RADICAN’S TAKE: Brief results & analysis of NJPW G1 Climax 35: Nights 7 & 8

Radican’s G1 Climax 35: Night 7 (7/27) brief results & analysis

Announcers: Walker Stewart, El Phantasmo

(5) BOLTIN OLEG (6) vs. YOTA TSUJI (6) – A Block match 

Oleg blocked the Marlowe Crash and eventually hit a German, but Tsuji fired right back with a snort Gene Blaster and both men were down. Oleg hit a sudden Kamikaze, but Tsuji kicked out. The announcers said it’s very rare for someone to kick out of a Kamikaze.

Oleg went for a full Kamikaze, but Tsuji got out of it. He hit several knee strikes to Oleg’s chest. He went for the Gene Blaster, but Oleg avoided it and eventually wiped him out with a clothesline for a two count. He went for another Kamikaze and Tsuji grabbed the ropes.

Oleg climbed the ropes with Tsuji on his back. Tsuji went for a hurricanrana out of the Kamikaze, but it was very sloppy. They seemed to improvise and go to Tsuji hitting the Gene Blaster for the win.

WINNER: Yota Tsuji (8 pts) at 10:03. (***1/4)

(Radicans Analysis: This was a little slow to get going, but it was good once it did. The botched spot at the end took the match down at the end, but they had some good exchanges throughout.)

(6) CALLUM NEWMAN (2) vs. DAVID FINLAY (2) – A Block match

Newman surprised Finlay with an attack once he got into the ring. Finlay eventually mounted a comeback and they went into the crowd. Finlay launched him into the fans. He did it again in another spot in the crowd a short time later.

Finlay aggressively tried to wear out Newman with power moves. He hit a buckle bomb and went for another power bomb, but Newman turned it into a pinning combination for the win.

WINNER: Calum Newman (4 pts) at 10:32. (***1/2)

(Radicans Analysis: They wrestled at a great pace throughout. The sudden finish works since it’s an undercard G1 match, but this had the makings of something really good if it had gotten more time.)

(7) TAICH (4) vs. SANADA (2) – A Block match

This featured the usual HOT shenanigan. Sanada hit a low blow late with the ref down. He was about to wipe out Taichi with the guitar when Young Lion Masatora Yuta made the save. Taichi hesitated when he got his hands on the guitar and Kanemaru ran in and helped Sanada turn the tide.

Sanada hit Taichi with the guitar shot and then Kanemaru rolled the ref in and he counted the three count.

Sanada has gone from awfully boring to just awful since aligning with HOT.

WINNER: Sanada (4 pts) at 14:05.

(8) YUYA UEMURA (4)vs. EVIL (6) – A Block match

Tsuji leads the block with 8 points, but Evil can tie him with a win here. Uemura got a kimura, but Togo got on the apron to distract the ref and Evil fake tapped out, so Uemura let go of the hold. Fale got up on the apron and Togo hit Uemura with a chair to free Evil from another submission. The ref got bumped and HOT went to town on Uemura.

HOT hit D2D contact and the ref got tossed back into the ring, but Uemura kicked out at two.  Evil got the darkness scorpion, but Uemura got the ropes. The ref got bumped again, but Uemura managed to block the Magic Killer. He went for the Deadbolt, but his back gave out. Evil hit a big suplex and whipped him into the corner. Uemura fired up and came out of the corner and hit a headbutt. He then hit the Deadbolt suplex for the win.

Uemura holds the tie breaker for second place.

WINNER: Yuya Uemura (6 pts) at 13:42. (**)

(Radican’s Analysis: It really is amazing what HOT gets away with. It seemed like Uemura almost got lucky to win thanks to a dose of fighting spirit and a quick Deadbolt suplex with a bridge.

Having the HOT matches towards the end of the show and not spread out was kind of brutal.)

(9) RYOHEI OIWA (4) vs. HIROSHI TANAHASHI (4) – A Block match

Oiwa is main eventing in his hometown of Aichi. Tanahashi is going for G1 win 100 here. Tanahashi eventually got on a roll and hit a Slingblade. He wasn’t moving very well, but he went right up top for Aces High, but Oiwa swatted him away and grabbed a top wrist lock. Oiwa eventually caught Tanahashi with a lariat for the win.

This was one of those nights where Tanahashi just didn’t have the magic and was having a tough time moving around as well.

WINNER: Ryohei Oiwa (6 pts) at 14:20. (**1/2)

Radican’s G1 Climax 35: Night 8 (7/30) brief results & analysis

Announcers: Walker Stewart, Rocky Romero

*Yoshi-Hashi was supposed to face Gabe Kidd in this show, but due to Kidd’s injury and exit from G1, Hashi gets 2 points to move to 8 points.

(6) EL PHANTASMO (2) vs. GREAT-O-KHAN (6) – B Block match

O-Khan jumped ELP before the bell rang. ELP fired back and took the attack into the crowd. He eventually hit a splash out of the balcony to the floor on O-Khan and the fans fired up.

O-Khan methodically worked over ELP for a long period of time. Stewart mentioned that ELP has a torn MCL. They action picked up and both of them ended up hitting a clothesline at the same time as they came off the ropes and both were down as the fans applauded.

ELP got on a roll, but O-Khan decked him with a right hand. ELP fired back with sudden death, but they kicked out at the last second. They battled up top and O-Khan hit

O-Khan is tied with Yoshi-Hashi and REN Narita with 8 points for the top of the leader board. However, Hashi was supposed to face Kidd tonight, so Narita with a win can capture the top spot outright.

WINNER: Great-O-Khan (8 pts) at 14:51. (**3/4)

(Radicans Analysis: This was solid at time, but there were lulls in the match. The finishing avalanche Eliminator from O-Khan was great.)

(7) REN NARITA (8) vs. DRILLA MALONEY (6) – B Block match

Maloney was busted open on the outside early in the match. HOT interfered behind the referees back. Narita went for a low blow, but Maloney blocked it and hit a spine buster. Kanemaru hit a chair shot from the floor and that allowed Narita to get a two count.

Narita pushed Maloney into the ref and hit a low blow. He came off the top for Hell’s Guillotine, but Maloney countered it into a powerbomb for a near fall. He set up for the Drilla Killa, but Narita shoved him into the ref. Maloney hit a fore on Kanemaru and a superkick on Narita. Maloney hit a low blow, a gore, and a Drilla Killa for the win.

Maloney now is on top of the B Block with 8 points.

WINNER: Drilla Maloney (8 pts) at 9:57. (***)

(Radicans Analysis: This was a great showing for Maloney, essentially wrestling two men here and in the process, catapulting himself to the top of the block. Although Maloney looked good, the HOT interference in so many matches is wearing thin.)

(8) SHINGO TAKAGI (2) vs. SHOTA UNINO (4) – B Block match

The announcers pointed out that Takagi’s only two points have come via Gabe Kidd’s forfeit. Umino went after Takagi’s leg and ankle during the early stages of the match. They went to a strike exchange and eventually they began trading suplexes. Umino hit one last suplex and Takagi teased getting up, but then collapsed and the fans chanted his name.

Umino held his own at first after going away from targeting Shingo’s knee, but Takagi got on a roll hitting a superplex and then Made in Japan a short time later for a near fall. They had another strike exchange and Union got the upper hand and hit Strike Knee for a near fall.

Umino went for Second Chapter,  but Takagi hit a brain buster. Umino got right up and hit a lariat, but Takagi got back to his feet! Takagi hit a Takagi Revolution and then Last of the Dragon, but hurt his leg in the process and could not make the cover. He got up and hit a HUGE pumping bomber for a near fall. Takagi finally hit Burning Dragon for the win.

WINNER: Shingo Takagi (4 pts) at 22:46. (****1/2)

(Radican’s Analysis: Umino worked the leg early and then got away from it, but he did enough damage for Takagi to sell his leg for the entire match. This will likely be chalked up as a learning experience for him, as it was clear the match favored Takagi once Umino went to trading strikes and power moves with him. Umino held his own as times, but Takagi was just too much for him in the end.)

(9) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (6) vs. ZACK SABRE JR. (4) – B Block match

This is a first time singles match. Sabre set the pace early working over Takeshita on the mat. Takeshita fired back and tried to get on track with his power game. They went back and forth at one point and had a big exchange that ended with Takeshita hitting a blue thunder power bomb.

Sabre fired back with the Zach Driver out of nowhere for a near fall and both men were down.  Sabre got Takeshita in a rear naked choke. Takeshita tried to go up top and launch them both into the mat, but Sabre did not let go! Takeshita got Sabre up on his shoulders, but he escaped and got the rear naked again and Takeshita tapped.

This was an excellent main event matching Sabre’s technical wrestling vs Takeshita’s power. I haven’t Sabre look quite so dominant on the mat against a big opponent, but he looked like an absolute beast against Takeshita when it came to the mat game.

After the match, Sabre told Takeshita he might be the Alpha, but he’s the world hvt. champion. Sabre called Takeshita a dickhead and slammed the mic down.

WINNER: Zack Sabre Jr. (6 pts) at 22:37. (****1/4)