G1 CLIMAX 25: FINAL

G1 CLIMAX 25: FINAL
Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo
16th August 2015
 

Let's very quickly do the negatives because the positives at the outset of this night are overwhelming and - minor spoiler alert - are set to grow. The tournament was just too long in terms of nights and the lowering of prestige of any one night contributed to not just my general fatigue but lower attendances. Perhaps some workers have hit the point in their careers where they can't quite do a long tour of intense matches. Lastly I thought it was a little cruel to have the workers whose block was not on schedule wrestle in the lower card. You wouldn't make Floyd Mayweather run laps around the arena when two potential contenders for his streak are set to duke it out later.

ACE OF THE CENTURY vs. KING OF STRONG STYLE

Now that's out of the way I think that we can mostly agree that it's been a successful 19 days in the main. There have been lots of great matches, hot crowds, and the stars of Michael Elgin, Tetsuya Naito and a few others have risen significantly whilst no one's stock has overtly diminished. That seems like a real testament to a hard-working team of wrestlers, bookers and production staff who have a feel for delivering a visceral, smart and coherent piece of entertainment that works in the immediacy of viewing as well as in long-form. Not every match was great, but it never will be, and arguably nor should it be.

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

G1 CLIMAX 25: DAYS 2 to 5

Fujiwara Armbar is a professional man with a filofax and many meetings to take and right now does not have time to provide premium express content solutions on the matter of New Japan Pro Wrestling's annual heavyweight wrestling tournament. However he was good to fax me the following comments on the back of what appears to be the invoice for 365 pairs of size M black underpants with a note made out to 'John at Bearhugger'.

G1 CLIMAX 25: DAY TWO
Twin Messe, Shizuoka
23rd July 2015

The opening round of Block B fixtures are being presented by a single camera with no commentary in a venue with little atmosphere. Hmm. As much as some may say this is more of a pure experience, I return with i. fuck purity and ii. the televisual production is what replaces the atmosphere of being there. This feels more like standing near the hard camera wearing ear defenders.

G1 CLIMAX 25 PREVIEW

One year ago the beginning of the greatest wrestling thing that has happened in my experience of watching this sometimes baffling pseudo-sport began: the tournament to top all tournaments, 111 beautiful golden memories culminating in a pulsating, trouser-rendering final that left me giddy and bereft of three weeks of my life but also strangely elated beyond any place art or sport had taken me before.

2014 winner Kazuchika Okada

All of this madness was simply for the right for one guy to go to Wrestle Kingdom 9 with a gaudy briefcase containing a contract stating his legitimacy as title challenger, which he promptly lost, bursting into tears having shinned up the biggest mountain in sight and finding, after several exasperating months, that it was a mere foothill.

NJPW New Beginning in Sendai

New Japan Pro-Wrestling
New Beginning in Sendai
14th February 2015
Sun Plaza, Sendai

The supposed new direction of NJPW in 2015 after part one of this two-part event feels a little familiar, but as Geoffrey Boycott said 'you have to see both sides bat'. I think I can just about shoehorn that one in here.

NJPW New Beginning in Osaka

New Japan Pro-Wrestling
New Beginning in Osaka
11th February 2015
BODYMAKER Colosseum, Osaka

As Dinah Washington did not sing, and as Maria Grever did not actually write, what a diff'rence a month or so makes (just 912 little hours). In the early joustings of 2015, New Japan Pro-Wrestling could not have been arrested anywhere from Sendai to Saratoga. Look:

http://t.co/VSu3CxRNR4 - 2 NJPW novices gush about the awesomeness that was #njwk9 on this week's episode of @GNetworked
— Dustin (@DSpenceCantLose) January 7, 2015

Professional wrestling at its finest #WrestleKingdom9 #WK9 #njwk9 @njpwworld pic.twitter.com/JLvjJn5HX3
— Arthur Shimko (@artshimko) January 7, 2015

#njwk9 pic.twitter.com/0pVEKLOiTt
— DP1? (@WV_CAWS) January 7, 2015

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 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: Finals

G1 CLIMAX 24: FINALS
Seibu Dome, Saitama
10th August 2014

int. New Japan headquarters

GEDO: So we need to do something big to sell the tickets for the G1 Final, it's our chance to earn the second and third biggest draws for any wrestling show worldwide in 2014.
  
JADO: I'm on it. You go back to your bandana collection. Anyway, isn't Inoki-san doing a big show in North Korea? 

GEDO: No, that stuff is 100% legit.

both look at camera

Promotion: DONE

So, in spite of them spacing it out and giving us more matches and indeed a separate event for the final match to headline, the G1 Climax 24 Final has rolled around really quickly. Critics all over the place are calling this the best edition of the tournament, the best tournament and the best thing that happened this year in wrestling. I cannot comment to that too heavily having not seen all the G1 Climaxes, all the tournaments nor all the things that have happened this year in wrestling. It is the best that I've seen though.

G1 CLIMAX 24: Day 11

G1 CLIMAX 24: DAY ELEVEN
Bunka Gymnasium, Yokohama
8th August 2014

It's the last day of regular competition at this year's overwhelmingly successful G1 Climax and the names of the finalists are yet to be decided (shocking, I know!). Usually the finals take place right after the final Block matches, meaning that the final night has more people in contention than we have tonight. The downside of that is that more of these matches are 'meaningless', but the upside is that people know that the final is guaranteed to be star-studded and the last run on Seibu Dome tickets can commence.

Here are the brief permutations: in Block A, if Hiroshi Tanahashi wins, he wins the Block. If he loses, the winner of Bad Luck Fale and Shinsuke Nakamura wins. Should Tanahashi lose and Katsuyori Shibata win, Shibata would take the runners-up slot. In Block B, if Okada wins, he wins. If Styles wins and Okada loses, Styles wins. If both lose, Okada wins. Here, courtesy of the amazing @matsu_bomaYe is the potential finalist club having a break.

G1 CLIMAX 24: Day 10

G1 CLIMAX 24: DAY TEN
City Gymnasium, Takamatsu
6th August 2014 

NJPW leaves Honshu for Shikoku, the smallest of the four major islands - and in particular, the city of Takamatsu, reachable by ferry from Kobe. On the boat ride over I daresay many of the workers will look to this blog for spirit and courage and to remind them of of who they're really trying to please here.

RRRRAAAAARRRRGGGHH!

Tonight's card has one marquee match based on their Meltzer-approved tear-up from last year as Katsuyori Shibata takes on Tomohiro Ishii. Their bout in Osaka was utterly heartstopping and is probably one of my favourite matches of all time. I'm not going to pressurise this rubber match (as you'll see later) as Ishii is reportedly hurt but it should be interesting at worst and bloodcurdling at best.

G1 CLIMAX 24: Day 9

G1 CLIMAX 24: DAY NINE
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya
4th August 2014

After a barnstorming weekend of two shows that would knock the block off almost anything I've ever seen, the NJPW charabanc rattles into Nagoya, between Tokyo and Osaka and a little farther north of Hamamatsu (Day Six). As well as being an important port city, Nagoya calls itself home to the founder of Toyota, the 1989 World Figure Skating Champion Midori Ito and one of the greatest cruiserweight wrestlers of all: Ultimo Dragon. Dragon-san also helped train current Block B co-leader Kazuchika Okada, who hails from just down the road in Anjo.

Clear leaders at the top of each Block have emerged, though the eventual victors are far from cut and dried. Five men, all at 5-2, will comprise the second half of this show, going out to bat one after the other. The first half of the show contains few who could feasibly enter the winner's circle, but plenty who could yet spoil the party. CHAOS foot soldiers Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii have the night off, which is quite timely for the latter man, who is reported to have seriously duffed up his shoulder.

G1 CLIMAX 24: Day 8

G1 CLIMAX 24: DAY EIGHT
BODYMAKER Colosseum, Osaka
3rd August 2014

It's quite possible that I'm not fully ready for Day 8 after such an excellent show at the Korakuen on the 1st. Reports I've seen online suggested that after cheering themselves into a frenzy for Tenzan-Goto, Styles-Suzuki and Nagata-Shibata, the crowd was pretty much blown out for the main event. I wasn't but I can understand if someone else was: it was insane. People aren't even really talking about Naito-Makabe and it was brilliant.

I SIGNED KENTA RIGHT HERE IN OSAKA JAPAN BROTHA

The wrestlers, hopefully, will have no such problems tonight. They absolutely bloody love their wrestling in Osaka and people who consider such things consider the Osaka crowd for New Japan Pro Wrestling to be the gold standard in worldwide audiences. A little bit smarky, sure - they wrongly hate Naito - but vocal as hell and capable of pushing the in-ring work on to greater heights.

G1 CLIMAX 24: Day 7

G1 CLIMAX 24: DAY SEVEN
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
1st August 2014 

Everybody loves Korakuen Hall, right?

Gym-ski now an then one the coolest places on earth to Rassle Korakuen Hall Tokyo Japan @njpw1972 #G124
— Lance Hoyt/Archer (@LanceHoyt) August 1, 2014

On the site of Tokyo Dome Hall complex is arguably the spiritual home of Japanese wrestling, an approximately 2000 capacity cuboid on the fifth floor of an otherwise unremarkable-looking building. Smaller promotions build to shows at Korakuen to blow off their biggest angles and larger promotions at their most highly-scrutinised time of year still incorporate Korakuen in their schedules because, it seems, that there really isn't another place like it that just seems so perfectly constructed for ring-based sports and pseudo-sports (like boxing).

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.

G1 CLIMAX 24: Day 2

G1 CLIMAX 24: DAY TWO
Aomori Prefecture Budokan, Aomori
July 23rd 2014

Aomori, at the northernmost extent of Honshu and birthplace of famed New York Mets pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, plays host to Day Two. The last time NJPW visited the city itself (having been within the Prefecture a couple of times), Rocky Romero's tag partner was Davey Richards, Wataru Inoue wrestled and Yoshihiro Takayama was part of Suzuki-gun. How times change.

Wataru Inoue

With a stacked card and a good house ready for anything, Day One of the 24th G1 Climax delivered in spades. On paper, day two of the tournament appears to be the one with fewest obvious marquee matches, with star names and favourites mostly spread out. However, the momentum has been set and NJPW has delivered this year with an apparently weak card on more than one occasion. Minoru Suzuki and Katsuyori Shibata have been granted the night off to go fishing, have a beer and saka otoshi everyone in sight.

G1 CLIMAX 24: Day 1

G1 CLIMAX 24: DAY ONE
Hokkaido Sports Centre, Sapporo
July 21st 2014

It's time for the previewing and the fantasy booking and the oh-god-is-it-on-Ustream to officially stop. This is it. The commencement of the premier wrestling tournament on earth beyond the annual battle royal at Juggalo Championshit Wrestling contested at the annual Gathering of the Juggalos. 

The NJPW battle bus is at its northernmost destination for this tour, at Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido. The home of the 1972 Winter Olympics and an annual snow festival, the traditionally cool climate is about to get A MASSIVE CLICHE insert something about heat.

Top row (l-r): Smug Foreigner, Weird Sex Man, Burning Man, Crime Boss, Bizarro Sam Malone, RAINMAKER, Swaglord, BITW, Soon To Be X NJPW, Alan Whicker, Son of Anarchy, The Smallest Giant. Bottom row (l-r): Get A Suit!, Tenzan 007, Grumpy Dad, "FUCK OFF", Ferret, Guitar Asshole, Glaucoma Glasses, Salute Dork, Glad To Be Here, Not Glad To Be Here