New Japan on AXS TV Episode 22
July 24, 2015
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Frank Shamrock
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Hiroshi Tanahashi welcomes us to the show.
“The ‘One-of-a-Kind Talent’ of New Japan Pro Wrestling, I’m Hiroshi Tanahashi. Today, you’ll watch the August 3rd, 2014, G-1 Climax’s Osaka match. You’re watching World Pro Wrestling returns.”
This week will be 3 matches from Day 8 of the 2014 G-1 Climax from August 3, 2014 at the Bodymaker Colosseum in Osaka.
A Block: “The Mad Dog” Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tomoaki Honma
The two go nose-to-nose before the bell. The two charge at each other as the bell sounds and exchange strikes, Shibata gains advantage. Honma with a big forearm, Shibata with a big boot, but Honma shrugs it off and hits a shoulder tackle. Honma off the ropes, but Shibata avoids the falling headbutt, however Honma avoids a head kick and we have a stalemate. Shibata with a spinning back kick that doubles over Honma. They head outside and Shibata sends Honma into the barricade, followed by a flying kick. Honma sends Shibata into the barricade and clotheslines him into the crowd. Honma gets back in as the ref begins his 20 count. Shibata gets back in at the count of 15. Honma with a forearm, then chokes Shibata with his boot. More forearms by Honma, but Shibata fires out of the corner and gets in Honma’s face after every forearm. Big forearm by Shibata knocks down Honma. Shibata with a series of forearms to Honma in the corner. Shibata goes to charge in, but Honma follows him in with a running elbow. Honma goes to charge in, but Shibata follows him in with a flying kick. Shibata charges in, but Honma TURNS HIM INSIDE OUT WITH A BIG CLOTHESLINE!! Honma with another running elbow in the corner, followed by a bulldog, but Shibata again avoids the falling headbutt. Honma catches a chest kick and hits an elbow to the leg, a slam and this time hits the falling headbutt. Honma runs into boots by Shibata, but comes back with another big clothesline. Honma goes to the middle rope, but Shibata knocks him off with another flying kick. Shibata with a series of elbows in the corner, then hits the hestitation dropkick!
Commercial
Back from commercial as a Butterfly by Shibata for a nearfall. Shibata goes for Go 2 Sleep, but Honma blocks it. Shibata blocks a suplex, Honma blocks another Go 2 Sleep attempt, but Shibata drills him with a spinning back chop! Shibata off the ropes, but Honma catches him with a flying shoulder tackle! Brainbuster by Honma for a nearfall. Honma goes for the Pillar Crash, but Shibata slips out and locks in a Sleeper. Honma begins to fade, but then fires back up and reaches the ropes. Shibata with a chest kick, but Honma catches the PK. Shibata with rapid-fire slaps, but Honma DRILLS him with a big slap! PILLAR CRASH BY HONMA!! 1-2…..SHIBATA KICKS OUT!! Honma with a slam, then calls for the Kokeshi. Honma heads up top and goes for it, but Shibata gets his boot up! Honma charges in, but Shibata with a kitchen sink for a 1 count. Shibata with a chest kick, HONMA KICKS OUT AT ONE AGAIN! Shibata off the ropes, but Honma with another big clothesline for a nearfall. Shibata then DRILLS Honma with another spinning back chop to the face! Shibata fires up, lifts Honma up for the Go 2 Sleep, but Honma tries to fight out.
Shibata is not to be denied, GO 2 SLEEP!!! PK!!! 1-2-3!
Winner: “The Mad Dog” Katsuyori Shibata by pinfall (PK)
We go to post-match comments from Honma.
“I can do this, I can keep on going. I may not be the champion, but I will make sure that people know I fought at this G-1 Climax 24.”
Commercial
B Block: NEVER Champion “Mr. Rated R” Yujiro Takahashi vs. “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada w/Gedo
Yujiro attacks Okada in the rampway as Okada his making his entrance. Yujiro sends Okada into the ringpost, then takes off Okada’s ring jacket and throws it down to the ground. They head in the ring and Yujiro stomps away at Okada, followed by a series of chops. Yujiro hot-shots Okada across the top rope and chokes him with his boot. Snapmare into a chinlock by Yujiro. Crowd wills on Okada. Okada fights out, but Yujiro catches him off the ropes with a back elbow and taunts the crowd. Yujiro paintbrushes Okada, but Okada tells him to bring it on. Yujiro with a series of forearms and back elbows in the corner, then gets in Okada’s face and taunts him. Yujiro runs into a boot, then Okada places him on the ropes, but Yujiro kicks him off. Okada comes back with a big boot and a snapmare, but Yujiro rolls out to the outside to avoid a sliding dropkick. Okada goes out after him, but Yujiro with a clothesline. Yujiro then hot-shots Okada across the barricade. Back in, Yujiro gains a nearfall. Chinlock re-applied, crowd again wills on Okada. Okada fights out, Yujiro misses a back elbow and a clothesline, but hits a big boot. Yujiro off the ropes, but Okada catches him with a one-man flapjack. Okada with a back elbow, a big boot, Yujiro misses a clothesline and Okada with a DDT, followed by a kip-up. Okada avoids a charge in the corner, places Yujiro up top and knocks him down to the outside with the Too Awesome Dropkick! Okada sends Yujiro into the barricade and hits a running boot that sends Yujiro into the crowd. Okada then hits Yujiro with a draping DDT 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 and goes for it, but Yujiro avoids it and rakes the eyes of Okada. Yujiro avoids a charge in the corner and hits a running boot, followed by a Fisherman’s Buster for a nearfall. Okada blocks an Olympic Slam with elbows, then slips out of a second attempt, but third time is the charm for Yujiro as he avoids a clothesline by Okada and this time hits the Olympic Slam for a nearfall. Yujiro goes for Tokyo Pimps, but Okada blocks it, then counters out with the Emerald Frosion across the knee. Okada lifts up Yujiro and hits Heavy Rain for a nearfall. Okada goes for the Tombstone, but Yujiro blocks it and grabs the ref. While the ref is distracted, Yujiro with a low blow, followed by a clothesline. Deadlift German by Yujiro for a nearfall. Yujiro then this time hits Tokyo Pimps, but Okada kicks out! Yujiro calls for the Buckle Bomb, but Okada counters out with a rana, followed by the Too Awesome Dropkick to the back of Yujiro’s head! Strike exchange, Okada gains advantage, but Yujiro fires back with forearms and again rakes the eyes of Okada. Yujiro off the ropes, but Okada catches him with another Too Awesome Dropkick, followed by this time hitting the Tombstone!
Okada fires up, RAINMAKER!!! 1-2-3!
Winner: “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada by pinfall (Rainmaker)
We go to post-match comments from Okada & Gedo.
Gedo: “No matter how sneaky you are, you are never going to be a match for the Rainmaker. If you want to compete with Rainmaker, come again after you’ve assembled a team.”
Reporter: “Takahashi barged in on your IWGP match in May, which made you lose the belt. Did you feel anything special when you faced him?”
Okada: “Nope.”
Commercial
Back from commercial, we go to the TV-Asahi studios with Tanahashi.
On his condition going in to the Nakamura match:
“I think it was July 28th that I lost the Fale match and hurt my neck too. (We see video of Fale beating Tanahashi with the Bad Luck Fall, injuring Tanahashi’s neck.) It was a state of emergency. I went to the emergency room and got X-rays. Nothing was wrong with the X-rays, but ny neck still makes sounds. That was my situation in August’s second half of the match, so when I look back, I’m surprised I could carry on. ‘The New Three Musketeers’, which is Nakamura, Shibata and I, we were all placed in the same block and showed the audience our chemistry. New Japan Pro Wrestling impressed me by matching us, we were a trio 10 years ago, no, 8 years ago, was it? This match-up brought back many different memories, I thought it was playful.” (We see video of Shibata beating both Nakamura and Tanahashi in G-1.)
On going in to face Nakamura in their 4th singles match of 2014:
“There are wrestlers that I am excited to fight every time. The moment we face each other, the fans totally get us, so when I look back on last year, I’d loved to see more of it. We can gain something every time we do this. (We see video of Tanahashi winning the first 2 matches on Nakamura in January and February, then Nakamura getting a win back in April.) Not finishing it is the worst. Its better not to do it if you’re not going to finish it. It wasn’t enough last year, that’s how much they mean to me.”
Main Event in A Block: “The King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura vs. “The Ace of the Universe” Hiroshi Tanahashi
Dueling chants for both men as the bell sounds. Chain wrestling early until Tanahashi with a side headlock takeover. Nakamura gets to his feet, Tanahashi takes him back down. Nakamura gets out with a headscissors, Tanahashi with an armdrag into an armbar, Nakamura again gets out with a headscissors, we have a stalemate. Tanahashi with a gut kick, but Nakamura flips out of a snapmare and takes Tanahashi down. Tanahashi avoids 2 head kicks by Nakamura and we have another stalemate. Tanahashi mocks Nakamura’s hand gesture, then Nakamura with a series of knees to the ribs. Nakamura runs into double boots and a back elbow by Tanahashi, then Tanahashi with a springboard crossbody and a dropkick to Nakamura. Tanahashi charges in and catches a kick by Nakamura, but Nakamura with a back heel kick. Nakamura with a one-legged dropkick that sends Tanahashi to the outside. Nakamura goes out after him and drapes Tanahashi across the ring apron, then hits a running knee to the ribs. Back in, Nakamura with a snapmare into a chinlock. Tanahashi fights back, but Nakamura takes him back down and hits a leaping kneedrop for a nearfall. Nakamura kicks at Tanahashi, but Tanahashi fires back with a series of overhand chops. Nakamura with another knee to the ribs, then avoids a crossbody in the corner by Tanahashi. Nakamura goes for the running knee to the ribs in the corner, but Tanahashi slips out and goes onto the apron. Tanahashi kicks Nakamura off and gets back in. Series of forearms by Tanahashi, followed by a flying forearm. Tanahashi with a slam, then goes to the middle rope and hits a senton bomb for a nearfall. Tanahashi stomps away at Nakamura in the corner, then mocks Nakamura by doing his own shaky boot dealy-a-bob. Nakamura grabs Tanahashi’s foot, hits another knee to the ribs, then does his shaky boot dealy-a-bob back to Tanahashi. Nakamura places Tanahashi across the top rope and hits the running knee to the ribs for a nearfall. Nakamura goes for the reverse suplex, but Tanahashi fights out with elbows. Nakamura with another knee to the ribs, then misses a head kick and Tanahashi catches the second head kick and hits an inverted Dragon Screw! Nakamura tries to get the blood flowing back in his leg. Strike exchange, but Tanahashi with a kick to the leg of Nakamura. Nakamura comes back with an enziguri, then locks Tanahashi in an Arm Triangle. Tanahashi with kicks to Nakamura’s head and is able to get free and counter out into the Cloverleaf. Nakamura is able to reach the ropes. Tanahashi with another shot to the leg of Nakamura, then hits a Dragon Screw. Tanahashi calls for the Slingblade, but Nakamura avoids it and hits a backstabber, followed by this time hitting the reverse suplex. Nakamura calls for the Boma-Ye, but Tanahashi catches him with the Slingblade!
Commercial
Back from commercial as Tanahashi heads up top for the High Fly Flow, but Nakamura moves out of the way! Standing Gourdbuster by Nakamura, followed by a big knee strike to the back of Tanahashi’s head! Nakamura goes again for the Boma-Ye, but Tanahashi catches him with another Slingblade! Another strike exchange, Tanahashi gains advantage, but Nakamura fires back with the Superman Forearm. Tanahashi responds with a big slap, then Nakamura with one of his own. Nakamura avoids a slap, then blocks a Strait-Jacket German, but Tanahashi with a chopblock, followed by an inverted Slingblade! Tanahashi heads up top, HIGH FLY FLOW CROSSBODY! Tanahashi heads back up top for the High Fly Flow, but Nakamura gets his knees up! Nakamura goes to the middle rope, 2ND ROPE BOMA-YE TO THE BACK OF TANAHASHI’s HEAD!! 1-2…TANAHASHI KICKS OUT!! Nakamura goes again for the Boma-Ye, but Tanahashi grabs his leg! Tanahashi goes for another Dragon Screw, but Nakamura slips out! BOMA-YE!! 1-2….TANAHASHI KICKS OUT AGAIN!! Nakamura can’t believe it! Nakamura goes for another Boma-Ye, but Tanahashi trips him up!
Leg roll-up into a Backlund Bridge by Tanahashi for the win.
Winner: “The Ace of the Universe” Hiroshi Tanahashi by pinfall (Backlund Bridge)
We go to post-match comments from Nakamura.
“My first match, I lost against Shibata. In the second half here in Osaka, of all odds, I lost against Tanahashi. I’m being nice, you know. This is emotional. But luckily, this is G-1, I’m still in the game. My fight with Tanahashi and Shibata will never end as long as I don’t give up.”
We go back to the ring with Tanahashi.
“Tanahashi has returned to Osaka! Osaka! Osaka! Osaka! Let’s liven this place up. (Tanahashi does his air-guitar routine.) I’ll be the champion of G-1. Lastly, you all in Osaka, I love you!”
We go to post-match comments from Tanahashi.
Reporter: “The New Three Musketeers had all tied with 10 winning points. How do you feel now that G-1 is reaching its climax?”
Tanahashi: “I can’t lose a single match anymore. I’ll win all three remaining matches.”
Reporter: “Is Nakamura special to you?”
Tanahashi: “He sure is. Its just, nothing. He’s a special opponent, period.”
We go back to the TV-Asahi studios with Tanahashi.
Tanahashi looks back on the match with Nakamura:
“After I hurt my neck, I changed my fighting style. I didn’t intend on it at first, but the idea came to me. A Japanese Leg Roll Clutch and I realized this later that that day was Karl Gotch’s death anniversary, the God of Pro Wrestling had given me the power.”
Tanahashi looks back at the 2014 G-1 Climax:
“I though tag matches and the Junior matches, I thought it adds variation to the matches, so this year, I felt that the audiences of G-1 Climax watched from the first match intently. Of course, they all some wanting to see the G-1 Climax. I realized that G-1 was a truly important event. What I felt about G-1 has changed a lot.”
On what his plans are for the 2015 G-1 Climax:
“In the G-1 Climax, all the matches are short, but you must maintain your concentration. It seems easy, but concentrating on G-1 for nearly a month, maintaining concentration for G-1 for that long will wear you out. Being strong mentally, that’s the key factor this year. Honma was the first one to declare he’d participate in G-1 the earliest, I’ll be the first one to declare that I’ll become the champion this year. I will become the champion this year.”
Show closes.