G1 CLIMAX 25: DAYS 17 and 18

Oh yes it's block final night(s) and the feeling's right oh yes it's (block) final night oh what a night (ooh what a night). Welcome to the security blanket of Sumo Hall, noticeably smaller than the Seibu Dome, though spread over three nights perhaps not that different. We'll do a big assessment of how this tour has gone on the post that heralds the official final this coming Sunday, in which all of the night will be covered as there are many interesting bouts set to occur including the return of BUSHI from injury, the return of Ricochet from underneath a mask purloined from an underground temple in Boyle Heights and a match between Young Bucks and reDRagon, which is a regular occurrence but always FUN.

Look at this awesome image I forgot to use the other day because I was in such a rush! Look at it! This is incredible. For this and more, go and look at Punkrockbigmouth's Tumblr bcs you will not be disappointed. I mean in life you will be disappointed, that is inevitable, but briefly it will be allayed.

G1 CLIMAX 25: DAYS 6 to 9

Not even halfway. We've seen 9 days of wrestling and the tournament is not even halfway done. Tours of old were longer, yes, but the wrestling wasn't as impactful and it wasn't all deigned important enough to broadcast. It's tough to keep with though fortunately I have a window of time after work that allows for viewing the tournament matches only. 

Should they maintain this format in years to come, it is difficult to see how anybody but the most ardent of fans can keep pace. Not to mention the wrestlers, many of whom are taped up, bandaged, and moving a little more wearily. That said, maintenance of kayfabe is a reason I like New Japan and I'd be surprised if there was no element of a 'work'. Not to say they're not banged up in myriad ways.

This post follows on from my last in terms of style; most matches will get a paragraph, though noteworthy bouts will get a bit of exposition and exegesis. A propos of nothing, I'd like to thank Cagematch for making this process possible. I don't take notes and can't remember bios and past matches without having my mind jogged. Take a look at this excellent site today!

It's that thing sticking up

NJPW Road to Power Struggle: Day One

New Japan Pro Wrestling

Road to Power Struggle: Day One

25th October 2014, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo

Once again featuring translations by Yottsume! Be sure to check out his website as it's pretty much the only way you can get the proper New Japan merch with the Lion Mark.  

Don't worry, it's the 2010 design. No one needs to be fired.

It didn't take much or many changes for the complexion of NJPW to alter as we hurtle toward 2015. Kenny Omega signs. Katsuyori Shibata signs full-time. Kota Ibushi extends his deal and goes heavyweight. Jushin Liger indicates the winding down phase of his career. And new alliances are formalised to help Seikigun (New Japan Army) fight back against the menace of the three major factions: CHAOS, Suzuki-gun and Bullet Club.

NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling 2014

New Japan Pro-Wrestling

King of Pro-Wrestling 2014
13th October 2014, Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo

Some supercards require me to witter away for 500 words before getting to the first match, but this is King of Pro-Wrestling, cast in stone as a big deal and the last real throw of the dice ahead of the Dome Show on January 4th. Sumo Hall is sold out and a whole heap of titles and briefcases are up for grabs.

Main event: AJ Styles (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Furthermore I come armed with translations from Yottsume, the ingenious entrepreneur slash fansubber extraordinaire, meaning that there's actually some grounding to my drivel this time.

NJPW Destruction in Kobe

New Japan Pro Wrestling
Destruction in Kobe
21st September 2014, World Hall, Kobe.

Hello and welcome to the first New Japan Pro Wrestling supercard in the post #G124 universe of professional wrestling, a world of raised standards and KENTA not being called that anymore. It's a strange place but I think if we navigate it together then we'll have a good old time. Tonight is the first of two Destruction events, mirroring an experiment trialled in February with the New Beginning shows from Osaka and Hiroshima. Whilst those cards did a good house, it was harsh on the wallet for we PPV purchasers and there was a lot more filler to deal with. However, Tuesday's card from Okayama is not on Ustream or Japanese provider NicoNico, so many are touting this as the last stand of NJPW on internet pay-per-view for the time being.

NJPW Road to Destruction: Day 8

New Japan Pro Wrestling
Road to Destruction: Day Eight
15th September 2014, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo

Before we get into the meat of this review it would be remiss of this site to not mention this: between the televised show from the Korakuen on the 5th, NJPW have televised two events from the Destruction tour. Neither show had any particular bearing on storyline but are at least worthy of a recap.

NJPW Road to Destruction: Day 1

New Japan Pro Wrestling
Road to Destruction: Day One
5th September 2014, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo

As a fan of the game known interchangeably as 'football' and 'soccer' I must say that I value the end of season break. Just last year my particular team of choice had something of a rollercoaster ride of a year, resulting in a glum day in North-West London in the realisation that further success had been curtailed for that season. One six hour coach ride of complete gloom later I was home and I began to wind down.

G1 CLIMAX 24: Day 6

G1 CLIMAX 24: DAY SIX
Act City, Hamamatsu
July 31st 2014

Approximately halfway between Tokyo and Osaka lies Hamamatsu, birthplace of the founder of Honda, they of the frequently product-recalled cars. New Japan had a great house in this very city earlier in the year for an Anniversary tour house show notable for nothing more than a singles victory for Captain New Japan. Last year's G1 also got under way in Hamamatsu, headlined by Prince Devitt cheating his way to victory against then-champion Kazuchika Okada.

Minoru Suzuki hits the saka otoshi on Yujiro Takakashi (credit: Yahoo!)

A couple of rumours have been doing the rounds, possibly a work, on the health of Hiroshi Tanahashi and Togi Makabe. It'll be interesting to see how either bears up, especially Tanahashi given his headline match this evening against the very physically-demanding (but safe!) Tomohiro Ishii. This said, Tanahashi does get the following night off.

G1 CLIMAX 24: Day 5

G1 CLIMAX 24: DAY FIVE
Sun Plaza Hall, Sendai
28th July 2014

Working their way south on Japan's main island in a gigantic NJPW-branded RV are 21 wrestlers all sat in a circle around Shelton X Benjamin wondering how the hell he got so kayfabe good. "What is your secret?", croaks Tomoaki Honma, flipping a casino chip between his knuckles. "Is it luck?" asks the luck anti-magnet Tetsuya Naito. "He'll never be as good as me!" scribbles Hiroshi Tanahashi into the manuscript of his new book. Benjamin gets off his orange crate, muttering something about it being no secret and sorry about your damn luck as he heads to get a Pot Noodle on the go.

Kazuchika Okada with Gedo after losing on Day 4 (credit: Yahoo!)

The last time New Japan passed through these parts was for Day 6 of the 2013 G1 Climax for a very solid night of wrestling (somewhat like Day 2 of this year's edition). Great crowds have greeted the company wherever they have roamed unlike last year's Day 5 disaster in Ishikawa. In addition, a day of rest between the excellent Day 4 and with two full days off until Day 6 offers hope of some matches stretching themselves that extra mile.

NJPW Kizuna Road (Day 3)

NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING 
KIZUNA ROAD: DAY 3
4th July 2014, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo.

Six days ago we as one united earth family witnessed the passing of the torch in the NEVER division from the greatest wrestler of the last 12 months to one of the most annoying and ultimately insignificant. Many of us put dropping the tertiary title as a sign of a likely push for Tomohiro Ishii (which as time goes on I doubt and expect that the Stone Pitbull has risen as far up the card as can be allowed) but the pain still lingers inside.

NJPW Dominion 6.21

Dominion 6.21

21^st June 2014, BODYMAKER Colosseum, Osaka.

The midsummer spectacular of New Japan Pro Wrestling has historically been an explosive affair. Just twelve months ago, Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata continued their boiling bloodfeud in an encounter many take to be the finest of their tear-ups. A flowering boy-prince named Kazuchika Okada was still our champion, defeating To(u)gi Makabe before being challenged by Prince Devitt, who had just downed Hiroshi Tanahashi in the semi-main.

Conversely, this would be the first defeat Tanahashi would suffer at Dominion, having defeated Okada in 2012, Goto in 2011, Yano in 2010 (in a hair vs. hair match that sounds fucking LOL) and the man who shall forever be prefixed with 'veteran' Manabu Nakanishi in 2009 in a 30+ minute encounter are you INSANE?