New Japan on AXS TV Episode 20
July 10, 2015
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Frank Shamrock
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Tetsuya Naito welcomes us to the show.
“I’m Tetsuya Naito from New Japan Pro Wrestling. Today, you’ll watch the July 28th, 2014, G-1 Climax’s Sendai match. You’re watching World Pro Wrestling returns.”
This week, we will see 3 matches from Day 5 of the 2014 G-1 Climax on July 28, 2014 at Miyagi, Japan in the Sendai Sun Plaza Hall. We go to the first match.
A Block: IWGP Intercontinental Champion “The Underboss” Bad Luck Fale vs. “The Ace of the Universe” Hiroshi Tanahashi
Crowd chants for Tanahashi as the bell sounds. Fale backs Tanahashi into the ropes and pulls his hair. Tanahashi avoids a gut shot, but Fale shoves him down. Test of Strength, Fale gains advantage. Tanahashi gets out and locks in a side headlock. No one goes down off a shoulder tackle, then Tanahashi with a drop toe hold and a basement dropkick. Tanahashi stands on Fale’s back and sends him to the outside. Tanahashi goes for a slingshot plancha, but Fale pulls him out to the outside and hits a series of gut shots. Fale sends Tanahashi into the barricade, then menaces Jado & Gedo, who are on commentary. Fale with a clothesline to Tanahashi on the outside. Back in, Fale stands on Tanahashi’s back and rakes his boot against the back of Tanahashi’s head. Fale does it again, then hits a slam for a nearfall. Fale presses his knee against Tanahashi’s back and locks in a chinlock, while pulling at Tanahashi’s hair. Fale with a series of elbow drops to Tanahashi’s back, then locks in a Camel Clutch. Fale releases the hold and gains a nearfall. Tanahashi fights back, but Fale with a big forearm. Fale with a series of gut shots in the corner, followed by a series of crossface shots to the neck. Fale chokes Tanahashi with his boot in the corner. Tanahashi avoids a corner charge by Fale and hits a series of gut shots and uppercuts in the corner. Tanahashi with a dropkick to Fale’s knees, followed by a Dragon Screw. Fale blocks a slam by Tanahashi with a series of back clubs, but Tanahashi slips out of a slam and hits an Old School Explusion for a nearfall. Tanahashi goes for the Slingblade, but Fale with a shoulder tackle. Fale with an avalanche in the corner, followed by a big splash for a nearfall. Fale goes for the Grenade, but Tanahashi fights out. Tanahashi skins the cat back in, then headscissors Fale over the ropes and to the outside. Tanahashi heads up top, HIGH FLY FLOW CROSSBODY TO FALE!! Ref begins his 20 count and they get back in by the count of 17. Fale blocks a German, but misses a clothesline and Tanahashi this time hits the Slingblade. Tanahashi heads up top for High Fly Flow, but Fale GOOZLES HIM ON THE WAY DOWN!! GRENADE!! 1-2…TANAHASHI KICKS OUT!! Tanahashi slips out of the Bad Luck Fall, but Fale catches him with a Samoan Drop.
BAD LUCK FALL!! 1-2-3!
Winner: IWGP Intercontinental Champion “The Underboss” Bad Luck Fale by pinfall (Bad Luck Fall)
We go to quick backstage comments from Tanahashi, crawling on the floor.
“My luck has changed.”
Commercial
A Block: “The King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Tomoaki Honma
Nakamura with a leg kick early. Nakamura backs Honma into the ropes and rubs his face against Honma’s stomach, but Honma grabs him and hits a series of chops. Back elbow and a slam, but Nakamura with a knee to the ribs. Honma with another slam, but Nakamura avoids the falling headbutt. Honma avoids a head kick and hits a shoulder tackle that sends Nakamura onto the apron. Nakamura with a kick from underneath, then places Honma across the apron and hits a running knee to the ribs. Nakamura goes onto the apron and hits a knee drop across Honma’s back. Back in, Nakamura kicks at Honma, but Honma fights back, although it has no effect on Nakamura. Nakamura with a chest kick, a snapmare and a leaping knee drop for a 1 count. Nakamura then mocks Honma with a falling knee drop. Series of knees to the ribs by Nakamura in the corner, then he does the shaky boot dealy-a-bob. Nakamura charges in, but Honma TURNS NAKAMURA INSIDE OUT with a clothesline! Honma with a series of chops, followed by a running elbow and a bulldog. Honma off the ropes and this time hits the falling headbutt for a nearfall. Nakamura with a knee to the ribs, Honma avoids another head kick, but Nakamura hits a back heel kick. Series of chest kicks by Nakamura, followed by an enziguri. Nakamura places Honma across the top rope and hits a running knee to the ribs for a nearfall as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Nakamura with a front facelock applied, but Honma blocks a reverse suplex and SPIKES Nakamura with a DDT. Basement Blockbuster, followed by a Piledriver by Honma for a nearfall. Honma goes for the Pillar Crash, but Nakamura slips out and locks in a Sleeper. Honma fires out, but Nakamura with a backstabber, followed by a reverse suplex. Nakamura goes for the Boma-Ye, but Honma counters it with a flying shoulder tackle. Brainbuster by Honma, but Nakamura kicks out. Honma heads up top for Kokeshi, but Nakamura moves out of the way! Strike exchange, Nakamura gains advantage, but Honma with a big slap. Nakamura with a Superman forearm, but Honma with a headbutt. Another headbutt by Honma, but Nakamura blocks a clothesline. Nakamura goes to the middle rope, 2ND ROPE BOMA-YE!! Nakamura goes again for the Boma-Ye, but Honma counters with a running roll-up for a nearfall. Nakamura fights out of the Honma Clutch, but Honma with another headbutt. Nakamura hits another enziguri, BOMA-YE!! 1-2…HONMA 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.
“This is G-1, you guys hear me? Even if you’re in the best condition, you never know what is waiting at the match, but how many did I win after losing my first? You know what? I think I’m on a roll.”
We now go to post-match comments from Honma.
“Why can’t I win? I wanted to win here, in Tohoku. Nakamura had the Intercontinental Championship belt made into a white one. My goal is to take the belt and make it yellow. I want to make it all yellow, its the color of happiness. I desperately wanted to win here in the Tohoku region, that’s all.”
Commercial
Back from commercial, we go to the TV-Asahi studios with Tetsuya Naito.
Naito on heading into the 2014 G-1 Climax as the prior year’s winner:
“I think this was my 5th G-1 Climax. I didn’t feel the pressure as the former champion. (We see video of Naito winning the 2013 G-1 Climax Finals over Tanahashi.) It felt like a whole new start. I was off to a relaxed start.”
Naito on what wrestler caught his attention the most in G-1:
“AJ Styles & Kazuchika Okada were the ones that caught my attention. Many expected it would be AJ Styles, or Kazuchika Okada who’d go to the final round from our block. (We see video highlighting Naito & Styles’ Day 4 match against one another that Naito won.) I was irriated to hear that, so I felt that I must defeat them. That’s why those two wrestlers came to mind.”
Naito on his impression of the Sendai Sun Plaza Hall:
“When I think of Sendai Sun Plaza Hall, I think of the 2012 G-1 Climax match with RUSH. I remember clearly that moment when I tore my ligament. That’s basically all that comes to mind. It was a bitter memory, so I don’t really like that venue, but in a way that’s how memorable the place is to me. My knee ligament is damaged, so I just have to accept that. Sendai Sun Plaza Hall is a venue I won’t easily forget. Its one of the memorable venues.”
Main Event in B Block: “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada w/Gedo vs. “The Stardust Genius” Tetsuya Naito
Dueling chants for both men as the bell sounds. Chain wrestling early, Naito gets to the ropes and Okada shoves him. Series of evasions, then Naito hits a dropkick. Snapmare into a chinlock by Naito. Naito with a series of forearms in the corner, but Okada with some of his own. Naito with a big forearm, followed by a series of stomps. Okada catches a kick, places Naito up top and hits the Picture-Perfect Dropkick that sends Naito crashing to the outside! Okada places Naito in one of the barricade bars and pulls back on his head. Okada then with a kick to the barricade while Naito’s head was still inside the bar. Back in, Okada with a front slam, followed by a slingshot senton bomb for a 1 count. Okada stomps away at Naito in the corner. Naito fights back, but Okada with a knee to the ribs. Snapmare, followed by a sliding dropkick by Okada. Okada SPIKES Naito with a DDT for a nearfall. Okada with a series of back elbows to Naito in the corner. Naito avoids a corner charge, but runs into a boot by Okada. Naito catches double boots in the corner by Okada and hits a draping neckbreaker. Naito with a hiptoss, followed by a sliding dropkick. Snapmare, followed by a running senton. Naito heads up top and hits a missile dropkick to Okada. Naito with a running dropkick in the corner, then goes for the slingshot dropkick, but Okada catches him coming back in and hits the Emerald Frosion across the knee! Okada with a slam, then heads up top and hits the top rope elbow drop. Okada goes for the Rainmaker, but Naito avoids it. Naito slips out of Heavy Rain, uses the ropes as a spring and hits Okada with a Tornado DDT. Naito with another running dropkick in the corner, then this time hits the slingshot dropkick from the apron. They head up top and Naito hits a Super Rana on Okada. Naito with a German on Okada for a nearfall. Naito goes for Gloria, but Okada blocks it. Naito with a big slap, but Okada avoids a flying forearm and hits the Picture-Perfect Dropkick to the back of Naito’s head! Okada lifts up Naito and hits the Tombstone! Okada goes again for the Rainmaker, but Naito avoids it and hits an enziguri, followed by a release Dragon that drops Okada RIGHT ON HIS HEAD!!
Commercial
Back from commercial as they exchange strikes, then Okada with a series of uppercuts. Naito comes back with the flying forearm, then avoids a clothesline, but Okada hits the Picture-Perfect Dropkick! Okada again goes for the Rainmaker, but Naito counters it with a T-Bone!! Another enziguri by Naito, followed by a slam.
Naito 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 Okada & Gedo.
Okada: “I said I’d win every single match, but I’m such a loser. Laugh if you want, but let me say this, I’ll win all the remaining matches.”
Gedo: “After ‘Rainmaker’ rules G-1, I’ll slowly take care of you (speaking to reporter). Did you get that? I said slowly. I’ll take my time with you, bastard.”
We go back to the ring as Naito grabs the mic.
“Here at Sendai Sun Plaza Hall, I’ve had a few bad memories in the past. But no matter what, you all in Sendai have always been welcoming, so thank you. Thanks for cheering me on today. (Crowd chants for Naito.) G-1 Climax is not over yet, but with my victory today, I alone stand at the top of Block B. This summer, too, I’m the main man!”
We go to backstage comments from Naito.
“I’m over the moon. I should be, because I defeated Okada. It took me a little over a half year to defeat him, but I got my payback for the Tokyo Dome event. Besides that, I won 4 matches and lost just once at this tournament. Are you all surprised? You should be. I’m sure no one expected this. Don’t kid me around, don’t forget that I’m here. I will be the main wrestler again this summer. Listen, I’ll win all the matches after this. I’ll defeat them all. I’ll turn all the matches around.
We go back to the TV-Asahi studios with Naito.
Naito looks back on the match with Okada:
“This was a match in Sendai City, against Kazuchika Okada. So for me, this was an important match. I defeated Kazuchika Okada and I told the Sendai audience everything I wanted to. I showed those who expected AJ or Okada to win, I showed them I’m still here. Also, the Sendai audience gave me lots of support, its become one of the most memorable matches.”
Naito looks back at the 2014 G-1 Climax:
“I won against AJ Styles & Okada, and then there was Ryogoku Kokugikan in October and Tokyo Dome in January. I think I won all the important matches. I’m confident of that. But of course, I fight in the G-1 to win, so in that sense, both in terms of the result and my performance, I’m left with many challenges. But because I see clearly what my problems are, I’m certain I’ll win this year’s G-1. So you know, I have many regrets about G-1 2014.”
Show closes.