G1 Climax 2015 A Block August 11 Results and Reaction

Here's a quick look at the penultimate round of A Block tournament matches, plus the show's undercard.

Takashi Yujiro (B) and Cody Hall VS and Jay White and Mascara Dorada

Yujiro and Hall won when Yujiro hit the Miami Shine on Jay White to get the pin.

Karl Anderson (B) and Toma Tonga VS KUSHIDA and Captain New Japan

Anderson and Tonga won after Anderson caught Captain New Japan off guard with a Gun Stun and the pin.

Hiroki Goto and  Kohei Komatsu VS Michael Elgin and David Finley

The fans were very much behind Elgin in this match. He pulled some impressive feats, at one point carrying both Goto and Komatsu before dropping them with a slam. Elgin and Finley got the win after Elgin hit a spinning Sit Out Powerbomb on Finley and made the pin.

Yuji Nagata (B), Satoshi Kojima (B), Tomaki Honma (B), and Ryusuke Taguchi VS Kazuchika Okada (B), Shinsuke Nakamura (B), Tomohiro Ishii (B), and YOSHI-HASHI

Interesting match pitting all of CHAOS’ major players from the B Block against their respective opponents on the next G1 show. Plus Taguchi and YOSHI-HASHI. Can you see the bright yellow target painted on Taguchi’s ‘funky weapon?’

There were some fun spots like Okada and Nakamura dropping a seated Ishii onto Nagata’s chest, who no sold any humor in it. He has the best expressions of disgust! Honma and Taguchi hit kokeshi Head Butts in stereo. Team CHAOS won, though, after Nakamura hit the bomaye knee on Taguchi and got the pin.

All of the individual tournament matches were built up with the opponents squaring off and getting into physicality, especially Honma and Ishii. It will be interesting to see how the Okada VS Nakamura match is built to next time.

Tournament Matches

Tetsuya Naito VS Doc Gallows

Gallows is out for this match with modest backup from Bullet Club buddies with only Toma Tonga joining him at ringside. Naito proceeded with his now standard glacially paced removing of his suit and mask. Gallows hollered irritably for Naito to 'take that shit off' and finally charged in to attack. Naito shrugged off the early beating lazily.

Gallows missed a charge allowing Naito to cinch in his submission that puts his legs around the oponent’s neck. The referee is constantly shouting at Naito to break up the holds he keeps locked in on Gallows, way after he has reached the ropes for a break.

Gallows hits his half of the double team Magic Killer finisher, which has him holding his opponent in a Jackknife Powerbomb position and dumping him to the side. Naito reverses a Gallows Pole (Chokebomb). Gallows catches a diving charge from Naito, but Naito reverses it into a DDT.

Gallows is seated on the turnbuckle. Naito leaps up and rakes the eyes. Gallows is able to hold off Naito’s attack and hit the Gallows Pole from the turnbuckle and get the 1, 2, 3 and victory. 

It was surprising to see Naito lose here, as Gallows has not been able to capitalize on his size to gain victories throughout the rest of the tournament. I suppose as Malcom McLaren said, 'anger is an energy' and all that pent up rage over Naito's suit could've given him rage enough to win. It is a case I discussed before of points needing to even out so some will fall as others rise to the top spots point wise. This takes Naito down from contending with Styles and Tanahashi for a spot in the finals. Another loss would allow the loser of the match between Styles and Tanahashi on the last A Block day, to take the second place finisher’s match on the card of the finals.

Gallows: 4

Naito: 10

Katsuyori Shibata VS Hiroyoshi Tenzan

The two traded forearms in the center of the ring immediately. Tenzan his Mongolian Chops, sending Shibata to the floor reeling. Shibata comes back with forearms and an uppercut. He puts Tenzan in a Figure Four Leglock.

Tenzan is down in the corner and Shibata scrapes his boot across his face a number of times and from a number of angles. He hits a big Dropkick on Tenzan in the corner. Tenzan locks in his Anaconda Vice submission but Shibata is able to power out. Shibata puts Tenzan in a Sleeper Hold but it is reversed. Another Sleeper Hold is applied but Tenzan escapes from this with vicious looking Head Butts thrown backwards into Shibata’s face. Tenzan then locks in another Anaconda Vice to make Shibata tap out.

This was a good quick match. Leaving aside what one knows about Shibata’s tenacity and Tenzan’s age and abundant injuries, it was a convincing showing of Tenzan blasting away at Shibata with hard striking moves that wore Shibata down. It is conceivable too that due to Shibata’s full on uncompromising style throughout the first 7 matches, he would be worn down by this point. Credit to Shibata as well for working a style that had Tenzan down and on the receiving end of a lot punishment, and then able to mount a straightforward comeback that would not tax his body further.

Tenzan: 4

Shibata: 8

Kota Ibushi VS Toru Yano

Yano turned away from Ibushi and ran to untie a turnbuckle pad immediately. Ibushi came from behind with a drop kick. Ibushi then continued untying the pad. Yano charged in and Ibushi pulled the pad away, and went for a roll up on Yano after he crashed into the post. In a reversal from Yano’s usual matches, It was Ibushi with a number of quick roll up attempts on the CHAOS prankster. Yano used the referee to stop Ibushi in his tracks as he went for a number of Super Kicks. Yano then threw the ref toward Ibushi and hit a low blow and cradle for the upset win. This was no doubt the shortest match of the G1 tournament. It’s disappointing to see Ibushi finishing up on a relative down note after such a stellar start. But the possibility of regianing momentum is always there.

Yano: 4

Ibushi: 6

AJ Styles VS ‘Bad Luck’ Fale

A host of Bullet Club members was out for this one. AJ hit the ring yelling and posing on the turnbuckles and Fale just stood, arms folded. After the bell rang, Fale laid down for AJ to presumably steal an easy victory, but he Fale kicked up on two. This puts AJ in a snit and the Biz Cliz guys in the corner were also in an uproar. AJ regrouped and called for a too sweet salute but aimed his squarely at Fale's head. An angered Fale picked up AJ for a two handed choke and tossed Styles outside the ring onto the other guys at ringside. Anderson started going ballistic as the fight between Styles and Fale spilled to the outside and up into the stands.

Chairs were grabbed away from both Fale and AJ as they tried to use them. AJ took off up the steps into the stands with Fale in pursuit. Fale carried AJ around in the Bad Luck fall position but was unable execute the deadly finisher.

Back in the ring AJ escaped another attempt at the Bad Luck Fall and dropped Fale's neck on the ropes. AJ rolled Fale up into the Calf Killer submission but Fale fought out. Fale hit the Grenade and went for the Fall again, AJ tried to reverse it, and Fale began to step into the Styles clash position, AJ fought out, was put back into the Fall position, but escaped once again. In the corner AJ got his feet on the turnbuckle and scored the pin with the added leverage.  

Afterwards the other members of the Biz Cliz gathered around and insisted on a Too Sweet between the two to show that their bond is intact. AJ seemed to cower but reluctantly approached Fale. He flinched away from Fale again but the giant member of the Bullet Club seemed to be ready to move on in good faith. After the dust had apparently settled AJ regained his arrogance and posed on the turnbuckle again.

This was some fun storytelling that left wrestling somewhat in the background to play with the notion of dissension in the ranks of the tight knit group. A good job was done keeping AJ as a thoroughly  dislikeable heel, looking for any chance to cheat he could find, and cowering from Fale when a genuine confrontation seemed to be on. It leaves me reassured that, at least for now, AJ is destined for a big spot in events to come but not necessarily at the highest level. It will be interesting to see if he will make it to the finals or if Tanahashi indeed will have his number.

Styles: 12

Fale: 10

Tanahashi vs Makabe

There is a traditional test of strength lock up to start out.  Tanhashi is backed toward the ropes but Makabe gives a cordial clean break. There is patient chain wrestling on the mat. Tanahashi runs at Makabe in the corner, slides under a boot to the outside, and grabs Makabe’s leg to slam it against the post. Tanahashi lands a splash directly on Makabe’s leg and stomps on it while arrogantly doing an air guitar pose. It is as if he anticipated fans would back Makabe, and got himself into heel mode right then and there. Makabe hits Tanaheelshi with Lariats in the corner and then rains down punches from the turnbuckle. Makabe hits a Lariat that knocks Tanahashi to the outside, and then Powerslams him on the floor. As Makabe reenters the ring, Tanahashi nails him with two Dragon Leg Screws. He puts Makabe in a Lion Tamer, really emphasizing a focused attack on Makabe’s leg.

Tanahashi misses the High Fly Flow, and Makabe hits a big German Suplex for a two-count. Makabe misses a King Kong Knee Drop, and Tanahashi hits a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. Tanahashi hits the 1-2 combo of a High Fly Flow to a standing Makabe and then the big High Fly Flow as Makabe is down on the mat. Tanahashi pins for the win, the crowd baiting antics seem to have faded into the background, and Tanahashi soaks in the crowd adulation.

This was a good match staged at a deliberate pace. There were no over the top sequences. It seems likely they are saving their best for the final A Block show, particularly Tanahashi. The way Makabe limps after the match it is very conceivable that he is seriously injured.

Tanahashi: 12

Makabe: 8

This show again emphasized the A Block’s relative unpredictability and variety of styles and match finishes compared to the B Block. One may begin to wonder if it was set up by design. The stage is set for the A Block finalist to be determined by the main event of the August 14 show, Tanahashi VS Styles. In order for the loser of that match to be in the runner up to the main event on the 16^th, and to have a messy point tie situation avoided,  Naito and Fale would have to lose their matches on the last show. Yano is poised for the upset victory out of nowhere on Fale, though it really undercuts any momentum Fale begins to build. After Tenzan’s rally today, a crowd pleasing win over Naito is plausible, though I also hate to see Naito not get as much of a build as possible. I suppose the final show is a grand scale on which these guys can impress.

I still see Tanahashi as the winner of the fight with AJ and eventual winner of the G1. Especially seeing the way he worked the crowd after the show, he is still a huge draw and I think the buzz around a rematch with Okada would be smart to capitalize on. Tanahashi is also down a win after AJ won the IWGP Heavyweight championship from him last year. This would be time to even things out and avenge the loss.

Let me know what you think.

Twitter: @mondocurrymark