NJPW G1 Climax 25: Day 15

NJPW G1 Climax 25: Day 15

August 11th, 18:30 from Korakuen Hall, Tokyo

We’ve reached the penultimate night of A Block matches and although none of the matches are particularly promising from a quality perspective, this is the time when results matter most. Kenta Kobashi joins the commentary team, but only for the benefit of Samurai TV viewers. We New Japan World streamers must suffer in silence.

It’s increasingly looking like Naito could sneak through, given his final two opponents are Gallows and Tenzan, but most will still have Styles and Tanahashi (who face each other on Day 17) as slight favourites. Bad Luck Fale could still win the block, as could Makabe and Shibata, although they’ll need some unlikely results to go their way if that’s to happen.

I’ve never before been so invested in the mathematics of a wrestling tournaments and it’s been fun to try and work out the possible permutations. I imagine Gedo and Jado have some late nights trying to plan this thing.

A Block – Current Standings

• Bad Luck Fale – 10
• Tetsuya Naito – 10
• A.J. Styles – 10
• Hiroshi Tanahashi – 10
• Togi Makabe – 8
• Katsuyori Shibata – 8
• Kota Ibushi – 6
• Toru Yano – 4
• Doc Gallows – 2
• Hiroyoshi Tenzan – 2

Here we go…

A Block – Round Eight

Doc Gallows vs. Testuya Naito

Naito trolling Bullet Club’s most lumbering member got over well with the Korakuen Hall crowd. The continued assault of referees, not so much. In between Gallows pulling up his shorts every five seconds, this was routine stuff from both guys. In the end, Naito reversed a chokeslam to a DDT and tried to follow up with a top rope frankensteiner, but Gallows hit the Hangman’s Noose from the top rope and got the three-count! There goes my ‘Naito sneaks the win’ theory. Those poor Naito Hipsters must be crying into their recently purchased Los Ingobernables t-shirts. **

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Shibata really laid in the stomps and kicks in this one, Old Man Tenzan bearing the brunt of The Wrestler’s frustrations in losing his last two matches. If I had to use one word to describe this match it would be surly. They fought over every move. Late on, Shibata STO’d out of an Anaconda Vice and went straight to the sleeper, but Tenzan wouldn’t go down. Tenzan then rolled through another sleeper attempt and locked in the Anaconda Max, slamming Shibata down, and held on until he got the submission win at 10 minutes. Three losses in a row for Shibata. Bare bones match here, but done with a real competitive edge. ***1/2

Kota Ibushi vs. Toru Yano

Yano got the win in under a minute with a low blow and the Akakiri cradle. The crowd laughed their heads off. Yano was like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and Ibushi’s tournament has petered out in an impressively flaccid fashion. N/R

Bad Luck Fale vs. A.J. Styles

They teased Fale lying down for the pin but he kicked out. Dissent! “You know you’re supposed to lie down for me! We flipped a coin!” Styles went for a ‘Too Sweet’ but poked Fale in the eye, then a pissed off Fale just launched A.J. out of the ring. All sorts of Bullet Club shenanigans followed, with the other members trying to prevent Fale and Styles from hitting each other with chairs and such. They fought up into the crowd where Fale threatened to Bad Luck Fall his stablemate into oblivion, but Styles escaped. The ref then decided to start counting and both made it in before 20. A.J. took control, but couldn’t successfully hit the Clash or lock in the Calf Killer. Fale hit the Choke Lariat Slam for a close two-count, then almost hit a Styles Clash! Styles blocked it, however, and used the ropes in order to pin Fale at 11 minutes. They hugged after a diplomatic resolution was brokered by Karl Anderson. This was really fun and unlike anything else in the tournament thus far. Sometimes overbooking is the right way to go. ***3/4

Togi Makabe vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

They worked a test of strength to begin, then Makabe got the better of Tanahashi with shoulder blocks until Tanahashi slipped under the bottom rope a wrapped his opponent’s leg around the ringpost. Tanahashi heeled it up as he got to work on Makabe’s knee, playing air guitar as he stomped on it. Makabe willed himself back in to the match with a lariat, then followed up with mounted punches and a northern lights suplex for two. Tanahashi got clotheslined over the top then powerslammed on the floor, but back in, Makabe had his leg Dragon Screwed to oblivion over the middle rope and Tanahashi locked in the Cloverleaf. Makabe just made the ropes then a King Kong Lariat had both men down. The Main Event Elbow Battle followed, as did a few near falls, but Makabe’s King Kong Knee Drop was countered to yet another dragon screw and Tanahashi won the match with a Slingblade and a couple of High Fly Flows at 17 minutes. Serious early 90s WWF vibe here, with Tanahashi in the role of Bret Hart. The ending was a little flat, but the match was pretty good. ***1/2

Tanahashi does his usual schtick, which is never not over, and we’re out.

A Block standings after Round Eight

• A.J. Styles – 12
• Hiroshi Tanahashi – 12
• Bad Luck Fale – 10
• Tetsuya Naito – 10
• Togi Makabe – 8
• Katsuyori Shibata – 8
• Kota Ibushi – 6
• Toru Yano – 6
• Doc Gallows – 4
• Hiroyoshi Tenzan – 4

Final thoughts: This was a breeze to watch. A couple of matches over-delivered, a couple had surprise results, and the Bullet Club very nearly imploding was tremendously enjoyable. Today’s results mean that the winner of Styles vs. Tanahashi on Friday wins the block – that is the only possible outcome. The threat of Naito trolling his way to the final would’ve been a nice subplot, but for whatever reason they’ve decided against it.

Fifteen down, four to go. Back tomorrow.