As we chug on towards more NJPW G1 Climax 25 action, I keep feeling bad that I have nothing to say about these tags. I try, I really do, but they’re so nondescript and formulaic I tune out immediately.

Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuyori Shibata have had a heated rivalry in the past year, and tonight they’ll continue that in their G1 match. They’ve had some absolutely brilliant matches in the past…will tonight be more of the same?

New Japan Pro Wrestling
G1 Climax 25 – Night 13
Saturday, August 8
Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium
Watch: NJPWWorld.com

Satoshi Kojima & Jushin Thunder Liger & Ryusuke Taguchi & Yohei Komatsu vs. Yuji Nagata & Kushida & Mascara Dorada & David Finlay

This was every six man you’ve seen on the tour. These are so formulaic at this point you even know who’s pinning who on every show. It wasn’t bad, just seen it enough. It’s not a knock on anyone, because actually I like everyone here, it’s just…so dull. Liger and Dorada had some good stuff while they were in. Kojima and Nagata went at it since they’re facing each other soon. Finlay and Taguchi were the ones left in the ring as they exchanged some good nearfalls, but you know the drill at this point – Taguchi pinned Finlay with the dodon. **1/2

Michael Elgin & Jay White vs. Karl Anderson & Cody Hall

This felt like night and day compared to the opener. Elgin really adds to these matches; not only is he adapting well in New Japan, he’s NEW. Thus, these constant tag matches at least feel fresh. Elgin and Anderson had a lot of interaction, and they had good chemistry with one another. White continues to show fire as a young lion babyface. Cody Hall…is continuing to improve. Anderson and White had some good interactions as well. White fell to the Stun Gun. ***

Hirooki Goto & Tomoaki Honma & Captain New Japan vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii & Yoshi-Hashi

The usual tag match with Nakamura and Honma having some interactions. The end had Yoshi-Hashi and Captain New Japan doing their usual stuff when Yoshi-Hashi cuts him off and pins him with the Loose Explosion. Wish I could say more, but can’t for the life of me. **1/2

Kazuchika Okada & Gedo vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Tama Tonga

As you’d expect, Takahashi and Okada were the focus, though Gedo and Tama Tonga had good chemistry together as well toward the end. Tonga pinned Gedo with the Waistlock DDT. Yujiro took out Okada why whipping him into the guardrail immediately after the match. **1/2

G1 Climax 25

Kota Ibushi vs. Bad Luck Fale

Fale got the heat on Ibushi early by throwing him onto chairs on the outside then throwing an entire barricade on his prone body. Ibushi made a comeback with a huge moonsault that took out Fale on the floor. Fale made the comeback with a big lariat and the grenade for a near fall. He went for the Bad Luck Fall but Ibushi tried to counter into a hurricanrana. He failed, as Fale positioned him back for the Bad Luck Fall and pinned him. **1/2

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/629973001346383872

Tetsuya Naito vs. Toru Yano

Not that much of a match competitively, but it was fine for what it was. Naito was on offense for a lot of it, shoving the referee down twice along the way. There were several moments where Yano had control, which involved undoing the turnbuckle and Naito missing a splash, but this was very much Naito’s match. He low blowed Yano twice then pinned him with the Destino. **1/2

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/629976738211213312

Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. A.J. Styles

This was a good match, it wasn’t completely action oriented but they told a story and psychologically this was one of the better matches of the night. Mostly just back and forth early. A.J. started to work on Tenzan’s leg, though strangely not the one that bandaged up. He had in the Calf Killer at one point but Tenzan grabbed the ropes quickly. After working on him a bit, Tenzan mounted his comeback and went for the Anaconda Buster but A.J. escaped and dropkicked him. Tenzan tries for a moonsault but the leg is too injured as he collapses to the floor. Tenzan knees him low after a lionsault attempt and goes for the Anaconda Vise but A.J. gets to his feet as they go to the corner. Tenzan is distracted for a bit by talking to the referee which allows A.J. to hook Tenzan’s leg and applies the Calf Killer for the submission. ***1/4

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/629981531801567232

Togi Makabe vs. Doc Gallows

Fine match, but nothing special — there was a lot of brawling on the outside and into the crowd with stairs and guardrails in play. Gallows hit the Gallows Pole at one point but Makabe kicked out. He went for it again but Makabe hit a lariat, a samoan drop then pinned him with the King Kong Knee Drop. Better than I thought it would be going in, but then again I didn’t think much about it until the bell rang. **1/2

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/629985230099759104

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Katsuyori Shibata

Did you have any doubt that Tanahashi and Shibata would have an excellent match? This match immediately felt like more special than anything else on the card.

They started off with some mat wrestling. Both worked on each other’s legs, applying various submissions. The bulk of the match was intense back and forth contest, complete with stiff shots and some excellent moves. Tanahashi went for a charge to the corner but ducked as Shibata tried to hop over him, only for Shibata to foot stomp him on the face, which I’m sure wasn’t fun to take.

Tanahashi hit the High Fly Flow, then went for another but Shibata dodged the second one and put him in the sleeper. Shibata missed the penalty kick as Tanahashi went for a bridging pin and barely got two. Shibata tried to counter into a rear naked choke but Tanahashi floated over him and pins his shoulders on the mat for the surprise win. The finish seemed surprising at first but I’m sure this sets up a future match between the two. Easily the match of the night and one of the best in the tournament thus far. ****1/2

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/629989630230831104

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/629990156129411072

https://twitter.com/SenorLARIATO/status/629992311208955904

Final Thoughts: Night 13 of NJPW’s G1 Cilmax 25 was a one match show but man did that one match deliver. The card itself wasn’t bad but it just felt there until the main event. AJ/Tenzan is worth a look if you’re interested but just about everything else you can skip.

G1 Climax 25 Official Standings

Block ABlock B
AJ Styles10Kazuchika Okada10
Hiroshi Tanahashi10Tomohiro Ishii8
Tetsuya Naito10Karl Anderson8
Bad Luck Fale10Hirooki Goto8
Katsuyori Shibata8Shinsuke Nakamura8
Togi Makabe8Michael Elgin8
Kota Ibushi6Yujiro Takahashi4
Toru Yano4Satoshi Kojima4
Doc Gallows2Yuji Nagata2
Hiroyoshi Tenzan2Tomoaki Honma0

Voices of Wrestling G1 Climax Pick’Em Standings

(Remember to support our sponsor IVPVideos.com and use our exclusive coupon code VOICE)

NameTotalBonusNight 1Night 2Night 3Night 4Night 5Night 6Night 7Night 8Night 9Night 10Night 11Night 12Night 13Night 14Night 15Night 16Night 17Night 18
August Baker7712454454242522444442
Dylan Waco7715435243244444532522
Josh Walther7715335533343424452324
Allen Vick Jr7615444404344514441443
Bastian Sauer7615544433224534442431
Bonski McBonski765435333435555553424
Rob Rodriguez7615434522443535340235
David Dunn7515334432435424323443
Graeme Touchdown7510444442244444353424
Joshua Robinson7515243354344534311542
Ed Burns7413334343145525542431
Alex K.7310444523334435432424
Dan Atwood7310454444144434532512
Ewen MacDonald7313345223324444351524
Siva Punisamy7313344444324444342322
Aaron Bentley7215443323223433442335
Ben Pitchford7210534334134534442433
Chris Maffei725434352344535452434
J. Michael7215334412135455232334
Jake Barry7215344322244425432414
James Starkey7210245443234445432432
Kenny Ortiz726544354234534444422
Marcus Origer7210235441243524445424
Matt Audet7210445434335422443422
Matt Love725434353354543443334
Morten Hansen7213343324234253434433
Skylar Hinnant7211443334253544342431
Barry Meijer7115544441134514432412
Evan Speciner7110444524145333442414
Len Liu7115324233253435424322
Matt Wheal7113345433134534432322
Oliver Court7110543243342434443333
Olivier Tremblay7115345433214422353431
Scott Barker7115533343124434432422
SenorLARIATO7113345433234444332223
Adam Watkinson7013443333244534133422
Cameron Krusemark708443432244544343414
Capu Random7010334323234534344244
Christopher Duarte708335242343544143444
Doug Nunnally708444432325544433422
Kevin George705544442444444252405
Paco Silva Martínez705445554434424232433
Rob Reid705353433354535451423
Robert Palmer7010445423224544253322
Seth Chodosh7010434523132444454431
Taylor Mitchell706434432244534552424
Alejandro Giménez Gómez695345344243444433424
Andrew Chupurdy6910445432224534433313
Bryn Edwards Gunn6913533322343445332421
D Chong6910434332134433542434
Jody Plante6913235312124545433513
John Carroll6910343443422524352414
Mark Shaw695534443325433443433
Matt Trebby695454344244434342424
Paul Volsch698353334322524543244
Richard Jaeger697445353214445242424
Rob McCarron6910543312235544351432
Samuel DiMascio697425524344333442514
Santiago Tomasi6910544523133333442433
Tony Albicocco698544434223544351422
Brian Jackson686344344244344341353
Chad Campbell688433343143545442323
Chris Smith687245252324544333433
Goncalo Monteiro6810143412344545432333
James Baldwin685344424423454442532
John Mulligan688455334244444141332
Joseph Remy685445334334434243433
Keenan Carnegie6810524524414124343523
Mario Morrison688545442234525331332
Nnaemeka Odunze687345353244535322323
Paul Leazar6810444522254335332421
Rich Kraetsch6810433432334424342424
Robert Dougherty688435133334335343433
Ryan Smith685234543235554342423
Ryan Wilson6813134434323354223324
Sean Sedor6810334424224445243323
Tomek Cherek6810434433124424442532
Alexander Panos675444423244435342415
Benson Sam673245542343444443414
Brady Livingston675544343334534242333
Chris Bacon676333344353425432424
Jake Daniel675445353334515452312
Joe Gagne675435314344343443424
Kelly Harrass677344432245534352412
Michael Quealy678544443134534432321
Mike Spears678444333134434432523
Ru Gunn675444424134535352414
Scott675444533233534452422
TJ Hawke6710545523533213222442
Tye Liddell675533433333534342425
Wyatt Eddy675445424444533332422
Ajay Sameer668534322134534432532
Aled M665443432324435442334
Andy Clark668343432134534541540
Azri Firman665324254243535354223
Brandon Howard6610443423234534431313
Brian Ubben665544453144544313412
Daniel Mason665434453215354333243
Dave Taylor665345323144535154423
Dylan Harris668445222343544331423
Ed Mills6610343332244433423432
Edgar Morales665144343344544433431
G Brett Williams663435443155534432431
Gregory Davis668455233234453232233
Heather Christianson665443343245434432423
Izzac Mackenroth667444333234324244325
Jason Bullock665444353224445252431
Jeff Tillery665435543234425542204
Martijn Winkel6610344323115443244333
Matt Kennedy665445314434334443323
Matt Rolder665443333334335343424
Niall Hallinan667442443225444144323
Paul Cooke665445333324544341423
Sean Flynn667244423333542451442
Sean N663445354133433553422
Vic666444334334435432430
Antonio Garza657443433143435433313
Benjamin Good6510344113254444332422
Brian Brennan6510543222234424142434
Chris Burnett655444443134233423534
Christopher Griger658434243124324532434
CRVX655345332233444443522
Darren Lyne657545434124434322413
Dominick Gonzalez655544323234535323522
Erin Hotovy655434432324423432544
Filip Pejic655443332344533443305
Frederick Cholowski655544432243534352502
Jake Glowacki655534542125344332325
Jeremy Sexton657344424044434342423
Joe Estrada6510342432144534432412
Kevin Hare655343433234544443502
Lucas McFadden658455223523443233322
MacLean Craig657245333334524333413
Mitch Cowan658544423144434322413
Monty Rimorin655344334345313242444
Riley Hansen655535352233434432522
scott glover6510544453134335232112
Sean Spencer655444324145525351512
Travis McNeill655443413244344352424
Adam Joyce645345433234435332422
Brandon Gordon645335311234554343343
David Mora645434333234444433422
Dee H645153234344444332424
dillon burgess647433333134535432413
Eddy Collazo6410333314225244143424
Greg P645444342244434241523
Jason Lee6413335323233432443031
Kevin Lyon645344332424544452402
Luuk van Egeraat645344354324453214521
Mark Edward Dowling645324343414234443524
Martin Foster647143543343423442332
Michael Zavala646443312423545343323
Michelle Burkey6415333424114422322225
Parker Holland645344433034335544403
Robert Pannell645244343334534442421
Sherman Lee645233423243435433344
Tanner Teat645444333234333333434
Victor Zoest645444332234534442224
Warren Taylor648533432125524243422
Alessandro Tucci635544433224443350323
Andrew Carpenter6310441422242444342412
Andrew Perkins636244332242533332444
Ayaash M637445242233533232522
Ben Gordon635243433245524443411
Bill Knust633434433333434443422
Darren Lynch638342424334324231353
David Penton635433233425543441323
Ferdinand Meyer635534154224434252233
Gabriel Perez637345433424534321411
Guilherme Jaeger635444323422234442425
James Hagan635234233243434344334
Jamie Mohan635343343314333442533
Jeff Chase635434234244435432322
João Vitor Silveira Passos633444444333333441513
lawrence obrien633042442255435445322
Lou Pickney635344323234433453512
Mark Aasal635343332133355343343
Mark Berlowitz635434543135233442413
Matt Brown635444333233535422413
Matt McEwen635444532233534431413
Matthew Bray633343334344525432314
Mogel635543333235543332412
ntaf635343552334334242314
Phil Williams633433432254434423442
Samuel Cooke637343343344424222522
William Housell Jr.637334442253434241341
William Young635344524245424232323
Zach Smith633544344134344244214
Aaron Lomas6211432313243435342311
Benoit Brunette623544442423343332225
Brady Vincent623234443324534534402
Chris Adams625254224344523333422
Dave Christian625544532334442241412
David Neild623334343244534242522
Edward Miguez625334432144535322423
Garrett Kidney628433233253324332432
Hugh Little625244433324434342413
Jacob K Randlett623235423243534452314
Jamie ODoherty623535543234424053412
Jason Woito625444444342422341314
Jesse Carey625444442342234442412
Jordan Greenhalgh625444342234534342312
Kevin Gombau625444342234534342312
Kevin S627444323034434533321
Lee Thomas625334434243432343242
Mark Smith625433542233424442413
Michael Levy625325544223324242343
Peter Weinstein625433432335424442412
Rob Barry627435453123323242423
Ryan Tulleth625345443134334233332
SASira623434332344434432513
Thomas Green625243233254424352432
Andrew Bates615444332423435232323
Andy Doran615235512234444442412
Antonio Edwards613343333134544232524
Charles Humphreys615244333224544232423
EddieAlCapone615545332223324252333
Evan Grady-Troia613544323135534352312
joe mills613543432135534433213
Lucas Zamarín615353333223535242224
manny kang615234443244525223313
Mary Robinson615224452224345233522
Matthew Nielson610533444334435442411
Mike Fuller613334422134333453533
Phil OConnor616233423443433433331
Sean Garmer615344322134444433413
Thomas Jayroe615435422143224424433
Alfred Arriola605545333343423332212
Brian Stafford605234432234243441415
Bryan Rose605334443232434433222
Chris Boothroyd607244322122434442415
Christian Renoe6010423223234434322421
Collin Miller603434332344534352311
David Woodley603245333234425442322
Derek Drago605434433223244422432
Francis Lane605342432334444432303
Jason Ryan603444324233424342423
Jesse B603344333254434332313
Joel Zewski607443322135434422412
Jonathan Parsons605332422334434432432
Jordan Benterman605224424134434253413
Keith Campbell605443232234434234413
Keith Harris605245322234435340333
Kenneth Butler603244423244523442422
Kevin Held605445422234424231432
Matthew Brown605243323134434443224
Michael McDonald605233342224332552424
Mike Bate605433323333445232422
Rodrigo Garcia605233532324334252423
The Mosayat605444323234433332413
Will True605544432124435252221
Abrasive Obelisk593435423044423341424
Alan Counihan593433343125344253313
Brandon Simms593534232423434434411
Dan Mullooly595544412123424353403
Dan Tiller597254142251522233324
Darrell Chess595434434213234242423
Drew Wardlaw595343413224334333522
Kelly Corcoran593244344334434332402
Kent Sinkler595445413444312243132
Markus Herter595354442333414232232
Martin Bentley593434432134424332433
Rancho King592335422244435243412
Richard Benson597535441223421232432
Rogers Hudson595243323124533442414
Tenese Sarwieh595444442222325432412
Tim Evans590444333234434441441
Travis Kriens595443312234534441412
Aaron Richards585242443333543152122
Angela Stephens585445432233434232401
Brendan Creecy585434232234444322403
Brennan Bajdek585334322324424342422
cal hodges587233323213435241433
Chris Steffensen585334323234435332402
Joseph Roche580444413342433253432
Karl Grant585334422224434352402
Neil McNerlan585244434143423323421
Peter Gardner580534342434323242433
Alexander Kaiser575235413134345332312
Dakota Schmidt573435513243334331223
Danny Kuchler573345442134434321313
David Neil Rapp575134422024433443423
Jon Burr575441304224522352333
Joseph Atwood575444331334242441411
Alex Giardini565345303123444223512
Andrew Moll567234332223524231512
Andrew Rich563133524124525342412
Bill Thompson563244543222313332424
Brian Sanders565344324222523333420
George T565234414204453342312
Greg Johnson563444112445433333122
Jack Beckmann565433453023324242313
Jake Polustine563324123234434333423
Jamie Sessions560544342214332352423
Jeremy Weimer565544424122444123302
Julian Perez565243323132335352421
Michael A. DeSota565533332135413152313
Mitch Parcells560343352243445332411
Mitch Thomas568434322134322333312
The Jonathon Hunt Experience560335222334434252441
Ben Crooty555433313224215432413
Johnny Marlow550423424224412345225
mark pierson II555422302234433432324
Mike A. Roonie555243233124232522523
Richard Fann555445402123443232124
Sarah kenneally553332432234233234423
Sebastian Zamf555245314224441332321
Stefan Kuschnig555334314233134341224
Superdeformed555225432142324333313
T.C. Carroll550443443233234352411
Aidan Daly543445443223233332220
John Boyle543343233204332252532
Matt Pecolatto545434321304333331522
Peter Richards543334343033444430321
Allan Blackstock533242423224432342214
Jared Welch532244444123414432221
Lucha Max533344423024343132413
Thumbster535235212232532341422
Tim Kelly530334413124525332422
Tommy Livingstone533043423134434233412
UrbinoPL533323322433335334031
Wayne Maw535342424032233342241
Alex Silva520433222243235442520
Brandon525233431232323242323
Case Lowe523433221223533253501
Christian Laputka520434424221434333321
George Andrew525334322131433522213
Niel Jacoby524244343103434132322
Jack Smith510345344114325132411
Kuba Fineczko515235432113234233302
Andrew J. DeYoe502133525125223412331
No One Nation504234441124222113523
Trent Williams505243502014333441321
Adrian Gaskin493343322124433331113
David R. Curington490334322133324252313
Kristin Barry462323321043422333141
Kyle Henke445422321214241022232
Tingle420043313212433132232