After perhaps the best overall night of action on Night 12, the A Block once again has to live up to the billing. As New Japan enters the final stop in Yokohama this evening, this will be the night that could really start giving us a clear picture as to who could be in contention on the final night. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Katsuyori Shibata was one of the best matches of 2014 and once again they meet in the main event of this night. Can they live up to their history? We shall have to watch to find out.
This continued the trend of no commentary shows, but it at least brought back the multiple cameras. This was more like a gymnasium you would see in a school and the entrance ramp was to the side of the stage.
New Japan Pro Wrestling: G1 Climax 25 Night 13 Review
Location: Naka-Ku, Yokohama, Japan, inside the Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium
Match 1: 8-Man Tag Team Match: Ryusuke Taguchi, Yohei Komatsu (Young Lion), Jushin “Thunder” Liger & Satoshi Kojima vs. (CMLL World Welterweight Champion) Mascara Dorada, David Finlay Jr. (Young Lion) (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion) KUSHIDA, & Yuji Nagata
Winners: Ryusuke Taguchi, Yohei Komatsu, Jushin Liger, Satoshi Kojima (After Taguchi Hits Dodon on David Finlay)
They used up a nice chunk of time to let everyone have time to shine in the match and they combined for a very fun opener that always kept things moving. Dorada hitting a suicide dive to start things on Liger is a great way to kick-off your Saturday morning. KUSHIDA and Dorada would later combine for a wind-up Dropkick to the face of Yohei. KUSHIDA literally wound up the clock running the ropes for a while and then dropkicking Yohei into next week. Nagata and Kojima had some nice interactions, with Nagata blocking the Top Rope Elbow with an Exploder, but Kojima blocked that with a Cutter. Kojima had the Lariat countered into the White Eyes Armbar for a few seconds before everyone came in and broke it up. Taguchi would hit an Ass Attack of the top rope after Liger connected with a Palm Strike to Dorada. Taguchi and Finlay had a nice exchange but it ended with a Roll-up by Finlay and then the Dodon by Taguchi for the win. The match broke down with everyone pairing off a few times on the outside, but what action there was in the ring was solid and enjoyable. ** ½ *
Match 2: Tag Team Match: Jay White & Michael Elgin (ROH) vs. Cody Hall & (IWGP Tag Team Champion) Karl Anderson (Bullet Club)
Winners: Cody Hall & Karl Anderson (After Gun Stun on Jay White)
Can I watch Michael Elgin vs. Karl Anderson right now? I’m super excited for this match after watching this. Anderson freaking out every time Elgin would lift him and yelling out stuff was great. That being said, the crowd was into Elgin here, as rightly they should be as he was the main attraction of this match. He hit the Stalling Suplex on Anderson early, as Hall couldn’t stop him from doing it. Jay and Hall had a few nice interactions, with one of them leading to Hall rolling through very similar to John Cena and putting Jay on his shoulders, but Jay countered and got out of it. Elgin would later get a Deadlift German on Anderson, as Anderson freaked out the whole time, which was hilarious. Elgin puts Anderson in a Cloverleaf and Hall tries to kick him off twice. The second time Elgin spits at him very vividly and yells at him “You ain’t s***.” Talk about using words with true meaning. The crowd loved this and I have to say I did as well. Eventually it would end with Anderson and Jay White in the ring. Jay kicked out of the TKO Gun Stun, but Anderson would hit the regular Gun Stun for the win. I really want to see Elgin vs. Anderson after this and they have terrific chemistry together. Both Jay and Hall continue to improve as well. ***
Match 3: 6-Man Tag Team Match: Captain New Japan, (IWGP Intercontinental Champion) Hirooki Goto, & Tomoaki Honma vs. YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii, & Shinsuke Nakamura
Winners: YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii, & Shinsuke Nakamura (After Yoshi Hits Loose Explosion on CNJ)
Another highly enjoyable tag match here, as yeah you got the pair offs and stuff, but Nakamura and Honma made it fun. These two have been having small but fun interactions in many tag matches over the recent months and it got you excited for their match tomorrow. Nakamura hit a Kokeshi knee drop for some laughs and an insult to Honma. Goto and Ishii have a small exchange where they beat each other down and Ishii tries to avoid the Back Suplex, but Goto eventually gets it anyway. Honma and Nakamura go at it again, as Honma moves from the Vibration Knees in the corner and Honma then gets his comeback but misses the Kokeshi again. Honma would get a Rocket Kokeshi and then a regular Kokeshi. Honma would even get the Deadlift Suplex on Yoshi-Hashi as well. CNJ and YOSHI-HASHI end it after the Loose Explosion. Some fun stuff here overall and they at least went 3 for 3 on tag matches. ** and ¾ *
Match 4: Tag Team Match: Gedo & (IWGP Heavyweight Champion) Kazuchika Okada (CHAOS) vs. Tama Tonga & Yujiro Takahashi (Bullet Club)
Winners: Bullet Club (After Tonga hits Gedo with Headshrinker DDT)
The best stuff here was between Tonga and Gedo, as Tonga tried to the handshake thing, but Gedo was still able to kick Tonga anyway. Tonga countering Gedo Clutch with Cross Rhodes was a nice touch, as was the Dropkick, and the finish. No one cared when Yujiro did anything and Okada had to sell Yujiro whipping him into the barricade after the match was over. This was so generic and having Yujiro in there just made me want it to end. **
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 A Block
Match 5: Kota Ibushi (6 Points) vs. Bad Luck Fale (8 Points) (Bullet Club)
Winner: Bad Luck Fale (After Bad Luck Fall)
I really hope Ibushi is ok after that terrible Bad Luck Fall he had to take at the end of the match. Fale dropped right on his neck and it did not look good. Fale absolutely dominated Ibushi here, by doing a whole lot of brawling on the outside, including dropping a part of the barricade on him as well. Fale did some simple stuff like a nerve hold and just beating down Ibushi. Ibushi got in hope spots with a Moonsault to the outside, the Corkscrew Moonsault, another Moonsault, but Fale didn’t let Ibushi have room to breathe. I guess you could say that’s really smart strategy, but it didn’t combine for an entertaining match. It was never bad, but it didn’t get out of first gear. Fale had a near fall with the Grenade and then pretty much got the Bad Luck Fall and that was it. Props to Ibushi for selling all the punishment and coming close with his Rana roll-up, but this was in the good territory. The loss stings for Ibushi fans because now he is mathematically eliminated from contention for the finals.** ¾ *
Match 6: (2013 G1 Winner) Tetsuya Naito (8 Points) vs. Toru Yano (4 Points) (CHAOS)
Winner: Tetsuya Naito (After The Destino)
Naito has done enough to the referee in this match to warrant a restraining order and an assault charge, my goodness does New Japan make their referee’s look like complete idiots. This match was actually quite enjoyable because Yano is everything that would annoy a heel like Naito. Yano makes light of all of Naito’s antics for most of the match as well, which made it even better. Putting on his robe to counter Naito not removing his suit, just completely incensed Naito and it was glorious. Naito beat the crap out Yano for it too. Naito deciding that he wanted to take a nap instead of going for a Tope to the outside is still a great tactic to annoy the crowd too. Yano got a few roll-ups, but honestly this was a beat down by Naito. Yano never really had a chance, which means Naito paid attention to what happened to Shibata and didn’t want to see a repeat. The finish was funny with Naito repaying Yano with a low blow and the Destino. ** ¾ *
Match 7: (3-Time G1 Winner, NWA World Champion) Hiroyoshi Tenzan (2 Points) vs. AJ Styles (8 Points) (Bullet Club)
Winner: A.J. Styles (After Making Tenzan TAP OUT to the Calf Killer)
A.J., Ibushi, and Tanahashi have really taken it upon themselves to be the workers of this block. We saw Ibushi sell all over the arena for Fale earlier and here, A.J. worked a smart match to Tenzan’s strengths and aside from the first awkward try at a Calf Killer, always put Tenzan in a position where he doesn’t look bad. A.J. also was very verbal in this match just taunting Tenzan, telling the crowd to shut up in chanting for Tenzan, it almost felt like some of Anderson might have rubbed off on him. Tenzan didn’t do anything out of the ordinary here and that is totally fine. A.J. was working on the leg, so Tenzan basically just had enough moments were he could fight off A.J. really controlling the match. The best thing about this, is A.J. didn’t go for the Styles Clash or really anything flashy and the match was still entertaining. He knew he couldn’t do all that stuff with Tenzan so he keeps working the leg with a leglock and a Figure 4 Leglock. Then he leaves openings for Tenzan to make comebacks and give the crowd hope that their guy can beat someone who is clearly better than him. A.J. would get upset and do Mongolians, well Tenzan countered with Mongolians and a Suplex that got a 2 count. A.J. stops his momentum again with an Enziguri and does the Springboard Forearm. Tenzan fires back with a Back Body Drop and the Over the Shoulder Slam, but A.J. won’t let him get the Anaconda Vise on him here and hits him with a Dropkick. AJ found a way to keep having this back and forth with Tenzan, while they both countered more big moves. A.J. would kick Tenzan off the top rope when he tried to do the Diving Headbutt, well A.J. went for his Moonsault into the DDT, but Tenzan actually crotches A.J. by accident when he puts his knees up. Anaconda Vice gets locked in, Tenzan gets A.J. up for the Anaconda Buster, but A.J. reaches the ropes. Tenzan talks to the referee and gets distracted and A.J. pulls a fast one with the Calf Killer for the end. This already the second best match on this show, it had great psychology too, at one point Tenzan wanted to go up for the Moonsault, but his legs gave out from A.J. working on one of them. I’m stating this again, A.J. is just on another level than what he’s done before. He and Tenzan had a delightful match that had nothing big in it and it worked. Much like we will see in the main event, if you tell a great story, you don’t need a bunch of flips and crazy stuff. *** ½ *
Match 8: (2009 G1 Winner, NEVER Openweight Champion) Togi Makabe (6 Points) vs. Doc Gallows (2 Points) (Bullet Club)
Winner: Togi Makabe (After King Kong Knee Drop)
This was the stereotypical Gallows match at this point and the only match he knows how to do it seems. Where he just beats the other guy up for the entire match with the use of anything on the outside he can find. This time he uses whips into the barricade, throws the barricade on top of Makabe, beats Makabe up with his own chain, chokes him with the chain and the Gallows rope, just anything to avoid having to be in the ring. I mean I’m all for doing what you know, but seriously this just felt lazy. That’s what Doc Gallows is in New Japan, very lazy. Once they got in the ring, we get a resthold from Gallows and then Makabe makes his comeback with Lariats, 10 punches, and more Lariats. Gallows would kick Makabe off the top rope and get a Tree Slam. Then Makabe ends it with a Lariat, DVD, and King Kong Knee Drop. I’m just glad this is over. Maybe Gallows should spend less time calling out “Phil Brooks” before the match starts and you know, try to actually care about the match happening in the ring. ** ½ *
Match 9: MAIN EVENT: (2007 G1 Winner) Hiroshi Tanahashi (8 Points) vs. Katsuyori Shibata (8 Points)
Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi (With a Flash Pin)
If you are a fan of people just wrestling and having logical counters and telling a story through that, then you will see the beauty in this match and love it as I did. If you want a bunch of false finishes, things happening at lighting speeds, and a bunch of moves, then you will probably hate this match. This was 21 minutes of wrestling. Just two guys going out there trying to best each other on the mat at first, then by both guys working on the same body part, and finally in just who get the other down for the three count. Unlike what happened with Ibushi, Tanahashi matched Shibata, but he was also smart enough to know that at some point, he’s going to have to pull away from that to get the win. Tanahashi can’t deliver the nasty kicks and brutal elbows that can put someone away by force, he would have to finesse Shibata. Lots of wrestling at the beginning, just exchanging the simple stuff we see at the beginning of a lot of matches in a much longer form. Then Shibata goes at the leg with an Indian Deathlock. Tanahashi counters with a Leg hold. Shibata and Tanahashi have a dance with Shibata trying to put Tana into an Abdominal Stretch, but Tana hip tosses out. Shibata gets in the Figure 4 Leglock, but Tanahashi turns it and gets the ropes. So, now Shibata is done with holds and tries to get to what really wears down his opponents, namely that Basement Dropkick. Shibata sets it up in the corner, but Tanahashi gets up and gives him a Dropkick to the leg. Then he would Dragon Screw that leg, in the ultimate “I’m better than you moment.” Tanahashi does Shibata’s own Dropkick to him, but on the outside with Shibata against the barricade.
Now Shibata would come back in the ring and get that Basement Dropkick on Tanahashi, but that little bit of Psychological warfare has already been won. Shibata with an Abdominal Stretch again, but Shibata Grapevines the leg this time so Tanahashi can’t get out. Eventually Shibata lets go and both men are down as they are exhausted. They get up exchanging blows and they even get into an Uppercut battle that gets insane. Shibata goes for a surprise Penalty Kick, Tana Blocks it, but both guys fall down due to their legs not being able to take the pressure. That’s just beautiful. I mean, in most matches someone would have done something crazy and stayed on their feet, but both guys know their legs have been worked on and they both go down. Tanahashi would get in the Cloverleaf doing further damage to that leg of Shibata’s. Tanahashi hits a Screwdriver and goes up top, but Shibata counters with a kick twice and then throws Tanahashi off the top rope. Tanahashi gets a desperation Sling Blade as both men go down. Shibata hits a desperation AA for the same reason.
Shibata goes for another, but Tana counters with a Swing Neckbreaker and hits a High Fly Flow with Shibata standing. He goes for the normal one, but Shibata puts knees up and puts on the Sleeper. Shibata makes sure that Tanahashi will stay down with a Kick, Lariat to the back, and a Jumping Kick. He goes for the Penalty Kick, but Tanahashi ducks, he goes for the German, but Shibata tries to run into the ropes, but Tanahashi gets him over for a roll-up, but Tanahashi’s back and legs can’t quite get the bridge. Shibata goes for another Kick, but Tanahashi gets into another Roll-up that’s almost sort of like a Backslide and he PINS Shibata down for the 3 count. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant match. Just a wonderfully worked match, with counters to counters and a back and forth that is so unique to probably anything else you will see in this tournament. Go watch this, because you will not be disappointed at all. **** ½ * Shibata is going to have to win out and hope A.J. and Tanahashi stumble somewhere along the way to be in contention for the finals.
Here are the standings after thirteen nights of action…
A Block: Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi, AJ Styles, and Bad Luck Fale (10 points), Katsuyori Shibata and Togi Makabe (8 points), Kota Ibushi (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: 6.5 This was basically a one match show, with a main event that you should really go out of your way to see. AJ vs. Tenzan was also a surprise standout, but it isn’t crucial viewing. Three of out of the four tag matches were fun and delivered tension and excitement for the G1 matches happening tomorrow. The rest was totally skippable, nothing really bad, but just don’t waste your time with it. Now they head to the final stretch with six sold out shows in Tokyo. Up first, is a set of three shows in Korakuen Hall with a great double main event of Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Tomoaki Honma and Hirooki Goto vs. Tomohiro Ishii happening tomorrow. I’ll be back sometime on Sunday with my thoughts on night 14. Until then, go watch that main event already.
