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RADICAN’S NJPW G1 CLIMAX 29 NIGHT 15 REPORT
AUGUST 7, 2019
HAMAMATSU ARENA
SHIZUOKA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
G1 CLIMAX 29: NIGHT 15 VIEWING GUIDE
Note:This section will provide spoiler free recommended matches to watch from each night of the tournament if you’re pressed for time and only want to see the essentials. The matches worth seeing will start at ***¾ or higher.
(8) Kota Ibushi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (***¾)
(9) Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL. (***¾)
Commentary: Kevin Kelly and Rocky Romero.
UNDERCARD RESULTS
(1) Suzuki Gun (Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Taichi & Minoru Suzuki) beat Yuya Uemura & Yota Tsuji & Toru Yano in 9:00.
(2) YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat Shota Umino & Jon Moxley in 5:00.
(3) Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi & Jay White beat Toa Henare & Juice Robinson & Tomoaki Honma in 9:30.
(4) Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI & Shingo Takagi beat Jeff Cobb & Ren Narita & Tomohiro Ishii in 8:50.
A BLOCK RESULTS & ANALYSIS
(5) LANCE ARCHER (4) vs. SANADA (6) IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 A BLOCK MATCH
Archer ran down the aisle and jumped SANADA as he made his entrance. SANADA beat a running kick and hit a dragon screw back inside the ring a short time later. He tried to put on the Paradise Lock, but Archer fought him off. They went back and forth and Archer caught SANADA with a cannonball from the apron to the floor. Archer grabbed the camera and threw SANADA head first into it. SANADA tried to fire back and kicked at Archer’s leg, but ate a black hole slam for a two count. Archer nearly tripped going for a springboard splash out of the corner, but he managed to land it. SANADA finally fired back out of the corner to cut off Archer’s offensive dominance for the time being. They went back and fault and SANADA had Skull End, but Archer countered it into a reverse DDT for a near fall.
Archer hit a big chokeslam a short time later for another near fall. Archer went up top, but missed a moonsault. SANADA went up top for the Muta Moonsault, but Archer got his knees up and rolled him up for a SUPER CLOSE nearfall. SANADA went for the Skull End, but Archer got the EBD Claw. SANADA struggled towards the ropes and eventually pushed his way to them almost going through Archer. Archer went for Blackout, but SANADA got Skull End. Archer flipped out of it and lifted up SANADA, but SANADA got out of his clutches. SANAADA jumped over a Derailer attempt and got a backwards bridging rollup for the pin.
WINNER: SANADA (8 pts) in 10:30. (***½)
(Radican’s Analysis: They went at it from start to finish and once again Archer looked really good, but he takes yet another loss. SANADA is on quite the winning streak even though he has been eliminated.I would have given Archer more than two wins at this stage of the tournament. He’s been a force.)
(6) HIROSHI TANAHASHI (8) vs. BAD LUCK FALE (W/GEDO) (4) IN A G1 CLIMAX 28 A BLOCK MATCH.
Kelly discussed Tanahashi being eliminated this early in the tournament for the first time in a long time. Tanahashi fended off a Fale attack early, but Gedo hit him with his kendo stick from the apron and then Chase Owens beat him up on the floor while Fale distracted the ref. Fale went after Tanahashi’s knee on the floor. He then slammed his leg against the ringpost. Fale distracted the ref and Owens slammed Tanahashi’s knee against the apron. Tanahashi tried to hit a slam, but Fale fell on top of him for a two count. Tanahashi fired back and hit several dropkicks to Fale’s leg. He went for a dragon screw and Fale blocked it. He went for it again a short time later and this time he was successful. Tanahashi went for the Cloverleaf Hold, but he couldn’t get Fale over, so he hit an inverted dragon screw. Tanahashi locked in a figure four, but Fale turned it over.
Tanahashi struggled, but he turned it over and both men rolled into the ropes. Tanahashi went off the ropes, but Fale cut him off with a shoulder tackle. Fale got on a roll, but Tanahashi countered a Grenade into Twist and Shout. He then hit Slingblade for a nearfall. Tanahashi went up top and hit HFF to Fale’s back. He turned him over and went back up top, but Owens distracted the ref and Gedo hit Tanahashi in the knee with the kendo stick. Fale hit the Grenade, but Tanahashi kicked out at the last second. Tanahashi fought out of the Bad Luck Fall. He went for a backslide, but he couldn’t get it. Fale then countered Tanahashi and won with a backslide of his own.
WINNER: Bad Luck Fale (6 pts) in 10:00.
(Radican’s Analysis: Fale wins his second match in a row with a wrestling hold after lots of outside help. Tanahashi being out of the tournament this early is a shock. He should have won here, but the interference was just too much in the end.)
(7) KENTA (8) vs. IWGP JR. HVT. CHAMPION WILL OSPREAY IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 A BLOCK MATCH
Ospreay and KENTA went face to face when Ospreay got into the ring. KENTA ran right at Ospreay and nailed him with a kick. Ospreay fired back with one of his own. They went back and forth. Both men slapped each other at the same time, but they continued to go at it. Ospreay blocked GTS and KENTA blocked an Os-Cutter. Both men finally hit roundhouse kicks to the head at the same time and they both men down. KENTA hit a DDT over the top rope and then a clothesline off the top. Ospreay sold his neck on the mat. Ospreay went to the floor and KENTA rolled to the outside and went right after his injured neck. KENTA whipped Ospreay into different sections of the barricade several times. He finally booted Ospreay over the barricade. He eventually tossed Ospreay back into the ring and continued to work him over. Ospreay finally countered KENTA and hit a stunner. Ospreay got on track and took KENTA down with a forearm. KENTA caught him going for a shoulder tackle through the ropes and hit a draping DDT for a two count. KENTA went for a jumping knee off the top onto Ospreay’s neck, but he got out of the way and hit Pip Pip Cheerio. KENTA blocked a Stormbreaker attempt, but Ospreay landed on his feet when KENTA flipped him and hit a rolling kick. Ospreay went for the Sasuke Special, but he sprung right into a choke on the apron from KENTA.
They went to the apron and KENTA hit a falcon arrow on the apron. Ospreay barely beat the 20 count. KENTA went for a springboard, but slipped. He hit the Shibata style dropkick in the corner a short time later. KENTA hit a double stomp off the top, but Ospreay managed to kick out at the last second. Ospreay blocked another GTS attempt and hit some elbows. They went back and forth and KENTA took out Ospreay with the Busaiku Knee. They went to a big strike exchange and the fans fired up. They traded several counters until KENTA got a read naked choke. KENTA missed a PK kick and Ospreay hit a big powerbomb for a two count. Ospreay went for a SSP off the top, but KENTA got his knees up and locked in Game Over. Ospreay struggled, but managed to get to the ropes. KENTA hit a running knee to the back of Ospreay’s head and another Busaiku Knee for a near fall. He went for the GTS, but Ospreay converted it into a rollup for a near fall. Ospreay hit a high kick and an Os-cutter for a near fall. KENTA blocked the Stormbreaker, but Ospreay caught him with a hook kick and Hidden Blade. Ospreay lifted up KENTA and hit the Stormbreaker for the win.
WINNER: Will Ospreay (6 pts) in 16:30. (***½)
(Radican’s Analysis: The first half of the match didn’t do much for me with KENTA working over Ospreay’s neck. The match went at a slow, but steady pace and then really picked up and got hot late. Ospreay gets a big win here and KENTA loses his fourth straight.)
(8) KOTA IBUSHI (10) vs. BRITISH UNDISPUTED ZACK SABRE JR. (6) IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 A BLOCK MATCH
Sabre wants to ruin Ibushi’s tournament with a win here. Ibushi checked a leg kick and eventually wiped Sabre out with a mid kick. Sabre went after Ibushi’s injured leg, but he got to the ropes quickly. Sabre hit several leg kicks, but Ibushi got a snap rana and hit another mid kick to take out Sabre. Sabre hit a Pele kick to Ibushi’s arm and then swept his feet out from under him. Ibushi fired right back with a powerslam and he went for a springboard, but Sabre nailed him with a dropkick and then locked in a leg submission around the ropes. Ibushi hit a combinations of strikes and a kick. It looked like he was going for a standing moonsault, but instead he hit a standing double knees for a two count. Sabre fired back and got a STF. Ibushi was about to escape and Sabre turned it into a leg submission. Ibushi freed himself and went for a suplex, but Sabre blocked it. They went back and forth and Ibushi obliterated Sabre with a big lariat and both men were down. They traded holds and Ibushi finally got a dragon suplex with a bridge, but he couldn’t hold the bridge.
Ibushi hit the Last Ride, but Sabre kicked out at two. The announcers said Ibushi didn’t get the same impact on it because of the damage to his leg. Sabre kicked Ibushi’s leg when he went for a Kamigoye. Sabre went for Orienteering with Napalm Death, but Ibushi fought out of it and Sabre transitioned it into a leg submission. Sabre flipped him over and went for Orienteering with Napalm Death. Ibushi struggled and Sabre really wrenched on the hold, but Ibushi managed to get to the ropes! Sabre taunted Ibushi and hit several kicks. Ibushi blocked a kick and Sabre slapped him, so Ibushi nailed him with a palm strike. Ibushi took down his other knee pad. He missed Boma Ye and went crashing into the corner. Sabre got three different pinning combinations for near falls just before the 15 minute mark passed. Ibushi blocked a lariat and hit a big head kick. He then hit Boma Ye for a two count. Ibushi set up for Kamigoye and hit it flush and it was good for the win.
WINNER: Kota Ibushi (12 pts) in 16:30. (***¾)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was a good match. It was a little slow in spot, but it got really good late. The win for Ibushi means he controls his own destiny and if he beats Okada on the next night of A block action, he will go to the final.)
The announcers mentioned that EVIL is still mathematically alive. Ibushi has now won six in a row after dropping his first two matches.
(9) IWGP HVT. CHAMPION KAZUCHIKA OKADA (12) vs. EVIL (8) IN A G1 CLIMAX 29 A BLOCK MATCH
EVIL has beaten Okada before in G1, but the question is can he do it again tonight? EVIL has a slim chance of making the final if he wins tonight. He would need a double count out between Ibushi and Okada to make it on Friday. Okada got on track early and hit a neck breaker for a two count. Kelly mention that if Okada wins tonight, he would only need a draw to win the block against Ibushi. They went to the floor and EVIL reversed a whip and sent Okada into the railing and then clotheslined him over it. EVIL hit a neck breaker on Okada back inside the ring. Okada managed to duck a senton a short time later and both men were down. Okada hit a big elbow inside the ring and EVIL went to the floor. Okada went right to a slingshot splash to the floor to wipe out EVIL. This crowd seems more reserved than almost all of the other G1 crowds this year. The fans tried to rally behind EVIL and Okada motioned for them to be quiet. EVIL ended up hanging Okada upside down in the corner and then he jumped up and stomped him into the mat. EVIL hit a Rainmaker pose on his knees and the fans fired up. He then hit a big bronco buster in the corner for a two count.
Okada caught EVIL coming off the ropes and hit a flapjack. They went back and forth and EVIL tossed Okada’s leg to the ref and then EVIL nailed Okada with a kick to the gut. Okada hit a neck breaker over his knee a short time later. He went up top and dropped the elbow. Okada glared at the fans and hit the Rainmaker pose, which drew a mixed reaction. EVIL blocked the Rainmaker by grabbing Okada’s hair. He then drove him into the corner and fought him off. Okada caught EVIL coming at him and placed him up top before dropkicking him to the floor. Okada whipped EVIL into the barricade and booted him over it. Okada did a clap to fire the fans up and some joined in. He charged at EVIL, but he threw a chair right into his face right before the 15 minute mark. EVIL hit his home run chair swing on Okada on the floor and watched it leave the building.
EVIL put Okada up top and joined him there. He set Okada up for a superplex and nailed it. EVIL made the cover, but he kicked out at two and a half. Okada blocked EIE. Okada went for a dropkick a short time later, but EVIL held onto the ropes. EVIL went for a misdirection maneuver off the ropes, but Okada was ready and nailed him with a dropkick and the fans fired up and chanted for Okada. Both men went face to face on their knees and began trading blows. They continued to trade as the 20 minute mark came and went. Okada hit a big uppercut and EVIL crumpled to his knees. EVIL got up and hit some forearms. Okada staggered and fell over the bottom rope. EVIL waited for Okada and went for Darkness Falls, but Okada got out of it. EVIL got out of a tombstone attempt. Okada blocked a half and half suplex. He eventually went for the tombstone again and hit it. EVIL ducked a Rainmaker and went for one of his own. Okada went for EIE, but EVIL countered it. They went back and forth countering big moves until EVIL wiped out Okada with a HUGE clothesline for a nearfall. EVIL hit Darkness Falls a short time later for a near fall.
The fans fired up a bit with both men down on the mat. EVIL went for EIE, but Okada got a backslide. He let it go and hit a short Rainmaker. Okada was down on the mat after, but he held onto EVIL’s wrist. The fans began chanting for Okada and he got up and lifted EVIL for a big Rainmaker. Okada let out a scream and set up for the full Rainmaker, but EVIL ducked it and hit a half and half suplex and then another one! Okada ducked a big lariat and hit a dropkick to the back of EVIL’s head as the 25 minute mark came and went. EVIL went off the ropes, but Okada nailed him with a dropkick. They went back and forth trading counters to their finishers and EVIL blocked a spinning Rainmaker with a headbutt to Okada’s chest. EVIL then hit a big running lariat off the ropes for a nearfall. EVIL went for EIE, but Okada hit a short arm Rainmaker. EVIL went down to his knees and Okada hit a HUGE shotgun dropkick. Okada ducked a clothesline and hit a spinning Rainmaker. He then hit the Traditional Rainmaker for the win.
WINNER: Kazuchika Okada in 27:00. (***¾)
(Radican’s Analysis: This match really dragged for about 15 minutes and in part it wasn’t all that much fun to watch because the crowd really wasn’t into the action. Then things really picked up down the stretch and they won the crowd over with a stellar close to the match.)
We now officially have a winner take all match between Okada and Ibushi on Aug. 10.
Okada cut a promo after the match in Japanese. It was hard to hear him speak because he kept his voice low. He asked the fans who is the IWGP Hvt. Champion. Okada said he’s the IWGP HVt. Champion, the NJPW Cup winner, and soon to be G1 winner. He closed by saying he’s on a whole other level from the rest.
Overall thoughts: This was the weakest night of A block matches, but nearly all of the matches were good to very good. The big news is that the way the wins and losses played out on this night guarantees that Okada and Ibushi will face off for the right to advance to the finals on Friday.
Friday is setting up to be a great night to crown the A block champion. The atmosphere for Okada vs. Ibushi should be crazy. I was certain that these two would face off on the last night of block action for the right to go to the finals and the block played out the way I thought it would in that respect.
It feels like this year, G1 has been a passing of the torch so to speak for Tanahashi. He went into this show already eliminated from the tournament and suffered a loss to Bad Luck Fale. I know Tanahashi can’t wrestle at a high level forever, but he’s still damn good and it would have been cool to see him in the mix until the end this year.
The last two matches are worth checking out, but overall this show didn’t measure up to most of the other shows held during the tournament this year.
UPDATED G1 CLIMAX 29 STANDINGS THROUGH NIGHT 15
A BLOCK
Kazuchika Okada 7-1 (14 pts)
Kota Ibushi 6-2 (12 pts)
EVIL 4-3 (8 pts)*
Hiroshi Tanahashi 4-4 (8 pts)*
KENTA 4-4 (8 pts)*
SANADA 4-4 (8 pts)*
Zack Sabre Jr. 3-5 (6 pts)*
Bad Luck Fale 3-5 (6 pts)*
Will Ospreay 3-5 (4 pts)*
Lance Archer 2-6 (4 pts)*
B BLOCK
Jon Moxley 5-2 (10 pts)
Jay White 4-3 (8 pts)
Tetsuya Naito 4-3 (6 pts)
Tomohiro Ishii 4-3 (8 pts)
Hirooki Goto 4-3 (8 pts)
Juice Robinson 3-4 (6 pts)
Toru Yano 3-4 (6 pts)
Jeff Cobb 3-4 (6 pts)
Taichi 3-4 (6 pts)*
Shingo Takagi 2-4 (4 pts)*
*-eliminated from A/B Block final
Contact Sean at radicansean@pwtorch.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/sr_torch.
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