From The Shelf- NJPW G1 Climax 23 Day 7

NJPW G1 Climax 23 Day Seven
8-8-2013
Kanagawa,Yokohama, Japan

Due to injury, Hirooki Goto and Hiroyoshi Tenzan both had to forfeit the rest of their G1 Climax matches. As a result, Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Shinsuke Nakamura, their opponents for the evening, will get two points each for forfeit wins.

Takashi Iizuka and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tomoaki Honma and Captain New Japan
They brawl in the entrance way to start and then they take their fights into the crowd. Back in, HASHI and Captain officially start. Gordbuster on the ropes by HASHI and he hits a dropkick to the back for 2. Tag to Iizuka and he chokes Captain with the tag rope. Iizuka stomps away and Captain comes back with a crossbody. Tag to Honma and he cleans house. Corner forearm into a bulldog to Iizuka and Honma hits a dropping head butt for 2. Forearms by Honma but Iizuka catches him with a reverse atomic drop. Honma comes back with a clothesline and he slams Iizuka. Honma goes up and misses a dropping head butt off the top. Tag to Captain and he hammers away on HASHI. Leaping shoulderblock by Captain and he hits a corner back elbow. Corner clothesline by HASHI and Iizuka hits a reverse atomic drop. Standing blockbuster by HASHI gets 2 as Honma saves. Urinage by Captain gets 2. Slam by Captain and he goes up. Iizuka shoves him off the top and HASHI distracts the ref, allowing Iizuka to nail Captain with his spiked fist. HASHI goes up and hits the Swanton Bomb for 3.
Winners- Takashi Iizuka and YOSHI-HASHI ** (This was fine for a filler match. It basically took up some of the time lost by the two cancelled G1 matches. )

Block B- Yujiro Takahashi (6) vs. Kota Ibushi (6)
Feeling out process to start and Ibushi catches Yujiro with a dropkick forcing him to bail. Back in, Yujiro catches Ibushi with a powerslam. Slam by Yujiro and Ibushi tries to fight back with forearms but Yujiro rakes the eyes to end that. Neckbreaker by Yujiro and he chops away on Ibushi. Ukuza kick by Yujiro and he hits a Fisherman Buster. Backdrop by Ibushi and he hits a hurricanrana that forces Yujiro to bail. Ibushi hits the slingshot moonsault press to the floor. Back in, Ibushi hits a springboard missile dropkick for 2. Standing corkscrew press by Ibushi gets 2. Corner back elbow misses and Yujiro hits a Ukuza kick in the corner. Ibushi escapes an Angle Slam attempt and hits a high kick to the head of Yujiro. Lariat by Yujiro and both men are down. Pele kick by Ibushi and he hits a snap German suplex for 2. Angle Slam by Yujiro gets 2. Ibushi escapes a dead lift German suplex attempt and fires away but Yujiro catches him with a German suplex for 2. Tokyo Pimps by Yujiro gets 3.
Winner- Yujiro Takahashi *** ( Fun match as Yujiro used his cunning and strength to put down the lightning fast offense of Ibushi. Ibushi now has not won a match since Day Three. )

Block B- Karl Anderson (6) vs. Yuji Nagata (6)
Feeling out process and Anderson bails when Nagata goes for the arm. Back in, Anderson bites the head of Nagata and he hits a shoulder block. Jabs by Nagata and he knocks Anderson down forcing him to bail. Anderson tries to bail through the crowd but Nagata follows and they brawl. Anderson wraps Nagata’s arm around the railings and he kicks the arm. Back in, Anderson works over the arm and he rakes the face of Nagata. Anderson bites the head of Nagata and he stomps away on the leg of Nagata. Anderson drives his boot into the face of Nagata and he charges but Nagata hits a knee to the gut. Kicks to the chest by Nagata and he hits the Ukuza kick in the corner. Dropkick to the leg by Nagata and he hits a big boot. Anderson blocks a Brainbuster attempt and Nagata hits some forearms. Anderson bites the head of Nagata and he hits a bicycle kick in the corner. Neckbreaker by Anderson gets 2. Anderson goes up but Nagata follows up. They trade forearms and Nagata hits a super exploder suplex off gthe top for 2!!! Anderson blocks the Saito suplex and Nagata catches him in the Fujiwara arm bar. Anderson gets his foot on the ropes to break. They trade counters and Anderson hits the spinebuster for 2. Release German suplex by Nagata gets 2. Nagata goes for the Exploder suplex but Anderson counters into the Gun Stun for 3!!!
Winner- Karl Anderson ***1/2 ( This was a sweet match. Last few minutes were very exciting as I’m a sucker for great counter wrestling. )

Block A- Prince Devitt w/Bad Luck Fale (8) vs. Katsuyori Shibata (6)
Prince Devitt puts on BOXING GLOVES before the match because he’s awesome. The ref tells him no boxing but Devitt tells him, “I WANT TO FUCKING KNOCK HIM OUT.” Shibata hammers away early and he charges in the corner but Devitt bails. Devitt calls him a bitch on the floor and draws him into a chase ending with a Fale clothesline. Devitt nails Shibata in the back with a chair and he leaps off the apron with a chair shot. Devitt hits a running dropkick knocking Shibata over the railings and into the crowd. Back in, Devitt snapmares Shibata and grabs a neck twist. Chops by Devitt have no effect but a running chop by Devitt finally gets the job done. Shibata misses a Ukuza kick and Devitt hits a chop to the back. Shibata finally catches Devitt and fires away with forearms in the corner. Hesitation dropkick in the corner by Shibata but Devitt comes back with a corner dropkick. Devitt goes up and he hits a double stomp to the back of a standing Shibata for 2. Saito suplex by Shibata and both men are down. They trade forearms and Shibata hits some kicks to the chest. Spinning front kick by Devitt but Shibata catches him in the sleeper. Fale breaks it up with a chair shot to the back and Devitt hits the Paroxysm for 2. Devitt goes up for the double stomp off the top but Shibata moves. Sleeper by Shibata and he releases for the running kick but Fale trips him. Shibata slaps Fale to knock him off the apron and he hits a slingshot pescado to Fale on the floor. Back in, Shibata charges in the corner but eats boot and he hits a knee to the gut. Running kick to the chest by Shibata and he hits the GTS for 3.
Winner- Katsuyori Shibata ***1/4 ( Fun, albeit short match, as Devitt’s heel antics were phenomenal and Shibata gave him the stiff beating that Devitt deserved. )

Block A- Tomohiro Ishii (4) vs. Kazuchika Okada (6)
They trade forearms and Okada hits a back elbow. Snap mare and Okada hits a basement dropkick. Ishii charges in the corner but eats elbow and he comes back with a powerslam. Ishii dumps Okada to the floor and he follows out where Ishii sends Okada into the railings. Back in, Okada hits some forearms and he stomps away in the corner which Ishii no sells. Chops by Ishii and he fires away with forearms and chops in the corner. Corner clothesline misses and Okada hits a swinging neckbreaker. Uppercuts by Okada and he hits a flap jack. Big boot by Okada and he hits a Bow Tie neckbreaker for 2. Slam by Okada and he goes up. Flying elbow drop off the top by Okada and he goes for the Rainmaker but Ishii blocks. Saito suplex by Ishii gets 2. Ishii puts Okada on top and follows up. Superplex by Ishii gets 2. Okada blocks a lariat and Ishii hits an enzuigiri. Powerbomb by Ishii gets 2. Okada counters a Brainbuster attempt into a DDT. Air Raid Backbreaker by Okada gets 2. DVD by Okada gets 2. Ishii blocks the Tombstone attempt and he hits a lariat for 2. They trade forearms and Okada misses a dropkick. He misses a second dropkick and Ishii hits a Northern lariat. Okada catches him with a third dropkick but Ishii comes back with a RAINMAKER!!! Lariat by Ishii gets 2!!!! Okada escapes a Brainbustwer attempt and Ishii blocks a Rainmaker attempt. Okada catches him with a Tombstone and he hits the Rainmaker for 3.
Winner- Kazuchika Okada ***1/2 ( Hell of a ten minute match, as Ishii battled tooth and nail with the champ and had everyone believing he beat Okada on the near fall off the lariat late. I’d love to see these two go at it again with more time, it would be something special. )

Block A- Lance Archer (4) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (6)
Archer overpowers Tanahashi to start and Tanahashi comes back with a jawbreaker. Archer charge in the corner but eats elbow. Tanahashi goes for a springboard crossbody but Archer catches him. Tanahashi trips Archer up but Archer catches him with a clothesline knocking him off the apron. Archer follows and he sends Tanahashi into the railings. Chops by Archer and he hits a leg drop on the apron. Back in, Archer slams Tanahashi but he misses a leg drop. Basement dropkick by Tanahashi but Archer catches him with a Black Hole Slam for 2. Archer hammers the chest of Tanahashi for 2. Forearms by Tanahashi and he hits some shots to the midsection. Tanahashi goes for a suplex but Archer blocks and reverses into his own. Archer goes up and he misses a Frog Splash off the top. Corner cross body by Tanahashi and he hits a flying forearm. Tanahashi hammers away and he counters a big boot attempt into a Dragon screw leg sweep. Big boot by Archer and he hits a second when Tanahashi attempts to skin the cat. Back in, Archer hits a Jackknife Powerbomb for 2. Lariat by Archer and he goes for the Reverse DDT but Tanahashi blocks. Sling Blade by Tanahashi and he goes up. Archer stops him and he goes for the Blackout but Tanahashi escapes. Archer rams Tanahashi into the corner to block a Straight Jacket German Suplex and Archer hits a sit-out full nelson slam for 2. Tanahashi blocks a Chokeslam attempt and he dropkicks the leg of Archer. Archer catches him with a Chokeslam for 2. Archer goes for Blackout again but Tanahashi counters into the Final Cut in mid-air!!! Tanahash goes up and hits a crossbody off the top. Tanahashi goes up again and hits High Fly Low for 3.
Winner- Hiroshi Tanahashi ***1/2 ( Damn good effort from these two, with Archer relying on his strength to pull off the upset but Tanahashi was too smart for him to overcome. )

Block B- Toru Yano (4) vs. Tetsuya Naito (6)
Yano attacks as Naito enters the ring to start. He chokes Naito with his jacket and Naito comes back with a dropkick. Snap mare and Naito grabs a chinlock. Naito releases and goes to the cover for 2. Yano charges in the corner but eats elbow and Naito goes up. Yano pulls him down to the mat and he dumps Naito to the floor. Yano sends Naito into the railings and they brawl in the crowd. Back in, Yano sends Naito into the exposed corner. Hip toss by Yano gets 1 and he goes to the half crab. Naito makes the ropes to break and Yano sends Naito into the exposed corner once more. Naito comes back with a dropkick from behind that knocks Yano into the exposed corner. Slingshot basement dropkick in the corner by Naito and he hits a hip toss. Basement dropkick by Naito and he hits a swinging neckbreaker for 2. Yano charges in the corner but misses and he comes back with a reverse atomic drop. Yano catapults Naito into the exposed corner and he hits the powerbomb for 2. Enzugiiri by Naito and he hits a flying forearm. Naito puts Yano on top and follows up. Hurricanrana off the top by Naito and he goes up again. Missile dropkick to the back by Naito and he hits a German suplex for 2. Naito goes up and he misses the Stardust Press. Naito slaps away and he goes for a German suplex but Yano goes low to block. Naito catches him with a wheelbarrow roll-up for 2 and then gets the O’Connor roll for 2. Low blow by Yano and he cradles Naito for 3!!!
Winner- Toru Yano *** ( Naito works his ass off in the final few minutes to make this a more compelling and exciting match than Yano’s have in the entire tournament. He wrestled with a sense of urgency and didn’t bother to deal with Yano’s Schick like others have during the tournament. )

Block B- Shelton Benjamin (6) vs. Minoru Suzuki (6)
Feeling out process to start and Suzuki catches Benjamin in a heel hook. Benjamin makes the ropes to break. Suzuki stomps on the leg of Benjamin and they trade forearms. Big boot by Benjamin knocks Suzuki off the apron and Benjamin follows out. He sends Suzuki into the railings and Suzuki fires back with forearms. Snap mare on the floor by Benjamin and he rakes the face of Suzuki. Back in, Benjamin stomps away on Suzuki and he hammers him with forearms on the mat. Benjamin chokes Suzuki with his boot and he goes for the Stinger Splash but misses. Ukuza kick by Suzuki and he hits some kicks to the chest. Running kick to the chest by Suzuki gets 2. Spinning heel kick by Benjamin and he hits the Stinger Splash. Suzuki blocks the German suplex attempt and he catches Benjamin in the Ankle Lock. Benjmain rolls through into his own. Suzuki rolls through that and Benjamin hits a superkick. Benjamin hits a running knee strike from the apron and he goes up. Blockbuster off the top by Benjamin gets 2. Suzuki blocks Pay Dirt and goes for the sleeper but Benjamin escapes. Suzuki finally catches Benjamin in the sleeper and he converts it into the Gotch Piledriver for 3.
Winner- Minoru Suzuki **3/4 ( I thought the wrestling was rock solid but this match had ZERO heat. You could literally hear a pin drop in the arena during the match and that killed any excitement that the finishing sequence should have had. )

Block A- Satoshi Kojima (6) vs. Togi Makabe (6)
Feeling out process to start and they trade chops. They trade forearms and Makabe takes him down with a shoulderblock. Snap mare and Makabe grabs a chinlock. He releases and begins to go to work on the left arm of Kojima. Kojima goes to the ropes to stop that and Makabe dumps him to the floor. Makabe follows and he sends Kojima into the railings. Makabe is reversed into the railings and Kojima stomps on the back of Makabe. He rams Makabe into the railings and back in, Kojima grabs a half crab. Makabe goes to the ropes to break and they trade forearms again. Makabe fights back with rights and he knocks Kojima down. Corner clotheslines by Makabe and he hits some punches in the corner. Kojima hammers the back of Makabe and he chops away in the corner. Rapid chops in the corner by Kojima and he hits a corner forearm. Kojima looks to go up but Makabe knocks him off the apron before he gets the chance. Makabe follows out and he rams Kojima against the railings. Kojima chop blocks Makabe on the apron and he hits an apron DDT to Makabe. Back in, Kojima goes up and he hits an elbow drop off the top for 2. They trade forearms and Kojima hits a rolling elbow. Makabe comes back with a powerslam and both men are down. Ace Crusher by Kojima and he hits the Brainbuster for 2. German suplex by Makabe gets 2. DVD by Makabe and he goes up. King Kong Knee Drop misses and both men are down again. Northern lariat by Kojima and they block each other’s lariat attempts. Dragon suplex by Makabe gets 2. Lariat by Kojima and the power takes him all the way to the floor!!! Kojima makes it in before the 20 count and he covers Makabe for 2. They trade forearms and Makabe hits a chop to the head. Powerbomb by Makabe gets 1. Northern lariat in the corner by Makabe and he puts Kojima on top. Hanging German suplex off the top by Makabe and he hits the King Kong Knee Drop for 3.
Winner- Togi Makabe ***1/2 ( Damn good main event. I loved how both guys targeted injures the other sustained during the tournament and the match boiled down to a battle of wills. Good stuff to end a pretty solid show.)

Standings:
Block A: Devitt (8), Goto (8), Makabe (8), Tanahashi (8), Okada (8), Smith Jr. (8), Shibata (8), Kojima (6), Ishii (4), Archer (4)
Block B: Nakamura (10), Suzuki (8), Takahashi (8), Anderson (8), Benjamin (6), Tenzan (6), Naito (6), Nagata (6), Ibushi (6), Yano (6)

The 411: This was an incredibly fun show. Every match except the opener was entertaining with a couple of the matches being quite good. Another nice addition to what has been a sensational set of shows during this tournament. The leader board is tight as everyone is still in contention heading into the final two days so the next two shows should be wild.
Final Score:  7.0   [ Good ]