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NJPW G1 CLIMAX 32: NIGHT 4 REPORT
JULY 23, 2022
TOKYO, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
Radican’s Spoiler-free viewing guide
(7) Shingo Takagi vs. Yoshi-Hashi – D Block match (****¼)
(9) Jay White vs. Tomohiro Ishii – A Block match (****¼)
Announcers: Kevin Kelly and Chris Charlton
(1) BULLET CLUB (Kenta & El Phantasmo & Juice Robinson) vs. HIROOKI GOTO & RYOHEI OIWA & DAVID FINLAY
The finish saw Oiwa alone in the ring. He ended up taking Sudden Death from El Phantasmo and it was good for the win.
WINNERS: Kenta & El Phantasmo & Juice Robinson at 8:01.
After the match, Bullet Club attacked several Young Lions as Goto and Finlay regrouped on the outside. Kelly talked about how Robinson and IWGP U.S. Hvt. Champion Will Ospreay are in the same block and would face off at some point.
(2) TMDK (Jonah & Bad Dude Tito) vs. TEAM FILTHY (Tom Lawlor & Royce Isaacs)
The announcers talked about Lawlor had been put in the monster block and was at a big size disadvantage in most of his matches. Lawlor isolated Tito late in the match and tied him up in the nasty St. Andrew’s Cross submission that works both the arms and legs.
WINNERS: Tom Lawlor & Royce Isaacs at 9:20.
(Radican’s Analysis: Lawlor is fitting right into NJPW, as he’s already got the crowd clapping along to his music after matches. Lawler’s St. Andrew’s Cross submission is nasty.)
(3) BULLET CLUB (Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi) vs. SUZUKI-GUN (Taka Michinoku & Taichi & Lance Archer)
Archer accidentally splashed Michinoku in the corner. Fale then splashed him as well. Takahashi was left in the ring with Michinoku as Fale and Archer went at it on the floor. Takahashi hit Pimp Juice on Michinoku for the win.
WINNERS: Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi at 6:10.
(Radican’s Analysis: NJPW is developing a rivalry between Fale and Archer after Fale beat Archer via countout in their block match. Archer was out for revenge here, but fell short.)
(4) HOUSE OF TORTURE (Evil & Sho & Dick Togo) vs. THE UNITED EMPIRE (Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan & Will Ospreay)
House of Torture were up to their usual tricks the entire match. Cobb ended up tossing Togo to O-Khan. O-Khan tapped him out with the Sheep Killer.
WINNERS: Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan & Will Ospreay at 7:47.
(5) HIROSHI TANAHASHI & TAMA TONGA & JADO vs. L.I.J. (Tetsuya Naito & Bushi & Sanada)
The announcers said this is a preview of the upcoming block match between Tanahashi and Naito. Naito cleared the apron and went after Tanahashi. Tanahashi got a hot tag later in the match and set up for a Slingblade on Naito, but Naito countered it. Naito eventually hit a modified Twist & Shout on Tanahashi before tagging in Sanada. Sanada sent Tanahashi out of the ring late in the match. He ended up alone in the ring with Jado and he quickly got the Skull End for the win.
WINNERS: Tetsuya Naito & Bushi & Sanada at 9:29
(Radican’s Analysis: This was average. Just not a lot of spark to the match and a predictable finish. Tanahashi teased that he would go after Naito’s legs in their upcoming block match, but that was about it)
Tanahashi teased after going Naito’s legs after the match playfully. They went face-to-face and Naito backed off. L.I.J. hit their pose in the ring before heading to the back.
(6) AARON HENARE (2 pts) vs. ZACK SABRE JR (2 pts). – C Block match
Henare used his power early to take control of the action, but Sabre continued to fend him off with submissions near the ropes. Henare hit a curb stomp and made a lazy cover for a two count. Sabre finally caught Henare with a head twister using his legs. He then applied the cobra twist, but Henare eventually fought him off. Henare has put on a good amount of muscle and he showed his power in his strikes, but Sabre caught a kick attempt and grabbed a leg submission. Henare went to the floor and sold his leg. Charlton mentioned Henare had suffered a previous achilles injury in the past. Sabre grabbed a submission on the floor, but Henare turned it into a suplex and Sabre favored his midsection. Sabre fired back, but Henare nailed him with a punch. Sabre then caught a kick from Henare and tripped him down to the mat before hitting a double stomp to the back of both of Henare’s legs.
Sabre hit a couple of kicks to the chest. He then hit a PK, but Henare got right up and hit The Rampage for a nearfall! Henare hit a big senton off the second turnbuckle a short time later. Henare went for Streets of Rage, but Sabre kicked out and tapped him out with a leg submission.
WINNER: Zack Sabre Jr. at 14:15 (4 pts). (***¼)
(Radican’s Analysis: This match started slowly, but it picked up and got quite good with Sabre going after Henare’s legs and Henare going after Sabre’s midsection. The announcers did a good job of highlighting the strategy of both men throughout the match.)
(7) SHINGO TAKAGI (2 pts) vs. YOSHI-HASHI (0 pts) – D Block match
Both men targeted each other’s arms during the early going. Shingo whipped Hashi into the guardrail and tried to pump up the crowd. Kelly talked about how the foreign wrestlers told him that it has been difficult to get the crowd going given the restrictions in Japan. Shingo went after Hashi’s arm, but he went to bounce off the ropes and Hashi caught him with a dropkick to the knee. Hashi hit a neck breaker and had the advantage, but Takagi planted him with a lariat. Hashi blocked a Made in Japan attempt a short time later. Hashi no-sold a backdrop suplex and took Shingo down with a clothesline. Hashi then hit a clothesline on Shingo, but he got back up and hit a big sliding lariat and both men were down. WOW!
They went up top and Shingo hit a superplex and sold his arm after. The fans really fired up with claps with both men down on the mat. Shingo hit Made in Japan a short time later that had a Kharma twist to it for a nearfall. The fans fired up and Hashi countered Shingo and hit a backstabber to get out of trouble. Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber a short time later, but Hashi kicked out. Shingo sold shock and the fans fired up once again. Hashi countered Shingo and hit a DDT and the announcers sold shock. The announcers mentioned that Shingo’s neck was bothering him after the superplex spot. Hashi hit a knee to the back of Shingo’s head. He set up for Karma, but Shingo blocked it. They went to a big strike exchange that Shingo ended with a headbutt to the chest. Shingo went for a clothesline and Hashi hit Karma, but he could not make the cover.
Hashi finally made the cover and Shingo kicked out at the last second! They went to another strike exchange and Hashi decked Takagi with a kick to the head. Takagi countered Hashi’s first two attempts at a destroyer, but he connected with the third. The fans fired up big time as Hashi got another nearfall on Takagi. Hashi hit a big running lariat and screamed. Hashi went for Karma, but Takagi countered it into a pinning combination for the win. WOW!
WINNER: Shingo Takagi at 17:28 (4 pts). (****¼)
(Radican’s Analysis: G1 Yoshi-Hashi is back in full force, as he put on a tremendous performance here. Hashi was so good that I was disappointed that he didn’t win. They had the crowd going crazy and they built the match up to a really good finish.)
(8) TORU YANO (2 pts) vs. KAZUCHIKA OKADA (2 pts) – A Block match
The announcers noted that Yano was focused and had gone back in time to his old brawling gimmick. Yano attacked Okada before the bell and choked him with his ring jacket. The ref called for the bell. Okada fired back and they went to the floor. Yano tripped Okda into a chair set up at ringside and dove into the ring for a countout win, but Okada got up and barely beat the 20 count. The crowd tried to rally behind Okada. Yano took off the padding in one corner and then used his tape to choke Okada, but the ref couldn’t see the tape. Okada fired back, but Yano caught him with a powerbomb for a good nearfall. Yano got into the ring with a chair and shoved the ref over. Okada ended up hitting a DDT on the chair that Yano had introduced into the match.
Okada had the Money Clip. He let it go and hit a spinning Rainmaker. Okada went for a Rainmaker, but Yano bumped the ref and spit a swig of the gas in his face. Yano then went for a rollup, but Okada just barely kicked out. Yano shoved Okada into the ref, but Okada blocked a low blow and caught him with a dropkick. Okada went for a Rainmaker, but Yano ducked it. Yano went for the Yano Maker, but Okada countered it and got the Money Clip.
WINNER: Kazuchika Okada (4 pts) at 10:10. (**¾)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was solid with Yano going to his serious side to try to get a win against the defending G1 winner.)
(9) JAY WHITE (w/Gedo) (2 pts) vs. TOMORHIRO ISHII (0 pts) – A Block match
White got a couple of chairs and told Gedo to relax behind the guardrail. Gedo said, “I watch it here” and put his hands behind his head. Ishii controlled the action early and hit a big shoulder tackle. White went to the floor and tried to get Ishii to chase him on the outside. Ishii slowly walked after White, who went under the ring and grabbed a chair. Red Shoes took the chair from White and Gedo through a chair at Ishii from behind. White asked the crowd what happened and looked puzzled. White tossed Ishii back into the ring and counted to three, ubt the ref wouldn’t count the pin after his actions on the outside.
White mocked the crowd clapping for Ishii and did a little dance to the rhythm of their claps. He then flipped off Ishii and applied a single leg crab. The ref made him let go of the hold against the ropes. White choked Ishii with the ring apron, but the ref applied the five count to make him let it go. White went for a cover inside the ring, but the ref took his time to secure the ring apron. That was funny. Ishii finally ended White’s momentum with a big powerslam off the ropes. Ishii had all the momentum,but White hit a kick to his knee and a big DDT. White took Ishii back to the floor and dropped him torso first on the ring apron. White followed up with a Blade Buster for a nearfall.
Ishii suddenly drove his shoulder into White and White spilled to the floor. Ishii tossed right back into the ring. White caught Ishii with a big Urangi, but he managed to kick out at the last second and the fans applauded. White hit a superplex and Ishii rolled around in agony before getting up and hitting a shoulder tackle that sent White flying into the turnbuckle. Gedo was now standing at ringside and no longer behind the barricade. Ishiit hit a stalling vertical suplex out of the corner. Ishii sold his midsection before making the cover for a nearfall. Ishii had to cover White with his back due to the pain in his torso. White avoided a sliding clothesline, but ate a jumping enzuguri. Ishii then hit a sliding lariat and trapped the legs for a deep cover and got a nearfall. Ishii avoided a low blow from White after Gedo got up on the ring. He hit a German and knocked Gedo off the apron. White blocked the Vertical Drop Brainbuster and hit one of his own. Ishii got right up, but White nailed him with a clothesline. Ishii tried to get up, but he fell on his face. WOW!
Ishii got up and won a chop battle with White. Both men traded counters until Ishii hit a vicious headbutt to the chest. Ishii finally connected with a stacked powerbomb for a nearfall. Ishii drove his head into the corner to fire himself up as the 20 minute mark came and went. They went to an exchange off the ropes. Gedo tripped Ishii and White went for a Blade Runner, but Ishii got out of it. White and Ishii traded counters until White finally hit a sleeper suplex. Ishii went for a clothesline and White fucked it and hit another clothesline. Ishii countered a clothesline. They traded counters again. Ishii countered a Blade Runner attempt and hit a sleeper suplex of his own. He wiped out White with a big lariat, but White kicked out at the last second! Ishii went for the Vertical Drop Brainbuster, but at the last second White slipped out and hit the Blade Runner for the win. What a match!
WINNER: Jay White at 22:02 (4 pts). (****¼)
(Radican’s Analysis: Tremendous match with White promising Gedo would not interfere only for him to play a larger part in the match as it went on. They did some amazing counter wrestling down the stretch and the crowd was red hot for Ishii’s fighting spirit spots. The finish was tremendous as White pulled off a seamless counter to the Vertical Drop Brainbuster and hit the Blade Runner.)
White started a chant for Ishii after the match and the crowd clapped along. White welcomed the fans to the first ever live edition of the Jay Show with his guest Gedo. White said they don’t understand what he’s saying. White said maybe he should speak to them in Japanese. He brought one of the Young Lions in to translate for him. White began clapping as he wanted the fans to clap while Oiwa held the mic. White continued to clap over and over while talking to Oiwa. Kelly said White was replacing words with hand claps. He told Oiwa to tell the fans, but Oiwa threw the mic down and left the ring. White told Oiwa he wanted to too sweet him, but he wouldn’t fall for it.
Contact Sean at radicansean@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @SR_Torch
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