New Japan Pro Wrestling 7/25/2024 G1 Climax 34 Day 4
Katsuya Murashima & Toru Yano vs. Just 5 Guys (SANADA & TAKA Michinoku)
KM dropkicks Sanada to start and hits forearms. Sanada boots him then KM shoulders him over. KM misses a dropkick then Sanada hits one on him. Taka side headlocks KM then hits knees. KM hits chest clubs on Taka then Taka pump kicks him.
Sanada chops him down then KM dropkicks him. Yano gets in and takes off a turnbuckle pad. He gives it to Sanada and hits him in the head. Sanada rolls him around the ring then put him in a paradise lock. Sanada dropkicks him in the butt.
Yano atomic drops Taka. KM flying forearms Taka then dropkicks him. KM hiptosses Taka then slams him. KM crabs him and Taka ropebreaks. Taka step up knees him in the corner then running knees him. Taka superkicks him for 2. Taka crossfaces KM then taps him out with just facelock.
Thoughts: It was a quick match with everyone getting a little in before it ended. Murashima had a good showing here with some nice fire and just good timing.
Shoma Kato, Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma vs. United Empire (Callum Newman, Francesco Akira & Great-O-Khan)
Kato and CN start us off. Kato wristlocks him. CN waistlock takedowns him then Kato side headlocks him. Kato hits a nice dropkick on CN. Kato beats up on CN in the corner then Honma chops CN. CN facekicks him then Honma shoulders him over. Honma misses a falling headbutt then CN running facekicks him.
Khan sends Shota into chairs outside and CN chokes Honma on the ropes. Akira hits dropkicks on Honma. Khan hits forearms on Honma then sits on his neck on the ropes. Khan mongolian chops Honma and Honma flying headbutts him.
Shota and CN go at it. Shota drops him on his chest and basement dropkicks him. Shota running euros Khan then fisherman suplexes him for 2. Shota grabs Khan by the hair then Khan rolls him into an ankle lock. Shota ropebreaks. Shota dropkicks Khan.
Kato hits forearms on Akira then Akira takes corner attacks. Kato dropkicks Akira for 2. Kato hits forearms on Akira. Akira forearms him back then Kato rolls him up. Akira headkicks him then gordbusters him. Akira meteora's him in the back of the head.
Thoughts: It was another shorter one here with everyone getting a little in then getting out for the rest of the match. It wasn't anything special and they preview the Shota/Khan match here.
TMDK (Kosei Fujita & Zack Sabre Jr.) vs. BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee)
KF poses on the ropes and gets hit. Jake and Zack fight outside with Zack going into the rails. Gabe piefaces KF then KF spinning heel kicks him. Gabe shoulders KF over. KF is sent into the corner and takes shoulder spears. Zack is sent into the rails by Jake.
Gabe and Jake bully KF. KF hits chops on Jake. Jake slams him down. KF chops Gabe and is bitten. KF step up enzugiri's him. Zack gets in and hits shots on Jake. Jake hits a punch back then Zack pele kicks the arm.
Zzck running euros him then Jake knees him in the gut. KF and Gabe trade chops. KF flying enzugiri's Gabe then hits a big chop. KF springboard dropkicks Gabe for 2. KF pop-up germans Gabe. Jake gets double teamed with chops then Jake hits a double crossbody. Jake sends Zack into the post. KF cradles Gabe for 2.
Gabe drops KF then brainbusters him for 2. Gabe piledrivers KF and wins. Jake puts Zack to sleep on the floor after.
Thoughts: It was a fun little tag here. Kosei and Gabe matched up well and made me want to see them have a match. This had some spirit to it and it was better than I expected.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito) vs. House Of Torture (Dick Togo & EVIL)
Naito boots Togo then takes a knee from Evil on the apron. Naito is held for shots from Togo. Shingo knees togo from the apron the nshoulders him over. Naito baseball slides Togo. Shingo sharpshooters Togo. Togo gets his legs split.
Togo pulls Naito's hair then Naito is sent into the buckles. Evil bangs Naito's knee off the mat then works his leg. Togo works on Naito's leg then Naito eye rakes him. Evil chokes Naito with a shirt then elbow drops the leg.
Evil eye rakes Naito then Naito neckbreakers him. Shingo corner lariats Evil then hits forearms. Shingo chops him down and elbow drops him. Shingo gets double stomped on. Evil fisherman suplexes Shingo for 2.
Evil chokes Shingo with a weapon as Evil distracts the ref. Shingo blocks Togo's eye poke. Naito step up enzugiri's Togo. Shingo and Togo botch a ddt in a funny spot then Shingo sliding lariats Togo to win.
Thoughts: I thought the heels had something here by working Naito's knee. Then the faces took over, beat up Togo as expected and won before it could be followed up on.
Evil gets atomic dropped after and LIJ pose on a chair.
G1 Climax 2024 Block B Match - Hirooki Goto vs. Oleg Boltin
They lock up and Oleg wins the test of strength. Goto backrolls and gets the advantage. Goto side headlocks him then they shoulder each other. Oleg shoulders him over then hits boots and chops. Oleg hits corner spears on Goto.
Oleg slams Goto then crabs him. Oleg chops Goto then misses a corner charge. Goto lariats Oleg off the ropes. Goto spinning heel kicks him and backdrops him for 2. Oleg double axe handles goto then karelin's lifts him.
Oleg corner splashes Goto then Goto ushigoroshi's him. They trade forearms on their knees. They get up and trade forearms. Goto hits a lariat and Oleg dropkicks him. Oleg slams Goto then vader bombs him for 2.
Goto sleepers him then Oleg hits a cradle shock for 2. Goto sunset flips him then sleepers him. Goto rolls him up for 2. Goto hits a headbutt then hits a GTR. Goto gets the pin.
Thoughts: It was fine, but they didn't get to go all out like I had hoped. The two matched up well together and someday when they can go all out, it's going to be a good one...provided Goto's not broken down by them.
G1 Climax 2024 Block B Match - Jeff Cobb vs. Ren Narita
Ren attacks Cobb from behind before the match starts. Ren sends Cobb into the rails then into the wall. Cobb belly to belly suplexes Ren onto chairs. Cobb puts Ren's shirt over his face and chops him. The bell then officially rings to start the match.
Cobb surfs on Ren's back. Ren take a lariat then bangs Cobb's knees off the mat. Cobb's legs are wrapped around the post and Ren bangs his legs off of them.
They fight in the aisle. Ren stomps on Cobb's leg then butt drops it. Ren eye rakes him. Ren facekicks Cobb then twists his foot. Ren goes for a chair shot and the ref takes the chair away. Cobb crossbodies Ren. Cobb hits shoulders on him. Cobb throws him on a backdrop then standing moonsaults him.
Ren running kicks him then jumping kneepresses him down. Ren leglocks Cobb and Cobb ropebreaks. Cobb F-5's Ren. Ren grabs the ref and Cobb is pushed into the ref. Ren clips Cobb. Ren grabs the push up board and Cobb throws him off. Ren low blows Cobb then facebusters him. Ren then wins.
Thoughts: It was the usual HoT BS here with weapons shots, ref bumps and so forth. Why this was needed when Ren was having success working Jeff's leg was unknown.
G1 Climax 2024 Block B Match - El Phantasmo vs. Yota Tsuji
Yota wristlocks him. ELP surfboards him and Yota goes for the pin off of it. Yota shoulders ELP over. ELP trips Yota then rolls him up for 2. ELP crucifixes him for 2. Yota hits chops then ELP hits chops back. ELP slaps Yota around and walks up the buckles then diving headscissors him down. ELP goes for a dive and Yota kicks him through the ropes.
Yota chops him then hits corner spears. Yota bodyscissors him with an armlock. Yota chops ELP then knees him in the gut. ELP dropkicks him.
ELP springboard twisting crossbodies him then asai moonsaults him for 2. ELP UFO neckbreakers him. Yota is lariated over the top then ELP topes him over the rails. ELP top rope dives him over the rail. ELP springboard swantons him then misses an asai moonsault.
Yota dragon screws ELP on the buckles then bangs his knee off the mat. Yota does a reverse cloverleaf to him and ELP ropebreaks. Yota boots ELP in the knee. They trade forearms. Yota knee breakers him and ELP step up enzugiri's him. Yota curbstomps him.
ELP rolls him up then backslides him. Yota pushes ELP's head down into the mat with his feet. ELP tornado ddt's him and holds on. Yota falcon arrows him.
ELP superkicks Yota then drops him body first on a piledriver for 2. ELP goes for a top rope splash but Yota gets his knees up. ELP cradles Yota and wins.
Thoughts: I wasn't a big fan of this. The knee work and selling wasn't that great and these two shouldn't be having a work the knee match anyway. There were also lots of chest chops here for some reason. I was just hoping for a match with flying and athleticism.
G1 Climax 2024 Block B Match - David Finlay vs. HENARE
They trade forearms. DF forearms him then Henare shoulders him over. They each avoid shots and DF rolls out. DF stomps on Henare's title outside and Henare chases him. DF hits shots on Henare as he gets in then they trade forearms in the corner. Henare hits headbutts and they hockey fight. DF lairats him over the top and goes with him.
Henare is sent into the rails then the post. DF pulls on Henare's neck and elbow drops his back. DF paintbrushes Henare on the ropes then russian legsweeps him. DF uranage backbreakers him then single leg crabs him.
DF bangs Henare's head off the buckles and he starts to fire up. DF his double throat thrusts then Henare samoan drops him. DF boots Henare out of the corner then Henare flurries on him in the corner.
Henare sentons him then PK's him. Henare berzerker bombs him for 2. DF hits euros then Henare hits him in the gut. Henare lariats him then flips him with a lariat. Henare runs at him for a spear and is ddt'd.
They trade forearms then get up and trade. Henare spinning high kicks him then DF spinning forearms him. DF spinning lariats him. DF dominators him. Henare pumping knees him. Henare goes for a step up knee in the corner then is powerbombed for 2.
Henare rock bottoms him then hits a big spear for 2. DF rolls him up for 2 then Henare headbutts him. DF lifts him and knees him in the gut to win.
Thoughts: I didn't like this. It went on too long. They didn't respect Henare's size here as DF was hitting powerbombs and dominators on him. I also didn't like Henare working as the underdog here when everyone would assume DF is the underdog.
G1 Climax 2024 Block B Match - Konosuke Takeshita vs. Yuya Uemura
KT 2nd rope sentons him then chinlocks him. KT does a head and arm choke. They trade shots and KT flying knees Yuya. KT knees Yuya against the buckles. They trade forearms for chops then Yuya flying forearms him. Yuya goes up and over him then hits an armdrag and dropkick. Yuya backdrops him.
KT superplexes him off the top. KT facekicks him off the apron then tope con hilos him. Yuya is thrown into the rails then KT is sent into the post. KT forearms the post when Yuya moves.
Yuya drives him into the rail and dropkicks the arm into the rail. Yuya hits chops on KT then top rope crossbodies him. Yuya goes for the armbar. Yuya forearms him and takes a poisonrana. Yuya release germans him on his head, KT no sells it and lariats him. Yuya dropkicks him and both go down.
KT blue thunders him for 2. Yuya dragon suplexes him for 2. Yuya misses a top rope splash. KT running facekicks him and Yuya pele kicks him. KT drops him with a forearm. Yuya hurricanrana's him for 2. Yuya armbars him and slams him. Yuya top rope frogsplashes him for 2. KT does a release wheelbarrow suplex.
Yuya hits headbutts then deadbolt suplexes him to win.
Thoughts: It went long. I think you maybe could make the case that Yuya's armwork here was to loosen KT up for the deadbolt. I'd buy it, but that's not the greatest logic. I felt like they maybe had a classic in them here but it didn't quite get there. They needed a bigger spot or two and Yuya does need a stronger finisher. Yuya got another big win here and as usual, NJPW isn't doing a great job of protecting outsiders.
Overall thoughts: Easily the weakest night of the G-1 so far. ELP/Yota really disappointed. Henare/DF wasn't expected to be good and Ren/Cobb was brought down by the usual HoT shenanigans. I liked 3 of the undercard matches. I wouldn't recommend this one and thought it was below average.
No comments :
Post a Comment