Sambus’ NJPW G1 Climax 34 Night 7 Review

Location: Fukuoka, Japan

Venue: Convention Center

English Commentary: Walker Stewart & Jeff Cobb

 

[A Block] Callum Newman [4] vs EVIL [8]

Dick Togo attacks Newman while he makes his entrance, what a delightful start to an EVIL match. EVIL heads up the ramp, goes for a Magic Killer on Newman with Togo’s assistance, but Newman counters and nails a suplex on the ramp. They make it into the ring, where Newman fires off a Spin kick, goes for the Oscutter but EVIL hightails it out of the ring.

Newman builds speed running the ropes but Togo trips him up. EVIL rakes the eyes and whips Newman into the railings a few times – Newman tries to reverse, but EVIL reverses the reversal and Newman goes flying into the railings once more. Togo prevents Newman from re-entering the ring, until he gets distracted and Newman leaps from the railings over Togo to dive back into the ring at 18, nice. He is met by a suplex from EVIL for 2.

Newman welcomes a few chops but gets a poke in the eyes, comes back with an enziguri. Newman gets EVIL seated in the ropes, hits a dropkick to the back, 1, 2, no. Running uppercut and a flying forearm connect for Newman, EVIL moves the turnbuckle padding, Newman with a double stomp to the back. Newman locks in a Liontamer, sits further down into a Boston Crab but in comes Dick Togo to choke him out while EVIL holds the referee down. Superkick to Togo, EVIL shoves the ref into Newman…and Newman uses the referee to deliver a Magic Killer of his own to EVIL! Ha. Springboard stomp misses but he comes back with a Busaiku knee for 2. Everything is Evil attempt, roundhouse from Newman, can’t get the Oscutter though. EVIL sends him into the exposed buckles, and Everything is Evil connects this time for the 3.

Winner: EVIL

Time: 9:08

Rating: **3/4 – I still hate all the House of Torture shtick but Newman had great offense to counter it so that was fun. Newman has come off extremely well so far in this G1.

 

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[A Block] Great-O-Khan [0] vs Jake Lee [2]

Lee drops O-Khan with a knee to the gut and tosses him to the outside. Lee does push ups in the ring to show his wrist is fine despite being taped up. He heads out to whip O-Khan into the railings, brings him back inside for the cover for 2. Cravate hold applied and O-Khan reaches the ropes. Body slam, another 2 count. Lee holds wrist control and delivers a series of knees to the midsection against the ropes, followed by a sleeper. Kick to the chest, 1, 2, no. O-Khan takes him down with a dragon screw and kicks the knee, working over the lower limbs. Heel hook but Lee grabs the ropes. Another takedown by O-Khan and he applies an ankle lock now…Lee fights it but O-Khan hooks it in again and grapevines the leg. O-Khan captures the arm as well for added pressure, but somehow Lee makes the ropes.

Knee strike by Lee, pump kick and a Mongolian chop combo from O-Khan, followed by a straight right hand. But Lee comes right back with a big knee and a back suplex, 1, 2, no. Facebreak shot misses, O-Khan with a waistlock, German suplex. Lee looks for a chokeslam, O-Khan applies the claw instead but Lee breaks it and delivers another knee. Twisting flatliner, Eliminator! 1, 2, 3.

Winner: Great O-Khan

Time: 11:06

Rating: *** – And Great O-Khan finally gets some points. Pretty good outing, it just didn’t kick into a higher gear.

 

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[A Block] Shota Umino [4] vs Zack Sabre Jr [8]

Both men evenly matched in the early goings, Umino catches Zack off-guard with a dropkick. He looks for the apron DDT but ZSJ goads him in and sweeps the leg to knock him to the outside. ZSJ batters the leg against the railing and kicks it, before allowing Umino to climb back in the ring. Heel twist forces Umino to grab the ropes. Uppercuts by Zack now but this fires Umino up and he delivers a dropkick, only to hurt the leg in the process. Fisherman’s suplex gets a 2 count for Umino, he goes for a uranage but ZSJ stamps the foot. Umino finally gets the apron DDT though, and they both recuperate on the floor. Umino goes up top, diving dropkick and an exploder suplex gets another 2 count. Snapmare from Shota, but ZSJ fires back with a dropkick to the knees. Zack traps the ankles, looking for a surfboard, and hits the surfboard stomp. Strike exchange on their feet until Umino gets an inverted Twist & Shout to create some space.

Pendulum side slam gets a 2 for Umino, Ignition connects, but ZSJ counters, no Umino gets a rollup for 2. Death Rider! 1, 2, no. Blaze Blade is caught by a triangle hold, and ZSJ transitions into a cross-armbreaker, then switches into a kneebar. He pulls Umino into the center of the ring…wraps him up in a reverse figure four but Umino won’t tap. He finally makes the ropes and Sabre Jr has to break the hold. More kicks to the leg, and they work to a standing position, hitting uppercuts on each other. Stiff shots! Zack Driver attempt, Umino misses a dropkick and gets a PK to the chest for his troubles. Big kick to the chest from Zack, he is laying in these kicks! Forearms from Umino and an enziguri, and Umino hits the Blaze Blade but just gets a 2. Zack with a flash pinfall for 2, dropkick avoided by ZSJ, German suplex! But Umino comes right back with a Blaze Blade from behind, 1, 2, no. Pumphandle powerslam and the Death Rider connects, 1, 2, 3. Zack Sabre Jr’s undefeated streak is over.

Winner: Shota Umino

Time: 19:20

Rating: ***1/2 – They did a lot to pick this up in the last stretch, as early on this didn’t grab me. Umino’s charisma often seems to vanish when the bell rings so it can be hard to get invested, but him working through all of Zack’s leg offense and pulling out all the stops helped here. That uppercut exchange was sweeeeet.

 

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[A Block] Shingo Takagi [4] vs Gabe Kidd [4]

Big boots right out of the gate, and this one won’t go long. They keep trading big boots until Kidd takes Shingo down with a shoulder block, although Shingo comes right back with one of his own. Kidd welcomes the forearm shots and then chops Shingo back. They deliver chops to each other in the corner, combination chops and jabs from Shingo, and a double handed chop takes Kidd down. Suplex by Kidd, and Kidd mocks Shingo by saying it’s his time. Neither man can get control for a suplex, but a Twist & Shout by Shingo connects. Shingo finally gets the suplex for 2.

Shingo baits Kidd in and avoids a lariat from behind. And now it’s Takagi Time! Kick to the spine, Kidd bites the ear though. Knife edge chops delivered by both guys, Kidd is the first to fade. Jabs from Shingo, and now it’s his turn to bite Kidd’s ear. Exploder suplex by Kidd though. Shingo elbows out of another exploder, hits one of his own, but Kidd comes back with a back suplex. Saito suplex connects for Shingo and both men go down.

They stand in opposite corners and charge in for double lariats. Neither man goes down, repeated shots here. Wrist control between both men as they continue to deliver lariats. Shingo is rocked, and Kidd builds steam with lariats to the front and back. Headbutts now, Takagi with a lariat for a 1 count, Kidd gets a 1 count too. Shingo gets a huge pumping bomber to finally take some control. Last of the Dragon, Kidd avoids it, counters into a piledriver…but Takagi is back to his feet and hits the sliding bomber. Pumping bomber connects too, 1, 2, no! Hammer and anvil elbows from Takagi, Kidd with an open palm strike, and slaps now. Shingo catches him with a slap of his own. Elbow shots, Kidd walks into them, and walks into a headbutt. Rebound lariat by Kidd! Kidd fires himself up, looks for a piledriver, Shingo catches him with a headbutt. Shingo hoists Kidd up but receives another headbutt and the piledriver. A second jumping piledriver provides the exclamation point! 1, 2, 3.

Winner: Gabe Kidd

Time: 13:50

Rating: **** – Insane pace from the opening bell, and this did not let up. Absolute war with both guys giving everything they’ve got. Get this in your veins.

Post-match, Gabe Kidd bows to Shingo in a show of respect! He stretches out the hand for a handshake…Shingo shakes. NO Kidd low-blows him, what a prick.

 

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[A Block] Tetsuya Naito [2] vs SANADA [4]

Naito grounds SANADA with a side headlock, SANADA trips Naito but Naito applies a headscissors. SANADA escapes, but Naito goes right back to the side headlock. Clean break in the ropes, SANADA kicks him in and sends him to the floor, but Naito knocks him off the apron. Naito with the tranquilo pose but SANADA right back in to dropkick him in the face!

On the outside, Naito is whipped into the railings, and gets back suplexed onto the apron. Cover, 1, 2, no. Another back suplex connects, still just a 2. Skull End attempt, Naito reverses into a reverse DDT across the knee. Arm drag and a dropkick by Naito, positions SANADA in the corner and drops him across the knee. Stalling neckbreaker connects, 1, 2, no. Snapmare, crucifix body scissors applied as SANADA struggles for the ropes and eventually gets there with his feet. Abdominal stretch, SANADA hits his way out of it and delivers a dropkick. Springboard plancha connects with Naito on the outside.

Side Russian Leg sweep gets a 2 for SANADA. Back elbow and another neckbreaker by Naito, and both guys take a breather on the canvas. Elbow shots to the back of the neck on SANADA before Naito hoists him to the top rope. Hurracanrana! Dropkick to the knee by SANADA and he gets the Magic Screw as both men are down again. SANADA up top, misses the moonsault, tornado DDT avoided, shining wizard avoided, but Naito manages to deliver a spinebuster. Destino countered into a TKO!

SANADA kips up and waits for Naito to get to his knees. Shining Wizard connects, and SANADA goes up top again, moonsault! 1, 2, NO. SANADA can’t get the Dead Fall, and Naito reverses with a suplex. Destino avoided, prawn hold from SANADA! 1, 2, no. Another Shining Wizard connects! Destino hits (again looks like crap), 1, 2, NO. Destino hits once more (nailed it), 1, 2, 3.

Winner: Tetsuya Naito

Time: 17:45

Rating: ***1/2 – The current crop of Naito matches are plagued by the fact that he’s not even close to 100%, but he was on decent form here (apart from the Russian roulette of actually hitting the Destino). While it’s nothing we haven’t seen from both guys before, the fact that they know each other so well allows them to pull out some creative counters and reversals, so there’s fun to be had here.

 

A Block Standings:

EVIL – 10

Zack Sabre Jr – 8

Shota Umino – 6

Gabe Kidd – 6

SANADA – 4

Shingo Takagi – 4

Tetsuya Naito – 4

Callum Newman – 4

Jake Lee – 2

Great-O-Khan – 2

 

B Block Standings:

Yuya Uemura – 6

Konosuke Takeshita – 6

HENARE – 4

Ren Narita – 4

Boltin Oleg – 4

Jeff Cobb – 4

Yota Tsuji – 2

El Phantasmo – 2

Hirooki Goto – 4

David Finlay – 4

 

The G1 resumes on Wednesday, highlighted by Konosuke Takeshita vs David Finlay, which has serious potential. See you then!

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

The good times continue to roll! Night 7 brought us that beast of a match between Shingo and Gabe Kidd, which will surely give the 'MEAT' fans something to talk about. Again, its the perfect sort of match offered in the G1 - 14 minutes of pure adrenaline and vicious strikes. I didn't have much faith in Naito vs SANADA but it ended up being rather good, even if its more of the same from them. Others may go higher on Umino/ZSJ too as it built up to some pretty high peaks towards the finish; I'm just not fully invested in Umino's direction right now.