NJPW G1 Climax 33 rolls on with Day 13 of the tournament. Featuring Final Round action between A Block competitors. The IWGP Heavyweight Champion SANADA has already qualified on a full 12 points, but who will be joining him in the Quarter Finals?
The tournament’s new format for this year: 4 blocks, 8 wrestlers per block, 2 progress out into the Quarter Finals and it’s a knockout format from there.
Shows feature 8 matches each, 2 blocks getting through a round of match-ups. Finally, there’s a 20 minute time-limit for the matches this year, something to kick up the pace of the action.
With that explained, let’s proclaim this year’s “Born in the ring!” slogan and get to these results.
REFRESH FOR UPDATED RESULTS AS THE SHOW ROLLS ON.
A BLOCK
Yota Tsuji vs Gabe Kidd
Surprise, surprise, Kidd attacking before the bell and walloping all over… wait a minute, that’s not Yota Tsuji. Admiral, it’s a trap! A very Tsuji looking man in his jacket taking the beating so the genuine article can jump poor Gabe.
Don’t worry, the Notts lad got his payback with a damn high angle Suplex dropping Yota ringside. The War Dog grabbing the mic to voice his mind, “Fuck you, Tsuji… and fuck you, Tsuji.”
Kidd taking the man himself into the ring and suplexing him overhead, making his mark with cusses galore. Inviting Tsuji to a chop battle to show his strength, both men delivering stiff AF offerings but my God Yota blasted the Bullet kid’s soul out of his body.
The shots just keeping on coming, Tsuji becoming all-business as he asks for a hairband from a Young Lion. Both men lamping the hell out of each other as Kidd wins out, shrugging off a jumping knee with a string of straight fists.
A damn beautiful putting on of the brakes from Kidd, both men running the ropes and the Bullet Club lad turned his momentum to rebound with a clothesline. Yota rolling out the way of the following Moonsault though, sending the crowd to chant his name as he rose to his feet.
Tsuji showing his strength with a Gutwrench to then set up his own Moonsault to actually hit. Momentum flowing as the Falcon Arrow set up the Stomp, but it was going to take more than that to keep Kidd down. The man to his feet and nailing a Spear near fall, stealing the LIJ man’s move in snap style.
Both men rising to their feet to send us into a face slapping battle, the sweat flying of the two as the shots just kept coming. Tsuji winning out and grounding Gabe, only for the lad rise once again and charge. Running off the ropes, Tsuji avoiding the redbounding clothesline this second time and answering with his own Spear for the win!
WINNER: Yota Tsuji (7 points)
A BLOCK
Ren Narita vs Kaito Kiyomiya
The two testing each other out in the early going, Kiyomiya with the first snap with a series of Dragon Screws whipping Narita down for a knee bar. The NOAH man staying on top as he made his statement, his opponent having to fight early on to find his footing.
The Son Of Strong Style using the weakness of Kaito’s neck to get back in, the match elevating as he successfully completely swung the momentum. 10 minutes into the match and Kiyomiya was caught doing all he could to get to the robes to break out of a Cobra.
A beautiful bridging Northern Light Suplex from Narita, scoring a near fall before Kaito “breaks glass in case of emergency” with a snap Dragon Leg Whip. The NOAH man returning right back to the knee, flying with a dropkick off the top, whipping him down and locking in the Figure Four.
The Osaka crowd so loud as they cheered for their New Japan man to fight off the other company’s star. A great atmosphere with strong enough support for both sides.
The match striking into a lightning flow to send the crowd rocking, both men drawing on the inspirations of their respective promotions to near fall after near fall. Kiyomiya amping up to nail a modified Tiger Driver, to once again be met by a kick out.
Kaito roars and charges in for the Shining Wizard, only to bridged over perfectly once again for the three!
An incredible flash finish as Narita gets a strong final say in his first G1. The result eliminating both men and
WINNER: Ren Narita (6 points)
A BLOCK
Chase Owens vs SANADA (IWGP Heavyweight Champion)
SANADA’s left arm completely taped up, you can bet cheeky Chase will capitalise on that.
Miracles can happen as Owens surprises himself by actually setting up the Paradise Lock correctly! Celebrating around ringside before hitting the dropkick to even more celebrations. The crowd actually chanting for Owens off the back of his success.
Within a minute Chase found himself Paradise Lock trapped around the bottom rope as he profusely apologised. The Bullet Club man switching to full nonsense at ringside, barricade whipping and mat ripping. Exposing the floor to try and win via count out, SANADA doing his best to reverse, but one more barricade barge was enough for Owens to nail a DDT and slide into the ring.
The IWGP Heavyweight Champion just beating the count, staying in the match even he did slide straight into getting fully grounded with a headlock. The champion making the ropes and off came cheeky Chase’s knee brace for some shenanigans. Laying prone as SANADA flew with the Moonsault, only for the cheekiness to not secure the win.
The Bullet Club Canadian going for the Package Piledriver, SANADA countering perfectly into a rana rolling over for the pin. Chase escaping, but the flow was fully in the champion’s stride. Back to his feet with a swing, but one Deadfall later called an end for the cheeky chappy.
WINNER: SANADA (14 points)
MAIN EVENT
A BLOCK
Shota Umino vs Hikuleo
Big boy Hikuleo with a damn impressive G1, now finding himself in a winner-takes-all main event against one of the new Reiwa Musketeers. Umino shouting that he’s strong too, but it wasn’t exactly smart wrestling to try and body slam the tall Tongan.
The Shooter’s speed and kicks chopping down the trunks the much wiser method, slowly chipping away at the man’s base before going for the slam again. 5 minutes in and Umino was flowing right on top.
Hikuleo fighting back and gaining a footing, but Shota was fighting with determination in this final A Block match-up. The tall man fending off the Ignition, only for Umino to ground the man down with a draining STF.
Still in full flow, using the Tongan making the ropes to drop to ringside and jump up onto the apron with a dropkick. Floating over after with a Slingshot DDT and keeping that forward momentum, but not reaching that point where he’s keeping his opponent down for long enough.
The Death Rider struggling to get underhooked, Hikuleo lifting the man right on up and down. Both man slowly rising to their feet as they amped up into a strike exchange, the powerful tall man winning out in spite of Umino’s determination. Although, it was difficult to keep down Shota with so many dodges and counters, the man reversing out of everything.
Umino running in for Ignition once again, only for the same block to occur and the tall man Powerbombed him down from on high for a near fall. Hikuleo’s Chokeslam also blocked again, this time reversed into a DDT as Umino swung back into the match once more.
The ambitious Shooter hoisting Hikuleo up onto the corner, bravely opting for a Superplex and shocking the crowd as he actually did power him over. That damage finally enough to nail Ignition on the third try, less than 5 minutes remaining as the Tongan kicked out.
Hikuleo fighting back, stopping the Death Rider in it’s tracks a second time as he span his opponent inside out with a lariat. The follow up Chokeslam stopped with the DDT again, this time floating over into a Sunset pin attempt.
Umino making a mistake trying to roll the big man over into a submission, before making a second error in trying to backslide him over into a pin. Hikuleo completely blocking the attempt, with the following charge off the ropes swung right down with the Powerslam.
A roar from the crowd as Hikuleo shouted for the Chokeslam once more, this time Umino’s elbows not enough to stop him and the tall Tongan overpowered him. Nailing the Chokeslam and 1, 2, 3!
Hikuleo scoring the three and upsetting the block in impressive fashion like he has done all tournament. The Osaka ground chanting his name and showing their respect after the match.
WINNER: Hikuleo (8 points)
UPDATED BLOCK STANDINGS
A BLOCK
SANADA – 14 points
Hikuleo – 8 points
Yota Tsuji – 7 points
Kaito Kiyomiya – 6 points
Ren Narita – 6 points
Shota Umino – 6 points
Gabe Kidd – 5 points
Chase Owens – 4 points
B BLOCK
Kazuchika Okada – 10 points
Will Ospreay – 8 points
El Phantasmo – 6 points
TAICHI- 6 points
Tanga Loa- 6 points
Great O’Khan – 4 points
KENTA – 4 points
YOSH-HASHI – 4 points
PREVIOUS NJPW G1 CLIMAX 33 RESULTS
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 1 Results 7/15/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 2 Results 7/16/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 3 Results 7/18/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 4 Results 7/19/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 5 Results 7/21/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 6 Results 7/23/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 7 Results 7/25/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 8 Results 7/26/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 9 Results 7/27/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 10 Results 7/30/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 11 Results 8/1/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 12 Results 8/2/23
