Sambus’ NJPW G1 Climax 34 Night 9 Review

NJPW G1 Climax 34 Night 9

Location: Osaka, Japan

Venue: Yamato Arena

English Commentary: Walker Stewart & David Finlay

 

[A Block] Jake Lee [2] vs Callum Newman [4]

Lee looks for the Face Break shot as the bell rings, Newman is wise to it though. Lee heads to the floor and politely applauds Newman. Lee calls for a test of strength, fakes him out though, and grabs wrist control. Standing switch, side headlock from Newman, backing Lee into the ropes and giving a clean break. Newman hits the ropes, comes back with a running boot, and another on the apron to send Lee to the floor. Newman up top but Lee grabs the leg and tugs him to the floor. Lee traps his head between the railings and pulls back as the referee remonstrates with him.

Leg drop from Lee, 1, 2, no. Newman asks for a chop but Lee pokes the eyes instead. Leg sweep and a double stomp to the back connects from Newman. Enziguri in the corner, a succession of PKs, and a standing moonsault gets 2. He looks for the Boston Crab but is kicked away and tossed to the floor. Lee to the apron, running kick but Newman sweeps the leg to send him face-first into the apron, and follows up with a diving moonsault to Lee on the outside.

Tornado kick, 1, 2, Lee kicks out. Knees to the gut by Lee now, Lee fakes a PK and instead applies a sleeper. Stunner from Newman breaks it though, dropkick in the corner, Pele and the Oscutter NO, Lee catches him with a chokeslam in midair, damn! 1, 2, no. Lee with another chokeslam attempt, Newman rolls through though. Roundhouse kick misses, Lee with the Giant Killing! Face Break shot connects. 1, 2, 3.

Winner: Jake Lee

Time: 11:16

Rating: ***1/4 – Lee came in with such good momentum with that win over SANADA in under 5 mins, but since then hadn’t had as much of a chance to further impress. This helps him get back on track, looking smart in victory off the back of a good performance here. And Newman extends the portfolio of a low-key great G1.

 

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[A Block] Great O-Khan [2] vs EVIL [10]

EVIL jumps the gun and attacks O-Khan from behind as the bell rings, taking him to the outside and tossing him into the railings, knocking over the ring announcer in the process. EVIL tosses his opponent into the crowd, scattering chairs, and heads back inside the ring to take the countout. O-Khan makes it back at 15 but the referee had his back turned and Togo pulls O-Khan back out again, the count gets up to 18 but O-Khan makes it back in properly this time. EVIL chokes O-Khan out with the wire, tosses it before the ref can see. Single-leg crab applied, O-Khan grabs the ropes. O-Khan fires off a belly-to-back suplex to regain momentum. He drives EVIL into the corner, delivers some Mongolian chops, and then sits on the back of the neck on the turnbuckle. EVIL gets the rope-assisted stomp to turn the tables.

Fisherman’s suplex by EVIL, 1, 2, no. Overarm judo takedown from O-Khan and he drives the point of the elbow into the neck of EVIL until Dick Togo gets involved. Togo delivers a chair shot on the outside while EVIL distracts the ref. Sharpshooter applied in the ring now. Darkness Falls, 1, 2, O-Khan kicks out. Everything is Evil attempt, O-Khan reverses with a modified STO of his own. Togo back up on the apron for a distraction…but O-Khan catches a lariat attempt from EVIL, locks the arm and removes the tape around EVIL’s arm, cranking on a Kimura lock. He hooks the head and neck too, then transitions into a cross armbreaker, but Togo pulls the referee out of the ring. Togo chokes O-Khan out with the wire now, EVIL has a chair and drives it into the gut. Magic Killer delivered, referee comes to, 1, 2, NO. Everything is Evil attempt again countered, O-Khan gets hit in the back by Togo as he runs the ropes but gets clobbered in return. Plancha by O-Khan to take out Togo on the outside. O-Khan is sent into the exposed turnbuckle back in the ring, followed by an EVIL Lariat, 1, 2, no. O-Khan gets the claw locked in and hits the Eliminator! 1, 2, 3.

Winner: Great O-Khan

Time: 16:21

Rating: **1/2 – An EVIL G1 match. Wash, rinse, repeat. O-Khan got to look at least, and EVIL’s undefeated streak is finally broken. I’m guessing he sits at 10 points while the others catch up to give that last-minute G1 drama that Gedo loves.

 

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[A Block] Tetsuya Naito [4] vs Gabe Kidd [6]

Naito and Kidd set a methodical pace at the bell, Naito backing off from a lockup at first. Kidd clubs away at him in the corner, the ref tries to break it up but gets shoved away. Kidd spits in the face of Naito, throws him outside, and whips him into the railings. Kidd re-enters the ring and mocks the tranquilo pose.

Back in the ring, an atomic drop from Naito connects, followed by the stalling neckbreaker. Kidd bites the forehead, receives a back elbow but comes back with a scoop slam. They head out into the crowd and Naito is lightly tossed into the chairs. Kidd makes a pile of chairs and railings on the floor, attempts to suplex Naito on them but Naito reverses and bowls Kidd into another section of chairs. Kidd comes back with a back suplex into the ring apron, grabs some water from Finlay at ringside, and spits it in the face of Naito.

Kidd straddles Naito and delivers repeated blows, telling him his time is done. Liontamer locked in, steps into a full Boston Crab, eventually relents, lifts him up for a powerslam but Naito counters with a semi-Destino, although he can’t capitalize. Naito sweeps the legs and hits the pendulum dropkick in the corner. Esparanza connects! Backdrop suplex from Kidd though, 1, 2, no. Kidd is looking for a piledriver, Naito spits at him now. Gutwrench, no Naito whips off a headscissors to escape. Rebound lariat misses, Naito with the headscissors cradle to get the 1, 2, 3.

Winner: Tetsuya Naito

Time: 14:07

Rating: *** – A little cumbersome at times, and Naito looked lost on more than one occasion. This was fine, but I would have expected more from these guys.

 

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[A Block] Shota Umino [6] vs SANADA [4]

SANADA goes for the Paradise Lock early but Umino kicks him away and hits a dropkick. Spilling to the outside, SANADA whips Umino into the railings to take control. Back in the ring, a corner elbow connects, Side Russian legsweep and a cover for 2 as SANADA applies a chinlock. Umino elbows out of it, SANADA charges in towards the ropes, Umino drapes him over the middle rope and hits the hanging DDT onto the apron. Diving dropkick, exploder suplex gets a 2 count for Umino. SANADA comes back with a dropkick and a springboard plancha to the outside.

Back suplex delivered in the middle of the ring, 1, 2, no. He looks for Skull End, Umino flips out of it. SANADA Moonsault into the Skull End, Umino reverses into a Reverse Twist & Shout. Trident reverse DDT connects for Umino, he misses the Ignition, SANADA misses a Shining Wizard, allowing Umino to lock in an STF. Umino looks for a tornado DDT, SANADA holds on tightly and hoists him onto the ropes to hit the Magic Screw. Shining Wizard connects! Moonsault, but Umino gets the knees up! Umino hits the Ignition and signals for the Blaze Blade, misses it, another Shining Wizard misses, enziguri catches SANADA, but SANADA comes back with a Shining Wizard, hits it this time! Death Rider reversed into a pin attempt, 1, 2, no. Backslide, 1, 2, no, right into a cradle, 1, 2, no. Cradle Death Rider! 1, 2, NO. Blaze Blade connects, but SANADA gets a flash prawn hold for the 1, 2, 3.

Winner: SANADA

Time: 15:57

Rating: ***1/2 – The styles and offense of these guys complement each other pretty well, leading to a very good back-and-forth match with a ton of counters and technical warfare. Fair play to them, I thought this would be lacking in drama but they put that thought to bed pretty quickly.

 

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[A Block] Shingo Takagi [4] vs Zack Sabre Jr [8]

Fast pace as we begin, ZSJ avoids some early strikes, goes for an abdominal stretch, tries to kick the arm, Shingo avoids it and these guys are very evenly matched early on. Northern Lights suplex from Zack while in a wrist clutch, but Shingo comes right back with a suplex of his own and an elbow drop. Shingo catches a boot to the face attempt, goes for a dragon screw but ZSJ steps back, the momentum pulls Shingo over and ZSJ hits the neck vice twist. Triangle submission applied, Shingo reaches the ropes. Front guillotine, Shingo powers him up into a suplex to break it.

Zack runs into a body slam and a senton, followed by another vertical suplex which gets 2 for Shingo. Hammer and anvil elbows misses the sliding bomber as ZSJ grabs hold of the arm and snaps it back! He bends the arm back and stomps on the elbow now. Zack goes for a sleeper, reversed into a Twist & Shout. Shingo appears to do the Sabu taunt haha and then heads to the top with Zack, top rope superplex connects. Sliding Bomber delivered, but Shingo’s arm is hurt and he can’t make the cover. Made in Japan attempt is blocked, Zack kicks the arm away with a roundhouse. Gory Bomb from Shingo is reversed into an octopus stretch, nicely done sir! Transitions into a pretzel submission until Shingo grabs the ropes.

Joint manipulation from ZSJ now, PK, but Shingo roars back to life with a pumping bomber out of nowhere! Forearms and elbow shots traded, uppercuts from Zack, now targeting the arm. But Shingo with the MADE IN JAPAN! 1, 2, NO. He looks for the Last of the Dragon, blocked though. More strikes exchanged, ZACK DRIVER. 1, 2, NO! Headbutts from Shingo, slaps by Zack, Zack runs into a headbutt from Shingo. They deliver stereo lariats, and Shingo finally gets the Pumping Bomber to take ZSJ down. Last of the Dragon is reversed into a sleeper hold, but Shingo launches backwards to break it. No, ZSJ reapplies, transitions into a triangle submission. Shingo is fading, Red Shoes is about to call for the bell but Shingo grabs him! He muscles Sabre Jr up from the canvas and NAILS the Last of the Dragon! 1, 2, 3!

Winner: Shingo Takagi

Time: 16:13

Rating: **** – YESSSS this is just what I was hoping for from these two. Fast-paced technical wizardry, impressive counters, and a great test of wills, with enough fighting spirit to create drama without verging into overkill. Tremendous finish too.

 

A Block Standings:

EVIL – 10

Zack Sabre Jr – 8

Shota Umino – 6

Gabe Kidd – 6

SANADA – 6

Shingo Takagi – 6

Tetsuya Naito – 6

Callum Newman – 4

Jake Lee – 2

Great-O-Khan – 4

 

B Block Standings:

Yuya Uemura – 6

David Finlay – 6

Konosuke Takeshita – 6

HENARE – 6

Ren Narita – 6

Jeff Cobb – 6

Boltin Oleg – 4

Hirooki Goto – 4

Yota Tsuji – 4

El Phantasmo – 2

 

The middle ground for A Block starts to feel a little more contested now, and I’d imagine those guys on 6 points will keep neck and neck over the remaining nights to give some intrigue on who can possibly reach EVIL’s level.

I won’t be around for Collision coverage tonight unfortunately due to the earlier start time, but I’ll be back tomorrow for more B Block G1 action. See you then everyone!

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

A serviceable undercard pointed towards this being a somewhat lacklustre night, but fortunately the uppercard saved it big time, with SANADA and Umino excelling in their semi-main event spot, and Shingo and ZSJ tearing the house down in that awesome main event. I still think Konosuke Takeshita is the MVP so far, but Shingo is giving him a run for his money, frequently having the MOTN for A Block. The guy simply doesn't miss!