From The Shelf- NJPW G1 Climax 24 Day Six

NJPW G1 Climax 24 Day Six
7-31-14
Hamamatsu, Japan

Tomoki Honma and Tetsuya Naito have the day off.

Block A- Bad Luck Fale (6, 3-2) vs. Doc Gallows (2, 1-3)
This is the first Bullet Club vs. Bullet Club match so this should be interesting. They attempt to overpower the other to start and then trade forearms. Shots to the midsection by Fale and he clotheslines Gallows to the floor. Gallows sends Fale into the railings and back in, Fale stomps away on Gallows as he was coming in. Fale stands on Gallows and he clubs away on Gallows in the corner. Avalanche misses and Gallows works Fale over in the corner. Gallows clotheslines Fale to the floor so Fale pulls him out and works Gallows over. Back in, Gallows hammers the back of Fale and he stands on the back of Fale. Gallows hammers the midsection of Fale in the corner and he hits the hip check in the corner. Flying shoulder block misses and Fale hits a big splash for 2. Gallows blocks the Samoan Spike and he hits a kick to the head of Fale. Gallows Pole gets 2. They trade blows and clotheslines with neither going down. Lariat by Fale gets 2. Bicycle kick by Gallows gets 3.
Winner- Doc Gallows **1/2 ( This was fine but the crowd was dead for most of this and while seeing these two club each other in an old school style big match was fun it still came across as the most uninteresting and uninspired match of the G1 thus far. )

Block A- Davey Boy Smith Jr. w/Taka Michinoku (4, 2-2) vs. Yuji Nagata (2, 1-3)
They battle for control and they reach a standstill. Smith Jr. goes for the arm but Nagata rolls through and we reach another standstill. Knees to the midsection by Smith Jr. and he overpowers Nagata. Leg drop misses and we reach another standstill. Forearms by Smith Jr. but Nagata returns the favor. Smith Jr. dumps Nagata to the floor and he sends Nagata into the railings. Slam by Smith Jr. of the floor and Nagata makes it back in before the twenty count. Hard forearm by Smith Jr. and he goes to the Camel Clutch. Nagata goes to the ropes to break and he catches Smith Jr. with a big boot. Kicks to the chest by Nagata and he hits a Yakuza kick. Smith Jr. blocks the Exploder suplex but Nagata throws more kicks. Dropkick to the leg by Nagata and he hits another big boot. Exploder suplex by Nagata gets 2. Smith Jr. blocks a suplex so Ngaata throws some kicks to the leg. Powerslam by Smith Jr. gets 2. High knee by Smith Jr. and they trade forearms and strikes. Smith Jr. blocks a kick and he hits a Tazplex for 2. Tiger suplex by Smith Jr. gets 2. Nagata blocks a powerbomb attempt and he catches Smith Jr. in the fujiwara arm bar. Smith Jr. goes to the ropes to break and Nagata hits a corner knee strike. Smith Jr. blocks the Saito suplex and Nagata comes back with a release German suplex. Big boot by Nagta but again, Smith Jr. blocks the Saito suplex. Spinning heel kick by Nagata and he hits an exploder suplex for 3.
Winner- Yuji Nagata **3/4 ( Decent match but I felt a real like of energy from these two and felt more like they were going through the motions rather than constructing a good competitive match. These two have done better in this tournament so far. )

Block B- Yujiro Takahashi (2, 1-3) vs. Togi Makabe (4, 2-2)
Yujiro attacks during his entrance and he hits some forearms to Makabe. He dumps Makabe to the floor and Yujiro sends Makabe into the post. He sends Makabe into the railings and snap mares him on the ramp. Running basement kick by Yujiro on the ramp and back in, Yujiro stomps away. Back elbow by Yujiro and he hits some forearms. Yujiro chokes Makabe with his boot and he works Makabe over in the corner. Yakuza kick by Yujiro and Makabe charges in the corner but eats boot. Lariat by Makabe asnd both men are down. Corner lariats by Makabe and he hits some punches in the corner. Right by Yujiro ends that and he hits a Fisherman’s Buster for 2. Forearms by Yujrio but this fires Makabe up. Lariat by Yujiro has no effect so Makabe drills him with one of his own. Sloppy powerbomb spot and Yujiro rakes Makabe in the eyes. Powerslam by Makabe and he hits the powerbomb this time for 2. Makabe goes up and he misses the King Kong Knee Drop. They trade lariats and Makabe turns Yujiro inside out with one for 2. Yujiro rakes the eyes again and he shoves Makabe into the ref. Low blow by Yujiro and he hits the Buckle Bomb. Miami Shine gets 3.
Winner- Yujiro Takahashi *** ( We are reaching a point where every show toward the face of Makabe affects his jaw and with Yujiro being the little shithead he is, this worked well as a story for this match. It made for a fun little contest and Makabe got to lay a decent beating on Yujiro before Yujiro resorted to his dirty tactics to win. )

Block A- Katsuyori Shibata (6, 3-1) vs. Satoshi Kojima (4, 2-3)
Kojima attacks Shibata after a clean break and he overpowers Shibata. Kojima dumps him to the floor and Shibata sends him into the railings. Yakuza kick against the railings by Shibata and he throws some kicks to the chest of Kojima. Kojima chop blocks Shibata on the apron and he hits a DDT on the apron. Back in, Kojima hits a swinging neck breaker for 2 and he goes to the chinlock. Rapid chops in the corner by Kojima and Shibata fires back with forearms. Kojima knocks Shibata down with a hard chop and he hits a corner forearm. Kojima goes up but Shibata catches him with a dropkick, knocking Kojima to the floor. Kojima sends Shibata into the railings and he goes for a suplex on the floor but Shibata blocks. Shibata reverses into a suplex of his own and they both make it back in to make the count. They trade forearms and Kojima hits the rolling elbow. Knee to the midsection by Shibata and he throws strikes at Kojima in the corner. Kojima comes back with a corner lariat and he hits a DDT. Shibata escapes a suplex and he grabs a sleeper. Kojima breaks with a Saito suplex but Shibata comes right back with a release German suplex. Corner basement dropkick by Shibata and he hits a butterfly suplex for 2. Kojima blocks the GTS and he hits an Ace Crusher. Lariat by Kojima gets 2!!! Brainbuster by Kojima gets 2!!! Dropkick by Shibata and both men are down. Forearms by Kojima and Shibata comes back with a backfist. GTS by Shibata and he hits a standing Penalty Kick for 3.
Winner- Katsuyori Shibata ***3/4 ( Damn good match that almost reached their match from last year. I loved how Kojima came out swinging from the get go but Shibata is just at another level right now and no even Kojima’s best couldn’t put him down. )

Block B- Karl Anderson (2, 1-4) vs. Hirooki Goto (6, 3-2)
Goto gains the upper hand early and they eventually reach a standstill. Goto overpowers Anderson and they go to the floor. Anderson sends Goto into the railings and he catches Goto with a bicycle kick. They brawl in the crowd and back in; Anderson drops some knees on Goto. Knee drop by Anderson gets 2 and he grabs a rear chinlock. Goto fights out so Anderson catches him with a leg lariat for 2. Anderson sends Goto into the corner hard and he rubs his forearm into the face of Goto. Goto fires back with slaps but Anderson ends that with a hard forearm. They trade lariats and Goto ends up winning that battle. Forearms by Goto and he hits a spinning heel kick into the corner. Saito suplex by Goto gets 2. Goto charges in the corner but eats boot and Anderson hits the corner bicycle kick. Running sit-out powerbomb by Anderson gets 2. They trade forearms and Goto throws a head butt. Bicycle kick by Anderson and he puts Goto on top. Anderson follows up and they battle on the top rope. Yoshi Tonic off the top by Goto gets 2!!! Anderson escapes Shouten Kai and he hits a bicycle kick to the back. DVD backbreaker by Goto gets 2. They trade counters and Anderson finally catches Goto with the Gun Stung for 3!!!
Winner- Karl Anderson ***1/2 ( Karl Anderson has become the master of crazy counter sequences, that finally tilt with Goto at the finish was a work of art. The match itself was very good, a great back and forth battle that didn’t overstay it’s welcome and took us into the intermission on a high note. )

In the backstage press room, Karl Anderson declares an all Bullet Club final for the G1 Climax finals. He says no one gets up from the Gun Stun because the damn Machine Gun says so.

Block B- Lance Archer (4, 2-2) vs. Minoru Suzuki (4, 2-2)
It’s a Suzuki-gun battle so Taka is playing both sides here. Archer tosses Suzuki into the corner and charges but eats boot. Archer tosses him overhead and he overpowers Suzuki. Suzuki catches him with a cross arm breaker in the ropes and they go to the floor. Suzuki kicks Archer’s leg against the railings and he works over the leg of Archer on the floor. Suzuki throws some shots to the midsection and Archer makes it back in before the 20 count. Head butts by Suzuki and he goes to the grapevine. He holds it for a while and Archer finally makes the ropes to break. Suzuki works over Archer and Archer comes back with a powerslam. Avalanche in the corner by Archer and he hits a suplex. Big splash by Archer gets 2. Facebuster by Archer and he catches Suzuki with a sidewalk slam for 2. They trade slaps and Archer rams Suzuki into the corner. He puts Suzuki on top and goes for Blackout but Suzuki counters into the sleeper!!! Suzuki goes for the Gotch Piledriver but Archer backdrops out. Suzuki blocks the Chokeslam and hits a running basement boot. Sleeper by Suzuki and he converts it into Saka Otoshi. Archer gives.
Winner- Minoru Suzuki *** ( This won’t be for everyone due to the almost two minute grapevine but I enjoyed this. Suzuki was so methodical, sticking to his game
plan of going for the leg of Archer to cut out his base and you noticed later Archer’s power maneuvers didn’t pack much punch as a result. I like that Saka Otoshi being Suzuki’s ace in the hole and it has won him three straight contests. )

Block A- Shelton X Benjamin w/ Taka Michinoku (8, 4-1) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (6, 3-1)
Benjamin attacks during Nakamura’s entrance and he chokes Nakamura with his ring jacket. They trade forearms and Shelton hits a shin breaker on Nakamura. They go to the floor and Benjamin hits a knee breaker on the apron. Benjamin bends Nakamura’s leg against the railings and then does the same against the ring post. Back in, Benjamin works the leg but Nakamura goes to the ropes to break it up. Superkick to the leg by Benjamin and he goes to the half crab. Nakamura makes the ropes to break and they trade forearms. Benjamin clips the leg to end that but Nakamura connects with a knee to the midsection. Enzuigiri by Nakamura and he stomps away in the corner. Nakamura puts Benjamin on top and he hits the running knee lift for 2. Nakamura goes to the release back suplex but Benjmain rolls through into the Ankle Lock. Nakamura goes to the ropes to break and he hits a spinning heel kick on Benjamin. Release back suplex by Nakamura and Benjamin comes back with a superkick. German suplex by Benjamin gets 2. Nakamura counters Pay Dirt into the cross arm breaker. Benjamin counters into the Ankle Lock!!! Nakamura powers out and he hits the second rope knee strike. Flying knee strike by Nakamura gets 2. A second flying knee strike by Nakamura gets 3.
Winner- Shinsuke Nakamura ***1/4 ( I think this was the first Benjamin match of the tournament where he actually built up to using the Ankle Lock by working the leg. The match was solid but Nakamura was going through the motions and him forgetting the work on the leg on the finish was annoying. )

Block B- AJ Styles (4, 2-2) vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan (4, 2-3)
Feeling out process to start and Tenzan goes for the leg but Styles goes to the ropes to prevent that. Styles bails to regroup and back in, Styles throws some shoulder chops to no effect. Styles throws them until he tires himself out so Tenzan drills him with some of his own. Tenzan overpowers Styles and connects with a backdrop. Styles bails again and Tenzan follows to work him over. Tenzan goes to send Styles into the railings but Styles leaps into the crowd and connects with a superkick. Back in, Styles stomps away and slams Tenzan. Knee drop by Styles and he kicks Tenzan in the back. Tenzan begins to right back but Tenzan catches him with a Samoan Drop. Styles throws some shoulders to the midsection of Tenzan and he hits a backbreaker for 2. Snap mare and Styles goes to the chinlock. Tenzan makes the ropes to break and Styles catches him with a dropkick. Styles goes back to the chinlock but Tenzan is able to escape. They trade chops and Styles ends that with an enzuigiri. Styles goes for the Styles Clash but Tenzan backdrops him to the floor to block. Back in, Tenzan hits some corner clotheslines an dhe goes up. Standing knee drop off the top by Tenzan gets 2. Brainbuster by Tenzan gets 2. Styles fires away and he catches Tenzan with the discus lariat. Lionsault by Styles gets 2. Tenzan blocks the Styles Clash and Styles charges but Tenzan blocks with a head butt to the midsection. Dropping head butt by Tenzan gets 2 and he grabs the Anaconda Vice but Styles rakes the eyes to break. Spinning heel kick by Tenzan and he goes up. Diving head butt off the top by Tenzan gets 2 and he grabs the Anaconda Vice. Styles tries to fight out so Tenzan catches him in the Anaconda Buster. Styles finally gets to the ropes to break. Slam by Tenzan and he goes up. Moonsault off the top by Tenzan misses and Styles hits the springboard forearm for 2. Tenzan blocks a Brainbuster attempt and Styles hits the Pele. Styles Clash by Styles gets 3.
Winner- AJ Styles ***3/4 ( AJ Styles just gave Tenzan his best singles match in a LONG time. Excellent match where Styles bumped around like a pinball for Tenzan and did the little things that made both himself and Tenzan look good every step of the way. )

Block B- Toru Yano (6, 3-2) vs. Kazuchika Okada w/Gedo (6, 3-2)
Well, this should be something else. They grapple to start and Okada is actually one who has to go to the ropes to get away. Okada works on the arm of Yano and they have an awkward pose off. Forearms by Okada and he snap mares Yano into the basement dropkick. Yano bails and Okada follows where Yano sends him into the post. Gedo prevents Yano from using a chair and Okada charges but misses and nails Gedo. Yano sends Okada into the railings and he drives a chair into Okada. They brawl in the crowd and back in, Yano exposes the corner. Back in, Yano sends Okada into the exposed corner and he stomps away. Slam by Yano gets 2. Yano bends Okada against the ropes and he rakes the face of Okada. Yano sends Okada into the exposed corner again and he hits a hip toss on Okada for 2. Yano sends Okada into the exposed corner and he charges but misses. Swinging neck breaker by Okada and both men are down. DDT by Okada and he slams Yano. Hilo by Okada gets 2. Drop toe hold into the exposed corner by Yano and he rolls Okada up for 2. Air Raid Neckbreaker by Okada and he slams Yano. Okada goes up and he hits a flying elbow drop. Yano blocks the Rainmaker and he catapults Okada into the exposed corner. Okada blocks the powerbomb and the low blow. Dropkick by Okada and Yano uses the ref to shoield himself from the Rainmaker and Yano goes low before grabbing the cradle for 2!!! Okada escapes the powerbomb and he hits the Rainmaker for 3.
Winner- Kazuchika Okada *** ( Fun little match where Okada was shocked and a bit overwhelmed that Yano was taking it to him but he was too good to fall to Yano’s shananigans. They got over that cradle as a legit finish; as the crowd popped for that near fall more than any other on the show so far. )

Block A- Tomohiro Ishii (6, 3-2) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (6, 3-2)
This is going to be the complete opposite of the last match. Chop by Ishii to send an early message. Ishii overpowers Tanahashi and he charges in the corner but eats elbow. Powerslam by Ishii and he hammers the back of Tanahashi. Head butts by Ishii and they trade chops. Ishii wins the chop battle and he toys with Tanahashi. Tanahashi fights back and Ishii ends that with a head butt. Chops in the corner by Ishii and Tanahashi hammers away in the corner to come back. Ishii returns the favor and he charges in the corner but misses. Corner splash by Tanahashi and he works over Ishii in the corner. Forearms in the corner by Tanahashi and this fires Ishii up. They trade forearms and Tanahashi hits some uppercuts. Dropkick to the leg by Tanahashi and he hits the Dragon Screw leg sweep. Texas Cloverleaf by Tanahashi but Ishii makes the ropes to break. Enzuigiri by Ishii and he hits a Dragon Screw Leg Sweep of his own. Sharpshooter by Ishii but Tanahashi makes the ropes to break. Corner lariat by Ishii and he puts Tanahashi on top. He follows up and hits the delayed superplex for 2. Tanahashi escapes a powerbomb so Ishii catches him with an enzuigiri for 2. Ishii blocks the Slingblade the first time but Tanahashi is able to catch him on the second attempt, bringing both men down. They trade forearms and Tanahashi throws some slaps at Ishii. Release Dragon suplex by Tanahashi and he hits another Slingblade for 2. Tanahashi goes up and hits a crossbody. Tanahashi goes up again and misses the High Fly Flow. Northern lariat by Ishii and he throws a head butt at Tanahashi. Sliding D by Ishii gets 2!!! Lariat by Ishii gets 2!!! Tanahashi escapes the Brainbuster and Ishii throws a head butt. Slingblade by Tanahashi and Ishii fires away with forearms. Slaps by Tanahashi and he hits a clothesline. Michinoku Driver by Tanahashi gets 2. He goes up and hits High Fly Flow for 3.
Winner- Hiroshi Tanahashi ****1/4 ( This was completely different from their incredible match last year. This time around, Ishii was the aggressor and looked every bit at the level of Tanahashi where laast year he was the plucky underdog that pulled off a miracle. This didn’t have the heat or the big moment of last year’s match but it was still an awesome fight with an electric atmosphere and will be in contention for best match of the tournament. )

Block A: Shibata (8, 4-1), Nakamura (8, 4-1), Benjamin (8, 4-2), Tanahashi (8, 4-2), Fale (6, 3-3), Ishii (6, 3-3), Nagata (4, 2-3), Smith Jr. (4, 2-3), Gallows(4, 2-3), Kojima (4, 2-4), Honma (0, 0-5)

Block B: Naito (8, 4-1), Okada (8, 4-2), Styles (6, 3-2), Suzuki (6, 3-2), Yano (6, 3-3), Goto (6, 3-3), Archer (4, 2-3), Takahashi (4, 2-3), Makabe (4, 2-3), Tenzan (4, 2-4), Anderson (4, 2-4)

The 411: This was like Night Two and Four where there were moments during the under card where you thought that this was going to be the "B" level show that last year's tournament produced on several occasions. But then some of the matches suddenly kicked ass and you get yet another very good show out of this incredible tournament. Hiroyoshi Tenzan continues to find the fountain of youth while guys like Styles, Shibata, and Ishii just continue to tear it up consistantly. That main event is fantastic and a great rematch to last years classic. Once again, I recommend this show as a whole and make sure you check out that main event. Tomorrow night, we get Nakamura vs. Ishii!!!!

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]