By Sean Radican, Torch columnist

RADICAN’S “G1 CLIMAX 25: NIGHT 9” BLOG
AUG. 2, 2015
NAGOYA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPWWORLD.COM

I’m not watching the tag matches on the undercard this year, but I will include the results. If anything noteworthy happens in a particular tag match, I will watch it.

Update: This show has full cameras, but no commentary on NJPW World.

UNDERCARD RESULTS

(1) IWGP Jr. Hvt. champion KUSHIDA & Satoshi Kojima & Ryusuke Taguchi & Yohei Komatsu beat Honma & Tiger Mask & Mascara Dorada & David Finlay, Jr. in an eight-man tag match.

(2) Bullet Club (Cody Hall & Yujiro Takahashi) beat Michael Elgin & Jay White.

(3) Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI beat IWGP IC champion Hirooki Goto & Yuji Nagata & Captain New Japan in a six-man tag match.

(4) Bullet Club (Karl Anderson & Tama Tonga) beat IWGP World Hvt. champion Kazuchika Okada & Gedo.


G1 CLIMAX 25: NIGHT 9 A BLOCK RESULTS & ANALYSIS

(5) Kota Ibushi (4) vs. NWA Champion Hiroyoshi Tenzan (2) in a G1 Climax A Block match. Tenzan got the upper hand early. He actually dropped Ibushi with just one double chop and then did it again. Ibushi fired back and caught Tenzan with a dropkick off the ropes. He set up for his signature moonsault, but Tenzan got out of the way. Ibushi nearly managed to roll all the way into the guardrail on the floor, but pulled up short after he crashed and burned. Tenzan grabbed a headlock on Ibushi once he made his way back into the ring. Ibushi countered a Tenzan suplex and hit one of his own a short time later. The fans fired up behind Ibushi and he nailed Tenzan with a springboard missile dropkick. Tenzan fired back a short time later and hit a suplex of his own. They went back and forth and Ibushi went for a standing moonsault, but Tenzan got his knees up and both men were slow to get up. They went to a strike exchange and began trading double chops. Tenzan eventually caught Ibushi coming off the ropes and dumped him down to the mat. Tenzan then grabbed the anaconda vice. Tenzan tried to slam Ibushi when he stood up, but Ibushi nailed him with a kick and then a standing moonsault for a 2 count. Ibushi set up for a powerbomb, but Tenzan backdropped him. He then walked into a superkick from Ibushi as he came off the ropes. Ibushi went up top and hit the Phoenix splash for the win.

Winner: Kota Ibushi (6 pts.)

Star rating: (**3/4) – This was a good match, but I never got the feeling that Tenzan could win. The match seemed to end out of nowhere with Ibushi just hitting the Phoenix splash after mounting a comeback. This was good, but nowhere near some Ibushi’s great matches during the tournament.

(6) Katsuyori Shibata (6) vs. Bad Luck Fale (6) in a G1 Climax A Block match. This is a battle of two of the top men on the leader board for the A Block. Shibata has had a great run in this tournament, despite working with an arm injury. The ref called for a clean break from Fale against the ropes, but he ended up nailing Shibata with a chop, which drew some boos. Shibata went after Fale’s legs and got a figure four a short time later, but Fale got to the ropes quickly. Shibata set up for a running dropkick in the corner a short time later, but Fale popped up and nailed him with a shoulder tackle. Fale then hit a big splash on the apron that sent Shibata into the guardrail. Fale went on the attack on the floor and went for the count out win, but Shibata managed to get back into the ring at 19. Shibata tried to mount a comeback and began trading punches with Fale. The fans tried to rally behind Shibata as both men continued to trade blows. Fale eventually grounded Shibata and went for a splash off the ropes, but Shibata managed to roll out of the way. Shibata caught Fale with his choke sleeper, but Fale managed to back him into the turnbuckles. Fale set up for the grenade, but Shibata kicked out of it and then nailed Fale with another kick. Shibata applied the choke sleeper again. Fale drove him into the corner several times before Shibata finally let go. Shibata then charged at Fale, but he nailed him with a big punch. Fale set up Shibata for the bad lick fall, but Shibata countered it into the choke sleeper! Fale finally went down to one knee and the fans fired up. Shibata then released the hold and hit the penalty kick for the win.

Winner: Katsuyori Shibata (8 pts.)

Star rating: (**3/4) – This was fun while it lasted. Fale dominated early and then Shibata kept going for his choke sleeper. He finally got Fale to fade and nailed him with the penalty kick for the win.

(7) A.J. Styles (4) vs. IWGP Hvt. Tag Team Champion Doc Gallows (2) in a G1 Climax 25 A Block match. It’s Bullet Club vs. Bullet Club in this match. Styles and Gallows too sweet’d before the match began. Styles sent Gallows to the floor with his signature dropkick during the early stages of the match. They then went at it on the floor. Styles went for a springboard off the guardrail, but Gallows caught him and choke slammed him onto the apron. Gallows eventually got Styles back inside the ring and worked him over with some elbows and then a chinlock. Styles finally ducked a charge in the corner and clipped Gallows’s knee. The fans started a very light Styles chant for his comeback. Styles nailed Gallows with his signature strike combination several times, but Gallows only went down to a knee. Styles then wiped Gallows out with a diving clothesline. Styles went for the Styles clash, but Gallows hit a backdrop. Gallows cut off Styles in the corner and got him up on his shoulders before dropping him face-first into the mat with a big slam. Styles rolled through on Gallows and surprised him with the calf killer, but Gallows managed to get to the ropes. Gallows fired back and countered Styles and hit a jackhammer a short time later. They went back and forth and Styles hit a Pele kick and the bloody Sunday DDT for the win.

Both men hugged after the match on the floor.

Winner: A.J. Styles (6 pts.)

Star rating: (**) – There just wasn’t much exciting about this match. The work was fine, but it just never felt like either man was on the verge of winning. I did like Styles winning with Bloody Sunday, as that should make that a more effective move for a near fall as the tournament goes on.

(8) Tetsuya Naito (6) vs. NEVER Openweight Champion Togi Makabe (4) in a G1 Climax 25 A Block match. Naito was booed and simply stared at Makabe without taking his suit off. Naito then slowly began taking off his mask and suit while the fans booed. Naito took forever to take his outfit off, so the ref ended up just ringing the bell. The fans chanted for Makabe and Naito looked very disinterested as he took his suit off. Makabe told him to bring it and Naito just looked at him like he was bored. Makabe went after Naito, but Naito eventually pulled the ropes on him and sent him into the guardrail on the floor. Naito teased a dive, but simply ended up lying on his side in the ring while doing his signature eye taunt while the fans booed. Makabe fired back and sent Naito into the guardrail. Naito kept teasing getting back into the ring, but instead he just would just go back to the outside and walk around. Makabe gave chase, but Naito whipped him into the guardrail before tossing him back into the ring and working him over. The ref tried to get Naito off Makabe at one point, so Naito shoved him and spit on him. Naito grabbed a headscissors submission and began lightly slapping Makabe’s head before putting some leverage on the hold. Makabe finally managed to get to the ropes to break the hold. Makabe eventually began to fire up and no-sold Naito’s forearms. Naito hit a jumping forearm and posed, but Makabe didn’t go down. Naito then turned right around into a big clothesline. Makabe hit some light punches in the corner before hitting a northern lights suplex with a bridge for a 2 count. Naito mounted a comeback and hit his signature dropkick in the corner. Naito then hit his eye pose while covering Makabe for a 2 count. They went back and forth and Naito eventually hit a super hurricanrana and a German with a bridge for a near fall. The fans fired up and chanted for Makabe.

Makabe hit a big folding powerbomb for a near fall a short time later. He then hit a rolling DVD and went for the King Kong knee drop, but Naito got out of the way. Both men began trading blows from their knees. They got to their feet and continued to trade. Makabe and Naito went back and forth and Naito got a pinning combination for a near fall. He then hit an atomic drop and went for a diving pinning combination off the ropes for another 2 count. Makabe ducked a flying forearm and went back and forth with Naito before nailing him with a big clothesline. He followed up with a German with a bridge for a 2 count. Makabe went for a spider German up top a short time later. Naito tried to fight out of it, but Makabe slammed his head into the ringpost. Makabe finally hit a spider German and came off the top with the Kong Kong knee drop for the win.

Naito had a cut on his head after taking the King Kong knee drop, but he smirked while trying to gather himself on the ropes. Naito attacked the young boys trying to help him after the match and spit towards the referee once aain.

Winner: Togi Makabe (6 pts.)

Star rating: (***) – This was a good match. Naito was so good during the early part of this match just being a total heel while taking forever to take his mask and suit off. The action itself was fine, but the match peaked during the early stages when Naito was in control and being a total heel. After beating Styles and Tanahashi, Naito’s momentum has been stalled for the time being.

(9) Hiroshi Tanahashi (4) vs. Toru Yano (2) in a G1 Climax 25 A Block match. Tanahashi comes into this match having lost two straight matches to Naito and Fale. They did some goofy comedy early with Yano before Tanahashi had enough and slapped him in the back of the head after outsmarting him. Yano got a 2 count with a rollup a short time later. Yano tried to skin the cat a short time later to surprise Tanahashi, but couldn’t get himself up. Tanahashi then sent him flying to the floor with a dropkick. Tanahashi went for a huge running splash against the ringpost, but Yano got out of the way. Yano then began taking the turnbuckle pad off in the corner while the ref counted. Yano went on the attack once Tanahashi got back into the ring. Yano used shortcuts and did his usual mannerisms while working over Tanahashi. Tanahashi ducked a charge in the corner and nailed Yano with a flying forearm. He then went on the attack as the fans fired up. Tanahashi sent Yano to the floor with a basement dropkick and went up top, but Yano went under the ring. Yano crawled out the other side of the ring and tried to hit his pose, but Tanahashi saw him and nailed him with a dropkick through the ropes followed by a slingshot splash to the floor and both men were down. They went at it on the floor as the ref countered. Tanahashi nearly got a count out victory by shoving Yano into the guardrail at 19, but he flew into the ring to beat the 20 count. Tanahashi tried to mock Yano’s pose before hitting a flip senton which allowed Yano to get out of the way. Yano went for another dirty pin a short time later, but Tanahashi kicked out at 2. Yano kept whipped Tanahashi into the exposed turnbuckle. He then hit his signature powerbomb for a 2 count. Yano hit a low blow while shoving the ref and then got a backslide for a near fall and the fans gasped. Yano went for another low blow, but Tanahashi countered and hit a falcon arrow. He went up top, but Yano shoved the ref into the ropes and he fell to the mat.

Yano smiled in the ring with Tanahashi and the ref down. They went back and forth trading atomic drops. Tanahashi successfully skinned the cat while Toru was doing his pose, but Toru turned around and saw him coming. Tanahashi hit the sling blade and went up top for a high fly flow, but Yano got out of the way. Yano got his red chair, but the ref grabbed it. Tanahashi eventually nailed him with a dragon screw while the ref was trying to take the chair away and the ref went flying to the outside. Yano recovered and nailed Tanahashi across the back with a chair. Tanahashi fired back and hit a twisting neck breaker on the chair and then a sling blade on the chair. He then went up top and the ref recovered in time to make the three count.

Tanahashi eventually teased leaving and then did his usual post-match air guitar routine.

Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi (6 pts.)

Star rating: (**3/4) – This was fine, but I’ve seen these two go at it many times in 2015 and had no need to see it again, especially for nearly 16 minutes. The big news here is Tanahashi getting some momentum back with a win after taking two straight losses.

Quick G1 Climax 25: Night 9 Viewing Guide

What to watch: Makabe-Naito

What you can skip: Ibushi-Tenzan, Shibata-Fale, Styles-Gallows, Tanahashi-Yano

Best G1 match on the card: Makabe-Naito (***)

Overall thoughts: After night 8 featured some of the overall strongest action to date from the G1 matches, night 9 was decidedly average. None of the matches did much for me. There was nothing wrong with any of them other than simply just being a collection of average matches.

Naito continues to be a blast to watch, but Makabe simply hasn’t been very exciting to watch during this tournament and their match wasn’t very interesting outside of Naito’s heel actions before the match started and his early control segment, which was fantastic. Naito being an arrogant fool cost him another match in the tournament, as Makabe handed him a loss after he had beaten Tanahashi and Styles back-to-back.

Overall, this was just a collection of G1 matches that just weren’t that exciting on paper going into the show and if you missed the show, this night is skippable if you’re picking and choosing which shows to watch.

CURRENT G1 CLIMAX 25 STANDINGS

A Block

- Katsuyori Shibata (8 pts.)
- A.J. Styles (6 pts.)
- Kota Ibushi (6 pts.)
- 2013 winner Naito (6 pts.)
- NEVER champion Togi Makabe (6 pts.)
- Bad Luck Fale (6 pts.)
- Hiroshi Tanahashi (6 pts.)
- NWA World champion Hiroyoshi Tenzan (2 pts.)
- Toru Yano (2 pts.)
- IWGP tag champion Doc Gallows (2 pts.)

B Block

- 2014 winner IWGP World Champ Okada (6 pts.)
- IWGP IC Champ Hirooki Goto (4 pts.)
- Tomohiro Ishii (6 pts.)
- Yujiro Takahashi (4 pts.)
- Shinsuke Nakamura (4 pts.)
- IWGP tag champion Karl Anderson (4 pts.)
- ROH's Michael Elgin (4 pts.)
- Satoshi Kojima (2 pts.)
- Yuji Nagata (2 pts.)
- Tomoaki Honma

***

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