G1 Climax Finals Results, 8/13 – Full Show with English Commentary by Kevin Kelly, Don Callis, & Rocky Romero
Well, here we are folks, the finals of a month long tournament!
Suzuki-Gun (Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Taichi, El Desperado, & Taka Michinoku) b. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA, Jyushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask IV, & Hirai Kawato when Kanemaru pinned Kawato with a Deep Impact DDT. Desperado was carrying the IWFP Junior Heavyweight Title Belt he stole from Kushida the night before. The heels were accompanied by Miho Abe, who is apparently a personality in Japan. Anyway she tried to distract Liger in the corner. Liger simply scooped her up, spanked her, and set her aside. This of course brought the ire of Taichi, and he started kicking Liger. Liger hit a backbreaker and tagged in Tiger, who hit a Tiger Driver. The fall was broken up by Taka, who also got a Tiger Driver. Double tag out to Kushida and Desperado. Kushida hit both Desperado and Kanemaru with a Handspring Elbow, and tried getting Deperado in an armlock. Desperado went for a reversal into the Stretch Muffler, but Kushida made it to the ropes. Desperado hit a dive so far on Kushida that he landed on the announcing table. Back in the ring, Kushida rallied and tagged in Kawato, who was very over with the crowd. Probablyy due to his feistiness. Springboard Dropkick on Kanemaru for a near fall. Multi-man brawl erupted on the outside, while Kanemaru and Kawato stayed in the ring. Kawato kicked out of a lariat. Taichi got back in the ring and powerbombed Kawato. Kanemaru followed up with the Deep Impact DDT to get the pin.
After the match, the heels continued to beat on the faces. Desperado tried to leave with the title belt. Kushida chased him down and they had a wild brawl through the crowd.
The Guerillas Of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Roa) of Bullet Club b. Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi when Loa pinned Nakanishi with a Rikishi Driver. Once again, the heels set up one babyface to start out, only for there to be an attack from behind. However, once again the plan failed and the babyfaces took control. Nagata and Tonga whipped each other into the barricade while Nakanishi and Loa brawled. Back in the ring, the brothers took turns working over Nagata. Tonga broke up a Nagata Lock on Loa, and the double teaming continued. Nagata rallied with an overhead Belly To Belly, and tagged in Nakanishi. Tonga tried to whip Nakanishi, but got overpowered. Both brothers tried a double suplex, but Nakanishi was able to heave them both over in his own double suplex. Nagata ran in and the faces decked the heels. Nakanishi racked Tonga while Nagata put Loa in the Shiromu armbar. Tonga broke free and knocked Nagata out of the ring. The brothers were finally able to stun the big man with a double dropkick. A neckbreaker by Tonga followed by a Loa legdrop scored a near fall. In an amazing feat of strength, Loa heaved up Nakanishi on his shoulder and delivered a Rikishi Driver for the win.
After the match, the Guerrilla Brothers bowed to Nagata in a surprising show of respect.
Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI of CHAOS b. Togi Makabe & David Finlay when Hashi pinned Finlay with Karma. Hashi and Finlay started out, with Hashi dropped Finlay’s throat over the top rope. Dropkick by Hashi for a near fall. Goto tagged in and worked over Finlay, who countered with a dropkick of his own. Makabe got the hot tag and ran wild. Goto landed a suplex for a near fall. Makabe and Goto collided with each other with clotheslines. Double tagout to Finlay and Hashi. Finlay hit several elbows and a top rope uppercut for a two count. Hashi countered with a Butterfly Lock, but Makabe broke the hold, and decked both CHAOS members with a double clothesline. Backbreaker by FInlay on Hashi for another near fall. In the end, Hashi levelled Finlay with a lariat, and hit Karma for the win.
TenCozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima) & Juice Robinson b. Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi, & Chase Owens) when Robinson pinned Owens with Pulp Friction. Naturally the heels attacked before the bell, but once again the faces were able to fend them off. All three faces hit Owens with moves. Tenzan with a suplex for a two count. Yujiro tripped Tenzan to rally the heels. Tenzan got whipped into the barricade. Back in the ring Owens and Takahashi worked over Tenzan before Kojima tagged in and hit them both with Machine Gun Chops. Fale interfered and whipped Kojima into the turnbuckles. Corner splashes by all three heels. Kojima battled back from a triple team attempt, and clotheslined Fale to the outside. Juice ran wild with a hot tag. TenCozy hit a 3D on Yujiro, and Juice finished off Owens with Pulp Friction.
In a backstage interview, Juice officially challenged Kenny Omega for the United States Championship.
Ryusuke Taguchi & Ricochet of Taguchi Japan b. IWGP Juinor Heavyweight Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson) of The Bullet Club when Ricochet pinned Matt with a Shooting Star Press. Taguchi and Matt started out battling to a standstill with dueling Hip Attacks. Double tag out to Ricochet and Nick. Ricochet tossed both Bucks out of the ring and hit a Folsbury Flop. Top rope spinning elbow on Nick. Matt clipped Ricochet from behind, allowing The Bucks to team up on him. Taguchi tagged in, but got thrown to the outside. Ricochet missed a Benadriller and wound up kicking the ringpost. The Bucks powerbombed Taguchi on the apron and rolled him back in the ring. Heat on Taguchi as The Bucks kept double teaming him. Taguchi rallied with a double DDT on both Bucks, and got the hot tage to Ricochet, who ran wild. Nick escaped a Benadriller with a superkick and used a Sharpshooter. The Bucks worked over Ricochet’s leg until Taguchi got the hot tag. Taguchi knocked both Bucks out of the ring with Hip Attacks, and follwed that up with dives on both. Back in the ring he hit a top rope Hip Attack on Matt for a two count. Nick ran in and hit a superkick followed by a Penalty Kick for another near fall. Ricochet got a tag, but quickly goit put in another Sharpshooter. Ricochet made it to the ropes, but Matt refused to break the hold. Nick came off the top rope with a splash. Taguchi tried to make the save, only for Nick to put him in a Sharpshooter as well. Taguchi escaped by powering Nick into Matt, effectively breaking both holds. The Bucks went for the kill with More Bang For Your Buck. Ricochet blocked by getting his knees up. Taguchi saved Ricochet from an Indytaker by hitting Nick with a top rope Hip Attack, and then hit Matt with a Dodon. Ricochet was then able to win the match with a Shooting Star Press.
Backstage, Ricochet and Taguchi were cutting promos. Miho Abe approached and propositioned Taguchi. Ricochet kept saying “Bad idea. Bad idea”. Of course it was a bad idea, as Suzuki-Gun ran in to beat down the faces. After the carnage was over, Ricochet said if they wanted a title shot, they got it.
The Bucks cut promos backstage admitting defeat, but blaming the schedule.
A quick promo played for WrestleKingdom 12, then Katsuyori Shibata’s music hit. This would be Shibata’s first appearance since his major injury back in April. Major ovation from the crowd. He only said a few words in his promo. Romero translated it to “I have arrived”.
After intermission, a weird quick vignette showed a gloved hand with a switchblade knife with newspaper clippings on the wall.
IWGP Tag Team Champions War Machine (Raymond Rowe & Hanson) b. Cody & Hangman Page of Bullet Club when Rowe pinned Page with Fallout. Page came to the ring in a Scarecrow like mask. Cody and Rowe started the match, but Page quickly blind tagged in. Quick double team on Rowe brought Hanson into the fray. Rowe slammed Cody, to which Hanson slammed Page on top of Cody. They followed that up with Rowe slamming Hanson on top of the duo. The heels gained control when Rowe missed a knee to the corner, and double teamed him. Hanson got a hot tag and hit Forever Clotheslines on both heels. Cody managed to counter with a DDT. This allowed the heels to double team the big man. Double Suplex on Hanson. Cody collided with Hanson with a Double Clotheslines. Both men tagged in their partners, but it was Rowe who ran wild. Cody hit Crossroads on Rowe, except Cody was not the legal man. Hanson ran through a double closthesline and hit both heels with a double handspring elbow. You read that right, a 300 pound man did a springboard elbow. Hanson then threw Cody into the announce table. War Machine then hit a Decapitation Clothesline followed by a Pop Up Powerslam. Hanson dove out onto Cody while Rowe went for the cover. Page kicked out and landed a German Suplex, which Rowe no sold. Page hit a second German Suplex that put Rowe down. Outside the ring, the heels double teamed Hanson. Back in the ring Cody hit a Distater Kick followed by a clothesline from Page for a near fall. Both Cody and Page hit moonsaults on Rowe for a two count. Rowe battled back with headbutts. Hanson got back in the ring and hit a moonsault on Page. Cody broke the count by putting Page’s foot on the ropes. Hanson hit a top rope dive to the outside on everybody. War Machine followed that up by hitting Fallout on Page to score the win. Very fun and impressive match.
After the match, The Guerrillas Of Destiny came to the ring and issued a challenge. War Machine were about to accept when the Killer Elite Squad hit the ring and laid both teams to waste. Lance Archer took the mic and stated KES were back.
Suzuki-Gun (Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., & Takashi Iizukab. IWGP Intercontinental Champion Hiroshi Tanahash, Kota Ibushi, & Michael Elgin when Sabre submitted Tanahashi with an Octopus Hold. Rocky Romero left the announce position to keep away from Suzuki. Taka Michinoku, Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru accompanied Suzuki-Gun to the ring. The heels attacked before the bell. Iizuka smashed Ibushi into the barricade while ZSJ went after Tanahashi’s torn bicep. In the ring, Ibushi mounted a comeback and hit several strikes on Iizuka. Suzuki broke it up with an armbar through the ropes. Multi-man brawl on the outside saw Suzuki use a chair on Elgin, and Iizuka use a chair on Ibushi. Zack whipped Tanahashi into the barricade. In the ring, Iizuka choked Ibushi with a rope while the referee was distracted. Tanahashi and Elgin made the save, and were soon thrown back out of the ring. The heels all took turns working over Ibushi. Suzuki taunted Ibushi and slapped him. This fired up Ibushi who hit several strikes and a dropkick to rally. Elgin got the hot tag and was running wild until Suzuki tried to bringing in a chair. As the referee stopped Suzuki, all the minions hit the ring to beat down Elgin. Elgin rallied and threw them all out of the ring. Suzuki tried a Gotch Piledriver, but Elgin powered out. Double tag out to Tanahashi and ZSJ. Triple team on Tanahashi, with Iizuka again using the rope as a choking device. Zack put Tanahashi in an elevated chinlock, which Tanahashi countered with a Twist & Shout neckbreaker. Ibushi hit a missile dropkick on Iizuka as Elgin propped Tanahashi up on his shoulders, Electric Chair Style. Elgin slammed Tanahashi onto ZSJ, who caught Tanahashi in an armbar. Sabre turned that into an Octopus Hold, aka “Hurrah! Another Year, Surely This One Will Be Better Than The Last; The Inexorable March of Progress Will Lead Us All to Happiness”. Tanahashi tapped out, giving Zack two submission victories over him.
After the match all the heels hit the ring to keep beating on the faces. Suzuki and Elgin went at it, hinting a future NEVER Openweight Championship match. Plus, ZSJ stood over the fallen Tanahashi, posing with the belt.
Los Ingobernables De Japon (SANADA, EVIL, BUSHI, & Hiromu Takahashi) b. CHAOS (IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, & Gedo) when Takahashi submitted Gedo with a Triangle Choke. Takahashi came to the ring with a new Daryl. Okada insisted on starting the match opposite Evil. Bushi attacked Okada from behind, and the heels once again tried (and failed) to control the match early. Okada disposed of Bushi and Takahashi so he could concentrate on Evil. Okada hit a DDT, but was unable to kip up due to his neck. Spinning uppercut by Okada for a two count. Okada was unable to lift Evil for a reverse neckbreaker. Evil struck with a neckbreaker of his own and started tearing off the protective tape from Okada’s neck. LIJ took turns working on Okada’s neck until Yano tagged in. Bushi hit Yano from behind, and Sanada put Yano in the Paradise Lock. Yano was left in the Paradise Lock for several minutes, as Evil fended everybody off in the ring. Bushi tagged in and hit a middle rope dropkick. Yano managed to take Bushi down by pulling on his mask, and tagged in Ishii, who ran wild. Multiple chops and forearms on Bushi. Takahashi broke up a pin attempt by Ishii. Sanada and Bushi hit a dropkick/backcracker combo. Takahashi tagged in and tried to take down Ishii with clotheslines, which of course ended poorly for him as Ishii leveled him with a clothesline. Gedo tagged in and landed several strikes. Takahashi countered a superkick with a Dragon Screw and a Falcon Arrow. Exciting sequence of everybody hitting big moves, including Okada hitting Evil with the Too Awesome Dropkick. Gedo rolled up Takahashi in the Gedo Clutch, but Sanada broke it up. Bushi hit an MX, with Takahashi following it up with a Triangle Choke, to which Gedo either submitted or passed out.
After the match, Evil threw several chairs into the ring and hit Darkness Falls onto them. LIJ posed together over Okada’s unconscious body. Okada had to be helped from the ring.
Tetsuya Naito p. Kenny Omega with Destino to win the G1 Climax 27. Both men teased locking up, only to sidestep. The match spilled outside early, with Omega hittin his moonsault of the guardrail. Back in the ring, Kenny hit a Kintaro Crusher for an early near fall. Naito hit a neckbreaker on the apron, followed by a neckbreaker off the apron to the floor, and a slam into the guardrail. Back in the ring, Naito hit a nuckbreaker and a basement dropkick. Back on the outside, Naito hit a dive on Omega, which propelled Omega onto the announce table. Naito went for a piledriver on the table, but slipped and both men went to the floor. a VERY scary moment. Back in the ring, Naito hit a German Suplex for a two count. The crowd started clapping the Terminator theme. Running Backbreaker by Omega for another near fall. After this, Kenny started focusing on Naito’s shoulder. A stiff whip into the turnbuckles caused Naito to go down, Bret Hart style. Kenny hit a fireman’s carry roll and hopped up on the turnbuckles for a moonsault. Naito caught him on the buckles and hit a neckbreaker. A basement dropkick followed by a springboard dropkick by Naito. Hurricanrana by Kenny sent Naito to the outside. Omega followed up with a dive over the top. Back in the ring, Omega hit a missile dropkick from behind. Naito battled out of several Dragon Suplex attempts, only to get hit with a Gut Wrench German Suplex. Omega then hit a neckbreaker but missed a V-Trigger. Naito responded with a Tornado DDT, and positioned Omega for a super hurricanrana. Kenny got out of this by simply dropping Naito on the top turnbuckle, and hit a V-Trigger for a near fall. Naito reversed a powerbomb into a DDT. Flying forewarm followed by a uranage, but Omega kicked out. Omega reversed Destino into a reverse Package Piledriver. Kenny climbed the top rope, only for Naito to catch him on the top. Omega blocked Naito’s superplex attempt by smacking Naito’s head on the top of the ringpost. Omega then went for a top rope powerbomb, only Naito turned it into a hurricanrana. Naito followed that up with a top rope reverse hurricanrana (THIS IS NUTS!). Naito tried to follow that up with a Phoenix Splash (a move he hasn’t used since turning heel), but Kenny moved out of the way. Omega hit a double arm piledriver for yet another near fall. Several V-Triggers by Omega, followed by a Dr. Wily Bomb. Naito STILL kicked out. Yet another V-Trigger by Omega. One Winged Angel got countered into a reverse hurricanrana by Naito. Omega then kicked out of a Destino. Omega reversed a second Detino into another German Suples, and hit a “Rain Trigger” (Short clotheslin V-Trigger, aka Seth Rollins’ new finisher). Omega lifted Naito for the One Winged Angel, which Naito reversed into another Destino. However both men were too exhausted to move, so no cover. Dueling chops and slaps, which Naito got the better of. Omega hit two more V-Triggers. Naito landed a twisting Destino, but Omega kicked out. At last, Naito hit one last Destino (the fourth overall) to finally get the pinfall.
A legitimate MOTY contender. Probably the fourth MOTY contender I’ve seen in the past week. WOW what a match! Normally I don’t like too many highspots and such, but when it’s the conclusion to a month long tournament on a major show, I’m far more open to matches like this.
After the match, Naito cut a promo with all the rest of LIJ in the ring.
Backstage, Omega and Ibushi crossed paths. The two seemed to share some sort of embrace, since they have a long history in New Japan as a tag team. Definitely seemed like a tease at Omega’s next feud.
And that’s it folks. That’s the end of this year’s G1. Thank you for putting up with my “stream of conscious” blog. While the awesome tournament may be over, I have a measure of relief that I’m going to get approximately 10 hours a week back in my schedule.
