By Sean Radican, Torch columnist

RADICAN’S “G1 CLIMAX 25: NIGHT 10” BLOG
AUG. 4, 2015
MIYAGI, 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 features multiple cameras, but no commentary.

UNDERCARD RESULTS

(1) Ryusuke Taguchi beat David Finlay, Jr.

(2) YOSHI-YASHI & Toru Yano beat Shibata & Yohei Komatsu.

(3) KUSHIDA & Naito beat Kota Ibushi & Mascara Dorada.

(4) Bullet Club (A.J. Styles & Doc Gallows & Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga) beat Tanahashi & Togi Makabe & Tenzan & Captain New Japan in an eight-man tag match.

G1 CLIMAX 25: NIGHT 10 A BLOCK RESULTS & ANALYSIS

(5) Michael Elgin (4) vs. Yujiro Takahashi (4) in a G1 Climax B Block match. Elgin impressed the fans with his power offense during the early stages of the match. Takahashi distracted the ref and Hall pulled Elgin to the floor and put a beating on him. Elgin tried to mount a comeback, but Takahashi nailed him with a clothesline in the corner. The fans tried to rally behind Elgin, who eventually caught Takahashi with a kick from the apron and then a slingshot splash back inside the ring. Elgin blocked a sunset flip and tried to deadlift Takahashi into a suplex, but he bit his hand. Elgin then returned the favor and the fans applauded. Takahashi then caught Elgin with a suplex a short time later. Elgin slipped out of a Miami Shine attempt and hit a German into the turnbuckles a short time later. Elgin hit a deadlift super falcon arrow from the apron back into the ring. He ended up taking out Hall with a flip dive off the apron a short time later. Takahashi countered Elgin on the floor and hit a fisherman suplex that left both men down on the mat. Elgin took a German from Takahashi, but he put up and nailed him with a lariat. He then hit a buckle bomb and an Elgin bomb for the win.

Winner: Michael Elgin (6 pts.)

Star rating: (***) – This was a good opener. The fans were into Elgin’s offense and he pulled off some nice counters and overcame the outside interference from Hall.

(6) Satoshi Kojima (2) vs. Tomoaki Honma (0) in a G1 Climax B Block match. Honma went for a kokeshi off the ropes during the early going, but Kojima got out of the way. He then nailed Honma with a shoulder tackle and began working him over. Kojima nailed him with the machinegun chops in the corner and then decked Honma. Both men glared at each other, but Kojima maintained the upper hand and hit a diving elbow off the top for a 2 count. Honma mounted a comeback and went for another Kokeshi off the ropes, but Kojima got out of the way once again. Honma battled and eventually deadlifted Kojima into a vertical suplex and the fans applauded. Honma mounted a comeback and finally connected with a Kokeshi off the ropes followed by a diving blockbuster for a 2 count. Honma went up top for the kokeshi, but Kojima popped up and cut him off. Honma hit several headbutts and a sunset bomb, but only got a 2 count. Kojima fired back and hit an ace crusher off the turnbuckles a short time later. Honma fired back and caught Kojima by surprise with a leaping Kokeshi. He followed up with a brainbuster, but Kojima kicked out at 2. The fans chanted for the kokeshi as Honma went up top, but Kojima got out of the way. They went back and forth and Kojima eventually caught Honma with a big lariat for a near fall. Honma blocked a big lariat and went for a jumping kokeshi, but Kojima decked him with a punch. He then nailed Honma with a huge lariat for the win.

Honma looked extremely sad about losing after the match. Kojima offered him a handshake and Honma slapped his hand before collapsing and selling frustration.

Winner: Satoshi Kojima (4 pts.)

Star rating: (***1/4) – There was some good drama built around Honma getting the win and they had some good back and forth exchanges, but ultimately Honma fell short once again. I believe Honma is now mathematically eliminated from winning G1.

(7) Yuji Nagata (2) vs. Tomohiro Ishii (6) in a G1 Climax 25 B Block match. Nagata brushed off a chop and told Ishii to bring it. Both men then began exchanging blows. Ishii finally targeted Nagata’s weak mid-section and he went down. Ishii then began working over Nagata while targeting his back and mid-section. Nagata mounted a comeback and caught Ishii with a knee as he came off the ropes. Nagata nailed Ishii with a series of big kicks to the chest and he went down after the third one. Ishii fired back a short time later with a powerslam off the ropes and both men were down. Ishii went back on the attack and continued to work over Nagata. They went back and forth and Nagata eventually went for a super exploder and hit it for a 2 count. Ishii caught Nagata with a German a short time later and the fans fired up with both men down on the mat. Ishii and Nagata battled up top and Ishii eventually hit a superplex and Nagata sold his mid-section, but managed to kick out at 2. Ishii hit a big clothesline a short time later, but Nagata kicked out at 2. Nagata countered Ishii and got his signature arm bar a short time later. The fans fired up as he rolled his eyes into the back of his head. Ishii struggled, so he transitioned into a cross-arm breaker. Ishii then managed to get the ropes. Nagata hit a Saito suplex a short time later, but was slow to make the cover and Ishii kicked out at 2. They went back and forth and Ishii caught Nagata with an enzuguri and both men were down on the mat. They went back and forth trading blows. Both men no-sold big moves until Nagata caught Ishii with a spinning kick and both men were down. Holy crap!. Both men began trading slaps a short time later and the fans fired up as they continued to go at it. Ishii finally decked Nagata with a big headbutt. Ishii blocked a kick and hit a clothesline and then a diving clothesline a short time later, but Nagata kicked out at 2. Ishii then hit a brainbuster for the win.

Winner: Tomohiro Ishii (8 pts.)

Star rating: (***3/4) – This was really good. The action heated up during the second half of the match after Ishii had gone to work on Nagata’s weakened mid-section and back during the first half of the match. The slap exchange close to the finish was fantastic.

(8) IWGP Hvt. Champion Kazuchika Okada (6) vs. IWGP Hvt. Tag Team Champion Karl Anderson (6) I a G1 Climax 25 B Block match. Anderson countered Okada against the ropes and offered him a clean break after tapping his chest lightly with both hands during the early stages of the match. Okada caught Anderson with his signature diving dropkick and Anderson went to the floor. They went back and forth on the apron and Anderson snapped Okada’s neck over the ropes, ran him into the ringpost, and then nailed him with a dropkick to send him to the floor. Anderson went to the floor a short time later and hit an apron bomb when it appeared Okada was getting ready to beat the ref’s 20 count. Okada slowly began getting up as Gedo urged him on. He managed to get back into the ring at the count of 18. Anderson then went to work on Okada inside the ring. Okada finally ducked a charge in the corner, placed Anderson up top, and then nailed him with a dropkick that sent him to the floor. They went back and forth in the ring and Okada hit a big DDT and both men were down on the mat. Okada nipped up and nailed Anderson with a flying elbow in the corner. Anderson fired back and caught Okada by surprise with a running kick and both men were slow to get up. Anderson fired up and hit a neck breaker over his knee for a 2 count. They went back and forth and Okada went up top and connected with a big elbow drop. He signaled for the rainmaker, but Anderson fired up and eventually caught him with a Liger bomb for a 2 count. Anderson went up top and hit a jumping neck breaker for another 2 count. Okada countered Anderson and went for the rainmaker, but he ducked it. Anderson then walked right into Okada’s signature dropkick and both men were slow to get up. Both men began exchanging forearms in the middle of the ring. They went back and forth and Okada blocked a second gun stun attempt from Anderson and turned it into a tombstone. Okada then finished him off with the rainmaker for the win.

Winner: Kazuchika Okada (8 pts.)

Star rating: (***1/4) – The action was solid here and the match was good, but it never built, despite them going nearly 15 minutes. The final stretch of the match was good, but the build to those spots wasn’t as exciting as I expected.

(9) IWGP IC Champion Hirooki Goto (6) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (4) in a G1 Climax 25 B Block match. Nakamuara hit a big knee drop to Goto’s head during the early going for a 2 count. Goto fired back and hit a shoulder tackle. Nakamura went to the floor selling his arm and Goto followed. Nakamura tried to surprise Goto, but Goto countered and whipped him into the barricade. Goto continued to target Nakamura’s arm back inside the ring. Goto got an arm submission, but Nakamura managed to get to the ropes. Nakamura fired back and caught Goto with his signature spinning kick. Nakamura booted Goto in the corner and hit the vibration boot followed by several knees to Goto’s mid-section. He then nailed Goto with his signature running knee in the corner a short time later for a 2 count. The fans chanted for Nakamura as he tried to regroup. They went to an exchange off the ropes and Goto caught Nakamura with a Saito suplex and both men were down. Goto got the upper hand and hit a big clothesline for a 2 count. Nakamura fired back a short time later with a jumping boot to the head. Nakamura fired up and hit a reverse powerslam before favoring his injured arm. He set up for a charge, but Goto wiped him out with a clothesline and both men were down. Goto caught Angle with an Olympic slam a short time later.

They battled up top and Nakamura eventually slipped to the apron and booted Goto off the turnbuckles to the mat with a big kick to the chest. Nakamura hit a jumping kick off the turnbuckles a short time later, but Goto kicked out at 2. The fans chanted for Nakamura with both men down. Both men went to a big strike exchange in the middle of the ring that ended when Nakamura nailed Goto with an axe kick and then a Boma ye for a near fall. Nakamura set up for another Boma ye, but Goto caught his leg. Nakamura turned it into an enzuguri, but Goto caught him with a big neck breaker over his knee a short time later. They battled up top again and Goto hit a neck breaker over his knee off the turnbuckles for a near fall. Goto lifted Nakamura up and hit a spinning slam onto his arm for a 2 count. He set up for shouten kai, but Nakamura countered it. They went back and forth and Nakamura caught Goto with a flying arm bar. Goto tried to hold his hands together, but Nakamura punched them apart. Goto continued to struggle in the cross-arm bar. Nakamura then finally straightened his arm out and got the tap out win.

Nakamura got a show-closing promo for the first time and hit his catch phrase and the fans fired up.

Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura (6 pts.)

Star rating: (***1/2) – Nakamura ended his skid against Goto here, although this match didn’t reach the highs of some of their previous encounters. The match was quite good, but the flying arm bar finish caught me by surprise when it seemed the match was going to go longer than it did.


Quick G1 Climax 25: Night 10 Viewing Guide

What to watch: Everything was in the three-star range, so these matches are all worth checking out.

What you can skip: None of the G1 B Block matches are worth skipping.

Best G1 match on the card: Ishii-Nagata (***3/4)

Overall thoughts: This was a solid night of B Block action. All of the block action was at least good with Ishii-Nagata being very good, although no matches entered must-see territory. Nakamura getting the win over Goto in the main event is the big story here, although the match seemed to be building to something bigger than what it ended up being.

I continue to enjoy watching Elgin and Honma on the undercard. Elgin is fun to watch because he has a fresh start in NJPW. He’s so talented and has floundered in ROH for quite some time. This tour was exactly what Elgin needed and he’s been really good. I haven’t been a big fan of Takahashi, but Elgin made this match better than I expected it to be. I loved when he wiped out Hall with a dive off the apron before eventually getting the win.

Honma, poor Honma! He suffered another loss in the tournament to Kojima. They had a good match and it appeared Honma was on the verge of winning, but once again he just couldn’t hit the Kokeshi off the top. Honma’s facial expressions after losing were fantastic. He looked absolutely devastated. I’d love for NJPW to have him turn the tide one of these years and go on a roll. It’s absolutely painful to watch this guy not win a G1 match for the last two years.

Ishii-Nagata was the best match on the show. Ishii has been really good in the tournament so far and although this wasn’t a great match, it was still darn good. The first half of the match was slow, but boy did these two crank things up during the second half. They built to an epic slap battle and Nagata showed a ton of heart before falling short in the end.

I was expecting more out of Okada in the semi-main event slot. He’s the IWGP Champion, but he hasn’t had what I would consider to be one of the top 3-4 matches in the tournament yet. His match against Anderson was fine, but certainly nothing memorable.

Nakamura isn’t setting the world on fire in this tournament. He’s got an arm injury, but it hasn’t seemed to hamper him since he returned after missing a couple of shows. Nakamura and Goto have had some really good matches this year. This match was good, but it seemed like they were building to something more when it ended.

This was a good night of G1 action. The B block held things down with a collection of matches that should make a nice viewing session, but if you’re looking for the best matches of the tournament, you won’t find them on this show.

CURRENT G1 CLIMAX 25 STANDINGS

A Block Standings

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

B Block Standings

- Tomohiro Ishii (8 pts.)
- IWGP IC Champ Hirooki Goto (6 pts.)
- 2014 winner IWGP World Champ Okada (6 pts.)
- IWGP tag champion Karl Anderson (6 pts.)
- ROH's Michael Elgin (6 pts.)
- Shinsuke Nakamura (6 pts.)
- Yujiro Takahashi (4 pts.)
- Satoshi Kojima (4 pts.)
- Yuji Nagata (2 pts.)
- Honma

***

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