By Sean Radican, Torch columnist

RADICAN’S NJPW G1 CLIMAX 24: NIGHT 3 REPORT
JULY 25, 2014
YAMAGATA, JAPAN


(1) Tomoaki Honma vs. IWGP Hvt. Tag Team Champion Doc Gallows in a G1 Climax A Block match. Gallows dominated most of the action, but the fans fired up when Honma mounted a comeback. Gallows finally put Honma away after he kicked out of several big moves with a sit out powerbomb.

Winner: Doc Gallows

Star rating: (**) - Not much to this match save for the crowd getting into Honma showing a lot of guts and refusing to be pinned until Gallows finally beat him with a sit out powerbomb.

(2) Lance Archer vs. NJPW Hvt. Tag Team Champion Karl Anderson in a G1 Climax B Block match. Anderson dominated the action for a long period of time working over Archer's leg. Archer fired up and hit a huge choke slam for a near fall. That was damn impressive. Anderson got Archer up for a TKO for a 2 count. Hoyt countered an ace crusher and hit a scorpion death drop. He then lifted Anderson up and hit the crucifix bomb for the win.

Winner: Lance Archer

Star rating: (**1/2) - solid action with Anderson trying to ground Archer by going after his leg throughout the match. Archer didn't sell it at all down the stretch, but they did have some good counter exchanges leading to the finish.

(3) Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. NEVER Openweight Champion Yujiro Takahashi in a G1
Climax B Block match. They ended up on the outside during the early going and
Takahashi nailed Tenzan with a running sick kick on the entrance ramp. Takahashi worked over Tenzan for a long period of time until he mounted a comeback and hit his signature double chops. Tenzan went up top and missed a diving headbutt. He and Honma should eliminate that spot from their matches. Tenzan lifted up
Takahashi and nailed him with a high angle piledriver he then finished him off with the anaconda vice.

Winner: Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Star rating: (**1/2) - They didn't do a whole heck of a lot in this match to engage the crowd with Takahashi dominating early before Tenzan mounted a comeback and eventually put him away in the end with the anaconda vice.

(4) Tomohiro Ishii vs. Shelton “X” Benjamin in a G1 Climax A Block match.
Benjamin dominated early, but Ishii finally caught him with a power slam and began working him over. They traded ankle locks. Benjamin then got the ankle lock again and Ishii struggled, but managed to get the ropes. Benjamin hit a series of Germans capped by a German with a bridge for a near fall. Ishii ducked a pay dirt attempt from Benjamin and hit a big German that left both men down. Ishii hit a big headbutt after ducking a spinning kick. He eventually hit a big clothesline. Benjamin countered him a short time later and they went to another exchange in the middle of the ring. Ishii no-sold Benjamin's spinning kick, but Benjamin hit a superkick and then pay dirt for the win.

Winner: Shelton Benjamin

Star rating: (**1/2) - the action was solid, but the match was short and the crowd wasn’t particularly engaged in the match. They did put together some nice exchanges down the stretch. Benjamin seems to be trying to establish himself as a striker in this tournament.

(5) Tetsuya Naito vs. Toru Yano in a G1 Climax B Block match. I love Yano. His facial expressions are hilarious. Anytime Naito went for a move during the early going Yano ran to the ropes and screamed. Yano ducked a dropkick through the ropes and tossed a chair at Naito, who came up bleeding from the head. Yano undid the turnbuckle pad and tossed Naito right into it when he got back into the ring. Yano dominated the action, but Naito fired up and hit a neck breaker and went on the attack. Yano fired back and sent Naito head-first into the exposed turnbuckle. He followed up with a big powerbomb for a near fall. Naito thwarted Yano's attempt to toss him into the ref and finished him off with a twisting moonsault for the win.

Winner: Tetsuya Naito

Star rating: (***1/4) - this was a good match. I was informed NJPW hasn't used blood in a match since 2008, so Naito's blood was likely from a hardway shot. They incorporated the blood into the match with Yano targeting his head, but ultimately Naito overcame Yano's cheating to get the win.

They went to a backstage interview with Naito after the match.

(6) Katsuyori Shibata vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. in a G1 Climax A Block match. They had some MMA style exchanges on the mat early and went to a big strike exchange. Shibata hit several forearms in the corner, but Smith caught him with a big boot a short time later. Shibata hit Smith with a flurry of forearms in the corner a short time later before nailing him with a running dropkick. Shibata got a rear choke and Smith eventually hit a suplex, but Shibata held on and applied the hold again. Smith eventually broke the hold and hit a big suplex a short time later that left both men down. Smith dominated the action, but Shibata countered a powerbomb and eventually got a triangle. Smith eventually fired back and caught Shibata with a huge lariat off the ropes for a near fall. He then hit a huge sit out powerbomb for the win.

Winner: Davey Boy Smith Jr.

Star rating: (***1/2) - this was a good hard-hitting match with Smith using his power and Shibata using his striking throughout the match. They had a great counter sequence down the stretch before Smith got the win.

(7) Yuji Nagata vs. IWGP IC Champion Bad Luck Fale in a G1 Climax A Block match. Nagata booted Fale over the ropes and to the floor N64 No Mercy style during the early stages of the match. Fale fired back and began working over
Nagata. Nagata fired back and began working over Fale's leg. He eventually grabbed a modified figure 4 and yelled at Fale while working the hold. Fale eventually managed to get to the ropes to break the hold. Fale fired back and hit a splash in the corner and then a running splash for a 2 count. Nagata hit a half and half suplex followed by a German suplex for a count. Nagata grabbed an arm bar and his eyes rolled back into his head as he worked the hold, but Fale managed to get the ropes. Fale fired back and hit the border toss for the win.

Winner: Bad Luck Fale

Star rating: (***1/4) -this was a good match with Nagata working over Fale's arm and leg throughout the match. Fale didn't sell anything down the stretch when making his comeback, which took away from Nagata's efforts throughout the match.


(8) Hirooki Goto vs. Minoru Suzuki in a G1 Climax B Block match. They went to a big exchange of chops and Goto got the upper hand with a running shoulder tackle, but Suzuki caught him with an arm bar using the ropes for leverage a short time later. Susuki grabbed the ring bell and nailed Goto with it. He then nailed him with a running kick to the head on the entrance ramp. Suzuki did leg lifts inside the ring with Goto down on the outside. Goto managed to beat the 20 count. Susuki controlled the action, but Goto fired back with a head it and a huge lariat. Taka tried to interfere while Suzuki held the ref to distract him.

Goto cut off Taka and nailed him with a neck breaker over his knee. Susuki mounted a comeback a short time later and worked over Goto. Suzuki went for the neutralizer, but Goto fought him off. They went back and forth off the ropes and Suzuki got a sleeper. Goto struggled for the ropes, but Suzuki dragged him back to the middle of the ring. Suzuki dropped him down for a powerbomb, but Goto caught him with a pinning combination for the win.

Suzuki sold frustration after the match and tossed Taka around on the outside.

Winner: Hirooki Goto

Star rating: (***1/2) this was a good hard-hitting match. They delivered good action from bell to bell and Goto ended up escaping with a pinning combination in the end .

(9) Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Satoshi Kojima in aG1 Climax A Block match.
Tanahashi hit a dropkick through the ropes and a splash off the top to the floor during the early stages of the match. He then began working over Kojima's arm. Kojima finally fired back and caught Tanahashi with a DDT. Kojima began targeting Tanahashi's neck. He then nailed Tanahashi with several chips in the corner and the fans fired up. They went to a big exchange in the middle of the ring. Kojima finally decked Tanahashi with a huge discus forearm.

Tanahashi fired back with a jumping forearm off the ropes and hit a flip senton off the second rope for a 2 count. Kojima countered Tanahashi coming off theropes and nailed him with a stunner. They fought up top and Tanahashi shoved Kojima away, but Kojima nailed him with a running lariat that sent him off the top to the floor. It looked like Kojima was going to get the count out win, but Kojima brought Tanahashi back in the ring and hit a brain buster for a near fall. Tanahashi ducked a huge clothesline and hit a straightjacket German for a near fall. He went for the high fly flow, but Kojima got his knees up. He lit Tanahashi up with strikes and nailed him with a big slam or near fall. Tanahashi ducked a clothesline, but came right off the ropes into a huge clothesline for a near fall. The fans fired up and Tanahashi blocked a clothesline, but caught Tanahashi from behind with another lariat. Tanahashi hit the spiral tap and hit the high fly flow on a standing Kojima. He then went up top and hit another high fly flow for the win.


Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi

Star rating: (****1/4) - excellent match with Tanahashi in jeopardy throughout the match. They did some amazing near falls down the stretch before Tanahashi got the win. Kojima clotheslining Tanahashi off the top to the floor was an amazing spot.

(10) Togi Makabe vs. Kazuchika Okada in a G1 Climax B Block match. The fans chanted for Makabe before the match started. Makabe got the upper hand and hit a suplex. Okada bailed to the outside, but managed to whip Makabe into the barricade before nailing him with a running kick. Okada tossed Makabe back into the ring and nailed him with a slingshot senton. Okada told Makabe to bring it and he hit several forearms, but Okada sent him down to the mat with a big forearm. Okada targeted Makabe's jaw while working a chin lock. Makabe told
Okada to bring it and he kept nailing him with shots to the jaw. Okada ducked a clothesline and ended up hitting a DDT to ground Makabe. Okada signaled for the rainmaker, but Makabe got right up and smiled in his face.

The fans chanted for Makabe as he mounted a comeback. The action spilled to the floor and Okada whipped Makabe into the guardrail, but he popped right off it and nailed Okada with a huge clothesline. Okada countered Makabe back in the ring a short time later and hit the kryptonite crunch before grabbing a leg/chin lock combination submission. Makabe teased tapping, but the fans fired up and he got the ropes.

Makabe ducked the rainmaker a short time later and eventually nailed Okada with a big clothesline that left both men down. Makabe got to his feet and nailed Okada with a series of big moves capped by a huge powerbomb for a near fall. He hit a snap German off the top a short time later and the fans went nuts, but Okada rolled out of the way when he went for a knee drop off the top. They went to a big exchange and Okada nailed Makabe with a German with a bridge. Okada held on and finally finished off Makabe with the rainmaker.

Okada cut a promo after the match and held up 3 fingers signaling 3 wins in the tournaments the fans chanted for Okada, who handed the mic to Gedo. The fans chanted for Okada. Gedo said he would win G1. Gedo said Okada would become IWGP Champion to close the show.

Winner: Kazuchika Okada

Star rating: (****1/2) - Makabe's performance in this match was amazing. He took everything Okada had throughout the match and his facial expressions were tremendous. The action was fantastic down the stretch and the fans woke up big time for the action in the ring.

Overall score: (8.0) – This show got off to a really slow start, but the action picked up significantly after the first four matches. The last two matches are well-worth going out of your way to see.

Tanahashi vs. Kojima was fantastic with Tanahashi in peril throughout the match taking a beating from Kojima only to mount a miraculous comeback towards the end of the match to get the win. The lariat he took off the top rope that sent him crashing to the floor was insane.

Okada continued to establish himself as the frontrunner to win G1 this year. He had an amazing match against Makabe. Makabe comes across like a legit tough guy and Okada emptied out his arsenal of strikes and Makabe simply smiled at him and continued to come forward. They had some great strike exchanges and counter sequences down the stretch before Okada finally put Makabe away. This is the type of match that will go a long way towards establishing Okada as a top contender to win the tournament.

The crowd wasn’t very good in terms of providing an atmosphere for the matches during the first half of the show, but they came alive for the second half, especially for the main event. Thumbs up!

You can purchase NJPW “G1 Climax 24: Night 3” on VOD by clicking HERE or by visiting Ustream.tv/njpw.

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