New Japan on AXS TV Episode 6
February 20, 2015
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Josh Barnett
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Shinsuke Nakamura welcomes us to the show.
Nakamura: “This is the August 4th, 2013 Osaka match Part 3, World Pro Wrestling returns.
This week, we will see 3 matches from the August 4, 2013 G-1 Climax Day 4 show from Osaka, Japan at the Bodymaker Colosseum.
G-1 Climax 2013 B Block: “The Machine Gun” Karl Anderson vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Commentary talks about the rules of the G-1 Climax before the match. Crowd chants for Tenzan as the bell sounds. Anderson backs Tenzan into the ropes and rakes the eyes. Anderson with a gut kick, but no one goes down off a shoulder tackle multiple times. Anderson then hits Tenzan with his own Mongolian Chops, mocking him. Tenzan comes back with a Mongolian Chop. Anderson with a series of back elbows, but Tenzan with a headbutt to the ribs and a series of Mongolian Chops. Anderson catches Tenzan off the ropes, TKO for a close 2. Anderson goes for the Gun Stun, but Tenzan counters it with a slam, then locks Anderson in the Anaconda Vice! Anderson tries to get to his feet to get free, but Tenzan hits him with the Anaconda Buster right back into the Anaconda Vice! Anderson is then somehow able to reach the ropes to force a break. Tenzan with a front slam, then heads up top for the moonsault, but Anderson moves out of the way! Tenzan blocks the Gun Stun again and hits a big headbutt. Tenzan fires up as the crowd chants for him.
Tenzan goes for another Anaconda Buster, but Anderson counters it in mid-air with the Gun Stun for the win.
Winner: “The Machine Gun” Karl Anderson by pinfall (The Gun Stun)
Commercial
G-1 Climax 2013 A Block: “The Canadian Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith Jr. w/TAKA vs. Satoshi Kojima
Commentary brings up how Smith trained under Barnett and Billy Robinson before the match. Smith backs Kojima into the ropes and piefaces him. Smith works over Kojima’s arm, but Kojima with a side headlock takeover. Smith counters with a pinning predicament for 1. Smith grabs at Kojima’s hair, but no one goes down off a shoulder tackle. Smith then knocks down Kojima with a shoulder tackle and taunts the crowd. Smith with a knee to the ribs and a big right hand. Smith with a stomp to the ribs, then he flips off the crowd. Kojima runs into a boot by Smith, but then clotheslines Smith over the ropes and to the outside. Kojima goes out after Smith and sends him into the barricade chest-first. Smith sent face-first off the apron. They go onto the apron and Kojima hits Smith with an Apron DDT! Kojima stomps away at Smith as the ref continues his 20 count. Back in, Kojima heads up top, but TAKA grabs his leg, allowing Smith to slam Kojima off the ropes. Smith with a big slam, then motions how easy it was. Kojima blocks a Backdrop Driver by Smith and hits a DDT. Crowd chants for Kojima. Kojima then unloads on Smith in the corner with the Rapid-Fire Chops, followed by a running elbow. Kojima heads up top, knocks TAKA off the apron and hits Smith with a Top Rope Elbow Drop for 2. Strike exchange, Kojima gains advantage with a series of forearms, followed by a rolling elbow. Kojima goes for the Cozy Cutter, but Smith slips out and hits a snap slam for 2. Smith locks Kojima in the Sharpshooter, but Kojima gets to the ropes. Smith goes for the Bulldog Bomb, but Kojima fights out and this time hits the Cozy Cutter! Kojima then hits Smith with a Brainbuster for a close 2. Off comes the elbow pad as Kojima goes for the Lariat, but TAKA distracts him, allowing Smith to nail him from behind. Smith hits a Tiger for a close 2. Smith can’t believe it! Smith goes for a clothesline, but Kojima blocks it, then hits a Rabbit Lariat. Kojima goes again for the Lariat, but this time Smith blocks it, however Kojima hits him with a left-arm Lariat for another close 2. Kojima with a chop, then both clothesline each other at the same time, with Smith going down first. Kojima again goes for the Lariat, but Smith avoids it and hits a big boot, then catches Kojima again with a kitchen sink.
Smith then this time hits the Bulldog Bomb for the win.
Winner: “The Canadian Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith Jr. by pinfall (The Bulldog Bomb)
Commercial
Back from commercial, we go to comments from Nakamura in the TV studio about the lead-in to his main event match with Kota Ibushi.
Nakamura: “I’d say my rival was Tomohiro Ishii, who was in a different G-1 Block. The quality of his match and the way he pumped it up was the most poweeful at that point. (We see video of Ishii’s Day 2 match with Hiroshi Tanahashi at Korauken Hall.) I was on the watch for his next move. The Ishii vs. Shibata match was on my mind and I thought, damn! If they made it that exciting, how could I top that? (We see video of the Ishii vs. Katsuyori Shibata Day 4 match from Osaka.) That’s what I thought, not just for the audience, but for myself too. As long as they made the main act, there was a part of me thinking, I could use Ibushi to show myself off. As for Ibushi, its a waste for him to be in the Jr. Heavyweight only, so him being a Junior class wasn’t important. He showed potential in his techinques and reflexes, I strongly felt that. (We see video of a sequence between Nakamura & Ibushi during a 6-Man Tag in April 2011.) I tried him once in a tag and thought he was an interesting guy. Ibushi had won a couple of Heavyweight matches before facing me, but I thought there was more to him than that, if not, he’d just be boring. (We see video of Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito from Day 2.) I guess I had high expectations. Within the Heavyweight matches I’ve fought, he’s an unusual type. His character is established, there’s no one like him, that’s why he is interesting.”
Main Event in a G-1 Climax 2013 Block B Match: “The Golden Star” Kota Ibushi vs. “The King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura
Commentary talks about Ibushi’s time in the DDT promotion before the match. Dueling chants for both men as the bell sounds. Feeling-out process early. Ibushi with a chest kick, then Nakamura with a knee. Commentary talks about Ibushi’s karate background. Nakamura takes down Ibushi, Ibushi avoids a stomp and takes down Nakamura, Nakamura avoids a head kick, stalemate. Nakamura backs Ibushi into the ropes, then rubs his face against Ibushi’s chest and motions for him to bring it. Nakamura takes down Ibushi, but gets no pinfall as Ibushi’s shoulders are up. Nakamura with a front chancery, Ibushi gets to the ropes, then Nakamura with a series of knees to the ribs. Ibushi avoids a big boot and dropkicks Nakamura to the outside. Ibushi with a head of steam, but Nakamura quickly gets back in and stops Ibushi on the ropes with an enziguri, sending Ibushi off the ropes and to the outside. Nakamura with more knees to the ribs of Ibushi, then sends him chest-first into the barricade, followed by a Boma-Ye to the back of the head, sending Ibushi over the ropes and into the front row! Nakamura drapes Ibushi across the apron and hits a running knee to the ribs, then leaps off the apron and hits a kneedrop to the back of Ibushi’s head! Nakamura gets back in as the ref begins his 20 count. Ibushi rolls back in at the count of 16 as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Nakamura with a leaping kneedrop to Ibushi for 2. Headlock applied, Ibushi gets to the ropes, but Nakamura with a series of right hands. Nakamura paintbrushes Ibushi on the back of the head, but Ibushi fires up and hits Nakamura with a series of overhand chops. Nakamura comes back with a forearm and more knees to the ribs in the corner, followed by the Vibration Boot. Nakamura charges, but runs into a back elbow by Ibushi, followed by Ibushi hitting the Pele! Ibushi goes out onto the apron and hits Nakamura with a springboard dropkick for 2. Ibushi with a spinning back kick to the ribs, followed by a chest kick, a standing shooting star press and a 2nd Rope Moonsault for a close 2. Nakamura with another knee to the ribs, misses a head kick, but hits a back heel kick. Nakamura off the ropes, but Ibushi catches him with a rana that sends Nakamura to the outside. Ibushi goes onto the apron and wipes out Nakamura with the Cancun Tornado (Corkscrew Asai Moonsault)! Back in, Ibushi gets another close 2. Ibushi heads up top, but Nakamura stops him with a head kick, followed by a running knee to the ribs as Ibushi was draped across the top rope! Nakamura with a Jackknife Pin for 2. Nakamura with Pride-style knees to the back of Ibushi’s head, followed by a leaping kneedrop to the back of Ibushi’s head. Ibushi catches a kick and hits an elbow to the leg. Ibushi with a series of forearms, but Nakamura with big forearms of his own, followed by the Superman forearm. Ibushi comes back with a series of slaps, but Nakamura avoids a spinning back kick and hits a one-legged kick to the back of Ibushi’s head, followed by a lung blower. Nakamura locks in a Sleeper with the body scissored, as well as trapping one of Ibushi’s arm, but Ibushi is able to reach the ropes with his feet. Nakamura hits Ibushi with a Reverse Suplex, then sets for the Boma-Ye, but Ibushi counters it with a roll-up, however Nakamura rolls through and hooks Ibushi in an inside cradle for 2. Ibushi hits Nakamura with a Snap Dragon, Nakamura avoids a basement head kick, but Ibushi hits him with a Standing Corkscrew Moonsault for a close 2. Nakamura with another knee to the ribs, then goes to the middle rope, but Ibushi stops him with a chop and hits a springboard Super Rana for another close 2 as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Ibushi goes for the Golden Star Bomb (Press Sit-Out Powerbomb), but Nakamura blocks it and lifts up Ibushi, but Ibushi slips out and DRILLS Nakamura with a head kick! Ibushi this time hits Nakamura with the Golden Star Bomb, but Nakamura kicks out! Ibushi heads up top and goes for the Phoenix Splash, but Nakamura gets the knees up! BOMA-YE TO THE BACK OF IBUSHI’S HEAD, BOTH MEN DOWN!!! Nakamura kicks at Ibushi and stomps away at him repeatedly in the face in the corner, with the ref having to pull Nakamura off. Ibushi then POPS UP RIGHT OUT OF THE CORNER and unloads on Nakamura with a series of palm strikes, followed by a closed-fist right hand to Nakamura’s mouth! Ibushi avoids a right hand by Nakamura and hits a knee to the ribs, then TURNS NAKAMURA INSIDE OUT WITH A WIND-UP LARIAT-O!!! Ibushi calls for the end and DRILLS Nakamura with a basement head kick, but NAKAMURA KICKS OUT!! Ibushi then begins to stomp at the back of the head of Nakamura, then places him up top. Nakamura fights Ibushi off, 2nd Rope One-Legged Dropkick. Nakamura goes back to the middle rope, 2ND ROPE BOMA-YE!! Nakamura off the ropes, BOMA-YE!! 1……..IBUSHI KICKS OUT AT ONE!!!!!!!
ANOTHER BOMA-YE!!!! 1-2-3!! HOLY SMOKES!!
Winner: “The King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall (Boma-Ye)
Nakamura celebrates his win afterward, then grabs the mic.
Nakamura: “What’d you think, guys? It sure was exciting. How about you, Ibushi? Was it exciting for you too? Why, I’ll only say this once. Listen carefully, YEAOH!!!!”
We then go to post-match press conference comments by Ibushi, who is on the floor, crawling around in pain from the match he just had.
Ibushi: “I apologize. I gave everything I had in me. But, I should say, my opponent had more to spare. I gave it my everything I could know, absolutely my everything, but I could not win. Setting the group aside, as an individual, I want to keep on chasing Nakamura. Thank you.”
Reporter: “What did you think of Nakamura after actually fighting him?”
Ibushi: “As I thought, he’s on a whole different level, I had fun.”
Reporter: “Tell us about the scene where you completely lost it.”
Ibushi: “Losing it wasn’t any good, it was no good. I gave it my all, but it wasn’t enough.”
Reporter: “Do you want to get revenge, even more now?”
Ibushi: “Of course I want revenge, this is so not the end.”
We go to post-match press conference comments from Nakamura.
Nakamura: “This is the 4th day of G-1, four matches in a row, it was just the right stimulation to wake me up. I can’t help asking for seconds, its no wonder my stomach sticks out. But Ibushi, you have good stuff. Everyone admits, you have potential. But, its how you use your potential. The 3 qualities of a wrestler is balance, physique and heart. To me, that’s everything. That’s all.”
We go back to the TV studio as Nakamura looks back at the match with Ibushi.
Nakamura: “Looking back on the 2013 August 4th Ibushi match, I have to say this, it was fun. Fun, but also, how should I say, I had Ibushi right where I wanted him. He must have not thought this. But, I felt the danger of Ibushi’s keenness. I was in danger from time to time. It was a match piled with close moments where he almost got me and that’s what made it exhilarating. It felt nostalgic, no, more like I could relate to his sense of rhythm. That might be a wrestling factor, or Ibushi might have had that from the beginning. That was a fun aspect of the match for me. My greed for winning played a part in how Ibushi performed at the end. Ibushi wanted the same thing, but his expectations must have grown too big, but again, if I go and assume the reasons for the outcome, fighting the next match won’t be fun. That’s just how he was at that match. I can’t care less about Ibushi belonging to 2 wrestling groups, he can do may things now that he belongs to New Japan Pro Wrestling. I don’t know if he’ll come face to face with me in the ring again, if so, he should bring on the fun.”