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NJPW G1 CLIMAX 29: NIGHT 13 REPORT
AUGUST 3, 2019
EDION ARENA OSAKA
OSAKA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
G1 CLIMAX 29: NIGHT 13 VIEWING GUIDE
Note:This section will provide spoiler free recommended matches to watch from each night of the tournament if you’re pressed for time and only want to see the essentials. The matches worth seeing will start at ***¾ or higher.
(7) Will Ospreay vs. EVIL (****)
(8) Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kota Ibushi (****1/2)
(9) Kazuchika Okada vs. SANADA (****3/4)
Commentary: Kevin Kelly, Rocky Romero and Chris Charlton.
UNDERCARD RESULTS
(1) Juice Robinson & Henare beat Narita & Tsuji in 6:18.
(2) CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto) beat Toru Yano, Tomoaki Honma & Jeff Cobb in 5:50.
(3) L.I.J. (Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI & Shingo Takagi) beat Sukuzi-gun (Minoru Suzuki, Taichi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) in 7:28.
(4) Bullet Club (Jay White & Chase Owens) w/Gedo beat Jon Moxley & ‘Shooter’ Umino in 5:55.
B BLOCK RESULTS & ANALYSIS
(5) KENTA (8) vs. BAD LUCK FALE (w/Jado) (2) IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 B BLOCK MATCH
Chase Owens stayed after his tag match with Jay White near ringside, and hid from an enraged Moxley. Owens then shoved Chris Charlton out of his chair and declared that there was a “CHAOS bias” in commentary and that he would correct that starting with this match.
Fale started the match with a look to get help as soon as possible, distracted the referee and allowed Jado to crack KENTA with a kendo stick to the back/neck area. Fale then dumped KENTA to the floor, where Jado continued his assault as ref distractions began to mount up.
Back in the ring, KENTA got the bigger Fale off his feet after an exchange ended with a series of drop kicks to the knee. KENTA then hit his running kicks in the corner / delayed dropkick combo, and even a top rope clothesline! Fale then hit a clothesline after KENTA failed to get the big man up for a GTS.
When Fale went for a Grenade, KENTA countered into a triangle choke, then transitioned that into Game Over. It was at this point that Chase Owens said he dropped something on the floor, removed his headset and got to the ring to distract KENTA. While the ref dealt with Owens, Jado tried to sneak into the ring with the kendo stick, but KENTA stopped him. That left KENTA’s eyes off of Fale, who rolled up the much smaller opponent for the win.
WINNER: Bad Luck Fale (4 pts) in 7:20 via pinfall – roll up. (**)
(Fann’s Analysis: Early into the match, my thought was that KENTA wouldn’t be able to get much out of this one. But, Fale was pretty good in the final stretch, particularly how self assured he was after the roll up pin.)
(6) RPW BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION ZACK SABRE JR. (4) vs. LANCE ARCHER (4) IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 A BLOCK MATCH
Sabre was absolutely in his element early, harangued and berated the bigger (but slower) Archer with his agility, and mugged as he did so. That is, until Sabre put Archer into a wristlock and the bigger man kipped up out of it!
At this point, Sabre took a powder outside and Archer followed. Sabre ran out of the way and prevented Archer from whatever move he planned on the apron, then put a guillotine onto Archer as the Suzuki-gun stablemate re-entered the ring.
Archer went for his pounce, but Sabre again snatched a guillotine. Archer fought him off and then tried his Undertaker-style ropewalk, but Sabre (again the cheeky so-and-so!) dropped the big man crotch first on the top rope. Before Sabre could take full advantage, Archer pie faced him and then hit a cross body onto Sabre for a near fall.
Archer took control from here on out – with a powerbomb and a hellacious chokeslam. However, as the ref counted, Archer pulled Sabre’s head up before the ‘3’ count could be registered. Archer set Sabre up in the corner for Blackout, but Sabre wiggled into another choke, which he then transitioned into a crucifix hold for the win. Archer post-match was incensed and took his anger out on Marty Asami as Sabre Jr. backed up the ramp and gave his partner in crime a thumbs up.
WINNER: ZSJ (6 pts) in 10:43 via pinfall – crucifix hold. (***)
(Fann’s Analysis: In a battle of stablemates this was a nice clash of big man / small man. Sabre was relentless in being an absolute pain to Archer at every moment – and Archer was happy to deal out payback at a moment’s notice. Archer suffered from the same fate I did when playing wrestling games in college – instead of just getting the pin, he wanted to win HIS way. That opened the door for the Sabre Jr. rollup and Archer’s subsequent murder of the ref.)
(7) IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION WILL OSPREAY (4) vs. EVIL (6) IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 A BLOCK MATCH
This match was a story of two men – EVIL, who looked to stay alive in the G-1 and Ospreay, who was already eliminated but wanted to have a good showing in the final stretch. That combination is essential to understand – as they went pillar to post at one another, and the desperation late that EVIL had to stay alive in the G-1 was palpable.
EVIL’s typical Magic Killer spot early was flipped out of by Ospreay, so that allowed for the CHAOS member to finally hit the Sasuke special he was denied in the very onset of the match, after winning an early exchange with EVIL.
Ospreay for the middle five or six minutes thought he could pull this match out, after his hook kick of doom cracked the skull of EVIL. Ospreay then got the bigger man up for a Spanish Fly, and the Oscutter only got a two count.
Ospreay, thinking EVIL was ripe for the picking, then went for the super Oscutter he used on Takagi in the BOSJ final, but was caught. Evil then destroyed Ospreay’s neck with a pair of half-and-half suplexes, a lariat, and then Everything is EVIL was all she wrote for young William.
WINNER: Evil (8 pts) in 17:08 via pinfall – Everything is EVIL. (****)
(Fann’s Analysis: Ospreay hasn’t had much to show in the points department, but each of his G-1 Climax 29 matches have been great to see. Evil is slowly moving himself up the ladder and this was a great match to see him flourish with such a talented dance partner. The win was definitive and gave little wiggle – EVIL was just the better man today.)
(8) HIROSHI TANAHASHI (8) vs. KOTA IBUSHI (8) IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 A BLOCK MATCH
The story of this match wasn’t necessarily the knee of Tana or the ankle of Ibushi – it was can Ibushi get over the mental hurdle hovered over him when faced with someone he considered a deity.
Early on, Kevin Kelly noted that Ibushi felt in his training that led up to the match that he needed more of an edge, perhaps even to do a little of the “dark arts” to get the win and was uncomfortable with the premise. As the match flowed in the early portion, Ibushi was a little more aggressive with his holds and moves, but not to the point you’d say he was cheating or going too far.
After Tanahashi hit Ibushi with a dragon screw in the ring, then outside onto the ropes, Ibushi was both in pain and hyper-focused on the man, not the legend of Tanahashi. Ibushi stopped Tana from a High Fly Flow to the floor and instead did an outside in hurricanrana. Then, when Tanahashi tried to roll his legs, Ibushi double stomped the Ace and lawn darted him. Dazed, Tanahashi got on the apron, however, that left him vulnerable to the deadlift german suplex Ibushi gave him back into the ring.
Both men started exchanging some crazy shots – in fact, I think Ibushi may have not only gotten bloodied in the mouth, but lost a tooth in the process! Tanahashi ate a Last Ride, but kicked out at 2.7++++. Tanahashi ducked a Kamigoye and hit three successive Twist and Shouts, and then a Sling Blade for good measure – but Ibushi still kicked out. Tanahashi then hit Aces High, and went for High Fly Flow, but Ibushi moved. Ibushi nailed a Bomaye, but it was only a near fall. Ibushi’s Kamigoye attempt was countered into a roll up (ala their last meet up) and Ibushi then kicked out. Ibushi hit a kick to Tanahashi’s head that Tana no sold, but the second kick sounded like someone got shot and down went the Ace. With his mentor, his hero, his god on the mat, Ibushi used the move he created to beat god – Kamigoye – to finally beat Tanahashi.
After the match Ibushi was a mess. He didn’t move off of Tanahashi’s body, crying and visibly overcome with emotion with the victory. He then moved to clutch the wrist of Tanahashi, who pulled him close to talk, which thankfully wasn’t fully picked up by the TV crew.
WINNER: Kota Ibushi (10 pts) in 15:53 via pinfall – Kamigoye. (****1/2)
(Fann’s Analysis: Wow. This match was, as their history has suggested, a banger. Ibushi being tentative and his regard for Nakamura and Tanahashi has almost psyched him out in matches against the Ace of the Universe. The finishing sequence and Ibushi’s reaction post-win are must-sees. Also, kudos to New Japan’s video team, as they cut away to allow Tanahashi and Ibushi’s mini-conversation on the mat to be between the two of them. Watch this match as soon as you can!)
(9) IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION KAZUCHIKA OKADA (12) vs. SANADA (4) IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 A BLOCK MATCH
SANADA is O-fer vs. Okada and took this match very seriously. Okada knew that the upstart is on his heels, and with 12 points already looked to get to 14 and set himself fully apart from the pack. That made for an outstanding main event.
Both men started with their typical exchanges on the mat, however the then transitioned to the outside. Okada hit the hangman’s DDT on the barricade onto SANADA, who barely made it back to the ring before a count out could be made. Okada leaned into his more heelish persona, hit a dropkick to the back of a seated SANADA’s head and did the Jericho-style one foot pin. Red Shoes refused to count.
After another dropkick attempt, SANADA countered with his leapfrog spot that ends with his dropkick, then hit a pescado on Okada on the floor after the Rainmaker bailed from the ring. Back inside, Okada was treated to the Paradise Lock, and a near fall after SANADA dropkicked him out of it.
From there, the match became a question of who would get their hold first – SANADA with the Skull End or Okada with the Rainmaker – as both men countered the other’s hold into attempts for their finisher. SANADA hit the TKO, got a two count and then went for the moonsault. Okada moved and SANADA landed on his feet and then went for his moonsault/Skull End combo – but Okada hit a short arm Rainmaker (with wrist control) for a near fall. When Okada wound up for the full Rainmaker, SANADA hit a lariat of his own, and then slapped on a spinning Skull End. At this point Red Shoes was the real MVP, as he was emphatic with Okada he had to stay verbal or he would call the match.
Okada broke out a bit, but the body scissors was still applied by SANADA, who slowly got another Skull End onto the champ. After an extended “give up give up!” by Red Shoes, SANADA gave up the hold to go for his moonsault. Okada put up his knees as SANADA landed, and both men were down.
Two minutes remained in the match.
At the 90 second mark, SANADA went for Skull End again, Okada got out and dropkicked him. Okada tried for another Rainmaker, but SANADA hit A POP UP TKO out of nowhere! SANADA then hit a moonsault to Okada’s back, rolled him over and hit a second to seal his first win over the New Japan Top Dog.
WINNER: SANADA (6 pts.) in 29:48 via pinfall – moonsault press. (****3/4)
Post match, SANADA thanked the crowd, said that last year he lost to Okada in Osaka so he didn’t like them that much then, but likes them now a little, and left. As he soaked in the adulation, the lights went out early on in his speech, which allowed for the fans to use their phones as lights as the L.I.J. best coiffed member chatted with the people.
(Fann’s Analysis: At the five minute left mark, and then the 90 seconds mark, I was perfectly content with the match if it ended with a draw and SANADA was merely 0-6-1 vs. Okada. But that closing stretch with Red Shoes Umino screaming at Okada that he had to respond while in Skull End or he’s calling the match, followed by the frenzied nature of SANADA’s final moonsaults, SANADA could not be denied.)
Overall Thoughts:This was the “Curse of Osaka” as Kevin Kelly put it – the IWGP champ has lost in Osaka the last 3 years – Okada this year, Omega in 2018 and Okada again (to EVIL) in 2017. This was also the night that Kota Ibushi defeated Tanahashi, a man he revered at deity status. Kamigyoe, “strong enough to beat/surpass god” was enough to grant him this win, and the reaction of Ibushi, Tanahashi and the crowd made it a truly special moment. Overall, the evening was another solid G-1 night, but nothing on the undercard popped up of note.
UPDATED G1 CLIMAX 29 STANDINGS THROUGH NIGHT 12
A BLOCK
Kazuchika Okada 6-1 (12 pts)
Kota Ibushi 5-2 (10 pts) Hiroshi Tanahashi 4-3 (8 pts)
EVIL 4-3 (8 pts)
KENTA 4-3 (8 pts)*
SANADA 3-4 (6 pts)*
Zack Sabre Jr. 3-4 (6 pts)*
Will Ospreay 2-5 (4 pts)*
Lance Archer 2-5 (4 pts)*
Bad Luck Fale 2-5 (4 pts)*
B BLOCK
Jon Moxley 5-1 (10 pts)
Juice Robinson 3-3 (6 pts)
Tomohiro Ishii 3-3 (6 pts)
Toru Yano 3-3 (6 pts)
Tetsuya Naito 3-3 (6 pts)
Jeff Cobb 3-3 (6 pts)
Hirooki Goto 3-3 (6 pts)
Jay White 3-3 (6 pts)
Taichi 2-4 (4 pts)*
Shingo Takagi 2-4 (4 pts)*
*-eliminated from A/B Block final
Email Rich at r.fann2@gmail.com. Follow him on twitter at twitter.com/rich_fann.
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