New Japan World stream today, but it’s a strong B Block card topped by Goto/Nakamura. If you have the time or the inclination, the undercards of these shows are usually pretty fun. You get to see the likes of the recently-signed young lion David Finlay (Fit’s son) and CMLL’s jaw-dropping luchador Mascara Dorada, also Tama Tonga and Yoshi-Hashi, both of whom deserved a G1 spot.

B Block – Current Standings

• Karl Anderson – 6
• Hirooki Goto – 6
• Tomohiro Ishii – 6
• Kazuchika Okada – 6
• Michael Elgin – 4
• Shinsuke Nakamura – 4
• Yujiro Takahashi – 4
• Satoshi Kojima – 2
• Yuji Nagata – 2
• Tomoaki Honma – 0

Here we go…

B Block – Round Five

Michael Elgin vs. Yujiro Takahashi

The big Canadian lug shouts his own name to draw a crowd reaction. He’s been doing it since the start of the tournament but I only just noticed how much like ‘Hodor!’ it is. Anyway, Elgin has control early with his power spots, before Cody Hall involves himself and Takahashi introduces Elgin to the barrier. Takahashi then bores me for a couple of minutes. Elgin eventually comes back with a slingshot splash, and a Bossman Slam gets a two-count. Takahashi bites Elgin’s hand to avoid a deadlift suplex, so Elgin bites him back. An Olympic Slam followed by a fisherman buster gets two for Takahashi. Elgin comes back with an enziguri and a german suplex into the turnbuckle. Cesaroplex Falcon Arrow gets a close two (finisher or not at all, I say). A running cannonball off the apron follows, but a powerbomb is avoided and Yujiro gets a fisherman buster on the floor. Back in, Elgin misses a charge and gets dumped on his head with a german suplex, but gets right up to nail a lariat. Buckle bomb, Revolution Elgin Bomb and the three-count at 13 minutes. The first half of this was an awful half-speed void of nothingness, but somehow they got it together and willed themselves to a decent finish. **1/4

Tomoaki Honma vs. Satoshi Kojima

Honma is over everywhere. Elbows, a knockdown, and the Kokeshi… misses. Kojima takes control, cutting Honma off at every turn, and eventually hits a diving elbow drop for two. Chop battle, which Honma wins, then the Kokeshi… misses again. Deadlift vertical suplex from Honma, bulldog out of the corner and this time the Kokeshi hits! Seated blockbuster for two. Kojima cuts Honma off on the top rope, but Honma gets headbutts and a sunset flip powerbomb for two. A charge is reversed to a Koji Cutter and is followed by a top rope Koji Cutter. Kojima’s lariat is reversed to a jumping Kokeshi and a brainbuster gets a two!. Top rope Kokeshi… misses. German suplex from Kojima, Honma’s straight back up, but a lariat put him straight back down. Two-count only! Honma attempts a jumping Kokeshi, but gets lariated right in the head, and a huge third lariat gets the win for Kojima at 11 minutes. They slap hands in respect afterwards, but Honma is once again distraught at the loss. The formula is repetitive but dependable, you can’t help but enjoy it. ***

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yuji Nagata

Clean break to start. Armbar from Nagata, Ishii makes the ropes. Nagata brushes off some hard chops, and the elbow battle commences. Back and forth until Ishii elbows Nagata’s stomach, putting him down on the mat. Ishii goads Nagata before knocking him down with another shot to the gut. Nagata comes back with a yakuza kick and an exploder suplex for two. High kicks get the knock down, but Nagata can’t get Ishii up for the brainbuster, and is powerslammed off a charge. Vertical suplex from Ishii. They go back and forth with kicks (Nagata) and chops (Ishii) until Ishii’s backed up in the corner. Top rope exploder suplex only gets two! An enziguri from Ishii is blocked, but he hits a desperation german suplex and both men are down. Up top and Ishii eventually gets a big superplex for a close two. Powerbomb followed by a lariat for a near fall. Nagata gets the Shirome armbar out of nowhere, turns it into a cross armbreaker, but Ishii makes the ropes. Exploder suplex into the turnbuckle! Rope-hung spinning neckbreaker gets a two-count. Running knee in the corner. Backdrop! Only two! Another backdrop is avoided with an enziguri. Super elbow battle. An attempted lariat is reversed to an exploder! Ishii’s straight back up and hits a lariat! Nagata’s straight back up and hits a spinning heel kick! Slap battle. On and on it goes until Ishii knocks Nagata down with a headbutt. Sliding lariat connects at the second attempt. Brainbuster! Ishii takes the win at 16 minutes. Ishii was mean, Nagata was old and mean, and this was very good. ****1/4

Karl Anderson vs. Kazuchika Okada

A couple of patronising clean breaks start us off. They work a few collar-and-elbow tie-ups and it’s all quite respectful. Snapmare and a dropkick from Okada before Anderson hits a Gun Stun over the top rope and follows with a scissor kick to knock Okada to the floor. Anderson breaks the count in order to hit an apron powerbomb! Okada just makes it in and Anderson tries several pinning attempts. He misses a charge, however, and Okada quickly lifts him to the top rope and dropkicks him to the floor. Back in, DDT from Okada, kip up, and a flapjack gets two. Anderson avoids the diving elbow and hits a jumping front kick. Neckbreaker over the knee gets two, but Okada retaliates with a jumping European uppercut. Reverse neckbreaker and this time the diving elbow drop hits! The Rainmaker pose is interrupted by an attempted Gun Stun – blocked – but Anderson’s Too Badd diving neckbreaker gets a close two-count. Okada hits The Dropkick! Elbow battle up from the knees. Gun Stun reversed to a tombstone and the Rainmaker gets the three-count for Okada at 17 minutes. Anderson’s overly-intricate reversals have started to look played out on this tour, and they’ve had better matches, but this was still pretty good. ***1/2

Hirooki Goto vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Goto defeated Nakamura to win the Intercontinental title, then beat him again to retain. Can anyone guess who’s winning this one? Nakamura gets nasty early on with some hard knees, but Goto’s replies with a hiptoss then whips Nakamura into the barrier outside. He gets to work on Nakamura’s taped elbow, wrenching and stomping it before locking in an armbar. Rope break. Nakamura gets Goto off his case with some kicks and the Shaky Foot Thing. A high knee in the corner follows. Goto hits a backdrop, a spinning heel kick and a bulldog to get back into it, and a lariat gets two. A jumping kick from Nakamura grazes Goto and is followed with a gourdbuster and an inverted powerslam. Attempted Shouten Kai reversed to a sleeper, reversed to a back suplex. A turnbuckle-hung neckbreaker gets two for Goto. Nakamura kicks Goto of the middle rope then hits a diving Boma Ye for a close two. The main event elbow battle is won by Nakamura and a sliding Boma Ye gets a near fall! Landslide blocked, Ushigoroshi hits! Top rope Ushigoroshi! Only two! Spinning wheelbarrow facebuster for a really close two. The Shouten Kai is blocked. A lariat is countered by Nakamura to a rolling juji gatame armbar! Goto tries to fight out, but eventually taps at 18 minutes! As with the Day 8 match against Ishii, a so-so first half developed into a hell of a closing stretch. Nakamura’s elbow is definitely bothering him, and he’s looked out of sorts all tournament, but this was still the best match between these two. ***3/4

Nakamura celebrates and we’re out. YeaOh!

B Block standings after Round Five

• Tomohiro Ishii – 8
• Kazuchika Okada – 8
• Karl Anderson – 6
• Michael Elgin – 6
• Hirooki Goto – 6
• Shinsuke Nakamura – 6
• Satoshi Kojima – 4
• Yujiro Takahashi – 4
• Yuji Nagata – 2
• Tomoaki Honma – 0

Final thoughts: Great show today from B Block. Aside from the first half of Elgin/Takahashi, I can heartily recommend everything here. With Ishii and Okada up top, four in the chasing pack, and a couple more with an outside shot, it’s nicely balanced. In case you were wondering, Honma definitely can’t win the tournament now.

Ten down, nine to go, which means we’re past the halfway stage of the tournament. We’re on the home stretch, people! As always, feedback is welcome. Great to have others along for the ride, because it’s a long journey. See you tomorrow.