New Japan Pro Wrestling: G1 Climax 25 Night Five Review
Location: Hiroshima, Japan inside Hiroshima Green Arena
After the one camera dimly lit event of night four, we return to the full NJPW production with multiple camera shots, dubbed music, and commentators for this one. Night four had a pretty terrible undercard, but perhaps had the best all-around great night for the G1 matches, as each one was at least in the good territory. The A Block returns to the scene with three pretty dynamite match-ups to look forward to, as well as a Bullet Club face-off and a veteran having to deal with Yano. Let’s see if Night Five can continue off the good vibes from the previous night.
There was some pretty terrible sound issues during this show. You can clearly hear the producer testing his microphone and speaking over the commentators during the opening match, some of the dubbed music starts to play and then randomly goes silent, and some of the sound in general was weird too.
Match 1: 8 Man Tag Team Match: Yohei Komatsu, Tiger Mask IV, Jushin “Thunder” Liger, & (IWGP Intercontinental Champion) Hirooki Goto vs. David Finlay Jr., Ryusuke Taguchi, (CMLL World Welterweight Champion) Mascara Dorada, & Tomoaki Honma
Winners: Yohei Komatsu, Tiger Mask IV, Jushin Liger, & Hirooki Goto (After Tiger Mask Hit a Super Double Arm Suplex on David Finlay Jr.)
This was a fun opener with Liger and Dorada getting in their usual interaction, Taguchi and Komatsu getting theirs, including that Running Ass Attack by Taguchi. Komatsu does get to make Honma miss a Kokeshi as well. We get a small amount of interaction between Tuesday G1 opponents Hirooki Goto and Tomoaki Honma and Honma gets a Kokeshi on him. I thought Finlay looked good here and he improves with every match. Those uppercuts look pretty vicious too. Tiger Mask seemed a little less grumpy and was able to pick up the win for his team. The match took just enough time to stay in that sweet spot of decentness. ** and ¼ *
Match 2: Tag Team Match: Yuji Nagata & Captain New Japan vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Cody Hall
Winners: Yuji Nagata & Captain New Japan (After Cody Hall taps out to the White Eyes Armbar)
Well, this had CNJ so you know he missed some things and it also had Cody Hall and he actually looked good. I’m sure Nagata was happy to get the switched on Cody Hall for this after almost killing him at the New Japan ALIVE show when he couldn’t lift him for the Razor’s Edge. Hall didn’t have a problem today as that directly led to the finish. Nagata actually had fun interactions with Yujiro as they got into a rather long trading of elbows, they hit double big boots and Yujiro got a Fisherman Suplex on him. Nagata did get a good looking Belly to Belly on Yujiro early in the match as well. As I mentioned, Hall was involved in the finish as Nagata slipped out of Razor’s Edge and applied the White Eyes Armbar, while CNJ laughingly tried to apply one to Yujiro. This was ok, nothing special going on here. **
Match 3: Tag Team Match: Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI (CHAOS) vs. Karl Anderson & Tama Tonga (Bullet Club)
Winners: Karl Anderson & Tama Tonga (After Gun Stun on YOSHI-HASHI)
This was the best of the tag matches so far, as Karl Anderson and Ishii go at it from the word go and just never stop. I really appreciate that Ishii and Anderson really wanted to make their interactions here worth something. We see Ishii go for the sliding lariat early and Anderson goes for Gun Stun and it is on here. YOSHI-HASHI and Tonga had some nice stuff, including Yoshi getting his dropkick against the ropes and kicking out of the TKO Gun Stun. Tonga and Anderson combined for a nice double team move here too. This was the other nice thing that both teams actually went for double team moves because they are part of the same faction and would have presumably worked together before. Anderson would eventually get the Gun Stun on Yoshi for the win. Ishii and Anderson even went at it for a little bit after the bell as well. Hopefully, this means those two will have an impressive G1 match on Tuesday then. This was fun, well worked, we got heat for the G1 match, and Anderson continues his roll. ** and ¾ *
Match 4: Tag Team Match: (IWGP Heavyweight Champion) Kazuchika Okada & (NJPW Booker) Gedo (CHAOS) vs. Satoshi Kojima & Michael Elgin (ROH)
Winners: Satoshi Kojima & Michael Elgin (After Kojima Hits Gedo with The Lariat
Sadly NJPW World started being weird for me during this match and it froze and took a little bit to refresh and start working again. So, I didn’t get to see all of this. This was supposed to be a six man tag match with Taguchi and Nakamura being on each side. However, due to an elbow injury that Nakamura apparently suffered in his match against Nagata last night, he was kept off the card. They have an off day on Monday and Nakamura is scheduled to wrestle Michael Elgin in the first main event on Tuesday. This is why Taguchi replaced Jay White in the opening tag match instead. We probably won’t know how serious Nakamura’s injury until close to Tuesday. If he has to miss any matches it will completely alter Block B, so let’s hope it isn’t bad.
As for what I did get to see, Elgin did a much better Fallaway Slam and Samoan Drop combo move on Okada and Gedo here. Elgin also gets to debut his Sitdown Splash spot, where Gedo tries to roll him up and Elgin acts as if he’s gonna fall, but he stops himself and sits down on Gedo. He gets to do the Front Flip to Okada’s head again as well. The finish is actually pretty cool, as Okada sets up for the Rainmaker, but when he turns Kojima around he gives him Lariat of his own. Kojima then hits The Lariat on Gedo and his team wins.
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 Matches All Block B
Match 5: Bad Luck Fale (2 points)(Bullet Club) vs. Doc Gallows (0 points) (Bullet Club)
Winner: Bad Luck Fale (After Hitting The Grenade)
This was seriously better than it had any right to be. The best thing is that this wasn’t booked overly long knowing that it would expose them. They immediately brawled on the floor and took turns hitting each other with portions of the barricade literally. We got several double Shoulder Block, Clothesline, and Choke spots. We got an almost Bad Luck Fall and right into The Grenade for the finish. They two guys hugged afterwards and it was all good for the Bullet Club members. **
Match 6: (NWA World Champion) Hiroyoshi Tenzan (2 points) vs. Toru Yano (0 points)(CHAOS)
Winner: Toru Yano (After Mule Kick and Backslide Pin)
My lord, Yano and Tenzan busted open thanks to a Nasty Diving Headbutt from Tenzan. I laughed at Yano making a water bottle basically into a sprayer at the beginning. I liked that Tenzan was having none of Yano’s antics and went right after him using Yano’s own chair on the outside. Yano taping Tenzan’s arm to the barricade was hilarious. The finish kinda just came out of nowhere and Yano picks up the surprise win. The memory of Yano’s crimson mask will haunt you though. Tenzan also has a nasty cut on his head as well, but he has nowhere near the same amount of blood Yano did. This was too quick to really mean anything, but I appreciated Tenzan was allowed to look smart and he also gets a rest since he’s going to need all his energy for Togi Makabe on Tuesday. **
Match 7: (NEVER Openweight Champion, 2009 G1 Winner) Togi Makabe vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Winner: Katsuyori Shibata (After Penalty Kick)
These two were not playing around from the very beginning, as they took turns knocking each other out to the floor. Shibata went to work on Makabe’s knee with the figure four early and though he only went directly to the knee one other time in the match, it could have possibly played into Makabe not being able to keep the strength to stand in the Sleeper Hold later. Aside from that, these two just put on a slugfest, as they traded elbows, Makabe hit numerous Lariats and Shibata hit running boots. The face wash spot, which was then countered by a Lariat from Makabe when Shibata went for the Basement Dropkick. At one point there were dueling chants for both men as there was just a great intensity in the air for this match. Neither man wanted to back down, but Shibata was able to counter a Death Valley Driver into a Sleeper Hold. Makabe fought it, but eventually succumbed and was in prone position for the Penalty Kick and another big win for Shibata in the tournament. I very much enjoyed this, it felt different than the utter poundings that Ishii and Makabe put themselves through and didn’t go too long to where them trading shift shots was all they had left. Shibata continues to impress. *** and ½ *
Match 8: AJ Styles (4 points) (Bullet Club) vs. Kota Ibushi (2 points)
Winner: Kota Ibushi (After Phoenix Splash)
Oh My God this was amazing. A master class of wrestling, counters, and just absolutely fantastic stuff. It was going to be hard to top what they did earlier this year at Invasion Attack 2015, but I’m pretty sure they topped it and more here. The best thing is that Ibushi truly earned this win. This had an incredible pace and everything that was done meant something. They could have easily had AJ repeat what Tanahashi did in their first match, but they went for a completely different feel and it was the second epic match of the G1 25 tournament. I appreciated that we know these two had a match earlier this year and they were able to play off that with the countering of moves. I mean AJ countered a simple float over into a Guillotine Stunner that sent Ibushi to the outside. AJ also delivered a hellacious Rock Bottom on the barricade to Ibushi. Ibushi was able to counter an almost Tombstone on the apron into a Rana and then hit his patented Springboard Moonsault. Some of the stuff at the end was absolutely insane. Styles hit an Inverted Tombstone because Ibushi had already countered the Styles Clash in the same sequence, just crazy. Ibushi got the knees up on the Springboard 450. We had dueling Pele kicks, Styles tried for a super Styles Clash, but Ibushi countered it, hit a Powerbomb, and then Phoenix Splash for the win. It was an ultimate statement win, as not only did he beat AJ, but he beat him with the move AJ countered with the Styles Clash at Invasion Attack. Go watch this match right now and if you don’t have NJPW World, it is worth the $8.50 by itself. Match of the Year candidate for sure.**** and ¾ *
Match 9: MAIN EVENT: (2007 G1 Winner) Hiroshi Tanahashi (4 points) vs. Tetsuya Naito (2 points)
Winner: Tetsuya Naito (After Backflip Neckbreaker)
Tanahashi and Naito slapped each other from the start and we knew this was going to be great. Naito did some of heel stuff early, as he went outside and basically took a nap on the floor to avoid a High Fly Flow to the outside. Then Naito kept sliding in to break up the 20 count, but he wouldn’t actually go into the ring. Naito hit a Frankensteiner that sent Tanahashi to the outside and then SMASHED Tanahashi’s neck into a table at ringside with a Neckbreaker. NJPW tables don’t break like the ones in America and you could see the dent of Tanahasi’s neck in the table, pretty gruesome. This gave Naito the opening he needed to go full bore on Tana’s neck. Various submissions and attacks to the neck followed. Tanahashi would get revenge later as he hit a High Fly Flow on the outside and then Dragon Screwed Naito’s leg across the barricade and then Tanahashi had a body part to work on as well. There was just beautiful psychology throughout this. Tanahashi sold the neck excellently and then continued to work on Naito’s leg with a Texas Cloverleaf. So it was almost a chess match of who could weaken a body part the most to get the other down for three count. Naito continued working that neck with a German Suplex, a nasty kick to the head, while Tanahashi had to muster everything he could to do a Slingblade and High Fly Flow, only to have the latter move blocked by some knees. Naito won with a new finisher and told the crowd that “I am no longer NJPW, I am Ingobernables all the way.” This was just a beautiful piece of artistry and shows how great of a ring general Tanahashi really is. This is the third match in a row that he knew exactly what the match needed, he helped get the other guy over, and most of all this match cemented Naito’s heel turn. Naito now has a personality and a wrestling style that is different than just another guy that can do flips and cool moves. I really enjoyed this match and this is another one you should go out of your way to watch. **** ¼ *
Here are the G1 Climax 25 standings after night five…
A Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi, AJ Styles, Kota Ibushi, Tetsuya Naito, Katsuyori Shibata, and Bad Luck Fale (4 points), Togi Makabe, Toru Yano, Hiroyoshi Tenzan (2 points), Doc Gallows (0 points
B Block: Kazuchika Okada, Karl Anderson, and Tomohiro Ishii (4 points), Shinsuke Nakamura, Yuji Nagata, Hirooki Goto, and Satoshi Kojima (2 points), Michael Elgin, Yujiro Takahashi, and Tomoaki Honma (0 points)
FINAL RATING: 8.0 The undercard was once again lackluster, save for the final tag match, which I didn’t get to see half of it. The first two G1 matches aren’t stand outs from a work rate perspective, but they are both short and fun in their own ways. The two Bullet Club members don’t try to overdo it and provide an old school big man match feel with a lot of clashing into each other. Tenzan takes it to Yano like we haven’t seen yet, as he was having none of Yano’s shtick and you get to see both guys busted open pretty bad. Then we get three terrific matches to end the show that are each great for their own reasons. Shibata vs. Makabe was a very good slugfest, Ibushi vs. AJ had a great story that showcased things from their previous match, and Ibushi and Styles willingness to win. They pulled out all the stops for sure. Tanahashi vs. Naito was a statement for Naito’s heel character and Tanahashi proved to be the perfect veteran to have this psychological war against. I highly recommend the last three matches and maybe the Elgin tag match from the undercard. Everything is largely skippable, but there was nothing truly bad on this show either. I’ll see you again some time on Tuesday for night six.
