NJPW on AXS TV Results – 7/3/15 (Shibata vs. Tanahashi)

New Japan on AXS TV Episode 19
July 3, 2015
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Josh Barnett
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com

Katsuyori Shibata welcomes us to the show.

“This is Shibata. Today, you will watch G-1 Akita event. You’re watching World Pro Wrestling returns.”

This week, we will see 4 matches from Day 4 of the 2014 G-1 Climax on July 26, 2014 at Akita, Japan in the Prefectural Gymnasium. We go to the first match.

A Block: “The King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura vs. “Blue Justice” Yuji Nagata

Chain wrestling early until we have a stalemate. More chain wrestling, then Nakamura rubs his face against Nagata’s stomach. Exchange of back heel trips, but both avoid each other’s head kicks. Test of Strength, then they exchange forearms. Nagata gains advantage, hitting a knee to the ribs and a chest kick that knocks down Nakamura. Nakamura sweeps out Nagata’s leg, then hits a sliding knee to the face. Nakamura places Nagata across the apron and hits a running knee to the ribs. Back in, Nakamura with a snapmare into a chinlock. Leaping knee drop by Nakamura for a nearfall. Nakamura kicks at Nagata, then hits a big knee to the ribs. Nakamura with another knee to the ribs of Nagata, then does the shaky boot dealy-a-bob. Nakamura charges in, but Nagata catches him with a kitchen sink. Series of chest kicks by Nagata in the corner, then hits a running boot in the corner. Nakamura blocks the Exploder of Justice, but Nagata with another knee to the ribs. Nagata avoids a clothesline, then feigns a leg sweep and hits a dropkick to the knees of Nakamura. Exploder of Justice by Nagata for a nearfall. Nakamura blocks a suplex, but Nagata with another knee to the ribs. Nagata avoids a head kick, but Nakamura with a back heel kick. Nakamura kicks and paintbrushes Nagata, then the two go nose-to-nose. Nakamura with a gut kick, then kicks at Nagata some more. Nagata with a series of HUGE slaps and knees to the ribs in the corner, followed by knees to the face when Nakamura is slumped down. Nagata charges in, but Nakamura catches him with a flying kick. Nakamura with a series of kicks and forearms and knees in the corner. More kicks and knees by Nakamura, followed by an enziguri. Nakamura places Nagata across the top turnbuckle and hits a running knee to the ribs, followed by a reverse suplex. Nakamura goes for the Boma-Ye, but Nagata avoids it and locks in Nagata Lock III! Nakamura spins out and locks in a cross armbreaker, then switches to a Triangle. Nagata gets out and locks in the Fujiwara armbar with the eyes rolling back in his head! Nakamura gets to the ropes. Nagata with kicks to the arm, followed by a running boot and the Justice Knee in the corner. They head up top, but Nakamura with forearms. Nagata fires back, but Nakamura headbutts him off. Nagata gets back on the ropes, but Nakamura drops down to the apron and hits an enziguri. Nakamura goes to the middle rope, 2ND ROPE BOMA-YE!! Another strike exchange, Nakamura gains advantage with the Superman forearm. Nagata with a big slap, but Nakamura with a knee to the ribs. Nagata then avoids 2 head kicks and hits a spinning heel kick. Release German by Nagata, followed by a big boot. Nakamura slips out of the Backdrop Hold, but Nagata with a Justice Knee to the back of Nakamura’s head in the corner. BACKDROP HOLD!! 1-2….NAKAMURA KICKS OUT!! Nagata goes for another Backdrop Hold, but Nakamura blocks it. Nagata goes for a Wrist-Clutch Exploder of Justice, but Nakamura blocks that also. Nagata with a headbutt, but Nakamura fights out of another Wrist-Clutch Exploder of Justice attempt with a knee to the head! Sliding Kick by Nakamura, BOMA-YE!!! 1-2……….NAGATA KICKS OUT!!

ANOTHER BOMA-YE!!! 1-2-3!

Winner: “The King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall (Boma-Ye)

We go to post-match comments from Nakamura.

“Well done, job well done. As usual, Yuji’s condition was awesome. This stadium in Akita is where the party’s at. I can’t even breathe, but I won against Yuji, there’s nothing better.”

Commercial

B Block: IWGP Champion “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles vs. “The Stardust Genius” Tetsuya Naito

Naito has a bandage above his right eye from being busted open in Day 3 in his match with Toru Yano. Crowd chants for Naito as the bell sounds. Naito blocks Styles into the ropes and shoves him. Styles sends Naito to the outside. Back in, Styles works over Naito’s arm. Naito reverses out, but Styles regains control. Naito tries to again reverse out, but Styles takes him down in a side headlock. Naito tries to Irish whip out, but Styles maintains the hold. Naito fights out and hits a back suplex, but Styles re-applies the hold. Styles slips of another back suplex and hits a chop, but Naito catches him with a dropkick and mocks Styles’s pose. Naito with a side headlock takeover. Styles tries to Irish whip out, but now its Naito who maintains the hold. Styles gets out and hits the Phenomenal Dropkick. Naito’s cut has been re-opened and Styles goes right after the open wound with elbows. Styles with a slam and a leaping knee drop, then RIPS OFF THE BANDAGE!! Styles taunts the crowd as Naito is bleeding again. Naito fights back, but Styles with an eye poke. Naito sends Styles to the apron, but Styles hits the springboard forearm. Backbreaker by Styles for a nearfall. Chinlock applied, then Styles with another elbow to the open wound. Styles taunts the crowd again, then re-applies the chinlock, Naito gets to the ropes. Styles with a stomp to the open wound, then shows off the blood of Naito on his glove. Naito blocks a suplex and hits a series of forearms, but Styles with a big forearm. Naito sidesteps a back body drop attempt, but Styles with a back elbow. Styles charges in, but Naito back body drops him over the ropes and to the outside. Naito goes to the apron, but Styles sweeps out his leg, sending Naito face-first off the apron! Both men then clothesline each other on the outside. Ref begins his 20 count and both men get in just BARELY before the count of 20! Naito avoids a back elbow by Styles and hits a hiptoss, followed by a sliding dropkick. Snapmare by Naito, followed by a running senton. Naito heads up top and hits a missile dropkick. They head up top, but Styles slips out of a superplex and sweeps out Naito’s leg, sending him crashing to the mat! Styles then SNAP SUPLEXES NAITO INTO THE TURNBUCKLES!! Styles goes for the Styles Clash, but Naito blocks it, then slips out, but Styles nails him with the Pele Kick! BLOODY SUNDAY, then Styles makes his kill shot. Styles goes again for the Styles Clash, but Naito again blocks it and drives Styles into the corner. Naito with a running dropkick in the corner, then goes to the apron and hits a slingshot dropkick to Styles in the corner. They head back up top, but Styles blocks a Super Rana. Styles goes for a Super Styles Clash, but Naito fights out. Naito catches Styles leaping off the top with a dropkick, then hits a German for a nearfall. Styles with a series of strikes, but Naito avoids a discus clothesline and hits an enziguri, followed by a flying forearm. Naito hits Gloria, then heads up top.

STARDUST PRESS!! 1-2-3!

Winner: “The Stardust Genius” Tetsuya Naito by pinfall (Stardust Press)

We go to post-match comments from Naito.

“I always had respect for AJ Styles. I respect him deeply, seriously. So, I’m happy to have faced him, but facing him isn’t enough for me. I’m glad I won today. This summer is going to be all about me.”

Commercial

B Block: “The Machine Gun” Karl Anderson vs. “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada w/Gedo

Anderson attacks Okada before the bell as Okada is posing on the turnbuckles. Anderson then Okada’s pose. Okada comes back with a big boot. Snapmare, followed by a sliding kick by Okada that sends Anderson to the outside. Okada goes out after him and puts Anderson’s head in one of the bars of the barricade and pulls back on his head with a chinlock. Anderson sent off the apron. Back in, Anderson with a shoulder to the ribs from the apron, but Okada blocks a suplex to the outside and goes to the apron with Anderson. Okada with a boot, but Anderson with a flying kick that knocks Okada off the apron and into the barricade! Ref begins his 20 count, but Anderson goes outside and hot-shots Okada across the barricade multiple times. Ref begins the count again and Okada just BARELY gets back in. Anderson with a backbreaker, then applies a chinlock with his knee driven into Okada’s back, crowd wills on Okada. Anderson with a back elbow for a nearfall. Anderson rakes his boot and his elbow against Okada’s face, then re-applies the chinlock. Okada fights back, but Anderson with a back club and an uppercut. Anderson avoids the Picture-Perfect Dropkick, but Okada avoids a back senton. Okada avoids a clothesline by Anderson and hits a DDT. Okada with a back elbow and a big boot, followed by a one-man flapjack and a kip-up. Anderson runs into a back elbow, then Okada avoids a charge, places Anderson up top and hits the Picture-Perfect Dropkick, knocking Anderson off the ropes and to the outside. Okada sends Anderson into the barricade, then hits a running boot that sends Anderson into the crowd. Okada then hits a draping DDT to Anderson on the outside! Back in, Okada with a slam, then heads up top and hits the top rope elbow drop. Okada calls for the Rainmaker, but Anderson blocks it. Anderson charges in, but Okada catches him. Anderson slips out of the Emerald Frosion across the knee, then hits a running sit-out powerbomb on Okada for a nearfall. Anderson heads up top and hits a leaping neckbreaker for a nearfall. Okada slips out of the Bernard Driver, but Anderson fights out of a German and this time hits the Bernard Driver for a nearfall. Anderson goes for the Gun-Stun, but Okada slips out and hits the Picture-Perfect Dropkick! Strike exchange from their knees, then when they get to their feet, then they exchange uppercuts. Anderson goes off Okada’s blind side, but Okada slips out of another Gun-Stun attempt and hits the Picture-Perfect Dropkick to the back of Anderson’s head! Okada lifts Anderson up and hits the Tombstone! Okada goes for the Rainmaker, then blocks another Gun-Stun attempt when Anderson tries to counter with that. Anderson avoids another Rainmaker, then Okada slips out of another Gun-Stun attempt.

They go to a backslide position, but Anderson strikes first with the Gun-Stun for the win.

Winner: “The Machine Gun” Karl Anderson by pinfall (Gun-Stun)

We go to post-match comments from Anderson.

“Okada and your Rainmaker, you might be strong, the people of Akita, the people of the whole country of Japan, the people, they love you, they love you, but they just watched you laying on the bottom of the mat from a Gun-Stun and finally, Karl Anderson, has beaten you!”

Gedo declines comment for Okada as he helps him to the back.

Commercial

Back from commercial, we go to the TV-Asahi studios with Shibata.

Shibata on being in the same block as Tanahashi and Nakamura in G-1 and his impending match with Tanahashi:

“It was an important match. Of course, every match is important, but being watched in G-1 is different, its totally different. Its not everyday you get to be in such a G-1 match, a match that entails a whole story in it. I don’t think this match-up was a coincidence. There is a meaning for everything. In that regatrd, the match-up with Tanahashi meant something special. Personally, I think we made it a special match. Evidently, it was the main event in Akita. You know the nickname, ‘The New Three Musketeers’, its been 10 years since that name was used. It surprised me after that we’d be called that, too. I can only say to people, think of whatever you want.”

(We see video of Shibata’s return to New Japan in 2012 after an 8-year absence.)

Shibata on his relationship with Tanahashi after returning to New Japan:

“To be very honest, I don’t pay attention that much to Tanahashi. I knew there was a sense of rivalry, i definitely felt it. (We see video of their match as part of the 2013 G-1 Climax.) Nobody has made it so clear aside from Tanahashi. It was my own words, I came here to start a fight. I think the only guy that took me on was Tanahashi, now that I think about it.”

(We go to a clip from Tanahashi on Shibata. “So he said that wrestling was starting to get interesting? Sleep-talk after you go to sleep!”)

“I thought he said ‘shut up’, but I guess he continuously sought to fight me. I realized it later, but at the time I was like, ‘Shut up.’ In 2014, I wanted every hater to shut up, including Nakamura. I want to shut them all up. That’s what went in my mind during the matches.”

Main Event in A Block: “The Mad Dog” Katsuyori Shibata vs. “The Ace of the Universe” Hiroshi Tanahashi

Big fight feel for this one between two real-life rivals. Feeling out process early. Shibata backs Tanahashi into the ropes and shoves him. Shibata then with a big slap. Tanahashi responds with one of his own. They go nose-to-nose and exchange forearms, Shibata gains advantage. Shibata avoids a dropkick, but Tanahashi avoids the PK and a dropkick in the corner by Shibata, rolling out to the outside. Tanahashi plays cat & mouse with Shibata, dropkicking Shibata off the apron, then wiping him out with a slingshot plancha! Back in, Tanahashi with kicks to Shibata’s leg, followed by an elbow drop to the leg. More kicks to the leg by Tanahashi, followed by a forearm and a dropkick to the knees of Shibata. Tanahashi charges in, but Shibata avoids it, causing Tanahashi to go across the top turnbuckle. Shibata then with a soccer kick to the ribs of Tanahashi, sending him to the outside! Shibata sends Tanahashi into the barricade, then hits a running boot that sends Tanahashi and himself into the crowd! Shibata then SUPLEXES TANAHASHI ON THE FLOOR!! Back in, Shibata with a kick to the back of Tanahashi and a chest kick as we go to commercial.

Commercial

Back from commercial as Tanahashi fights back with gut shots, but Shibata with a spinning back kick. Shibata runs into double boots, then Tanahashi avoids a running boot in the corner. Tanahashi with a flying forearm and a slam, then goes to the middle rope and hits a senton bomb for a nearfall. Tanahashi off the ropes, but Shibata catches him with a kitchen sink. Shibata unloads with forearms and uppercuts to Tanahashi in the corner, but Tanahashi with a running dropkick in the corner! Shibata shrugs it off and unloads with more forearms in the corner. Shibata charges in and hits the hesitation dropkick in the corner! Butterfly by Shibata for a nearfall. Shibata avoids a right hand and hooks in a Sleeper, but Tanahashi counters out with a release German. Shibata POPS RIGHT UP and hits his own release German! Shibata goes for the PK, but Tanahashi catches it and hits 2 Dragon Screws! Cloverleaf applied by Tanahashi, then pulls Shibata back to the center when Shibata gets close to the ropes. Shibata crawls again and is able to reach the ropes to force a break. Another Dragon Screw by Tanahashi, but Shibata avoids the Slingblade and re-applies the Sleeper, Tanahashi gets to the ropes, but Shibata with a chest kick. Tanahashi avoids another PK attempt and hits the Slingblade. Tanahashi turns Shibata onto his belly, then heads up top, HIGH FLY FLOW!! Tanahashi turns Shibata onto his back and heads back up top for another High Fly Flow, but SHIBATA GETS THE KNEES UP!! Strike exchange from their knees, then when they get to their feet, Shibata gains advantage, but Tanahashi with a big slap and a series of uppercuts. SPINNING BACK CHOP TO THE FACE by SHIBATA!! Tanahashi counters a Go 2 Sleep attempt with an inside cradle, the same way he beat Shibata last year in their Decision Match in G-1, but SHIBATA KICKS OUT! Shibata blocks a Dragon, then hits the Go 2 Sleep!

PK!! 1-2-3!

Winner: “The Mad Dog” Katsuyori Shibata by pinfall (PK)

We go to post-match comments from Tanahashi, slumped across a chair backstage.

“I spent, I spent the last 10 years doing this. Were those 10 years a complete waste? I sacrificed many things during that time. But, I guess its pointless if I can’t get the win. I won’t forget about this because during the last 10 years, I learned to get right back up.”

We now go to Shibata.

“He’s been doing this for 10 years? 10 years is it? The 10 years that I wasn’t there, I took every bit of it. There’s nothing more, nothing less to it. That’s all from me.”

We go back to the TV-Asahi studios with Shibata.

Shibata on the match with Tanahashi:

“I feel that matches are more important than words. Its the actual matches that count. There are things that become clear once you face them there. You can say all you want, but he faced me with his all. That passion of his, I totally got. A lot went in my mind during that match.”

Shibata on their rematch at Destruction in Kobe from September 2014 and their post-match handshake:

“That match was a turning point for me. (We see video of Tanahashi beating Shibata and their handshake afterwards.) There is something you can only get from fighting someone in a match. I just told him what I truly had in my mind. I told him right up.”

Shibata on teaming with Tanahashi in multi-man tag team matches after that:

“To be honest, we didn’t have that much of a conservation. Its not like we suddenly became close friends afterwards. I always wonder what goes on in his mind. The match-ups after that were all arranged, every single one of them. If this was 6 months before, I never would have imagined this. You never know what happens in the ring until that very moment. Wrestling is unpredictable.”

Show closes.

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