SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NJPW G1 CLIMAX 34: G1 CLIMAX 34 FINAL REPORT
AUGUST 18, 2024
TOKYO, JAPAN
SUMO HALL
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
Commentary: Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton
(1) YUJI NAGATA & TIGER MASK & SHOMA KATO vs. HIROYOSHI TENZAN & RYUSUKE TAGUCHI & SATOSHI KOJIMA
The action broke down after Taguchi hit the Funky Weapon on Kato. The ring cleared and Taguchi went all Kurt Angle on poor Kato and submitted him with an ankle lock.
WINNERS: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Ryusuke Taguchi & Satsohi Kojima in 8:15.
(2) TAICHI vs. KATSUYA MURASHIMA
Murashima took a lot of offense from Taichi during the early going, but he fired back with a pair of dropkicks to knock him down. The fans gasped as Murashima hit a big slam. He then went for a Boston Crab, but Tacihi got the ropes. Murashima hit a shoulder tackle off the ropes for a two count and let out a primal yell. Taichi fired back and hit an Axe Bomber for a nearfall. Taichi then obliterated poor Murashima with the DANGEROUUUUUSSSSS backdrop.
WINNER: Taichi in 7:20.
(3) TMDK (Mikey Nichols & Robbie Eagles) (w/Kosei Fujita) vs. KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & FRANCISCO AKIRA
Charlton said Takeshita said backstage yesterday he wants to come back to Sumo Hall, but that he teased he would be coming with a friend. Charlton speculated if Takeshita would come with someone from United Empire, DDT, or The Don Callis Family. Charlton talked about the IWGP World Hvt. Tag Team Title scene and mentioned the emerging team of Jake Lee & Gabe Kidd in the division.
This match featured really good action throughout. Eagles ended up isolating Akira inside the ring and he managed to finish him off with a PK.
WINNERS: Mikey Nichols & Robbie Eagles in 9:30. (***½)
(4) L.I.J. (Douki & Sanada & Taka Michinoku) vs. BULLET CLUB WAR DOGS (Taiji Ishimori & Driila Maloney & Clark Connors)
Taka had Maloney and Connors in a tandem submission at the same time, but Ishimori broke it up. Taka hit Ishimori with the Super K, which he performs like Sweet Chin Music. They ended up alone in the ring and Ishimori pinned Taka after a Double Cross. Charlton said to expect a lot of announcements about future NJPW cards tomorrow.
Ishimori pointed at Douki after the match. They are confirmed to be wrestling, but the date hasn’t been scheduled.
WINNERS: Taiji Ishimori & Drilla Maloney & Clark Connors in 9:00.
Charlton teased a special announcement coming.
A video package aired announcing that NJPW was coming back to the U.K. on Oct. 20 to the Crystal Palace National Sports Center in the UK for Royal Quest IV.
(5) HIROOKI GOTO & YOSHI-HASHI & TOMOAKI HONMA vs. BULLET CLUB WAR DOGS (David Finlay & Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee w/Gedo).
Stewart mentioned that fans in Boston and Long Beach California should stay tuned for some announcements as well later on. The announcers talked about Hirroki Goto beating David Finlay during G1 and bringing his children into the ring after and telling them this is what he has to fight for only to not even make it to the playoff round in the tournament. HASHI ended up getting the surprising victory when he pinned Finlay following a crucifix bomb. That is a SHOCKER!
WINNERS: Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi & Tomoaki Honma in 9:40. (***¼)
After the match, Hashi held up the Global Hvt. Championship and the fans applauded.
(6) HIROSHI TANAHSHI & TORU YANO & BOLTIN OLEG & SHOTA UMINO & EL PHANTASMO (w/Jado) vs. HOUSE of TORTURE (Evil & Ren Narita & Yujiro Takahashi & Sho & Dick Togo) – 10 Man Tag match
Shota Umino and his partners all came out to his music and entered through the crowd. ELP had a House of Torture shirt in his hand before the match. Jado tried to take it from him, but he held onto it. House of Torture has offered to pick up ELP, as he is going through a rough spell in his NJPW career right now.
Everyone was distracted by ELP and the shirt, so House of Torture jumped their oppoents and ELP bailed to the floor with plausible deniability that he was avoiding an attack.
They built up to a spot where ELP came to Tanahashi’s aid, but he was jumped from behind and Narita hit him with a belt. He then handed the belt to Tanahashi and ELP thought that Tanahashi had hit him with the belt. He never saw that Narita had hit him. Togo hit Tanahashi with a pedigree and then a senton. Evil made the pin and ELP could have made the save, but decided not to.
WINNERS: House of Torture in 9:50. (***½)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was not your typical HOT match, as it told a good story based around ELP’s internal conflict and how he doesn’t trust anyone right now including his manager Jado.)
After the match, Evil offered ELP a chair and they held up Tanahashi. Jado came in and tapped ELP from behind. ELP nearly hit Jado, but he stopped. He went to hit Tanahashi as Evil screamed at him, but he stopped. Jado told him not to do it and the fans cheered. He then hugged Jado and they went after House of Torture.
House of Truth quickly turned the tables on then. The fans chanted for ELP, who took a belt shot. Narita then hit him with the push up bar and the fans booed. Evil told the fans to shut up on the mic and they booed. He told ELP, he would put him in the trash where he belongs. He said he never wanted him in HOT anyway. They put the boots to ELP one last time before leaving the ring.
(7) L.I.J (Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi & Hiromi Takahashi & Bushi) vs. United Empire (Jeff Cobb & Henare & Callum Newman & Great-O-Khan) – 8 Man Tag match
The announcers talked about how Naito has a lot of contenders to deal with for the IWGP World Hvt. Championship including Shingo Takagi and Great-O-Khan.
Henare had Ultima on Takahashi, but it got broken up by Bushi. The action broke down and Cobb hit the Spin Cycle on Takagi. Bushi wiped out a pile of men with a dive! Henare and Takahashi went at it alone in the ring. Henare wiped him out with a clothesline and made a cover a short time later for a nearfall. Takahashi caught Henare with a pinning combination and it was good for the win. O-Khan prevented Naito from making the save in the end. WINNERS: L.I.J. in 11:45. (***¼)
After the match, Naito and O-Khan had words. The announcers said Takahashi was now the top contender for Henare’s NEVER Openweight Championship after beating him. Takahashi handed Henare the belt after the match. Henare was really upset and he slammed the mat in frustration before leaving the ring. Naito and O-Khan wente face-to-face on the apron and Naito spit in his face and snapped his neck over the top rope!
Masahiro Chono was introduced before the main event. He got a big pop from the crowd. He got on the mic and introduced the final match in the tournament.
(8) ZACK SABRE JR. (w/TMDK) vs. YOTA TSUJI – G1 Climax 34 Finals
Tsuji is wearing red pants. Sabre is wearing orange and white TMDK colors. The bell rang and the fans fired up big time. Sabre let out a yell to the crowd before locking up with Tsuji. Tsuji has the chance to become the first man to win the NJPW Cup and G1 Climax in the same year.
Both men are coming off long matches in the semi-finals. The announcers mentioned that long matches don’t usually favor Sabre. Tsuji sent Sabre to the floor and nailed him with a suicide dive. Sabre ended up going over the guardrail upon impact.
Tsuji continued to control the action back inside the ring. He then targeted Sabre’s midsection with a bodyscissors submission on the mat. Sabre eventually managed to roll them both into the ropes to break the hold. Sabre finally broke Tsuji’s momentum with a neck screw.
Tsuji got on a roll and eventually connected with a curb stomp. The fans chanted for Sabre as Tsuji gazed into the crowd before putting the boots to him in the corner. They battled up top and Sabre dropped Tsuji neck-first over the top rope. Tsuji was holding the middle rope a short time later and Sabre connected off the top with a knee strike and the fans fired up.
Sabre got a cross-arm breaker, but Tsuji quickly got to the ropes. The fans got behind Tsuji and tried to rally behind him as Sabre continued to target his arm. Tsuji blocked Sabre’s attack and hit a knee to the head. He hit a back breaker and slammed Sabre to the mat where he connected with another curb stomp.
Tsuji went for Marlow out of the corner, but Sabre avoided it. Sabre got the European Clutch for a nearfall. Tsuji kicked out and took a German, but he got right up and hit the Gene Blaster and both men were down! WOW! Both men got up and went face-to-face in the middle of the ring. Tsuji hit Sabre with a forearm with his good arm.
They continued to trade and the fans fired up. They continued to trade big blows and finally the pace increased until Tsuji caught Sabre with a big blow to the midsection. Tsuji hit 17 Crosses, but Sabre managed to kick out at the 25 minute mark. Tsuji hit a curb stomp and let out a yell. He went for Marlow and connected. He made the cover, but Sabre kicked out!
Tsuji went for a Gene Blaster, but Sabre turned it into a Fujiwara arm bar and the fans cheered. Tsuji powerbombed his way out of it and hit a big running knee strike to Sabre’s chin for another nearfall.
The announcers mentioned the match was closing in on being the longest in Tsuji’s career. He put Sabre on his shoulders and hit an avalanche 17 Crosses! He made the cover, but Sabre kicked out! Tsuji set up for Deadbolt, but Sabre managed to counter it. Sabre caught Tsuji with a lariat, but Tsuji got up and hit a Zack Driver for a nearfall! The fans applauded for both men as they tried to regroup on the mat.
Sabre countered the Gene Blaster into a European Clutch for a nearfall. He got another pinning combination for another nearfall that looked a lot like Darby Allin’s Last Supper. Sabre hit a kick to Tsuji’s neck. Tsuji countered Sabre and hit a stunner. He went for a Gene Blast, but Sabre turned it into a triangle! Sabre got a nasty double arm submission using his legs. He then tied up Tsuji’s legs in a NASTY combination submission I don’t think I’ve ever seen for Sabre and it was good for the win.
WINNER: Zack Sabre Jr. at 31:40. (****¾)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was an amazing way to end the tournament. They told a great story with Sabre going after Tsuji’s arm and Tsuji going after Sabre’s midsection. They really turned things up during the second half of the match with some incredible counter sequences.
Tsuji was never able to connect with the Gene Blast, as Sabre was able to continually counter it and that led to his downfall. The finishing submission sequence from Sabre to end the match was beautifully done.)
Sabre was presented with the G1 Climax 34 trophy as Tsuji was helped to the back. Sabre waved the G1 flag around the ring and the Steward said, “ A 20 year career has come to this.” The fans chanted loudly for Sabre.
Sabre began his promo in Japanese. He thanked the fans for their support. He then said, “I f—-ing did it!” Sabre said this was his first win in G1 and Jan. 4 is a long way away. Sabre said now he is in love with Sumo Hall. He said it would be pretty good to have a title match right here.
He said next time they’re at Sumo Hall, he wants his title shot. He said he wants his shot at King of Pro Wrestling, which is a break from tradition. King of Pro Wrestling is scheduled to take place on Oct. 14. TMDK joined Sabre in the ring as he was showered in confetti. Sabre went into the crowd as he has throughout the tournament after his matches. Sabre raised his trophy in the air and celebrated with the fans.
Contact Sean at pwtorchsean@gmail.com. Follow him on X @SR_Torch
FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a really good show to close to the tournament. The undercard set up some intriguing matches for the future. The Sabre-Tsuji G1 Climax Tournament Final was amazing from start to finish. Sabre is now firmly established as a top wrestler in NJPW going forward, but the company has a lot of work to do going forward, as they didn’t do enough to establish new talent during the course of G1.
Tsuji looked great in taking the loss, but this was once again a big loss for Tsuji, who’s been given numerous opportunities to win the IWGP World Hvt. Championship. He has fallen short when given those opportunities and now in the G1 with the lone exception of his NJPW Cup win earlier this year.
Sabre breaking tradition and calling for his title shot to come at King of Pro Wrestling in October is a surprise, but with all of the losses Naito suffered in the tournament, it would have been really hard for NJPW to book around that and tell a good story for a Naito vs. Sabre match at Wrestle Kingdom in January.
A reset of sorts seems necessary where perhaps NJPW can install Sabre as their top guy and begin to build from below him to establish some younger talent and insert them into major matches at Wrestle Kingdom. That seems like a lot to ask out of NJPW given their booking patterns, but perhaps breaking from tradition this year with Sabre is the start of the company making some moves they wouldn’t normally make to address some issues with the roster.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.