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.
After 89 gruelling tournament matches taking in all four of Japan's major islands and many of their major cities, the show opens exactly as you would imagine it: Delirious from Ring of Honor cuts a semi-intelligible promo thanking the fans for taking Elgin to their collective bosom and informing the 10500 in attendance that Ring of Honor would be touring Japan next year. OK!
JUSHIN THUNDER LIGER, SHO TANAKA and YOHEI KOMATSU vs. MASCARA DORADA, RYUSUKE TAGUCHI and DAVID FINLAY JR.
Strong aesthetic of Team A (GOD BEAST MAN and his two human sons) takes on weak aesthetic of Team B (Taguchi has upped the wackiness quotient, even his shirt has actual sunglasses attached to them, the kind of cheapo ones you used to get in a Happy Meal at McDonalds, also I am not a huge fan of the kind of back tat that Finlay Jr. has. Dorada looks fine!) and yet the cooler-looking team comes unstuck courtesy of Taguchi's comedy offense. This is my first chance to gaze upon Fit Finlay 2. He seems more than adept in the key areas and as such am happy to approve his presence upon my future eyes. **3/4
JAY WHITE, MANABU NAKANISHI and YUJI NAGATA vs. CAPTAIN NEW JAPAN and TENKOJI (HIROYOSHI TENZAN and SATOSHI KOJIMA)
So I guess I wasn't logged into NJPW World as the stream appeared to die as the first locking of horns occurred. People online were still commenting on the show and it took me five minutes to fathom out what was wrong. By the time we returned, Nagata was in the turnbuckle being chopped to death by Kojima in a satisfying frieze as old as time. White got to look at the lights after eating a 3D and Tenzan's Anaconda Vice. Can't really rate it but it seemed fun. N/R
YOSHI-HASHI (CHAOS) vs. MICHAEL ELGIN (ROH)
A fitting reward for Elgin's fine tour, granted only one of the three singles matches of the evening. The commentary play on the jealousy of YOSHI-HASHI - his stable's sixth best heavyweight if you count Kazushi Sakuraba - at Elgin's inclusion and his intention to put one over and prove his own worth.
Even in his relative freshness, YOSHI can't get one over on Elgin, who is just too powerful and outsized. YOSHI gamefully tries and appears to come close a handful of times in a fine little contest. But this is Elgin's hour, his chance to leave the tour even-steven after proving his worth and drawing comparisons to Gordy and Williams. A Buckle Bomb, a Spinning Powerbomb, a goodnight, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu, and arigato. ***1/4
BAD LUCK FALE, TAMA TONGA and YUJIRO TAKAHASHI (BULLET CLUB) vs. TORU YANO, KAZUSHI SAKURABA and TOMOHIRO ISHII (CHAOS)
Splitting the difference between comedy and brawling in the main, with Takahashi's female accomplice (not the regular Mao, but a blonde girl in leopardprint who was seen outside the venue minutes before bell time remonstrating with staff to let her in) getting the classic prurient treatment from the cameras. Yano working with Tonga was an unexpected highlight, and maybe there's merit to the #PUSHTONGA movement out there. Ishii ended it after crowning Yujiro with a Brainbuster. **1/2
HIROOKI GOTO, KATSUYORI SHIBATA and KOTA IBUSHI vs. TOGI MAKABE, TOMOAKI HONMA and TETSUYA NAITO
This was really good. Not so much for the wrestling (though it was fine) but more for the way it built for a pair of future matches. Shibata tags in with Makabe in front of him but glares right past him into the pretend-vacant trickster face of Naito and beckons him in, later attempting to lunge kick him off the apron.
They go at it some, and then violence erupts in another pocket, with mild-mannered superstar Kota Ibushi unleashing hell on famously grumpy bear Togi Makabe. Everything Honma did got a great hand too, the match barely containing these localised explosions. After the bell (Ibushi pinned Honma), the eruptions continued, giving shape to the run toward Kings of Pro-Wrestling in October. ***1/4
During the interval bonafide legend Genichiro Tenryu came out to the ring, 65 years young, problem hair and all, and berated Gedo on commentary to answer a challenge on behalf of Okada to face him. Gedo insisted Okada wouldn't even be appearing, but lo and behold if it is not the Rainmaker himself. Sumo Hall melts down as Tenryu re-issues his challenge to the champion's face, which is accepted. The match is set to take place as part of Tenryu Project in Sumo Hall and is expected to be the great man's retirement match. Given that Tenryu was putting out seriously good stuff in his mid-50s, I can't see how this wouldn't be some way decent. Excitement!
IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
THE YOUNG BUCKS (MATT JACKSON and NICK JACKSON) (c) vs. reDRagon (BOBBY FISH and KYLE O'REILLY
A match that we have seen quite a bit across this promotion and Ring of Honor but welcome all the same. To enhance Bobby Fish's Ricky Morton routine, Cody Hall literally kidnaps Kyle O'Reilly, running him to the backstage area and leaving Fish to take an express California-style beating from the talented dipshits across the ring, above the ring, around the ring, wherever their flying show takes them.
Kyle eventually returns to clean house and reDRagon take the win with a Chasing The Dragon. If this review seems dismissive or underweight, please be advised that I do enjoy all four of these guys immensely but the Jr Tag division isn't exactly stories: it is diving and excitement and amazement and non-stop breath-holding. Placing the match in the second half of the show is a nice tilt toward prestige, rather than being the cold opener in a four way that people haven't had a chance to get invested in. More of that and people will care more. ***3/4
IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
KUSHIDA (c) vs. RICOCHET
A match entirely for the benefit of KUSHIDA and an opportunity to vanquish the remaining person in the wide world he has a recent losing record against (actually they are level, as KUSHIDA defeated Ricochet in the blocks of the Super Junior tournament a few days before Ricochet reversed in the final). Ricochet is an elusive entity these days, wrestling as the bemasked Prince Puma in AAA offshoot Lucha Underground, filling out the meantime with appearances in Evolve, PWG, Mexico and Dragon Gate whilst failing to turn up at either of the shows I've put money down on the basis of his name being advertised.
Junior heavyweights and the semi-insult 'flippy' have become synonymous, signifying a style that is acrobatics-heavy but narrative-light. Here that is and isn't the case: there are flips, absolutely dozens of them, cartwheeling, moonsaulting, 630-sentonning, handspringing, you name it. But all of these varieties serve a purpose greater than impressing for impression's sake. They flip as transitions, with KUSHIDA catching Ricochet several times mid-air to lock in either a jujigatame or a kimura, contrasting nicely between the air and the ground.
In the midstream of the match, it was more akin to a traditional wrestling match of men slightly larger, with a slightly higher-intensity but lower-aerial version of the opponents' movesets helping create a title fight feel where it could so easily feel like an exhibition, what with Ricochet only contracted for a couple of shows.
Nonetheless it was fantastic, arguably the best Jr. Heavyweight Championship bout since the middle part of last year, upon which the belt became cursed with a KUSHIDA-Kota match where the latter got concussed, a hideous Ryusuke Taguchi reign and a curate's egg of a Kenny Omega reign. KUSHIDA finally secured revenge with a kimura mid-ring. ****
BULLET CLUB (KARL ANDERSON, DOC GALLOWS and AJ STYLES) vs. KAZUCHIKA OKADA, MATT TAVEN and MICHAEL BENNETT w/MARIA KANELLIS
Let me zoom past the 'sexy' stuff where Kanellis entices Anderson and this time AJ Styles by dancing on the apron because I am an old prude who lett certain kinds of bawdy humour in a past where it definitely existed and really belongs and let us get to the ending of a decent match where AJ hits Okada with the Styles Clash and wins the match and basically becomes the next in line for a title shot. Yes, again. That is the real story, much greater than how Matt Taven ended up semi-maining a legit New Japan sellout. ***
A brief interlude as MASAHIRO CHONO and KEIJI MUTOH come out for commentary. Chono looks awesome, whilst Mutoh looks sort of confused.
G1 CLIMAX 25 FINAL
HIROSHI TANAHASHI vs. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
Ahead of their match in last year's blocks I wrote a fairly lengthy bit detailing the history of the pair before I even started on their excellent bout. There's no need to rehash that as they haven't faced each other since. I want to go somewhere else with this review. This may end up a little bit Storify, but here is the story of this match as lived by you, Joe Q. Public.
After 89 gruelling tournament matches taking in all four of Japan's major islands and many of their major cities, the show opens exactly as you would imagine it: Delirious from Ring of Honor cuts a semi-intelligible promo thanking the fans for taking Elgin to their collective bosom and informing the 10500 in attendance that Ring of Honor would be touring Japan next year. OK!
JUSHIN THUNDER LIGER, SHO TANAKA and YOHEI KOMATSU vs. MASCARA DORADA, RYUSUKE TAGUCHI and DAVID FINLAY JR.
Strong aesthetic of Team A (GOD BEAST MAN and his two human sons) takes on weak aesthetic of Team B (Taguchi has upped the wackiness quotient, even his shirt has actual sunglasses attached to them, the kind of cheapo ones you used to get in a Happy Meal at McDonalds, also I am not a huge fan of the kind of back tat that Finlay Jr. has. Dorada looks fine!) and yet the cooler-looking team comes unstuck courtesy of Taguchi's comedy offense. This is my first chance to gaze upon Fit Finlay 2. He seems more than adept in the key areas and as such am happy to approve his presence upon my future eyes. **3/4
JAY WHITE, MANABU NAKANISHI and YUJI NAGATA vs. CAPTAIN NEW JAPAN and TENKOJI (HIROYOSHI TENZAN and SATOSHI KOJIMA)
So I guess I wasn't logged into NJPW World as the stream appeared to die as the first locking of horns occurred. People online were still commenting on the show and it took me five minutes to fathom out what was wrong. By the time we returned, Nagata was in the turnbuckle being chopped to death by Kojima in a satisfying frieze as old as time. White got to look at the lights after eating a 3D and Tenzan's Anaconda Vice. Can't really rate it but it seemed fun. N/R
YOSHI-HASHI (CHAOS) vs. MICHAEL ELGIN (ROH)
A fitting reward for Elgin's fine tour, granted only one of the three singles matches of the evening. The commentary play on the jealousy of YOSHI-HASHI - his stable's sixth best heavyweight if you count Kazushi Sakuraba - at Elgin's inclusion and his intention to put one over and prove his own worth.
Even in his relative freshness, YOSHI can't get one over on Elgin, who is just too powerful and outsized. YOSHI gamefully tries and appears to come close a handful of times in a fine little contest. But this is Elgin's hour, his chance to leave the tour even-steven after proving his worth and drawing comparisons to Gordy and Williams. A Buckle Bomb, a Spinning Powerbomb, a goodnight, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu, and arigato. ***1/4
BAD LUCK FALE, TAMA TONGA and YUJIRO TAKAHASHI (BULLET CLUB) vs. TORU YANO, KAZUSHI SAKURABA and TOMOHIRO ISHII (CHAOS)
Splitting the difference between comedy and brawling in the main, with Takahashi's female accomplice (not the regular Mao, but a blonde girl in leopardprint who was seen outside the venue minutes before bell time remonstrating with staff to let her in) getting the classic prurient treatment from the cameras. Yano working with Tonga was an unexpected highlight, and maybe there's merit to the #PUSHTONGA movement out there. Ishii ended it after crowning Yujiro with a Brainbuster. **1/2
HIROOKI GOTO, KATSUYORI SHIBATA and KOTA IBUSHI vs. TOGI MAKABE, TOMOAKI HONMA and TETSUYA NAITO
This was really good. Not so much for the wrestling (though it was fine) but more for the way it built for a pair of future matches. Shibata tags in with Makabe in front of him but glares right past him into the pretend-vacant trickster face of Naito and beckons him in, later attempting to lunge kick him off the apron.
They go at it some, and then violence erupts in another pocket, with mild-mannered superstar Kota Ibushi unleashing hell on famously grumpy bear Togi Makabe. Everything Honma did got a great hand too, the match barely containing these localised explosions. After the bell (Ibushi pinned Honma), the eruptions continued, giving shape to the run toward Kings of Pro-Wrestling in October. ***1/4
During the interval bonafide legend Genichiro Tenryu came out to the ring, 65 years young, problem hair and all, and berated Gedo on commentary to answer a challenge on behalf of Okada to face him. Gedo insisted Okada wouldn't even be appearing, but lo and behold if it is not the Rainmaker himself. Sumo Hall melts down as Tenryu re-issues his challenge to the champion's face, which is accepted. The match is set to take place as part of Tenryu Project in Sumo Hall and is expected to be the great man's retirement match. Given that Tenryu was putting out seriously good stuff in his mid-50s, I can't see how this wouldn't be some way decent. Excitement!
 |
| Well-timed Genichiro, win the match, headline at the Dome. |
THE YOUNG BUCKS (MATT JACKSON and NICK JACKSON) (c) vs. reDRagon (BOBBY FISH and KYLE O'REILLY
A match that we have seen quite a bit across this promotion and Ring of Honor but welcome all the same. To enhance Bobby Fish's Ricky Morton routine, Cody Hall literally kidnaps Kyle O'Reilly, running him to the backstage area and leaving Fish to take an express California-style beating from the talented dipshits across the ring, above the ring, around the ring, wherever their flying show takes them.
Kyle eventually returns to clean house and reDRagon take the win with a Chasing The Dragon. If this review seems dismissive or underweight, please be advised that I do enjoy all four of these guys immensely but the Jr Tag division isn't exactly stories: it is diving and excitement and amazement and non-stop breath-holding. Placing the match in the second half of the show is a nice tilt toward prestige, rather than being the cold opener in a four way that people haven't had a chance to get invested in. More of that and people will care more. ***3/4
IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
KUSHIDA (c) vs. RICOCHET
A match entirely for the benefit of KUSHIDA and an opportunity to vanquish the remaining person in the wide world he has a recent losing record against (actually they are level, as KUSHIDA defeated Ricochet in the blocks of the Super Junior tournament a few days before Ricochet reversed in the final). Ricochet is an elusive entity these days, wrestling as the bemasked Prince Puma in AAA offshoot Lucha Underground, filling out the meantime with appearances in Evolve, PWG, Mexico and Dragon Gate whilst failing to turn up at either of the shows I've put money down on the basis of his name being advertised.
KUSHIDA catches Ricochet in a cross armbreaker, awesome! #G125 #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/EZSQoQAfGg
— ROY ロイ (@reDRoy22) August 16, 2015
Junior heavyweights and the semi-insult 'flippy' have become synonymous, signifying a style that is acrobatics-heavy but narrative-light. Here that is and isn't the case: there are flips, absolutely dozens of them, cartwheeling, moonsaulting, 630-sentonning, handspringing, you name it. But all of these varieties serve a purpose greater than impressing for impression's sake. They flip as transitions, with KUSHIDA catching Ricochet several times mid-air to lock in either a jujigatame or a kimura, contrasting nicely between the air and the ground.
In the midstream of the match, it was more akin to a traditional wrestling match of men slightly larger, with a slightly higher-intensity but lower-aerial version of the opponents' movesets helping create a title fight feel where it could so easily feel like an exhibition, what with Ricochet only contracted for a couple of shows.
Nonetheless it was fantastic, arguably the best Jr. Heavyweight Championship bout since the middle part of last year, upon which the belt became cursed with a KUSHIDA-Kota match where the latter got concussed, a hideous Ryusuke Taguchi reign and a curate's egg of a Kenny Omega reign. KUSHIDA finally secured revenge with a kimura mid-ring. ****
BULLET CLUB (KARL ANDERSON, DOC GALLOWS and AJ STYLES) vs. KAZUCHIKA OKADA, MATT TAVEN and MICHAEL BENNETT w/MARIA KANELLIS
Let me zoom past the 'sexy' stuff where Kanellis entices Anderson and this time AJ Styles by dancing on the apron because I am an old prude who lett certain kinds of bawdy humour in a past where it definitely existed and really belongs and let us get to the ending of a decent match where AJ hits Okada with the Styles Clash and wins the match and basically becomes the next in line for a title shot. Yes, again. That is the real story, much greater than how Matt Taven ended up semi-maining a legit New Japan sellout. ***
A brief interlude as MASAHIRO CHONO and KEIJI MUTOH come out for commentary. Chono looks awesome, whilst Mutoh looks sort of confused.
G1 CLIMAX 25 FINAL
HIROSHI TANAHASHI vs. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
Ahead of their match in last year's blocks I wrote a fairly lengthy bit detailing the history of the pair before I even started on their excellent bout. There's no need to rehash that as they haven't faced each other since. I want to go somewhere else with this review. This may end up a little bit Storify, but here is the story of this match as lived by you, Joe Q. Public.
Tanahashi and Nakamura have incredible pressure on them to equal those matches they've had last two days.
— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) August 15, 2015
FUCK
— el ingobernahble (@bruiserbrady) August 16, 2015
Tanahashi doing his best to rip Nakamura's knee out. #G125
— Martin Bentley (@themib) August 16, 2015
It's really getting going now between Nakamura and Tanahashi in the #G125 Final!
— ProWresLand (@ProWresLand) August 16, 2015
— たまたまちゃん (@ripslyme326) August 16, 2015
LANDUHSLIDOOOOOOOOOOOOO
— Dan (@GolazoDan) August 16, 2015
— LARIATOOOOO!!! (@SenorLARIATO) August 16, 2015
Wonder how many times #Tanahashi has hit someone in the solar plexus in his life #g125
— Christian (@LivChristianLiv) August 16, 2015
Chono wonders if Tana's conscious. Muto wonders what Nakamura is going for. #g125 #njpwworld
— E. Key Oide (@e_key_oide) August 16, 2015
What timing on that kick out
— 稔さん01 (@minorusan01) August 16, 2015
More than 30 minutes. And again it went by in a heartbeat. #g125
— STRIGGA (@STRIGGA) August 16, 2015
今年の『G1』がどんなシリーズだったのか？
それはこの写真が雄弁に語ってくれていると思います。
全国各地のファンの皆様、たくさんのご来場と応援、本当にありがとうございました！
#g125 pic.twitter.com/64wz00VSnw
— 新日本プロレスリング株式会社 (@njpw1972) August 16, 2015
The g1 climax finals match was everything i hoped it would be and more. Not sad, it was well deserved. Beautiful.
#g125 #g1climax #NJPW
— connie (@stingersplash_) August 16, 2015
There are some matches that makes you a wrestling fan all over again...and this is one of em #G1climax #g125 #njpw pic.twitter.com/c1LRw3diaN
— (SAKTHI)たるみのキング (@LepakRaja71) August 16, 2015
I cannot recommend this enough. A must see. *****
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