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NJPW G1 CLIMAX 34 NIGHT 17 REPORT
AUGUST 15, 2024
MAKUHARI MESSE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE HALL
CHIBA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton were on commentary. The opening shot of the arena made it clear that it was small and sparsely populated, not a good look for what should be a big show.
(1) HIROOKI GOTO & YOSHI-HASHI & TOMOAKI HONMA & KATSUYA MURASHIMA vs. SANADA & TAICHI & DOUKI & TAKA MICHINOKU
Early on it looked like the goal of this match was to set up Taichi and Sanada for a tag feud with Bishamon. That might still be the ultimate goal, but unfortunately we had to watch Honma wade through molasses in the ring. No, not literally. The commentators pointed out that there was a large storm headed for the area, which would explain the smaller crowd.
Douki pinned Murashima after an awkward-looking swinging northern lights suplex with a bridge.
WINNERS: Just Five Guys via pinfall in 7:00. (*1/2)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Not much to see here. Taichi and Yoshi-Hashi jawed at each other after the match, so it could well be a tag run for Taichi and Sanada that culminates in a shot at TMDK. That feels like a step down for Sanada, but I suppose he has to do something. Similarly, Bishamon are kind of floating aimlessly right now so it gives them something to do too. It’s painful watching Honma wrestle right now, though. He’s relatively young by NJPW veteran standards but he’s so slow now, he essentially only exists to hit Kokeshi.)
After the match, Taiji Ishimori came out to challenge Douki to a Junior Heavyweight title match. Douki said nothing, but seemed open to the idea.
(2) BOLTIN OLEG & TORU YANO & HIROSHI TANAHASHI vs. SHO & YUJIRO TAKAHASHI & YOSHINOBU KANEMARU
The six-man tag titles were not on the line in this match, despite the champs wearing them to the ring. I am sure it will shock you, dear readers, to know that House of Torture jumped the champions before the bell. They targeted Tanahashi, probably as punishment for meddling in House of Torture business on the last night of B Block action.
It did not last, and soon the match became an Oleg power showcase. We got the usual Yano comedy shenanigans, the usual House of Torture Shenanigans (™), and the usual miscommunication leading to whiskey in Yujiro’s eyes and a schoolboy by Yano.
WINNERS: Yano, Tanahashi, and Oleg via pinfall in 9:00. (*1/2)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: I thought they might use this to set up a title match for finals night, but I am glad they didn’t. Just a showcase for the champs really.)
(3) JEFF COBB & FRANCESCO AKIRA vs. GABE KIDD & JAKE LEE
Gabe Kidd had new music, which was a significant downgrade on his old music. The commentators reminded us that Kidd and Lee planned to come for the tag team division. They jumped United Empire before the bell. The match quickly went out into the fans, all four men brawling through the seating area.
They did make it back to the ring. We got a funny spot with Cobb screaming “John Cena!” as he hit a shoulder tackle, then followed up with a “you can’t see me” gesture before hitting a standing moonsault. Let the speculation about Cobb commence! Or maybe Cena is coming to New Japan on his retirement tour?
Akita got a good bit of offence in against Lee, but ultimately succumbed to a straight right from Kidd and a chokeslam from Lee.
WINNERS: Bullet Club War Dogs via pinfall in 7:00. (**1/2)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: The tag team run for the War Dogs irritates me. Kidd is too good to be in a regular tag team. I know he was in one with Alex Coughlin, but that sad situation really brought Kidd to the forefront. That said, the match was good and with what we saw from Akira I would not be surprised to see him get a junior heavyweight title shot soon. Sure, I’ve been saying that since Best of the Super Juniors…but eventually it will be right. He’s just been too good to deny recently.)
(4) TETSUYA NAITO & BUSHI vs. HENARE & CALLUM NEWMAN
They waited for the bell, but Bushi attacked Newman from behind to start the match. He was not the legal man, either. Interesting. Sadly that was the most interesting part of the match. Naito did very little and Bushi tapped out to Ultima.
WINNERS: United Empire via submission in 6:00. (*1/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: I have to keep asking the question…what on earth is going on with Naito? He seemed utterly disinterested tonight, took zero bumps, moved slowly…if he’s not injured, I really hope this is a story. With four losses in the G1 an injury would be worst-case scenario because he has four people who will be looking for a title shot. Does he lose the first one, in that case? If it’s story, they need to come up with some sort of explanation soon because it’s getting to be a talking point. And not the good kind.)
(5) SHOTA UMINO & EL PHANTASMO & JADO vs. EVIL & REN NARITA & DICK TOGO
Shota and Jado came out together, but ELP did not follow. They went back through the arena door to get him, and all his progress and improved mood from the G1 seemed to be gone. No light-up jacket, no smile. For those keeping track, Shota’s entrance was four minutes and six seconds today.
Much of the early part of the match saw ELP taking a beating from House of Torture. Shota changed the momentum, but then Jado was the victim. Of course we had interference, we had the literal crotch chop, and then Evil pinned Jado following a collision between Jado and ELP and Everything is Evil.
WINNERS: House of Torture via pinfall in 8:00. (*3/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: To put this clear ELP sadness storyline right after a Naito match when Naito is basically doing the same thing with no clear story…well, it’s a choice. The finish of the match furthered the dissension between Jado and ELP, and the after-match activities suggest that House of Torture may well be going after the six-man belts. Not much to look at in terms of action, but some good development here.)
After the match, all six members of House of Torture beat down Shota and Jado. ELP was down on the outside. Yano, Tanahashi, and Oleg made the save.
(6) ZACK SABRE JR & HARTLEY JACKSON vs. DAVID FINLAY & GEDO
Hartley Jackson is a big dude. He came out in a Hannibal Lecter mask, and we were told he was an original TMDK member. He last wrestled in NJPW in 2006. For some reason he decided to go running through the crowd, sprinting along a whole row. Twice. OK big guy, you do you.
I actually like this plan of having the two block winners face off in a tag match tonight. It’s unlikely they both make it to the finals, but if they do then we get a preview of it. Walker Stewart told us that if Finlay wins the G1, he has no interest in the IWGP World Heavyweight championship. Instead he will main event the Tokyo Dome defending the Global title. I can already feel Wade seething with anger at that.
We did get a healthy dose of ZSJ and Finlay interacting, and it looked to be tantalizing. One to watch down the line. For tonight, Jackon pinned Gedo after a Death Valley driver.
WINNERS: TMDK via pinfall in 10:00. (**)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Jackson did not really impress here. He’s thick and plays the stoic man well, but there was not much to talk about from him. The meat of the match was seeing Finlay and ZSJ, which did look promising. Even if that isn’t the G1 final, it will be a top feud down the line somewhere.)
(7) SHINGO TAKAGI vs. GREAT-O-KHAN – A Block semifinal match
The crowd seemed split, but maybe slightly in favour of Shingo. O-Khan came in on a five-match winning streak, each one a must-win.
O-Khan took Shingo down with a waistlock and got a quick one-count. He clamped on a front chancery, but Shingo backed him into a corner. After the rope break, Shingo flattened O-Khan with a lariat and applied a chinlock. He took O-Khan to the mat and dropped an elbow, then a senton. He tried a suplex but O-Khan blocked it, then hit a belly-to-belly suplex. He applied a unique arm lock, with Shingo face-down on the mat and his arm trapped between O-Khan’s legs. Shingo got to the ropes for a break. O-Khan continued to attack the arm, tying it in the ropes and hitting a Mongolian chop.
At the five-minute mark, O-Khan kicked away at Shingo’s shoulder. He applied a short-arm scissors until Shingo again made it to the ropes. O-Khan continued his assault, wrenching Shingo’s arm over his knee. Shingo came back with some jabs with his good hand, but the rally was short-lived as O-Khan ducked a clothesline and clamped on the claw. Shingo backed him into a corner, O-Khan grabbed a sleeper hold, but Shingo dropped backwards to break the grip and get control.
Shingo laid in a series of chops and jabs in the corner (with his bad arm), then hit his feint DDT. He followed up with a vertical suplex for a two-count. Could it be? IT”S TAKAGI TIME! Shingo called to the crowd, the response was decidedly less vocal than at the start of the match. He planted some knees into the midsection, took O-Khan over with a snap mare, and hit a sliding…no! O-Khan blocked the lariat and turned it into a head-and-arm choke! Shingo wriggled to break free so O-Khan dropped him with a shoulder throw. He followed up with a tomenage and a pair of hip wheel throws for a two-count. O-Khan fought for a kimmura, Shingo clasped his hands together, but O-Khan was able to apply the hold. That sent Shingo scrambling to the ropes like he had been tased.
Shingo mounted a brief rally but was stopped by Mongolian chops. Shingo fired back with his own version of the chope but got starched with an uppercut palm strike. O-Khan ran the ropes and Shingo countered the lariat into a back suplex to leave both men down. Shingo recovered first, called to the crowd, and hit a corner clothesline. He sold the damage to his arm before using that arm to hoist O-Khan to the top turnbuckle and hit a superplex. Shingo hit a sliding lariat, and then remembered to favour the right arm. Shingo tried for Made in Japan, O-Khan resisted so Shingo lifted some more knees to the gut. He tried a lariat but the strength was not there. Of course, he tried again. It was not very effective. A third attempt led to O-Khan catching it and applying a kimmura. Shingo fought and fought and managed to get a foot on the rope at the 15-minute call.
The crowd got behind O-Khan as he pulled Shingo up. Shingo countered an arm wringer by kicking O-Khan’s knee, then applied a rear naked choke. O-Khan got a burst of energy, escaped, and hit an overhead claw suplex to take back momentum. He measured Shingo, then leveled him with a pump kick. He went for the Eliminator, Shingo escaped it, and both men ran the ropes…lariat by Shingo! 1…2…no! Shingo waited for O-Khan to stand, and hit a Northern lariat…to no effect! O-Khan hit his own regular lariat which was much more successful. Eliminator…countered into a backslide! 1…2…no! Shingo hit a sliding forearm to the head off the kickout, then hit a series of 12-6 elbows. O-Khan just ignored the shots and stood up! Headbutt by Shingo! They exchanged blows, O-Khan landed a solid right on the jaw, and countered a lariat into a Fujiwara armbar! Shingo inched to the ropes, O-Khan switched into a more traditional armbar! Shingo tried to reverse the pressure and was able to escape. O-Khan rang up the arm and went for a pumphandle Eliminator…countered into a DDT! Wow.
Both men struggled to their feet at the 20-minute mark. Shingo was faster to recover and hit a corner clothesline, a shoulder tackle and a German suplex. A Yukon lariat got a very near fall. Last of the Dragon…connected! 1…2…3!
WINNER: Shingo Takagi via pinfall in 21:00. (***3/4.)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Both men have had excellent matches all tournament, and this was no exception. I do think it suffered somewhat from Shingo’s inconsistent selling and unwillingness to modify his offence at all, as well as a finish that felt quite sudden. Overall those are minor issues and the match was a very good watch. At no point in the match did it seem like O-Khan was winning, which also brings it down. Now, as much as I love Shingo and think he has been criminally underused, you cannot tell me there is a youth movement in New Japan after this result. O-Khan might not be that young, but he is relatively young compared with Shingo. Both A Block finalists are guys who have been pounding on the glass ceiling for years, but neither can be considered part of any youth movement. So far that promise from Tanahashi is ringing very hollow.)
(8) YOTA TSUJI vs. KONOSUKE TAKESHITA – B Block semifinal match
Takeshita won the round-robin match between these two, and has been phenomenal throughout the tournament. Sadly, that tends to suggest a loss here.
The commentators made a lot of Takeshita being underused in AEW, and of his left knee which was damaged by Ren Narita and House of Torture.
Tsuji grabbed a headlock on the mat in the early going. Takeshita got to his feet and pushed Tsuji into the ropes, and they collided. Neither man budged. Tsuji went to the ropes and ran into a forearm, then a flying variant. He grabbed at his knee on landing. They went to the apron, and Takeshita dropped Tsuji with a DDT on the Hardest Part of the Ring. Back inside, Takeshita clamped down with a chinlock. Tsuji elbowed free but got kicked in the head. Takeshita took him to a corner and tattooed his chin with a stiff elbow. Takeshita laid in a pair of knees, slammed Tsuji down, and went to the middle rope. He tried to leap but seemed to feel a twinge in his knee, so he hesitated. He went for a senton and got nothing but knees to the back.
At the five-minute mark Tsuji hit a dragon screw on a prone Takeshita. He targeted the injured leg, kicking at the knee. Takeshita tried to shake it off, firing in a few forearms, but was stopped in his tracks by a kick to the knee. A kitchen sink knee left and another grounded dragon screw left Takeshita crawling for the ropes. Tsuji continued to attack the knee, slamming it to the mat and applying a leg grapevine. Takeshita dragged himself to the ropes to cause a break.
Tsuji softly kicked Takeshita’s leg as we reached the hubris section of the match. Takeshita got to his feet but was staggered by a right hand. He wound up to return fire, but Tsuji beat him to the punch with a gut shot that crumpled Takeshita. Tsuji went for a fireman’s carry, Takeshita elbowed free and tried to run the ropes but his knee gave out. Tsuji ran the ropes and got flattened by a Takeshita lariat, leaving both men down. Takeshita slapped at his leg and tried to catch his breath as we went past ten minutes.
Takeshita perched Tsuji on the top turnbuckle and powered Tsuji over with a superplex. Tsuji rolled to the outside, Takeshita followed and retrieved a plethora of chairs from under the ring. He covered Tsuji in chairs, got back in the ring…slingshot senton to the outside into the chairs! And Tsuji of course, but mostly chairs. Both men were down on the outside as the referee started to count. Takeshita rolled inside at five. Tsuji made it back in at 17. Takeshita went for a blue thunder bomb, Tsuji blocked it and tried to run the ropes but Takeshita grabbed his tights and hauled him back for a blue thunder bomb. Tsuji reversed it into a hip toss, and followed up with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker sending Takeshita to the floor. Tsuji followed with a tope to the outside.
Tsuji paced around the ring, doing a full lap before rolling Takeshita back inside. He cut off another Takeshita lariat with a gut shot, ate a high boot, and blocked a knee strike. He kicked Takeshita’s bad knee and hit a backbreaker, but Takeshita avoided the curb stomp and hit a German suplex. Tsuji connected with a superkick, then both men hit a lariat. Again both men were down as the fans chanted for Yota. He recovered first as we passed 15 minutes. He smiled at Takeshita and waited for him to get to his feet. Both men adopted a three-point stance, and ran into each other. They each tried for a suplex, struggling back and forth…Falcon arrow by Tsuji! Gene Blast….right into a power drive knee! Tsuji went down like a lead balloon as Takeshita grabbed at his knee. Takeshita rolled to the apron and climbed to the top…Tsuji intercepted and kicked him in the knee! Both men were on the top turnbuckle…Takeshita hit a lariat to send Tsuji crashing to the mat! 1…2…no!
Takeshita hit a trio of standing lariats, but Tsuji only dropped to one knee. Takeshita went for a running start…BIG knee strike by Tsuji! Lariat! Cover! Only a one-count! Tsuji looked shocked but started laying in some very stiff elbows. He slapped Takeshita hard three times, then dropped him with a headbutt. Curb stomp to the face! Marlow Crash….countered! Blue Thunder bomb! 1…2…no! Takeshita grabbed at his knee, measured Tsuji, and absolutely teed off with an intense elbow strike. Raging Fire….countered into a Stunner! Gene Blaster! 1…2…NO! At the 20-minute call Tsuji looked shocked, but then resolved. He created some space, called to the crowd…three-point stance…Takeshita moved! German suplex by Takeshita! Tsuji popped up and came roaring back with a Gene Blaster! 1…2….3!
WINNER: Yota Tsuji via pinfall in 21:00. (****)
(Lansdell’s analysis: This is going to sound hypocritical: I do not want Tsuji to win this G1. Not only has he already had two title shots, he’s had them both against Naito…and lost twice. As I said on the Seven-Star Podcast this week, he has been teasing a coup within LIJ since he came back from excursion. He basically invited himself into the faction, and Naito just short of shrugged and said OK. Unfortunately, the story kind of writes itself. Third time’s the charm, a ripe situation for a betrayal and either a fracturing of LIJ or Tsuji joining a different faction…but that story makes WrestleKingdom basically a foregone conclusion. We had that last year, and the main event suffered massively as a result. Takeshita winning here but falling at the final hurdle was a better story in my opinion, but one has only to hear the reactions Tsuji gets to understand why he is being pushed so hard.
This was the match of the night, as it should be. Takeshita has been the G1 MVP,. and Tsuji has hardly been a slouch. There are still two hurdles for Tsuji to clear, but this did feel like it opened the door to his coronation. Tsuji continues to develop in-ring, which is impressive when you consider he was already very good. Watch this match, because both men brought it.)
Final thoughts: There is no youth movement right now. Let’s get that straight. Narita is a heel in a faction nobody takes seriously. Kidd is going to be in the tag division. Umino is being kept in a warming tray., O-Khan sniffed the top of the card, but is likely on his way back down to the comedy belt division. Master Wato and Yuya Uemura are injured. Yes, Tsuji is advancing. One person is not a youth movement though.
But the reality is that the top of the card has changed. Out of necessity perhaps, but it has changed nonetheless. Umino and Tsuji might not have the big win yet, but nobody bats an eyelid at them being in the main event. ZSJ and Shingo look to be getting that elevation people have been craving for a while. Maybe, just maybe, pundits like me have been looking at this wrong. Tsuji and Umino and Uemura will get their wins, but first they need some established top names to beat. Naito can be that name for one of them, but more are needed. Shingo and ZSJ, perhaps even Finlay, need to be cemented as believable top talents first. Then the wins can come.
It’s the benefit of the doubt, for sure. And there is a lot of doubt there. But I know that I have never booked a wrestling promotion, and Gedo has been doing this a long time. Some of the results and decisions in this tournament have been puzzling, but I do see a path to making them more sensible. Let’s just hope he takes it.
The tournament isn’t over, but this is my last show to recap as part of it. I mentioned Takeshita as the MVP, and I think both Gabe Kidd and Yuya Uemura have broken through this year. O-Khan and Sanada were able to find their mojo and reconnect with crowds that had largely relegated them. Sanada especially has recovered from his disastrous title run. Even if we will not have the winner I wanted, the tournament has to be seen as a massive success overall. Tonight’s two top matches were both very very good, perhaps a little similar in style but not lacking in quality. The styles will change on Saturday for sure. I think we will have ZSJ and Tsuji in the finals, because I just don’t see an all-LIJ final followed by an all-LIJ WrestleKingdom main event.
There are some story threads being set up that should carry us through the fall. I really hope we get some clarity on Naito soon, and I hope Gabe Kidd proves his value is too high to be in the tag division. The tournament, and the plans for the next few months, are nicely balanced to the point where I think any of the four men could win and make for a good story up to January.
Assuming Naito is still champion, of course.
You can contact me at lansdellicious@gmail.com or on Twitter @lansdellicious. Kelly Wells will be here on Saturday for the block finals, and Sean Radican will have the finals on Sunday. Thanks for joining us!
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