#65: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, NJPW G1 Climax 25 (8/16/2015).
This is the finals of the 2015 G1 Climax Tournament, with the winner going to Wrestle Kingdom 10 to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
Perhaps there are no two men who helped to define New Japan Pro Wrestling throughout the first 15 years of the 2000s like Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura.
As two thirds of "The New Three Musketeers" alongside Katsuyori Shibata, Tanahashi and Nakamura were eyed by Antonio Inoki to be the beacons that would carry New Japan into the future, just as Masahiro Chono, Keiji Muto and Shinya Hashimoto once did. If only Inoki knew what was to come when he chose those three.
Shibata left the promotion to pursue MMA, Nakamura floundered as the super rookie champion, and Tanahashi took a while to find his footing. Over time, both Tanahashi and Nakamura became mega stars for the company. Nakamura transformed in the late 2000s into a Freddie Mercury-like sensation, and he dubbed himself the King of Strong Style.
Tanahashi, meanwhile, became the opposite of what Inoki wanted for New Japan. He wasn't an MMA enthusiast. He was a wrestler's wrestler, with the charisma of Shawn Michaels, the in ring ability of Bret Hart, the love of high flying like Eddie Guerrero, and a connection with the fans similar to John Cena. That change to Tana catapulted him to the Ace of the company, the man who arguably carried New Japan on his back, and brought them out of the darkest days the company had ever seen.
While Nakamura was far from being the company's top man, he had helped to elevate the IWGP Intercontinental Championship to a status similar to the Heavyweight Title, and due to his Strong Style character, was arguably the most popular wrestler in the promotion, next to Tanahashi. Through the years of being dojo mates, teammates, and rivals, Nakamura was always in the shadow of Tanahashi. Here was his chance to move past Tana, and prove his worthiness.
On this night, in the final singles match between the two, only one man would stand in front of the other.
The atmosphere just in the Ring introductions is seriously unreal. Things are slow to start, as both men look for that first opportunity to strike. They lock up, and Tana takes control of the back. Nakamura grabs the arm and escapes, only for Tana to take Nakamura's arm. They both distance from the other, and we're at a stalemate early.
Tana gets wrist control, and Nakamura reverses into a side headlock takedown. Tana plays air guitar in response. Tana hammerlocks the left arm of Nakamura, then transitions to the side headlock. He cranks away at it. Nakamura tries to send Tana into the ropes, but he won't let go.
Side headlock takedown by Tana, and another after Nakamura gets to his feet. Tana with a shoulder tackle to Nakamura, then he throws the air guitar to the fans. Nakamura with a knee to the midsection, and he takes the side headlock. Shoulder tackle by Nakamura.
He takes control of the back, and switches to a side control position. He transitions from top to side control, and Tana is unable to answer for any of this. Nakamura breaks away, and we are still at a stalemate.
Nakamura kicks the inner thigh next. Tana catches one of the kicks, then brings Nakamura down with a chop block. He stomps at the quad, then drives his elbow into the knee. Both are back to their feet, and they exchange forearms.
Tana looks to lock in the Texas Cloverleaf, and Nakamura gets to the ropes. In the corner, Tana unloads with rib shots and an uppercut. He teases doing Good Vibrations. Scoop slam, and Tana looks for his middle rope senton, but Nakamura kicks him in the face and sends him to the outside.
Sharp kick to the chest follows, then Nakamura drives his knee into Tana's chest across the apron. Both men are back in the Ring, and Nakamura goes on the assault. Snap mate to Tana, and Nakamura looks to put pressure on Tana's neck.
Nakamura drives his knee right into Tana's face, and gets a nearfall off of it. Nakamura eggs Tana on with light knees to the face. Tana is having none of it! Forearm exchange follows. Nakamura drops Tana with another knee. In the corner, Nakamura looks for Good Vibrations, but Tana fights it off. More knees from Nakamura, and Tana hits a diving forearm.
Tana with a standing elbow drop, followed by a standing senton for 2. Tana connects with a few uppercuts, then hits his middle rope senton for 2. Nakamura comes back with a spinning kick to the head. Back in the corner, he pulls off Good Vibrations a few times. Tana grabs his leg, and does a Dragon Screw Legwhip against the ropes. Nakamura is on the outside now.
Tana scales the top rope, and hits the High Fly Flow crossbody to Nakamura on the floor! Tana brings Nakamura back into the Ring, and he's back up to dropkick Tana off the apron into the steel ringside barricade. Tana is back in, and Nakamura is quick to deck him with a few forearms.
Big forearm exchange between the two. Each man looks to have the upper hand, until the other comes back with a combo. Tana misses a Stinger Splash, and Nakamura hits his midsection with a knee. Back breaker, followed by a release Suplex. Nakamura looks for Boma Ye, but Tana cuts him off with a dropkick to the knee.
Tana zeroes in on the knee, and kicks at it. Nakamura tries to kick him, but Tana catches it and hits another Dragon Screw. Tana applies the Texas Cloverleaf next. He adds a ton of pressure, bending away at the legs, back and neck. Nakamura is able to get to the ropes.
Tana drops Nakamura, then goes to the top. Nakamura avoids the High Fly Flow, and hits the Boma Ye to the back of the head. He goes to the middle rope, and hits the Boma Ye again, right to the face! In the corner, he goes for it proper, but Tana counters into a Clutch pinfall for 2. Nakamura with an axe kick to the back, then a Boma Ye to the side of the head! Tana somehow kicks out!
Tana is up, and hits the Twist and Shout with such velocity! Nakamura is clutching his neck. Sling Blade connects, and Tana goes to the top rope! Nakamura is up, and Tana hits the High Fly Flow crossbody! Tana goes back up, and hits it proper, and Nakamura kicks out at the last possible second!
The crowd is going bananas. Tana goes for a Dragon Suplex and a Straitjacket Suplex, and Nakamura counters both. Tana with a Bitch slap, and Nakamura with a forearm. Death Valley Driver connects from the King of Strong Style!
Tana with a forearm to the midsection, but Nakamura will not go down. Another forearm exchange, this late into the match. Tana with an uppercut, and Nakamura's strike does nothing. He does drop Tana long enough to send his knees into Tana's head, Pride style. Tana catches a leg and hits another Dragon Screw.
Nakamura counters the Sling Blade into an armbar - the same move that submitted Kazuchika Okada to get him to this point! Hey look, a Young Lion Jay White at ringside! Nakamura extends the arm, but Tana moves his leg around to stomp Nakamura's head to break it. Nakamura is quick to hit a Boma Ye again, and Tana once again kicks out!
Nakamura places Tana on the top rope. He looks for the Death Valley Driver to the mat, but Tana is fighting it. He elbows his way out. More elbows to the head, and some bitch slaps. Tana hits the High Fly Flow on Nakamura while both are on the top rope!! Dragon Suplex, and Nakamura kicks out!
Tana goes back to the top, and hits the High Fly Flow to the back! He goes back up, and hits it one more time proper! He makes the cover, and Tana has won the 2015 G1! Post match, the long time rivals show each other much earned respect.
Wow, what a wonderful piece of business. That was just a thoroughly entertaining and exciting spectacle between two masters of the game. If you have only seen Shinsuke Nakamura in WWE, you are missing out big time. This was a crazy back and forth battle of wills, as Tana and Nakamura duked it out over the G1 crown. So many times throughout this, Nakamura was on the up, and he seemingly had victory at hand. But Hiroshi Tanahashi is the Ace for a reason: his undeniable grit and sheer will to push himself to the victory lane.
As I said, this is the last singles meeting between the two, as Nakamura would make his WWE debut at NXT TakeOver: Dallas in April of 2016. And he's been there ever since, and likely won't ever do a full time run in Japan again. What a way to go out, though! These two had faced off plenty of times before, but this match blows the rest away, and it's not even close.
From the emotion, the chemistry, the stakes, the sequences of counters, and the absurdly hot finishing stretch, this match had it all. There's nothing quite like watching two masters just do what they do best. Here, on this hot summer night in 2015, that's what Tanahashi and Nakamura did.