NJPW Summer Struggle 1997 & G1 Climax 1997 - Day 1

NJPW Summer Struggle 1997

Manabu Nakanishi, Satoshi Kojima & Shinya Hashimoto vs. nWo Japan (Great Muta, Masahiro Chono & nWo Sting) - NJPW Summer Struggle 1997 - Day 1 - 22/06/1997

Korakuen Hall packs the house to see the new heel Great Muta be revealed to the Japanese audience. Muta even gets perhaps a better response than he would as a face. This is such a phenomenon. And Chono shit talking the camera, basking in the corruption is just perfect. The response to Muta taking off his mask to reveal the paint is just electric as well. The NWO attack at the bell, quickly getting the advantage. Muta delivers a serious of kick and chop combinations to Hashimoto and mists a young boy in the face rocking out in response. Hashimoto throws some kicks but nwo Sting hits him in the knee with a bat. Tiger Hattori didn’t call for the bell, so I assume Chono distracted him off camera. Nakanishi comes in, then Kojima getting some offence on Chono. NWO Sting does some decent powermoves and relishes in the crowd heat, fairing well against Hashimoto’s juniors. The match comes to a quick conclusion when Kojima gets tripled teamed and finished off with a chop from the top rope. Fun match with great heat. ***

Kensuke Sasaki, Takashi Iizuka & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. nWo Japan (Great Muta, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Masahiro Chono) - NJPW Summer Struggle 1997 - Day 3 - 24/06/1997

A smaller type show that’s not usually aired but the crowd is HOT for the NWO here. This is another short match, similar to the sort of matches Chono and Tenzan used to have. The NWO is dominant and dangerous. Fujinami’s team had some offence but this was always going to end one way. ***

Kensuke Sasaki vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan - NJPW Summer Struggle 1997 - Day 8 - 01/07/1997

Most fans wouldn’t know it at the time, but this is a practice run of the upcoming G1 Climax final. This is short but snug and worked quick. Sasaki worked for the arm and Tenzan did his usual grind the opponent down stick. Good match. ***1/4

J-Crown Title Match: Jushin Thunder Liger (c) vs. El Samurai - NJPW Summer Struggle 1997 - Day 12 - 06/07/1997

Smart grappling to begin with. Liger is able to take Samurai’s back and tries for a surfboard, unable to fully get it allowing Samurai to grab his ankle for a toehold. These two could probably work with the lights out. It’s like clock work the way the two chain holds together in a snug and interesting way. They progress into the classic Jr style with high impact bombs and spots well enough too. One thing I liked about this was El Samurai getting closer and closer to victory over his main rival. Hitting his big move again and again in multiple different way until he finally wins and gets the J-Crown title. Now I’m not the biggest El Samurai fan but this was really awesome for him. ****

Riki Choshu & Shinya Hashimoto vs. nWo Japan (Great Muta & Masahiro Chono) - NJPW Summer Struggle 1997 - Day 12 - 06/07/1997

A big tag team match! This is methodical and deliberate in its early portions. Muta and Choshu face off in an aggressive but still hesitant manner while Chono wants to grind Hashimoto into submission. It threatens to flare up when Choshu with a chair enters the ring and Muta has a bat in his hand. This leads to nothing on that level, but it does introduce the NWO has an interfering force. Choshu ends up in the FIP role as Muta and Chono heel on him and double team him. The hot tag isn’t great but it’s only serves just as well because Muta easily counters Hashimoto anyway. Hashimoto does however unleash a series of brutal kicks to the legs and stomach of Muta. What this match lacks in dramatic turning points, this makes up for in great wrestling at its basic level and the drama they are able to come up with through that alone. For example, the finish is all the drama this match needs - Muta heads to the top rope with the bat in hand but he hits Chono instead of Choshu, allowing Choshu to hit the lariat twice for the victory. And following the match Chono and Muta threaten to fight. Muta hands Chono the bat and offers himself as pennanc, almost like Raven’s Flock style punishments but Chono decides against it and they pose as a group. Awesome angle. ***3/4

Different Style Fight: Naoya Ogawa vs. Kazuo Yamazaki - NJPW Summer Struggle 1997 - Day 12 - 06/07/1997

This was a great natural progression from Hashimoto with Yamazaki being from the shoot-style environment. Plus it allows Ogawa to work with a legitimate opponent who is willing to lose to him. Ogawa is very ground in this, trapping Yamazaki into all kinds of submission holds that Yamazaki has to fight and kick out of. Yamazaki, in comparison, is wild and kick heavy which provides a good contrast. And when it just seemed to be Ogawa dominance, Yamazaki unleashes a big German suplex and gets a choke hold on him for a good false finish. But the hope died out as Ogawa took back control, submitting Yamazaki with an awesome inverted headscissors hold. ***1/2

NJPW G1 Climax 1997

G1 Climax 1997 First Round Match: Satoshi Kojima vs. Lord Steven Regal - NJPW G1 Climax 1997 - Day 1 - 01/08/1997

Strong lock-up to start the match from the two. Regal particularly does an excellent job at conveying that struggle for the wrist and Kojima plays his part just as well. Regal smartly trips Kojima and transitions into a surfboard stretch, not forgetting to get in a few palm strikes in the meantime. The technical approach from Regal offers something unique in the promotion since Hase has left. The ability as well as the little tricks that add some spice to it. For example, Regal locks on a brutal face hold, grinding his forearm into the cheek and nose of Kojima, who yells in agony. Kojima eventually has enough of Regal’s bullying and channels Riki Choshu, hitting multiple lariats to mount a potential comeback. Regal cuts him off with a punch to the throat and underhooks him off the top rope for a hard landing. The crowd rally behind their home grown guy and Kojima rather unceremoniously gets a surprise victory after escaping the Regal Stretch and hits a cutter for a three count. If there was a stronger comeback to compliment Regal’s outstanding heel performance, this could’ve been great. ***1/2

G1 Climax 1997 First Round Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Tadao Yasuda - NJPW G1 Climax 1997 - Day 1 - 01/08/1997

Tadao Yasuda, despite having a strong background in Sumo, is a heavy underdog compared to Tenzan. Yasuda is able to get some moves in early on, frustrating Tenzan greatly, outpouring Tenzan on some occasions and getting a few hope spots that the crowd react strongly to, including a deep abdominal stretch. Tenzan sells well for the rough Yasuda but it’s clear the difference between the two when Tenzan takes offence. Tenzan is much more assured and confident although Yasuda’s attempts are endearing. Yasuda is able to kick out of the german suplex for a pop, and blocks the diving deadbutt for a bigger one. It seems Yasuda is on the road for a big upset against Tenzan but gets caught on the top rope before being hit with a superplex from Tenzan. Tenzan then hits a diving headbutt for the win seemingly but Yasuda SURVIVES! Big shock. Tenzan doesn’t dwell on the surprise and hits a moonsault to book his ticket into the second round match, on the road for the finals. Really fun match elevated by the hot crowd and simple but effective storytelling. ***1/4

G1 Climax 1997 First Round Match: Junji Hirata vs. Scott Norton - NJPW G1 Climax 1997 - Day 1 - 01/08/1997

This was quick and simple. They wasted no time laying into each other. Norton blind sides Hirata and establishes dominance over him with ease. Hirata had minor hopespots but nothing substantial before Norton put him down. Not very exciting though considering the length. **1/2

G1 Climax 1997 First Round Match: Masahiro Chono vs. Michiyoshi Ohara - NJPW G1 Climax 1997 - Day 1 - 01/08/1997

Masahiro Chono looks like the worlds biggest star when he makes his entrance. He comes across as cool and badass, and in the ring, he still delivers at this point. Ohara is the midcarder in the Heisei Ishingun stable (he’s filing in for Koshinaka who would normally be in this role) but there is a lot of history between the two stables and Chono is coming into the tournament with an injured ankle, giving him an opening. Ohara got a lot of heat for working the ankle, despite Chono being a heel, but he relished in the drama of it all. Ohara isn’t a great wrestler so the wrestling isn’t particularly as exciting as it should be but the crowd carry the dramatic aspects. Chono looks sluggish due to the injury too which makes me wonder why this went 18 minutes. Chono wins with a butterfly submission hold in a poor and long match. **1/2

G1 Climax 1997 First Round Match: Great Muta vs. Manabu Nakanishi - NJPW G1 Climax 1997 - Day 1 - 01/08/1997

This is a very Great Muta match. Regardless of how I feel about the gimmick, Muta clearly enjoys it. You can see it in his performance. He can branch out and do bizarre things, like climb under the ring and scream at fans and even do a little dance. And while I think sometimes it’s too jarring with the actual wrestling, it provides a different energy to the ring. Unfortunately it does lead to Nakanishi being little more than a bystander. He had chances on top but they’d be brief before it was the Muta show once more. This crawls to the finish where Nakanishi has Muta on his shoulders for the rack before Tenzan gets on the apron, allowing Muta to escape and hit a frankensteiner off the top rope for the win. **1/2

G1 Climax 1997 First Round Match: Shinya Hashimoto vs. Kazuo Yamazaki - NJPW G1 Climax 1997 - Day 1 - 01/08/1997

This was a cool sort of match, they began with a kick exchange with a lot of block/parry kicks with Yamazaki winning it via a kick to the ribs which hurts Hashimoto. Hashimoto returns with brutal brain chops, reminding Yamazaki who got the striking power. But that’s okay because Yamazaki just went back to his standard plan which is to tap Hashimoto, first going for the leg and then the arm.Hashimoto’s selling was incredible in the match too. He really sells the submission attempts well, but he also sold the striking superbly as well. Hashimoto’s comebacks were solid. He threw himself fully into Yamazaki,knocking Hattori over for a rare ref bump, but still managed to get an armbar locked in long enough for Hattori to call the match off, awarding Hashimoto the win. Good match. ***3/4