New Japan on AXS TV Episode 21
July 17, 2015
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Frank Shamrock
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Shinsuke Nakamura welcomes us to the show.
“I’m Shinsuke Nakamura. Today, you’ll watch the August 1st, 2014 G-1 matches at Korauken Hall. You’re watching World Pro Wrestling returns.
This week, we will see 3 matches from Day 7 of the 2014 G-1 Climax at Korauken Hall in Tokyo.
B Block: IWGP Champion “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki w/TAKA
Battle of the leaders of Bullet Club & Suzuki-Gun here. The two go nose-to-nose as the bell sounds. Suzuki with a big slap and a knee to the ribs, but then Styles hits the Phenomenal Dropkick. Suzuki avoids a baseball slide by Styles, but Styles avoids the barricade by leaping over it. Styles with a forearm to Suzuki, then climbs the barricade and hits Suzuki with a leaping forearm! Back in, Styles with elbows to the back of Suzuki’s head, followed by a series of forearms and chest kicks, but it only fires Suzuki up. Styles with a slam and a leaping knee drop to Suzuki, followed by a delayed suplex for a 1 count. Styles with a backbreaker to Suzuki, but Suzuki sends him onto the apron. Styles goes for a springboard, but Suzuki pushes him off, then locks Styles in an armbar in the ropes! Styles goes to the outside, while Suzuki goes to the apron. Suzuki then DRILLS Styles with a running apron kick! Suzuki sends Styles into the barricade, then traps his arm in the barricade and pulls at it. Suzuki kicks the barricade with Styles’s arm still trapped. Suzuki feigns using a hammer to ring the bell, then hits Styles with a kick to the arm. They fight into the crowd, with Suzuki sending Styles off a chair, then trapping his arm in the chair and pulling at the arm. Suzuki gets back in as the ref begins his 20 count. Styles gets back in at the count of 12. Suzuki with an elbow to the injured arm of Styles, followed by a kick to it and a FK. Fujiwara armbar applied by Suzuki, then he kneedrops the arm. Suzuki switches to a double armbar, then begins manipulating the fingers of Styles. Suzuki then switches to a crossface, but Styles fights out. Suzuki with more kicks to the injured arm of Styles, then arm whips down. Styles comes back with a gut kick, then SNAP SUPLEXES SUZUKI INTO THE TURNBUCKLES!! Flying clothesline by Styles in the corner, then unloads with stomps to Suzuki and chokes him with his boot. Styles goes for another flying clothesline, but Suzuki pulls the ref in the way and Styles wipes him out! TAKA comes in and begins stomping away at Styles. All of a sudden, Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows run in to help out Styles, going after TAKA. This brings out Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr and the Killer Elite Squad brawl to the back with Gallows & Gun. Suzuki & Styles get back to their feet and begin exchanging strikes. Styles with a series of strikes, ending with a spinning backfist, but Suzuki avoids the discus clothesline and begin hitting the rapid-fire slaps. Styles avoids one and hits an enziguri, but Suzuki with another slap! Both then SLAP EACH OTHER AT THE SAME TIME, BOTH MEN DOWN!!
Commercial
Back from commercial as Suzuki gets up first and hits Styles with a series of forearms, but Styles blocks a right hand with his boot and hits a superkick. Styles makes the kill shot on Suzuki, but Suzuki sees this and grabs Styles’s finger. Suzuki again manipulates Styles’s finger, but runs into a boot by Styles in the corner. Styles goes to the apron and goes for the springboard forearm, but Suzuki catches Styles in mid-air and LOCKS HIM BACK IN THE FUJIWARA ARMBAR!! Suzuki continues manipulating the fingers of Styles while having him in locked in the armbar, but Styles is able to reach the ropes. Suzuki with a series of gut kicks and knees to the ribs of Styles, but Styles with a knee of his own to the ribs, followed by a chop. Styles off the ropes, but Suzuki goes off his blind side and locks him in a Sleeper. Styles tries to reach the ropes, but Suzuki pulls him back to the center. Suzuki transitions Styles and goes for the Gotch Piledriver, but Styles blocks it. Suzuki with a kneelift, but Styles catches a kick and lifts Suzuki up for a powerbomb. Suzuki tries to counter out by locking Styles in a Triangle, but Styles then tries for the Styles Clash. Suzuki is able to get free, take Styles down and lock him in the Ankle Lock!! Styles tries to reach the ropes, but Suzuki pulls him back to the center. Styles rolls through and locks Suzuki in an Ankle Lock, but Suzuki rolls out and re-applies the hold. Styles tries to counter back out, but Suzuki stops him and locks him in a cross armbreaker! Styles tries to get out, but Suzuki keeps the hold applied and goes back to manipulating Styles’s fingers. Styles gets to his feet, lifts Suzuki up and COUNTERS OUT WITH THE STYLES CLASH!!! They get to their feet and SUZUKI SPITS AT STYLES!! Overhand chop exchange, followed by a slap exchange. Styles with a forearm, but Suzuki goes back to the injured arm of Styles with a kick. Suzuki with a BIG forearm, but STYLES HITS HIM WITH THE PELE KICK!!!
ANOTHER STYLES CLASH!!! 1-2-3!! WHAT A MATCH!!
Winner: IWGP Champion “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles by pinfall (Styles Clash)
We go to post-match comments from Styles.
“Suzuki, you can take my arm, but you can’t take these wills and in the end, he had to pay the price. I am Bullet Club and we are real.”
We go now to post-match comments from Suzuki.
“Bastards, don’t put your guns away that’s aimed at me. Its not the end. I won’t let it end here. Bastards, who did you aim your guns at? Risk your life and fight me, damn it.”
Commercial
B Block: Hirooki Goto vs. NWA Tag Team Champion Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Crowd chants for Tenzan as the bell sounds. Lock-up and a break. Tenzan with a side headlock, but no one goes down off a shoulder tackle multiple times. Goto with a gut kick and a series of forearms, followed by a shoulder tackle. Tenzan with a gut kick, followed by a series of Mongolian Chops. Tenzan with a chop to the head, a headbutt and a series of chops. Right hand by Tenzan, but Goto goes off his blind side and hits a clothesline. Neck vise applied by Goto, then switches to a headscissors. Goto goes to his belly to put more torque on the hold. Tenzan gets to the ropes. Goto with a suplex for a nearfall. Chinlock applied by Goto, followed by an elbow to the face. Tenzan fights back, but Goto with an elbow to the back of Tenzan’s head. Goto stomps away at Tenzan in the corner, then chokes him with his boot. Goto with a series of forearms in the corner, followed by the spinning heel kick and a Backdrop Driver to Tenzan for a nearfall. Crowd wills on Tenzan. Tenzan blocks Ushikoroshi, but Goto with another series of forearms. They clothesline each other at the same time, but then Goto with another clothesline for a nearfall. Goto goes again for Ushikoroshi, but Tenzan fights out. Goto with a gut kick, but Tenzan catches him with the Mountain Bomb. More Mongolian Chops by Tenzan, followed by a series of headbutts in the corner. Clothesline in the corner by Tenzan, then he heads up top and hits Goto with Calf Branding for a nearfall. Goto blocks a German, but Tenzan catches him off the ropes with a spinning heel kick for a nearfall. Tenzan heads up top and hits the diving headbutt for a nearfall. Anaconda Vice applied by Tenzan, but Goto quickly gets to the ropes. Tenzan calls for the TTD and goes for it, but Goto blocks it. Tenzan with more headbutts, then avoids a blind side clothesline and a discus clothesline by Goto and hits a headbutt to the ribs. Tenzan off the ropes, but Goto catches him and this time hits Ushikoroshi, but Tenzan kicks out! Goto fires up and tries to pick up Tenzan, but Tenzan is dead weight. Goto gains another nearfall. Goto goes for Shouten Kai, but Tenzan blocks it. Goto with more forearms, then they exchange strikes, with Goto gaining advantage. Tenzan comes back with more Mongolian Chops, but Goto with a headbutt. Tenzan catches a chest kick and hits more headbutts, knocking down Goto. Tenzan fires up as the crowd chants for him again. TTD BY TENZAN, GOTO KICKS OUT!!
Tenzan with the Anaconda Buster back into the Anaconda Vice, GOTO TAPS!!
Winner: NWA Tag Team Champion Hiroyoshi Tenzan by submission (Anaconda Vice)
Commercial
Back from commercial, we go to the TV-Asahi studios with Nakamura.
Nakamura on his feelings facing Ishii again at G-1 after a 3-year span:
“In terms of rivalries, every wrestler is my rival, except for Ishii, who was my first single match and tag partner in CHAOS. It was the first match we fought as opponents, knowing each other’s skills. I think the match was held in the middle of the tournament. So, even though we were in the middle of the tournament, we both had issues to deal with.”
Nakamura on injuring his neck from a piledriver by Tomoaki Honma on Day 5 of the 2014 G-1 Climax:
“I think it was the Sendai match that I hurt my neck. (We see video clip of the Honma piledriver that injured Nakamura.) And I had a day or two until my match against Ishii, so I concentrated on fixing my neck to a point where it wouldn’t effect the match. I wanted to be in the best condition, but it was the G-1, everyone goes through stuff like that.”
Nakamura on his impression of Ishii:
“He knows what his strengths are the best. His style is not straight forward. I think his current style is made by choosing the hard way. For example, he keeps fighting bigger opponents than himself head on, that is his style. I have a completely different style than him, I use totally different techinques, but he’s good at controlling the rhythm and the flow of the match. I understood him totally, I got what he’s all about while we fought.”
Main Event in A Block: “The Stone Pitbull” Tomohiro Ishii vs. “The King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura
Battle of CHAOS members and past tag partners here. Lock-up and a break. Ishii backs Nakamura into the ropes and shoves him. Nakamura backs Ishii into the ropes, then rubs his face against Ishii’s stomach. Nakamura extends his hand for a handshake, but Ishii slaps him! Nakamura with a knee to the ribs, but Ishii catches him off the ropes with a powerslam. Ishii goes for the Sliding Lariat, but Nakamura avoids it. Nakamura goes for the Boma-Ye, but Ishii avoids that and we have a stalemate as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Ishii with a gut kick and a forearm. Strike exchange, Nakamura gains advantage with a series of knees to the ribs. Nakamura does the shaky boot dealy-a-bob in the corner, but Ishii fires out of the corner and grabs Nakamura’s foot. Ishii with a series of forearms, but runs into a knee to the ribs by Nakamura. Nakamura places Ishii across the top rope, then goes for the running knee to the ribs, but Ishii goes to the apron to avoid it. Nakamura avoids a left-arm lariat by Ishii and nails him with a head kick, followed by a draping DDT. Nakamura again does the shaky boot dealy-a-bob in the corner, then stomps away at him. Nakamura kicks at Ishii, telling him to bring it on. Nakamura gets in Ishii’s face and paintbrushes him, then hits a series of forearms, but Ishii gets in his face. Strike exchange as Ishii yells at Nakamura to bring it on. Both then hit each other at the same time with forearms. Nakamura with a knee to the ribs and a chest kick, then again places Ishii across the top rope and this time hits the running knee to the ribs for a nearfall. Ishii blocks the reverse suplex, but Nakamura with a knee strike to the head. Ishii avoids 2 head kicks by Nakamura and hits a forearm, followed by a chop. Series of chops by Ishii, followed by a clothesline in the corner. They head up top and Ishii hits Nakamura with the delayed superplex for a nearfall. Powerbomb by Ishii for a nearfall. Ishii off the ropes, but Nakamura catches him and locks in a Sleeper. Ishii tries to counter out with a Backdrop Driver, but Nakamura blocks it. Nakamura with a front facelock, then when Ishii tries to counter out with a suplex, Nakamura slips out and hits a knee strike, followed by this time hitting the reverse suplex. Nakamura starts to set for the Boma-Ye, but Ishii stops him with a running dropkick! Another strike exchange, then Ishii blocks Nakamura going for the Superman forearm with a big slap. Ishii runs into a boot and Nakamura goes to the middle rope, 2ND ROPE BOMA YE!! Nakamura goes for the Boma-Ye, but Ishii TURNS NAKAMURA INSIDE OUT WITH A CLOTHESLINE!! Ishii with a Northern Lariat, then hits Nakamura with his own reverse suplex for a nearfall. Nakamura avoids a clothesline, but Ishii blocks a German. Nakamura goes to lock in a Sleeper, but Ishii gets free and takes Nakamura up and over. Ishii goes for another big clothesline, but Nakamura COUNTERS IT WITH A FLYING ARMBAR!! Ishii clasps his hand to prevent Nakamura from fully locking it in, but Nakamura is able to unclasp his hands and lock in the cross armbreaker. Ishii is able to squirm over and reach the ropes to force a break. Nakamura with kicks to the arm of Ishii, then hits an enziguri. Nakamura off the ropes, but Ishii again catches him with a big clothesline! Another big clothesline by Ishii for a nearfall as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Ishii goes for the Brainbuster, but Nakamura blocks it and hits a standing gourdbuster. Nakamura again goes for the Boma-Ye, but Ishii avoids it and hits a big headbutt. Sliding Lariat by Ishii, but Nakamura kicks out! Ishii again goes for the Brainbuster, but Nakamura again blocks it. Ishii with a big forearm, then catches a kick, but Nakamura with a spin kick to the back of Ishii’s head, followed by a backstabber. BOMA-YE BY NAKAMURA TO THE BACK OF ISHII’s HEAD!!! Nakamura with a running boot, but ISHII SHRUGS IT OFF!! Ishii with a clothesline, but Nakamura does not go down! Another strike exchange, then Ishii again yells at Nakamura to bring it. Nakamura with a series of forearms, but Ishii hits the rapid-fire forearms. Nakamura fires up and hits a slap, but Ishii with an enziguri! ANOTHER BOMA-YE BY NAKAMURA, ISHII KICKS OUT AT ONE!!!! Nakamura goes to the middle rope, ANOTHER MIDDLE ROPE BOMA-YE!! 1-2….ISHII KICKS OUT AGAIN!!! Nakamura goes for another Boma-Ye, but Ishii catches it and hits Nakamura with a big headbutt!
THIRD BOMA-YE BY NAKAMURA!!! 1-2-3!
Winner: “The King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall (Boma-Ye)
Nakamura checks on Ishii afterwards, they fist-bump one another and Nakamura helps Ishii up. They raise each other hands and embrace in a sign of mutual respect. Crowd chants for Ishii as he crawls to the back.
Nakamura has the mic.
“I can’t express it with words. It’ll sound cheap if I express it using words. No words, there’s no way I can express this feeling with words. You all know what I’m going to say, right? YEAOH!!”
We go to backstage comments from Ishii.
“Even before the match started, I felt excited. It was the kind of feeling I hadn’t felt in a while. That’s for sure. I think that’s because Shinsuke Nakamura was that kind of guy. So this is what he calls boiling with excitement. Its been 3 years since I last fought him. I’m glad we fought now, at this timing. Last year, nor 2 years ago, wouldn’t have been as special to fight him. It was a special match to be able to fight with Shinsuke Nakamura. That’s how I feel.”
We go now to Nakamura.
“I have fought together with Ishii, we have inspired each other. To be in the same ring, its great to be in the same ring with a great wrestler like that. It was great to be able to fight as opponents. Personally, today was the key match of this year’s G-1. We shall fight again within our long careers of pro wrestling.”
We go back to the TV-Asahi studios with Nakamura.
Nakamura on the match with Ishii:
“I felt strange from the beginning when fighting Ishii. We were both seeing how things go. Since we have been tag partners, we know each other’s rhythm, so our performance kept accelerating. Honestly, I thought he was a good wrestler. I enjoyed fighting him, it was a tough match, but it was great to have fought him head on.”
Nakamura on his post-match promo from that day, saying he couldn’t express into words what he was feeling:
“I’m sure there were perfect words, but nothing could express my thoughts. I felt that words may change the special meaning of it. Speaking of Ishii, this may be arrogant to say, but I thought I understood him. I think that I get his sensitive sides, I think I got that faster than anyone else. How should I put it? Every match in the block, they were full of events for me. Including the final match, that is.”
Show closes.