Sambus’ NJPW G1 Climax 34 Night 8 Review

Location: Yamaguchi, Japan

Venue: KDDI Ishin Hal

English Commentary: Walker Stewart

 

[B Block] Boltin Oleg [4] vs Yota Tsuji [2]

Oleg out of the gate with a forearm to Tsuji. Charging shoulder block takes him down but Tsuji gets the knees up on the splash. Tsuji misses a diving headbutt attempt, Oleg goes for the gutwrench but Tsuji fights out of it. Tsuji stands on the midsection of Oleg in the corner, driving the boots into the gut. He tries for a Boston Crab, can’t lock it in but stomps the midsection anyway.

Oleg gets another shoulder block and hits the standing splash this time for 2. Gutwrench suplex connects, Oleg kips up. They jostle for a backslide, Tsuji transitions into a suplex. He looks for the Boston Crab again but Oleg once again fights it. Misses a splash in the corner, rollup by Tsuji for 2. Boot to the head, Tsuji finally turns him into the Boston Crab. Oleg crawls to the ropes, Tsuji pulls him back into the center, releases the hold and hits a curb stomp. Rising knee to the FACE. Marlowe Crash avoided, Oleg delivers a shotgun dropkick to give him some space. Kamikaze, no Tsuji cradles him for 2. Lariat by Oleg, again looks for Kamikaze, finally nails it. 1, 2, no! Oleg goes for a second Kamikaze, Tsuji drops down behind and hits the Gene Blaster for the 1, 2, 3.

Winner: Yota Tsuji

Time: 10:08

Rating: *** – Oleg was presented as more of an underdog here, and they told a simple story of him trying to hit the Kamikaze, with it ultimately not being enough. Oleg shows his inexperience by going to the well once too often, and Tsuji caught him for the win. Not bad.

 

Post-match Gabe Kidd joins English commentary and Walker Stewart asks for his best behavior.

 

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[B Block] Yuya Uemura [6] vs HENARE [4]

Uemura attempts some shoulder blocks, but HENARE’s Mana is too much and he levels Uemura with a lariat. Uemura comes back with one of his beautiful arm drags and controls the arm. Chops delivered in the corner, HENARE smacks him back with a big forearm and a back elbow, but misses the disaster kick. Leaping headbutt connects, and a kick to the spine. Flurry of shots in the corner from HENARE and kicks follow up with Uemura in a seated position. Senton splash gets 2.

Uemura ducks a few rights and lefts, runs the ropes and HENARE hits a Blue Thunder bomb for 2. Flying forearm takes HENARE down and they both take a breather. Armdrag and dropkick combination from Uemura, he readies himself in the corner and hits a running lariat, HENARE avoids a suplex attempt but Uemura hits a back suplex for 2. Flying crossbody, HENARE rolls through, gets him on his shoulders, Maori drop. They go face to face and exchange right hands. HENARE fires up and they pick up the pace. Stiff kicks from HENARE now, Uemura sticking with the chops. Right hand to the gut and more kicks as Uemura goes down and HENARE continues the assault. Uemura catches the leg though, looks for the Dragon suplex and hits it! HENARE comes right back with a lariat combination. 1, 2, no. Dropkick catches him, diving crossbody connects for 2. Uemura back up top, High Fly Flow but HENARE gets the knees up! Right hand catches HENARE but he comes back with the Native Knee! Fisherman’s suplex avoided, Uemura hits a German suplex for 2 instead. Uemura traps the arms, looking for the Dead Bolt, but HENARE drives him into the corner to prevent it. Spinning roundhouse kick, Uemura with a Pele kick, HENARE with a PK and a Rampage uranage, 1, 2, NO.

Streets of Rage avoided, Uemura gets the Dragon Suplex, 1, 2, no. HENARE headbutts out of the Dead Bolt attempt, Hammerhead shot connects and he gets Uemura up on his shoulders… Uemura desperately tries to fight out of it but HENARE nails a huge Death Valley Driver! 1, 2, 3.

Winner: HENARE

Time: 15:34

Rating: ***1/2 – More good stuff from these two, who are both excelling in this tournament. Great back and forth action, and both guys look strong coming out of this.

 

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[B Block] El Phantasmo [2] vs Jeff Cobb [4]

Cobb extends the hand to ELP in the corner to help him to his feet, Cobb turns his back and ELP goes for a rollup! Cobb escapes, shoulder blocks ELP down. Deadlift suplex attempt, ELP rolls behind, hits a hurracanrana takedown to the outside. Tope suicida, ELP goes for one more but Cobb nails him with a right hand. Cobb lifts ELP through the ropes, ELP slips behind and shoves him into the ringpost. Up to the top, ELP hits a moonsault to the floor!

In the ring, ELP jumps at Cobb, Cobb catches him and hits a release belly to belly. Corner splash avoided but ELP runs into a back elbow and a pounce as ELP is launched halfway across the ring. Cobb stands on the back for the surfboard pose, and ELP gets right back up for some right hands but is dropped with the Hammer & Sickle takedown.

Up on the buckles, a right hand knocks ELP loopy, and Cobb heads up there with him. Stalling superplex! 1, 2, no. Cobb immediately delivers a standing moonsault for another 2. ELP goes for a hurrancanrana, Cobb holds on, ELP gets a rollup for 2. Enziguri connects, wrist clutch broken, Tour of the Islands blocked, and ELP hits a tornado DDT out of the corner. Sudden Death! 1, 2, no. Springboard senton/lionsault combination connects for another 2 for ELP. Cobb back up, F5000! He can’t make the cover though.

Elbow from Cobb rocks ELP, and they get into a slugfest. Big boot from ELP, body splash from Cobb, dropkick takes Cobb down and ELP kips up, that leg is still bothering him from the other day though. He briefly pauses on a Springboard crossbody attempt and is caught in the Tour of the Islands!! 1, 2, 3.

Winner: Jeff Cobb

Time: 11:13

Rating: ***1/2 – Loved that finish! ELP was doing well to hold up against someone the stature of Cobb, but once again his own body let him down, and Cobb used that brief moment to catch him with the Tour of the Islands. Reeeeeaaaally nice.

 

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[B Block] Hirooki Goto [4] vs Ren Narita [4]

Narita jumps Goto just before the bell rings to get an early advantage, but it doesn’t last long as Goto regathers himself. Goto sits in the middle of the ring while Narita wastes time on the outside. They trade places and Narita catches Goto with a boot to the face on the apron. To the floor, Narita whips Goto into the railings. Narita grabs the ring bell, the referee gets shoved while trying to grab it back, so Narita grabs a chair and hits Goto with it instead.

Back in the ring, Narita whips Goto throat first into the bottom rope. Rear chinlock applied and a rake to the eyes. Goto fights back with open hand strikes and a misdirection lariat. Spinning wheelkick in the corner, Saito suplex, 1, 2, no. Bulldog out of the corner from Goto, 1, 2, no. Narita with a choke and an exploder suplex. He charges in the corner, running pump kick, half suplex, rolls into a guillotine, until Goto gets his foot on the bottom rope. Knee to the gut from Narita, Goto hits the ushigoroshi to turn the tables though.

Narita locks in a sleeper, Goto shrugs it off, but the guillotine stomp connects and Narita rolls to the outside. Narita brings in the sword of Goto, referee Marty Asami takes it off him, but Narita sends Goto into him. Rake to the eyes of Goto and of course Narita now gets the reinforced push-up bar. But Goto has the sword! They clash weapons and Goto manages to smack Narita across the back with the sword. Narita goes for a low blow, Goto catches the arm. Shoulder blocks delivered, headbutts now, lariat drops Narita to the mat. Low blow connects while Narita distracts the referee. The Double Cross follows for the 1, 2, 3.

Winner: Ren Narita

Time: 12:17

Rating: **1/4 – For most G1 matches, participants like to change things up, showing off different styles and showcasing a variety of offense as the tournament progresses. I don’t see that at all from Narita, who does exactly the same thing every single match. Yes, that’s the ‘House of Torture’ gimmick of having the worst matches on the card, but it’s incredibly frustrating as a viewer.

 

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[B Block] Konosuke Takeshita [6] vs David Finlay [4]

Takeshita and Finlay pull each other’s hair in the ropes, and Takeshita smacks him, not giving a clean break. Dropkick by Takeshita and he applies a chinlock, Finlay tries to escape but Takeshita cinches it in. Takeshita sits on the top rope, Finlay rushes in and shoves him to the floor. Finlay heads out to join him, drives him into the railings. Finlay bends the fingers of Takeshita back around the railings before tossing him back inside the ring.

Suplex by Finlay gets a 1 count. Takeshita works out of a crossface chickenwing and delivers a boot to the face, rebounding off the ropes with a flying forearm. Brainbuster follows in the center of the ring! Takeshita runs in for the Powerdrive knee in the corner, Finlay dodges and Takeshita falls all the way over the turnbuckles to the floor! Finlay takes a big run up and shoves him hard into the railings again. Finlay tries again but gets shoved fact-first into the ringpost. Snapmare on the outside, Takeshita digs under the ring and piles up chairs on top of Finlay. SPRINGBOARD FLIPPING SENTON INTO THE PILE OF CHAIRS!! That SOUNDED disgusting, let alone how vicious it looked! Finlay manages to make it back into the ring at 19, but Takeshita meets him with a frog splash off the top for 2.

Takeshita goes back up top again, goes for a diving senton but Finlay gets the knees up! Irish curse! 1, 2, no. They work to the apron, Finlay looking for a piledriver, can’t get it. Takeshita misses a swinging punch and Finlay shoves him into the ringpost, getting him back in the ring for the Dominator. 1, 2, no. Finlay goes for another, gets back body dropped, but a roaring elbow connects, only for Takeshita to come back with the Powerdrive knee. Takeshita looks for a brainbuster, Finlay counters with an Into Oblivion! 1, 2, no. Takeshita with a flash pinfall, 1, 2, no. Standing switches, Red Shoes gets inadvertently hit with a flying forearm. Buckle bomb by Finlay, Takeshita with a right hand and the Last Ride powerbomb, referee Red Shoes is still out of it though. Gedo keeps him occupied when he comes round. Takeshita gets distracted by Gedo, allowing Finlay to clock him with the shillelagh. 1, 2, NO, Takeshita is still in it!

Huge forearm by Takeshita. He gets tripped by Gedo, so he grabs Gedo by the beard, dodges and Finlay runs into him instead. Poisonrana followed by the Blue Thunder bomb, 1, 2, no. Backslide from Finlay, rolls into the Overkill, 1, 2, 3!

Winner: David Finlay

Time: 18:23

Rating: ***3/4 – So Takeshita is 4 for 4 on G1 bangers. The Gedo stuff was kept to a minimum and ultimately didn’t play into the actual finish which I very much appreciate – this can be considered a relatively clean victory by Finlay. Also that springboard flipping senton to the outside on the pile of chairs was an insane spot; how Takeshita’s hips and lower back didn’t disintegrate I will never know! B Block is now anyone’s game, with 6 men all sharing the top spot with 6 points. THE INTRIGUE!

 

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

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

 

Competitors will get a few days off, and then return on Saturday in Osaka, where A Block action will see Shingo Takagi vs Zack Sabre Jr. MY BODY IS READY.

7.4

The final score: review Good

The 411

Another show in the 7-ish territory, as the G1 has been supremely watchable so far, with only a few dull spots. The trend of Narita matches being largely skippable continued, and the opener was merely 'decent' but the other three contests were very good, bordering on great. I've been a fan of Takeshita for a while but he's been on another level in the G1, and that continued tonight with a fabulous main event against Finlay. Don't overlook Uemura/HENARE and Cobb/ELP though, as they equally delivered for B block.