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.

Even better, it's a sell out at the Sun Plaza Hall. On paper this appears to be a show of two halves: one potentially rote and one potentially riotous. Paper has been shown to be less than entirely useful as a guide for this tournament. Let our hearts guide us.

As hinted in my slightly fan-fic opening paragraph, Shelton Benjamin is the sole clubhouse leader and the only undefeated wrestler of the 22. Tonight he faces the man who has defeated both Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura, one Katsuyori Shibata, who in turn must now KAYFABE suspect that he has cleared the two most significant obstacles to overall victory in Block A.

Elsewhere we have a rematch of one of 2014's best matches as Kazuchika Okada and Tetsuya Naito go head-to-head. Current IWGP big belt holder AJ Styles also has a potential night-stealer against Hirooki Goto. Yuji Nagata and Togi Makabe have the night off to rest their weary bones. My predictions lie in ruins at 22/40 and are getting progressively worse by one point every night. Sigh.

OH! And before we carry on, here's a shot of Shinpei Nogami getting carried away on commentary during Nakamura-Nagata from yesterday.

Shinpei Nogami: BITW (thanks to @HeelForHire)

Block A: Doc Gallows - Tomohiro Ishii 

Previous beef: though members of rival factions, the two have only met in multi-man bouts.

On day one, Ishii literally faced down the not-quite-giant-but-nonetheless big Bad Luck Fale during the opening exchanges as a way of putting over the size of Fale and the cojones of Ishii. Here he does the same with Gallows, who is probably another four inches taller than Fale. There's over a foot in difference here and it is one hell of a sight to behold. Especially, thinks I but possibly not the casual onlooker, because you can still credibly buy Ishii as a man who will kick your behind.

Gallows on hearing that former employer TNA had gone under

The match plays on this dynamic well, with Ishii bumping around for the mighty Gallows and selling all of his fairly standard offence as if it were brutal flesh wounds from a cannon. Ishii, with strength to match his toughness and selling, manages to get Gallows up for a great-looking vertical suplex but Gallows downs Ishii with a Gallows Pole and all looks doom for Stone Pitbull until he powers out at 2.9 and drills the giant American with a release German Suplex.

Tomohiro Ishii: remains awesome (credit: Bootaaay on NEOGAF)

A brainbuster attempt is blocked, but Ishii regains the momentum after a series of reversals and hits his enziguri despite Gallows' shoulders being above Ishii's head. Ishii pounces and hits the brainbuster and takes the victory, though his toughest opponents in Block A lie ahead. ***1/4
 

Ishii [6] d. Gallows [2]

Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan - Lance Archer 

Previous beef: the pair have squabbled over both the NWA and IWGP tag team titles, though Archer defeated Tenzan in the 2012 tournament. 

The first in a pair of Killer Elite Squad vs. TenCozy singles matches. KES have been a little luckless as a tandem in 2014, yet to score a meaningful victory. Both competitors are just about still in the running as singles competitors, though the best they can hope for in reality is the spoiler role and matches like these where they fire a warning shot to those in their division.

Killer Elite Squad: Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer

In a fine, if occasionally glacial, match, Archer scores the win over Tenzan following Blackout. Archer managed to get his personality and skills over much better here: sometimes I feel that the role of 'big foreign guy' is a bit bland and contains more huffing and puffing than actually delivering decent matches. No such issues here, with Tenzan more than holding up his end of the bargain too. **3/4

Archer [4] d. Tenzan [4]

Block A: Davey Boy Smith Jr. - Satoshi Kojima 

Previous beef: word for word what the last match says, except replace 'Archer' with 'Smith Jr.', 'Tenzan' with 'Kojima' and '2012' with '2013'.

There's an identical spot here that occurred in Ishii-Kojima. Smith Jr. (in this case 'Ishii') is on the apron. Kojima gets an adrenaline burst and lariats the standing leg of Smith Jr., following it up with an apron DDT. When Ishii took these moves, they looked explosive and ruthless. Perhaps through the relative 'size logic' or perhaps through fear of injury, Smith Jr. simply drops to his knees in both instance and sells minimally.

TenCozy: Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan

That might seem hypercritical but in these shorter singles matches it really helps to try and get the offence of both guys over. Around this mild gripe, Smith Jr. has a decent outing here and takes a fine win over an opponent having another good tournament. There's less of the irritating facials and a degree of intensity that is pleasing, giving a slice of credence to those 'push DBS Jr.' calls you occasionally hear. ***

Smith Jr. [4] d. Kojima [4]

Block B: Minoru Suzuki - Yujiro Takahashi  

Previous beef: Suzuki defeated Takahashi at this stage in 2012 and 2013 representing the only singles matches the two have contested since Yujiro joined the heavyweight ranks.

Though Minoru Suzuki is allegedly the Man With The Worst Personality In The World, even he works subtle babyface against Yujiro Takahashi, who would probably work heel against a man caught on camera kicking a litter of kittens. Takahashi attacks Suzuki before the bell, working a crowd already displeased that Suzuki's theme tune has been cut off mid-flow.

Suzuki is too smart and dickish to be out-dicked by this particular dick, smashing Takahashi around the arena floor. Suzuki-gun standard bearer TAKA Michinoku also attempts sly digs, but Takahashi is at least wise and tough enough to shrug off the challenge. Gedo and Jado look on from the co-commentary position in a nice shot managing to frame members of CHAOS, Suzuki-gun and Bullet Club all at once.

Once the match returns to the ring, it's a pleasing encounter with good workrate from both competitors. Suzuki dominates his opponent nearly throughout, nearly snapping his leg off in a fairly nasty and legitimate-looking leg lock. Takahashi dices with death by slapping a man in the face whose Wikipedia lists a signature move as 'hard slaps to the opponent's face'. The beast enraged, Suzuki creases Takahashi in the saka otoshi, forcing the almost instant tap. ***

Suzuki [4] d. Takahashi [2]

Block B: Karl Anderson - Toru Yano 

Previous beef: this pair represent what I would call (and nobody else as far as I know) the souls of their factions: Anderson as cocky confident overseas shitheel and Yano as the very embodiment of chaos. Yano defeated Anderson at this stage in 2013 in this very hall. Anderson beat Yano on his way to the 2012 final match, as well as scoring a victory in 2010. The pair were once stablemates in Great Bash Heel.

The new Bullet Club strategy seems to be attacking from the bell. Anderson, fresh from a victory over block favourite Kazuchika Okada, attacks YTR, steals his robe and mocks his 'YANO-TO-RU!' pose (which in itself already stems from when Yano trolled Rob Van Dam at their Wrestle Kingdom V match). It's more of a comedy match, so rather than getting showered in boos and spittle, the Sendai crowd titter along. In a further attempt to out-Yano Yano, Anderson exposes the turnbuckle and shoots Yano into it repeatedly, rendering the mighty Troll King a lowly and badly-winded peasant.

They have done this spot before, I guess

As pretty much everyone who has tried to bully and crush Yano under their tough-guy heels has discovered this tournament, Yano doesn't stay down and only requires an ounce of strength to deliver a low blow and roll. Anderson, for his sins, learns this the hard way; taking the roll-up defeat after a sequence of attempts to use the referee as a human shield. Barring a miracle run, Anderson looks buried in Block B. **1/2

Yano [6] d. Anderson [2]

Block A: Katsuyori Shibata - Shelton Benjamin 

Previous beef: Benjamin ended Shibata's run at the 2014 New Japan Cup in one of the upsets of the year to date. That was their only meeting to date.

Here's where Shibata's 'The Wrestler' shtick could come undone given Shelton Benjamin's stern amateur credentials and present position as the cock of the Block A walk. The opening moments play into the background of both men, exchanging rapid amateur-style transitions and novel reversals into a pair of clean rope breaks, indicating a measure of mutual respect

The accord is shattered when Benjamin dominates, brutalising Shibata on the outside by holding him off the ground by the legs and repeatedly swinging him into the metal guard rails. It's really interesting to see Shibata not immediately delve into the barrel of endless fighting spirit, instead playing the babyface in distress role. To the credit of both men, they both excel at their roles.

Gentlemen! Repeat your beef!

Eventually Shibata does dig deep to break Benjamin's momentum as we transition into a hot second half where both results are teased immaculately. After another gruesome reverse spinning chop, Shibata holds Benjamin up in the G2S and throws his opponent, but Benjamin grasps Shibata's leg and intelligently and - more to the point fucking awesomely - rolls through for the Angle Lock.

Benjamin loses the hold to a rope break but devastates Shibata with a pair of superkicks and appears to have Shibata at his mercy for Paydirt. Shibata manages to counter into a sleeper, which Benjamin tries to roll through but Shibata clings on for dear life and chokes the fight out of his opponent. The referee checks Benjamin but Shibata releases the hold before the third arm-drop and opts to end the match by PK, finding its mark in typically brutal fashion.

Shibata takes his revenge for the New Japan Cup defeat earlier in the year. Benjamin's first defeat in this year's G1 Climax, yes, but his best performance. A fine match. ***3/4

Shibata [6] d. Benjamin [8]

Block B: AJ Styles - Hirooki Goto 

Previous beef: nada. Goto briefly excursioned in TNA during Styles' time, though the two never crossed swords.

Though suffering defeat to Toru Yano inside 90 seconds two days earlier, Hirooki Goto retains the slender joint-lead in Block B. AJ Styles, also defeated in Akita, promises to be his biggest test yet in a match that could reasonably headline standalone PPVs on most nights of the year.

Idea for NJPW Public Outreach: GOTO SCHOOL

It's a really tight battle between two well-matched opponents. The crowd, god bless 'em, have now got a bit of trouble actually disliking Styles. For all of his referee-admonishing loudmouthery, his workrate and in-ring humility is getting himself really over. At the end of this contest, which showcased the breadth but not the depth of both men, I'd doubt there was a single person watching who didn't want more at some point.

Toward the end, Styles looks in trouble when Goto lifts him ahead of a Shouten Kai, but the champion shows real toughness to wriggle out and deliver a punishing Bloody Sunday followed by the Styles Clash and the win to render Block B wide open once again. ****

Styles [4] d. Goto [6]

Block A: Bad Luck Fale - Hiroshi Tanahashi 

Previous beef: This is their first singles contest. The two have met in Bullet Club vs NJPW multi-man tag matches.

With Shelton Benjamin finally losing, a Tanahashi win will see the NJPW figurehead roar back to the top of Block A. Standing in his way is Bad Luck Fale, thus far going steadily if unspectacularly through his first tournament (though wrestling some of the better matches of his short career).

Bad Luck Fall: Tongan for 'you are fucked, mate'

The bar has been set high for MOTN but that never stops Tanahashi trying to clear it. There's some really good stuff here: Fale tosses Tanahashi over the top rope only for Tanahashi to try his HBK-indebted 'skin the cat' routine. Fale is wise to this trick and attempts to head him off at the pass. Tanahashi wraps his legs around Fale's thick head and drags him to the outside before jumping to the top turnbuckle and hitting a booming High Fly Flow crossbody to the outside.

Fale is getting there workrate-wise but still needs a bit of carrying, but Tanahashi is the man to do it. The end is near as Tanahashi appears to have hit the High Fly Flow, only for Fale to catch Tanahashi in a chokehold and hit the Grenade. Though Tanahashi evades one attempt at the Bad Luck Fall, he cannot escape the second. Fale gets the shock win and joins Tanahashi on three wins and two defeats. Good stuff from both men. ***1/2  

Fale [6] d. Tanahashi [6]

Block A: Tomoaki Honma - Shinsuke Nakamura 

Previous beef: Nakamura defeated Honma in 2010 on a G1 Climax show in a non-tournament match as well as a 2009 house show, the 2007 BOSJ tour and the 2007 Anniversary tour. The pair often landed on opposite sides in tag matches during the period when CHAOS formed out of the splintering of Great Bash Heel and RISE.  

Tomoaki Honma may be at the foot of Block A but as we all should hopefully realise, performances in the G1 count down the road. Given the roars of KOKESHI! that have greeted every single performance of his thus far, you'd have to expect that there's more to come for this guy. Especially when his matches have also been so good.

Tonight is the night that Ibushi is probably missed the most, given that it would have spelled a rematch of what was possibly the best match of last year's tournament. With that reminder noted, let's not discredit further two of the most over and interesting people in professional wrestling today.

Shinsuke Nakamura and a nice post-match snack

This match is suitably bananas. The story is set: Honma is the valiant underdog and Nakamura reverts to a slightly heelish bully figure for the night. Honma will of course miss a couple of Kokeshi attempts and will swing wildly and not hold anything back against his opponent, be they big man, multi-time former champion or fellow former indy wrestler. It's a simple story and its effortlessly told.

Nakamura's natural roleplaying ability helps cement another great match on this evening, giving room for Honma to get his hope sequences in. Reversing one Boma Ye attempt into a roll-up, he comes with a fraction of a millisecond from the unlikeliest of wins. Kicking out of a Boma Ye, he grabs onto even greater reserves of respect. However, a second Boma Ye proves fatal, with Honma slipping to 0-5 for the tournament. What's he got to do to win? ****

Nakamura [6] d. Honma [0]

Block B: Kazuchika Okada - Tetsuya Naito

Previous beef: the two had a fantastic encounter at Wrestle Kingdom 8, with G1 winner Naito failing to capture Okada's IWGP Heavyweight Championship, a repeat of the result at the 40th Anniversary show during Okada's first reign. In the tournament itself, Naito defeated Okada in his ultimately-victorious 2012 run. 

Bad reviewer admission: I noticed there was about 55 minutes left to run on my video at the beginning of this match. Thinking to myself that the pace was a little slower than that which these two are capable of and they're both in great shape with two days rest, I became convinced that this match was going to be a draw. It wasn't.

The slightly slower pace wasn't a hindrance at all: the crowd was white hot for both men, so every moment seemed to almost count double. As opponents, these two are practically tailor-made for one another: both obviously come to prominence in their homeland, have excursioned extensively in Mexico and have plenty of that US-style crowd work that I can only assume that they learned in the sadly-missed and much-loved promotion TNA.

IT IS STILL VERY MUCH REAL TO ME

Effectively a compression of their overlooked Tokyo Dome semi-final, which in itself was a main event-calibre match, the two exhibit a smoothness and timing that is of the very highest order. I challenge any naysayers of either men to watch this match and critique their ring work, whatever you might think of Naito's slightly goofy character or Okada's possible over-push.

My only criticism, and perhaps this is influenced by my admission a few paragraphs ago, is that there wasn't enough of it. Not that it felt rushed or that it jumped to its closure early, but that it was so good and worked at such an intelligent pace that 5 more minutes could only have offered even more. Naito ensured that Block B remains wide open just before the halfway mark with the win, hitting the Stardust Press. A cracker. ****1/4

Naito [8] d. Okada [6]

Really good show this. Really good. You know something good has happened when Tanahashi has the 'worst' match of his half of the show. Let's take a look at the scores and ignore the absolute travesty that my predictions game has become.

Block A:
1. Shelton Benjamin [8]
2. Katsuyori Shibata [6]
-. Bad Luck Fale [6]
-. Hiroshi Tanahashi [6]
-. Shisuke Nakamura [6]
-. Tomohiro Ishii [6]
7. Davey Boy Smith Jr. [4]
-. Satoshi Kojima [4]
9. Yuji Nagata [2]
-. Doc Gallows [2]
11. Tomoaki Honma [0]

Block B:
1. Tetsuya Naito [8]
2. Kazuchika Okada [6]
-. Hirooki Goto [6]
-. Toru Yano [6]
5. Minoru Suzuki [4]
-. Lance Archer [4]
-. Hiroyoshi Tenzan [4]
-. AJ Styles [4]
9. Togi Makabe [2]
10. Yujiro Takahashi [2]
-. Karl Anderson [2]