By Sean Radican, Torch columnist

RADICAN’S “G1 CLIMAX 25: NIGHT 12” BLOG
AUG. 7, 2015
SHIZUOKA, 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 one hard camera shot.

UNDERCARD RESULTS

(1) Yohei Komatsu beat Jay White via submission.

(2) YOSHI-YASHO & Toru Yano beat Naito & David Finlay, Jr.

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

(4) Shibata & Ryusuke Taguchi & Tiger Mask IV beat Tanahashi & IWGP Jr. Hvt. champion KUSHIDA & Mascara Dorada in a six-man tag match.

G1 CLIMAX 25: NIGHT 12 B BLOCK RESULTS & ANALYSIS

(5) Michael Elgin (6) vs.Yuji Nagata (2) in a G1 Climax 25 B Block match. They went back and forth during the early going until Elgin grounded Nagata with a headbutt to his weakened mid-section. Elgin then hit a slingshot splash for a 2 count. The crowd applauded as Elgin did a squat before delivering a vertical suplex on Nagata. Elgin then went back after Nagata’s mid-section. Nagata mounted a comeback and took Elgin down with a knee to the gut. He then caught Elgin with an exploder a short time later and the fans applauded. They went back and forth trading blows a short time later. Nagata ducked a clothesline and nailed Elgin with a kick to the back, but Elgin caught him with a lariat as he came off the ropes a short time later for a 2 count. The crowd gasped as Elgin climbed the ropes with Nagata on his back. Nagata fought out, but Elgin kicked him in the mid-section. Elgin went for a twisting splash, but Nagata got out of the ways and got his signature arm bar and the fans fired up. Elgin struggled, but managed to get to the ropes. They went back and forth and Elgin hit a code breaker off the turnbuckles for a 2 count. Nagata fired back and hit a German and then a Saito suplex, but Elgin kicked out at 2. Elgin fired back and hit his dead-lift falcon arrow off the apron, but Nagata kicked out at the last second and the fans gasped. Nagata countered an Elgin bomb and eventually hit an exploder into the turnbuckles. Elgin caught him in the corner and hit a buckle bomb and then an Elgin bomb for the win.

Both men shook hands after the match.

Winner: Michael Elgin (8 pts.)

Star rating: (***1/4) – Another good showing for Elgin. He’s really doing quite well in this tournament introducing himself to the NJPW fans in various markets. Nagata was really good here as well and I enjoyed the match a lot as the opening to tournament action on this show.

(6) IWGP Hvt. Tag Champion Karl Anderson (6) vs. Tomoaki Honma (0) in a G1 Climax B Block match. Honma hit a pair of slams and went for a Kokeshi off the ropes during the early stages of the match, but Anderson got out of the way. Anderson sent Honma off the apron and into the guardrail after nailing him with a combination of moves capped by a running kick. Honma barely beat the 20 count. Honma got worked over for a long period of time and the crowd tried to fire up behind him. Honma countered a brainbuster attempt from Anderson and eventually leveraged him into a suplex and the fans applauded. Honma went for a Kokeshi off the ropes once again, but Anderson was able to get out of the way and the crowd sounded disappointed. Anderson then mocked Honma and went for a running senton off the ropes, but Honma got out of the way. Honma went for a Kokeshi off the ropes once again and connected and the fans applauded. He followed up with a diving blockbuster for a 2 count. Anderson fired back and caught Honma with a neck breaker. He followed up with another neck breaker over his knee, but Honma managed to kick out at the last second. Honma countered a TKO and eventually hit a big clothesline and both men were down. Honma no-sold a headbutt from Anderson and nailed him with one of his own. Anderson ducked a clothesline and hit a TKO for a near fall. The crowd gasped when Honma kicked out. Honma blocked a gun stun attempt and then a stunner. He blocked a third gun stun attempt as they continued to go back and forth. Anderson went for a powerbomb, but Honma rolled him up for a near fall. Honma caught Anderson with a leaping Kokeshi off the ropes. He then hit a brainbuster, but Anderson kicked out at 2. Honma went up top for the Kokeshi and the fans fired up, but Anderson popped up and turned it into a gun stun for the win.

Honma looked very sad after the match, as Anderson celebrated.

Winner: Karl Anderson (8 pts.)

Star rating: (***1/4) – Although the finish with Anderson countering the Kokeshi into a gun stun was predictable, this was quite good and the fans once again really got Honma before he fell short in the end.

(7) Satoshi Kojima (4) vs. IWGP IC Champion Hirooki Goto (6) in a G1 Climax B Block match. Goto won a forearm exchange and began working Kojima over. Kojima mounted a comeback and clotheslined Goto to the floor. They went at it on the apron and Kojima eventually nailed Goto with a big DDT. Kojima went on the attack and eventually hit his signature elbow off the top for a 2 count. They had a big strike exchange and eventually Goto caught Kojima with a huge running clothesline. Goto went on the attack and hit a Saito suplex for a 2 count. Kojima caught Goto with a big DDT a short time later. The fans chanted for Kojima but Goto fired back with a discus lariat for a 2 count. Kojima blocked a lariat and hit an ace crusher a short time later. They went up top and Kojima hit another ace crusher, but Goto managed to kick out. Kojima signaled it was time for the lariat, but Goto caught him and hit a neck breaker over his knee. They battled up top again a short time later. Goto got on top of Kojima and hit a code red variation for a near fall. He went for shouten kai, but Kojima countered and hit a suplex of his own. They went back and forth and Goto hit a headbutt, but Kojima fired back with a big clothesline and made the cover for a 2 count. Kojima set up for a running lariat, but Goto ducked it. Goto hit a big slam for a 2 count. He then hit the shouten kai for the win.

Winner: Hirooki Goto (8 pts.)

Star rating: (***) – This match started out relatively dull, but they turned things up during the second half of the match and had some good back and forth exchanges. Kojima was never able to hit his running lariat down the stretch and Goto ended up getting the win.

(8) Yujiro Takahashi (4) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (6) in a G1 Climax B Block match. Takahashi has no girl with him tonight, but he still has Cody Hall at least. Takahashi jumped Nakamura while he was making his entrance into the ring. Nakamura fired back and hit the vibration boot in the corner. Takahashi countered Nakamura and tried to go after his injured elbow. Hall eventually grabbed Nakamura on the apron with the ref distracted. Takahashi then clotheslined him to the floor. It looked like Takahashi was going after Nakamura’s injured arm on the floor but it’s hard to tell from the camera angle. Nakamura mounted a comeback and hit his signature spinning kick to the head. He went for another vibration boot and Takahashi blocked it only to eat an enzuguri. Nakamura placed Takahashi over the turnbuckles and nailed him with a running knee for a 2 count. Takahashi mounted a comeback and hit a fisherman buster for a 2 count. Nakamura fired back and nailed Takahashi with a running kick to the head and both men were down. They got up and traded blows, but Nakamura got the upper hand and applied a standing guillotine. He then hit a reverse powerslam and the fans fired up a bit. Nakamura set up for the Boma ye, but Takahashi nailed him with a dropkick and both men were down. Takahashi went back on the attack and worked Nakamura over. Nakamura tried to fire back, but he took a big German from Takahashi. Nakamura countered Takahashi a short time later and hit an axe kick and a sliding kick to his head for a 2 count. Nakamura set up for the Boma ye, but Takahashi got out of the way. They went back and forth and Takahashi hit a sliding kick to Nakamura’s head. Nakamura hit a Boma ye off the turnbuckles and then another Boma ye to win it.

Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura (8 pts.)

Star rating: (**1/2) – This was fine. Takahashi doesn’t have great matches very often and even being in there with Nakamura; there was little drama as to who would win this match.

(9) IWGP Hvt. Champion Kazuchika Okada (8) vs. Tomohiro Ishii (8) in a G1 Climax B Block match. This match is a battle of CHAOS members and it will also leave one man alone at the top of the B block after night 12. They went back and forth during the early going and Okada finally caught Ishii with a slingshot senton and the fans applauded. They went to the floor and Ishii countered Okada and dumped him gut first over the guardrail. Okada struggled, but managed to get back into the ring at 19. Ishii went on the attack and began working over Okada. Okada fired back and hit a cross-arm neck breaker on Ishii and both men were slow to get up. Okada caught Ishii with a big DDT and kipped up giving the fans a chance to applaud. Okada locked in red ink a short time later. Ishii struggled and Okada wrenched back on the hold. Ishii eventually managed to get to the ropes. The fans applauded once Ishii broke the hold. They went back and forth and Ishii caught Okada with a German and both men were down on the mat. Okada went on the attack in the corner a short time later with some big forearms. Ishii began firing up and began walking towards Okada as he nailed him with forearms. Ishii fired back with one big forearm that sent Okada into the corner. Ishii slipped out of a neck breaker attempt from Okada and hit a folding powerbomb for a 2 count. They went back and forth and Ishii wiped out Okada with a big lariat as he came off the ropes. Okada then ducked a diving lariat and hit a big uppercut and both men were down as the fans applauded. Okada hit a big DVD a short time later, but Ishii kicked out at 2. Okada went for his neck breaker again and hit it this time for a 2 count.

Okada hit a slam and went up top. He connected with a big elbow and signaled for the rainmaker. Ishii ducked the rainmaker twice and eventually hit a headbutt that staggered both men. Ishii then turned Okada inside out with a running lariat for a near fall. Ishii then hit a diving lariat, but only got a 2 count. Ishii went for a brainbuster, but Okada slipped out and hit a big dropkick to Ishii’s back that left both men down on the mat. Okada went for a tombstone, but Ishii blocked it. Ishii went for a running clothesline, but Okada caught him with a big dropkick. Okada went for the rainmaker and Ishii countered it. They went back and forth and Ishii hit an enzuguri. Okada eventually went back and forth and hit a big German. He held on and finished off Ishii with the rainmaker for the win.

Okada applauded Ishii as he was helped to the back. Okada and Gedo then cut their usual main event victory promo after the match.

Winner: Kazuchika Okada (10 pts.)

Star rating: (***1/2) – This was a good overall match, but it wasn’t as good as I was expecting out of the main event slot between these two. They had some good exchanges, especially down the stretch with Ishii countering the rainmaker several times until Okada finally put him away with one.


Quick G1 Climax 25: Night 12 Viewing Guide

What to watch: Elgin-Nagata, Anderson-Honma, Goto-Kojima, Okada-Ishii

What you can skip: Nakamura-Takahashi

Best G1 match on the card: Okada-Ishii (***1/2)

Overall thoughts: This wasn’t the most exciting night of G1 B block action. Four of the five tournament matches were all good, but none of them went above the ***1/2 level. Although the main event between Okada and Ishii was quite good, I was expecting more out of it and they didn’t have a particularly long match for a main event. The big news coming out of this show is that Okada successfully bounced back from his lost to Goto and got another show closing promo after winning in the main event.

The usual themes of the B block continued on this show. Elgin continued to look good and now sits in second place after picking up 8 points in a row. Honma once again fell short of victory during G1, as he lost to Karl Anderson in predictable fashion with his top rope Kokeshi countered into a gun stun.

The only match that wasn’t very good was Takahashi vs. Nakamura. There wasn’t anything wrong with the match, but it just wasn’t very exciting waiting around for Nakamura to finish off Takahashi with a Boma ye. Takahashi wasn’t very good during the G1 last year, but I can’t remember his matches being collectively this uninteresting.

The main event was very good and Okada getting the win over Ishii puts him on top of the B block. The match didn’t have an epic main event build to the finish. They didn’t have a particularly long match and things didn’t really turn up until the final stretch, although the match was quite good. Overall this was a solid night of B block tournament action, but there’s nothing worth going out of your way to see, especially with a single camera feed. If you do decide to watch the tournament matches, you’ll see a collection of good matches.

CURRENT G1 CLIMAX 25 STANDINGS

A Block Standings

- Shibata (8 pts.)
- 2013 winner Naito (8 pts.)
- Bad Luck Fale (8 pts.)
- A.J. Styles (8 pts.)
- Tanahashi (8 pts.)
- Kota Ibushi (6 pts.)
- NEVER champ Togi Makabe (6 pts.)
- Toru Yano (4 pts.)
- NWA World champ Tenzan (2 pts.)
- IWGP tag champion Doc Gallows (2 pts.)

B Block Standings

- 2014 winner IWGP World Champ Okada (10 pts.)
- Tomohiro Ishii (8 pts.)
- ROH's Michael Elgin (8 pts.)
- IWGP tag champion Karl Anderson (8 pts.)
- IWGP IC Champ Hirooki Goto (8 pts.)
- Shinsuke Nakamura (8 pts.)
- Yujiro Takahashi (4 pts.)
- Satoshi Kojima (4 pts.)
- Yuji Nagata (2 pts.)
- Honma


***

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