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NJPW G1 CLIMAX 29: NIGHT 14 REPORT
AUGUST 4, 2019
EDION ARENA OSAKA
OSAKA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
G1 CLIMAX 29: NIGHT 13 VIEWING GUIDE
(8) Jon Moxley vs. Jay White. (****½)
(9) Tetsuya Naito vs. Shingo Takagi. (****¾)
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.
Commentary: Kevin Kelly, Rocky Romero and Chris Charlton.
UNDERCARD RESULTS
(1) Ren Narita & Shota Umino beat Toa Henare & Yuya Uemura in 6:00.
(2) Suzuki-Gun (Minoru Suzuki & Lance Archer & Zack Sabre Jr.) beat L.I.J. (BUSHI & EVIL & SANADA) in 6:30.
(3) Bullet Club (Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi) beat Tomoaki Honma & Kota Ibushi & Hiroshi Tanahashi in 8:15.
(4) CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI & Will Ospreay & Kazuchika Okada) beat Karl Fredericks & Clark Connors & KENTA in 8:30.
B BLOCK RESULTS & ANALYSIS
(5) NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPION TOMOHIRO ISHII (6) vs. TORU YANO (6) IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 B BLOCK MATCH
Ishii jumped Yano as soon as he got into the ring because Yano was trying to take off one of the turnbuckle pads. Yano used his usual cheap tactics to get several pinning combinations for near falls. Kelly said if Moxley wins tonight, everyone with 6 points would be eliminated. Yano tried to bait Ishii into coming to the floor, but he wouldn’t do it. Yano waited forever and ran into the ring at 19 to beat the ref’s count and Ishii put a beating on him. Ishii dominated the action for the most part for a long period of time, as Yano’s taunting kept backfiring on him. Ishii hit some light kicks on Yano and Yano fired up!
They had a big strike exchange and Yano dropped Ishii with a forearm! Ishii ducked a clothesline and hit a German as they passed the five minute mark. This is now Yano’s longest match of the tournament. Yano hit a belly to belly a short time later for a near fall. They had some great counter exchanges with both men going for low blows. Both men then traded several pinning combinations for several near falls. Ishii hit the sliding lariat for a near fall. He then hit the vertical drop brainbuster for the win.
WINNER: Tomohiro Ishii (8 pts) in 9:40. (***)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was a lot of fun. Wish Ishii moving to 8 points, he can’t be eliminated tonight. This was one of the longer Yano matches I can recall taking place during G1 and he did surprisingly well.)
(6) JUICE ROBINSON (6) vs. TAICHI (W/MIHO ABE) (4) IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 B BLOCK MATCH
Yoshinobu Kanemaru attacked Juice Robinson while he was making his entrance. Taichi and Abe had the ref distracted. Taichi hit a buzzsaw kick inside the ring for a near fall. Taichi put Abe in front of Robinson on the floor and walked all the way around the ring and attacked him from behind. He then held Robinson so Abe could slap Juice across the face. Taichi worked over Robinson for a long period of time until he cut him off with a spinebuster. Just kept checking Taichi’s kicks, which was a nice touch to show Robinson had done his homework on Taichi. Taichi fired back and hit an enzuguri to the back of Robinson’s head in the corner. He then ripped his pants off. They had an exchange off the ropes and Robinson caught Taichi with a leg lariat. Robinson ended up hitting a cannonball in the corner, but Taichi blocked Pulp Friction and hit a backdrop suplex and a jumping kick to the face.
Robinson countered the Last Ride and hit the Juice Box right before the 10 minute mark passed. Robinson was on a roll, but he went after Kanemaru when he got up on the apron. Taichi grabbed the ref and went for a low blow. Robinson evaded it and took the ref out of the way and hit a right hand with the ref out of the way. Taichi blocked Pulp Friction and Robinson went for it again. Kanemaru got up on the apron, but Robinson nailed him with a punch and hit spit his alcohol up in the air. Robinson went for the Left Hand of God, but Taichi grabbed the ref and hit the Santori Surprise. He then got the Gedo Clutch, but Robinson kicked out at the last second. Taichi hit a superkick and then Black Mephisto for the win.
WINNER: Taichi (6 pts) in 12:30. (***)
(Radican’s Analysis: There was loads of interference, but Robinson did a good job of fending it off until the end when it was just too much for him to overcome. Both men are in danger of being eliminated if Moxley wins.)
(7) JEFF COBB (6) vs. Hirooki Goto (6) in a G1 CLIMAX 29 B BLOCK MATCH
Once again, both men need a win here or they are in danger of being eliminated. Cobb went for a Tour of the Islands early, but Goto held onto the ropes. Cobb got the upper hand and went on the attack. Goto fired back and decked him with a big clothesline. Cobb eventually fired back with the Spin Cycle suplex. Cobb hit a standing moonsault, but Goto kicked out at the last second. They battled up top a short time later. Both men traded forearms. Goto hit several headbutts, but Cobb wouldn’t go down.
Cobb got Goto p and hit a big deadlift superplex and both men were down. That was a fantastic exchange. Cobb made a deep cover once he recovered, but only got a two count. Cobb went for a Tour of the Islands again, but Goto put the breaks on. Goto then caught Cobb coming off the ropes and hit Ushigoroshi. Goto hit a flurry of kicks and a reverse GTR for a near fall. Both men were jockeying for leverage and Goto hit a big belly to belly for a near fall. Cobb blocked a mid kick and hit a German. He went for a Tour of the Islands, but Goto got out of it. Goto the hit a DVD variation of the Ushigoroshi for a near fall. He then hit a GTR for the win.
WINNER: Hirooki Goto (8 pts) in 11:20. (***¼)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was a good physical match. Something was missing to take it to the next level. Goto’s win keeps him alive whether or not Moxley wins tonight.)
(8) JAY WHITE (W/GEDO) (6) vs. IWGP U.S. CHAMPION JON MOXLEY (W/SHOTA UMINO) (10) IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 B BLOCK MATCH
White is eliminated with a loss here. Moxley got into the ring and went right after White. He took him to the floor and put a beating on him. Moxley got a choke on the floor, but let it go when the ref gave him a quick five count. Gedo took the table away that Moxley had set up, but the cameras didn’t show it. Moxley no sold an attack by White and went to town on him in the corner. White fired back and couldn’t get a Blade Runner, but Moxley ran right into a DDT to give White the upper hand. White followed up with the Blade Buster, but White couldn’t even get a two count. They went to the outside and this time it was White throwing Moxley into the barricade. Moxley suddenly fired back with s shotgun dropkick. White went to the floor and Moxley nailed him with a suicide dive. Moxley whipped White over the guardrail. They brawled into the crowd. They came back to the ring and Moxley got a figure four around the ringpost. White managed to fire back and he hit a suplex into the turnbuckles. White strung together a series of big moves capped by a big uranagi for a two count. Moxley fired back later and hit a big suplex for a near fall and both men were down.
The fans fired up with Moxley back in control. The announcers pointed out that Moxley has yet to be pinned or submitted in NJPW and has only lost via countout to Yano. They went to a strike exchange. Moxley ducked a forearm and hit a uranagi. He took his knee pad down for the Regal Knee, but White collapsed to avoid it. Gedo got on the apron, but Moxley managed to fend off the Blade Runner and he hit a snap Death Rider for a near fall. Moxley went for Death Rider, but White grabbed the ref. Moxley shoved them both away and the ref went down. Moxley told Gedo to hit him with the brass knuckles. White hit Moxley from behind with a low blow and Gedo followed up with a brass knuckles shot for a near fall. Moxley countered the Blade Runner into a rollup for a near fall. Moxley obliterated White with a clothesline and hit the Regal Knee for a near fall. HOLY S–T what a sequence! Moxley went for the Death Rider, but Gedo got on the apron again. Moxley hit him with the Regal Knee, but White came up from behind and hit a sleeper suplex. Moxley countered the Blade Runner and almost got a high angle Death Rider, but White got out of it at the last moment and hit another sleeper suplex! Moxley flipped White off from his knees. White hit a cross-armed Bloody Sunday. He then hit Blade Runner on Moxley for the win. WOW!
WINNER: Jay White (8 pts) in 15:15. (****1/2)
(Radican’s Analysis: What a match. Every time Moxley was on the verge of winning with Death Rider, Gedo would get up on the apron and interfere. This match was wrestled at a hell of a pace and it was clear Moxley would have won if not for all of the interference. Moxley’s loss leaves a lot of men alive in the tournament.)
Kevin Kelly pointed out that Juice Robinson controls his face because he still has to wrestle Moxley and White.
(9) IWGP IC CHAMPION TETSUYA NAITO (6) vs. SHINGO TAKAGI (4) IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 B BLOCK MATCH
The announcers detailed that this match was 16 years in the making and that these two had known each other since high school. Charlton said Shingo always had the edge when they sparred. He was an ametuer wrestler and Naito specialized in Judo. He said they remained friends while Shingo was in Dragon Gate. Charlton said this match was an opportunity for Naito to prove he’s better than Shingo. They had an incredible exchange featuring several counters before coming to a stalemate. Naito asked for a fist bump. Shingo thought about it, but grabbed Naito’s fist and gave him a knee to the gut. Naito tossed Shingo to the floor and hit his fake dive. Shingo sold frustration on the floor and tossed a chair into the ring. Naito unfolded it and sat down. Shingo ran into the ring and Naito tripped him into the chair and followed up with a dropkick. They had a strike exchange and Naito raked Shingo’s eyes. Shingo grabbed him by the hair and Naito spit in his face. Shingo fired back and took Naito down with a straight right in the clothesline. He then clotheslined Naito to the floor. Takagi tossed Naito into the ringpost a short time later. Shingo worked over Naito inside the ring for several minutes, but Naito eventually hit a running rana and both men were down.
Naito strung together a flurry of offense and Shingo tried to cover up for the dropkick in the corner, so Naito waited for him to drop his hands and then hit it. Naito began targeting Shingo’s neck and hit several knees. Shingo blocked a spinning DDT and hit a DVD a short time later. Shingo went up top and hit the Dragon Spirit Elbow for a two count. The fans fired up and chanted for Naito with Shingo in control. Naito ducked a sliding lariat and hit a low enzuguri to the side of Shingo’s head. He caught Shingo with a neck breaker over his knee with his feet draped on the ropes a short time later. Shingo blocked a top rope rana. He then went for Noshigami, but Naitl blocked it. Shingo went for it again right away and hit Noshigami right before the 15 minute mark. The announcers noted he only got one leg trapped. Both men went back and forth and Naito hit a swinging DDT. Shingo blocked Gloria and hit a knee to the ribs. Naito hit a flying forearm a short time later. Naito then hit Gloria for a two count.
Naito went for Destino, but Shingo blocked it. Naito went for a running Destino, but Shingo caught him and spun him around on his shoulders into a powerbomb! Shingo then hit a sick wheelbarrow German into the corner. Shingo tried to carry Naito up top on his shoulders. Naito hit several forearms up top. Naito went for a Frankensteiner, but Shingo blocked it. Shingo went for a powerbomb, but Naito turned it into a super hurricanrana. He then hit a poison hurricanrana. WOW! Naito set up for Destino and waited for Shingo to get up, but he wiped him out with a big lariat! The fans fired up and chanted for Naito as the 20 minute mark came and went. Shingo went for Made in Japan, but Naito blocked it. Shingo hit a short Pumping Bomber and then another one. Naito went down to a knee. Naito ducked a clothesline, but Shingo powered out of his grasp. Shingo fired back and hit a snap Saito Suplex, but then Naito caught him with a dragon suplex. Naito went for a flying forearm, but Shingo caught him and hit Made in Japan for a near fall. Holy s–t! Shingo hit a pumping bomber and Naito kicked out at the last second and the fans gasped. Shingo went for Last of the Dragon, but Naito countered it into a reverse DDT. The fans fire dup with a big chant for Naito. They began trading forearms in the middle of the ring. The fans fired up with each strike. Shingo began hitting a flurry of left and right forearms, but Naito fired back with a palm strike. Shingo fired back with a headbutt. Naito countered Shingo and hit a brainbuster, but Shingo kicked out at two.
Naito went for Destino, but Shingo blocked it. He rebounded off the ropes and hit a HUGE lariat. Natio blocked Last of the Dragon and hit a destroyer. HE then hita Destino for a near fall. WOW! The fans gasped at Shingo’s kickout. Three minutes remained in the match and Naito hit another Destino for the win. What a match! WOW!
WINNER: Tetsuya Naito (8 pts) in 27:00. (****¾)
(Radican’s Analysis: This match built and built and these two longtime friends went to war to prove just who was the better man. The counter sequences and Shingo’s sheer displays of power were amazing. Naito is very much alive with 8 points and although Shingo is eliminated, he’s had a hell of a tournament.The crowd heat for this match was off the charts)
After the match, BUSHI came down and eventually helped Shingo leave the ring.
Naito cut a promo and he talked about asking Shingo to join him and said he knew he made the right choice. Shingo was shown listening from the entranceway. Naito said they could do it again another day one on one. The fans fired up and chanted for Shingo and Naito tipped his cap. Naito said he’s in a difficult spot at 4-3, but he’s still alive and he will fight until the end because he’s looking at a prize further down the road. He said for all the fans, enjoy the wait while I reach my goal. He thanked the fans and told them he’d see them in September. He then did his LIJ signoff. Naito’s music played and the fans chanted for Naito.
They followed Naito backstage and he talked about his goal of being a double champion in reference to the IC and IWGP Hvt. titles.
Overall Thoughts: The B block got turned upside down thanks to Moxley losing to White. A Moxley win would have eliminated several men, but now the door is open for several wrestlers including White, Robinson, and Naito, who all have big matches still to come.
The block action got off to a bit of a slow start, but the show finished with two incredible matches. Moxley vs. White was a war and each time Moxley was on the verge of winning, Gedo would interfere. White has now come on strong with four straight wins after opening the tournament with three losses.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: The main event between Shingo and Naito was one of the most exciting matches of the tournament. It started just a little slow, but then they got going and told an incredible story with Shingo using his power to overwhelm Naito at times. Natio worked on his neck and the crowd just got hotter and hotter, as the winner of the match was unclear from start to finish and it wasn’t until Naito hit a second Destino to win.
The last handful of days of block action should be incredible with several key players alive on both sides. I’m really looking forward to seeing Robinson’s story plays out as he looked to be out of it, but now he’s got some big upcoming matches that see him in the mix.
UPDATED G1 CLIMAX 29 STANDINGS THROUGH NIGHT 14
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 5-2 (10 pts)
Jay White 4-3 (8 pts)
Tetsuya Naito 4-3 (6 pts)
Tomohiro Ishii 4-3 (8 pts)
Hirooki Goto 4-3 (8 pts)
Juice Robinson 3-4 (6 pts)
Toru Yano 3-4 (6 pts)
Jeff Cobb 3-4 (6 pts)
Taichi 3-4 (6 pts)*
Shingo Takagi 2-4 (4 pts)*
*-eliminated from A/B Block final
Email Sean at radicansean@pwtorch.com. Follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/sr_torch.
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