BRM Reviews NJPW G1 Climax 24: Day 2

[Big Red Machine]

NJPW G1 Climax 24: Day 2 (7/23/2014)- Hirosaki, Japan


BLOCK A MATCH: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Satoshi Kojima- 5.5/10
The match started off with two shoulder tackles, then forearms to the head. You don't get any point for guessing whether or not Ishii sold them. Then they did this spot where Ishii took a SICK DDT on the apron. When he finally got back into the ring, and Kojima started to stomp his head... he no-sold it. Earlier this week on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that Ishii is the best seller in the business, and I agree with that... in the 3% of the time that Ishii actually sells anything at all.
More moves by Kojima targeting the head and neck, with more random no-selling by Ishii. Then Ishii started to chop Kojima in the throat. Kojima sold it because he actually understands how wrestling works. Then they started trading finishers and kicking out, but they SOLD IT, so it was good. Then they stopped selling and it got worse. Ishii won. BOO!

BLOCK A MATCH: Bad Luck Fale vs. Shelton X Benjamin (w/TAKA Michinoku)- 3.5/10
In one of the year’s most baffling booking decisions, Shelton Benjamin beat Fale clean in five minutes. Last month Fale beat one of the company’s aces, Shinsuke Nakamura, to win the Intercontinental Title, which has been treated as almost being equal to IWGP Heavyweight Title. Then, on the first night of the G1, he got a clean victory over the company’s fastest rising star, Tomohiro Ishii. Tonight, he lost clean in five minute to a guy who is barely even on the roster (and a fellow heel, no less). WHAT THE F*CK?!

BLOCK B MATCH: Hirooki Goto vs. Yujiro Takahashi- 6/10

BLOCK B MATCH: Tetsuya Naito vs. Lance Archer- 6.5/10
Archer was a big scary heel, Naito was a great babyface. I demand more matches built around the greatest move in the history of pro wrestling: the Chokeslam!

BLOCK A MATCH: Yuji Nagata vs. Tomoaki Honma- 6.25/10
Honma keeps trying to hit his headbutt, but he keeps missing. Nagata eventually starts to work over Honma’s head and pins him with the Backdrop Driver.
At this point whenever I see a Honma match, I ask myself WHY does he keep going for the headbutt if he almost always misses? It seems like such a huge risk. Would a leg drop both hurt the opponent more and hurt Honma less? I mean… with the amount of damage he does to himself every match by missing headbutts, he might well be unbeatable if he started using the leg drop instead.

BLOCK A MATCH: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. (w/TAKA Michinoku)- 6.5/10

BLOCK B MATCH: Toru Yano vs. AJ Styles- 3.5/10
Yano kept trying to cheat to beat AJ. Yano is supposed to be the babyface. Why should I ever cheer for this man? To make matters worse, one of these attempts at cheating was getting a steel chair. The referee tried to stop him, so Yano shoved the referee down. None of this was a disqualification. He later actually hit AJ with a chair right in front of the referee. Still no DQ.

BLOCK B MATCH: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Kazuchika Okada (w/Gedo)- 7/10
Okada works over Tenzan’s head. The fans are REALLY into Tenzan so far in the G1. A story built around one last great run for one of the greatest G1 competitors of all-time would be kind of cool.

BLOCK B MATCH: Togi Makabe vs. Karl Anderson- 6.75/10
Anderson worked over Makabe’s recently-healed jaw. Makabe sold it well.

BLACK A MATCH: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Doc Gallows- 6.25/10
Chairshots in front of the ref are apparently okay now. Or maybe the ref just didn’t see it because he was distracted by the fact that Gallows was wearing pajama pants. They had a good match.

A dull show from New Japan, and not even a good one, either.

[cero2k]

BLOCK B MATCH: Toru Yano vs. AJ Styles- 3.5/10
Yano kept trying to cheat to beat AJ. Yano is supposed to be the babyface. Why should I ever cheer for this man? To make matters worse, one of these attempts at cheating was getting a steel chair. The referee tried to stop him, so Yano shoved the referee down. None of this was a disqualification. He later actually hit AJ with a chair right in front of the referee. Still no DQ.

i wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a comedy match, or just a really bad match

[Big Red Machine]

BLOCK B MATCH: Toru Yano vs. AJ Styles- 3.5/10
Yano kept trying to cheat to beat AJ. Yano is supposed to be the babyface. Why should I ever cheer for this man? To make matters worse, one of these attempts at cheating was getting a steel chair. The referee tried to stop him, so Yano shoved the referee down. None of this was a disqualification. He later actually hit AJ with a chair right in front of the referee. Still no DQ.

i wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a comedy match, or just a really bad match

It's a Yano match, so mostly bad, but his facials can occasionally make it funny.

[Big Red Machine]

BLOCK B MATCH: Toru Yano vs. AJ Styles- 3.5/10
Yano kept trying to cheat to beat AJ. Yano is supposed to be the babyface. Why should I ever cheer for this man? To make matters worse, one of these attempts at cheating was getting a steel chair. The referee tried to stop him, so Yano shoved the referee down. None of this was a disqualification. He later actually hit AJ with a chair right in front of the referee. Still no DQ.

i wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a comedy match, or just a really bad match

Just saw this week's Observer. Meltzer gave this match ***1/4. That might be the most ridiculous thing ever.

[cero2k]

BLOCK B MATCH: Toru Yano vs. AJ Styles- 3.5/10
Yano kept trying to cheat to beat AJ. Yano is supposed to be the babyface. Why should I ever cheer for this man? To make matters worse, one of these attempts at cheating was getting a steel chair. The referee tried to stop him, so Yano shoved the referee down. None of this was a disqualification. He later actually hit AJ with a chair right in front of the referee. Still no DQ.

i wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a comedy match, or just a really bad match

Just saw this week's Observer. Meltzer gave this match ***1/4. That might be the most ridiculous thing ever.

well, your problems were mostly the cheating, right? I can totally see Meltzer giving it that because of the wrestling alone

[Big Red Machine]

i wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a comedy match, or just a really bad match

Just saw this week's Observer. Meltzer gave this match ***1/4. That might be the most ridiculous thing ever.

well, your problems were mostly the cheating, right? I can totally see Meltzer giving it that because of the wrestling alone

Yeah but with all of the other things Dave will comment on, I just don't understand dhow he ignores the constant cheating from babyfaces and cheating in front of the referee in this tournament. I honestly think that if you had the same match outside of Japan, Dave would not like it nearly as much.