New Japan Pro Wrestling: NJPW G1 Climax 25 Night 12 Review
Location: Hamamatsu, Japan inside the Hamamatsu ACT Tower
After a decent Night 11 in Iwate on Wednesday and a day off on Thursday, New Japan makes their way to Hamamatsu for Night 12. The B Block gets into action here with the two block leaders Tomohiro Ishii taking on the IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada in the main event. There are also some other solid G1 matches on the card as well. So, this could be pretty good show overall.
This is the final single camera show of the tournament, which also means it features no commentary or dubbed music for entrances. Once again we got blinding lights from the entrances, as the camera was facing the entranceway.
Match 1: Yohei Komatsu (Young Lion) vs. Jay White (Young Lion)
Winner: Yohei Komatsu (After making Jay TAP OUT to the Single Crab)
This was pretty good and I wish we could get more singles matches between the young lions on this tour. It certainly much more entertaining than the plethora of tag matches. Jay and Yohei have probably wrestled each other several hundred times by now and their chemistry is really good here. Aside from the many running elbows and chops, we do get Jay doing his Missile Dropkick for 2, Jay pulls out the Boston Crab that makes Yohei have to gasp for the ropes. Yohei does his elbow in the corner and necklock Suplex, we also get several pinning combinations from the two for near falls. Yohei eventually gets the win due to seniority, but I really think these two might be ready to be out of the Young Lion suit very soon. ***
Match 2: Tag Team Match: Tetsuya Naito & David Finlay Jr. (Young Lion) vs. Toru Yano & YOSHI-HASHI (CHAOS)
Winners: Toru Yano & YOSHI-HASHI (After YOSHI-HASHI Hits Swanton Bomb on Finlay Jr.)
You got a basic tag match here, with some funny Yano moments sprinkled in during one portion. Finlay continues to look good doing his dropkick, running elbows, and uppercuts. He has that Finlay Roll down to a science as well. Yano throws water at Naito at the beginning, but they really don’t have a whole lot of interaction. Naito has one part where he tags himself in and runs wild with a Running Rana, a Dropkick, and even a Tornado DDT. The ending is the typical young lion vs. whoever stuff. Finlay tries to comeback, but YOSHI-HASHI stops him and eventually gets the pin as expected. There was not much to this. ** ½ *
Match 3: 8-Man Tag Team Match: Captain New Japan, Kota Ibushi, (NWA World Champion) Hiroyoshi Tenzan & (NEVER Openweight Champion) Togi Makabe vs. Tama Tonga, (IWGP Tag Team Champion) Doc Gallows, Bad Luck Fale, & AJ Styles (All Bullet Club)
Winners: Bullet Club (After Tama Tonga hit Captain New Japan with the Headshrinker DDT)
These Bullet Club tag matches are really starting to feel very similar. They attack at the start to no one’s surprise. Tenzan had a nice interaction with AJ to start and then the other few times AJ was in the match it was to do a Backbreaker to Ibushi or be Lariated out by Makabe. Ibushi played face in peril for a bit while getting beat up by everyone. He was able to get himself out of trouble and tag in Makabe. He ran wild for a bit with a Powerslam on Tonga and a few Lariats. Things broke down quickly after that and Captain New Japan got one lucky roll-up for a near fall, but that was the extent of his effectiveness. Tonga would wrap it up with the Samoan Neckbreaker and Headshrinker DDT for the win.
Match 4: 6-Man Tag Team Match: Katsuyori Shibata, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion) KUSHIDA, & (CMLL World Welterweight Champion) Mascara Dorada
Winners: Katsuyori Shibata, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Jushin Liger (After Taguchi makes Dorada TAP OUT to the Ankle Lock)
I enjoyed this one because it was fun and there was some good stuff going on here. Tanahashi and Shibata start out wrestling until KUSHIDA and Taguchi are tagged in, KUSHIDA does a few things, but Dorada and Liger are what really get it started with Dorada hitting a Dropkick and Asai Moonsault to the outside. Tanahashi got in his senton, but once Dorada was back in there, Liger would fire back with his Tilt-a-Whirl Backbreaker. A Double Clothesline spot happens and Tanahashi and Shibata go back into the match. Shibata NAILS Tana with the Basement Dropkick and Necklock Suplex combo. Taguchi comes back in and so does Dorada as they build to the finish. There was a nice series of counters and such, but it was Taguchi that was able to apply his Ankle Lock two different times to pick up the win for his team. We got some nice interactions between Tanahashi and Shibata in there, Taguchi and Dorada keep having fun times, and Liger and KUSHIDA did their thing too. Probably the best thing about the undercard on this show. *** and ¼ *
Before we get to the G1 matches, this would be a good time for a reminder of the participants in each block…
A Block Participants: AJ Styles (2nd consecutive appearance), Bad Luck Fale (2nd consecutive appearance), Doc Gallows (IWGP Tag Team Champion, 2nd consecutive appearance) (All Bullet Club) Kota Ibushi (2015 New Japan Cup Winner, 2nd appearance), Toru Yano (CHAOS, 10th appearance), Togi Makabe (G1 Winner in 2009, NEVER Openweight Champion, GBH, 12th consecutive appearance), Hiroyoshi Tenzan (G1 Winner in 2003, 2004, & 2006, NWA World Champion, 20th appearance), Hiroshi Tanahashi (G1 Winner in 2007, 14th consecutive appearance), Katsuyori Shibata (3rd consecutive appearance), Tetsuya Naito (G1 Winner in 2013, 6th consecutive appearance, Los Ingobernables)
B Block Participants: Kazuchika Okada (Defending G1 Champion, also won in 2012, IWGP Heavyweight Champion, CHAOS, 4th consecutive appearance), Shinsuke Nakamura (G1 Winner in 2011, CHAOS, 12th appearance), Tomohiro Ishii (CHAOS, 3rd consecutive appearance), Karl Anderson (IWGP Tag Team Champion, Bullet Club, 6th consecutive appearance), Yujiro Takahashi (Bullet Club, 6th consecutive appearance), Tomoaki Honma (GBH, 2nd consecutive appearance), Michael Elgin (ROH, first appearance), Satoshi Kojima (G1 Winner in 2010, 14th appearance), Yuji Nagata (G1 Winner in 2001, 17th consecutive appearance), Hirooki Goto (G1 Winner in 2008, IWGP Intercontinental Champion, 8th consecutive appearance)
G1 Climax 25 Matches: All B Block
Match 5: (2001 G1 Winner) Yuji Nagata (2 Points) vs. Michael Elgin (6 Points) (ROH)
Winner: Michael Elgin (After Buckle Bomb & Elgin Bomb)
This was really good and another terrific showing for Elgin, who the crowd seemed to be much more into than Nagata. They were really popping for his stalling Suplex, when he signaled for the Lariat, the over the rope Splash, and that deadlift Falcon Arrow makes the crowd go nuts. I really liked Nagata’s counter to the Rounding Back Splash into a White Eyes Armbar. Elgin was the star of the match, but Nagata had his moments with the Two Exploders, especially the one in the corner that was sick. The ending stretch was great with a German Suplex that was no sold, a Back Suplex from Nagata for a 2 count, the aforementioned Super Falcon Arrow for a 2 count. Nagata’s Exploder in the corner saved him for a moment. However, Elgin was able to counter Nagata at the next opportunity and got the two Powerbomb combo for the win. I really was expecting Elgin to lose to Nagata here. I’m very surprised they went ahead and eliminated Nagata outright with this loss. Perhaps Gedo is taking the approach of keeping Elgin relevant until the end, especially since the crowd has taken to him. Regardless, this was a very good match and Elgin shines once again. *** ¼ *
Match 6: Tomoaki Honma (0 Points) vs. (IWGP Tag Team Champion) Karl Anderson (6 Points) (Bullet Club)
Winner: Karl Anderson (After countering Top Rope Kokeshi into a Gun Stun
At first, this had the feeling of a typical Anderson match with him dominating and sending his opponent to the outside for a long count. Anderson kept working on the neck with simple offense, but the match changed when he got cute going for the Brainbuster and Honma countered it into the Deadlift Brainbuster. Anderson missing a Kokeshi Back Splash was pretty funny I have to say. Honma got his comeback and hit one Kokeshi and a Seated Blockbuster for a 2 count. Honma is later able to counter the TKO Gun Stun at first with the Lariat, but eventually eats that move for a 2 count later. The finishing sequence was great. We have several Gun Stun counters that lead to a roll-up for Honma and a Brainbuster for a near fall. Honma goes for Top Rope Kokeshi, but Anderson is there for the Gun Stun. Honma fails to win again, but this was a more spirted effort from Honma. Anderson figured he had a cake walk and Honma made him work for it. This turned into a very enjoyable match by the end for sure. *** ½ *
Match 7: (2010 G1 Winner) Satoshi Kojima (4 Points) vs. (2008 G1 Winnner, IWGP Intercontinental Champion) Hirooki Goto (6 Points)
Winner: Hirooki Goto (After Shouten Kai)
I really enjoyed this match, once again it built with the usual stuff of barricade spots and the Machine Gun Chops and elbows from Kojima, but Goto was able to comeback with his Lariat, Rolling Kick in the corner, and Back Suplex for 2. This was really the basis of this match, one person would have a dominant period, but the other would make a comeback and it went on like this through the match. Kojima hit both the DDT at one point to stop Goto’s momentum and then followed that up with a Cutter and a Super Cutter. Goto would hit the Urushi Koroshi and counter a Superplex from the corner into a Sunset Flip Bomb for a near fall. Kojima then counters Shouten-Kai with a Brainbuster and hits the Lariat with his other arm, but can’t make the pin fast enough so Goto kicks out. Goto would have the last laugh with the Ura-Shouten and Shouten-Kai combo for the win. A back and forth match that was about who could hit their big move and sustain momentum. It really felt like one of those big games where he ever has the ball last is going to win. Goto got that opportunity and took it. This Kojima’s best match and aside from the Okada match, this is some great stuff from Goto as well. The crowd was very much into this, which helped a lot. Entertaining stuff and best match on the show so far. ****
Match 8: (2011 G1 Winner) Shinsuke Nakamura (6 Points) (CHAOS) vs. Yujiro Takahashi (4 Points) (Bullet Club)
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura (Second Rope Boma-Ye & High Kick)
This went a whole lot longer than I thought it would and it actually was interesting throughout. Nakamura easily helped Yujiro to his best match of the tournament. Yujiro convincingly worked the arm a lot throughout and forced Nakamura to have fight with just one arm. Yujiro did everything he could to that arm wrapping it around the barricade, smacking it into the ring apron, wrapping it around the turnbuckle, biting the hand, it was a lot and made sense. None of Yujiro’s big moves used the hand though and that’s where all the psychology really faltered for me. Once Yujiro started doing his regular boots and low dropkicks and the Fisherman Suplex it doesn’t really do much to the arm. Similar to what happened in the Goto match, he went away from it and wound up being just a bunch of window dressing in the end.
Nakamura just used his legs when given the opportunity. I will say that Yujiro was consistent on not letting Nakamura have time to do much and was able to counter moves as well. Nakamura at one point had to hit a Wheel Kick to just by him some time. He never got to do the Vibration boots in the corner because Yujiro countered that twice. He finally got a few things going towards the end with a Jumping Kick, a Front Facelock, Reverse Powerslam, goes for the Boma-Ye but gets it countered by a low dropkick from Yujiro. Yujiro was able to string a Samoan Drop, a German Suplex, goes for the Miami Shine at two different times, but Nakamura blocks both and on the second attempt hits a Second Rope Boma-Ye and a Big High Kick for the win. Like I said, this is easily the best Yujiro match of the tournament and it actually never lost my attention. Kudos to both men here, as this easily could have been another carry job, but to Yujiro’s credit, it was not. ***
Match 9: MAIN EVENT: (IWGP Heavyweight Champion, 2-Time G1 Winner) Kazuchika Okada (8 points) (CHAOS) vs. Tomohiro Ishii (8 points) (CHAOS)
Winner: Kazuchika Okada (After Rainmaker Lariat)
What a match these two had in the main event here. The first part was the typical stuff when it comes to Okada with holds and going to the outside, but Ishii reversing the Hangman’s DDT off the barricade into a Front Suplex with Okada’s chest hitting the barricade made you feel as though Okada was in for a fight in this match. Ishii would make Okada suffer having to rush and get back in at 19, where Ishii met him with another Front Suplex this time onto the ropes. This was a great way to establish that Ishii is very much equal to Okada and now Okada was going to have to step it up a notch. Okada would gain the advantage with a nice flurry of a Chickenwing Neckbreaker, elbows, DDT, Flapjack, and he goes right into the Red Ink submission that causes Ishii to really have stretch for the ropes. Ishii hit a German and later after no selling elbows in the corner would hit a HUGE Powerbomb on Okada for a nice near fall.
Both men would be exasperated after some blows knocked them down, Okada would get up and send Ishii flying into the corner, sort of like the dropkick you see Finn Balor do on NXT. After another flurry by Okada that ends with him hitting the Neckbreaker and Top Rope Elbow he calls for the Rainmaker. The ending sequence is all kinds of awesome.
Ishii ducks under the Rainmaker twice and then NAILS Okada with a Headbutt on the third attempt, he sells being groggy but just destroys Okada with a Lariat that sends him inside out for a great near fall. Ishii hits a WICKED Sliding D for another terrific near fall. Ishii blocks the Tombstone, but Okada hits him right back with the Dropkick. Rainmaker attempt again, as Ishii backslides out, but Okada lands on his feet. Enziguri by Ishii and he goes for Brainbuster but Okada slips out hits a German Suplex and holds on for The Rainmaker for the win.
I think I’m tired from just typing all of that. This was great, it never stopped, they just went back and forth and were even the whole way. Ishii has been stellar in this G1 and I think Okada has been a bit underrated and he once again shows that when he turns it on, there aren’t many people out there that can touch him. These two are in the same stable, they told a great story that they know each other, and the ending sequence was terrific. This is Match of the Night and I’d say you really should go watch this. **** ½ * Okada would talk after the match. He thanks Ishii for the match and says that’s what CHAOS is. He says he let Goto win, but that he is not losing again in this G1 and he will come out the winner. Let’s see if that is really the case. Okada is now by himself atop the leaderboard.
Here are the standings after twelve nights of action…
A Block: Katsuyori Shibata, Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi, AJ Styles, and Bad Luck Fale (8 points), Kota Ibushi and Togi Makabe (6 points), Toru Yano (4 points), Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Doc Gallows (2 points)
B Block: Kazuchika Okada (10 points), Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto, Karl Anderson, Shinsuke Nakamura and Michael Elgin (8 points), Satoshi Kojima and Yujiro Takahashi (4 points), Yuji Nagata (2 points), Tomoaki Honma (0 points)
FINAL RATING: 9.0 I think this has to be the most complete show of the entire tour. You have two matches in the undercard that are worth checking out. All of the G1 matches delivered in some capacity and even Yujiro seemed motivated and at least used the work on the arm a lot more than Goto. Nakamura tried to make him look good as well. Okada and Ishii had a stellar main event that you should watch. Michael Elgin continues to impress, Hirooki Goto and Kojima just beat the crap out of each and it was fun. Even Honma got the crowd going against Karl Anderson too. A very watchable show, a great show, nice way to kick off the weekend for sure.
The A Block returns to action tomorrow on the last stop on the tour before ending with six shows in Tokyo. New Japan travels to Yokohama and with a main event like Shibata vs. Tanahashi it should be pretty awesome. I’ll be back sometime on Saturday with a look at night 13.
